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Fake it!!

The other night I found myself unprepared for this challenge yet again.  I was NOT ready with my meal planning!!  Did any of you expereince that?  I should have been very prepared!

So last night, after I walked in the door after a very long day and stared into the abyss that is my fridge and was ready to stuff just about anything into my face, I had to think fast!

So here it is....

Spaghetti squash with baked asparagus and tomato sauce



....And it was delicious!  And I'm not even lying. AND...it was under 200 calories and full of good, yummy veggieness....mmmmm.  The trick?  FAKE pasta with spaghetti squash.

Have you ever had spaghetti squash?  NO?!?!?!  You have no idea what you are missing.  Seriously...it has been my pasta replacement so many times.  Even my husband seems to like it, although as soon as you tell him it's healthy he begins to waiver.





So here is how you prepare spaghetti squash the "I'm in a hurry and seriously need sustenance now" way:



1. Place whole squash in the microwave for 90 seconds (or so), until it is easier to cut.  You can skip this step, but beware...they are large and very hard and if your knife is as dull as my econ professor it will end very very badly....just saying. 

2. Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise (or hot dog style as I still refer to it....not hamburger style).

3. Clean out the seeds and mushy "guts," like cleaning out a pumpkin.

4. Place the squash in a shallow dish, cut side down, in about 1/4 cup water

5. Microwave for approximately 6 minutes.  Don't overdo it here.  Test if it's done by taking a fork and "shredding" the pulp.  If it shreds easily, it's done.  If not, put it back in for about 30 seconds at a time.  If it turns to mush, you've missed the "don't overdo it" part.

You can bake it too, but in my mind, that's like baking a baked potato.  What a silly time waster when you can just zap that baby up with microwaves, which I'm really hoping are safe. :)  Actually, if you have the time, I would of course always recommend baking, but I never seem to think I have the time!

Then, I just topped with some low-sugar spaghetti sauce I had.  I will often puree some organic canned stewed tomatoes for a homemade version. 

For some of the best, easy veggies ever....just bake them for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.  I usually cover a cookie sheet in foil (because I'm super lazy and don't like to do dishes it makes for easy clean up).  I will occasionally drizzle some grapeseed oil or olive oil over the top (VERY limited...I do a tablespoon for the entire pan), but even just a bit of salt and spray of nonstick spray will add enough flavor to suit me.  YUM!

My husband couldn't go meatless, and he needed the ACTUAL carbs (the "fake" noodles just didn't cut it for him), so he added texas toast (which is basically the caloric equivalent to my full meal....no joke!

Here they are:

Mine: approx 202 calories

His: approx 612 calories (the meatballs alone were 270!)



Dear Diary.....

How have the first couple days been?  Are you finding it tough to get all your new habits completed during the day?  One thing that will help is to keep a food log. I know it's cliche, but it's true!  Keeping track of your food can help you both remember what you have eaten (that quick Snickers snack at 2pm) or have not eaten (all the veggies you're supposed to get) to keep you on track.  It makes you consciously think about what you place in your mouth.  You don't necessarily have to track calories, but it can be helpful if you've never done it before (you would be surprised what some things "cost" you in calories!).  Just the act of writing all your food down will make you more aware.

Here are a few things to consider about keeping a food log:

1. Go digital!  There are so many online logs out there now, and many have a whole library of food items already entered by other users.  This makes it as easy as select and add so that all the calorie counting is done for you.  One I've recently started using after several referrals (and I LOVE how easy it is) is www.myfitnesspal.com.  There are apps for Droid, iPhone, and iPad, so keeping your food logged is just a click away!  Another one I've used before is MyDailyPlate at www.livestrong.com. 
2. Include EVERYTHING! (even the two extra brownies you scarfed down after swearing you would only have a bite, and then deciding that as long as you've had one, you might as well splurge, but maybe you can just write down that you had ONE brownie so that you don't have to be honest that you just ate the caloric equivalent of a three course meal in the matter of 45 seconds, and since you made sure to do it after your husband went to bed, there are no witness anyway small, completely acceptable treats you may have from time to time). After you do this for a couple weeks, start trying to find a trend in how you are feeling at a certain time of day and what you may be eating to trigger that.  If you keep close enough track, it makes correcting it or finding substitutes in your eating that much easier.  Once you have some consistent logs, I'm happy to take a look if you're interested.
3. Be realistic about your portion size, and record that as well.  This will help with noticing improvement over time with portion control, as well as help with identifying any trends in how you feel throughout the day.
4. Track your water consumption as well....lots of the online trackers include an entry area for water specifically.
5. If you're using an online tracker, they will often calculate your caloric needs based on the information you enter into your profile. Don't completely depend on these!  They can under or over estimate depending on your actual exercises being performed, and the nutritional value of the food you're eating.  Also, the exercises to choose from may overestimate the calories you burned, so it could have you eating too much.  Bottom line, listen to your body.  Make sure you're eating good quality food with lots of vegetables.  If you're still starving, your intake may need adjusted. 

Knowledge is power

For those of you new to the challenges, I thought it may be helpful to provide some background on the science behind cravings and satiation to get you started. I am cheating and using an old post from a previous challenge, but I think it's helpful to understand the glycemic index and what different foods can do to you as we get into the swing of things. Click here to go to that post.

What's a working girl to do?

With clients in town this week (and preparing to head to more client meetings at the end of the week), I knew I needed to be prepared for fancy meals out and the wining and dining that comes with business meals. But as I sat at the first of many dinners tonight, I was reminded of how difficult it is to stay on track when you have a menu of fabulous options in front of you.  So, I decided I would make a list of the top 10 tips and reminders that were running through my head earlier:

1. Remember the make up of a balanced meal: lean protein paired with a healthy carb or fat. Tonight, I found a lean filet.

2. Don't be afraid to customize! Ask for sauce on the side (or even better - without!).  Ask for substitutions for unhealthy sides.  Make sure veggies are steamed and not sauteed in butter.

3. "Fish" does not translate to "healthy!"  It is often cooked in large amounts of butter or in a sauce. Be careful like any other entree - watch for fatty or sugary sauces and creams.

4. Potatoes are okay, but veggies are even better.  Remember that good mashed potatoes are usually loaded with butter and cream!

5. "Salad" also does not translate to "healthy!"  Many entree salads come with cheese, croutons, more cheese, fatty dressings, etc.  In the end, you could be better off getting a steak with a better balance of nutrients. Pay attention to extras in the salad and the dressing before assuming it's the best choice.

6. Avoid anything fried. (duh!)

7. Eating the bread and butter calling your name in the table while you patiently wait for your order to come is not a pre-requisite for a restaurant meal. Skip it. (which I did NOT...although I did avoid butter and only ate one ginormous piece).

8. Desserts and alcohol - skip them unless you will kill people if you don't.  Drink wine instead of beer (red wine is basically fruit for your heart....kidding of course!!). I so do not take my own advice on this usually, but I'm still including it!

9. Most appetizers seem to be fried these days....avoid them if you can. Most entrees are plenty of food.

10. Which brings me to my last....portion control!  An appropriate amount of lean protein is 4oz (about the size of a deck of cards).  I doubled that tonight when I cleared every bite of my 8 oz filet, but I was starving (which is like one of my first rules to never let yourself get so hungry!!)

Besides my work dinners this week, I also had a visit to my husband's family last weekend.  They are a ranch family out in the middle of nowhere eastern Montana.  Knowing how much my stomach hated me after my last Thanksgiving with them, I decided to bring my own food this time around to help me on my challenge.  I have to say, I'm quite proud of myself!  I had a broccoli egg white omelet with a yogurt for breakfast while they had eggs, bacon, sausauge (yes...both bacon and sausage), and hashbrowns cooked in the bacon grease... (excuse me...I almost just threw up).  I had lots of fruit and cut up veggies to last through the day, and I had salad with foil-packed tuna for dinner both nights (with a teensy bit of cottage cheese intead of dressing...not awesome, but I've ate worse!).  So it can be done peeps!

Do you have any other tips?  I sure needed them the last few days!  Good luck!

Don't be along for the ride....

And we're off to Week 3!  Woot woot! (Technically we're kicking off the start of week 3 and 5/7ths!)

So how is everyone doing?  How about those of you working on fat loss or nutrition goals?  Did anyone else start out strong and committed last week just to find yourself gorging on chocolate chips and nachos having strong cravings over the weekend?  This post is geared towards you! (Runners and fitness improvers - this is for you too!  As you work harder, you may find you want to eat more or feel low on energy.  Read on!)

This is a quick nutrition 101 post to help you understand what causes cravings, and how to eat (that's right...EAT...not diet) to fuel your body for amazing workouts while keeping cravings to a minimum.
You probably know by now carbs, protein, fat, fiber, and sugar all work together in a complex system that effects fullness, hunger, cravings, energy, and fatloss. Over the period of the challenge, you want to work to create the right balance of these nutrients to maximize all areas.
High glycemic foods are digested quickly, causing your blood sugar to spike rapidly and then bottom out (like a roller coaster). This crash leaves you feeling tired and hungry, causing cravings to get your blood sugar back up. This is not the roller coaster you want to be on! But it's the roller coaster that our culture of fast food joints, energy drinks, and processed foods has created.  Low glycemic foods are digested much slower, resulting in a more balanced level of blood sugar, resulting in longer-lasting energy, longer feeling of fullness, and (ding ding ding!) less cravings!

From http://www.ahealthieryou4life.blogspot.com/. To get more information on the Glycemic Index and Glycemic Response, visit http://www.glycemicindex.com/.
You can find a list of items to see if you're eating low or high glycemic items!

It's a helpful reminder that there is actually a science behind cravings....it's not just weakness or lack of willpower! If I can remind myself that I just need to get the right science happening again to make this work, it's easier for me to get back on track.

So how do you get this slow release of energy?  Every meal should be balanced with a lean protein (they digest slower, which will help slow the absorption and digestion of your entire meal - keeps you fuller and from "bottoming out") and a serving of carbohydrates.  Making sure those carbs, veggies and fruits are high in fiber will also aid with a slower absorption rate and keeping fuller longer.  Adding healthy fats into your meals is also important, as fat serves a very important function for your organs, including brain power!  So here are some example meals:

Breakfast idea 1:

• LEAN Protein: Egg whites
• Starchy Carb: Old fashioned oats (stay away from "instant" versions, which are more refined and processed, requiring less "work" from your body to digest it. Also, avoid flavored versions loaded with sugars or chemicals.
• Freebies: Flavor with a little cinnamon, or add Stevia (a natural sweetener with no chemicals)
• Notes: I mix my egg whites in with my oats...sounds weird, but it's delish!!
• Serving size: depending on how hard your workouts are, up the serving size to get your day off right.

Breakfast idea 2:

• LEAN Protein: Low fat (LF) or Fat free (FF) cottage cheese, or greek yogury (Oikos is a good brand....protein should far outweigh carbs!  This is meant to be your protein serving!)
• Carb: Fresh or frozen berries (no sugar added)
• Extras: Add a little stevia for added sweetness. 

Lunch idea 1: Chicken salad

• LEAN protein: Canned chicken, or chicken tenderloins that I pre-grill on Sundays for quick eating(4oz).
• Fibrous carbs: LOTS of green veggies....spinach, broccoli, green beans, cucumbers
• Healthy fat: If using balsamic vinegar as dressing, I'll add some almonds or avacado for a healthy fat OR make an olive oil based dressing and count that as my fat. 
• NOTE: salad dressings can be sabatogers!  Also, avoid "crunchy" chicken if ordering salads.

Lunch idea 2:

• LEAN protein: 4 oz filet of tilapia
• Carbs: Small serving of brown rice or quinoa
• Side of spinach or broccoli

Dinner idea 1:

• LEAN protein: Chicken breast (4oz) - no skin of course!
• Carbs: Zucchini "noodles" (just shave zucchini into thin strips lengthwise using a peeler), added veggies (broccoli or any other veggies for an "italian" dish).  I then use a can of S&W organic ready-diced tomatoes, partially pureed in the Magic Bullet, and poured over the chicken and zucchini "noodles."  You could add a starchy carb, such as brown rice, if you are feeling low on energy

Dinner idea 2:

• Protein: A LEAN steak...flank steak or elk steak
• Fibrous Carbs: Baked asparagus with spices (avoid sodium or MSG seasonings)
• Starchy carbs: A small serving of brown rice, or some sweet potatoes cut into strips and baked (fry subsititute!)

The most important thing is to pay VERY close attention to how you feel.  Are you really tired and low on energy?  Drink more water, and make sure your next meal has a protein and a starchy carb...maybe a piece of fruit that has more sugars that will release a bit more energy.  Craving sugar?  Eat a lean protein, a healthy fat, and a starchy carb at the next meal to get a good balance of all nutrients and balance you back out. Craving chocolate?  My favorite fix is to drink hot cocoa.....2 Tbsp of unsweetened cocoa mix, hot water, and a few drops of liquid stevia.  Lose your steam too early in your workout?  Try eating a lean protein and a quicker acting carb (fruit, for example) 1/2 hour before your workout to give you a boost.  Every person is different, so trying different things and paying attention to how you feel is part of the process.

My last quick tip....keep a food journal. It sounds cliche, but knowing exactly what you're eating, and then writing down how you feel throughout the day will help you evaluate what's working and what's not!

What do you crave most?  Do you have a fix for it, or want some ideas?  Post other ideas or comments here, and we'll try and get some ideas shared across all the challengers.

"Fail to plan, plan to fail."

I fancy myself a "planner."  I like to put together our trips, spending hours researching every detail and the must-see items.  I'm the control freak friend that organizes parties and thinks of all the little details.  And I'm the one who brought random safety pins to my friend's wedding and saved the day when they were needed.  I also bully everyone into doing enjoy putting together these Challenges for everyone.

Yes, I suppose I am a planner.  So when it came time to plan out my health regimen, I went at it with the same vigor.