A Healthy and Enjoyable Holiday: Moderation is key!

Thanksgiving is a stressful time for those trying to lose weight and/or just maintain a healthy lifestyle. To stick with my healthy lifestyle goals this year, I decided to model a healthy healthy and enjoyable Thanksgiving for my readers!



...I know it's a little "too late" for this year's Thanksgiving, but the Holiday season is full of unhealthy eating opportunities, so I hope you will be able to use some of these tips over the next month!



Morning: This morning I hung out on the couch for a half hour while I enjoyed a large mug of 1/2 coffee and 1/2 soy milk (I chose 1 of my 2 coffee days this week as this morning to treat myself!) I relaxed for a while and then went for a lovely run with Michael and a Holiday Hike up a mountain overlooking the CT river with Mike's family. Try and include some sort of physical activity on your holiday, be it a walk with your family or a solo bike ride to clear your head. It will get you started on the right foot, and make sitting on the couch the rest of the day seem more rewarding!



I had a small snack of green tea, 1 cup soy milk, 1 cup oatmeal, 2 Tbsp. walnuts, and 1 cup tomato juice when I returned home. I wanted something light since I'd be indulging in some delicious Thanksgiving food in a couple hours, but wanted to make sure I recovered from my run with the carbs and protein from the soy milk and didn't overeat at Thanksgiving because I was over hungry. Plus, tomato juice acts as an appetite suppressant, and is shown to help you overeat less when you drink a glass about 1/2 to 1 hour prior to an "unhealthy food" event :-)



Then, we headed over to Michael's parent's house, where appetizers were served. I filled a small plate plate with 3/4 fruit and fresh veggies and 1/4 "indulgent food". This is a great rule of thumb. Pretend your appetizer plate is your "salad". Fill up on fresh fruits and veggies, and make sure to try one or two small portions of your "favorites", whether it is pigs in a blanket, mini quiche, or cheese and crackers. Try to make your "indulgence" something you don't have very often. Today, I chose to fill most of my plate with grapes and roasted red peppers, and I indulged in some brie cheese on rice crackers with pepper jelly.



I also nursed a glass of wine throughout our first hour or so of mingling. Watch the alcohol intake, especially in the early hours of holiday gatherings. Once your cognitive functioning is impaired (i.e. you are "buzzed"), you are much more likely to overdo the food.



Next, the meal was served. Michael's sister prepared a beautiful spread of Turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, baked squash and pumpkin, roasted brussels sprouts and carrots, and salad.



When preparing your Thanksgiving plate, go for the 1/2, 3/4, 3/4 rule:

1/2 your plate should be salad or steamed veggies

1/4 your plate should be buttery veggies, starches, and sauces/gravies

1/4 of your plate should be protein

I filled 1/2 my plate with roasted veggies and pumpkin, 1/4 with potato and squash, and 1/4 with turkey breast and cranberry sauce.

When picking protein, remember that white meat is leaner than dark meat. Also remember that the turnip, sweet potatoes, and squash, although ARE vegetables, are usually full of butter and brown sugar, making them a "buttery veggie/starch" choice!

And last, dessert! For dessert, I prepared a low sugar, crustless pumpkin pie. This was healthier than most of the veggie choices at dinner! Crust is just butter, flour, salt, and maybe a bit of sugar, laden with unhealthy fats and processed starches. By removing the crust on your pie, you may save 200+ Calories and 20+ grams of fat!



Crustless Pumpkin Pie Recipe:

3 cans of pumpkin

1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk

1/2 cup dark amber maple syrup

1/4 cup molasses

4 eggs and 4 egg whites

3 Tbsp (I use more because I love spicy pie!) pumpkin pie spice

optional (if you like it a bit sweeter): 1/2 cup dark brown sugar



Mix all ingredients well and place in a large, deep and round baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Let set overnight.



Serve with a dallop of vanilla frozen yogurt, cool whip, whipped cream, or ice cream!



I had a fantastic, enjoyable Holiday dinner, while not feeling stressed about the effect it may have on my health and waistline. I was able to enjoy family and friends, and eat and drink all my favorite Thanksgiving foods, while sticking to my Dr. Weil food pyramid goals!



So in review, for healthy holiday gatherings:

Get moving!

Don't go to your event ravenous

Focus on fresh fruits and veggies, especially during appetizer time

Enjoy all your favorites in moderation. Eat slowly, and savor each bite!

Limit your alcohol intake to help keep your food intake in check

Try preparing healthier versions of "old favorites"



Happy Holidays!

Peach Tree Circle Memories

I worked in a quaint little tea room on the Cape from 1996-2005. We grew our own fruits, veggies, and flowers, baked from scratch, and served up all our creations every afternoon during lunch time. I learned a great deal about agriculture, cooking and baking, dishwashing, customer service, creativity, and even management and accounting in my time there!

I have some fond memories of my time at Peach Tree...
-the little old ladies with heir tip cards and coach purses and Jackie O sunglasses
-my sister entertaining me in the dishroom claiming she sweat so much back their she looked like a "feed the children" commercial
-a difficult customer who insisted on calling me "Loren, the little French Maid" every day I worked for about 3 years

...But the best thing of all about Peach Tree Circle was our delicious food. Two of my favorite, most simple recipes to make were the Vegetarian Vegetable soup and the Chicken Salad (served on a platter with fruit or in a sandwich). I share these favorites with you here because sadly, Peach Tree is no longer in business :-(

Chicken Salad
(Makes about 4 servings. Great for a quick gourmet lunch or appetizer platter for a luncheon. Looks beautiful on a serving platter alongside some tuna salad and egg salad set on a bed of lettuce)
2 cups diced cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup red grapes cut in half
1/2 cup chopped celery
3 Tbsp mayonnaise (I use light canola mayo)
salt and pepper to taste
(I also like adding a little white onion)

Mix well and enjoy!

Vegetable Soup
(makes about 10 servings....I often do this as a make ahead meal. It is a nice winter alternative to salad!)
64 ounces V8 Vegeable juice
16-32 ounces water (depending on your thickness preference)
2 heads broccoli
1 onion
2 heads cauliflower
10 mushrooms
1 lb carrots
any other veggies you might want to throw in

Chop veggies, pour all ingredients in a large pot, boil, then turn down to low. Let cook slowly for 2 hours. I like to add extra black pepper and some chili powder for some kick! Garlic, parsely, and onion powde also work well. Enjoy!

I hope others can share in my enjoyment for Peach Tree foods, even though you won't get the full effect of the Cape Cod organic farm/tearoom!

quitting coffee

A Harvard review claims coffee is safe in moderation (http://www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/coffee_health_risk.htm)

Andrew Weil's Anti-inflammatory Food Pyramid includes no mention of coffee, but encourages 2-4 cups of tea per day.
(http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/PAG00361/anti-inflammatory-food-pyramid.html)

What's a devoted Andrew Weil follower to do? (...who's had at least 10 ounces of coffee per day since age 15).

There are benefits and drawbacks of coffee consumption:

On the plus side...
coffee drinking is associated with:
increased endurance performance
decreased risk of gallstones and colon cancer
reduced risk of Parkinsons disease
reduced incidence of type 2 diabetes
improved cognitive function

On the other hand...
caffeine is an addictive stimulant: I rely on coffee when I'm tired, ignoring my internal cues of the good nutrition it probably truly needs
inhibits calcium absorption
contributes to dehydration if consumed in excess
Coffee may cause cardiovascular complications such as irregular heartbeat and increased blood pressure
I drink my coffee with cream, increasing my saturated fat intake
I am a coffee snob...which means coffee is an expensive habit
contributes to bad breath

Now, let's take a look at tea (especially green tea)!

Benefits include...
similar disease-fighting and performance-enhancing effects to coffee (decreased risk of some cancers, increased immune response, increased cognitive function, increased energy expenditure)
anecdotal evidence shows tea lowers stress hormones in the body
As opposed to coffee, tea may benefit the cardiovascular system
I have a teapot in my office so I can drink it for much cheaper than coffee
I don't need cream or sugar for tea...lowering my saturated fat intake
contains compounds that may fight off bacteria that causes bad breath

Drawbacks include...
Tea also incudes caffeine, but typically less so than my "coffee snob" coffee
contributes to dehydration if consumed in excess
inhibits calcium absorption

When I weigh my benefits and drawbacks, I see that it is in my best interest to lower, if not eliminate my coffee intake. I plan to replace coffee with green tea (which appears to be associated with the greatest health benefits) at least 5 days out of 7 each week, starting today. We'll see how this goes. I may turn in to a monster for a few days (as anyone does who eliminates an addictive substance from their life!), but for me, the long term health benefits and reduced chemical dependence will be well worth it.

Fall Feast

This evening I prepared dinner for Michael's parents and some friends. I had been wanting to try a recipe for curried pumpkin soup. I simply love preparing a meal and sharing it with family and friends. It is even better when I realize I am contributing to my guests' health by feeding them a meal high in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, shown to decrease heart disease and cancer risk!

For this evening's meal, I decided on a fall flavor theme, making the following (each serves 6-8 people):

Ginger Pear Salad

6 cups baby spinach

2 pears, sliced small

2 Tbsp. chopped crystalized ginger

1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

walnut dressing: 1/2 cup walnut oil, parsley, 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, 2 Tbsp. water, 1/4 cup vinegar (I used cider vinegar), tsp. sugar

Coconut Curry Pumpkin Soup (adapted from allrecipes.com)

2 Tbsp. oil (coconut is suggested, I used canola)

2 chopped onions
2 clove garlic, minced
4 cups vegetable broth
3 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 lbs 100% pure pumpkin
2 cans light coconut milk

Heat the coconut oil in a deep pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the onions and garlic; cook until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Mix in the vegetable broth, curry powder, salt, coriander, and red pepper flakes. Cook and stir until the mixture comes to a gentle boil, about 10 minutes. Cover, and boil 15 to 20 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Whisk in the pumpkin and coconut milk, and cook another 5 minutes.
Pour the soup into a blender, filling only half way and working in batches if necessary; process until smooth. Return to a pot, and reheat briefly over medium heat before serving.

Maple Encrusted Salmon (adapted from allrecipes.com)

1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 pounds salmon

1 apple chopped

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

In a small bowl, mix the maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, garlic salt, and pepper.
Place salmon in a shallow glass baking dish, and coat with the maple syrup mixture. Cover the dish, and marinate salmon in the refrigerator 30 minutes, turning once.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Place the baking dish in the preheated oven, and bake salmon uncovered 20 minutes, or until easily flaked with a fork. Add chopped apple and walnuts over top of each piece in last 5 minutes. Sprinkle with some extra maple marinade for a finishing touch.

(I sauteed some spinach with leftover marinade, 1 chopped apple, 1 tsp walnut oil, and 2 Tbsp. walnuts. I mixed this with cooked brown rice pasta and served the salmon over the pasta!)

Pear Cobbler (adapted from allrecipes.com)

1 cup old fashioned oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon finely chopped crystallized ginger
3 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons whole grain flour
2 teaspoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
8 cups peeled and sliced pears
1 pint sweet cream ice cream

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 2 quart casserole dish or 9 inch square baking dish.
In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, brown sugar, 1/2 cup flour, 1 teaspoon crystallized ginger, and cinnamon. Stir in the butter until the mixture is crumbly with pea sized lumps. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, stir together the white sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and 2 teaspoons of crystallized ginger. Add the sliced pears, and toss to blend. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Spread with the oat topping.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until pears are soft and topping is golden brown. Cool slightly before serving with vanilla ice cream.

The walnuts and salmon are high in cardiovascular disease protecting omega-3 fatty acids, and the colorful fruits and veggies plentiful in each dish are packed with cancer fighting antioxidants! Try preparing your next family dinner this holiday season with both taste and health in mind!

MAM's (Make Ahead Meals)

I used to think I "had no time" to make lunch for work...Then I started working at HCC, where the options (pizza, canned soup, and iceberg salads) were far less appealing than UMass (with the Earthfoods Vegan Cafe and the Peoples' Market full of delicious inexpensive organic fruits, veggies, cheeses, and breads). I realized if I wanted to eat a healthy, inexpensive, delicious lunch each day, I was going to have to be proactive.

I have come to realize as long as I have 1 hour on the weekend and 10 minutes each evening, I can make delicious lunches every day of the week that make my coworkers very jealous :-)

Every Sunday, I go grocery shopping for the week. I plan my meals for the week before I head out. In my plan, I always include 102 MAM's (make ahead meals) that are the basis of my weekly lunches, and brainstorm ways to take a piece of my dinner entree each night and use it as side dish for the following day's lunch.

For example, this week my MAM was a chicken sausage and veggie soup.

The recipe included:

4 cups low sodium chicken broth

4 applegate farms italian chicken sausages

1 cup chopped mushroom

1/2 bag (5 ounces) frozen green, red, and yellow peppes

3 cups raw spinach

1/2 onion

tsp olive oil

1 clove garlic

1 tsp chili powder

few shakes of salt and pepper

I sauteed the mushrooms, sausage, onions, and garlic in the olive oil. in a shallow sauce pan. Then, I poured all other ingredients in, turned the heat down to medium/low and let sit for 1/2 hour.

Next, I poured the soup in to 2 large to go containers. I packed one in my lunch bag Monday for Mon/Tues lunch and put the other in the freezer for Thurs/Fri lunch (no school on Wednesday due to Veterans' day!)

Then, each evening, I took ten minutes to add a little side dish to lunch. I just used whatever I was making that evening for dinner and used some ingredients to prep lunch for the following day!

Monday: Spinach salad with chickpeas, dried cherries, blue cheese, walnuts, and balsamic vinegarette

Tuesday: 2 slices Gluten free bread with brie, avocado, red onion, tomato, and cucumber

Thursday: wilted spinach salad with crystalized ginger, pear and goat cheese

Friday: 6 ounces greek yogurt with almonds, a banana, drizzled with honey

So, by rationing my evening time and taking a little extra time on Sunday evening, I had beautiful, healthy, nutrient rich lunches each day (which probably took less time than a walk down to the cafeteria for salt and saturated fat-laden meals!)

Early Morning Eats

Today I got an email from a friend asking about the best early morning workout fueling plan. This sure brought back memories of packing up my PB and J and brewing my coffee in my dorm room at 5 in the morning in college!





Before my junior year in college, I never ate before morning workouts. I thought I'd be slower, feel sicker, and lose my breakfast. But after a severe dizzy spell and a trip to health services after practice one day (to be diagnosed wit hypoglycemia and "cured" with a coca cola!) I realized how important pre-practice fueling is! And so I tried eating a powerbar before practice... And hated it for the first couple of weeks. I just wasn't used to having anything in my stomach before rowing. It felt weird and uncomfortable. But by week 3, I was hooked. My performance was improving and recovery was faster. Plus, I wasn't as tempted to overeat at breakfast because my blood sugar was stable! I lost 3% body fat and improved my 2k time by 10 seconds that season!



Think about pre-morning nutrition rationally: would you EVER work out in the evening after not eating anything since 6am? Because that is basically what you are doing when you work out at 6am...you haven't fueled your body for 8-12 hours! You probably are a less than efficient machine. The American College of Sports Medicine has recommendations for pre-workout fueling. I've translated them from "nutrition geek" language to "real food" language and also included some recommendations for people who just can't stomach the amount of food recommended!



ACSM recommendations: Eat 1g Carbohydrate per kg body wt per hour prior to exercise. Go for low glycemic index foods.

Translation: For a 115-130 lb woman, this would translate to 25-30g complex carbs 1/2 hour preworkout. Some options include:
1. 1/2 bagel with tsp peanut butter,
2. 1/2 power bar,
3. glass skim chocolate milk,
4. 2 cups gatorade,
5. 1 gu,
6. 1 slim fast shake or instant breakfast
Also, drink about 1-1.5 cups water within an hour of exercise.

"Real life": Eat what works for you. Something is always better than nothing. My favorites in the morning are 1 cup steamed soy milk and 1 cup coffee mixed, or a banana. Bananas seem to settle well with most people. Mike swears by blueberry frosted poptarts. It's not necessarily the type of complex carb meal I'd recommend, but it helped him run a pr marathon (2:35!) this year.

I also find that people can "adapt" to eating more over time. You can start with a bite of a powerbar and make a goal to increase number of bites every week or so.


Try making a SMART goal to increase your food intake pre-exercise. It may just be the thing you need to bring your performance to a new level!

Continuing Education

I am teaching a Health Careers course this semester, in which students research and reflect on the wide variety of health career options and design degree plans to help them reach their goals. We have about 15 guest lecturers throughout the semester come in and talk about what they do, how they got there, and why they love it.

Last week, I was the "guest" lecturer. I introduced students to the field of Nutrition and used my career path as a case example. During our Q and A session after my talk, one students asked, "If you could do anything else, what would it be?"

Whoa. Loaded question. I used to be so goal oriented. I had my entire degree plan done before I even entered college! And with a few minor adjustments, I followed precisely until I finished my Doctorate. But, I've been in a state of content since I finished school. I love my job. I'm happy here. I haven't thought about career goals for a while now. But, when she asked me, I had an immediate, non-hesitant response: "I always want to teach, but I would love to do more one on one wellness consulting as well".

And that got me thinking....if I want to do it, why don't I? What's holding me back? I'm at a spot in my life where I have a steady job that only takes 9 months out of 12, no kids, and a very supportive partner, family, and friends.

With a little planning and focus, I can do it!

So today I purchased a self guided ACE (American Exercise Council) Personal Trainer Course and also a Lifestyle and Weight Management Consultant Course. I plan to do all the work for these courses over the next couple months and take the certification exams before next semester! I have some grand career plans for what I will do with these certifications, but will wait until the certificates are in hand to discuss these in detail!