On the Road: Packin for (Healthy) Snackin

By ellen on March 30, 2010

It’s so easy to get derailed when on vacation. At least for me it is. I’m a creature of habit, and as soon as my routine is disrupted in any little way, I can find it so easy to throw in the towel and abandon my healthy habits.

This past weekend marked my official entrance into spring. Spring for me – besides bringing fresh veggies and more outdoor workouts – means weekend trips. Don’t get me wrong, I love weekends away, but it’s so easy to get off track… decide to go back to workouts and good eating… on Monday.

But this year, I won’t do that.

One way I’ve resolved to make travel a bit more health-conscious, was to plan ahead with my snacks. Long road trips can lead to fast-food “meals” and HFCS-laden gas station snacks.

My snacks from this past weekend’s road trip (all purchased at Whole Foods): baby carrots w/ ranch, Pink Lady apples, green seedless grapes, Justin’s honey almond butter, a green Monster in my Blender Ball, Mary’s Gone Crackers ginger cookies, Pirate’s Booty, Annie’s cheddar bunnies, Guayaki Yerba Mate tea bags, Amazing Grass packets, Carpe Diem kombucha, lots of water

Considerations for Planning to Snack:

  1. How long of a ride are you taking?
    • This past weekend I drove 7 hours (why didn’t we fly?) to Pittsburgh, PA for a wedding. So, long trip, obviously. I knew we’d make a stop for lunch, but other than that, I needed to snack up and make sure I’d be able to stay well-hydrated between rest stops.
  2. What’s the biggest diet downfall on vacations?
    • I could probably write a list here of at least 7 things, but to pick one major issue I’d like to work on is the lack of produce. I rarely get even close to my 5-7 daily servings of fruits and veggies. I made the goal to just focus on this. It can be too much to completely overhaul all at once, and I thought I’d be happy eating all the hors d’oerves my heart desired as long as I knew I was getting the veggies in.
    • What this meant on my vacation was that I packed some fresh fruits and veggies (baby carrots, apples, and grapes for the ride), I brought Amazing Grass packets for the mornings, and I vowed to eat salad with every meal. These were three very simple things that were easy to do, and helped me on vacation quite nicely.
  3. Know where you’re going (and what to expect when you get there)
    • Both parts to this are very important. Knowing where you’re going deals with both the location (is there a Whole Foods across the street?) and also the region (the local fare in Napa, for example, had far more fresh veggie options than my recent stay in P-burgh). That said, plan for this. If there’s a WF across the street – congrats. In fact, play the lotto that day, because that’s pretty lucky. In most cases, though, that won’t happen. Are there places nearby where you can replenish your healthy food stock? In my most recent case, there was not. I picked up a fresh piece of fruit where I could (usually from a bowl in the lobby – you can do that, right?), and ate as much salad as I could.
    • As far as knowing what to expect when you get there, I’m considering more the food culture, I guess I’d call it. For example, this past weekend I was at a wedding. Most weddings are eat, eat, eat. Recognizing this, I told myself I’d stick to my salad plan with every meal, and eat all the apps, etc. at the wedding that I wanted. It was give and take. I also know that when I visit my parents, I have lots of healthy options and making substitutions in my meals is no big deal (they’re used to this, I guess). If I travel to my in-laws, I know that there is less flexibility in dining options, and I’ll never hear the end of it if I only “order a salad.” So in this case I just add as many veggies as I  can to the regular plate and go with it.
  4. How often will you be dining out?
    • Breakfast is the easiest meal to pack on the road. A banana, a packet of oatmeal, some nuts and you’re good to go. I recommend, if there’s one meal that you do yourself, make it breakfast. Especially if you’re in a situation where you won’t be able to get healthy foods nearby. Breakfast stuff is really easy to pack and tote.
    • Most restaurants post menus online, and it’s pretty easy to search healthy restaurant options in the area to suggest to your fellow travelers.
  5. Live a Little
    • All of the above is just to offset the fact that I will be indulging quite a bit. The point is, it should be conscious to a degree. I can’t indulge at every meal. I mean, I could, but… you get the idea. Since I went to a wedding, I decided that the wedding reception would be my time to indulge (and that’s it). And I did. Every other meal was a regular, healthy meal that I would have at home.

So if you, like me, will be heading out of town quite a bit this spring… what will you do to make sure you keep on top of your healthy eating habits? Any tried and true suggestions?

I’ll be out of town this coming weekend – look for a post on working out while on vacation next week!

Posted in Tagged , , , , , , , Leave a Comment

Day 2: Spark! Wellness / Choosing Raw January 2010 Cleanse

By ellen on January 21, 2010

As I mentioned before, I am participating in the Spark! Wellness / Choosing Raw cleanse. Today is day two for me after a week of “pretoxing.” Basically, a pre-tox baby-steps you into the cleanse by eliminating certain toxins (like caffeine or sugar) gradually to lessen the withdrawal effects.

I actually should be on day four (it started on Monday), but I didn’t start my pre-tox on time and wanted to give it the full attention it deserved. On the cleanse, my eating day consists on different combinations of veggies, brown rice, quinoa, green smoothies, and chicken. As for beverages, I’m drinking herbal tea, coconut water, and loooooads of plain water.

While I have had some fairly intense sugar cravings (headaches and a throbbing “arghhh gimme gimme” feeling), I been doing very well. I mean, I haven’t caved! It’s actually made me acutely aware of these cravings and how often I submit to them without ever thinking. It’s like instant gratification – me want, me get. It seems simple and so obvious, but it was really a lightbulb moment when I realized how often I don’t even listen to my actual hunger cues. I have successfully quelled all of my sugar cravings with either coconut water or an herbal tea. I’m thrilled that I’m learning this lesson so early on in the cleanse too.

What has been your lightbulb moment regarding your health?

Posted in Tagged , , , , Leave a Comment

Keepin the Pace when the Pace Pick Up (Part V)

By ellen on October 23, 2009

Rewarding Yourself

A job well done, in any facet of your life, deserves a reward or recognition. As a teacher, I use positive behavior incentive systems regularly to encourage my students to develop good habits. In fact, educational research suggests that positive behavior incentives yield more consistent results in students than a traditional reprimand.

The New York Times had an article a few years ago that demonstrated this principle among adults in the “real world” called “What Shamu Taught Me About a Happy Marriage.” If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it. Try it out too – you’d be amazed. In the article, the author is researching how killer whales are trained. As she learns about the positive behavior reinforcement, she begins to think that this could apply in her own life. She brings her little experiment home to try on her unsuspecting husband. She targets his minor habits. In a nutshell, it works. (Really, though, read the story – it is really well presented).

So what does any of this have to do with keepin the pace? Well, everything. If we are looking to develop good habits, or simply encourage ourselves to “keep up the good work,” we need to reward ourselves. There are, of course, many levels of rewards. Rewards can be large or small, tangible or intangible, it’s really up to you. But they really need to be something.

When I reward myself, I like to think of the reward before the task (the old carrot and stick). Ideally, the reward will be one that encourages repeated activity in the successful area. For example, if the goal is to run all of my scheduled runs during the week, the reward may be a new pair of running socks or something. In addition, the scale of the reward should match the scale of the behavior. In that same situation for the scheduled runs were, say, over the course of a month, then the reward may be running duds, or new shoes.

Today I really wanted to remain very positive and focused all day – keep on pushing on from start to finish. I told myself this morning that if I did, I’d take a nice hot bubble bath tonight when I got home. Certainly doesn’t cost anything and will really reward my tired bones from standing and running around all say. Easy, right?

The bottom line is, there needs to be a reward. If you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t expect anyone else to. I even go so far as to write down my rewards… almost to keep a bank or wish list that I can look to. Rewarding yourself and taking the time to recognize all the great things you do will help you to stay focused and positive in the long run.

So on that note, happy Friday! Be good to yourself this weekend. I’m off to start a nice hot bubble bath :)

Tagged , , , , 1 Comment

Keepin the pace when the pace picks up (part IV)

By ellen on October 22, 2009

It’s true that when things pick up we can often get a bit run down. I find that when I’m working round the clock, I am extra mindful about what I consume. This, however, can be tricky. It seems that these are the times when we can be most susceptible to grabbing food on the go. Here are a few things that I do to make sure I’m fueling my body with the right foods.

Whole foods, of course, are best for keeping up your energy. Processed junk can give you extreme highs and lows and just generally slow you down. Also, sleep is absolutely necessary. And I’m talking a good, full rest. When I was starting to get sick a few weeks ago (err, was that really only last week?) I thought it was because of all the stress – and lack of sleep I’d had. Here’s that post where I talked about my own personal anti-sick foods and drinks.

Before I begin any work week, I like to make sure I’m stocked up with staples, and at least enough fruits and veggies to get me to Wednesday. Besides the basics, I like to also make sure I have the following:

  • yogurt
  • some sort of flax-ish add-in
  • one red pepper for each day (LOVE them), or carrots for lunches
  • a frozen pizza (back-up dinner plan – like Kashi ones)
  • fresh spinach
  • a few Larabars (great in a pinch)
  • loads of tea

These, along with the usual pantry staples are great to get me through the week. I also usually make most meals ahead of time so I can guarantee I’ll still eat well despite being super-busy.

For maintaining health despite schedule, really the most important thing is planning ahead. If you plan ahead, you won’t really have to rely on fast foods. That said, occasionally we’re in a jam. If I have to head to a deli/bodega for a meal, I’ll typically get a yogurt, some nuts, a granola bar, and a piece of fruit. Most places have all these things – it keeps me from getting deli counter cold-cut sandwiches.

For more information on pantry/fridge must-haves, check out these links:

A few other notable posts about health/stress…

  • NYTimes Well blog posts about the correlation between lack of sleep and the common cold. I tend to link stress and lack of sleep together – it’s a slippery slope.
  • NPR has a post (and podcast!) that suggests that a low-stress lifestyle may be the best way to prevent colds.

Good night! I’m off to bed. Tomorrow check out part 5 of the series which focuses on (the best part) rewarding yourself for a job well done!

Tagged , , , Leave a Comment

Resolutions for the "New Year"

By ellen on September 1, 2009

As I mentioned before, I view my years from September to September. I set my goals and resolutions around this time each year. Generally, rather that set nebulous goals like “lose weight” or be more thoughtful, I try to make measurable short-term (month to month) mini-goals to help me get there.

Here’s what I’m striving for this September in…

Fitness:

  • Do yoga 2x/week (either at home or at the studio)
  • Complete regular exercises every weekday morning (push-ups, squats, sit-ups, etc).
  • Run 3x/week (2 shorter weekday runs, 1 longer weekend run)
  • Strength train (either at the gym or at home with Shred) 2x/week
  • Swim weekly

Health/Nutrition:

Now, I admit, some of these I already kinda do. I already run 3x/week and I already try at least 1 recipe from HtCEV per week. I think this kind of motivates me though, and helps me develop the others into good habits too.

Whenever I set my goals like this, I also think of some rewards for my success. For example, if I keep up with all of my fitness goals, I’ll treat myself to a new, cute workout outfit after September is over. This tends to work for me.

What do you do to stay motivated?? Do you reward yourself? Set short-term goals? Let me know your thoughts!

Posted in Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a Comment

Menu Planning Morning

By ellen on August 28, 2009

Thursday evening is my CSA pick-up time. I usually come home, prep all the veggies and plan out some meals for the next week. Last night I had a dinner obligation so I couldn’t do the normal routine. So, this morning, I planned out some meals over breakfast.

IMG_0251

Perusing How to Cook Everything Vegetarian for ideas over breakfast:

  • Berry smoothie: frozen berries, vanilla soymilk, splash of pomegranate juice
  • Mug of mint green tea and a glass of water
  • Handful of almonds (not pictured). I eat a scant handful… about 12 almonds

This week’s CSA bounty included:

  • 6 ears of corn
  • bowl full of carrots
  • small head of broccoli
  • 2 purple peppers
  • bunch of basil
  • kale
  • head of lettuce

Since today’s a rainy day, I’m going to stay in and cook/bake a bunch of meals for the upcoming week so I can fridge/freeze them. Meal-planning is a really great thing: it saves money, time, and can often ensure you are eating more healthy, complete meals. Once I’ve chosen a few meals, I start a grocery list. I check the cabinets to see what I already have and create a list of only the things I need. Then, I create a chart for the next week and, taking serving sizes into account, space them out over the week. Once that’s done, I’ll “fill-in-the-blanks.” I cook and menu plan for my husband and I. Since we have different tastes and nutritional needs, I generally plan separate breakfasts/lunches/snacks for us.

This is what my process may look like…

Here are the items I picked for the next week (note: since my CSA pick-up is on Thursday, I plan my weeks from Thursday to Thursday).

  • Black Beans and Corn, enchilada style (How to Cook Everything Vegetarian)
  • Cabbage and Carrot Slaw, Mexican-style (How to Cook Everything Vegetarian)
  • Pesto
  • Olive Oil Granola (New York Times)
  • Aloo Palak (Vegetarian Times)

Here’s my map of the week. I’ll plug in our meals, taking into account our social schedule. For example, we’ll be at my parents’ house on Saturday and Sunday, so I don’t need to include any Saturday meals or breakfast on Sunday.

Menu Map

Next, I go back and fill in all the blanks. This is where I’ll include any fruits/veggies, snacks that I’ll pick up, yogurt, etc… As I add them to my chart, I’ll add them to my grocery list. Here’s the finished map:

Menu Map Complete

So I’m off with my grocery list, and I’ll post on al of the recipes later today. Happy Friday!

Posted in Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

My Favorite Fast Meal

By ellen on July 10, 2009

When I’m in a pinch, or just looking to unload some leftovers, this is the meal I go to. It’s fast, easy, versatile, and delicious (not to mention very good for you). It’s an easy three-step process. It may take a whopping 5 minutes to make. Seriously. 

There you have it. My black bean soup. All you need are black beans, salsa, and chicken broth in its most basic form. Add all three (no need to use more than 1/3 or so of the salsa with a whole can of beans) to a blender, food processor, or Magic Bullet (my tool of choice). Mix it up. You can eyeball it to see if you’d like it more creamy or more soupy (for more soupy just add more chicken broth). Then heat and eat. It is super tasty in this barebones form. Note: This would also work w/ veggie broth for any vegetarians out there. 

On Tuesday I made this for lunch and added chopped onions and leftover shredded chicken on top. Sometimes I add milk to it, a cheddar cheese cube, or a clove of garlic before I toss it in the Bullet. 

I’ve even used other bean combos… like a more Italian-style soup using white beans, garlic, onions, rosemary, and chicken broth. This version is great with some crusty bread. No matter how it’s prepared, it’s always fast tasty, and nutritious. 

Are there any delicious easy combos that you’ve come up with in a pinch?

Posted in Tagged , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Recipe Review: Cucumber Salad with Soy and Ginger

By ellen on July 9, 2009

I got a few cucumbers from last week’s CSA pick-up. I turned to How to cook Everything Vegetarian (Mark Bittman) for some suggestions. I settled on this one because I thought it seemed fresh and summery, and (more importantly) I already had all of the ingredients.

Cucumber Salad with Soy and Ginger (vegan)

from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman

The instructions are pretty basic. Chop up the cucumbers (you may need to seed/salt them). Mix everything together and serve.

I made this dish on Friday, and let it hang out in the fridge. I sent it to work with husby on Monday. He reported back on Monday night that it had become quite pickled over those few days (I should have expected this). Despite that, he likes pickled things and thought it was very tasty. I, however, do not like pickled thing so I would eat this immediately.

I may make this dish again, but I think I’ll try other Bittman recipes with cucumbers first. I’ll also remember to take a picture next time!

Posted in Tagged , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Easy, Healthy Summer Dinner

By ellen on July 6, 2009

After a wonderful July 4th weekend (finally a few beautiful days here in NYC!), I came home very tired and in need of something easy and healthy after a weekend of picnic food. 

I rounded up a bunch of leftovers for this one. Earlier this week I had sauteed some summer squash and zucchini in garlic and olive oil. I also found some whole wheat pizza dough from Whole Foods (really cheap and versatile – good to have on hand). I rolled out the whole wheat dough on cornmeal so it wouldn’t stick. I greased a casserole dish and placed the dough in the bottom. I layered the zucchini/summer squash on top, then chopped up some red peppers (I had one floating in the fridge). To round out the meal, I beat 4 eggs in a bowl and poured them on top and added sea salt and freshly-ground pepper. 

I baked the dish at 350 for about 20 minutes, then added some shredded parmesan cheese and put it back in for ten more minutes. With a nice salad and some vino, this turned out to be great meal. Even better, the leftovers were delicious cold for lunch.

Posted in Tagged , , , , , , , 2 Comments

Sugar Stats

By ellen on May 6, 2009

I’ve been very interested in sugar dependency (namely because I struggle with it). As such, I’ve been reading as much as I can about it, and trying new/different ways to combat cravings. Yesterday on the train back to New York, I was reading my mom’s Woman’s Day, when I found an article about sugar addiction. 

In short, the article (“The Sugar Effect” from Volume 72, Issue 9)  discussed how sugar dependency has exhibited some similar effects as drug dependency. It also shares some information about why we do (or don’t!) need certain sugars and how our body processes them.  Some highlights: 

  • The US Dietary Guidelines allow 32 grams of sugar per 2,000 calorie/day diet. This is about the equivalent amount of sugar in 1c of sweetened cereal! This really makes me think… especially since my daily caloric intake is closer to 12-1400! 
  • About sugar being a legitimate addiction: “…research on rats shows that they had withdrawal symptoms, including shaking and teeth chattering, when the effects of the sugar water they’d had for nine days had been blocked.” 
  • Sugar, or having a sweet-tooth, may be linked to evolution: “Humans likely gravitated away from bitter foods, which might have been poisonous, toward sweet ones, which were probably safe.” 

Just some food for thought… My own efforts to drop my sugar dependency have been going quite well recently… I’ll keep you updated! 

Posted in Tagged , , , Leave a Comment