The EIGHTH Day of Fitness...Disease Fighting Foods

On the EIGHTH Day of Fitness, the FitMePink blog gave to me...foods that keep you healthy!

So we made it across the country with no major incidents. My husband was pulled over in Colorado, but there was no ticket! Hooray! Kids in the backseat must be good for something. I wasn't in the driver's seat, so no tears were shed. We drove a lot slower the rest of the way, but eventually still made it to our destination. Woo hoo!

Despite packing healthy snacks, I ate a few too many greasy hamburgers on the road. And I'm feeling it! One reason I try so hard to be healthy is because my digestive system seriously can't handle loads of junk. I. NEED. FIBER. Hemorrhoids are not my friends.

So this week, along with the treats I'll surely eat, I'm going to try to pack in some good stuff as well.

You've all surely heard the buzz about antioxidants. We all literally need them to help prevent certain diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, and those caused by aging. Little is known about how they work, or what makes them function best. Some antioxidants are believed to be more potent than others, and that their potency can be affected by cooking and digestion. For example, blueberries are most potent when eaten raw. Tomatoes, on the other hand, are more potent when cooked.

Here is a list of 20 foods with the highest concentration of antioxidants to add to your diet. For the best results, eat a wide variety! It's my personal philosophy that the better we eat and exercise, the more wiggle room we have for treat allowance! Eat this stuff, and you can have some of the eleventy billion treats left on your doorstep this week! (Feel free to go snag some off my porch, too! )

• Pomegranates
• Small Red Beans (dried)
• Wild Blueberries
• Red Kidney Beans
• Pinto Beans
• Blueberries (cultivated)
• Cranberries
• Artichokes (cooked)
• Blackberries
• Prunes
• Raspberries
• Strawberries
• Red Delicious Apples
• Granny Smith Apples
• Pecans
• Sweet Cherries
• Black Plums
• Gala Apples
• Black Beans (dried)
• Plums

Lots of these foods are probably already a part of your holiday diet. What's Christmas without cranberries, pomegranates, and (chocolate covered) cherries! Eat up!

More Worms For Dinner, and other updates...

In case you were worried, we all survived the worms-in-the-brown-rice disaster. Stie's comment that she's "just a good tape worm away from reaching [her] goal weight" would have been a happy ending to the story (in my case...not in my pregnant friend's)! Maybe I'll buy some more Great Value brown rice in hopes for some sort of fat-eating parasite! But all was not lost, and my dear friend Evelyn and I have shared many a laugh because of the unfortunate event.

First, I took over a peace offering:And Evelyn brought over the BEST "wormy" Chicken, Bacon and Ranch Pizza EVER. What a nice friend for working so hard to make me feel OK after feeding her rotten rice! As for the rest of my silly experiments, going 'poo-free is actually going well! The baking soda wash makes my hair squeaky clean, and the vinegar rinse makes it super soft! I have super fine hair, so I'm trying to adjust the amounts to see what works best. Too much vinegar makes it too soft and straight. By focusing only on the ends with the vinegar rinse, everything seems fine. Has anyone else dared to give it a try?

My cousin mentioned to me that she actually washes her hair with egg whites! In college, I used to curl my hair with an egg-white mousse, but I've never tried washing it that way! Michelle adds her own concoction of good smells with cloves, mint, crushed flowers, etc. Who knew eggs could be so versatile! The baking soda thing's working for me, but maybe I'll get brave someday and give this one a try!

The other experiment--waking up early to work out--is going quite well. I'm definitely more tired. And I'm for sure suffering from sleep-deprivation-induced-grumpiness. But I love being done with my workout by 7 am. More on this later.

Are you experimenting with anything? (Brown rice meal worms, anyone?) Let us know what you've tried and what works/doesn't work for you!

Side note to the egg-white mousse thing: After my mission, I was at a friendly gathering where my pre-mission-boyfriend was also present with his wife. I'd used egg whites in my hair that night to give it the crunchy-curly look (I know...so hot). My ex's wife was having a major allergic reaction for some reason, and they weren't sure why, so they left early. Come to find out, she was allergic to eggs, and my hair had caused the reaction! Good way to put an end to an otherwise awkward evening! Go me!

Healthy Dinner Exchange Gone Bad

I think I just threw up in my mouth. If I didn't know the reason for the nausea, I might think I was pregnant. But I don't normally actually get sick when I'm pregnant. No, I feel much worse.

I'll tell you why...but I might seriously lose some friends. Actually, I think I sort of already have.

Crap.

About two years ago, a friend and I started a dinner exchange. I would cook for her family one night, and she would cook for us another night. I loved the exchange so much, I asked another good friend if she'd be interested in joining. I trusted these girls...their taste in food, their cleanliness in preparation, their healthy eating habits. Plus, they are really good friends. I knew they would understand the occasional breakfast-for-dinner nights on the days I just didn't have as much time as I thought.

But we've been on a little dinner-exchange-hiatus. For me, summer happened. A big move happened for another. And a complicated-bedrest-sort-of-pregnancy happened for the third. But as fall approached, I was excited to start back up. The first friend is still mid-move, but the other friend is back on her feet and wanted to exchange. Woo hoo! One less night to worry about what the heck is for dinner!

Today, the first day of Fall, was the first day of the exchange. I made Moroccan Chicken (the winner of last year's healthy recipe contest) with brown rice, and delivered it to my friend. I sat down with my kids, and they amazingly ate every last bite. As I was clearing the dishes, my good friend--who'd just eaten my dinner--called.

"Hi!" I exclaimed.

"Hey!" she replied. "Dinner was really good. I need to get that recipe from you."

"Oh good! I'm glad you liked it. I had to change it up a bit. I added black and kidney beans, and did green peppers instead of red."

"Yeah...it was so good."

"I also added some tomatoes that I canned last week with my mother-in-law."

"Oh...that made it really good!"

My dear friend had me feeling pretty darn good about the dinner I'd delivered. She's really nice that way. But before hanging up, she had a little more to say.

"Ummm....Robyn?"

"What's up?"

"You might want to check your rice."

"Why?"

"Well...there are little worm things in it."

"(Silence)"

"It's not a big deal! I didn't even notice until I was almost done. I figure a little extra protein never hurts anybody. I just wanted to let you know in case you haven't fed your kids yet...you could make some new rice."

At that point, I headed over to the stove to check out the rice. I couldn't believe it. She had to be mistaken. Brown rice has lots of weird looking grainy things, right? Plus...it was stored in the fridge! But to my dismay, there one was. Some sort of dead meal worm right in the brown rice that I'd just eaten, my kids had just eaten, and my neighbors had just eaten!

I am still so grossed out, I can hardly stand it. And I actually can't believe I'm blogging about it. If you hear of the strange deaths of two neighboring families in your local news, you'll know why! And don't be surprised if I don't invite you to dinner anytime soon. I'll be busy throwing all our food away! Gross!

2 Healthy Recipes for Cinco de Mayo

Feliz Cinco de Mayo! Today has to be one of my favorite holidays of the year. Why? I love fiestas, and I love Mexican food!

Here are a few recipes for two appetizer dips you can feel good about: guacamole and salsa!

Chunky Guacamole

• 2 large ripe avocados
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
  2 tbsp (30 mL) lime juice
• 1 medium tomato, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cumin
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped cilantro
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt

Instructions:

• Pit, peel, and dice the avocados. Eat a chunk or two, then dump the avocado flesh into a bowl.e off easily. Dice the avocado flesh, and dump into a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients, and toss to combine. I like mine chunky, so I don't mash the ingredients. If you prefer a smoother texture, mash away!
• Serve with tortilla chips for dipping, or as a yummy any kind of Mexi-food topping!

______________________________________________

Eleisha's Yummy Fresh Salsa

• red, yellow, green, and orange bell peppers (1 of each)
• 2 whole tomatoes
• 2 cans whole tomatoes (or diced--whatever you have)
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1 bunch green onions
• 1-2 limes
• 1 tsp cumin
• 3 tsp garlic salt
• Salt and pepper

Instructions:

• Cut peppers and tomatoes into chunks. Blend or process in a food processor the tomatoes, peppers, cilantro and green onions. (You may have to do it in batches depending on how much your blender/food processor will hold. I like it chunky, but blend it as much as you want). Mix it all in a bowl and add the seasonings to taste. Stir well and squeeze lime juice to taste.
• Great way to get lots of healthy veggies into your wee ones!

Enjoy! What are your favorite cinco de mayo tradiciones? Share a recipe!

10 Essential Nutrients For Your Skin...and the 20 Foods They're In!

Yesterday, I let you in on a little secret....I'm not looking my best these days. I'm beyond tired. Sleep is usually at the bottom of my list of priorities, but in a few days, it's moving to the top! Even if all we can do is get on a boat without stopping at any ports, I'm still going!

When I get home, I'm hoping to be rejuvenated. But the sleep deprivation cycle will surely resume as scheduled! I definitely need to work on that...cuz mama's not the only one who suffers when mama's tired!

Besides my poor children and husband, my face also suffers when I'm tired. I look tired. My face is tired. My eyes are tired. So if I want to look my best, I need more sleep. Don't we all? But another way to look better--besides getting the ever-needed zzzz's--is by focusing on something else...feeding your face. That's right. We don't just need to eat more fruits and veggies for healthy bodies. We need them for healthy skin! Here are a few of the best skin-beautifying-nutrients, and the foods they're found in:

1. Selenium: This vital nutrient helps preserve elastin, a skin-smoothing and tightening protein. The antioxidant may also protect against the sun (by stopping free radicals created by UV exposure from damaging skin cells). Face Foods: Canned Tuna, Brazil Nuts, Cottage Cheese
2. Niacin (Vitamin B3): An anti-inflammatory that soothes red, blotchy, dry skin. Face Food: Avocados (Great to eat AND to use as a face mask for dry skin).
3. Vitamin E: An amazing sunscreen booster that helps protect skin cells from UV light, or other cell-damaging free radicals in the environment. This powerful antioxidant also helps prevent dry skin! Face Food: Almonds (I'm going to pack some along for the trip...I can always use some extra sunscreen!)
4. Vitamin A: Helps clear up breakouts by repairing skin cells. This important nutrient also reduces the development of skin cancer cells! Face Foods: Carrots, Mangoes
5. Vitamin C: Smooths out wrinkles by aiding in the production of collagen--the skin's structural protein. Face Foods: Sweet Potatoes, oranges, acerola cherries, red peppers
6. Omega 3 Fatty Acids: The skin plumping, wrinkle reducing miracle workers! (Not to mention skin hydrators...) Face Foods: Flaxseeds (sprinkle on oatmeal or veggies), flaxseed oil (add to your smoothies), salmon, walnuts.
7. Folate: Helps reduce the chance of cancer-cell growth. Also reduces wrinkles by plumping up skin as water penetrates cell membranes. Face Foods: Spinach, collard greens
8. Zinc: A pimple-fighting mineral! Zinc also helps boost elastin production, and sebum production. Face Food: Oysters! (any oyster fans out there?)
9. Riboflavin (Vitamin B2): Helps aid in tissue maintenance and repair, and also improves blemishes caused by rosacea. Post-surgery, or injury, the body uses large amounts of this vitamin to heal! Face Food: Mushrooms
10. Flavonols: This antioxidant helps smooth the skin, and protects against sun damage. Face Food: Dark Chocolate (My favorite! This one should be a staple in your diet...just make sure it's the DARK variety! Yum!)

Fill your grocery cart with these foods to cleanse your body from the inside out. What are your best beauty tips?

Hide the Easter Candy!

Well, the sweetest of all holidays is behind us. Sort of. The candy in my kids' baskets is still staring me down, begging me to eat some more. I've never been a fan of people who can take one bite of dessert and feel satisfied. Actually, I totally wish I could be one of them. How do they do it? For me, it's all or nothing. If I never take a bite, I'm fine. But there's no way I'm going to be able to have just one mini Twix bar, and stop there. Nooooo way. I'll have 5 or 6 or 10... And don't think I can take two bites of chocolate cake, and leave the rest. I'll eat mine AND the rest of yours. What about those magazines that say to take two bites, eat them slowly so you can really savor them, and leave the rest. WHATEVER!

Are you all sick of my sugar ramblings, yet? I'm obviously trying to work through some sugar issues. If you know how to have your sugar in moderation, then please skip to the comments to shed some light for the rest of us. How do you do it?

But for the majority of us, why is it so hard to resist sugar? Well, for starters, it obviously tastes better than broccoli. But the truth is, when you consume large amounts of it, your pancreas has to work overtime. It then produces loads of insulin, which causes your body to build up a sort of resistance to sugar. So what happens, then? The more sugar you eat, the more you need to eat to feel satisfied. Ouch.

If you ate bucketfuls of candy this weekend, oh well. Don't beat yourself up. But here are a few numbers for the curious calorie/fat/sugar gram counters in all of us:

Cadbury Cream Eggs – 140 calories

Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs – 180 calories

Jelly Belly Assorted jelly beans (35) – 28 g sugar

(Small) Cadbury Chocolate Eggs (12) – 26 g sugar

Nestle's Crunch Solid Chocolate Easter Bunny – 36.2 g of fat

Reese's Reester Bunny – 42 g of fat

Hershey's Hollow Milk Chocolate Egg – 570 calories in the shell alone. (If you eat the four Hershey’s kisses inside, you’ll consume 660 calories and 41 grams of fat). Yikes!

Hopefully you added some real eggs to the menu. But whatever you ate, hope you enjoyed it. I did! And a sugar overdose always leaves me a little more motivated to avoid it in the near future. We'll see how long the motivation lasts! How was your Easter?

St. Patrick's Day...EAT GREEN!!!! (With some green smoothie recipes)

When St. Patrick's Day comes around each year, the "Irish" comes out in all of us! Today I'm sporting some lime green capris that I'm pretty sure won't be seen any other day this year. But on St. Patricks Day, if it's green, it works!

What about food? I'm all for adding a bit of green food coloring to "green" up your morning eggs or waffles. But why not have a GREEN meal without the food coloring?

Here are a few of my favorite green foods...add some to your plate tonight:

Granny Smith Apples
Green Grapes
Avocados (guacamole!)
Asparagus
Broccoli
Green Beans
Spinach
Kale
Cucumber
Zucchini
Sweet Peas
Kiwi Fruit
Limes
Green Peppers
Honeydew Melon

Here are a few GREEN (literally) smoothie/whole juice recipes:

CREAMY CUCUMBER JUICE
1/2 cup lowfat plain yogurt
3 cups green grapes
1/2 cup cucumber (with or without peel, chopped)
1 stalk celery cut into 3-inch pieces
Optional--1 oz. Wheat grass
1/2 cup ice

Blend away! The grapes really make it sweet, and surprisingly good!

GREEN GIANT VEGETABLE JUICE
1/4 cup water
3 cups green grapes
1/2 cucumber--peeled
1/2 cup frozen or fresh sweet peas
1 stalk celery--cut into 3-inch pieces
1/2 cup broccoli

Put all ingredients in blender, and blend! As long as you remember this is a VEGETABLE juice, it's actually really good. The grapes add the needed sweetness.

Lime Kiwi Smoothie
2 kiwis-peeled
1 large pear-seeded
1 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp sugar
1/3 cup water
1 cup ice

Add everything to blender, mix, and enjoy!!!

What are your St. Patty's Day traditions?

Eating Healthy on a Budget

So, for the first time in my life, I'm actually really trying to stick to a budget. We're using nothing but cash. And apparently I need to spread it out a little better, because as of now, my allotted grocery "cash" is gone...until tomorrow. I was going to cheat. We're out of bread. What's a few dollars, right? But I'm trying to hold myself accountable. So, I decided to get creative. I got out the wheat. I got out the blender. (Have I told you how much I love my blender? Well, it grinds wheat, too.) So, in my attempt to save money by making my own bread, I decided to try not only GRINDING the wheat, but MIXING the dough. I have a bread maker, but why wait 4 hours for some fresh bread, when it can be done in 1! Plus, I had a pretty little blog post ending with a loaf of beautiful bread constructed in my head.

Here's what went RIGHT...

1. Wheat? Perfectly ground.
2. Molasses, water, and yeast? Perfectly mixed.
3. Yeast mixture? Perfectly added to the ground wheat.

But then things started going COMPLETELY WRONG...

1. The instructions said to press the PULSE button 15-20 times, scrape the sides, and repeat. Well...the repeat didn't go so well. NOTHING was happening. So I held down the pulse button. Which led to the blender actually over-heating, and the dough not really moving. Result? Some very hot, sticky dough.
2. I still thought it could work. I pressed the sticky, lumpy, hot dough into the bread pan. The instructions said to let it rise for 10 minutes. I ended up waiting a few HOURS, but the dough never moved. I KILLED THE YEAST!
3. But I baked it anyway. And sadly, the fresh-baked loaf of bread looked just like the dough. And tasted worse than cardboard.

BUT WAIT...The happy ending!

I reluctantly broke out the bread-maker. I ground some more dang wheat. I measured the ingredients. And I begrudgingly let the patient bread-maker do it's job (the machine...not me...my impatience killed the first loaf). And four hours later, we enjoyed this...

And I didn't spend a DIME! But going to the store would've been a lot easier! How do YOU eat healthy on a budget?

MY PEANUT BUTTER OBSESSION (with a freebie)

I love peanut butter!
Let me count the ways.
I honestly eat it
every. single. darn. day.
Unlike other condiments,
spread it on as you please.
Hold the mayo. Hold the ketchup.
But not the PB!
When I'm pregnant,
can't resist it. It's the one thing I crave.
I go through it like water.
Addicted? It's my fave.
What about when I'm training
for a long, long, long run?
Forget gu! Me want sandwich!
PB & J gets it done!
Full of protein, good fats, vitamins B3 & E,
Not to mention loads of fiber. That alone pleases me!
Magnesium, folate,
antioxidants, time to say it...woo hoo!
Guilt-free pleasure full 'o flavor.
I really heart it. Do you?
High in fat, so yes...
moderation is best.
A little goes a long way.
I eat too much, I'll attest.
Have to say, I have tried
ev'ry brand in the store.
A PB connoisseur.
An expert. Hard core!
I always go for "all-natural,"
don't like the trans fat
in hydrogenated oil.
'Nuff said about that!
As for brands, have some thoughts.
Don't mind if I share!
Adams Natural PB?
Not my favorite out there.
The taste? Sure...it's fine.
It just ends up real dry.
By the end, hard to spread.
Nope, just doesn't fly.
Skippy natural? Love the taste.
Prob'ly cuz they add sugar!
On that count alone,
have to pass, sugar boogars!
Kirkland brand found at Costco
is actually one of the best
It's organic, spreads great,
tastes superb, passed my test!
But my number one favorite
(let the drum roll begin)
is the Smart Balance Peanut Butter!
It win-win-win-wins!
Besides spreading well, being natural,
tasting great,
Omega 3's have me screaming,
Yep! They raise my heart rate!
Love this PB so much,
with you, want to share!
TO THE WINNER, I will send
a FREE 16 oz. jar!
To be entered,
all I need is a comment below.
A random number will be chosen.
Act now, don't be slow!
A winner I'll announce on Wednesday, March 11th.
"SPREAD" the word. Tell your friends!
Two extra entries I'll grant.
Leave a comment for one entry.
Link on your blog for two more!
Then add two more wee comments,
and I'll tally the score.
What would you do with P-Butter?
Eat with chocolate on a spoon?
Spread on celery? Eat in oatmeal?
Fill up a balloon?
Let us know in the comments.
I hope you all win!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Peanut Butter!
Sure makes my face grin!

Oat-tastic Smoothie and More...

I've already established my love for all things smoothie...including my fabulous blender. And I REALLY love that so many of you share my love! I've received some reader mail with more amazing smoothie creations that I'm passing on to you....you'll thank me later! (Thanks, Mindy, Aly, and Laura!) One of these days, I'll be really organized and will take pictures. But for now, blend away!

Sugar-Free Oat Smoothie

1 1/4 cups strawberries, halved

1/2 cup fat-free plain yogurt

1/4 teaspoon sugar substitute

2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk

2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

1 1/2 tablespoons oat bran

1 tablespoon sugar-free pancake syrup

1/4 cup ice cubes

Combine the strawberries, yogurt, sugar substitute, dry milk, walnuts, oat bran, syrup, and ice cubes. Blend until smooth and frothy. Pure heaven, people!

Protein Smoothie

1/2 cup skim milk

1/2 cup orange juice

4 frozen strawberries

1/2 packet of single serving size crystal light lemonade powder

1 large heaping scoop of vanilla protein powder (it doesn't matter which brand...just look for low sugar)

Blend until thick and smooth! This is a great post-workout drink!

Green Smoothie (Kale Apple Grape)

1/3- 1/2 bunch of Kale (any variety)
1-2 Apples: fuji, jonagold, golden, red- as long as they are ripe
1 cup Grapes: red or green, as long as they are sweet.
1 cup water

1 Banana &/or a squeeze of lemon to balance the flavor.

Blend well. Great way to get you green, leafy veggies in!

Thanks, ladies! Have a recipe you want to share? Leave it here, or e-mail us! (FitMePink at gmail dot com). And come back tomorrow for a PB giveaway!

Guest Post...10 Tips for Going Sugar Free

Today's guest post is by Jen. She was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 20, and has great tips and info on going sugar free. Enjoy!!!!

I’m excited that Robyn is having me guest post on Fit Me Pink. What a great website with relevant information for staying fit and healthy as busy mommies. (Thanks, Jen...you didn't have to say that! Hee hee...) My name is Jen and I’m posting mostly because I’m diabetic and I thought I’d offer a few tips for how to go sugar-free, or low-carb. A little about me to introduce myself to the readers… I’m 28 and have 2 kids. I’ve had diabetes for coming up on 8 years. I have type 1 diabetes which means that I am insulin resistant (ie, I have to take insulin to control my sugars and essentially stay alive). Because I was diagnosed as an adult (20 years old) I was basically expected to figure things out for myself. At the time of my diagnosis, I pretty much went information crazy. I looked up everything I could find about diabetes and learned a lot. I continue to read a lot about the condition and find it very fascinating. I love to talk about diabetes and how it affects my life. I also blog about my diabetes occasionally. You can check out those posts on my blog by clicking on the diabetes label link.

Life post-diagnosis has changed in some ways greatly and in other ways very minimally. I can still eat like pretty much every one else, I just have to monitor all of my carbohydrates. As a diabetic, I’m concerned with all sugars: glucose, fructose, and lactose. But what I have to pay attention to most on a food label or food item that I’m eating is the total number of carbohydrates. I count carbs in everything I eat and drink so that I know how much insulin to take. My diet is not completely carbohydrate-free and I don’t really recommend that sort of an approach.

Having children is one way that diabetes greatly impacted my life. I have to monitor my sugars extremely carefully and work really hard at keeping them within a very normal range. I’ve had two healthy baby boys and they both weighed about 8.5 pounds. Their lungs were fully developed and neither boy suffered any post-birth effects from my diabetes. These are my greatest diabetic accomplishments. While living with diabetes can be difficult, there are even days when I forget that I am diabetic, and for that, I am very thankful. It wouldn’t be possible without the help of all of the wonderful diabetic advancements and improvements science has brought us.

Here are my tips for going sugar free! (Very timely for me, with my not-very-successful-so-far-sugar-fast!)

1. Decide what kind of carbs you want to cut, and then set some goals.
2. Cut the unnecessary carbs. Desserts and things high in sugar often have an alternative. Be aware that some things that say "sugar-free" or "no sugar added" on the labels actually do have some carbs, so you’ll want to check the label to find out how many. If you compare it with a regular product, you usually notice at least a 20% decrease in total carbohydrates.
3. Just because it’s "sugar free" doesn’t mean it tastes like cardboard! There are a lot of really good "sugar-free," or "no-sugar-added" products that taste pretty good. Some of my favorites are: Jell-O sugar free pudding, light Dannon yogurt, Smuckers no sugar added jelly, light maple syrup, and Dryer’s slow-churned no-sugar-added ice-cream.
4. Choose a favorite sugar-free treat...and stock up! There are actually treats out there that have very few carbs, and some have none. 7-11 has a great Crystal Light Slurpee with only 5 calories per 8 ounces and zero carbs. The Cheese Cake Factory sells a "Carb Free" cheesecake that only has 6 carbs! My suggestion is to take it home and add some sugar free cherry pie filling on top!
5. Eat the good carbs! Fruit and fruit juices are good carbohydrate choices that often satisfy your sweet-tooth!
6. Try to never drink carbs or calories! There are so many great diet drinks out there…drinking empty calories or carbs really doesn’t make sense. My one exception to this rule is while working out…a good sports drink with some electrolytes can be an excellent choice.
7. Keep a back up for when you’re feeling you may cave! Gum works really well. Apparently the ever-so-obvious people from product placement at the Biggest Loser think so too!
8. Choose a day to cheat. Sometimes it’s okay to cheat. Set aside a cheat-day for yourself. One day a week (or less, if you’re brave) is good enough. A friend of mine eats whatever she pleases on Sundays. She doesn’t count calories or carbs on this day, and she’s been able to maintain an 80 pound weigh-loss for 8 years!
9. Remember how good you feel. Going low-carb can be a difficult thing to do. However, it does make you feel great. My sugars get much more level, and overall I feel so much better. Remember that when you’re about have some leftover birthday cake.
10. Do it with a buddy. Having support makes things much easier!

THANK YOU, JEN!!!! Leave Jen a comment here, or check out her blog for more good info! And by the way, the more I think about it...or try to fast from sugar...the more I realize that I need a designated "cheat day" to get me through the week. Good tips!

Strange Food Creations...what NOT to feed your Valentine!

As I've said before, my husband loves to (lovingly) mock my strange food creations. If I'm feeding him anything in casserole, soup, pancake, smoothie, or pasta form, he warily eyes it before digging in. He just KNOWS something strange (read: healthy) must be hidden in it. And he's going to begrudgingly admit that he really can't taste the hidden stuff. As much as he hates to say it, added kale or spinach to an otherwise-all-fruit smoothie is actually pretty good. He, of course, grew up eating only "normal" stuff.

We were discussing strange foods with a group of friends recently, however, and I remembered one of his all-time favorite meals: french toast with ketchup. Oxymoron, no? To me, everything about the combination of those words is wrong. When I think french toast, I think sweet. I think cinnamon. I think fruit. I think whipped cream. I think (sugar-free) syrup. Ketchup, on the other hand is for the salt-ified foods. French fries. Hamburgers. Eggs even. But NOT french toast. I tried it once. I think I threw up in my mouth. (OK, not really. But I didn't enjoy it one little bit).

Another friend shared her family's weirdest concoction: mayonnaise, peanut butter, and lettuce sandwiches. WHAT?

I started wondering what would have been considered "weird" in my family. Taco Bell on at least a bi-weekly basis? And then I remembered. In our growing-up household, there was a special remedy for everything.

Herbal Fiber Blend (for "a more thorough evacuation of waste materials."). Just don't be fooled by the "raspberry flavor." I guarantee you've never tasted anything worse in your life. I laugh until I cry thinking about the time I made my husband try it...when we were just dating. Not a good move. Luckily he already REALLY liked me, or he would've run (as soon as he could get off the toilet). Another must-have: Barley Green. Definitely not as bad-tasting as the fiber blend, but not a drink I'd introduce at your next house party. Regardless, it's good for you. And gross. And now my parents' newest obsession? Apple Cider Vinegar. Feeling sick? Drink up! It really does have amazing health benefits, but it still tastes like vinegar.

So I guess french toast with ketchup doesn't sound quite as bad. But I'll still drink the vinegar first! What about you? Did you grow up thinking something others would consider nasty-weird was normal? And what are you feeding your Valentine?

Fitness For Tots...Getting the strong-willed child to eat his stinkin' dinner!

OK, so I don't know about you, but I DREAD mealtime...namely DINNERtime with Mr. Stubborn-2-year-old. Every night, it's a power struggle. The food will sit untouched on his plate for HOURS until he realizes that I'm not going to budge and let him have bread/cookies/cereal instead.

I'll admit it. For a long time, I've used dessert as a reward for eating dinner. But don't the "experts" say not to use food as a reward? Isn't eating something that should just be done, regardless of what one is going to get afterwards? It's kind of a responsibility as a member of the family. We eat dinner together. We eat what's on our plates. We don't whine and moan and groan (and gnash our teeth) until we finally give in, and eat the vegetables. We just eat.

I'm not a short order cook. And I don't think you should always get "something" for eating. Just eat, d**n it! Mr. Moody (yes, the I'm-never-going-to-get-out-of-the-terrible-two's-phase-toddler has many names and faces) NOW says (before taking a single bite), "what will I get when I eat my dinner?" If I answer with, "a brownie-goodie-treat-candy-whatever," he'll eventually eat.

But I'm done. I'm trying something new. Something I started last night.

I'm doing NOTHING. I'm putting his plate in front of him. We're sitting down as a family to eat. I'm not negotiating. I'm not even talking about it. When we're done eating, he can get down from the table, even if he hasn't had a bite. If he starts asking for something to eat later, I'll direct him back to the table. He can choose.

This doesn't mean there will never be dessert. But there doesn't NEED to be. Dessert should be something occasional, something special, something you don't get EVERY time you eat your food.

Am I wrong to think that this will empower him to eat better if it's his decision whether or not to eat? Tonight he went to bed hungry. He didn't eat his dinner. But he didn't cry when he went to bed, because he knew he'd made that choice.

I'm actually going to try the same approach with potty-training. (And sorry for getting side-tracked with potty talk...this really should be another post on a different blog. Just have to say it.) Anyway, I'm not going to make a big deal out of it (he did great for 3 days, and is now rebelling and refuses to go in the potty). After the dinner non-episode (non-episode because I didn't make a big deal about his non-eating), he actually told me he needed to go potty (for the first time in weeks). I just looked at him and said, "Then go. You know what to do." He looked at me funny, then went in the bathroom and pooped!

So this is my experiment. I'm tired of negotiating. I'm tired of fighting. I'm tired of rewarding for behavior that should just be expected. We eat dinner. Period.

Am I mean? Unreasonable? Right on? What are your tricks for getting your kids to eat their food? And what are your opinions on rewarding with sweets? Share your knowledge, advice, opinion, whatever!

Food, Glorious Sugar-Free Food!

Last week I proposed a possible fasting from sugar. Some of you have tried it before. Some of you WANT to try it with me. Some of you think I'm C-C-C-Crazy! I kind of think I am, too...because let's face it...I LOOOOOOOVE my sugar! But I've never fasted from it (besides on the first Sunday of every month for two meals...ha ha). I tried a week on the South Beach Diet and was miserable. This will be different, though. Instead of focusing on what I CAN'T have, I'm going to focus on things I love that I can still have...namely:

BREAD! (100% whole grain--not multigrain or white)

FRUIT!

SUGAR-FREE snacks! (I love sugar free pudding!)

WHOLE WHEAT PASTA!

BROWN RICE!

BREAD!

OK, and lots more...I just remember being on the South Beach Diet and dreaming about carbs! Loaves of bread filled my every waking (and sleeping) thought. So this isn't a low-carb thing. THAT is definitely NOT for me. But this is a fast from sugar. Here are my rules if you want to join me.

1. The fast starts on Sunday, February 1st AFTER my daughter's 1st birthday party.
2. The fast ends on Saturday, August 1st BEFORE my birthday party. (You're all invited!)
3. I might change the rules for myself on the following occasions (but only if I'm really dying to partake...not because I feel like I have to): a) The Boy's 3rd birthday in May, and b) Post-race/long training runs.

That's it. I'm not saying I won't cheat, but I'm going to try REEEEEALLY hard not to. So who's in on this measly little 6-month sugar fast?

Another question: Are sugar fasts socially acceptable? I often do partake of desserts that I truly could've done without just because I feel like I have to. It's my personality. I have a hard time saying, "No." I'm a yesser...a people pleaser. And a social eater. Am I going to lose friends because of this? Experience? Thoughts? Advice? And PLEASE...joiners?

Kid Nutrition...whatever works!

I'm not much of an experimenter when it comes to food. When I'm given a recipe, I make it, I taste it, and I decide whether or not I like it. I never think, "Well, this would be better with a little more paprika-sugar-salt-ginger-cinnamon-cardamom-whatever, or a little less cumin-curry-cilantro-cheese-etc." The thoughts never cross my mind. I'm just not a creative cook. I copy recipes. I put them in the make again pile, or throw them in the garbage. I don't make experiment. Period. Except when it comes to three staples in our toddler-infested house: mac 'n cheese, pancakes, and smoothies.

If anything is in noodle, pancake, or liquid form, my kids will eat it! I add about a cup of canned pumpkin to every box of macaroni. And our smoothies (already chock full of fruit) often have a greenish tint due to the added kale or spinach. And pancakes? I add EVERYTHING. This last Saturday was an especially exotic pancake-for-lunch day. I don't have exact measurements, because I sort of just threw it all in the blender, but here are the main ingredients:

1 can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)

2 cups pancake mix (ish)

2 cups water

1/2 cup blueberries

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1 banana

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 cup chocolate chips (just in case some flavors needed some hiding...)

Preheat skillet to 375 degrees F, blend everything together, scoop out about 1/4 cup of mixture onto skillet, cook for about 2 minutes on each side. Top with powdered sugar, syrup, fresh fruit, etc. Super filling, super yummy, do you dare try it out?

How do you get fruits and veggies into your wee ones (or significant others)?

The SEVENTH Day of Fitness....Filling your grocery cart...

Did you know that before 1916, self-service grocery stores didn't exist? When Piggly Wiggly opened in Memphis, Tennessee in 1916, consumers had never before seen the likes of check-out stands, price-marked items, or packaging geared at brand recognition! There were a whopping 605 items you could choose from. Can you imagine? NOW most supermarkets stock upwards of 30,000 items. Wowza. With so much to choose from, most of us still fill our carts with the same 10-15 items. If we're choosing the right stuff, that's not necessarily a bad thing! (Along with the occasional box of Oreos, right?) But what should we consistently be loading into the shopping cart?

Here are a few of my favorite cart fillers (OK...maybe not my FAVORITE...but the ones I know I should be eating!)

• Almonds: Nuts (especially almonds) are a great source of vitamin E. Eating nuts several times a week may help lower circulating cholesterol levels (the bad type--LDL), reduce your risk of heart disease, and may just possibly protect against cancer. {{I'm honestly addicted to peanut butter, but almond butter is probably a better option. In my opinion, almond butter isn't quite as tasty as PB, but is really good spread on whole grain toast, or on a whole-wheat tortilla, topped with raisins, and rolled up. You can also add almonds to cereal, as a pasta topping, mixed with dry fruit, etc.}}
• Eggs: Just one egg fulfills about 10 % of your daily protein requirements! The protein found in eggs is the most complete source of protein (besides human breast milk!), so it provides the amino acids your body needs to recover post-workout! They're also good for your bones, your memory, and your eyes! They also come in Omega-3 enhanced form! Don't worry too much about the cholesterol...egg eaters are supposedly at a lower risk for heart disease than those who avoid eggs. They're cheap, easy, and a must-add-to-your-cart item!
• Sweet Potatoes: No longer just a holiday staple...stock up! These low-calorie goodies are great sources of beta carotene (a crucial antioxidant), vitamin C, potassium, and iron, as well as trace minerals needed for healthy functioning muscles! For a long time, I thought these were just a "baby food" option...silly me! I love 'em, too! And they're a much better option than regular potatoes.
• Whole Grain Cereal (with Protein): Those who know me well, know that I LOVE Kashi brand cereals! One particular type (which I often buy in bulk...) is Kashi GoLean. It's made from several sources of whole grain, and in one cup has 10 grams of fiber and 13 grams of protein! I won't discuss my love of and need for fiber here, but this is a great source! Also...breakfast is a meal that should NEVER be skipped...yadda yadda yadda. Seriously. And Whole Grain Cereal is an excellent breakfast option!
• Beans: A magical fruit, no? Seriously. Another excellent fiber & protein source. Another excellent source for antioxidants. Another cholesterol-lowering, heart-disease-risk-reducing gem. They are also low glycemic index foods, providing a steady release of energy, and controlling blood sugar. Love 'em in soup, love 'em as a dip, love 'em spread on a tortilla, etc.
• Green leafy vegetables: The darker, the better. Instead of making salad with iceburg lettuce, try the mixed greens.
• Salmon: Great source of protein, and the best source of Omega-3 fats.
• 100 % Whole Grain Bread: I love bread! I love carbs! I love fiber! According to runner's world, whole-grain eaters have a 38 percent lower risk of suffering from metabolic syndrome, characterized by belly fat, low levels of the good (HDL) cholesterol, and high blood sugar levels...all raising the risk for heart disease and cancer. No more white bread. And don't be deceived by "whole grain" labels...to reap the benefits, it needs to be 100% whole grain!
• Whole Grain Pasta: Especially if you're a runner (or a hard-core cardio worker-outer), pasta NEEDS to be in your diet! It helps restore your glycogen (energy) levels, because of the easy-to-digest carbs. Whole grain varieties are the best...love the fiber! Barilla Plus is my favorite (and Bob Greene's!) because of the added Omega 3's and protein!
• Avocados: Another protector of cholesterol-related heart disease, used in the prevention and treatment of cancer, AND it's great for the skin! Yes, avocados are fatty, but not the kind you need to shy away from! I use avocados on everything! I add them to smoothies (they seriously make the smoothie more like ice cream...creamy, and so yummy!). I use them as soup toppings, mash them for guacamole, eat on top of chicken, top my salads, and eat them plain!
• Berries: The dark colors provide the antioxidants that make these so good for you! My favorite (as I've said before) is a berry smoothie (with a banana, some avocado, yogurt, and some juice concentrate). Frozen are just as good as fresh, and keep longer! Stock up!
• DARK CHOCOLATE: My favorite! Here's an indulgence you don't need to feel guilty about! Chocolate is another heart-healthy food containing potent antioxidants called flavonols. Eat up!

After filling your cart with so much good stuff, you deserve a treat! Here are a few recipes we received...they are either low-fat/low-calorie, or just plain healthy-yummy! Enjoy! And after you write these down, leave a comment letting us know what YOU fill your grocery cart with!

From Eleisha: Oatmeal (Breakfast) Cookies

2 cups whole wheat flour, 1/2 c ground flax seed, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp cardamom (or a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice instead), 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup honey, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 small apple, peeled and chopped, 1/2 cup goji berries or raisins (I use raisins), 1/2 cup chopped dates or apricots (I use apricots), 1 cup chopped walnuts or almonds (optional), 1 1/2 cup coconut, 3 cups old fashioned oats, 1/4 cup applesauce.

Stir together dry ingredients. In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar. Add in eggs, honey and vanilla. Slowly add in dry mixture and beat together. Stir in remaining ingredients. Drop spoonfuls onto baking sheet. Bake 12-14 minutes at 350.

From Kandis, Deb's Protein Bars

1/2 cup softened butter, 1 cup peanut butter, 12 oz. Mini semi-sweet chips, 1 cup walnut gems, 1 cup ground coconut, 1 cup wheat germ, 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, 1/2 cup sesame seeds.

Mix together and press into 9x13 pan--chill until firm--cut into small squares and store in fridge for up to a month. (Kandis' variations: Double recipe and press into cookie sheet, but use 1/2 cup smart balance instead of butter and add more peanut butter instead. I also add 1 cup (1/2 cup if not doubling) flax seeds. Two bars should give you about 36g protein and 19g fiber!)

From Alicia, Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

1 1/2 c. rice krispies, 4 Tbsp. peanut butter, 1 Tbsp. honey, 1 small sugar-free chocolate instand pudding, 2 cups skim milk, lite whip cream (optional)

Mix peanut butter and honey together, microwave 20 seconds. Add rice krispies, then press in 9x13 pan. Mix pudding with skim milk, and pour over rice krispie crust. Before serving, add whip cream on top!

From Erin, Yummy Jell-O...or Dessert!

1 small box orange jell-o, 1 small box cook and serve vanilla pudding, 1 small box tapioca pudding, 1 small container of cool whip free, 3 cups water, 1 large can mandarine oranges (or 2 small cans)

Combine all jell-o in a pot. Add water. Bring to boil, then boil for one minute stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Pour in bowl. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Add cool whip. Add oranges. Mix together. Eat right away, or let it chill overnight so it sets up more! Try using sugar-free/fat-free jell-o's. Also try it with strawberry jell-o and fresh strawberries. YUM!

From Evelyn, Oatmeal Jam Squares

2 cups oatmeal, 1 3/4 cups flour, 1 cup smart balance butter, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup chopped nuts, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 3/4 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. baking soda, 3/4 cup sugar-free preserves (or really tart preserves...I like pear!)

Combine all except preserves. Beat until crumbly. Reserve 2 cups. Press remaining onto bottom of greased 9x13 pan. Spread preserves over crust. Sprinkle with reserved mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool, and cut into squares. They are easy to freeze and kids love them!

Enjoy! And keep reading...the winners will be announced in the coming days! Don't forget to leave a comment :-)

Halloween Survival Guide

Well, it's here. The day every year that we love and dread. The day we lose the eat-your-dinner-before-you-get-any-treats battle with our kids, because well, they've already been eating candy all. day. long.

It's also the day we beat ourselves up for eating too much dang candy. I'm totally speaking for myself here. I'm pretty sure I'll be going through my toddler's trick-or-treat bag and sneaking as many Reese's Peanut Butter Cups into my pockets as I can. Or I'll give each little goblin a nasty sucker while I jam 5 Twix Bars in my mouth.

I know myself. I have a major weakness--chocolate! Add peanut butter, and I'm like Pavlov's dogs...my mouth waters at the very thought. So guess what? I'm totally giving myself permission to indulge. And if you want it, I'm giving you permission, too. That way, we won't be beating ourselves up over every little lick of candy, bite of sugar cookie, dab of frosting. It's OK.

I've never been an official "dieter." I tried the South Beach Diet for a few weeks. It drove me crazy! I craved things I'd never even eaten before...just because I couldn't have them. So I try not to obsess over food. Especially on days where I'd be setting myself up for failure. Like Halloween, for example. I'm generally a healthy eater, but I allow for indulgences (probably more often than I should admit). Halloween is one of the occasions where I just know I'm going to eat candy.

But guess what? I haven't bought any yet. I will go to the store tomorrow AM to stock up. And probably on candy I don't like. [Well, I like it all, but am less tempted by fruity varieties.] Suckers, gum balls, life savers, etc. Like I said--chocolate is my weakness. I'm banking on my own little trick-or-treater-dressed-as-Mickey-Mouse bringing me home what I really want.

So I will have chocolate, but not all day long. And I won't eat three pieces of candy each time the doorbell rings...cuz I won't really like the kind we give out. I will work out in the morning. I will eat some of my MIL's homemade goodness that is her Chili to help stave off major cravings. But I will indulge. And it probably won't be pretty. But I'm OK with that. For tomorrow.

Other survival ideas include giving away non-food items. Tattoo stickers. Pencils. Sugar-free Gum. Why is the focus of so many celebrations on the food anyway?

What are your Halloween/holiday survival tips? You know what to do. Leave a comment!

The FIRST lucky winner and some food for thought

Thanks so much to all of you who submitted recipes! Not only are they healthy, but we have an awesome variety to choose from...dinner, breakfast, treats, appetizers, etc. We received nearly 40 recipes!!! Can't wait to try 'em out! Our families thank you in advance (as long as we don't screw 'em up)! Once we've tried them out, we'll announce the winners of the $20 Visa Giftcard and the Custom Vinyl Lettering. Don't cross your fingers yet...this could take a while!

But for now, the random number generator has spoken. ALYSON (the beautiful cake maker) is the FIRST WINNER!!!!!! Woo hoo!

And the prize is...still a surprise! I've had my eyes on The Something Store for a while. Interesting concept...you pay $10 and await your random gift. So Aly, check your mailbox...one something is on it's way! And please let us know what it is...I'm dying to know if it's worth the $10!

Now for more on FOOD! I was checking this blog on Monday, where Miz Fit talked about a diet that was all the rage years ago. The abundance diet. Have any of you heard of this? I guess the idea is that you stock your cupboards chock full of all the stuff you *can't* have. If oreo's are your weakness, you fill your cupboards with them. Slowly, your brain will begin to process the fact that you don't need to eat *all* of them right now (probably after eating *all* of them the first few times you stock your pantry.) They aren't a scarcity, so you eat less...there'll be more tomorrow. I kind of get this, but I'm not sure it would work for me. But maybe it would. Any thoughts?

The REAL reason I'm questioning this, is because I've never been quite sure how to handle sweets in my house. Honestly, we rarely have "treats" in our house. We have a definite abundance of snacks, just not sweets. Whenever we do have treats, however, my toddler is ALL OVER THEM! Which I'm sort of OK with, since it's not all the time. But the abundance idea made me think that maybe it IS OK to have them available all the time, so that they're not such a novelty.

We try not to use food as a reward. We don't say, "If you do such and such, you'll get a treat." We use toys, stickers, stories, playdates, etc. as rewards. But occasionally we don't allow the "dessert" unless dinner is eaten first. So then food is a reward. I sort of feel like it's a good thing to teach my kids that treats are something we eat on special occasions. But now I'm wondering whether it's better for them to view them as everyday specialties.

Are you confused yet?

So here's my question to you, my more-experienced-fitalicious-family. How have you handled treats with your kids? Are they rewards? Are they readily available in your house in full abundance? Or are treats only for special occasions?

Please discuss.