Shakin' up breakfast!

I have been having a hard time with breakfast lately. I’m either finishing up my run and rushing to teach by 8am, or feeling groggy and not in the mood to eat. So, I decided that this week, I am going to make a little smoothie each morning. Smoothies make a great quick breakfast and are usually easy to stomach even if you aren’t super hungry. I found seven great smoothie ideas from “allrecipes.com”, which I modified to increase nutritional value. I posted the recipes below (each makes 2-3 servings), along with a little blurb on the health benefits of each. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Smoothie
Pumpkin is high in beta carotene, a powerful antioxidant!
Ingredients
1/2 cup canned pumpkin3/4 cup soy milk
1 banana½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice
4 ice cubes

Directions
Combine ingredients in blender and puree until smooth.
Pour the smoothies into small glasses (this drink is rich) and garnish each with a dollop of vanilla yogurt or whipped topping. For a fun touch, add a pinch of cinnamon or a few colored sprinkles. Serves 2 or 3.

Zucchini Banana Chocolate Peanut Smoothie
This smoothie gives you a serving of veggies at breakfast. Plus, it is high in protein, which will help keep you full until lunch!
Ingredients
1 cup grated zucchini, frozen
3 large ripe bananas, peeled and frozen
2 tablespoons chocolate whey protein powder
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
1 cup soy milk

Directions
1. Blend the zucchini, bananas, powder, peanuts, sugar, and milk in a food processor until smooth, thick, and creamy.

Peach Mango Smoothie
This smoothie is an immune booster with its healthy dose of vitamin C!
Ingredients
1 peach, sliced
1 mango, peeled and diced
1/2 cup vanilla soy milk
1/2 cup orange juice, or as needed

Directions
1. Place the peach, mango, soy milk, and orange juice into a blender. Cover, and puree until smooth. Pour into glasses to serve.

Banana Peach Filling Breakfast Smoothie
The oatmeal in this smoothie provides plenty of soluble fiber, which helps keep you full and is shown to reduce cholesterol levels!
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups milk
1/4 cup vanilla yogurt
1 banana, broken into chunks
1 peach
1 packet instant oatmeal
2 packets granular no-calorie sucralose sweetener (such as Splenda®) (optional)
5 ice cubes

Directions
1. Place the milk, yogurt, banana, peach, instant oatmeal, sweetener, and ice cubes into a blender. Cover, and puree until smooth. Pour into glasses to serve.

Groovy Green Smoothie
This smoothie is full of iron-rich spinach, promoting blood health.
Ingredients
1 banana, cut in chunks
1 cup grapes
1 (6 ounce) tub vanilla yogurt
1/2 apple, cored and chopped
1 1/2 cups fresh spinach leaves

Directions
1. Place the banana, grapes, yogurt, apple and spinach into a blender. Cover, and blend until smooth, stopping frequently to push down anything stuck to the sides. Pour into glasses and serve.

Heavenly Blueberry Smoothie
Flax seed is high in omega 3 fatty acids, which help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and improve eye health.
Ingredients
1 frozen banana, thawed for 10 to 15 minutes
1/2 cup vanilla soy milk
1 cup vanilla fat-free yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoons flax seed meal
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
2/3 cup frozen blueberries

Directions
1. Cut banana into small pieces and place into the bowl of a blender. Add the soy milk, yogurt, flax seed meal, and honey. Blend on lowest speed until smooth, about 5 seconds. Gradually add the blueberries while continuing to blend on low. Once the blueberries have been incorporated, increase speed, and blend to desired consistency.

Avocado Smoothie
Avocados are full of monounsaturated fat, which has been shown to improve cholesterol levels and decrease risk of heart disease.
Ingredients
1 avocado - peeled, pitted, and cubed
5 cubes ice
3 tablespoons white sugar (or 3 packets Splenda or Stevia sweetener)
1 1/3 cups milk
1 teaspoon fresh lemon or lime juice
1 cup vanilla yogurt or frozen yogurt

Directions
1. Place avocado, ice, sugar, milk, lemon juice, and yogurt into a blender. Puree until smooth.

Apple Pie Smoothie
This smoothie tastes like dessert! Plus it is rich in antioxidants and potassium.
Ingredients
2 (6 ounce) containers vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup pumpkin
Tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 banana, broken into chunks
1 can frozen apple juice concentrate plus 1 cup water or 2 cups apple cider
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 dash ground nutmeg
Directions
1. Combine the yogurt, pumpkin pie filling, banana, apple juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a blender.
2. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour into glasses and serve.

"Just being"

When I about 6 years old, I was at a birthday party full of games and cake and ice cream and presents. In the middle of the party, I ran over to my mom, and said, "what are we doing tomorrow?". She laughed at me and said, "Laura, go enjoy the moment. We'll worry about tomorrow, tomorrow."



Mom was the perfect example of someone who could totally be present in her life at all times. When I'd call her and ask what she was up to, she'd always reply "just being" (usually after I had spit out about 5 paragraphs discussing my high stress level and complained about all the things I had to get done that week). That was Mom in a nutshell. The perfectly content, "zen" woman. She was a great listener and great advice giver. She was a wonderful mom and a wonderful wife and a wonderful teacher. She was loved and respected by her family, friends and colleauges alike.



I have always been a forward thinker. It is what keeps me motivated. It helps me meet deadlines and get my grading done at lighting speed. It got me through a PhD and a number of successful racing seasons. So in some ways, I am very thankful for this part of my personality.



But lately, I've been wishing I could "just be" like Mom. I have started to realize that goals (especially long term ones) can be paralyzing, preventing me from being present in my life and reflecting on and acting on what really matters.



I've started taking steps towards this way of thinking in my marathon training. I've shifted my focus to "one run at a time" and "running by feel" rather than the usual approach, which included mileage and time and pace goals. It has really helped me enjoy the marathon training process over the last 4 weeks. I've had some great hard runs where I've pushed myself to the limit, some fantastic social runs with good friends, and some nice rest days, in which I've treated my body well and let it recover from the hard sessions. And really, that's what it is all about!



I'm hoping that eventually, I can apply these principles to the rest of life. Maybe one day, I'll be able to chill out about passing back students' work the day after it is passed in. Maybe I'll be able to sit down and watch 3 hours of TV or sleep until 11am or just hang out with friends and family every once in a while without feeling anxious that I need to check something off on my list or get better at something. It is a strange and foreign concept to me, and will take time and patience to develop shift my current paradigm. But it is something I know I want to work on. It will help me reduce my constant anxiety and enjoy "living" a whole lot more.

So, try to keep things in perpective as you make goals for yourself and work towards them. Consistently reflect on whether they are helping you become a happier person or prevnting you from enjoying the here and now.



The ultimate goal is finding that balance between "What am I doing tomorrow?" and "Just being".

My new snack

Since I've eliminated gluten (the protein found in wheat and many other grain products) from my diet, I've been struggling with finding enjoyable sources of starchy carbohydrate. Gluten-free bread and pasta just doesn't do it for me. So a couple weeks ago, as I started ramping up my running mileage, I started being a little creative with snacks of oats, rice, and potatoes. I quickly found a new favorite food: The incredible edible sweet potato!

A microwaved sweet potato has become my new pre-workout snack. It is a nice slow digesting carbohydrate and settles well in my stomach about an hour before working out. Plus, it's natural flavor is so delicious, all it needs is a little pepper (as opposed to my tasteless rice bread that needed at least 2 Tbsp. peanut butter and jelly to taste good). I think my coworkers think I'm a little weird walking through the hall with my sweet potato every afternoon, but I can handle the sideways glances :-) I am confident in my perfect little snack!

The sweet potato was recently ranked the #1 most nutritious vegetable by the Center for Science in the Public Interest:

"According to nutritionists at the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), the single most important dietary change for most people, including children, would be to replace fatty foods with foods rich in complex carbohydrates, such as sweet potatoes. CSPI ranked the sweet potato number one in nutrition of all vegetables." Source: http://www.foodreference.com/html/sweet-pot-nutrition.html

So, how did the sweet potato get to be #1?

1. It has cholesterol lowering and fullness-promoting properties with it's high fiber content,
2. It is a powerful cancer fighter, packing over 3X the daily recommended intake of beta carotene
3. It is very low on the glycemic index scale, which promotes a slow rise in blood sugar rather than the "sugar spikes" and "sugar lows" caused by white bread and pasta and sugary cereals.
   

Sweet Potato Nutrition Facts(for one medium size sweet potato)
Calories 130
Fat 0.39 g
Protein 2.15 g
Net Carbs 31.56 g
Dietary Fiber 3.9 g
Calcium 28.6 mg
Sodium 16.9 mg
Potassium 265.2 mg
Folate 18.2 mcg
Vitamin C 29.51 mg
Vitamin A 26081.9 IU
Source: US Department of Agriculture

Next time you are at the grocery store, stock up on sweet potatoes! Try them as your starch instead of bread or pasta at lunch or dinner, or just eat one as an afternoon snack. At most grocery stores, you can find ready-to-microwave sweet potatoes in the produce aisle. They are prewashed and wrapped in plastic. You just microwave them for 5 minutes and you have a delicious, warm, and healthy snack!

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!

inspired.

These past couple weeks have been athletically inspirational.

Two weekends ago, I participated in the Head of the Charles Regatta and cheered on Michael and many of my friends at the Baystate marathon. This past weekend, I ran a 5k at a Community College raising money for eating disorder awareness and participated in/coached at the Head of the Fish regatta in Saratoga Springs. I just want to take a few minutes to write about each event and discuss how each helped me make my next running goal....The National Marathon on March 20, 2010 in DC!

Inspirational Day 1: Alumni race at the Head of the Charles Regatta
Lesson Learned: Make it fun!

It was quite an adventure rowing with 8 former UMass alumni who had never competed OR practiced together! Today was about celebrating UMass and rowing and connecting with old friends. I actually have no clue how we did in the race! But that's not what it was about. And shifting the focus made it fun!

Inspirational Day 2: Bay State Marathon Lesson Learned: You cannot control external factors...but, you can control how you react to them

The marathoners' strength was certainly tested today, with freezing temps, gusts of wind, pouring rain, and SNOW! I got chills (yes, partly physical from running around in that weather....but also emotional chills!) as I watched my friends overcome the weather obstacle and finish with personal bests! I was in awe.

Inpirational Day 3: Race Against Stigma Lesson Learned: The reason for being at a race is sometimes much different than the race itself.

I ran this race en route to a regatta in Saratoga Springs. I was drawn to the race becase it was A. at a Community College, and I like to support the establishment I work for! and B. the race raised money for eating disorder awareness, which is near and dear to my heart for both professional and personal reasons. Thus, I was motivated by the race's cause much more than the actual act of racing. This made it a "good day" of racing, even though I didn't run quite as fast as I'd have liked to!

Inpirational Day 4: Head of the Fish Regatta Lesson Learned: It's not about the outcome. It's about the process.

My 11 masters rowers and I raced at the Head of the Fish in Saratoga. We hve come such a long way. Thinking about where we were last spring, and where we ended up this fall is pretty amazing. I had two women race for the first time in a regatta. My doubles partner raced her first sculling event. Five of us participated in multiple races. As I sat enjoying a lovely lunch/dinner at a diner with my great rowers and friends, I felt thankful. Not for the medals we won, but for the relationships we've built over the past 6 months, the improvements we've seen, and the new challenges we've been brave enough to face.

...and after all this inspiration, I decided it was time to suck it up and train for another marathon. I've been thinking about the race in all the wrong ways and wanting to run one for all the wrong reasons: "find a flat fast course", "run a pr", "get faster". But suddenly, after my 2 weekends of inspirational observation, I've developed a new outlook...I am craving the challenge that comes with training for a marathon, the excitement of getting to the starting line, knowing that race day may bring rain and wind and snow, and preparing myself to deal with anything mother nature has to throw at me, and practicing patience and perserverance in both day to day training and during the race.

So the big day will be March 20th down in Washington DC. I'll update on my process as I embark on my training!

SMART goals

I have fallen in love with Andrew Weil's guidelines for a healthy lifestyle http://www.drweil.com/

The guidelines proposed in his anti-inflammatory food pyramid are in line with the recent research on cardiovascular disease, cancer prevention, and overall health and wellness.

As I approach my LATE 20's (eek!) my focus is shifting away from "eating for optimal sports performance" and towards "eating to promote optimal wellness and longevity". I want to eat in a way that not only helps me run and row fast, but also allows me to raise a healthy and happy family, do my job well, and keep my body and mind functioning as long as possible.

The only issue is, following Dr. Weil's guidelines means I will have to make some major changes in my current habits. And old habits are hard to break. But with a solid action plan and good focus, I think I will be able to acheive an anti-inflammatory lifestyle!

I teach a personal nutrition class designed to help people set some nutrition related goals and start to work towards acheiving them. Last night as I lectured on how to design "SMART" goals, I thought about some goals I have for changing my diet and improving health, and how I probably have not acheived them because I've failed to lay out a "SMART" plan. So today I will start practicing what I preach!

SMART is an acronym that stands for:

Specific

Measureable

Attainable

Relevant

Timed

As you plan and execute long term (3-6 month) goals, short term (weekly/monthly) goals, and immediate (day to day) goals, it is important to clearly define what you want to acheive by using the SMART method.

We tend to be vague with goal setting: "I want to eat better", "I want to exercise more", and "I want to lose weight" are some common examples of this.

My very vague goal for the past couple months has been "I want to adopt Andrew Weil's Anti-inflammatory diet". I realize that I need to be much more specific if I want to acheive this goal!

So, I am changing this long term goal to...

"By February 18, 2010, I will live according to Andrew Weil's Anti-inflammatory diet 18 out of my 21 meals per week".

Is this SMART?

Specific and measurable: 18/21 weekly meals

Attainable: I think so...we shall see!

Relevant: yes. This way of eating has shown to have great cardiovascular disease and cancer fighting benefits, which aligns with my values and my desire to live a long and healthy life.

Timed: I'm giving myself 3 months to make some small changes in my diet each week/month so I eventually work up to the guidelines! I will have to cut out my fake sugar intake, some added sugar, some milk, some meat, some coffee, and a lot of the processed foods I eat.

This should be attainable if I cut the long term goal in to some little pieces to work on each month:

Short term goals (October 17-31)
1. eliminate fake sugar; limit added sugar foods (sweets) to 3 times per week

2. limit coffee to 1 mug per day; limit lattes to 1 per week

3. bake 1 loaf of bread, 1 batch of rice, and 1 batch of beans on Sunday nights to have for the week.

4. Limit meat to 1 time per day or less

And then, to stay on track, I will make some immediate goals to focus on TODAY!...

Immediate goals (today)

1. drink only water and tea after I finish my cup of coffee this morning (no fake or real sweet drinks)...plus a glass of wine this evening :-)

2. Eat meat (chicken or red meat) one time or less

3. find a recipe for some good gluten free bread to bake Sunday night!

I'll update on my progress weekly!

culinary "art"

When I observe my culinary students in the Holyoke Community College food lab, the scene looks like something out of "Top Chef": the cooks scramble around the kitchen grabbing spices, chopping garlic and onion, taste testing, and altering flavors as they see fit. Although every student is assigned the same dish with the same main ingredients, each one also adds his or her personal flair with herbs, spices and seasonings. Each cook creates a unique masterpiece. The students' performance in food lab never ceases to impress me (and taste testing all the dishes is a bonus)!

It is sometimes difficult for us mere mortals who just want to get dinner on the table by 7pm to imagine cooking as an "art". We follow a recipe and just hope it turns out like the picture in the cookbook! However, every so often I come across a recipe that gives me guidelines to follow, but also allows me to express my creativity with different flavors and textures...kind of like the cooking version of "paint by numbers"! I love these recipes...preparing them makes me feel like a culinary artist.

I came across a great low fat granola recipe today that does just this: the recipe gives you the proportions and cooking instructions, and you get to pick the ingredients. Go put on your chef's hat and get creative in the kitchen!

Ingredients:
1. Pick a selection of flaked or rolled grains - oats, wheat and barley are all good.
2. Pick a selection of nuts and seeds: almonds, brazils, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame and anything else you like. Coconut is also good but is relatively high in saturated fats. Use you can usually find unsweetened flakes.
3. Pick the dried fruits you would like to use: raisins, sultanas and dates, apricots and dried apples are all good. Avoid things that have been sweetened with additional sugar if you want a reasonably healthy mix.

You also need honey and cooking oil.

Here are the proportions you need:
1 part oil, 2 parts honey, 3 - 4 parts seed and nuts, 4 parts grains, 3 - 4 parts dried fruit

Method
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Measure out the oil and honey into a large mixing bowl.
3. Add the nuts and seeds. They should be well chopped so that no large chunks remain, especially if you are using brazils and pecans.
4. Add the grains and mix everything together very well.
5. Cook the mixture in a shallow open tray. You need to turn the mixture from time to time so that everything becomes evenly browned.
6. When everything is cooked (about twenty minutes to half an hour) remove the tray and finish by mixing in the chopped fruit.
7. Let cool and enjoy (or store in plastic bags or jars for later)!

Source: http://www.greenfootsteps.com/low-fat-granola-recipe.html

Vegan Mofo

October is the vegan mofo (month of food). From my experiences teaching nutrition courses at the college level, I am well aware of the wide array of understanding and misunderstanding related to veganism in our culture.

The British Vegan Society defines veganism as "the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals." Some are skeptical of this practice, declaring that people cannot possibly live healthy, active lifestyles without eating animal products. While I am by no means a vegan, I do respect the lifestyle and believe with careful planning, one can maintain optimal health on a vegan diet!



There are a number of professional athletes, in both endurance and strength sports, who live the vegan lifestyle and are peak performers in their respective sports: Scott Jurek (successful ultramarathoner), Brendan Brazier (professional tri-athlete), Christine Vardaros (world class cyclo-cross racer), and Kenneth G. Williams (bodybuilder) are just a few that come to mind. These individuals have certainly learned to maintain optimal physical health on a plant-based diet!



One of my nutrition students just started a fantastic vegan blog with much better recipe ideas than I could ever give. Her background in culinary arts helps bring a creative twist to vegan cooking. Check it out at http://vegvenus.blogspot.com/ Try a recipe or two this month to celebrate vegan mofo!

To run, or to nap?

Tuesday, I was tired at work. And rather cranky.



...I was dreading my run.



...but I was dreading taking a "day off" even more.



Last year at some point, I got in the habit of never taking a day off. Sure I'd take easy days, but would never take a day to do absolutely no exercise. On one level, I know this is silly. Any structured team I have ever been on, even a Division I Collegiate team gave us a day off each week. And I always took it. I rested, I did work, I stayed in my PJ's for most of the day...and I rarely got injured. But for the past couple years, I've been around people that never take a day off of RUNNING, nevermind a total day of rest! So even though I know I need to listen to my own internal cues, I cannot help feeling insecure and slothlike taking a total day off.

On Tuesday, I swallowed my pride and made the executive decision that a 1 hour nap would do me much more good than a 1 hour run. I took a nap. I woke up. I felt awesome. I had great, quality workouts the following 2 days: A 1 hour row with pyramid intervals and a 1 hour run at 7 min per mile pace on Wednesday, and a 1 hour run with 4 by 4 minutes of challenging hills on Thursday. I had energy to get school and advising work done. It was a great 2nd half of the week!

Would I have felt the same if I went for an hour run Tuesday? Maybe, but probably not. In the past when I have felt similarly, I have run myself into the ground complaining how tired I am day after day, expecting it to get better somehow....and then I usually get sick or injured.

Moral of the story: I will take days off more often. My body always thanks me graciously.

4 days of food on the go!

My last 4 days of food with no repeats include recommendations for eating on the run. We don't always have the luxury of cooking a healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner due to time and travel constraints! So, I thought of some healthy(ish) of fast food, convenience store, and grocery store options for those days we are strapped for time, cash, and stoves! All options are relatively low in saturated fat and sugar compared to other choices you could make at these establishments! All choices also are nutrient dense options: that is, they contain more vitamins and minerals and fiber per Calorie than some of the other choices you could make!

Breakfast options
1. GROCERY STORE: Piece of fruit, yogurt, snack size granola or trail mix or nuts
2. CONVENIENCE STORE: balance bar, piece of fruit
3. DUNKIN DONUTS: small lite latte, egg and cheese on english muffin
4. McDONALDS: Fruit and yogurt parfait, coffee with skim milk
think about packing with you: dried fruit, cereal, oatmeal packets, nuts

Lunch options
(lunch and dinner options are interchangeable)
1. DUNKIN DONUTS: flatbread egg white sandwich (no meat), glass of low fat milk or orange juice
2. PANERA: 1/2 sandwich and cup of soup deal (make sure sandwih is on whole grain bread, and soup is broth based, not cream-based!)
3. KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN: grilled chicken breast, side seasoned rice, small corn on cob, side house salad with light dressing
4. FRIENDLY's: Grilled chicken sandwich with side of broccoli instead of fries, small frozen yogurt for dessert
think about packing wth you: peanut butter, jelly, whole grain bread, fresh or dried fruits, string cheese, yogurt, milk cartons (or those little milk "juice boxes")

Snack Options:
1. trail mix (1/3 cup)
2. balance bar
3. slim fast or Boost shake
4. small to medium latte made with skim or soy milk (no flavor added)
think about packing with you: fresh fruit, high protein energy bars, packets of trail mix...see my recipe below for my favorite trail mix!


Dinner options
1. WENDY''S: baked potato (with 1 pat butter or tbsp. sour cream), bowl of chili, optional small Frosty for dessert.
2. McDONALDS: grilled chicken sandwich or southwest chicken salad (choose either small fries or small ice cream cone to accompany).
3. GROCERY STORE: fresh rotisserrie chicken breast, whole grain roll from bakery, carrot sticks or pre-cut broccoli dipped in low fat dressing.
4. SUBWAY: 6 inch turkey sub with lettuce, tomato and mustard on wheat, piece fruit, low fat milk.

Recipe for Laura's Favorite Trail Mix
1 cup ocean spray dried cranberries
1 cup mixed nuts of your choice (I like walnuts and pecans!)
4 cups cereal (cracklin oat bran, chex)
1 cup granola (Stop and Shop low fat honey and oats works well)
1 cup goldfish of your choice (original or pretzel tend to work best)
1 cup raisins (for an extra treat, yogurt raisins or chocolate raisins!)

Put in bag, shake it up. Divide in to half cup servings to resist the temptation of eating this delicious treat all at once!

So, there you have it! 14 days of food, no repeats. And remember, all these portion sizes are based on a 120lb female who exercises 1 hour per day...Be sure to check out http://www.mypyramid.gov/ "MyPyramid plan" to find the portion sizes appropriate for YOU!

10 days, home-cooked, no repeats

Whew! I've spent the last week creating meal plans for days 2-14 of my "14 days no repeats"...I am publishing them here as breakfast options, lunch options, dinner options, and snack options! This weekend, I didn't follow my 14 days, no repeats too well. While exploring NYC, it is a little difficult to resist the lovely cheesecakes and sangria (I'll definitely have to post soon on "food and exercise on vacation!")...but that is for another day.



Here it is: My beautifully designed 10 days no repeats meal plan. (The other 4 days will be "on vacation" or "eating out" days)...stay tuned! Enjoy!



Schedule: Eat breakfast, lunch, dinner, and 2 snacks. Enjoy a treat after dinner with your discretionary Calories if you'd like! Be sure to drink plenty of water as well.



Breakfast options

1. 1 egg, pan fried with pam over 1 slice whle grain toast. Top with 1 ounce cheese and 1 sliced tomato. Eat with 1 cup fruit.

2. 1 packet oatmeal, 1 cup low fat milk, 1 Tbsp. walnuts, 1 banana.

3. 1 cup berries, 1 cup Kale, 1 cup light yogurt, 1/2 cup milk. Toss in blender, blend until smooth!

4. 1 cup cottage cheese, 1 cup fruit.

5. 2 whole grain pancakes (3-5 inches), 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 1/2 cup fruit.

6. frittatta with veggies, 1 cup fruit.

7. bagel topped with laughing cow cheese, fruit.

8. Tbsp. peanut butter, 1 scoop whey, 1 banana, 1 cup milk. Toss in blender. Blend until smooth.

9. 1 cup greek yogurt, 1 cup fruit, 1/4 cup granola.

10. egg white omelette (4 egg whites, 1 ounce cheese, 1/2 cup veggies), 1 cup fruit.



Lunch options

1. Asian chicken salad: 1 grilled chicken breast, 1/2 cup mandarin oranges, 2 Tbsp dried cranberries, 2 Tbsp almonds and 2 cups baby spinach topped with 2 Tbsp low fat sesame gnger dressing. Served with 1 whole grain roll.

2. 12 ounce Bowl low fat chili (either from a can or homemade) sprinkled with 1 ounce cheese and served with 1 serving corn chips.

3. Chicken or tuna salad plate: salad: (2 ounces chicken or tuna mixed with 1 Tbsp ight mayo, 2 tsp celery, 2 tsp onion, 1/4 cup red grapes cut in half....mix well in bowl)...spread salad mixture over bed of lettuce, 1 cup mixed fruit of choice (eg strawberries, blueberries, peaches).

4. egg salad sandwich: salad: (1 egg and 1 egg white, chopped and mixed with 1/4 cup low fat cottage cheese and 1 tsp. light mayo, salt and pepper to taste)...spread on 2 slices whole grain bread, lettuce, tomato, and onion. Serve with 1/2 cup raw veggies and a piece of fruit.

5. Hummus and cheese platter: 1/4 cup hummus, 2 cups raw veggies, 1 6" pita or 1 sering pita chips, 1 oz cheese cut in cubes, 1 cup cut up fruit. Lay out on a platter and enjoy!

6. The "Trifecta" (idea stolen from Earth Foods at UMass!): 3/4 cup black beans, 1 cup steamed kale, 3/4 cup brown rice. Top with low fat dressing or sauce (I prefer 2 Tbsp tahini dressing) and enjoy!

7. Tuna melt: tuna salad (1 can tuna, 1 Tbsp. light mayo, salt and pepper, dash of paprika). Place salad on slice of whole grain bread. Top with 2 slices tomato and 1 ounce cheese. Toast open faced in toaster ove. Cover with another slice of bread and enjoy! Serve with 1 cup of fruit and 1 cup of raw veggies.

8. 1 sweet potato (baked), 1 cup steamed veggies, 3 ounces chicken. Top with low fat dressings as desired.

9. Stuffed tomato: Scoop out inside of tomato (can use for pasta sauce, etc later)...stuff with chicken or tuna salad listed in lunch #3. Serve with 2 cups fruit salad.

10. Chop chop salad: 2 cups of romaine lettuce, 3/4 cup chickpeas, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, 1 ounce cheese, Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, Tbsp. olive oil.. Toss together, chop in to small pieces. Enjoy with some whole grain bread.



Dinner options

1. 4 ounces broiled salmon sprinkled with lemon, 1 baked potato with Tbsp. low fat sour cream, 1 cup steamed green beans.

2. Breakfast for dinner: 2 pancakes or waffles(whole grain), 2 links turkey sausage, 4 scrambled egg whites with green peppers, onion, tomato (2 Tbsp. each).

3. 3 ounce Turkey burger with lettuce and tomato and onion on a whole grain roll served with 2 cups garden salad with low fat dressing.

4. 3/4 cup pasta boiled. Cover with the following sauce: 1/2 cup diced tomatoes, 3/4 cup ground chicken or turkey, 1/4 onion, 1/4 pepper, tsp. garlic, tsp. parsley, salt and pepper to taste). To make sauce, first cook ground turkey, then add onions, mushrooms, peppers, and garlic. Sautee until soft. Last, add diced tomatoes, and add in some tomato puree for a smoother sauce. Let cook on low for 10-15 minutes. Serve with 1 cup spinach salad topped with Tbsp. walnuts, 2 Tbsp. cranberries, Tbsp. chopped onion tossed with 2 Tbsp. low fat balsamic vinegarette.

5. Taco night: 3 ounces chicken sauteed with 1/4 pepper, 1/4 onion, 1/4 cup corn, 1/4 cup black beans and spiced to taste with chilis, paprika, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Serve over 2 warm soft corn tortillas. Serve with sliced avocado, cheese, salsa, and low fat sour cream (2 Tbsp each).

6. pizza night! 1 individual Boboli (whole grain) pizza topped with 1/4 cup tomato sauce, 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, 1.5 ounces fresh sliced mozzarella cheese. Sprinkled with pepper and garlic salt. Serve with 2 cups garden salad with low fat dressing.

7. Stir fry: cook 1 cup brown rice. Sautee 4 ounces chicken, 1/2 cup sno peas, 1/2 cup sliced carrots, 1/2 cup chinese cabbage in 1 Tbsp. sesame oil an 1 Tbsp. soy sauce. Top with tsp. sesame seeds and serve over rice.

8. Peanut noodles: cook rice noodles or bean thread noodles acording to package. Steam 1 cup broccoli. Sautee 4 ounces chicken, 1 Tbsp. peanut butter, 1 Tbsp. soy sauce, 1 Tbsp. coconut milk, and optional tsp. sugar in wok. Turn to low and add noodles and broccoli. Top with 1 Tbsp. peanuts. Let sit 5 minutes and serve!

9. Juevos Rancheros: Cook taco filling as described above (#5). Scramble 4 egg whites and add to mixture. Wrap in a whole grain or corn tortilla and enjoy! Serve with 2 Tbsp. salsa and 2 Tbsp. greek yogurt.

10. Baked corn flake breaded chicken (crush cornflakes. mix with salt, pepper, parsley, and put in bowl. crack 2 eggs. put in another bowl. Take strips of chicken, dip in egg mixture, then cornflake mixture. Spread on pan and bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes). Serve with brown rice and blackened asparagus. To blacken asparagus, toss in oil, salt, and pepper, and place on sheet with chicken. Asparagus may be done before chicken. Check every 6 minutes fo desired "doneness".



Snack options

1. 1 apple, 1 100 Calorie pack of almonds.

2. 1 cup veggies, 2 Tbsp. ranch dip (light) or hummus.

3. 1 string cheese, 1 pear.

4. 1/4-1/2 cup trail mix

5. 16 ounces low fat milk

6. 1 plain yogurt with 2 Tbsp. walnuts and 2 Tbsp. raisins (opt. 1 Tbsp. honey)

7. banana smothered with 1 Tbsp. peanut butter

8. 1 slice whole grain bread topped with sliced tomato and 1/4 cup cottage cheese or 2 Tbsp. low fat cream cheese

9. 1 cup light raspberry yogurt with 1 cup fruit salad

10. last resort: balance bar or other bar or shake with 3+ grams fiber and 9+ grams protein and less than 250 Calories per serving

Day 1

Day 1 of fourteen. This is going to be a true challenge... Already, I almost packed myself the same lunch to take to work tomorrow! All in all, it was a pretty good day. I prepared relatively hassle free meals packed with nutrients.

breakfast:
8 oz coffee with 8 oz steamed skim milk
2 slices whole grain toast with 1 Tbsp peanut butter and 1 Tbsp low sugar jam

Lunch:
3 oz turkey, pesto, and cheese rollups (lay 3 oz turkey flat on cutting board. Spread with 1 Tbsp. pesto. top with 1 ounce mozzarella. Roll up turkey, and cut in to 4 pinwheels.)
2 cups greens with 2 tbsp tomatoes, carrots, and cucumber topped with 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 cup red grapes

Snack:
6 ounces light raspberry yogurt
1 apple
1 cup sugar snap peas

Dinner:
1 ounce almonds
2 ounces pan seared salmon seasoned with lemon, salt, and pepper
1/2 cup sauteed veggies (sumer squash, onion, tomato, spinach cooked in 1 Tbsp olive oil)
1.5 cups arborio rice seasoned with garlic and lemon
tea with 2 tsp skim milk and splenda


12 cups water throughout the day

Some key elements to today's menu:
1. I included complex carbs, protein, and fiber at each sitting. This helped me control cravings and feel full throughout the day.
2. I focused on vegetable oils for fat rather than animal sources. My meals were high in monounsaturated fat (olive oil and almonds) and omega 3 fatty acids (salmon). This will help me maintain cardiovascular health, and may also help protect against cancer, arthritis, and weight gain!

MyPyramid Recommendations

www.mypyramid.gov is a USDA website all about the new food pyramid, "MyPramid". It includes a number of free, interactive tools to help the general population learn how to eat for optimal health. One of these is the"MyPyramid Plan", which gives general daily food recommendations based on age, sex, height, weight, and physical activity level.

As I go forward with my "14 days, no repeats" challenge, I will base my daily food intake on my own MyPyramid recommendations (120 lb, 27 year old female who exercises an average of 60 minutes per day). This translates to:

7 ounces grains
2 cups fruits
3 cups vegetables
3 cups milk
6 ounces meat and beans
up to 6 teaspoons oils per day
up to 290 discretionary Calories per day

Portion sizes for each food group recommendation can be found right on the site. Discretionary Calories are your "extra allowance"...you may use discretionary Calories to...
1. Eat more foods from any food group than the food guide recommends.
2. Eat higher calorie forms of foods—those that contain solid fats or added sugars. Examples are whole milk, cheese, sausage, biscuits, sweetened cereal, and sweetened yogurt.
3. Add fats or sweeteners to foods. Examples are sauces, salad dressings, sugar, syrup, and butter.
4. Eat or drink items that are mostly fats, caloric sweeteners, and/or alcohol, such as candy, soda, wine, and beer.
(source: www.mypyramid.gov)

I encourage everyone to calculate his/her own MyPyramid Plan recommendations and change the portion sizes I lay out for each day of food for the next 2 weeks accordingly!

14 days, no repeats

One of my rowers recently asked me, "Laura. Where the heck can I find a good 2 weeks worth of meals, no repeats for a guy like me?"

What a good question! And a good challenge for me. How often do any of us get the opportunity (and culinary pleasure) to eat 42 different meals in a row!? For the next 14 days (September 21st-October 4th), I will eat 3 meals per day, no repeats, and will log the recipes here. I will estimate recommended portion sizes and suggest additional snack choices for a variety of physical activity levels, ages, and body sizes...

Stay Tuned!

Post race picnic!

I got up "on the wrong side of the bed" this morning. The alarm went off at 4:50 and I yelled "Nooo, not yet!" at it. It was Sunday, it was pitch black out and chilly, and I had to go wade in to a lake, hop in a boat, and race in 3 hours. The bed just seemed like such a better option.



I begrudgingly got up, packed for my race today, and opted to stop at Dunkin Donuts for my coffee. As I drove away from the drive thru window and took my first sip, I almost gagged....I asked for regular coffee with milk, no sugar, and the woman had given me a blueberry coffee with extra cream and extra sugar...I may as well have been sipping on a melted ice cream sundae. A large coffee with extra cream and extra sugar packs a whopping 300 Calories, 42 grams of sugar, and 15 grams of fat! Not exactly a good pre-race meal choice. I opted to go caffeineless, which turned me in to even more of a grump.



But something happened between my coffee mishap and my race...I drove the boat trailer down to Pittsfield with the head coach of Holyoke Rows, and we had a great time joking and laughing about rowing and life. The view on Pittfield's Onota Lake was breathtaking. My team was in great spirits and super efficient getting the boats ready to go. And my boat felt light and smooth as I warmed up to the start line.

Racing the single went well, but could have been better. It was a 2.5k race with a hairpin turn around 1800 meters in (way too short and way too technical for my strengths!). I definitely sacrificed form as I tried to steer a straight course and pull at an intensity I'm not quite used to. When I got off the water, a 67 year old woman came up to me and asked me to be her doubles partner in the masters double, which was about to start in 20 minutes....so I quickly put my boat away, hopped in hers, and got to give the race course a go again! That was pretty fun. The double is one of my favorite boats. We were edged out for first by 3 seconds, but I was quite impressed with the effort and pleased to make a new friend.

My masters 4's did well, and came back with the best critical analysis of their race I've heard from them all season. We have come a long way since July!

It was a beautiful day, and racing was fantastic, but I have to say the highlight was our team picnic after the race. All 11 of us sat at the Lake's edge and shared sandwiches, fruit, and pasta salad. I highly recommend this potluck-style post race activity. It allowed us time to reflect on our races, discuss the rest of the season, and learn tidbits about eachother's lives we otherwise would never hear! Plus, the high carbohydrate and protein, low fat meal gave us the chance to replenish our energy stores and repair damaged muscle tissue. Much better than going to a pub or fast food restaurant for a sugar and fat-laden meal!

I contributed a cranberry walnut tuna salad served on a variety of wraps (rice bran, whole wheat, white) with lettuce and tomato, which turned out to be a great hit! Here's the recipe:

(Makes 4 servings)
2 cans solid white albacore tuna
2 tbsp greek yogurt
2 tbsp light mayo
2 tbsp walnuts, chopped
1/4 fuji apple, chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries
2 tbsp. onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

drain tuna
mix all ingredients in a bowl
let sit in refrigerator for 1+ hours
spread on wrap with lettuce and tomato
roll up the wrap, and dig in!

Enjoy the weekend!

Rowers, all sorts

This weekend, I made my debut as a masters rower at the Springfield Regatta in Longmeadow and the Paper City Regatta in Holyoke. I also coached some great teams and raced my very own single for the first time!



It is always interesting to learn a new sport. I remember watching Australian Rules football in Sydney and just having giggle fits the entire time at these buff, elite athletes doing seemingly ridiculous things...I'm sure it is similar to how people from other cultures must feel at Fenway park or Gillette Stadium! Today, Michael learned the rules of masters rowing as we discussed my race in Holyoke. He wasn't impressed. The conversation went something like this:



M: " How'd you do?"

Me: "I had the best women's single time, but I didn't win."

M: "Did you get disqualified?"

Me: "No, but a woman in her 40's came in a minute behind and with her age adjusted time she beat me by 1.4 seconds."

M: "That's weird. And dumb."



I understand Mike's point of view, especially since he comes from a running background. The winner is the winner. Give age group awards or something! But I have to say, although it was disappointing to lose to a woman I passed during the race, I kind of like the concept of age adjusted times. It takes away that "I'm too old to race" attitude and replaces it with a level playing field across all ages. It makes me want to grow old with rowing. Today I saw a 95 year old woman race! Pretty awesome.



I love licorice, all sorts: a big bag of licorice full of different colors, textures, and flavors...if you've never gotten to taste this deliciousness, follow this link http://candy-crate.stores.yahoo.net/baslical.html (disclaimer: as a nutrition professional, I recommend eating these only occasionally). Anyhow, during the regatta today, the phrase "rowers, all sorts" kept repeating in my mind. There were so many people of different ages, abilities, and backgrounds at the Holyoke boathouse, all with the common goal of racing a 4k down the CT river!

Some notable performances at the Paper City Regatta:

I watched at least 5 adaptive rowers race today. Men and women who are in wheelchairs on land fly down the river, sometimes even faster than the rowers in the open division. They are truly inspirational.

The Holyoke Rows High school team had a blind girl in stroke seat with impeccable form. Absolutely amazing!

We had our first teenage mother racing division. Rowers from Norwalk CT and Holyoke raced down the course in their first big, multidivision regatta. The girls I coached all summer were fantastic spectators as well as rowers...I've never had such a great cheering section at the finish line of one of my races!

My masters rowers raced twice this weekend and have improved immensely in just a year's time. And they had a great time. What an awesome bunch. I'm so happy I made the decision to coach through the fall!

My new little boat (a retro '76 baby blue lightweight Van Deusen) is amazing.

Lastly, I felt fantastic during my Saturday and Sunday races, and came home with one 1st and one 2nd place medal. Maybe it's the training? Maybe it's the new pre-race grub?....or perhaps just my change in attitude. Whatever the case, something is working. And I like it!

All in all, a great first weekend of racing.

Shaking up the pre-race grub

As Michael prepared my delicious pre-race dinner for my first regatta of the season, I found myself reminisquing about my high school, college, and post collegiate days of pre-race nutrition.




I think I have eaten the same meal the night before every race of significance since high school: pasta and meatballs....except on the days I've broken my personal bests!

...I ate an ice cream sundae at 1am the night before my best 5k

...I ate chicken and mushrooms and mashed potatoes the night before my best marathon

...I drank not one, not 2, but 3 glasses of wine the night before my best erg test



Nutritionally, does this make sense? Not in the least. American College of Sports Medicine recommends a pre-race dinner that is low fat, full of complex carbohydrates, accompanied by some protein, plenty of fluids, and devoid of alcohol. I was physiologically less prepared for these races.



So why have I run my best times when I indulged in fat, sugar, and alcohol-laden meals?



I'm pretty sure it has to do with my state of mind. When I eat my pre-race dinner, I get a little edgy. I think about the race. I freak out. This always tends to be much worse with running races than rowing races. Open weight rowers are pretty nonchalant about pre-race nutrition based on my observation. They eat what's available and what tastes good. Once in college, one of my fastest teammates indulged in a few freshly baked chocolate chip cookies before a key race. Upon being scolded by our coach for her poor nutrition choice, she replied, "but they might be all gone by the time we finish racing! I wanted to make sure I got one." Somehow, I can't imagine this happening 5 minutes before the start of a marathon! Running has always made me feel like I need to be on a "schedule".



I wonder what would happen if I combined my nonchalant rower attitude with my ritualistic runner attitude and exchanged my usual pre-race meal with another that follows the ACSM guidelines? Would I do even better? Tonight I shall try! As I write, Michael is busy making a chef salad full of veggies, lean turkey, and egg whites accompanied by rice noodles topped with steamed veggies and tomato sauce.



Some other options might include:

1. veggie pizza (thick crust, easy on the cheese)

2. egg white omellete with veggies and a little cheese accompanied by fruit and 2 slices whole graintoast

3. turkey or chicken sandwich on a wheat roll with a side salad

4. chicken breast, baked potato, side salad

5. Shrimp stir fry (low on the oil) with veggies over rice

6. broiled salmon, brown rice, steamed broccoli



In a nutshell, go for a veggie, a grain, and a protein. Limit fatty sauces and dressings. Drink water. Go for foods you know sit well in your stomach: if that burrito came back to haunt you on your morning run last week, chances are, it'll do the same on race day!

What's my training "style"?

One Christmas break, my mom and sister helped me shop for jewelry, makeup, and accessorries, none of which I wore much of beforehand. When I went back to work, a lovely Chinese coworker who was still working on understanding our language and culture said to me, "Before, you have no style. Now, you have style. Don't go back". Now that I'm all set with my unique"style" of my clothing and makeup, I'd like to find my unique training "style" to help me improve running performance and decrease my injury risk.

I've been thinking a lot about training "style" lately, especially since my training partners and my "life partner" have been doing a whole lot of volume as they train for a marathon, whereas my masters rowes and I have decreased volume to accommodate lifestyle and injury recovery issues...and both my masters rowers and training buddies have been getting faster. I wonder what style is right for me?

I've been grappling for some time with what my personal optimal traning volume is. I tend to want to do more, more, more to get better, better, better. It always seems to work for a little while....and then injuries creep up. With 3 major injuries and 0 pr's in the past year, it seems an appropriate time to develop a new philosophy.

My old training schedule looked something like this:
1. Run 7 days, with 1 intense workout, 1 long run, and maybe a double here and there to add up to at least 60 and sometimes up to 80 miles.
2. cross train on 2-3 days, sometimes lifting, sometimes biking, sometimes rowing, sometimes swimming.
Total volume: 10-14 hours
Best times during this training: 5k 18:31, 10k: 38:31, 10 mile: 1:04:37, 1/2 marathon 1:23:21, marathon: 2:59:25

My new training schedule for the fall is much different. It includes more variety and less volume. It seems to make perfect sense to me for my rowing goals this fall, but it will be interesting to see how it translates to running:
1. Run 4 days per week with 2 8-10 mile runs, 1 hard run, 1 long run to equal around 40 miles.
2. Row 3-4 days per week with 1 steady state row, 1 hard workout, and either another tempo workout or a race(s).
3. lift 2-3 days per week (heavy, structured lifting).
4. 1 day off every 2'ish weeks
Total volume: 8-11 hours

I want to try to race at least a 5k and 10k, and maybe a 10 miler and half late this fall just to experiment with how the change in training translates to change in running times. Am I wasting time running so much and constantly facing injury and illness? Or, do I really need to run more miles (and how many more?) to race faster? I am truly starting to believe optimal volume is different for everyone. Optimal style (xt versus all running; amount of intensity) is different for everyone.

I keep running in to the same brick wall with my training. Time to try something new!

Eat Local this fall!

Last weekend, I found some great photos apple picking and pumpkin picking with my family and my classmates from when I was little. I started researching places to pick apples and pumpkins in Western Mass...and realized there are tons of great opportunities to shop at farmers markets and even pick your own locally grown fruits and veggies around here!



There are so many benefits to eating local food. When you choose locally grown, you are guarunteed freshness, you help stimulate the local economy, you reduce your carbon footprint, and you stay in touch with the change of seasons that make New England so unique! Eating locally has also helped me try new foods and experiment with food preparation. My first spoonful of pumpkin soup last year was absolute heaven...and it never would have happened if I hadn't decided to go for the locally grown pumpkin at the grocery store instead of the usual summer squash and zucchini! Below are a few links to help you navigate the local food scene in Massachusetts!



Here are links to...



Places to pick your own fruits and veggies in Western Mass
http://www.pickyourown.org/massveg.htm


Farmers' markets in Western Mass
http://www.farmfresh.org/food/farmersmarkets.php?zip=01002




And, for after you pick those fruits and veggies, here a couple of my favorite healthy fall recipes:



Curried Pumpkin Soup Recipe
2 cloves garlic, peeled1 med onion, peeled and quartered1 lg. jalapeno pepper, seeded and -coarsely chopped
2 Stalks celery, cut into -2-inch lengths
3 lg. Carrots, peeled and sliced -1/4 inch thick
2 tbsp. Olive oil
1 3/4 lb. pumpkin, peeled, -seeded, and cut -into 1-inch dice
3 c Low-salt chicken stock
1 Bay leaf
2 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. Turmericpinch of cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp. saltfreshly ground pepper
1/4 c shelled raw pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp. sour cream (optional)
Place garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add onion and pulse until finely chopped. Set aside. Place jalapeno in food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add celery and pulse until finely chopped. Set aside. Place carrots in food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Heat 1 tbsp. of the olive oil in a medium stockpot over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 6 minutes. Add jalapeno, celery, and carrots and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the pumpkin, chicken stock, bay leaf, curry, turmeric, cayenne, 1 tsp. of the salt, and pepper to taste, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small sauté pan, heat remaining tbsp. of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add pumpkin seeds and remaining 1/2 t salt and cook for about 30 seconds, shaking pan constantly to prevent burning, until all the seeds have popped. Remove from heat and add parsley.
Place 2 cups of the cooked vegetables and about 1/2 cups of the liquid in the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth. Stir puree back into the soup. Adjust seasonings, and stir in the sour cream, if desired. Garnish with roasted pumpkin seeds.
From http://www.mom-mom.com/

Gluten Free Apple Crisp
FILLING
3-4 Braeburn (or similar) apples, peeled, sliced into 1/4″ thick slices
2 teaspoons cinnamon or 3 tsp apple pie spice
2-3 Tablespoons lemon juice
3 Tablespoons to 1/4 c. white sugar or turbinado sugar (to taste); or ¼ cup maple syrup
2 Tablespoons to 1/4 c. brown sugar (to taste); or, 2 Tbsp maple syrup
2 Tablespoons (more or less) GF Flour mix – depending on juiciness of the apples
CRISP TOPPING
6 Tablespoons yogurt or fat free sour cream
1/3 c. GF quick oats, roughly ground almonds & walnuts, or quinoa flakes
1/4 c. GF Flour mix
2-3 Tablespoons white sugar (to taste)
1-2 Tablespoons brown sugar (to taste)
optional: ground cinnamon (1 tsp) and freshly ground nutmeg (1 tsp)
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 375*F.
Peel and slice apples into thin slices (1/4″).
Put into a medium bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Mix.
Add sugars, flour and spice.
Mix together very well.
Pour into medium (for thin) or small (for deep) baking dish.
Combine oats (or other option), flour and sugars, along with yogurt and “squish” together well until crumbly.
Pour and crumble over apples in baking dish evenly.
Bake for 23-30 minutes.
Cool slightly before serving (5-10 minutes).Serve over all natural GF vanilla ice cream.

Altered from original recipe at
http://glutenfree.wordpress.com/2007/07/10/gluten-free-apple-crisp/




Happy Fall!

Consolidating Efforts

I am a nutrition professor, a researcher, a rowing coach, and a runner.

In the past, I've made great efforts to separate each role, but to no avail. My athletes and running partners seek nutrition advice and my students want to know the best running routes in the area. My nutrition clients are interested in improving body composition through rowing, and I am constantly exploring innovative sport nutrition research to gain a performance edge in my own athletic endeavors.

Rather than continuing to fight nature, I have decided to consciously combine my personal and professional roles! This blog post marks the beginning of my journey to help myself and others gain the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors needed to reach our potential in sport and in life.