Super Bowl is an anniversary of sorts for me. Last year, I began my new diet and exercise regime the day after the game, so it was my last hurrah for some food-related indulgences. I figure there are probably a lot of folks trying to figure out how and what to eat at a game-day party today.
My answer is not the best. I'm really just giving myself a cheat day today to celebrate a year of living better. That said, the menu at my house is not nutritional shipwreck either. Yes, there are the obvious chips and dips, but I'm serving up some more substantive appetizer bits, along with pulled pork (with slider buns for those who want, but I'll skip the bread).
My rule of thumb for the Super Bowl party is a lot like my policy for any buffet: skip the carbs in favor of the proteins. Hit a meat and cheese tray (sparingly), try the meatballs, have a small burger or dog (sans bun, for me of course, but that's a personal choice). There's always the veg tray, but stay away from the dips, with a few exceptions like hummus.
If you're hosting, there's some great things you can do to up your nutrition quotient. You can make your own dip with Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. I love tzatziki, so that's always an option, but just avoid the nitrate-laden onion soup mix, and mix in what you think will make it taste delicious. Try a green onion and a can of clams. Make some guacamole, and buy or make some hummus, and chop up lots of varieties of veg for the dipping.
I don't shun cheese in moderation, so cube up or slice an assortment of cheeses and serve with some fresh and dried fruits and raw almonds.
For fun party proteins, make some chicken/beef/lamb satay skewers. And if you can't live without wings, skip the usual sauce (half butter and half Frank's Red Hot), and broil them with a light basting of olive oil and whatever seasonings you like. And if you want the kick, pour on hot sauce or sriracha by itself as a condiment.
But the important thing is forgive yourself for hitting the nachos and adult beverages if you do. You're only human, and you can go back to the gym and clean eating tomorrow.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Extreme Calories and "Leanwashing"
I found a couple of good resources over the past few days. First, the Center for Science in the Public Interest came out with its Xtreme Eating 2013 "Awards". After reading this, I can't think of any reasons why calorie counts and some nutritional information shouldn't be printed on every restaurant's menus. It reminds me of when I was psyching myself up to start a diet and exercise regimen and I went into Chipotle. They had just put new menu boards up with calorie counts, and I was mortified to find that a "side" of chips and salsa almost doubled the calorie value of my lunch. At the time I had no idea that chips and salsa could have almost as many calories as a burrito. Not, a bowl, mind you, a BURRITO. Point being, I knew then, even before I was committed to weight loss, that I would never order chips and salsa again. Thank you, Chipotle, for posting calorie counts on your menu!! Anyway, read the CSPI Xtreme Eating 2013 Awards, and remember, these are just some of the most offensive restaurant items at some of the bigger chains.
The other link I'm sharing deals with one of my pet peeves, which I just found out actually has a name. This insidious enemy is called "leanwashing," which refers to producers marketing their packaged foods as healthy, light, natural, etc, etc, when they are anything but. You know "Fruit Loops...now made with Whole Grains!" Turns out there's an entire website dedicated to spotting leanwashing and enabling consumers to rate leanwashing claims on a scale of 1 to 5 (with 1 passing muster and 5 being utter bullshit). And that website links to a bunch of great resources as well. My rule of thumb is that if food comes in a box or a can--with some exceptions--just don't buy it! But when you do occasional stray into the interior of the grocery store, and if you are considering buying something in a box or can, this is a great place to help evaluate all those health claims, not to mention all the helpful links on the site as well.
Now, after you've read about all this crap, here's a nice picture of VEGETABLES to center your qi (yes, I just used a Scrabble word, thank you very much!):
The other link I'm sharing deals with one of my pet peeves, which I just found out actually has a name. This insidious enemy is called "leanwashing," which refers to producers marketing their packaged foods as healthy, light, natural, etc, etc, when they are anything but. You know "Fruit Loops...now made with Whole Grains!" Turns out there's an entire website dedicated to spotting leanwashing and enabling consumers to rate leanwashing claims on a scale of 1 to 5 (with 1 passing muster and 5 being utter bullshit). And that website links to a bunch of great resources as well. My rule of thumb is that if food comes in a box or a can--with some exceptions--just don't buy it! But when you do occasional stray into the interior of the grocery store, and if you are considering buying something in a box or can, this is a great place to help evaluate all those health claims, not to mention all the helpful links on the site as well.
Now, after you've read about all this crap, here's a nice picture of VEGETABLES to center your qi (yes, I just used a Scrabble word, thank you very much!):
Monday, January 14, 2013
Advice (Not Mine) for the Vegan-Contemplative
I really enjoy Tara Parker-Pope's work at the New York Times Well Column. It looks like she's decided to try a Vegan diet and is sharing some tips on how to go about it. Most people know my inclinations are omnivorous, and Veganism is not for me, but there a many compelling reasons to consider it. I think for some people it's great. My success has come on a diet of lots of protein and lots of vegetables. Grains and starches--even whole grains--don't really work for me, so if I went full-on vegan I would pretty much have to eat nothing but beans and veggies all the time.
That said, I seem to have a growing number of Vegan friends who are quite happy with their diet and with whom I would dine any time because they cook wholesome, delicious meals. I'm also encountering a growing number of people who are practicing flexible veganism. Their predominant dietary choices are vegan meals, but they will occasionally eat outside that spectrum. If you're thinking about veganism, that kind of flexibility may be the way to ease into it.
More about my diet and others coming soon!
In the meantime, here's a nice little Vegan Food Pyramid:
That said, I seem to have a growing number of Vegan friends who are quite happy with their diet and with whom I would dine any time because they cook wholesome, delicious meals. I'm also encountering a growing number of people who are practicing flexible veganism. Their predominant dietary choices are vegan meals, but they will occasionally eat outside that spectrum. If you're thinking about veganism, that kind of flexibility may be the way to ease into it.
More about my diet and others coming soon!
In the meantime, here's a nice little Vegan Food Pyramid:
Back at the Blog (and some personal musings)
So last week I let the blog drift a bit, not to mention my gym regime, especially in light of my weekend trip down to San Diego. I am determined to get back at both items full steam ahead this week. I've been talking to people a lot about what they're eating (or not eating) as part of their fitness plan, and I'll be writing about the challenges of figuring out what works as the dietary component of fitness.
In the meantime, I'm taking up some column inches here to say congratulations to my friends Brian and Elspeth, whose wedding we celebrated this weekend in San Diego. It was a beautiful wedding and an entire weekend full of good company and good cheer, so I really do want to take a moment from my own soapbox here to thank Brian's and Elspeth's families for hosting a truly joyful celebration.
And as it relates to this particular blog, I came away from the wedding with this piece of advice: no matter what your goals are, or what kind of journey you're on, the support and comfort of your family and friends are essential to getting there. When you're frustrated and tired, they can help you keep going. And when you have a victory, they will be there to celebrate with you. That's the spirit of what this blog is about: building a community of family and friends who will support and empower each other on their health and fitness journey. I'm so thankful I had the opportunity to be part of Brian and Elspeth's wedding as an exemplar of the power of family and friends in any journey.
In the meantime, I'm taking up some column inches here to say congratulations to my friends Brian and Elspeth, whose wedding we celebrated this weekend in San Diego. It was a beautiful wedding and an entire weekend full of good company and good cheer, so I really do want to take a moment from my own soapbox here to thank Brian's and Elspeth's families for hosting a truly joyful celebration.
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| Brian and Elspeth |
And as it relates to this particular blog, I came away from the wedding with this piece of advice: no matter what your goals are, or what kind of journey you're on, the support and comfort of your family and friends are essential to getting there. When you're frustrated and tired, they can help you keep going. And when you have a victory, they will be there to celebrate with you. That's the spirit of what this blog is about: building a community of family and friends who will support and empower each other on their health and fitness journey. I'm so thankful I had the opportunity to be part of Brian and Elspeth's wedding as an exemplar of the power of family and friends in any journey.
Friday, January 4, 2013
This is Your Brain on Exercise
A great piece from the NYT Well Blog--via the always interesting @JessKZ on Twitter--exploring the evolutionary link between exercise and human intelligence.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Your Life in Minutes Infographic
Interesting Infographic from Men's Health on just how much time you're adding to or subtracting from your life span with certain activities. Via @ahulse on Twitter
Food for Thought
This article from the New York Times scared the hell out of me when I first read it shortly after beginning to lose weight. But fear is a pretty good motivator, so I decided I was going to buck the trend. Science be damned!
While it's somewhat soul-crushing to know that there are numerous biological factors working against weight loss success, I decided I was glad to know my enemy. Because I read this early in my process, I better understood the challenges I would probably face, and was able to recognize early on that I couldn't just lose 30 lbs (my goal at the time) and traipse merrily back to a "normal" diet. Almost immediately after reading this, when people asked me how long I was going to be on a diet, I started answering, "The rest of my life."
So, yeah, "The Fat Trap" is frightening and depressing, but it may have ultimately helped me buck the odds. And you know what...if my statistical chances of keeping the weight off approach zero over time, it's not the end of the world. The benefits of what I've done for my health now are probably going to extend my life. If age, hormones, and metabolism gradually pack it back on over the next 25 years, my health and quality of life will have been better for it.
While it's somewhat soul-crushing to know that there are numerous biological factors working against weight loss success, I decided I was glad to know my enemy. Because I read this early in my process, I better understood the challenges I would probably face, and was able to recognize early on that I couldn't just lose 30 lbs (my goal at the time) and traipse merrily back to a "normal" diet. Almost immediately after reading this, when people asked me how long I was going to be on a diet, I started answering, "The rest of my life."
So, yeah, "The Fat Trap" is frightening and depressing, but it may have ultimately helped me buck the odds. And you know what...if my statistical chances of keeping the weight off approach zero over time, it's not the end of the world. The benefits of what I've done for my health now are probably going to extend my life. If age, hormones, and metabolism gradually pack it back on over the next 25 years, my health and quality of life will have been better for it.
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