Back at it! Topic: Scrutiny

OK, I'm back at it, and going to try to commit to this every morning, if nothing else, to purge my swelling brain!

It's every day that a newscaster illuminates us with the brilliance from some single study (backed by "who knows") that exercise abates hot flashes for women in menopause, eliminating or reducing fast food for kids helps battle childhood obesity, eating more fruits and vegetables may prevent many types of cancer, reducing calories to "within your normal limits" can yield weight loss, increasing exercise intensity can improve your fitness levels or better yet, improve insulin sensitivity and lessen (or dare I say it... CURE) Type 2 Diabetes), or that the phytonutrients and/or antioxidants in various types of fresh/whole foods can yield specific benefits to our bodies (beta carotene for eye health, lycopene for prostate health), etc., etc., etc.,

My comments: "No kidding!", "Duh", "And your point is...", "Don't we already know that?", "Didn't we learn that in kindergarten?"

Come on people. Why are fascinated that the most obvious things-the things we already KNOW we know-are good for us. And why do we swoon over "a university study" that tells us what we already know? Pull your shoulders back because you already know it, AND DO IT!

Better yet, why don't we crinkle our foreheads and cock our heads to the right in suspicion when we hear about a pharmaceutical industry-funded study that reveals a "magic bean" (a.k.a. a pill) can do one or any of the same things I mentioned above? Or that a supplement (funded by the company producing or selling the supplement, of course) containing an extract of, or derived from a natural food we could ingest, such as Vitamin C or Cinnamon, can cure...whatever...and we buy into it.

I think I started last year with "back to basics". That's what's going to improve our health and create overall wellness.

• Eat whole, natural foods.
• Eat only enough to satisfy your energy needs for the day.
• Eat a variety of foods to obtain the myriad of micronutrients offered to us by nature.
• Move. Be physically active. Sweat.
• Be an example for the young people in this country. Be healthy.

In a nutshell, be a critical thinker when listening to news related to health and nutrition, question everything then go find the answer (this would be called exercising your brain!), be smart when researching the answer (don't believe everything you read), be an example and eat healthily most of the time, and exercise.

It's not hard. We all know it. To quote Nike's cliche: Just do it!

I Admit It: I Love The Biggest Loser!

Yes, every Tuesday evening for the past two years I sit motionless, like an L-shaped Idaho spud, and for 60 minutes (really 2 hours on premier night, like last night) watch reality TV. I'm not a huge TV watcher. I have it on most times for noise in the background while I clean, cook or study, but to sit and watch something for an hour...OK, I am committed to a few things: Prison Break and 24, when it returns. But other than those two, and now The Biggest Loser, not much. And, typically, I have a magazine or book in my lap at the same time -I just get bored and restless easily and feel like if I'm not learning something or expanding my brain, it's a total drain!

So, back to The Biggest Loser. I was in awe, and truly learned a lot about human motivation the first time I watched it. I watched couples weep when physicians showed them their mortality prognoses. Husbands said to wives "We're killing ourselves". Daughters said to fathers "I want you to be around to walk me down the aisle". And the most profound statement came from a beautiful young woman last season who weighed in at 221 pounds. I'll never forget one of her interviews when she explained how she had gained so much weight at such a young age. She indicated that she didn't realize it was happening....that it happened "5 pounds at a time". She said she didn't get on the scale often, but when she did, at times, it was just 5 pounds more than the last time, versus 55 or 75 pounds more than the first time. This is a huge testament to weighing yourself every day, but more on that some other day.

This season the contestants are husbands and wives, and parents and children. I was struck by the Brady & Vicki, a couple with an overweight daughter at home - by their worry and guilt for her condition; By Tom & L.T. (Little Tom), the father and son cab drivers whose entire family is obese and whose sole focus seems to be food - and of the physician's dire predictions for their future health. And lastly, Jerry & Colleen, the father/daughter team. There was a father/daughter team that began last season, but didn't make it very far. These two will pull on your heartstrings. Jerry has the most medical conditions of anyone who has been on The Biggest Loser so far, and his daughter's concern for both her own health and the health of her father are wrenching. I know, it's "reality TV", but I'm just not so sure it's so far off what so many Americans are dealing with today. Busy, fast-paced lives driving people to fast food joints, lack of education and knowledge about food and nutrition, and lack of physical activity...all contributing to the self-induced, lifestyle epidemic we are currently living through. Yes, I'm a Tuesday night TV junkie. And yes, sometimes I cry, too - both for the contestants pain, and also for their successes. And YES, I know it's reality TV, I keep that in mind and I'm not blind to flash & glass. I'm also not blind that all these people have to do to succeed (other than play the reality TV "strategy" game when voting others off), is to exercise 6+ hours a day and mostly eat what they're given or what they prepare as a group. Who wouldn't lose weight if this is all they had to do? I hear so many friends say: "I could look like 'her' too if I had a personal trainer"... an excuse, I know, but there is an advantage when someone else helps or pushes you daily.

I won't say much else, other than I do admit subjecting myself to this type of entertainment (can I call it that?) once a week. And it motivates me. Goals can be achieved, and one person at a time, I hope I'm there for people the same way this crazy broadcast is there for these people.

If you have absolutely nothing to do on Tuesday nights at 8pm, tune in to NBC. I will say, however, it does compete with House, which may be a tough sell!!

Fruits & Vegetables are Carbohydrates!!!

That title will get you, won't it? In this carb-o-phobic society, we don't stop to think that when we say "I'm cutting carbs", I really mean that I'm cutting back on the nutrient-deficient, white, starchy, refined stuff that once resembled a vegetable or grain (a.k.a. potatoes and white flour)."


Vegetables are the second "stripe" in the Pyramid - and that stripe is green, for anyone who cares. And fruits are their own category within the Pyramid - with their stripe being red. Though collectively referred to by most as "fruits and vegetables", they are separate in the Pyramid. And interestingly enough, collectively, their recommended consumption per day is the largest "group" in the pyramid, followed by grains.


The recommended number of servings of vegetables for the "average American" on a whopping 2000 calorie diet (with which I totally cannot concur!) is 2-3 cups per day, and 1-1/2 to 2 cups of fruit per day.

A serving of vegetables is estimated to be 1 cup of raw or cooked vegetables, or 2 cups of leafy greens - pretty easy to figure out, huh? Dried beans and peas fall into the vegetable category, as well as the Meat & Beans category, and they follow the same rule for quantity- about one cup equals a serving. Starchy vegetables like corn and diced or mashed potatoes also follow the "one cup" rule, although a serving of baked-like potato is estimated at 2-1/4 inch in diameter - that's tiny compared to what most probably constitute as a serving of potato. So get that ruler out!

Fruit on the other hand is another story. We need to differentiate between fresh fruit and dried fruit. One serving of fresh fruit tends to be estimated based on that of the following: a medium pear, a large peach or small apple equals about 1 cup or one serving. But have you noticed the average size of apples these days?...like Lou Ferrigno - they're huge! (And he's still huge! Just saw The Incredible Hulk yesterday and he has a cameo - kudos to looking so buff at 53 years young - and still, obviously - living a very healthy lifestyle (natural or not, he looks great!)) Anyway, a small apple is estimated to be 2-1/2 inches in diameter. I swear, I bought 4 to 5 inch apples the other day, and the whole bin was that size! And, I can usually find smaller apples in the Fuji bin, which are my favorites, but not this time! What a gross misconception for those who may be counting calories and think by grabbing an apple they're being healthy! Well, it is healthy, in the right proportion! Rather, grab an apple, a knife, a ruler and zip lock bag, because 1/2 to 1/4 of that monster may be one serving! Dried fruit, being dehydrated (shrunk) and having a higher concentration of natural sugars due to the dehydration, can be estimated by using a 1/2 cup as a 1 cup serving. Fruit juice can be estimated at a 1:1 ratio: 1 cup of juice (100% fruit juice) equals 1 cup of fruit.

From what I read, the average American is well under these recommendations for fruits and vegetables, and is most likely getting most of their vegetables from the high starch group such as potatoes and corn. I had a friend who once told me, fairly arrogantly and without the a hint of humility, that she puts veggies on the table in the evening the same way her mom did: a "vegetable" and a starch. The problem is that her version a a "vegetable", was often another starchy vegetable like corn or peas, and even worse, at times I think she would put rice and a potato on the table as sides (considering the rice a vegetable?) with a fatty meat. This is what she considered a healthy dinner...because that's how she was raised. And the arrogant ignorance in the way it was articulated, especially to someone like me who is constantly asking why and sourcing out scientific, evidence-based information, Ugh! She just went down two (more) points on my respect scale. Within this scenario, I must mention that often people use the model of one meat, one grain and one starchy vegetable for dinner, which ends up looking like the typical obese Americans diet: Non-lean red meat (and I have nothing against quality red meat as I'm a carnivore, myself), white rice and white potato with butter and cream, mashed. That's it. And to seriously digress, let's take that scenario a little further. Dinner is at 6:30 p.m. The estimated caloric and macronutrient content of that dinner for an adult is approximately:

• 6-8 OUNCE STEAK: Calories: 420, Protein: 54gr, Carbs: 0gr, Fat: 28gr
• LARGE BAKED POTATO: Calories: 278, Protein: 7gr, Carbs: 63gr, Fat: 0gr
• 2 TBSP BUTTER Calories: 101, Protein: 0gr, Carbs: 0gr, Fat: 11gr
• 1.5 CUPS WHITE RICE Calories: 276, Protein: 7.5gr,Carbs: 62gr, Fat: 1.5gr
• TOTAL Calories: 1075, Protein: 69gr Carbs: 125gr, Fat: 40gr

Two (OK, more than two, but let's talk about two) problems with this:

1. The number of calories here is over half of what many Americans truly need to maintain their current weight or lose weight, with the weight I quote for a woman to be under 130 pounds. The amount of protein is double, triple, and maybe even quadruple what should be taken in in one sitting. The amount of carbohydrates is almost a total days worth, if that goal was around 150 grams. And all in one sitting? It's pre-diabetes on a plate at 6:30 - you just sent your pancreas into overdrive!! And 40 grams of fat (quite of bit if not all of this is satured fat, the bad kind) is over 3/4 of what should be consumed in a day. Can you feel the arteries hardening?
2. Dinner is at 6:30 p.m. I wonder what the average person does after finishing this dinner? It's now about 7:15 p.m. and they are stuffed, so they sit down on the couch to catch the last 15 minutes of World News, and now it's 7:30 p.m. Only a half hour until the prime time brain drain hits the tube, so what the heck, let's watch some repeats of Friends or King of Queens, or better yet, let's catch up on Britney Spears and Brangelina. Then it's 8:00 p.m. - time for reality TV until bed. 1000 calories is sitting on the couch for a few hours and then going to bed.

To my arrogant friend: that may be the way "Mom" used to do it, but "Mom" and "Dad" may have been slopping the pigs or mowing the yard after dinner "back in the day". Our lives are much different - sedentary and over-portioned. Think about it.

Back to veggies and fruits. Children tend to be less likely to get the RDA of vegetables. There is such a huge world of fruits and vegetables out there - probably the area within the pyramid with the greatest opportunity for variety. Fruits and vegetables can be incorporated into every meal. There are some really interesting strategies within the book world out there right now to help incorporate healthy veggies into family favorites - take a trip to Borders or Barnes & Noble tomorrow night after dinner (hint hint!) and check it out. One of my faves is to puree broccoli, peas, fresh spinach or a combination and mix them into marinara sauce. While I don't advocate "sneaking" food in on your kids and then bragging about it - just don't tell them (translation: memories of a mushroom hating kid & a mom who liked to brag about hiding them in our meatloaf- not good motivation to want to like them!!!). Your intent is to add nutrients to their meals. If they do ask what the green stuff is in the sauce, tell them you pureed a few veggies into the mix to make the family healthier - worth a try!

Collectively, we need about 4 cups of fruits and vegetables per day. If, for breakfast we have a serving of fruit, as well as for one of our two snacks per day (as we all strive to eat 5-6 times per day, correct? - keep our blood sugar stable and our metabolism stoked, right?) - our fruit requirements are met. Then, if we have 1-1/2 cups of veggies for lunch and another 1-1/2 cups for dinner (preferably the non-starchy type for dinner, unless you're really active afterwards) - walla! You've achieved your goals. Breaking things down this way makes that big mess of details a lot simpler. The toughest thing to do is to decide what types of fruits and veggies you and your family want so that you keep some variety in your diet, with convenience also being a consideration. And once again, the variety is actually fun to play with - finding things you dislike but that you've never tried is also fun! I love to fail! Failure usually means pizza from across the street as the alternative! :)

I love the infinite variations for fruits and vegetables, and they're so pretty! So many colors...you just feel healthier when you eat such a rainbow of colors! And if you don't know what to do...buy a bargain cookbook on veggies or sides, Google the veggie you want to cook and a ton of recipe options will come up - just try. No excuses - bust the excuses! Take control and figure this out, it's not hard. And by figuring it out yourself versus waiting for someone to hand you the "secret" (here we go again!), you'll "get it", and be a smarter, healthier person for it.

It is NOT too expensive to eat healthy

I love early morning jogs and walks. It's the perfect time and setting to review things and then put them in "buckets" for future use or storage!

A common excuse I hear from people is that it's too expensive to eat healthy. And I will admit, when a box of 10 Little Debbie Ding-Dong-like snack cakes can be purchased for $1.39, that's sometimes tough to argue with...unless you give a hoot about what kind of food you're eating...or feeding to your kids! Sure, you get a good value for your money with that type of purchase, but WHAT you just purchased is total crap. I'm not sure it can even be classified as food, can it? Let's see, where would that fall in the Food Pyramid? (http://www.mypyramid.gov/) It doesn't fit into the larger categories of Milk, Fruit, Vegetables or Meat & Beans. Maybe a portion of it fits into the Grains group - maybe there's some refined, stripped and otherwise-devoid-of-any-nutrient-content white flour in there! Woo hoo! Oh, and of course, there is sugar! And that fits where? In the "Oil & Discretionary Calories" sliver of an allowance. I don't think this type of food should even qualify as a food, but it's cheap, right?

I suppose it really all boils down to what's important to you. If you don't know the answer, maybe it's easier to choose a poor option or solution, than to spend a little extra time up front to find the right answer or a better option, and make a change. Take oatmeal, for instance. Steel Cut or "not rolled" oats, specifically. I was once told by a friend that they are too expensive - upwards of $4.00 - $6.00 for a box at the grocery store. I checked, and this is true. Rolled oats are cheaper. This is true, too. Rolled oats also have a bit less nutritional value than steel cut, which is why I prefer the latter. Steel cut have a higher fiber and protein content because more of the grain is left in tact - they are less refined. I recently went to the local health food store, and found steel cut oats in bulk. I weighed the same amount as was in the box at the grocery store, and paid $0.81. Interesting, huh? I didn't come across this information because I knew more than the average Joe - I actually stumbled across it. I just had an interest in eating healthy for less. I, too, had paid too much for regular grocery store boxed oats for over three years - and now I pay less. Just takes a bit of research - if living a healthy lifestyle is worth it to you. This type of thinking outside the box works for most everything that might be in your culinary repertoire - it just takes a little more work or research up front. On the back side, it's less costly, and easier.

Oh, and just a snotty comment for those who may think they don't need to worry about paying less ( I used to have one of these people in my life) - you may not think you need to take advantage of savings like this because you're in a financial position where "it doesn't matter". Well, how about taking that extra you do save and upping your donations to causes that are meaningful for you - or start donating to causes that are meaningful to you. Do some good with that extra dough, versus brag about not having to worry to about.

A Long Time Coming....

Only a little over 250 days (or marbles - more on that later) until my 40th birthday when everything changes. All of the unrealized ambitions I've set for myself and my life culminate on that day into the an ominous black cloak-like cloud that perpetually nags at my self-worth and keeps my sense of accomplishment just below the acceptable line. As my husband says: "Show me a satisfied [man] & I'll show you a failure". I constantly strive to improve and be a better person. Oh, I digress...back to the birthday...it will be on that day that I MUST have completed an educational goal that will allow me, finally, to help other former "fat kids" who may still be holding onto either poor health habits from their past or those new to carrying around some extra pounds in their adulthood, change their lives so that they not only normalize their weight (body mass, body fat...whatever term is acceptable and not offensive) and make truly healthy lifestyle choices from today forward.

As a former fat kid and chubby (overweight by scientific terms) adult, there aren't many days that go by that I don't think of some terrible name I was called as a child or how self conscious I was about my clothes...and how frankly clueless I was about the true definition of a healthy life and healthy lifestyle until I was 39 years old! Although, I do maintain that I've only been an adult for approximately 9 years, as I was 30 before I truly "felt" like an adult. So, I've had 9 years to figure it out, and what...at least 25 to 30 to live that life...actively? I like those numbers!
America and most of the developed and industrialized countries on this planet are in the midst of a health care crisis, perpetuated by...so many things: the (fast & refined) food industry, a gluttonous society, urbanization, technology (TVs, computers, video games, remote controls, automobiles), furniture (the couch), educational negligence...I could go on forever!

I have been given a phenomenal gift by my husband: four years ago we collectively decided that I would resign my corporate "dream job" position so that I could find my calling in life. I searched and searched...created a list of possibilities that included sommelier, chef, dietician, farmer...all the while working out like a fiend to lose those last 5 (OK, really 25) pounds! All the effort and research culminated with the realization that I have, and have had all my life, a passion for health: fitness, nutrition and a generally healthy and balanced lifestyle. And there you have it. Step one: ACSM certification as a personal trainer - and it only grows from there.

So here we are. My thoughts will continue to grow and evolve. I will help fight the war against poor health caused by lifestyle related choices - one life at a time - and it started with my husband and me.