14 Days of Valentines!

So I've always been a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of girl, so it's no surprise that with TWO HOURS LEFT on February 1st, I would decide to do the 14 Days of Valentines for my husband. I usually use the sorry-but-I-just-didn't-have-time-to-plan-anything-this-year excuse on Valentine's Day as we sit at home eating left-overs, watching the news, and going to bed early because we're (okay...I'm) too tired for romance! Life with or without kids is busy, and I ALWAYS use the kids as an excuse! Take last night for example. When I came back to bed after getting the baby back to sleep for the THIRD time (you people who have babies that sleep through the night before they turn one are my idols), and my husband offered me a "back rub" at 3 am, I really wasn't in the mood to give him any...ahem...attention. But he definitely deserves some! Soooo...I'm totally stealing most of my ideas for the next 14 days from here and here. There's not a lot of time for creativity when I have less than two hours to do the first one! Luckily my husband's gone playing basketball, so he'll think I've been planning this for weeks!

Before getting married, I actually was the type (weren't we all?) to do this sort of thing. I did the 12-days of Christmas when we were dating, and a 30-day countdown to our wedding day (since I was in California and he was in Utah). And yes--I planned that countdown the night before it started as well--all-nighters were so much more fun back then!

I guess that 6 1/2 years later, it's about time to do something romantic and cheesy for my favorite guy! If you want to play along, you have at least a 2-day window to start! The 12 Days of Valentines would be just as cute...

One of the ideas I'm going to borrow in the next 14 days is to send a pizza to work with a pepperoni heart. Sadly, this will probably be his favorite. My husband is a trooper, and rarely complains about my food experiments. This morning, for example, I got up early to make a special breakfast for my second child on her THIRD birthday. When he got up and discovered that the "special breakfast" meant breakfast sandwiches--namely "tofu eggs" and "soy maple tofu sausage" on biscuits, he was a little (okay...a lot) leery. He took his food "to-go," mostly so he could show the guys at work what his crazy wife made for a "birthday breakfast." In my mind, it actually tasted pretty good, but he couldn't get over the fact that it was actually tofu...not sausage OR eggs. So a real honest-to-goodness-cheesy-mouth-watering-greasy-pepperoni pizza (not made with nutritional yeast trying to deliver a cheesy flavor) will speak nothin' but love to my man's heart! And you know what? He's the best thing that has EVER happened to me...so if I must deliver some animal protein to let him know it, that's exactly what I'm going to do! Wish me luck!

What are your fun Valentine's Day traditions?

Let the Marathon Training Begin!!!

Alright FitMePeeps! I'm getting a little tired of reading my old posts that begin with an apology for being away so long, so here I am saying that I. AM. BACK.

Before I officially start my long-windedness, however, I have to thank so many of you for your thoughts and concern for my sweet nephew, Baby Jack. The last time I posted, he was still in the hospital after his second surgery for Duodenal Atresia. Now he is home, he is gaining weight, and is doing great!!! Life is somewhat getting back to normal (is it ever normal?) for my family. Yay! If you want the full story of his traumatic beginnings, my sister is posting the details on her blog.

As for me, exciting things are happening in the fitness department! First of all, I am now an official Zumba instructor! I spent three years as a Cheerleader in High School, and when I graduated, I thought I left my booty-shaking ability behind. I guess it was just tucked away for future use, because I'm now spending some time three days a week with other women, teaching them the pure joy of shaking up a sweat! I don't consider this my "workout" per say (although the calorie burn is notably high), I consider this my fun break. Haven't Zumba'd before? Try it...you'll love it! And if you don't love it the first time, try it three more times...the more you Zumba, the more you love it!

As for eating meat, I'm still not (well...occasionally I am...but mostly not). In March, it will have been a year since I read The China Study. I have to say, I haven't had a hard time transitioning to a flexitarian lifestyle. BUT planning meals has been a bit of a challenge. My husband's biggest complaint with most of my experiments is that they're lacking in flavor. A few awesome blogs have helped lately, however! I would consider making these recipes even if I wasn't trying to limit animal protein! My favorite go-to-blog is now VeganYumYum. I even bought her cook book...her stuff is thatgood! (It helps that she's a great food photographer!) Another great (non-vegetarian) blog my friend told me about last week is Skinny Taste. For those of you Weight Watchers people, this blog is for you! With each recipe, she gives you the old points, and the new (points+) points! Yay for yummy, healthy, family friendly recipes!

A few months ago, I was featured on this post as one of 40 websites to motivate you to get healthy. I was classified in the "weight loss" blogs category with the description: "This blogger nearly serves as your personal cheerleader for getting and staying in shape..." Hopefully I'm thenon-annoying cheerleader type. Actually...I blog to motivate myself with the hopes that someone else will also find some inspiration! Yay team!

And speaking of inspiration, I need some quick! I am signed up to run the Ogden Marathon on May 21, 2011! So guess what that means?!?! My 16-week training schedule starts TOMORROW! Yikes! Actually...I'm really excited about it! I've been pretty nervous about this race, so I've been sort of "pre-training" all winter long. I'm up to 11-miles for my long runs, and I have to say that running has helped more than anything with the post-baby weight this time around! I never completely lost all my baby weight with #2, but am happy to say that third time's a charm!

And although I'm completely jealous of my husband's ability to wake up one day and just run a marathon, I'm definitely not following his example! A few months ago, I found a training schedule on the Boston Marathon's page, which I cannot for the life of me find again! Luckily, I programmed the ENTIRE SCHEDULE onto my phone's calendar so I'm going to stick to that plan as much as possible. However, if you're looking for a good training program, check this oneout. When selecting a marathon training program, you need to figure out what your goal is. Are you just trying to finish? Are you trying to improve your time? Are you trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon? (Eventually my goal...it's been over 6 years since my last marathon so while I'm trying to get a good time with this one, I'm not sure whether it will be that good). I don't think the program you choose is as important as just making sure you remember that 26.2 miles takes a long time to DRIVE! You're going to be RUNNING it! In order to run 26.2 miles, you need to run. Period. However, don't let yourself get so stressed out about running that you don't also plan adequate rest! Your body adapts to physical training during REST! For me, Sundays will be my guilt-free day of rest!

For other marathon training advice, check this out!

If any of you are training for a Spring Marathon, and want to follow along, here's my (somewhat brutal) plan for this week...with a disclaimer! Life is crazy, so as with everything, nothing ever goes completely as planned. If I miss a day (or two or three), I'm not going to stress about it! I'll do the best I can. A day missed is a day missed...I won't try to make up for it! That said, I'm going to try my darndest to do the following:

MONDAY: Interval (6 to 10 miles), 2 x (3 x 800 m) at 10K pace, 90 seconds recovery, 5 minutes recovery between sets. (+ Zumba)

TUESDAY: Distance--4 to 6 miles (+ Zumba)

WEDNESDAY: Tempo--4 to 6 miles (+ Body Pump)

THURSDAY: Distance--7 to 8 miles

FRIDAY: MLR--12 to 14 miles, steady, easy paced

SATURDAY: Long Distance--15 to 18 miles, steady, easy paced (+ Zumba)

Interval runs: Not an all-out sprint! The intervals should be run at a pace somewhere between your 10K pace and goal marathon pace. Mondays will be my interval days!

Distance runs: Your typical daily run...the most flexible in terms of distance and pace! Listen to your body, and run what "feels good."

Tempo runs: Try your best to simulate your marathon pace.

MLR: stands for "medium long run." This week, the difference between the MLR and the long distance run isn't much, but as the weeks go by, 12 miles really will just be medium!

Long Distance: Possibly the most important component of a marathon training plan! However, if done too long, too often, or too hard, it can also cause the most damage. I plan on running my long runs considerably slower than I hope to run on race day!

Cross Train: I teach Zumba 3 times a week, plan on hitting up Body Pump at the gym every Wednesday, and possibly a weekly Spin class.

Phew...it's going to be a crazy 4 months! If nothing else, my goal is to stand at the marathon starting line knowing that I've put in the work, and that I'm prepared. "If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear," right? Come on legs and feet, here we go....

I'm BAAAACK!

In my two month hiatus from FitMeBlogging, a whole heck-of-a-lot has happened. I'm ready to start blogging again, mostly because I'm dying to start working out again. Exercising, and blogging about fitness seem to go hand-in-hand. So before I figure out how I'm going to fit fitness into the chaos of motherhood once again, I'll start with a quick recap of the past two months!

First, I bid farewell to my husband as he left for the Wasatch Back Ragnar race a few days before I was due, and prayed that the motorcycle ride my cousin took me on that morning wouldn't send me into labor! It didn't! (NOTHING sent me into labor--not my spin class, not walking 3 miles, not painting new shelves in every closet of the house, not lift class, not reorganizing closets, not cleaning--NOTHING until the day I actually did NOTHING. I finally went into labor in the middle of the night on the day I was scheduled to be induced...5 days after my actual due-date! Hooray!)

A week after the race, I gave birth to this angel baby. I can't believe she's already a month old!

Everything life-changing always happens in sets of 3. Having a new baby was no different! A few weeks before she was born, we found out that my husband could possibly be losing his job. He was encouraged to apply for a new position that could either keep us where we are, or could move us to Colorado Springs. A few days before she was born, he was offered a new position/promotion RIGHT HERE. No big move with a new baby...phew! I am SO GRATEFUL for the blessing of a good job in this economy, but those first few weeks of my husband working LONG hours to adjust, I was sort of wishing we'd just taken the severance package so he could be home with me! Oddly, though, having both of us adjusting to hard things at the same time has really strengthened our marriage.

The third big change happened this week: I turned 30! On Sunday, August 1, 2010, I officially entered the 30's club! I was kind of sad to say good-bye to my fun 20's, but hopefully it just gets better! My husband threw me a "surprise" luau-party that would have actually been a surprise if my 4-year old hadn't told me how much I was going to love the cakes they bought me! Oh well...I had a blast anyway!

With all my life-changes and post-baby-feeling-not-so-cute stage, I was having sort of a mid-life crisis. What does one do in such a situation? Chop off 8 inches of hair, that's what!

It's short, it's sassy, it's blonde again (I dyed it for the first time in 4 years), and I'm hoping I don't regret it! Hair always grows, right?

Now that I've gotten the first post-baby blog post over with, I hope to be back much more regularly! And speaking of "regular," I have to say that there REALLY is something to a whole food/plant-based diet. Hemorrhoids? Gone in a week. Baby weight gain? Only 4 pounds left to lose...I haven't done ANY exercise yet. My body definitely still looks frumpy, but the weight is falling off quicker than ever before! All I'm doing is eating TONS of fruit and veggies. Check out a few recipes I've tried here! It feels good to be back. I'm going to start working out on Monday with an early morning spin class. Can't wait! I also let my sis-n-law talk me into running this crazy race in September. Life does continue after a new baby...phew! I'll see you soon!

The China Study Survival Guide

Although most people I talk to about no longer eating meat think I'm crazy, I have a few friends who have jumped on the bandwagon with me! My husband's best friend (the one who brought him an envelope full of meat to their weekly basketball night to express his condolences for my new way of thinking) happens to be married to one of my best friends. His wife happened to read my library copy of The China Study, promptly went out and bought herself a copy, along with another copy to give to her mom, and is just as convinced as I am that meat, eggs, and dairy consumption really aren't good for us. Sorry, Colby :)

So, in attempt to change the nutritional habits of our families for the better (and to stop boring you with constant talk about my new mostly-vegan-but-we're-calling-it-flexitarian lifestyle), we've started a new blog. (http://chinastudysurvivalguide.blogspot.com/)

We'll post recipes we've tried, we'll let you in on how we modified the original recipes, what we would do differently next time (if there is a next time), and most importantly, what grade our husbands give the dish.

If there's something I really think you should try (whether or not you're living in the raw), I'll still post it here.

This weekend, I tried a dish called Israeli Moroccan Quinoa. My husband gave it a B! You can check it out here.

Kandis posted her version of black bean burgers (which did better than the ones I made that my husband called poop on toast) and a yummy strawberry-pear cobbler.

My sister-in-law is hoping to also post some experimental vegan recipes (hooray for another friend who doesn't think I'm crazy)! So check out The Great Vegan Experiment as we learn how the heck to live without meat!

Kid-Friendly Vegan Food: Hummus!

When it comes to feeding my kids, there are certain foods I've played around with quite a bit. They'll eat almost anything if it's in smoothie form, pancake form, dip form, or burger form (last week I made "black bean burgers" my husband lovingly compared to "poop on toast." They really weren't very good, but my kids unknowingly--and happily--gobbled up the pureed mixture of black beans, red peppers, onions, and whatever else I threw in those nasty nuggets). If my kids can dip a chip (or occasionally some raw veggies) in it, they'll probably eat it. I've been a long-time fan of hummus, but have never attempted making my own. Until this week. Maybe it's the fact that I'm in the stage of pregnancy where everything tastes amazing, but this hummus was good! And chock-full of FIBER and protein, hummus fills you up with nothing-but-goodness. I was feeling ambitious, so I photo-documented my first attempt at making this Middle-Eastern staple.

First, I rinsed and drained a (15 oz) can of chickpeas. I dumped them into my second true love: my Blendtec blender.Next, I peeled a few cloves of garlic, and threw them right in with the chickpeas.Before the first round of blending, I added 1/3 cup of lemon juice, and 1/3 cup of tahini. (I actually had no idea what this was...it's a paste made from sesame seeds...it looks a lot like peanut butter. I found it in the health food section at Harmons, for all of you local FitMePeeps.)I gave the blender a whirl, sort of (don't tell my husband) wished my blender had a tamper like the VitaMix so I could push the stuff down, but eventually had a nice, smooth paste to which I added 1/2 cup roasted red peppers,and 1/4 teaspoon of dried basil. I blended away until I got this:with which I promptly did this: (I obviously didn't document the actual first bite...sorry...no one likes "see-food").And I wondered why my house was so quiet until I saw this:What a nice surprise. Whether it was the quiet cooking time, the pregnancy-induced love of all things edible, or my determination to find non-meat-or-dairy items my entire family will consume, the hummus was a success. And yes--my kids and husband loved it!

We've been eating it with chips, raw veggies, as a spread on sandwiches (put some in a pita pocket with cucumbers and tomatoes--yum!), with rice crackers, etc. So versatile, so good, and SO EASY to make! (And so great that my funny husband didn't call it poop-on-a-cracker!)

Have a happy (and healthy) weekend!

It's All About The Poop

With small children around, it's hard not to get excited about the little things in life. Whenever I'm on a kid-free outing, I have to seriously fight back urges to point out every choo-choo train I see, every airplane in the sky, every bug on the ground, every dog with his owner, every motorcycle, truck, tractor, you name it. This has probably been the best part of being a mom for me. Taking pleasure in the little things. Stopping to smell the roses, instead of rushing past the beauties of this world without taking notice.

I love the excitement little ones experience when they see, or try new things for the first time. My two-year old thinks I'm the luckiest person in the world just because I get to push the buttons to turn the dishwasher on every day. And I get to pour the laundry detergent into the washer. I get to spread the peanut butter on the bread. When I hand these small tasks over to her, she is literally on top of the world. This is what being a "big girl" is all about. That, of course, and pooping in the potty.

Remember when I shared some of my potty-training woes with you? After a year-and-a-half of unsuccessful potty training, we put "P" back in diapers. A few glorious weeks ago, however, he finally decided on his own that he was ready to be a big boy. He'll turn four in May, and I am thrilled that I don't have to send him to college in diapers. And my two-year old? She jumped right on board, and decided on her own that she is out of diapers. I was too emotionally scarred from our first round of potty training to even consider her requests to use the potty, but she decided on her own, and is doing amazing. So within weeks, both children are out of diapers. I'm not holding my breath, but I am thrilled that I will actually only have ONE baby in diapers come June.

So added to the list of excitement over airplanes and bugs: poop! You know it...we all poop–and how horrible would life be if we didn't?!?! Trust me--I've had my own fair share of painful troubles in the poop department (I'm talking painful hemorrhoids that made pooping worse than childbirth), so good poops are a big deal for this mama! If you're like me, you analyze your eliminations on a daily basis. If you're like my sister's husband, you want to throw up just reading this post. But wherever you land on the poop scale--let’s be honest--the satisfaction of a great poop cannot be underestimated!

When my kids poop in the potty, they get terribly upset if I flush the toilet before they can admire their work. And my two-year old is so proud of me when I poop. Good job, mommy...that was a big one! Honestly, one of the main motivations for me to eat a healthy diet is just that...the very thought of hemorrhoids makes my spine tingle. I have to eat healthy. I need fiber. I freaked out during my last pregnancy when my husband brought home the wrong kind of bread. I literally can't handle unhealthy poops. In my mind, I am just one hard poop away from a bloody, feels-like-you're-pooping-glass, ouchy bum.

If you're not getting enough fiber, chances are, you're not having healthy BM's. So where do we get the fiber we need for a good poop? We get it from fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and grains. It's the indigestible (cellulose) part of these. Fiber is VITAL for not only a healthy poop, but a healthy body. The colon needs enough fiber to automatically contract and push the poop down the colon and out of the body (and into the POTTY! Not the diaper! Woo hoo!) Fiber IS the thigh master for the colon!

One last thing...if poop is ANY indication of whether I'm really on the right track with my new plant-based diet? Let me just say...hallelujah, and yes! In my little world where I take pleasure in the little things, pooping on a FLEXITARIAN diet is fabulously satisfying! (And I'm calling myself a flexitarian to take the pressure off...I'm mostly Vegan, and haven't had meat for a few weeks, but I won't beat myself up if I happen to take a bite of a nice, juicy burger...say after giving birth!)

How about you? Where do you fall on the poop scale? If you're still reading at this point, I'm guessing you're not totally embarrassed by the mere mention! As my husband likes to say, NEWSFLASH: EVERYONE POOPS! And thank goodness!

Transitioning to a Vegan Diet

Okay...let me preface this post by saying that I'm not going to start solely blogging about my new meat-free diet. But lots of you have had questions, so I'll try my best to answer a few! But first of all, I'm still feeling great about this new lifestyle change! However, in the last week, we were invited to eat out a few times. And the places we went? Famous Dave's BBQ and Tucano's Brazilian Grill. Probably the last two places I would've picked--they definitely cater to the carnivore's--but I survived! And I actually discovered how good the salad bar at Tucano's really is! I'm usually too full from eating all the meat to go back for more salad!

As for the questions I've gotten from countless skeptics, a few that keep popping up are "How will you get the protein you need?", "How will you substitute dairy?", and "What will you give your baby once she's weaned in place of whole milk?" Good, honest questions, right? Here are my answers...

The Protein Issue
As Americans, I think we've sort of become obsessed with protein. Protein is definitely essential in our diets, as it helps our bodies function properly, but we don't need HUGE AMOUNTS OF IT! Only about 10% of what we eat really needs to come from protein. But here's a newsflash: meat isn't the ONLY source of protein out there! Nearly all vegetables, beans, grains, nuts, and seeds contain some, and often a lot of protein. Fruits, sugars, fats, and alcohol don't really provide much protein, so if you were to eat a diet based only on these foods, it probably would be too low in protein.

Protein is made up of amino acids (sometimes described as building blocks). We have a biological requirement for these amino acids, not for protein itself. As humans, we can't make NINE of the TWENTY common amino acids, so these are considered essential in our diets.

Eggs, cow's milk, meat, and fish are usually considered high quality protein because they have large amounts of all the essential amino acids. However, soybeans, quinoa (a grain pronounced KEEN-WA), and spinach are also considered high quality protein. Other plant-based protein sources also have all of the essential amino acids, but the amounts of one or two of these may be low. But it's not something to stress about! As long as you are eating a variety of vegetables, beans, grains, nuts, and seeds, the protein issue really isn't an issue.

And here's a link to an AWESOME quinoa recipe (which you can buy at Costco, by the way) that my brother made for me when I first decided on my new eating plan...I LOVED it:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Quinoa-and-Black-Beans/Detail.aspx

DAIRY SUBSTITUTIONS

So far, we've been drinking almond milk and rice milk. As for soy milk, there's a lot of controversy (about soy estrogens and the havoc they wreak on your hormones), so I'm sort of shying away from that one. My kids, and even husband (a HUGE milk drinker) love the almond milk (unsweetened) and the rice milk. Both are still fortified with vitamins and minerals. Almost all the fat in milk alternatives is heart-healthy, unsaturated fat. Milk, on the other hand, contains mostly undesirable saturated fat (which isn't the reason I'm giving it up, as you know).

I have a few recipes I'm going to try (and if I like them--I'll share) for homemade oat milk, almond milk, rice milk, pecan milk, and even coconut milk kefir (one of the best sources of healthy probiotics...to replace our yogurt). We'll see how it goes.

But to answer the underlying question, will I get enough calcium? Actually, calcium from plants is easier for our bodies to digest than calcium from animals, so yes! (Read The China Study for more reasons why cow's milk ISN'T really good for us!)

NOT GIVING MY BABY COW'S MILK
This is obviously controversial, but here's my plan. With my first two babies, I nursed them until they were about a year old, and eating the same solid foods we were. If all goes as hoped for, I'll do the same with this baby. The reason we're supposed to give our babies whole milk is for the FAT that helps with brain development, not for the MILK itself.

Here are a few sources of healthy fats:

Avocados (so easy to mash up for little mouths)

Coconut Milk

Almonds

Flax Seed

Olives and Olive Oil

Peanuts and Peanut Butter

Sunflower Seeds

Walnuts

My research isn't done, but I'm still feeling really good about my decision to eat a whole foods, plant-based diet. I'm a bit overwhelmed by all the amazing things real Vegans such as this mother of five, and this one make for their families. But the good news is, it can be done! My menu for the next week is planned, and I'm excited to try lots of good-for-you stuff! Keep the advice and questions coming!

Still not eating meat...

Okay, so I've had a crazy week after posting about my decision to cut WAAAAAAAY back on the meat we eat here in this house. Saying that I'm switching over to a semi-Vegan diet apparently was like saying that I'm joining a new church. EVERYONE has an opinion, and let's face it...people in this country LOVE meat. It's a second religion.

My good friend's husband (who happens to be my husband's best friend) is not about to let me influence his wife (who is reading The China Study right now) to stop eating meat (or more importantly--to stop feeding him meat). Our food swapping days have come to an end. He brought some pork in an envelope to my husband for their weekly basketball night with a note attached that read "Always eat meat." I actually think it's pretty funny, and am glad I've gotten such a rise out of the most mild-tempered guy I've ever met!

If my only motivation to stop eating meat was to save the animals, I don't think I'd last very long. And I'm not doing it to lose weight (for obvious reasons...I'm steadily gaining more than I'd like to admit with only 3 months to go). I'm not doing it to mimic any celebrities, or because it's the "cool" thing to do. In my few short days of announcing my new meal plan, I've actually found it to be quite unpopular. I'm doing it because I really, honestly, truly feel like cutting back on animal products, and increasing my consumption of whole, plant-based foods is really the healthier way to live.

I know I will have uncomfortable moments at social gatherings, and I may still occasionally eat some meat. But I am an extremist when it comes to health, and I'm up for the challenge. My bigger challenge will be to not make anyone else uncomfortable. Don't be afraid to invite us over, or out to eat. I will not be scrutinizing what is on your plate, or what is going into your mouth. And I won't ask you to prepare any special dishes for me. I may eat before I come, or I may leave a bit hungry. That's my decision...not your worry. I'm okay with that.

Lucky for me, I love vegetables. And even the ones I don't love, I love. I'm the weird girl who will drink the nastiest concoction of vegetables, and like it just because it's good for me. But I'm also excited to experiment, and to find some super tasty, super healthy dishes. Last week, I had great luck with a vegetable soup, coconut beans and rice, and Vegan lasagna. My family hasn't starved, and my husband even said he would eat it all again.

Some people are leery of change, but I'm the type who makes up my mind, and jumps head first into the water. I don't mind a total life overhaul every once in a while. It's actually quite refreshing.

As for all of you readers, thanks for all the tips! A few more books I'm going to read (thanks to your input) are:

"Eat To Live" (Fuhrman)

"The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals" (Michael Pollan)

"In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto" (Michael Pollan)

"Food Rules: An Eater's Manual" (Michael Pollan)



I'm also visiting the following websites for much-needed help:



http://www.cancerproject.org/
http://www.vegweb.com/
http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/

http://www.nomeatathlete.com/

I would like to encourage those of you who are brave and willing to just give this lifestyle a try. You can dive in headfirst like me, or slowly add changes to your diet. Add an extra serving of vegetables to every meal. Just go meatless a few days a week. Find some good vegetarian recipes that don't leave you feeling like something was missing (and share them with me!) There are enormous benefits from eating a whole foods, plant-based diet. Try it out! Who's willing?

The China Study in review...I'm giving up MEAT!

So I finished reading The China Study a few days ago, and have been completely struggling for words to give it justice on this little blog here. I have read several life-changing books in my day--books I would recommend to ANYONE--The Read-Aloud Handbook, The Total Money Makeover, lots of parenting books, fitness books, fiction books, and of course religious books. But the most life-changing NUTRITION book I've EVER read--The China Study--has already (in less than a week) caused me to COMPLETELY change the way I view food. My menu plan for this week is completely different than what I've normally planned as "healthy" meals for my family.

Why did I love this book so much? Not because it was a fun read per se...it actually felt like a textbook at times...quite boring. But it made sense of the nutritional confusion we're fed from so many sources. One day a low-carb diet is the ONLY way to be healthy, the next day we're given another diet that allows you to re-introduce carbs into your diet, which leads you to eating a typical American diet anyway. With all these fad diets, why are two thirds of adults STILL obese? And why are so many children being diagnosed with Type II diabetes?

Dr. Colin Campbell (a professor who spent 40 years in nutritional research) along with his son, Thomas Campbell give dozens and dozens of SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN reasons why diets high in animal protein are linked to "diseases of affluence" (cancer, diabetes, and heart disease). "There is enough evidence now that doctors should be discussing the option of pursuing dietary change as a potential path to cancer prevention and treatment," he writes. "There is enough evidence now that local breast cancer alliances, and prostate cancer institutions, should be discussing the possibility of providing information to Americans everywhere on how a whole foods, plant-based diet may be an incredibly effective anti-cancer medicine."

The book includes a section called The Good Nutrition Guide emphasizing 8 principles of good nutrition and health:

• Nutrition represents the combined activities of countless food substances. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
• Vitamin supplements are not a panacea for good health.
• There are no nutrients in animal-based foods that are not better provided by plants.
• Genes do not determine diseases on their own. Genes function only by being activated, or expressed, and nutrition plays a critical role in determining which genes, good and bad, are expressed.
• Nutrition can substantially control the adverse effects of noxious chemicals.
• The same nutrition that prevents disease in its early stages (before diagnosis) can also halt or reverse disease in its later stages (after diagnosis).
• Nutrition that is truly beneficial for one chronic disease will support health across the board.
• Good nutrition creates health in all areas of our existence. All parts are interconnected.

One part of the book--the last section--really angered me. Campbell shows how government, science, medicine, corporations, and the media have concentrated on profits instead of health. Together they have created confusing information about nutrition and have stifled and attempted to destroy viewpoints that challenge the "status quo".

Campbell relates how he personally was almost expelled from a committee of scientists because he dared to suggest a link between diet and cancer. He writes, "In the world of nutrition and health, scientists are not free to pursue their research wherever it leads. Coming to the 'wrong conclusions,' even through first-rate science, can damage your career."

There's SO MUCH MORE I want to say, but what is my point? First, I think ALL OF YOU SHOULD READ THE CHINA STUDY to decide for yourselves what changes you will make. For me, I won't say that I will NEVER eat meat or drink milk again, but it's going to be VERY limited. I will not go hungry on this "diet." I will eat all the fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, etc. that I want. Our meals just won't be based around the meat. I want to be in control of my health, and for the first time, I feel like I have real, solid direction on how to prevent my family from contracting the diseases so prevalent in our society. We will still have treats...they'll just be limited, like they already (sort of) are.

I'm going to be doing A LOT of experimenting with Vegan recipes. We'll probably have to try lots of stuff to find dishes we like, but I'm not a huge meat-eater anyway, so I think it will be fun! My husband is totally supportive, he rolls his eyes thinking it's just another weird phase, but I feel VERY strongly about what I read.

On another note, I've already received opposition! Sometimes to me, that's a good sign that I'm on the right track! When I read something I'm passionate and excited about, I have a hard time not talking about it to anyone who will listen. I have to be reminded that telling people they need to stop eating meat, and drinking milk is going against something we've ALL belived our whole lives to be HEALTHY. Everyone needs to read it and decide for themselves. My cute sister called me yesterday, no less than 3 times, to make sure I'm not going to be TOO extreme with this. She doesn't want my kids to be the weird ones who never get any snacks, so they go to friends' houses, and scour the pantries for a treat. I don't want that either! My response was that ALL I'm doing is adding MORE fruits and vegetables to our diet, and cutting back on milk, eggs, and meat. They will still get cake on their birthdays.

I'll let you know how it's going. If you have any AWESOME meatless recipes, send them my way! What's your take? Am I crazy? Is eating a whole food, plant-based diet something you would EVER consider? Will you read the book? Discuss.

Breakfast Anyone?

I'm not telling any of you anything you don't already know when I say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day! You've all heard the quote, "Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper." I love this quote, and I love breakfast. I think it would be MUCH easier to live-like-a-king-in-the-morning if life in the AM could slow down just a bit. Who has the same time available before rushing out the door in the mornings to make breakfast that we may (or may not) have in the evening? Our mornings are packed with getting kids ready for school, ourselves and husbands ready for work, morning workouts, etc. My almost-2-year-old is seriously starving the instant she wakes up in the morning, so if breakfast can't be on her plate in 2.5 seconds, we're all in for a rough morning.

However, if my kids don't get a good breakfast, we're not only in for a rough morning, we're in for a rough day! As much as they (and don't we all) love them, sugary cereals are not an okay breakfast option. The havoc wreaked on their blood sugar first thing in the morning leaves us all in a state of hysteria for the rest of the day.

I do, however, love cereal. A few months ago, when I was still in first-trimester-of-pregnancy hades, I had to stay in bed while my husband fed the kids breakfast. If we didn't have any cereal, they wouldn't get fed, and I'd end up getting out of bed to the sounds of their screams. They were hungry, and ornery. The trick was finding breakfast cereals that are full of healthful attributes, are low in sugar, have no saturated or trans fat, are full of whole grains, and most importantly...still taste great!

If you feel guilty for providing nothing-but-cereal for breakfast, don't! Cereal has lots of benefits! If you're a ready-to-eat cereal eater, you probably consume less fat, less cholesterol and more fiber than a non-cereal eater? Cereals contain important vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients. So actually, cereal is a guilt-free top source of key nutrients in children´s diets!

Shopping for cereal, however, is no easy task...especially with kids in tow! The only boxes they want to buy are the boxes that may as well be full of little cookies. Dessert for breakfast? No way! Maybe my kids are missing out on "fun" breakfast traditions like donuts and cookie-cereal, but my life is much easier because I simply don't provide these options in the morning.

A few weeks ago, I received an email with information from General Mills through MyBlogSpark. They offered me coupons for four free boxes of cereal. Anyone who knows my husband knows that this family loves freebies! (He was once the Showcase Winner on The Price is Right to name one of many instances...) I jumped at the chance to score some free cereal, and was even more excited when I read about the changes General Mills is making in the cereal world!

General Mills recently announced a commitment to further reduce sugar in cereals advertised to kids under 12 to single digit grams of sugar per serving. The company has already been reducing sugar in cereals while increasing key nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D, and providing whole grain. Yay!

Eating a good breakfast is important for ALL of us, but several studies have shown the benefits especially for kids, including the following:

• Ready-to-eat cereals, including presweetened cereals, account for only 5% of sugar in children´s diets.
• Ready-to-eat cereal is the No. 1 source of whole grains in a child´s diet today.
• More frequent cereal eaters tend to have healthier body weights and lower Body Mass Index measures.
• Studies also demonstrate the benefits of eating breakfast. A 1998 study showed that children who eat breakfast tend to perform better at school. Compared to children who skip breakfast, children who eat breakfast score higher on tests, are less likely to miss class or be tardy, have fewer reported discipline problems, and make fewer trips to the office.

For more information about kids and cereals from General Mills, please visit the Cereal Health and Wellness page.

Find a cereal that works for you! A few years ago, my in-law-extended-family had a reunion. Everyone was supposed to bring a box of cereal to share. I brought one of my favorites which my husband's aunt tasted. After taking a bite, she exclaimed, "This tastes like cardboard!" So yes, one person's perfect whole-grain cereal with less sugar is another person's bowl of sawdust. If you're one who prefers breakfast cereals that come in lots of colors and artificial flavors, then you might have to choose between taste and nutrition. But if you like a cereal with natural flavors from toasted whole grains, and maybe some nuts and dried fruit, you'll have many healthful cereals to choose from. And according to General Mills, tasty cereal's about to get healthier! I can't wait! Also, if you click here, you can score a coupon for $1 off some cereal! Enjoy!

And just in case I didn't make it clear, General Mills provided me with the free product, information, and gift pack through MyBlogSpark.

What did you eat for breakfast?

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!

The FIFTH Day of Fitness...TRAVELING SNACKS

On the FIFTH Day of Fitness, the FitMePink Blog gave to me...HEALTHY SNACKS FOR TRAVELING!

Today and tomorrow, I am traveling. Yes, driving. Across the country. With TWO small children. For 27-ish hours. Sound fun? I'm hoping we survive. Strangely, I'm actually really looking forward to this road trip. I love seeing new parts of the country. It brings my little bubble of a world into perspective.

I grew up on road trips. The drive from Southern California to Utah used to feel so long, but now I would love to have my parents only 10 hours away instead of 27! Before becoming a parent, I didn't realize how much planning and preparation a long road trip could require. Twenty-seven hours worth of snacks and entertainment is no small task. If I could only just let them eat gas station junk, my life would be easier. But I can't. And actually, that much sugar in their systems for two days really wouldn't make my life easier in the long run. So I've shopped, and I've baked, and I've packed things that I'm okay with feeding my kids for the next few days on the road. (Not to mention 27-hours worth of movies for them to watch...how did our parents survive without DVD players in the car growing up?)

I'm going to let you in on a few of the goodies packed in the car. (That I'm choosing to share with you because I love them...not because any company has given me any incentives to share their products!)

SUN-RYPE fruitsource Mini Bites I HATE fruit snacks! The name is deceiving...they (for the most part) are NOT made of fruit! They are pure sugar! But these little fruit snacks are AWESOME! They are made of nothing BUT fruit! (And I buy them at Costco!)

This is another FAVORITE that my kids like even more than the Sun-Rype Mini Bites: Stretch Island Fruit Leathers. I buy a box of 48 from Costco for about $10. The flavors are awesome, and there's nothin' but fruit in them! They're a bit sticky, but I'm always prepared with lots of wet wipes! (Especially on road trips)!

With this pregnancy, I've actually had a major salt tooth. While these Sensible Portions "Veggie" Chips probably aren't the healthiest snack option out there, they are a great choice when you just need some chips! Yes...they are made with some veggies, a little salt, and they're baked. So less fat than regular potato chips! Yum!

I've also packed an assortment of trail mix, Chex mix, dried mangoes & berries, string cheese, apples, oranges, fresh pineapple slices, carrot sticks, and homemade goodies and muffins. Here are a few muffin recipes we'll be eating...enjoy!

Pear Muffins (From The Best Life Diet)

Nonstick cooking spray

1 1/4 cups nonfat milk

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup canola oil

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 cups All-Bran cereal (Original, not Extra Fiber)

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large unpeeled pear, shredded (about 1 cup)

1/2 cup chopped prunes (dried plums) with orange essence

2 tablespoons toasted wheat germ

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and place the rack in the center of the oven. Lightly coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, mix the milk, maple syrup, oil, and egg. Stir in the All-Bran and let stand 5 minutes.

In another bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the bran mixture. Stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in the pear and dried plums.

Divide the batter equally among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of wheat germ over each muffin. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until the tops of the muffins feel springy when pressed gently. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the muffins to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing them from the pan. Serve warm or cool.

Pumpkin Muffins
(made in my blender!)

2 large eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup pumpkin cooked
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/4 cups flour (I use 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place all the ingredients in the blender in the order listed, or mix all together in a bowl. Pour into muffin cups, 1/3 full.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

How do you survive long road trips? Wish me luck!

The New High Fructose Corn Syrup Anthem

I've told you before about my food-label-reading obsession. My husband never fails to make fun of me as I mock products containing High Fructose Corn Syrup. He should know better. In the final weeks of my second pregnancy, he brought home the wrong kind of wheat bread--the kind with High Fructose Corn Syrup. I literally cried for over an hour! (A little hormonal, anyone?)

A few weeks ago, my husband brought home some "juice." You know, the kind of juice that isn't really juice. He brought home the kind that lists HFCS as the second ingredient--second only to water--on the label. I started getting upset, but he must have prepared for any emotional outbursts on my part. He began singing his own made-up song...to the tune of God Bless America. It was catchy, alright. My 3-year old now walks around singing about High Fructose Corn Syrup. Nice.

If you're curious, here are the unfortunately catchy lyrics:

High Fructose Corn Syrup (to the tune of God Bless
America)

High Fructose Corn Syrup

That's what we eat!

It's delicious, not nutritious,

But it makes our food taste sweet!

My kids filled up on HFCS crap-juice for the next several days, my husband luckily avoided an angry outburst, and we are all still singing the dang song. What's a girl to do?

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!

Take Care of Yourself to be a Better Mom/Wife/Friend

As the fall season comes into view, I'm digging deep to find the motivation I need to be better. I love Fall. I love the crispness in the air, the changing of the leaves, the sense that things are, well, changing. I'm especially loving the fact that I can't really feel these changes just yet (stay a while, summer), but I know they're on the way.

For most of my life, Fall has been the time to set goals and to renew my commitment to be better this year than the year before. For 22+ years, school forced me to set goals, and gave me the motivation to work hard. After graduating from college, it was strange to be suddenly in charge of setting my own goals and deadlines. After having babies and leaving the full-time workforce, it was even stranger...I had no black and white commitments to anyone. (Although keeping a baby and husband alive is no small commitment!)

I quickly found, after the birth of The Boy in 2006, that if I didn't make a commitment to do certain things, they would never get done. The less productive I was, the less happy I was. The less I took care of myself, the more neglected other things became. If I sat around in my pajamas all day, nothing was accomplished. My home became disorganized and cluttered. I had no energy. A few things in my life became an absolute priority so that I could remain happy and sane. With the Fall Season ahead, I'm focusing on me for unselfish (OK...and selfish) reasons. No one wants to be around me if I don't take care of me. Here are a few of my personal-care areas of improvement:

1. Friendships: I've been blessed with some really, really great friends. My husband is my best friend, but as much as he tries to understand me, he'll never be a woman. Having a girlfriend to talk to--even if we can only get in a few sentences before the kids prevent the conversation from going any further--is essential to lifting my sometimes not-so-chipper spirit.
2. Daily Fresh Air: For me, getting out of the house, if only for a few minutes every day is like taking anti-depressant medication. I. NEED. SUN.
3. Exercise: Even if it means waking up at 5am...I won't neglect it! Remember...The benefits I'll gain from working out early are much more important than the bit of sleep I'll lose!
4. Showers and Makeup: Even if I know the 3 and under crowd are the only ones who will see me during the day, I never skip this. You'll rarely see me without makeup on...even if it's just a smidgen of mascara. Why? I feel better about myself. I know that if a friend calls and wants to stop by in, say, 2 minutes, I'm prepared and even excited for the visit. I have more energy. I feel like a non-stinky, proper member of society.
5. Healthy Eating: One of my biggest struggles...I love my sugar...but also one of the key indicators of how I feel. I can tell what kind of foods my kids have eaten by how they're acting. I can also tell what kind of foods I have eaten by my mood. If the foods are healthy, I'm a much better me. (But I'm also a better me with some occasional chocolate...)
6. Marriage: As a mom, it's so easy to put The Man on the back burner. But I notice that when we're not getting alone time, or going on dates, I'm much more discouraged and down about life in general.
7. Sleep: This one will be tricky with my new workout schedule, but if I have any desire to not turn into Monster Mom, I. must. sleep.
8. Meditation: Taking a few minutes to pray, reflect, and listen helps me organize the chaos that is my life as a toddler mom into a more doable job. Even just a few minutes at the beginning and end of the day helps me assess where I am, and where I'm trying to go.

These are a few things I'm going to work on this Fall...how about you?

How to Avoid the Pitfalls of Memorial Day and Summer BBQ's

Weekends are hard enough (when it comes to food) when a holiday isn't attached! For me, memorial day marks the beginning of one of my favorite times of year: BARBECUE SEASON! BBQ is synonymous with summer. Love it! But with the re-emergence of potato salad, hamburgers, hot dogs, and lots and lots of saucy (read: high sugar, lots of calorie) condiments into our diets, you don't have to throw your hard work out the window. Here are a few things to think about:

• Fill up on fruits and veggies! YAY, my favorites are finally in season! (And this year I planted a square foot garden...more on that later...the EASIEST, CUTEST garden ever! I can't wait for the harvest!)
• Go easy on the condiments. You don't need as much mayo-ketchup-chippy-dip as you think!
• If you're grilling, why not cook veggie kabobs? YUM!
• Turn down the AC. Believe it or not, you eat less when you're slightly hot! Try a slightly uncomfortable 78 degrees instead of 72.
  
• Portion control. When I go to a family BBQ, I usually need a second plate to hold all my food. Do I really need to fill half a plate with potato salad? Probably not.
  
• Exercise! Take advantage of all that summer has to offer...WAY more opportunities for fitness. I'll need it to balance out my caloric intake! Yikes!

We're doing yard work today (meaning keeping my kids from picking the freshly planted flowers). I'm hoping to burn enough calories to justify a hamburger or two. What are your Memorial Day plans? Have fun, and take a moment or two to remember those who have worked so hard to preserve the freedoms we enjoy! God Bless America!

8 Ways To Stay Fit on a Cruise

It's taken me all week to finally sit down to admit that the vacation is indeed over. So hi, fit-me-peeps, I'm back! I have to admit that it was pretty easy to adjust to kid-free life. Our cruise. was. fabulous. I've yet to weigh myself to see what damage was done, and I probably won't. I don't need to...my skinny jeans are tight enough to show me that poundage was definitely gained. But I enjoyed every last morsel of food I shoveled into my mouth. And the lovely souveniers I'm prominently displaying on my thighs would be even bigger if I hadn't taken my own advice. Here are a few tips to minimize the post-vacation-extra-body-baggage:

1. TAKE THE STAIRS! We decided on the first day that we would take the stairs E.V.E.R.Y.W.H.E.R.E. Our room was on deck 2, we ate dinner on deck 3, we watched shows on deck 5, we enjoyed the buffet on deck 9, we swam on deck 11, and ran on deck 12. Each day gave us PLENTY of opportunites for stair climbing. (With many an ice-cream cone waiting at the end of the big climb!)
2. CHECK OUT THE GYM! We made it a point of finding the fitness center the first day. It was at the front end of the ship, with windows looking out. I decided that running on the treadmill while watching the waves crash in front of me would be worth a daily trip. Let me tell you...running on a moving boat is a killer core workout...you never know which way the incline is going to go! The gym also offered several free health seminars and fitness classes (for a fee--I would've gone--but I'm too cheap!)
3. MAKE FITNESS FUN! I LOVED the days at sea on the ship. My favorite activity of the week was probably the Disco Dance Class taught by the Cruise Director. We spent an hour learning a new dance. I was laughing the whole time, and sweating by the end. We also entered a free-throw contest, a ping-pong contest, and danced every chance we got.
4. TRY THE LOW-CAL ENTREES. OK...I didn't really do this one, but I did love the fruit and salad bars! I occasionally tried the "SPA" selections at dinner, but only in addition to the three other entrees I ordered. Yes, I ordered A LOT of food, but I never felt obligated to clean the plate! With so much food, a few bites of each entree (and dessert) was plenty.
5. ON DECK FOR THE CURE! I was really sad that our cruise coincided with Susan G. Komen's Race For The Cure. I was thrilled, however, to find out that a small scale version of this do-good race was on schedule for the week. I walked a mile in my flip-flops for On Deck For The Cure...and yes, I cried.
6. DRINK WATER! OK...I'm pretty sure the drink servers hated us. But the fact that we didn't spend a dime on a single beverage on board saved us not only a LOT of money, but a TON of calories!
7. PLAN ACTIVE EXCURSIONS! We hiked, we snorkeled, we swam, and we ran on the beach. (But I was also sore after holding on for dear life to my husband driving a motor scooter on the left side of the road in the Bahamas!)
8. ENJOY! Don't stress...you're on vacation. If you eat more for a week than you normally would, your body will adjust when you get home. Whatever you do, have fun! Your only real jobs while cruising are to eat and poop. Everything else is extra. Enjoy!

Diet Soda...America's OTHER Drinking Problem

I grew up on fast food. Probably 3 times a week, my family ate out. With a working mom, and busy running-all-over-the-place schedules, waiting around for dinner to cook wasn't always an option. I grew up going to restaurants, thinking that ordering "just water" wasn't really an option. Why drink water when you can have soda? Well, fast forward to my poor-student-college days, and things became quite different. Why pay two dollars extra for a drink, when I can have water for FREE? I was converted. I am no longer a soda drinker. Ever. At first it was a money issue, but now it's a health issue. I guess I'll occasionally drink lemonade, or another non-carbonated, low sugar variety, but I'm really OK with...water.

A lot of people say "You shouldn't DRINK your calories." I agree...sort of. I drink lots of homemade smoothies, and feel 100 percent OK about the calories I'm putting into my body. But if overdosing on calories worries you, then reaching for a Diet Soda probably isn't the best solution. Yes...I'm about to step onto a soap box here. I realize Diet Soda (or regular soda for that matter) is the drug of choice for many of you. But before you reach for it, think again.

Artificial sweeteners may be just as bad for you as high fructose corn syrup. (And you know how I feel about that!) In 2004, a study published in the International Journal of Obesity found that rats ate more after consuming an artificially sweetened drink than they did after sipping sugar water. Interesting. The reason? According to researchers, calorie-free artificial sweeteners act like stomach teasers. You drink your diet soda, and your body waits for the calories that should surely follow. They never arrive, however, so your body tells you you're hungry and sends you elsewhere to look for them! And where do we find those calorie cravings? In the form of a high-calorie snack bowl! (At least I do...)

Another study conducted by researchers at the University of Texas in 2005 found that diet soda drinkers (one can per day) had a THIRTY-SEVEN PERCENT greater incidence of obesity.

Diet, or not, I'm not a soda fan. My dad, on the other hand, can't live without his Pepsi. For you soda drinkers, what's the lure? Seriously. I've never been attached to soda. I just used to order it. For me, it wasn't a hard habit to break. But for many of you, it would be the hardest thing ever. I really am curious why. And if any of you have been addicted to soda and have given it up, let us know how. I would love to break my dad of his Pepsi addiction (which I know isn't the worst thing in the world...but for a man working out daily and trying to lose weight, he would probably drop 10 pounds in a week. But he won't give it up! He loves it too much.) Any suggestions?

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!

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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!

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?