Microwaving...

I don't microwave very much at all, and it is usually just to re-heat something  quickly!  The question is - does microwaving "kill" nutrients? What about other cooking methods?  What's the best way to cook food for maximum nutrition? Here's some scoop:

Despite what you might read on the Internet, microwaving your food does not "kill" nutrients. In fact, it can make certain nutrients more available to your body.  In terms of the impact on your food's nutrients, microwaving is the equivalent of sauteing or heating up in a pan (just a lot more convenient). Research on this topic shows that whenever you cook greens (broccoli, spinach, etc), some of the B vitamins and other water-soluble vitamins are lost. The amount you lose depends on the duration and rigor in which the food is cooked-steaming broccoli in the microwave for 90 seconds is a lot different than nuking it for five minutes. Another example: Sautéing green beans in a pan allows for much better vitamin retention than if you were to boil them. Boiling leaches the most nutrients out of your food, so with the exception of potatoes, try to avoid boiling your vegetables.

Weekend Wreckage...

Sleeping in - No alarm clock, no stressful commute, and often, no morning meal – leading to a gorgefest around noon!  If you don’t eat until brunch, you’ll be starving and think you can eat the equivalent of two meals – ha ha!!!  Remember, breakfast tends to be the lowest calorie meal of the day, no skipping 3oo calories and tacking on an extra 600 later certainly isn’t going to help you drop the pounds!

Damage control – No matter what time you crawl out of bed, chow down!  Eating helps rev up your metabolism, which starts your calorie burn.  Weekend brunches have become one of my favorite times to catch up with friends and I always have to eat something before hand otherwise I would be gouging!

Until Monday - Keep thinking veggies and protein!

It's All in the Gut…

Your body's many systems work closely together to maintain optimal health, so when one system is off balance it can trigger a domino effect, potentially igniting a cascade of chronic health complications. One system that is particularly responsible for overall well being is your digestive system – a strong, yet delicate ecosystem that controls the presence harmful invaders and maintains digestive and overall health.  There are many factors that influence the health of our digestive system. Some of the most common causes of digestive discomfort include poor diet, late meals, rushed eating, food allergies and most of all, stress. Simply taking the time to slow down and eat healthy foods in a mindful way can greatly improve digestive health and relieve tension. The following practical tips can help you improve overall digestion for optimal health:

·   Include an abundance of fiber in your diet from fresh fruits, vegetables and whole, unprocessed grains

·   Avoid processed foods, commercial meats and trans-fats (unhealthy fats)

·   Test for food allergies and sensitivities with your doctor

·   Refrain from eating two to three hours before bedtime

·   Drink plenty of filtered water and herbal teas for proper hydration

·   Find healthy ways to relieve stress such as meditation, exercise and laughter

·   Practice yoga for improving digestive function and reducing stress

·   Limit your use of over-the-counter and prescription drugs

·   Limit caffeine and alcohol, which damage friendly bacteria

Get serious about recovery.

The major challenge facing many of the more competitive runners is recovery. Runners who train hard in pursuit of ambitious race goals often fail to allow their bodies to recover adequately from all of their hard work, and when you don’t recovery properly from your hard work, a lot of that work is wasted.

When we think about recovery, we usually think about post-workout nutrition, ice baths, and massages. But by far the most powerful determinant of your recovery is your training. To get adequate recovery you must first of all plan your training wisely. Instead of devising or following training plans that represent the most your body will be able to handle in the ideal scenario, create or choose a schedule that’s a little more conservative—something you’re sure you can manage with energy to spare even if everything doesn’t go perfectly. In addition, plan a recovery week every third week, where you cut your volume by 25 or 30 percent to let your body catch up.

Beyond planning your training wisely, you can further boost your recovery by listening to your body. Don’t treat your training plan as a mandate that you must follow at any price. Instead be willing to replace a scheduled hard run with an easy run, or an easy run with a day off, whenever your body feels unready for the workout you’ve planned. Sometimes discretion is the better part of valor.

Color Control...

OK - so when you have a weakness for vanilla ice cream - scoop it into a brightly colored bowl.  A study from the Journal of Consumer Research found that if your food and dishes have a high color contrast, you will serve yourself less!  People in this study piled 22 percent less pasta with tomato sauce onto white plates verses red ones.  High color contrast may make it easier to notice how much food you are dishing out, so when your meal and table setting blend, pay attention to portion size!

It’s Ballpark Time...

It’s hard getting around nine innings of temptations!  I am hoping I get to go to a Cubs game this year - not that I am a huge fan, but I love Wrigley Field and the experience! There aren't a lot of healthy choices, but here are some things to remember.  Choose grilled chicken over deep fried chicken sandwiches or tenders.  Try frozen yogurt instead of ice cream.  A handful of roasted peanuts over the caramel corn.  Go for a customized deli sandwich, heavy on the lettuce and tomato with mustard instead of mayo.  Have a beer, but drink plenty of water and stay away from the soft drinks and lemonade.  Best of all you can get some exercise - walk around the ball park before the game, the seventh inning stretch and after the game.  If you are like me and have to pee a lot - the stadium stairs are also a good workout!  

BTW - The all-beef hot dog with mustard contains 214 calories; the corn off the cob, 386.  Lite beer contains 90-110 calories per 12 ounces.  Lemonade has 150 calories and 37 grams of sugar per 12 ounces!

Are All Carbohydrates Bad For You...

With all the fad diets these days, it's a challenge to know which diets are beneficial and effective and which ones are harmful. Many people ask about carbohydrates and whether they should avoid it altogether. What's interesting is that people frequently forget that fruits and vegetables are carbohydrates as well, so even with diets that avoid 'carbs,' you are still getting carbs through your plant-based foods.

What's important to keep in mind is that we shouldn't eliminate entire food groups at a time. Instead, you should learn to eat smartly within each food group so as to maximize nutritional intake and minimize weight gain and sugar issues.

When you focus on eating whole non-processed grains and vegetables, you are naturally going to be eating healthier and the weight will usually drop off because you have a new healthier eating pattern. "Carbs" like cookies, white breads and pastas, and sweets are destructive to your body and to your weight loss efforts.

Our body responds well to a diet that is mostly plant-based with healthy fats and lean protein and low in sugar. The key image is to make sure that at least half of your plate is full of vegetables and another quarter of the plate is from lean proteins and healthy fats like avocados, nuts, or fish, and the last quarter of the plate is filled with whole unprocessed grains like quinoa, barley, oats, and brown rice, just to name a few. 

Until Monday - Keep thinking veggies and protein!

Flying and Hydrating...

I did some traveling last weekend and dehydration is a concern when flying. Since there is a lower level of oxygen available, passengers tend to breathe faster and increase their water loss. It is best to try to drink 8 to 16 ounces of water before the flight departs and aim for at least 8 ounces for every hour on the flight. Consider limiting alcoholic or caffeinated beverages that may contribute to dehydration. Since people cannot take liquid beverages through security, hydrating is important before getting to the airport.  The first thing I do after I make it through security is get the biggest bottled water I can find!  I also always try and make sure I have an aisle seat when flying because I am that person getting up to pee A LOT!

It’s Never too Late...

I found this encouraging article about Rachael Ray and it just goes to show you that it is never too late to get started exercising!  I didn’t really start running until I was 36 and It was always touch and go for me.  It wasn’t until the last 3 years that I really got into strength training and a real workout routine!  Just getting into the routine is the hard part, but it can be done and its NEVER too late!

It was those famous "30 Minute Meals" — always focused on fresh ingredients — that helped Rachael Ray become a household name. But despite the celebrity chef's penchant for veggies, her "everything in moderation" mantra (which includes burgers and mac and cheese too), and her push to use good-for-your-heart E.V.O.O. (her now-famous abbreviation for extra virgin olive oil), Ray admits one big piece of a healthy lifestyle was missing for her for a very long time.

"I didn't start meaningful exercise until I was 40 and I feel really guilty about that now that I'm a few years into running six days a week. I really feel like I missed out a lot in my adult years.  I wish I had those other 25 years back between when you're forced to go to gym class and where I'm at now. There were a lot of years where I thought that just working really hard was the equivalent of having exercise every day in your life, and it really isn't.  I just have a much cleaner, clearer vision every day and I can get so much more accomplished mentally by moving physically every day."

Quirky Weight-Loss Strategies...

Eating Sweets While Cooking

For the cook who loves tasting as they go, licks, sips, and nibbles can add up fast, leaving you feeling as if you've already eaten a meal before it actually ends up on the table. To quell the tasting urge, some experts recommend sucking on a highly flavored hard candy while you cook. The potent taste—think mint, cinnamon, or sour—will keep your taste buds busy, and the act of sucking will keep your mouth occupied.  

I might have to give this a try - next time I am doing some cooking!

Cross-Food Contamination...

Since I am still new to cooking I have to keep reminding myself about food safety and food contamination!  Here are some helpful hints!  

Hand Washing

Pathogens can be introduced into food from infected humans who handle the food without thoroughly washing their hands.

These pathogens are thus transferred from trace amounts of fecal matter present on hands to the food.

Hand washing has become just an everyday habit!  I have hand lotion every where!

Food and Kitchen Tool

Food and kitchen tools and surfaces may become contaminated from raw food products (i.e., meat and poultry).

Microbes can be transferred from one food to another by using the same knife, cutting board or other utensil without washing the surface or utensil in between uses.

A food that is fully cooked can become re-contaminated if it touches other raw foods or drippings from raw foods that contain pathogens.

The Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs....  

Since I eat so many eggs, organic, omega 3 eggs only, I have perfected hard boiling them!  This is what I do.  I cover my eggs in cold water.  Put them on the stove on high and once they come to a boil I turn off the stove and set the timer for 15 minutes and let them remain on the stove.  When the timer goes off - I remove the eggs and run cold water on them.  I let them cool off and in the fridge they go.  Voila!  the most perfect hard boiled eggs with a golden yolk!

Until Monday - Keep thinking veggies and protein!

Sushi...

I just watched a Dr. Oz video on “Foods That Make You Fat” and sushi was the first one.  I am writing about this because something very interesting happened to me at lunch just the other day!  As I have mentioned before, I am so fortunate at work - every Wednesday, one of our restaurants hosts a beautiful buffet lunch.  I happened to walk through the kitchen and got a sneak preview so I could determine my “healthy” options.  Of course they steered me right to the Sushi.  Ha Ha - I know better than that!  If it was sashimi - maybe!  But the sweet sticky carbohydrate rice and often full fat mayo in all of the specialty sushi can really pack on the extra calories and of course the soy sauce which for me is detrimental!   I opted for the mixed greens and added the “angry” chicken and made myself a taco salad, salsa as the dressing!  Yes, sushi and taco’s were the menu items!  There are ways around just about everything, might not be ideal, but there are always options!

Secrets from Old Hollywood Glamour Girls...

Katherine Hepburn

She was one of the first great Hollywood actresses to not only "exercise vigorously" but to admit it.  Her parents encouraged her from childhood to "work her body to its highest potential," and she loved all kinds of sports (swimming, golf, and tennis especially). Hepburn prided herself on doing all her own stunts well into her 60s. At 84 years old, she said she could still stand on her head, walk on her hands, and somersault off a diving board. That's one admiral bag of party tricks!

Kumquats...

This wwonderfully sweet and tangy fruit has become a new favorite of mine!  Bob brought them home and surprised me with this little winter/spring season delicacy. Although kumquats taste like citrus fruits, they are distinguished from them in a way that they can be eaten whole with the peel. Like citrus fruits, kumquats also low in calories. 100 g of fresh fruit provide only 71 calories. Nevertheless, they are incredibly rich sources of health benefiting dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins, and pigment anti-oxidants that contribute immensely to our health and wellness.  They are little bursts of freshness in my salads!

Cabbage

Cabbage, which is loaded with vitamin C, is part of the cruciferous vegetable family, which has been shown to reduce the risk of several types of cancer. Other cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, kale, collard greens, and brussel sprouts, which can all lower the risk of prostate and breast cancer. Their cancer fighting properties stem from the high levels of glucosinolates, which our body metabolizes into isothiocyanates, powerful anti-carcinogens.  I make a slaw with a very easy wasabi and rice wine vinegar, add some carrots and purple cabbage for some color - yum!

Bring your lunch to work...

This is easier than it sounds. All it takes is some planning ahead, and forming a new habit. Try preparing your lunch the night before, so you’re not rushed in the morning to throw something together.

Take some leftovers, or use fresh ingredients to make a healthy salad with lean protein. I do this just about every day!  We always have salad ingredients and I always have portioned out proteins in the freezer and cans of tuna on hand!  Not only is this better for you than a store-bought lunch or a fast food trip, but it’s also much cheaper and can save you some hard-earned cash this month.

Until Monday - Keep thinking veggies and protein!

Oregano...

You may think of  only using oregano with Italian food, but did you know that it's a highly effective antibacterial agent? There are certain oils in oregano that are able to inhibit the growth of several types of bacteria. Oregano is a powerful antioxidant that contains more than the vitamin C-filled orange.

Trapeze...

Take your workout to new heights with trapeze workouts! Try a private lesson or enroll in a class to experience this total-body, endorphin-inducing workout that can have you burning up to 500 calories an hour. Not to mention, controlling your body while hanging off a bar in midair is also one serious abs workout!  I just read this in Shape Magazine and so excited because I already signed up for a class this summer!  I hope I will be able to fly threw the air with the greatest of ease....

Kiwi

Kiwi contains more potassium than a banana, while also being an outstanding source of vitamins C and E. The black seeds can also be crushed to make kiwi fruit oil, which is very rich in Alfa-Linoleic Acid, an important omega-3 fatty acid. Kiwis are very high in fiber, which helps improve diabetes because of its ability to control sugar levels.  Looks like more kiwi for me!

Food Journal...

I am on journal 150 this week!  It has become a habit I can not break!  It’s part of my life now and probably forever!  I can look back and reflect on what was happening on any given week.  It has also been helpful when Bob and I are planning a special meal - I can look back and see what we did a year or two earlier!  I also invested in an iPad and since it is by my side almost every minute - I can include everything that goes into my mouth!  Ha Ha - Next - might be photo’s of what I am eating at any moment!