WRITTEN ON January 16th, 2010 BY Sandy AND STORED IN Breakfast, Motivation, Recipes, Uncategorized, Vegetarian
Eat what he says or else.. whahaha
Breakfast is definitely the most important meal of the day. I love it though so skipping it has never been a problem for me. Brunch is even better.. a bloody mary and a veggie egg benedict. pff. please. So good.. oh, or wait.. how about a breakfast burrito with hot sauce. I could eat breakfast anytime (as long as it’s the first meal of the day).. I’m not one of those breakfast for dinner people.
Anyway, I never got how people didn’t eat breakfast. It’s so unhealthy and eggs are great and good for you. Well, the white is the good part. That’s the protein. The yolk has 6g of fat in each egg and a bunch of cholesterol. So you are doing yourself a really huge favor by ordering an egg white omelette. I buy those cartons of egg whites in the grocery store. This way I don’t have to have someone telling me I’m wasting part of the egg.. blah blah.. it’s a lot easier to just pour into the pan too. You will need something to help it from sticking. Without the fat from the egg the proteins just stick.. Also, cook them on a low temp too.. they cook fast so don’t walk away. I like to add veggies to mine. I like bacon but turkey bacon hasn’t completely grown on me yet. I’m still only able to eat it if it’s burnt to a crisp and on those Starbuck’s breakfast sandwiches (340 calories 10g of fat).
So a veggie egg white omelette with some low fat cheese.. I also like fruit to go with that.. Today I had an orange around. I also will add a slice of toasted multigrain bread or substitute the bread for tomato and or cucumber slices.. today I had non-fat cottage cheese. Cottage cheese is definitely not for everyone and has become synonyms with diet food and all the things we hate about “dieting”.. Well, this is not a diet.. it’s healthy options on a day to day basis
so that once in awhile when you’ve earned it from consistent exercise you can have that bacon eggs benedict. I found a brand of cottage cheese that actually tastes like nothing really, Knudsen. (I get it at Ralph’s here in California.) The non-fat is good and I’ll add something crunchy like almonds, granola, cereal and fruit. Sometimes a little honey. The last thing is.. don’t ruin your perfectly healthy meal with a coffee with cream and sugar. Good coffee is damn good and a little skim is all you need, if at all. I made this change 5 years ago and never looked back. The 1st day is shocking but after that you won’t miss it. (Except maybe that crunchy sugar at the bottom of a Dunkin Donuts iced coffee… loved that).
Thanks for reading..
(photos are by me)
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WRITTEN ON January 9th, 2010 BY meganauman AND STORED IN Uncategorized
Between Christmas and New Year’s Resolutions, it seems now is the time when people buy (or get) a lot of new workout gear.
I just got a new Nike+ SportBand, and I thought it would be fun to see what other workout goodies people have gotten recently. Any new Wii Fits or treadmills? Maybe you got a new yoga mat, or a cute new gym bag.
Whatever you got, share ‘em here. I’m sure we’d all like to see!
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WRITTEN ON January 9th, 2010 BY meganauman AND STORED IN Motivation
Me, about to go for a run. Or rob a bank.
Its about 28 degrees out and I just got back from a run. Outside.
And just so there’s no doubt about the amazingness of this feat, let me just point out that I’m the girl who’s cold when its 75. I HATE winter.
So, what could make me layer up and brave the cold?
A new workout gadget, of course. This week I got a brand new Nike + SportBand. For those who aren’t familiar with this gadget, it includes a sensor that goes in (or on*) your shoe, and a watch (the “SportBand”) that receives data from the sensor. It can tell you workout time, distance, pace, and calories burned. The SportBand then plugs into your computer, and all the data is uploaded online, so you get a history of your runs or walks.
This isn’t my first foray into the Nike+ system. I had the original version that attached to my iPod Nano back in 2007. Then I had the the first version of the SportBand, but that died in 2008, and I hadn’t bothered to replace it. So my workout data for 2009 is hopelessly empty. (Not that I didn’t run, I just didn’t track it.)
But yesterday, after taking my new SportBand on its maiden voyage, I plugged it into my computer and saw all my old, wonderful data. I’d forgotten how much fun it is to see the miles add up. And now I want to keep adding to that data. Hence, the run in the frigid temps today. I wanted to get in a few more miles. It looks like the SportBand was just what I needed to get me out of my exercise funk.
Would I recommend the SportBand? Absolutely – if you do a lot of running or walking (or want to start). But more than that, I suggest finding a new toy or gadget for your favorite workout. It might just be the kick you need to get moving again!
*If you don’t have Nike+ shoes (I don’t), you can get a pouch that threads into your shoelaces to hold the sensor.
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WRITTEN ON December 9th, 2009 BY lauracollins AND STORED IN Lunch, Recipes, Uncategorized, Vegetarian
Tags: recipe, Vegan, Vegetarian
As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I’m currently focusing on two things to improve my overall health: incorporating filling whole grains into my diet and transiting from being a vegetarian to becoming a vegan. I had a bit of a rocky start which involved a couple of cheesy pizzas and a date with various muffins and pastries. Well, maybe not as bad as all that but you get my drift. I’ve been doing pretty well for the past ten days or so now. The things I have been eating for breakfast and lunch have remained pretty consistent. (I like to eat the same thing for the same meal for a while as I begin to get my naughty eating habits in check.) Dinner is usually a wild card–maybe a bowl of vegan chili with 1/2 cup of whole wheat pasta mixed in. Or maybe Moroccan Couscous with Saffron (recipe coming soon–so, so good!)
For breakfast, I have been eating plain, instant oatmeal with coconut milk and a teaspoon or so of brown rice syrup (to replace honey). For lunch I have been eating Peanut Butter Broccoli Stir Fry (very informal recipe below) and it is the best! I actually learned this recipe from a ten-year-old kid. When I was in college I worked for a PBS affiliate and we shot a local kids show that aired in the breaks between Zoom. This young boy and his mom came on the show and made this very recipe. It’s super easy, super tasty, and very good for you.
Let me start by saying there are really no rules. Alter as you wish. Try different veggies, try different grains. Add some spices (like ginger, cayenne, garlic…) Here’s how I’ve been doing it:
2 large servings
Ingredients:
1 c of (dry) brown rice, 1 1/2 c water
1 large head of broccoli
One small onion
1 T of creamy peanut butter (sugar-free is the best)
1/4 c Shoyu (soy sauce)
1 T Crushed red peppers
1 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 1/2 c Vegetable (Vegan) broth or 1 Vegetable (Vegan) broth cubes
1/4 c Water
First, start the rice. I usually use 1 1/2 cups of water (or vegetable broth) for 1 cup of rice. If you use a veggie broth cube instead of vegetable broth, add the cube once the water starts to boil. The vegetable broth will add a nice zest to the dish. *Time saver–I usually make a lot of rice at the beginning of the week since the rice-making aspect is the most time-consuming aspect of this recipe*
Once you add the rice to the boiling water, start cutting your head of broccoli into nice bite-sized florets (or if you are like me, buy a bag of pre-cut florets–hey, we are busy people!) Cut your onions at this time as well–however you like them cut.
Put the onions aside. In a large mixing bowl, add the broccoli, shoyu, PB, crushed red peppers, 1/4 c of water, and any other spices you’d like to use. Mix until the PB covers evenly.
Over a medium flame, heat the olive oil in a nice sized skillet or wok on your stove top. Once the oil is heated, throw in the onions. Two or three minutes later, toss in your broccoli mix, stir and cook for around 5 minutes. I like my broccoli a little crisp so I pull my veggies after 5 minutes but if you like yours a little less crisp, leave in a bit longer. If you find that the veggies are sticking to the skillet, add a bit more water.
Once the rice is finished, mix in the veggies and voilà! You have a tasty, healthy, filling meal with grains, veggies, protein, and many other good-for you vitamins.
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WRITTEN ON December 4th, 2009 BY carey b. AND STORED IN Tips
Between a case of the flu, bronchitis and Thanksgiving, it’s been tough getting back into the swing of things and finding something to write about. But this morning, as I was browsing through the Eat This Not That App on my Iphone- it dawned on me this would be perfect to write about. I spend a lot of time away from home on the weekends, visiting family and travelling to stock up on items from those big warehouse stores. Typically, my husband and I end up eating out a lot at places like Panera, Burger King (who doesn’t love a whopper with cheese?) or Quiznos. With the exception of BK (of those three anyway), there’s NO information available at Quiznos and very little on their web site about their sandwiches, and I haven’t had the time to research Panera. I had been planning to buy 2010 edition of this book and hadn’t found it yet, but when I heard on Twitter it was available for the Iphone, I bought it right away.
At $4.99, it’s a more expensive app, but the information provided is invaluable. It has nutritional information for every major chain restaurant that I could think of. Arby’s, BK, McDonald’s, Panera, Olive Garden, Chik-a-Fil, Starbucks, Outback Steakhouse…the list goes on. To say I was horrified at some of the calories counts (particularly of the last restaurant I listed), would be an understatement. The App also has a calorie tracker, a way to favorite items, easy swaps for saving calories, and even things to look out for at the Supermarket as well as tons of items in all different categories. It also allows you to save your favorites, compare items, and in some cases will even tell you how to get an item of similar taste but with a whole lot less calories.
If you have an Iphone and want to have a little more freedom about where you can eat and still stick within your calorie range- this is a must have item. I’ve already spent a good hour reading through the various restaurants and it’s easy navigation will make for quick look-ups as you’re preparing to order. At $4.99, it’s worth EVERY calorie you’ll save- and not only for you but your entire family.
Image from http://eatthis.menshealth.com
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WRITTEN ON November 29th, 2009 BY taragentile AND STORED IN Dinner, Lunch, Recipes, Vegetarian
Tags: black beans, recipe, Vegetarian
I made this yummy soup Sunday night for dinner – and even my husband gave it two thumbs up! So I knew I definitely had to share my recipe here.
Please note, I rarely, if ever, cook from recipes. So all of these measurements are purely my estimates and should be adjusted to your preferences!
Black Bean Soup with Greek Yogurt
4 cups of vegetable stock
1 can of black beans
2/3 cup sliced carrots
1/2 onion, sliced
the zest of 1 lemon
1 sweet potato, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp chili powder
3 Tbsp olive or canola oil
chopped fresh basil
sliced green onions
non fat greek yogurt
cayenne pepper to taste
salt & pepper to taste
1. In a large soup pot, saute onion, lemon zest, and carrots until onion is soft.
2. Add drained black beans, sweet potato, and spices. Continue to saute for a few minutes.
3. Add vegetable stock, bring to a boil, and let simmer for 20-30 minutes or until sweet potatoes fall apart.
4. Using a potato masher, mash potatoes and beans to thicken the soup.
5. Continue simmering until soup has reach desired thickness.
6. Ladle soup into serving bowls and top with 1-2 Tbsp of greek yogurt, chopped basil, and sliced green onions.
7. Enjoy!
This soup is full of vegetable goodness, lots of spices for flavor without calories, beans for fiber & protein, and a creamy finish for great texture & a satisfying feel. Let me know if you make it and how you like it!
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WRITTEN ON November 25th, 2009 BY meganauman AND STORED IN Uncategorized
For those of us in the US, tomorrow is Thanksgiving. And, if you’re anything like me, all attempts at healthy eating will go right out the window. (I think my mother listed at least four different desserts we will be having.) Instead of stressing about that second (or third) piece of pie, my goal is to make exercise a priority tomorrow.
For me, the best solution will be to get in a workout first thing in the morning. I’m planning on going for a run to jump start my day. But since Thanksgiving is about family, why not make your workout something everyone can enjoy? How about a trip to the playground while the turkey (or veggie alternative) is in the oven? Or a post-meal walk to aid in digestion?
One of my favorite childhood Thanksgiving memories is playing basketball with my uncles at the nearby schoolyard. There’s nothing like full-contact basketball with uncles that weigh twice as much as you to burn off those extra calories.
So, how will you burn off your Thanksgiving dinner?
Flickr image via SABA Soundman of the actual basketball court we used to play on. Isn’t the internet great?
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WRITTEN ON November 24th, 2009 BY jen wallace AND STORED IN Motivation
I need these Keep Out of the Cookies printable holiday reminders from artist Jessica Gonacha Swift. I think I will put them all over the fridge and the cabinet doors with the bad treats inside of them.
There’s also a super cute animation to help you not overindulge.
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WRITTEN ON November 22nd, 2009 BY lauracollins AND STORED IN Motivation
Ok, I’ve put this off far too long. Time to get to business. The business of taking care of myself! I’ve been involved in a couple of stressful ventures over the course of the past two years. 2008 was jam-packed with the business of getting married, 2009 was the year of getting my handmade business off the ground, and 2010 will have to be the year of “treating my body like the temple that it is business” because I have really let myself go.
I’m a big-time stress eater. And I’m a big-time Stressy Bessy, especially when it comes to the everyday ups and downs of managing a handmade business. I internalize stress and take it out on food. Yummy, greasy, carb-a-rific, low-nutrient food. This equation of stress-eating and living in a high-stress world equals 20 lbs gained in one year. At least for me it does. And that is just not healthy!
Just as others have said on this blog, I’m no expert at losing weight. I have, however, years of experience struggling with my weight. In high school I followed a couple diets that were very unhealthy because they were so low in calories. That path continued on in college. I always lost the weight but gained it right back because I the diets were all unhealthy and unsustainable. It was that whole diet vs. lifestyle change–I just didn’t get it. A couple years out of college, I tried ediets which was very successful for me. (Carey outlined some of great things ediets offers in this earlier post.) But once I hit my goal weight, I got lazy and overconfident. I was like, “Yeah! I’m skinny. Where’s the cheesecake?” So fast forward a couple years later to when I tried Weight Watchers. I think Weight Watchers is great. I started off attending meetings but then moved to just doing Weight Watchers online. The in-person meetings weren’t that helpful for me. I felt like week after week it was the same two or three members who’d just talk and talk and talk and talk…maybe I just needed to try a different group. So, I moved on to Weight Watchers online. The online tools make things so easy. I found much success using Weight Watchers and lost weight for my wedding. And then my honeymoon came. I ate and drank and ate and drank like everyone does on their honeymoon (right?), but I didn’t stop when the honeymoon was over. And now here I am. A year later. 20 lbs heavier. With a rack of skinny jeans and a rack of fat jeans. It’s okay, really.
Well, I mean, it’s not okay that I do not feel healthy but I’m not beating myself up about it. A new attitude washed over me when I turned 30 a couple years ago. The attitude that says, “You want it? Go out and do what it takes to get it and don’t cry about it. You have the tools. Just do it and don’t look back!” This attitude has changed my life in so many wonderful ways. Now it’s time to apply that attitude to my weigh loss efforts. This time around, I’m going to try to lose weight without the help of any sort of organized, pay-to-lose-weight diet. Even though I have been successful on such plans, I want to see if I can do it myself. A rather scary proposition but one I’m willing to give my full efforts to.
I’ve been a vegetarian for nine years now and am now trying to take the vegan plunge. Or at least I’m going to “flirt” with becoming a vegan. So, I will be concentrating on vegetarian and vegan foods. I will be offering up recipes that will include healthy, filling grains (brown rice, whole wheat couscous, hulled barley, ect.) because I have learned that I have to eat a lot at one sitting and leave the table feeling stuffed. At least in the beginning, I’m not going to concentrate much on portion control. We humans can ingest a lot of low-calorie grains and veggies at one sitting and still loose weight because these grains are not only tasty but sooooo filling. I am also on the search to find exercise I actually enjoy doing. I AM NOT GOING TO FORCE MYSELF TO BE BORED AT THE GYM ANYMORE! Amen! I HATE the gym. There, I said it. I’m going to register for a couple of dance classes beginning in January–Hip Hop and possibly Hula. I’m super excited.
Anyway, this has been a rather long entry but I hope I’ve gotten you excited about your weight loss journey (I’m still trying to psych myself up). I’m so happy this blog exists. I know that the next few weeks are going to be hard for me. The holiday season is stressful in general but now that I have my little handmade business, this season has become…oh…about twenty times as stressful (but I love it!) so I need this community to succeed. Let’s do this thing together! We all need the support so please comment, tell us your story. Inspire!
These are my skinny jeans. I will wear you again, skinny jeans!
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WRITTEN ON November 10th, 2009 BY meganauman AND STORED IN Uncategorized
When this whole #indielbs thing broke last week, I thought, here’s my chance. I’m going to lose 25 pounds and hit my dream weight once and for all. Then real life interrupted and I found myself having to set more realistic goals.
But first let me back up… I ran cross-country and track all through high school, but got to college, didn’t work out much, and ate poorly. I like to joke that everyone warns you about the freshman ten, but no one tells you about the sophomore 20. By the time I graduated college, I had gained about 40 pounds. During my first semester of graduate school, I saw pictures of myself from my college graduation and was disgusted. I gave up soda, bought a treadmill, and started walking, then running again.
Not only did I drop those 40 pounds in about 6 months, I realized just how much exercising is a part of who I am! Running will always be my first love, but I also bike, swim, and do yoga. One of my biggest motivations is competing in races – over the last few years I’ve completed 3 triathlons, a half-marathon, and a lot of 5ks. Even though I’m not the fastest person in the field, having something to work towards keeps me motivated.
Unfortunately, I’ve also had a few injuries over that time period, and a few times, like now, where I’ve found it hard to maintain my regular exercise routine. Times like those always result in a slight weight creep. Right now, I’m about 5 pounds above what I consider my maximum ideal weight, and about 15 to 20 pounds above where I’d really like to be.
In the long run, I know that I need to revamp my eating habits if I really want to reach my dream weight. But I’m also realistic about my life right now, and I’m not sure I have the mental energy for that. For now, I’ll be happy getting back into my regular exercise routine, training for some upcoming races (I’m running a 5k on the 21st), and shedding the 5-8 pounds I’ve picked up since summer.
I’m also really excited to see this #indielbs project unfold – its so fantastic to be part of such a supportive community! I can’t wait to share in everyone’s experiences, learn some new tricks for healthier eating and exercise, and share some of the things I’ve learned as well!
