Lynn Grieger, Health, Food and Fitness Coach

What's fresh for dinner?

2008-05-17T15:41:00.004-04:00

It seems like I can't pick up a newspaper or magazine without hearing about yet another community promoting an "eat local" campaign. There's even a new name for people who promote eating locally-grown foods: localvores.

If this interests you, check out this cool website: http://www.nrdc.org/health/foodmiles/ from the Natural Resources Defense Council. You can enter your state and time of year, and it tells what types of local foods are fresh and available.

I just tried this for Vermont in late May, and found that I should be able to purchase artichokes, asparagus, and rhubarb. OK, asparagus and rhubarb are understandable, but artichokes? According to Wikipedia, artichokes are a perennial thistle (that sounds tasty!) found in the Mediterranean. They've been exported to California, which produces almost 100% of the artichokes grown in the US.

There's no mention of Vermont-grown artichokes here, so I emailed the website. I'll post their response.

The good news is that in early June I should be able to find strawberries, greens, potatoes, and boysenberries as well as asparagus, rhubarb, and those elusive artichokes.

Check out the website and find out what's fresh in your area.

I'm NOT the food police!

2008-05-16T11:03:00.001-04:00

I was asked to write a blog about how I came to be an RD, and why I'm not the food police - even though some people may have that vision of RDs. Read my story here: http://www.peoplejam.com/blogs/im-not-food-police

I'll be interested in your comments!

Lynn

Lunch in Palermo

2008-05-02T20:17:00.001-04:00

A buffet lunch in Palermo is different from any American buffet I've ever experienced. Fresh food, lots of vegetables, beautiful presentation - check it out here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMWEBHYNrnU

Cheap - and healthy - foods

2008-05-02T19:11:00.002-04:00

If I had a nickel for every time someone told me they couldn't afford to eat healthy foods, I'd be rich.

Food and Health Communications just posted a handy chart that lists the cost per ounce of several different foods. You can use it to compare the value of the foods you routinely purchase by dividing the cost of the food by the number of ounces in the package. Simple and easy, right?

To compare, many packaged cookies, cookies, crackers and other processed foods that are high in calorie density and low in fiber are upwards of .30 per ounce! Shop store specials, look for store brands and compare unit pricing to find the best deals near you. And remember, the more you cook the more you save!

Rice .03 cents
Potatoes .03 cents
Bananas .04 cents
Cabbage .04 cents
Carrots .05 cents
Dried beans .06 cents
Apples .06 cents
Oranges .07 cents
Oatmeal, grits .07 cents
Pasta .08 cents
Yogurt .09 cents
Frozen veggies .09 cents
Peanut butter .09 cents
Soup .09 cents
Broccoli .12 cents
Tuna, canned .15 cents
Chicken breast .18 cents
Egg white .02 cents

22 things I love about Sicily

2008-04-26T12:45:00.003-04:00

I'm on a trip to Palermo, Sicily, sponsored by Oldways, an organization that promotes healthy eating and the Mediterrean diet. In the past 5 days I've experienced more delicious tastes, aromas, and wonderful people than I ever imagined possible. Here are my top favorites (right at this moment; give me a few hours to reflect, and I bet I'll come up with even more!):
I haven't seen one fast food restaurant

European yogurt is much creamier and less acidic than American yogurt
Grilled tomatoes aren't just a British breakfast tradition
Fresh apple juice can really be a lovely green color (and this is really it)
I prefer swordfish in my pasta sauce to sardines; it's less fishy
Spleen sandwiches taste great, and they're a local tradition
Freshly baked genovese, a local pastry specialty in Eriche, melt in your mouth and simply can't be replicated.
Lunches that last two hours and dinners that last three hours or more are a wonderful way to spend the evening
Warm, freshly made ricotta cheese tastes like no ricotta cheese you buy in a supermarket
Tiny little strawberries, fragoline, are picked in the wild by hand
Agri tourisme, or agricultural tourism, where you can visit a working farm, eat lunch, and even stay overnight
Olive oil that smells - and tastes - like freshly mown grass makes a piece of bread sing
Freshly made bread that contains bits of olives and chopped walnuts, spread with creamy honey
A dinner table set with three forks to the left of the plate, two knives to the right, two spoons to the top of the plate, and 5 crystal glasses of various sizes for water, white wine (often two different types), red wine, and dessert wine
Coke, Pepsi, and other typical American sodas are really difficult to find
Gelatto (ice cream - but far creamier and with a fresh, just-picked fruit taste) served in a brioche, or type of bread
Blood orange and fennel salad, dressed simply with olive oil
Eating dinner with 9 new friends where we shared 5 appetizers, 4 pasta courses, and 2 entrees
Singing happy birthday to one of these new friends in the hotel bar, accompanied by an Italian with a lovely tenor who adores singing
Palermo markets where you're cheeck-to-jowl with people, motorscooters, bicycles, cars, dogs, and every imaginable type of food
A stray dog who stole a silver slipper from one of the market stands; the shoe store owner simply threw up his hands while everyone else laughed
Bread that needs to be sliced before you eat it
Granita, a refreshing dessert made from sweetened fresh fruit juice (try orange, lemon, or strawberry) then frozen to a 'slushee' consistency, served in a crystal goblet and eaten with a small dessert spoon
It's possible to wander upon two separate weddings and a girl's first communionand chat with the locals about the events even though we don't speak each others' language

Look for pictures and video of my trip to Palermo, Sicily, in the next few days!

Ciao!

Lynn

More than a half

2008-04-17T20:32:00.003-04:00

There is a wonderful article on the More half-marathon experience published in today's Manchester Journal newspaper. Take a look at it here: http://www.manchesterjournal.com//ci_8959230?IADID=Search-www.manchesterjournal.com-www.manchesterjournal.com

Linda Maness, the author of the article, traveled with us to NYC to document the experience. I think she ended up with a lot more than she bargained for! In fact, she may be inspired herself to join the 2009 group next year.

Yep, some of the women are already talking about running the race next year - faster, of course. Or perhaps running instead of walking. Or riding the bus and staying in the hotel with the group to have a more complete (and fun) experience. People in town stop me to ask how they can sign up for next year's race and training program.

Who knew a 13-week training program and a half-marathon would have this much impact on so many women?

April challenge completed

2008-04-15T18:10:00.002-04:00

My April challenge was a group effort, and what a group! I led a training group for the More half-marathon in NYC on April 6th. For 13 weeks through the long, cold, dark winter here in Vermont we ran or walked 3-4 days per week, building up to 12 miles before the half-marathon (13.1 miles). We didn't only run or walk; we had a pot-luck dinner, made new friends, learned about each others' lives, and worked together to meet our goals.

Almost 50 of us went to NYC for the half-marathon, and had an awesome experience. This challenge wasn't about me. It was about working with a group of women, most over 40, to help them reach a physical goal. As we went through the 13 weeks, it became more than just the physical goal of completing 13.1 miles. Many of the women made other changes in their lives, became empowered to try something different, and set aside time for themselves within their busy family lives.

Yes, I ran the half-marathon. My time isn't the important part of this challenge. What's the cool thing here is that every single person finished the half-marathon, most faster than they predicted. They all crossed the finish line looking great and feeling wonderful. My personal challenge was coaching them through this experience, everything from renting a 55-passenger coach bus to take us to NYC, to organizing team jackets, to sending out encouraging emails to get women through difficult spots.

We did it!

March challenge completed

2008-03-22T17:29:00.004-04:00

It's certainly been busy since I last posted! Today I completed my challenge for March. First I ran 11 miles with my training group, who is planning on running the More half-marathon in NYC in two weeks. After a 45 minute break, I then walked 11 miles with the walkers in my training group, for a total of 22 miles on my sneakers today.

I felt great!

We finally had sunny weather, even if it was 20 degrees when we started. All of the women in the group are energetic and determined to meet their goal of completing the half-marathon. One even ran the last two blocks today (she's a walker) so that she could finish the 11 miles in under 3 hours!

Even though my feet and legs are tired, I'm so thrilled to be a part of this inspiring group, that I'm almost considering a run tomorrow (almost). My April challenge will be to complete the half-marathon with this fantastic group!

February challenge completed!

2008-02-24T18:56:00.002-05:00

I'd been thinking about a snowshoeing challenge for the month of February, but then the weather derailed my plans. Rain, sleet, freezing rain, and the ever-popular ice pellets were more prevalent than snow this year in southwestern Vermont.

Friday we finally got 2-3 inches of white, fluffy snow. Yes, it was on top of ice, but it was still snow, and with snow comes snowshoeing. Mike agreed to snowshoe with me to Lye Brook Falls, a gorgeous hike within the Lye Brook Wilderness area in Manchester. The falls are about 160 feet tall, and used to be transversed by a railroad used for logging in the early 1900's.

The hike to the Falls is 2.5 miles according to the Forest Service sign. It took us 1 hour and 15 minutes , and we were the first ones to walk through the fresh snow for most of the way. Much of the path follows the old railroad bed, but there were many small yet fast-moving streams we crossed, and one particularly treacherous section that dropped off steeply just to the edge of the trail. I felt like a mountain goat for the last 30 minutes of the hike up to the Falls.

Usually you can hear the roar of the water as you approach the Falls, but yesterday it was eerily silent. We found out why when we reached the end of the trail: the Falls were frozen! Some water was running under all the ice, but not enough that you could see or hear. The frozen water was spectacular, and it made me wonder about the power that will be unleashed when it melts.

On the hike back down to the car we passed a couple snowshoeing up. They were the only people we saw the entire way on this usually popular hike. It was peaceful snowshoeing through the pine tree forest, stepping over downed trees, and looking for animal tracks in the fresh snow.

Challenges so far to celebrate turning 50 in June, 2008:

June 2007 - Green Mountain Relay (200 miles, 12 people, 2 vans, about 34 hours)

July 2007 - Rutland 5K trail race (with Mike!)

August 2007 - Olympic distance triathlon at Lake Dunmore, part of the Vermont Sun series

September 2007 - bike century in Saratoga (very rainy)

October 2007 - Cape Cod Marathon (no rain)

November 2007 - hike to the top of Mt. Equinox (again with Mike)

December 2007 - I love Woodford 4 mile snowshoe race (yep, running on snowshoes)

January 2008 - Chevron Houston marathon with my sister, Diane

I don't have anything specifc planned yet for March, but there are a few ideas perculating. I'm running the More Half-Marathon in NYC in April with my training team, and then don't have anything scheduled for May or June. I'm thinking about a possible marathon in June.....

If you have ideas or suggestions for a challenge, let me know!

Fast food equals fast weight gain

2008-02-16T15:24:00.002-05:00

This is sad but true: researchers had a group of 18 healthy adults eat 2 fast food meals per week and limit their daily steps to less than 5000 for 4 weeks. Guess how much weight they gained:

14 pounds. 14 pounds! That's a lot of extra food.

We all know that traditional fast food isn't good for us. Many of us watched the movie Supersize Me and saw Morgan Sperling eat nothing but fast food while he gained weight and felt like a slug. But fast food continues to be a part of our lives and our culture.

What to do? Here are five ways to beat the fat trap at fast food restaurants:

Get the smallest portion available: a regular size sandwich, a small serving of fries, a small drink. You'll save money AND avoid weight gain.

Go for grilled, not crispy or fried. Enjoy a grilled chicken sandwich or grilled chicken on your salad, and erase the words "fish sandwich" from your vocabulary (hint: it's fried).

Drink something without added sugar. Some places offer bottled water or even skim milk. Skip the soda and milkshakes because liquid calories are more easily absorbed.

Skip the cheese. Cheese just adds fat and calories, and very little nutrition. Ditto for any type of special sauce - all fat. Ask for mustard or even ketchup instead.

A salad with grilled chicken, or a baked potato with vegetables, or even fresh-sliced apples with yogurt are sensible options. Ignore the traditional and much-hyped burgers and sandwiches, and choose something with fruit and vegetables.

How much do you spend on food?

2008-02-03T17:44:00.000-05:00

Most people I know complain that they spend far too much money on food. They may be talking about what they spend at the grocery store - although that may also include non-food items such as toilet paper and cleaning supplies. Or they may be thinking about the amount they spend on lunches or dinners eating out, or on vending machines.

A recent report shows that Americans actually spend $189/week on food, but the USDA says we can do even better by using some of their tips. Want to shave $20/week off your food bill? That adds up to over $1000 per year; count me in!

To start saving money today, check out these helpful resources:

The USDA National Agricultural Library maintains the Recipe Finder database at http://recipefinder.nal.usda.gov/. This website allows searching for recipes by cost, menu item (soup, side dish, main dish, etc.), audience (older adults, parents of young children, Hispanic, etc), cooking equipment needed, and cooking/preparation time.

I searched for recipes that cost less than $2/serving, and the site came back with over 400 options. Then I narrowed the search to main dish items for families with teens, and the site gave me 9 options. Very cool!

I'm always looking both for ways to save money as well as new recipes for my family. This website makes searching for both simple!

How many whole grains do you eat?

2008-01-26T17:30:00.000-05:00

There's been a lot of emphasis lately on eating more whole grains, which are foods that are less processed and contain more of the natural nutrients found in the grain. Whole grains also have more fiber than processed grains. Current guidelines are to make sure that half of your grain choices are whole grains.

Try this:

Instead of cornflakes, eat shredded wheat. Even Frosted Mini Wheats are a whole grain!

Instead of white bread, eat 100% whole wheat bread. If you need a middle step, try bread made with whole grain. It has less whole grains than 100% whole grain bread, but more than white bread.

Add brown rice to a rice pilaf recipe.

Try 100% whole wheat pasta. I like 100% whole wheat tortellini - and my family can't tell the difference!

Look for Triscuits - they're one great-tasting cracker that's made from 100% whole grains.

Let me know your favorite whole grains as well!

Running at night

2008-01-25T10:56:00.000-05:00

I don't usually run in the evening, for a variety of reasons. I'm cooking dinner, talking with my kids, winding down from a busy day, it's too dark, it's too cold - the list of reasons NOT to run goes on and on.

But now I'm leading a training group for the More half-marathon in NYC, and one of our weekly sessions starts at 5:30pm. Last night it wasn't quite dark as I drove to our meeting site, but by the time we headed out the door 15 minutes later, full darkness set in.

What a great run! It was lightly snowing, there was about 1/2 inch of fresh snow on the sidewalks, and it wasn't too cold (about 25 degrees). It was almost surreal to run along, hearing your footsteps crunch in the snow, and see your breath puffing in and out in the cold air. The time and miles flew by, and I felt like I was floating along above the snow.

As one of the women said, the hardest part about running is that first step out the door. Take that step, and the rest is easy and a joy.

Staying strong for the activities you love

2008-01-19T17:49:00.000-05:00

I talked with a 4o-something guy today in the gym. He told me he plays squash 3 times per week and stays active with skiing. He used to be a runner, but now it takes too much time away from his family. Today he was in the gym because over the summer he had knee injuries, and now his shoulder hurts. Starting to feel like he's getting older and falling apart, he decided it's time to add in strength training and stretching to his weekly routine.

He's absolutely right.

It's not enough to shoot hoops, play tennis, practice clogging or line dancing, or even do your usual 3-mile daily walk. We need to participate in strength training 2-3 times per week, plus daily stretching, in order to stay strong and injury-free. The biggest complaint is that we don't have time to go to the gym. My response: you'll have lots of time when you're injured and can't play your sport for a few months.

You don't even have to join a gym. Schedule a few sessions with a personal trainer and learn how to use bands and stability balls at home. Strength training can take as little as 30 minutes, 2-3 times per week. Get up 10 minutes early and stretch in the morning, or stretch while you're watching TV at night.

Bottom line: there are no excuses when it comes to incorporating strength training and stretching into your routine. Not if you want to keep skiing, playing raquetball, or biking.

Vitamin D and.....heart disease?

2008-01-18T20:51:00.001-05:00

We've known for years that vitamin D works with calcium to help make our bones strong and dense. That's why vitamin D is added to milk. In the last few years, research is turning up new functions for vitamin D, with the lastest being protection against heart disease.

Some experts believe that 1/3 to 1/2 of all adults in the US are deficient in Vitamin D. No wonder - many people don't drink milk, vitamin D isn't naturally present in many foods (cod liver oil, anyone?), and the process of converting sunlight hitting our skin into vitamin D slows down as we age.

Vitamin D deficiency may contribute to high blood pressure, and it also may increase inflammation that can lead to heart disease. Research is ongoing to find out optimal amounts of vitamin D supplementation, because too much can be toxic. For now, I recommend these three tactics:

1. Drink 3-4 cups of skim milk fortified with vitamin D per day.
2. Take a multivitamin supplement that contains vitamin D.
3. Ask your doctor to test your blood levels of vitamin D - and to recommend a supplement if necessary.

Why run?

2008-01-17T21:16:00.000-05:00

I had this crazy idea to start a training group for women over 40 to run or walk the More half-marathon in NYC on April 6th. I thought it would be great if I could entice 5 women into the program.

I've had over 60 women express interest. Wow! You have to remember that we live in Vermont and upstate New York, and the highest temperature on the day of our kick-off meeting was zero.

Why would women want to run or walk throughout the winter to train for a 13.1 mile race? Here are some of their reasons:
- to get more fit and healthy
- to accomplish finishing a half marathon
- to increase motivation to commit to an exercise program
- to have fun with a group of like-minded women
- to have something just for me!

They show up at 5:30 am, when it's dark. They show up again at 5:30pm - when it's once again dark. We also have training sessions during the day, which means juggling work, kids, and family schedules. We walk and run outside as a group, saving the treadmill for those times we can't make it to a group session.

We've met new friends, learned stretching techniques, purchased 'technical' clothing that wicks away sweat, and experienced the satisfaction that comes from committing to a difficult, yet important, goals.

These women are wonderful as a group and as individuals, and I'm thrilled to help them reach their goal: the More half-marathon finish line on April 6th!

Mindless eating

2008-01-16T18:52:00.000-05:00

I met with a new client today, who immediately told me that keeping a food journal was difficult, but enlightening.

Let's back up. Whenever I talk with someone about nutrition counseling, I ask them to keep a food journal for a few days before our first appointment. That way they can clearly see in black and white exactly what they're eating throughout the day, and I get a good snapshot of their usual eating habits.

Today's client took the food journal a step further. He was so apalled at the amount of food he ate, that after the first two days he started eating less. He noticed that he ate without being hungry, especially when watching TV, so he started portioning out his food and paying more attention to why he was eating.

He grabbed onto the idea of the food journal, and put it to work helping him restructure his eating habits to meet his goals of weight loss and improved health. Perfect!

Keeping a food journal is one tried and true method to not only learn more about your eating habits, but to also make changes in the way you eat. You can keep a paper and pencil food diary, or use an online tool such as www.fitday.com

Make sure to capture this information:
1. time of day
2. location (are you driving in the car, sitting in bed watching TV, or working at your desk?)
3. What you're eating and drinking
4. How much you're eating and drinking
5. Why you're eating and drinking. This last one can be difficult to answer, but persevere. The answer we're looking for is hunger, not boredom, it's time to eat, everyone else is eating, or stress.

Keep a food journal for a week. It's the first step on the road to changing your eating habits.

January challenge completed!

2008-01-15T20:44:00.000-05:00

I conquered my January challenge this past weekend with the help of my sister Diane. We ran the Chevron Houston marathon in 4:41:05, which beat our goal finish by 4 minutes! The credit goes to the wonderful weather (45 at the start, mid 60's for the high) and almost flat course. Sure, there were aches and pains - there always are - but we never felt horrible or that we couldn't finish. We even sped up at the end, passed a few people, and finished with smiles on our faces!

We always like to finish in the top 50% of our age group, which is more difficult now that we're at the tail-end of the 40-49 group. Here are the stats:
- Place within division: 125 / 268
- Place within gender: 1035 / 2093

Now I've completed 8 out of the 12 monthly challenges I set for myself during this year before I turn 50:
- June: ran in the Green Mountain Relay Race
- July: ran a 5K trail race in Rutland
- August: completed an olympic distance triathlon at Lake Dunmore
- September: a bike century in Saratoga, NY
- October: Cape Cod marathon
- November: hiked up to the top of Mt. Equinox with my husband Mike
- December: I love Woodford snowshoe race

I don't have anything planned yet for February, but am thinking about cross-country skiing.

It feels great to set goals, and even better to cross those goals off my list when they're completed. Onward and upward!

No artificial anything

2008-01-08T19:52:00.000-05:00

I just love these words on food labels. Whenever I see them, I have to stop and read more. The one that caught my eye yesterday morning at Shaw's was for Dannon All Natural yogurt.

The problem is that the word 'natural' has no real meaning when it comes to food. Processed foods can be natural. So can sugar, or maple sugar, or white flour. Natural sounds warm and fuzzy, but it's really a marketing term.

So I read the ingredients on the label. Cultured grade A low fat milk, sugar, peaches, water. Since this is yogurt, it's good that the first ingredient is milk instead of sugar. I think what's really going on here is that the yogurt contains plain sugar - not high fructose corn syrup, which has been labeled 'evil' by many people. A 4-oz container has 110 calories, which is about twice the calories in one cup of plain yogurt, or one cup of yogurt sweetened with sugar substitute. Sugar substitute isn't 'natural', and most people won't eat plain yogurt because it's not sweet.

But what about the rest of the ingredients? The label says it contains <1% of corn starch, natural flavor, pectin, locust bean gum, lemon juice concentrate, annatto extract. Are these all natural? I suppose it depends on your mindset. Cornstarch is a thickening agent ground from the kernel of corn. Not bad.

Here's the definition for natural flavor:
"The term natural flavor or natural flavoring means the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional."
That doesn't sound so good, does it?

Annatto is a red coloring made from achiote trees in Latin America. Sure, trees are natural, but by the time they actually make annatto it's more chemical than anything else.

What's my point?
- Read the list of ingredients whenever a product says it's all natural. Sometimes it is - and sometimes it isn't.
- beware advertising for "no artificial ingredients" because it's just too complex
- choose plain yogurt and flavor it yourself with an all-natural apple or peach.

December goal met

2007-12-31T19:13:00.000-05:00

My challenge for December was the 3.5 mile "I Love Woodford" snowshoe race yeld yesterday in Woodford, VT. There was about 18 inches of snow on the ground, and it was fairly balmy with temperatures in the low 30's and no wind. 100 hardy people showed up to run the race through the woods of the state park.

Not only is Woodford a beautiful area, but running on snowshoes is a hoot. Once you get through the oxygen deprivation of trying to run (shuffle?) through snow on snowshoes, usually up hill, it becomes pure joy. When was the last time you went out in the woods to play? As I sped up near the finish, a photographer told me it looked like I was having a lot of fun. I couldn't stop smiling, because I was having a great time.

Of course, the knowledge that there was homemade, piping hot vegetable soup waiting at the finish helped enormously. Luckily I'm slow plus I stayed to help out at the finish line, so most of the cookies were gone by the time I got there.

That makes 7 monthly challenges I've completed since I turned 49 in June:

June: Vermont relay race

July: Rutland trail run

August: Olympic distance triathlon at Lake Dunmore

September: bike century in Saratoga, NY

October: Cape Code marathon

November: hike up Mt. Equinox with my husband

December: I love Woodford snowshoe race

Next up in January is the Houston marathon with my sister. Stay tuned!

What do you drink with meals?

2007-12-28T17:41:00.000-05:00

I've noticed that whenever my teenagers have friends over for dinner, none of them drink milk. We offer milk or water, and 100% choose water - if they don't first ask for something else (the answer is no, you get milk or water - that's it).

I grew up in a family of milk drinkers, and no, we're not dairy farmers. I remember my parents drinking milk with meals as well, so it wasn't just a beverage for kids. Back then, we didn't even think about the calcium and vitamin D in milk promoting healthy bones - we just drank it.

I even continued to drink milk in college, where I was also one of the few who routinely ate breakfast. Old habits die hard. The only exception I make is when skim milk isn't available. I can't stand 2%, and don't even think about offering whole milk! Call me a skim milk purist. When I was in the Army we always had an option of skim milk, unless we were out in the field subsisting on C-rats, which would have been vastly improved with a glass of milk.

My teenage boys both drink milk, and even pour themselves a glass of milk when they fix their own lunch. It looks like I started another generation of milk-drinkers. Sure, I know some people don't believe adults should drink cow's milk, but I come from northern European ancestors who used everything they could from their cows - including drinking the milk. There's no osteoporosis in my family, thanks to good genes but also to a long history of drinking milk.

Milk or water - that's it for meals at our house.

Favorite run

2007-12-27T19:20:00.000-05:00

Today I took advantage of a dentist appointment to run one of my very favorite routes, along River Road in Arlington, Vermont. River Road runs along - you guessed it - the Batten Kill River, and is a gorgeous dirt road filled with rolling hills. I saw only one car during the 40 minute run, and passed only one other runner.

Lots of people walk and/or run on River Road, but usually early in the morning. I started at 11am, just as a misting rain began to fall. I listened to the birds chirping, watched the river flowing swiftly along its course, and let my mind wander.

When I lived in Arlington I would often run this route, but since I moved 12 miles away to Manchester three years ago, I rarely run this way. During the summer and fall I biked along the highway on the other side of the Batten Kill at least once each week, but I haven't made the effort to run on the dirt road for quite some time.

It's amazing the difference it makes running on a quiet country road versus a paved town road. I ran right down the center of the road without worrying about traffic. Running is my outlet from a busy day, but running on a quiet dirt road along one of the most beautiful rivers in Vermont is something to savor.

The most fattening time of the year

2007-12-24T10:12:00.000-05:00

I heard a great song on the radio last night, listening to a station that carries 'twisted Christmas' songs. If you have an irreverent sense of humor, definitely look for this one.

I found the entire lyrics, written by Bob Rivers, here: http://artists.letssingit.com/bob-rivers-its-the-most-fattening-time-of-the-year-tvj3chd

I bet each and every one of us can relate to this song. Enjoy, and happy holidays!

Marathon training update

2007-12-23T13:30:00.000-05:00

I'm planning on running the Houston marathon witih my sister on January 13th, so yesterday was my last long run, the 20 miler. 20 miles is a long way - just measure it out the next time you're driving and you'll see what I mean. Running 20 miles also takes me a fairly long time, because I'm not a particularly fast runner. It takes me even longer in the winter, when I have to slow down to blow my nose, take off my mittens to get my Gu open, and walk around the icy spots.

Enough with the whining. While I don't look forward to running for 3 1/2 hours, I enjoy it once I get started. How often do we have 3 uninterrupted hours to think about whatever we want? To just let our mind wander? In my life, running is the only time this ever happens.

Yesterday I thought about Christmas when I was a kid, and when my teenagers were little (they used to kiss the Christmas tree goodnight). I thought about my sisters and parents, and what they were doing this year for Christmas, and how much fun it would be for all of to be together again for the holiday. The last time was 1992, and I'm hoping that in 2008 we'll be able to swing Christmas holidays together again. I thought about the More 1/2 marathon training group I'm putting together, and made a mental to-do list for our kickoff meeting on January 3rd. I ieven thought about the topics for various freelance articles I have in various stages of production.

Sure, I was interrupted: by a flock of geese that lives down by the Battenkill and were waiting to cross the road. What the heck they're doing here the end of December, I'm not sure. But that was the only interruption during the entire 3 1/2 hours.

I bet your life is as full of interruptions as mine. You don't have to run 20 miles to enjoy the freedom of your thoughts. Even 20-30 minutes on a regular basis will give you time to yourself. You don't even have to run, although I DO encourage you to get outside when you let your mind wander.

Cocktail parties

2007-12-22T16:55:00.001-05:00

Cocktail parties can strike fear into the heart of anyone trying to lose weight, lower their cholesterol, or keep their blood sugar levels in control. We went to a gorgeous cocktail party last night, so the time is perfect for my top 5 ways to successfully navigate a party:

5. Alternate alcohol or calorie-containing beverages with water. I had one glass of pinot grigio, and then they were out of this wine, so I stuck with sparkling water for the rest of the evening. If if your favorite alcoholic beverage is flowing in abundance, be sure to space it out with water.

4. A taste is one bite. I tried some to-die-for brie baked with apricots, but snagged a piece from my husband instead of putting a big slab on my plate. One cracker with curried crab was a taste, so was one chicken pot-sticker with Thai dipping sauce. All were delicious - and a taste was plenty.

3. Evaluate before you eat. Look over everything offered before you decide which foods to try, and which to avoid. I dislike anything smoked or raw fish, so those appetizers, although they looked divine, were easy to avoid. I also skipped the selection of cheeses, because I can eat cheese at any time. Pot stickers I don't make myself, so that went on my plate.

2. Pick a spot away from the food. Luckily, the food was in a separate room so it was simple to stay out of arm's reach. Instead of hovering near the shrimp or chips and dip, find a cozy location far away from anything tempting.

1. Why are you there in the first place? If you go to cocktail parties simply to eat, then that's what you'll do. But if you go to the party to talk with old friends, meet new people, and socialize, then food and drink becomes secondary. It really is possible to enjoy a party without overeating or overdrinking.

Debunking the 'healthy cookie' myth

2007-12-19T19:15:00.000-05:00

I'm tired of reading recipes for so-called 'healthy' cookies. Cookies aren't supposed to be healthy. They're dessert, or a sweet snack, or a late-night indulgence. Cookies are supposed to melt in your mouth because of the butter and/or chocolate content. Or they're supposed to be crispy and crunchy, thanks to the butter and nuts.

If I want to eat something healthy, I'll choose an apple, or a piece of string cheese, or my current favorite: fat-free plain Greek yogurt. Not a cookie.

Nobody ever said that every single morsel that goes into our mouths has to be healthy. There's room for choosing foods just because they taste absolutely wonderful, or the smell of the cookie baking brings you back to your grandmother's kitchen when you were too little to reach the mixing bowl without standing on the chair at the table, or just because you feel like a little down-home warmth and love.

Bring on the decadent cookies!

Looking for new recipes?

2007-12-16T09:28:00.001-05:00

If you're like me, I'm always on the look out for new recipes. If you're searching for recipes designed for people with diabetes - and they're great-tasting, even if you don't have diabetes - check out the Diabetes Care and Education website for their recipe of the month at http://www.dce.org/recipe/month.htm

Previous months' recipes are archived at http://www.dce.org/recipe/archived.htm

Green apple appetizer, healthy bulgur salad, pork tenderloin scaloppini, peppermint mousse, or this month's recipe: butternut squash souffle, are easy to prepare, tasty, and contain all the nutrition info you crave.

Breakfast and body weight

2007-12-13T20:33:00.000-05:00

A new study from the Netherlands shows that teens who skip breakfast are twice as likely to be overweight as their counterparts who routinely eat breakfast (Skipping breakfast, alcohol consumption and physical inactivity as risk factors for overweight and obesity in adolescents: results of the E-MOVO project") . This study confirms what numerous other researchers have also found: people who eat breakfast weigh less than breakfast skippers.

I grew up eating breakfast every day, along with my mom, dad, and sisters. I thought everybody ate breakfast, because everyone I knew DID eat first thing in the morning. When I stayed at my grandparents' farm I would wake up in the morning to the smell of bacon and eggs. When we traveled, my sisters and I loved acting grown up and going to breakfast in the motel dining room by oursevles while our parents slept in.

I even ate breakfast every day while I was in college. While most of my classmates were sleeping, I would get up early to go to breakfast. I just didn't feel right if I skipped that first meal of the day.

My kids, now teenagers, always eat breakfast as well. On mornings they say they don't have time for breakfast, I make them oatmeal or a Carnation Instant Breakfast smoothie (I add frozen fruit and/or a banana) that they can quickly eat before they head out the door. Neither one is overweight, but that's also due to genetics, a history of activity, and overall good eating habits. It will be interesting to see if they continue their breakfast habits once they leave home.

Breakfast doesn't have to be breakfast food. A peanut butter sandwich starts the morning just as well as a bowl of cereal. Experiment with different options and find the one that works best for you.

Conquer the treadmill

2007-12-12T21:13:00.000-05:00

I hate running on the treadmill. I know it's more mental anguish rather than physical pain, but I still hate it. Unfortunately, it was either run on the treadmill or skip my workout the past two days due to bad weather.

I'm not a sissy when it comes to running outside, but I draw the line at running in sleet, freezing rain, or slippery roads. Hence, the treadmill.

The good news is that I conquered the treadmill and got in my workouts, even though I disliked it. Because I have a written training plan, and put my workouts into my daily planner, I almost always am able to check them off at the end of each day. If I left workouts up to chance, I'd end up skipping many of them.

Think about your workout plan, or your plan to achieve any other goals. Do you write down what you want to do, and the timeframe to accomplish it? Do you have a clear goal of where you want to be? Do you have a written plan of what you need to do each day to reach that end goal? Do you include time in your daily schedule to work on those specific goals?

Do all of these tasks, and you'll find yourself accomplishing any goal you set. Skip them, and you'll feel like a caged hamster on a treadmill: always moving, but never getting anywhere.

Women want MORE

2007-12-11T22:03:00.001-05:00

What is it about women turning 40 that gets us jazzed up? I ran my first marathon 2 weeks before my 40th birthday as a way of thumbing my nose at age and reassuring myself that physically and mentally I still could set - and achieve - challenges.

MORE magazine, a magazine aimed at women over age 40, hosts a half-marathon and full marathon in New York City's Central Park each Spring. I thought about how cool it would be to gather a group of women in my area, train for the half-marathon, and run it together. Of course, I was thinking about this while out for a long training run :)

What to do when you have a brainstorm? Talk it over with a friend, right? My friend Kathryn has a fantastic history of exercise, but lately she's slowed down. When she heard the idea, she was jazzed! Another friend, Patty, actually ran both the New York City marathon and the MORE half-marathon in previous years, but like many women found herself bogged down with work and family issues that needed her attention. She heard the idea of a local training group, and got excited about running again.

Since the idea snowballed, we're moving forward with making it a reality. Even if you don't live in the Manchester, VT, area, you can set goals and challenges for yourself. Heck, you can even join our training group as a virtual partner! Look for more details soon, since we'll start training in early January.

If you're excited about the possibility of challenging yourself to complete a new goal, check out the MORE marathon website at http://www.nyrr.org/races/2008/more/index.asp

If running or walking a half marathon isn't your thing, brainstorm a challenge that suits you. Dream big dreams, set small goals, and realize significant success.

Snack bar

2007-12-10T21:13:00.000-05:00

Being a dietitian definitely has its perks. I periodically receive samples of new foods and beverages in the mail from companies hoping I'll recommend their products to my clients.

Today I received Kellogg's new Special K Bliss snack bars. Since I'm hungry right now, I decided to try one. Here are my thoughts, using a rating system where 4 stars is perfect, 1 star is not worth my time, and two or three stars are OK.

- Texture is crucial. I detest bars that are so tough I feel like I'm going to chip a tooth biting through them. I also hate bars that crumble like dust when I bite into them, or are so chewy I feel like a cow chewing my cud. These bars rate **** because their texture is, as Goldilocks would say, just right.

- I may be a nutrition professional, but I'm not going to eat something that tastes nasty just because it's good for me. These bars appeal to women because they're either raspberry or orange dipped in - you guessed it - chocolate. I tried a raspberry bar, and it actually tastes like raspberry with just a touch of chocolate. ****

- On to the nutrition facts. Yeah, they have 90 calories to appeal to calorie-conscious women. I'm more interested in the ingredients. They get ** because the first ingredient is multigrain cereal and the second ingredient is whole oat flour. I'd rather see the word "whole" in the first ingredient, because then it's less processed. High fructose corn syrup has a bad rap, but there's only 9 grams of sugar total in each bar, and plain old sugar is the first sweetener listed. *** for sweeteners.

The bottom line: Kellogg's Special K Bliss bars taste good and won't break your teeth. If you're looking for a very low calorie snack, they're a good bet. However, I much prefer a snack with more protein and fiber for staying power. If I'm in a pinch, two of these might tide me over.

They'll be available in stores in January 2008. Give them a try, and leave your comments here.

Holiday desserts with fewer calories

2007-12-09T13:33:00.000-05:00

Who doesn't enjoy dessert any time of the year, but especially at holiday time? Yesterday we went to a neighbor's holiday party, where they had a gorgeous selection of beautifully decorated cookies and cupcakes. Who can resist?

You don't have to give up dessert at holiday time in order to keep your calorie intake under control. Food and Health Communications has these suggestions:

- Fat-free whipped cream – Use portion control because it still contains whole milk and cream.

- Ground spices – These make a great garnishes for holiday beverages and desserts.
- Fat-free evaporated skim milk – This is a great substitution for heavy cream and whole milk.
- Fat-free half and half – This product is excellent because it’s heat stable. Use it in place of regular half and half, whole milk, cream or evaporated milk. It is also nice for coffee and other beverages.
- Fat-free or soy eggnog – These products really save a lot of fat and calories, and we think they taste great!
- Pasteurized egg whites or nonfat egg substitute – These are great for those who don’t want to have the mess of separating eggs. Use 1/4 cup of egg white in place of each egg.
- Sugar cookie dough – This product isn’t any lower in fat or calories than other cookies, but it does help people make a few smaller cookies and not have big batches of cookies sitting around.

I've followed most of these suggestions for years, and no one is the wiser. Shaving calories a little at a time can add up to big benefits - and smaller pants!

Snowshoeing!

2007-12-06T19:31:00.000-05:00

I live in Vermont, where winter just isn't any fun unless we have snow. Lucky us - Sunday and Monday we had our first big snowstorm of the year, and we ended up with about 10 inches of fresh powder.

Today was the perfect winter day: sunny, cold, and snow! It was 7 degrees when I woke up, but by the time I met my friend Fern for snowshoeing, we had a heat wave: 25 degrees!

According to the calorie burn estimator at http://www.calorieking.com/, I burned 460 calories during my one-hour romp in the snow. That's about 100 more calories than I would burn running for the same amount of time, because snowshoeing is hard work! Of course, we walked primarily on snowmobile trails, so only had to "break trail" as we call it, for a short period of time. Nothing in Vermont is flat, so we went up and down hills the entire way.

I'm looking forward to our running club's snowshoe race later this month. It's really difficult to actually run wearing snowshoes, but going as fast as I can through the mountains in Woodford, Vermont, is a great way to spend the morning. Don't let this picture fool you; on most of my snowshoe jaunts I'm following a trail that's only wide enough for one person, with trees all around. If you live where there's snow, grab a pair of snowshoes and start walking!

Is high fructose corn syrup evil?

2007-12-04T19:56:00.000-05:00

According to a report at seattlepi.com, some people believe that high fructose corn syrup is so potentially bad for our health that entire grocery store chains are banning it. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/food/341888_fructose01web.html

HFCS has a bad rap,because of early reports that showed an increase in obesity with an increased consumption of HFCS. It's used as a cheap and tasty sweetener in a wide variety of foods, and especially in beverages. But is it the cause of obesity or chronic disease?

Probably not. I think this is just another case of the media and consumers grabbing onto a simple idea - ban all HFCS - when the true remedy is much more complex. Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University and a top authority on the intersection of nutrition, science, politics and business, suggests that if we ban HFCS, we should just ban all sources of sugar because the body treats them all in a similar way.

She's right. Instead of looking for cookies, sweetened beverages, or breakfast cereal with HFCS, why not look for fresh fruit, drink plain tap water, and eat plain high-fiber cereal? The type of sweetener really isn't as important as the total calories and total sweetening, from whatever source, in the food.

Calculate your risk of hip fracture

2007-11-28T07:44:00.000-05:00

I just found a very cool new online tool to calculate your risk of hip fracture after age 50 at http://hipcalculator.fhcrc.org/

Researchers used data from 94,000 Women's Health Initiative participants to develop an algorithm to calculate risk of hip fracture in the next 5 years. Activity level, smoking status, weight, use of some specific medications, and family history of fracture after age 54 are factored into the equation.

Since over 300,000 people in the US suffer a hip fracture each year, and fracturing a hip is also associated with increased risk of death and future health decline, identifying people at risk for hip fracture is crucial.

Steps you can take right now to reduce your risk of hip fracture and subsequent health problems:
- increase your daily activity so that you walk for an hour at least 4 times per week
- stop smoking
- get 1200-1500 mg of calcium each day primarily from food, but making up the difference in supplements (each cup of skim milk has approximately 300 mg of calcium)
- take the fracture probability quiz, and talk with your physician about the results

Thanks to healthy parents, a lifetime of drinking milk, and consistent physical activity starting as a child and continuing to today, my risk is <.5%. Be sure and calculate yours.

Red cabbage

2007-11-26T21:55:00.000-05:00

It's been years since I've eaten red cabbage.

Yesterday I cooked a German dinner with Caro, an exchange student from Frankfurt, and her American host family. Caro and our German exchange student for two weeks in October, Lena, became good friends, and we cooked a meal together at my house when Lena was here. We decided to try another culinary adventure, but this time at Caro's.

Rotkohl, or red cabbage, was on the menu. I remember eating a lot of cabbage during my time in Germany, but I've never cooked it before. Once we found a sharp knife, the rest was easy! We braised the sliced cabbage with diced onion and apple, and added cider vinegar, a bay leaf, allspice, salt, pepper, and a bit of sugar for seasoning. I loved it, and it brought back great memories of Germany.

If you're tired of eating Italian, Thai, or Chinese food; or just want to try out some German cooking, check out http://www.allrecipes.com/ which has hundreds of authentic German recipes. Or invite a German exchange student over for a cooking lesson.

Turkey thoughts: the day after

2007-11-23T15:22:00.000-05:00

T is for time; I'm so lucky to be able to have time to spend with my kids, husband, friends, and family.

H is for health - we're all basically healthy!

A is for attitude; a positive attitude, that is. I firmly believe that if we face life with a positive, can-do attitude, that most of what we want will come to pass.

N is for neighbors. We have wonderful neighbors who are fun to be with, pitch in to help without a moment's thought, and make living in our neighborhood a pleasure.

K is for kitchen. Why is it that when you're together in the kitchen, conversation and fun just seems to happen? Yesterday my husband and kids all helped prepare the Thanksgiving meal, and we had a lot of fun!

S is for sisters. I have two wonderful sisters who I miss terribly, but do we ever have fun when we get together!

G is for grandparents. I was blessed to have four grandparents and one greatgrandfather who were very important parts of my life for years. I wouldn't be who I am without them. Even better, my boys know their grandparents, and also were able to spend time with two of their greatgrandparents before they passed away.

I is for the Internet. Much of my work relies on using the Internet, plus it helps me stay connected with friends and family.

V is for Vermont, the gorgeous state where I live. Even though I've lived in Vermont for 20 years, the sight of the mountains never fails to lift up my spirits.

I is for ideas. I love to hear my boys' ideas about what they want to do with their lives; my husband's ideas for the next chapter in our lives when our kids go to college; my friends' ideas about life in general.

N is for everything new. It's easy to get caught up in doing the same things, in the same way, over and over again. Spice up life with something new!

G is for gifts. Every day, look for the gifts in life. It might be an unexpected hug from a 16 year old who is almost 6' tall. Or a smile from a stranger as you pass on the street. Or an email from a college friend you haven't seen in years. Gifts are everywhere, if we're open to seeing them.

Earn money to lose weight

2007-11-21T09:37:00.000-05:00

Money!

That's what it takes for people to stick to a meal and exercise plan and lose weight, according to a recent study by RTI International economist Eric Finkelstein.

The more money people "earn" by losing weight, the more weight they lost. Finkelstein found that over a three month period, people who were paid $14 per percentage point of weight lost were five times more likely to lose at least 5% of their body weight. That means for losing 5% of their weight (10 pounds if you weighed 200 pounds at the start of the contest), you earned $70.00.

Stay tuned for a new website, stickK.com, where you can "put a contract out on yourself". In this case, you pick a price, and if you don't lose a certain a mount of weight the money goes to a charity, friends, or family - your choice. Reach your weight goal, and you get to keep your money.

I have to say I'm skeptical, despite the research to the contrary. I've worked with a few teens whose parents offered to pay them to lose weight. The teens either didn't lose weight, or they lost weight to earn a specific amount of money, then gained the weight back.

Ultimately, having an internal, intrinsic reason for losing weight is more important and significant than a monetary reward in my way of thinking. It will be interesting to see the results from www.stickK.com once they launch. Stay tuned!

Holiday food tips

2007-11-20T17:23:00.000-05:00

The first gifts of food are starting to roll in, which brings up the question: what the heck do I do with all these tempting treats? Here are my favorite tips and tricks:

1. Donate to the food shelf. Anything non-perishable is welcome at most community food shelves.

2. Donate to an after school program or community center.

3. Regift to someone else - just make sure they didn't also receive the same gift!

4. Share by saving up all your food gifts for an open house at work or church.

5. Enjoy one treat at a time. I like to look at everything I receive, decide which looks like it tastes the absolute best, then sit down and savor just one bite. Sometimes one bite is all I need. Of course, sometimes two bites are even better! We certainly can enjoy some treats over the holidays, just in portions that we decide are appropriate.

Happy holidays!

Emotional Eating

2007-11-19T19:45:00.000-05:00

I asked this question at a talk over the weekend: why do we eat?

There was a lot of silence. Finally, someone said: because we need to eat to live.

My response: I bet that's the LAST reason why most of us eat! Then everybody starting nodding their heads in agreement.

Sure, eating to live is the basic physiologic reason to eat. The fact is, though, that because we live in a society with so much abundance of food, we often eat for emotional, rather than physical reasons. It doesn't matter if we eat an apple or a cream puff. If we're not physically hungry, our body doesn't need those calories, and they end up getting stored as fat.

If you find this topic interesting, check out my online article at Today's Diet and Nutrition: http://www.todaysdietandnutrition.com/nov07exclusiveemotional.shtml Let me know what you think!

Food therapy

2007-11-15T18:45:00.000-05:00

I met with one of my coaching clients today who is working to change his eating and exercise habits so that he can lose weight and control his blood sugar levels. He's lost 10 pounds in the past 3 weeks due to hard work, determination, setting specific goals, and carrying through with those goals. He also has a lot of support and encouragement at home. Today he met with his physician, who asked him about working with me. My client calls it "food therapy". I love it!

We don't talk about what to eat and what to not eat. Instead, we talk about how he chooses what to eat, how different foods act in his body, and which foods fit into his goals of weight loss and controlling blood sugar. Our work together is all about defining past eating habits and figuring out what he wants his new eating habits to look like.

For most of us, food is more than simply fuel for our body. Food is tied up with emotions, traditions, celebrations, habits, and family heritage. We can't just give up eating, like people can choose to give up smoking or drinking alcohol. Each person comes to making changes in their eating habits in their own, individual way, which is what makes food therapy so interesting and exciting to me. Each person charts their own course, with their own specific goals in mind.

If you're struggling with changing your eating or exercise habits, perhaps for health reasons or maybe for other personal reasons, think about shifting your focus to food therapy. It's not what you "should" do, but rather what you "want" to do.

November challenge completed!

2007-11-12T16:52:00.001-05:00

Mike and I climbed the Burr and Burton, or Blue Summit Trail, to the top of Mt. Equinox yesterday. According to the Day Hiker's Guidebook, it's a 4.5 hour trip but we made it in three hours. The summit is at 3848', the highest mountain in our area.

Even though we've lived where we can see Mt. Equinox for the past 16 years, driven up the toll road, and even hiked at both the summit and the base, we'd never hiked up the entire mountain. That was the challenge!

The trail was steep - the whole way. Unlike most trails that go up and down, there was no down until you reached the top and turned around. The first half was along an old gravel road, covered in leaves. The second half was a rocky trail, more like an old streambed than a real trail. There weren't as many leaves, but numerous downed trees we scrambled over or under.

The hike up Equinox got our hearts pounding, while the hike down was a real workout for our quads.

A beautiful day, great company, and another monthly challenge checked off my list! Challenges so far:

June: Green Mountain Relay Race

July: 5K trail run in Rutland

August: Olympic distance triathlon at Lake Dunmore

September: Century bike ride in Saratoga Springs

October: Cape Cod Marathon

November: summit Mt. Equinox

I don't have a set challenge yet for December. If we have snow, it might be a snowshoe race. If there's not enough snow, perhaps I'll do a run on New Year's Eve. Stay tuned!

How many calories do you drink?

2007-11-10T18:05:00.000-05:00

Many of us routinely read food labels and keep track of the number of calories we eat. But how many calories do you drink?

Sweetened beverages such as soda and fruit drinks are the number one source of sugar in our diet. A 12 ounce can of Coke contains 140 calories, all from sugar. Snapple isn't any better: one bottle has about 220 calories.

Alcohol provides more calories than we realize as well. The higher the alcohol content, the more calories. Beer has 12 calories per ounce, white wine 20 calories per ounce, red wine 21 calories per ounce, and 80-proof spirits (gin, vodka, etc) 64 calories per ounce. Since nobody drinks just one ounce, it adds up faster than you think.

Calories in beverages don't make us feel full, either. In fact, we often eat even MORE when we drink alcohol, getting a double-calorie whammy.

Makes you want to drink a cool, tall glass of water, doesn't it?

How much should I eat?

2007-11-09T16:01:00.000-05:00

I get asked this question all of the time. There are several ways to respond:

1. We can look at the food label and find out the serving size. For example, 2 Fig Newton cookies is a serving.

2. We can think about the amount of calories we're eating, and fit our snack or meal into a prescribed calorie range.

3. We can think about how hungry we are, and how much to eat to satisfy that hunger.

I really prefer the third method, because we're in charge. Many of us routinely overeat, either out of habit, because we just don't think about it, because we don't want to waste food, or because we like feeling stuffed. When we overeat, our body can only store the extra calories as fat, and most of us don't need the extra body fat!

Try this the next time you're deciding how much to eat:
- Take a couple of minutes to think about how hungry you are.
- Remember that our stomach doesn't hold an unlimited supply of food. Serve yourself the amount you think you want to eat, but realize that you don't have to eat it all.
- Eat half of the food you served yourself, then stop and think. How full are you? How would you feel if you stopped eating right now? How would you feel if you continued to eat? There's no "right" decision here - it's up to you and how you're feeling.
- At the end of the meal, stop and think again about how full you are. Stop eating when you are just barely full. You could eat a couple more bites, but know you're OK if you don't eat any more.

The more often we eat mindfully, typically the less we eat and the more energetic we feel.

Visualize food portion sizes

2007-11-06T18:35:00.000-05:00

Are you a visual person? If so, you definitely need to check out Dr. Shapiro's Picture Perfect weight loss plan at http://pictureperfectweightloss.com/

I just love these books, because they're full of absolutely gorgeous pictures of foods, demonstrating how we can eat - and enjoy - far larger portions of foods that are naturally lower in fats and sugars than junk foods, fast foods, and convenience foods.

What would you rather eat:
- one 4.5 ounce black and white cookie; or 2 frozen yogurt cones, 2 cups of fresh fruit, 6 hard candies, and 8 chocolate mint sticks? Both have 640 calories.
- 8 ounces General Tso's chicken (620 calories) or 12 ounces scallops and Chinese vegetables in black bean sauce (320 calories)?
- 1 large soft pretzel, or 11 pretzel rods, or 3 knishes or 3 cups of fresh fruit salad with 2 ounces of peanuts? All options have 470 calories.

Shapiro not only describes these meals, he photographs them in vivid real-life color. He simply recommends eating more lower calorie foods that have higher volume so we feel full. Thinking before we eat makes a whole lot of sense, especially if we can visualize our meals.

Too much folate?

2007-11-03T16:15:00.000-04:00

Folate is an essential B vitamin, needed by our body to synthesize DNA. Cells produce DNA every time they divide, and cell division goes on constantly within our bodies. A few years ago, scientists drew a connection between low intake of folate in the first few days of pregancy and the development of spinal bifida and other neural tube disorders in children. Breads and cereals now contain added folate, which has resulted in 1500-2000 fewer cases of neural tube defects each year.

But - new research shows that too much folate, most likely over 800 mcg per day (the current recommendation is 400 mcg per day), can cause increased risk of a variety of different types of cancer, including colon, breast, and prostate. The thinking is that if you have precancerous cells and get too much folate, those cells may divide more quickly, leading to cancer.

Most multivitamins contain 400 mcg of folate, and if you eat a few servings of cereal or granola/cereal bars with added folate it's easy to go over 800 mcg per day. Folate naturally occuring in foods doesn't seem to cause a problem; it's the supplemental folate that appears to be the culprit.

Food labels carry a %DV (percentage of the Daily Value) for vitamins and minerals, not the specific grams, milligrams, or micrograms. The Daily Value for folate is 400 mcg, so if the food label says one serving has 40% of the DV, that's 40% of 400, or 160mcg.

For now, follow these suggestions:
- Keep taking your multi vitamin with 400mcg folate
- If you use protein shakes, smoothies, or other fortified beverages, read the labels for folate content.
- Look at your intake of cereals, granola bars, cereal bars, etc for folate content.
- Keep total folate intake from your multi and fortified foods to under 800 mcg per day.

Running over hurdles

2007-11-02T20:37:00.000-04:00

I love to read quotes, and often save my favorites for future use. Here's one I came across today:

"Obstacles are those frightening things that become visible when we take our eyes off our goals." Henry Ford

Wow! How often do we get so caught up in worrying about obstacles, that we forget to keep our eye on the prize? Bumps in the road are going to happen. We will sometimes run into hurdles, instead of leaping over them.

But if we keep our focus squarely on where want to go - and why it's important for us to get there - we'll reach those goals.

What goals are you focusing on today?

Cost of obesity

2007-11-01T19:30:00.000-04:00

Did you know that being overweight will end up costing you more?

That's not because you spend money on gym memberships or weight loss programs. It's the monetary increases in health care costs that really add up.

According to Zhou Yang, Ph.D. , lead author of a study published in Health Services Research, found that an elderly person who is overweight at 65 may spend $16,000 more and the obese person may spend $26,000 more than those who are a normal weight at age 65. I don't know about you, but I can think of a lot of ways I'd rather spend money than on health care!

Try these three steps to reduce your weight AND save money:
1. Get moving. Build up gradually so that you're getting some type of exercise for at least 60 minutes total every day. That could be a 15 minute walk in the morning, 20 minutes gardening, 15 minutes walking in the evening, 10 minutes walking up and down the stairs during TV commercials.

2. Avoid beverages with calories - except for skim milk. Instead of fruit juice, drink water and eat a piece of fruit. Make sure you choose skim milk for the fewest amount of calories yet slightly more calcium. Skip drinks sweetened with high fructose corn syrup and opt for water again. Avoid alcohol - you can better protect your heart by losing weight and exercising.

3. Eat one bite less of every food, all day long. If you eat one bite less of every single food you eat all day, you'll consume fewer calories and learn to get by with less. You'll also learn that you don't have to eat everything put in front of you.

Fight cancer with food

2007-10-31T20:42:00.000-04:00

A new report came out today from the American Institute for Cancer Research highlighting 10 steps we can take to reduce our risk of several types of cancer by about one-third. There's nothing new or earth-shattering here, just common sense recommendations that many people already know:

1. Stay as lean as possible within a healthy weight range
2. Get some type of physical activity every day
3. Limit foods and drinks high in calories (from fat and sugar)
4. Choose mostly plant-based foods: grains, fruit, vegetables, legumes
5. Avoid red meat and processed meats
6. Limit alcohol
7. Limit salt, salty foods and moldy grains and legumes (not that we purposefully eat moldy foods, right?)
8. Avoid supplements because there isn't good research to prove their benefit, and some can actually be harmful
9. Women should breastfeed their children whenever possible
10. If you have cancer, follow your physician's recommendations

The entire report is at http://www.dietandcancerreport.org/

Look at the list of 10 cancer-preventing steps. Put an "x" on the ones you already do consistently, and pat yourself on the back for practicing healthy behaviors. Circle the ones you don't do, or have trouble following consistently. Then pick just one recommendation to work on. Think about what you'd ultimately like to achieve, and figure out how you're going to get there.

For example, let's say you pick #3 to start with, and that you specifically want to drink less coffee with sugar, cream and flavorings. For the next week, keep a written list of the time and location when you drink coffee, as well as the amount of coffee you drink each time. Then look up the calories in your favorite coffee using www.starbucks.com as a guide (even if you don't drink Starbucks coffee, they have great nutrition info that's applicable to other coffees). Once you know exactly how you use coffee, set a goal to drink less. Perhaps you'll purchase a smaller cup of coffee , or you'll use a smaller coffee mug at work. Maybe you'll decide to switch to a coffee that contains less sugar and flavorings. Or you could even decide to drink something else instead of coffee, perhaps water or plain green tea. The choice is up to you, but make sure you write down exactly what you want to accomplish and how you're going to go about meeting this goal.

At the end of the week, review what steps worked well for you and where you had trouble. Figure out how to get around any obstacles, and set another goal for the next week. Keep setting goals and reviewing them until you reach the place you want to be. Take a week to congratulate yourself on making a positive change, then go back to your original list and choose something else to work on.

It's wonderful that we live in a time and place where we have so many choices available to us. How are you going to make those choices?

Vermont Women's Expo in Rutland

2007-10-30T21:05:00.000-04:00

I'm going to participate in the Vermont Women's Expo in Rutland on November 17th. What's a women's expo, you ask? It's a day-long event designed to cover various areas women are interested in: health, fitness, beauty, finances, stress management, etc.

I'll have a booth talking about Real Living Nutrition Services Balance program, the online weight loss program that you can access at home from your computer at any time that works for you! Check it out at www.reallivingnutrition.com/LynnGrieger.aspx

I'm also presenting a seminar about the top 10 diet mistakes and how to avoid them. Plus I'll have some food samples to give away, great information on healthy eating, and a few surprises!

Go to www.vermontwomensexpo.com to download the schedule of events and a coupon for reduced admission. Don't forget to stop by and say hi when you're there, sign up for a free email newsletter from the Balance program, and register to win a free 8-week Balance program!

October challenge: the marathon

2007-10-29T19:58:00.000-04:00

I set a goal to accomplish one physical challenge each month starting in June 2007 when I turned 49 and ending in June 2008 when I'll turn 50 as a way of celebrating this milestone birthday.

In June I participated in the Green Mountain Relay, running 3 legs of a 200-mile relay on a team of 12 people. July was the 5K trail race in Rutland, Vermont. In August I did an Olympic distance triathlon (.9 mile swim, 28 mile bike and 10K run) at Lake Dunmore. September saw me riding a very wet and cold bike century around Saratoga, NY. Yesterday I ran the Cape Cod marathon in Falmouth, MA on a beautiful day: temperatures in the 50's with day-long sunshine. The only downside was gusty winds, but even they really weren't a factor due to the tree-lined course.

I trained for this marathon with Leigh Ann, who was running her first marathon. She got the long-distance running bug training for our Maple Lead Half-Marathon, and decided to keep on training for the Cape Cod race. We ran together for about 6 miles, then she took off when the course got hilly at the 17th mile and finished 3 minutes ahead of me. Way to go Leigh Ann! When it came to the hills, she said we should just put our heads down and keep on running - and that's what she did.

I also saw Rosemary Rusin, a local runner, who was competing in her 22nd Cape Cod Marathon and her 100th marathon overall! Rosemary is always a strong runner and finished in 4 hours and 40 minutes.

I like to set three goals for every race: a hard to reach goal (4:22 in this case), a moderate goal (4:30) and a last-chance goal (cross the finish line standing). I made my moderate goal, finishing in 4:28 and change. It feels great just to cross the finish line, even better to get a bottle of cold water from one of the friendly volunteers, and absolutely wonderful when I meet my husband at the end of the finisher's chute and get a big hug.

I don't have a specific goal set yet until April, when I plan on running a half-marathon in Valparaiso, IN, my hometown. I'd like to run a snowshoe race, maybe a citizen's "race" on cross-country skis, and something with each of my sisters in their states (Michigan and Texas). I'd better start planning!

What snacks do you crave?

2007-10-26T12:40:00.000-04:00

For some reason, I've been having alternate cravings for salty or chocolate foods lately. I don't like them combined - I'll pass on chocolate-covered pretzels any day - but separately they're on my top list of tastes to choose.

What to eat that isn't packed with saturated fat or calories? The salty part is easy: I really like V8 juice, and Triscuits thin crackers are one of my favorites. I even like salted green pepper strips! I'm having more trouble with chocolate, probably because our exchange student brought us a bunch of fabulous Ritter Sport chocolate, and once you've had the good stuff, you're hooked!

Then I remembered the Snack Swapper I created for iVillage.com/diet at http://diet.ivillage.com/snackswapper/0,,7k7xsw71,00.html You select the food you crave, such as chocolate, click on "go" and the results pop up on the screen. In this case, my suggestion is to eat small amounts of dark chocolate, which is higher in healthful antioxidants. OK, the Ritter Sport Bitter gets a thumbs up, as long as I make sure I savor just one piece.

Check out the Snack Swapper to find out healthier alternatives to some of your secret snack cravings. Then enjoy!

Feed your muscles

2007-10-24T19:31:00.000-04:00

Everybody knows that bodybuilders and weight lifters need protein to build their muscles, right? But what about the rest of us?

The fact is, all of us need protein to keep our muscles strong and healthy. We lose muscle mass as we age, which makes it harder to carry groceries into the house, get up out of a chair, walk up the stairs, or walk through the park.

If you want to know more, check out my article at http://www.todaysdietandnutrition.com/sept07exclusivestrength.shtml

Today's Diet & Nutrition is a great magazine full of practical, helpful tips on a wide variety of health issues. Be sure to look for it!

Running in new places

2007-10-23T08:54:00.001-04:00

I spent the past few days in Washington, DC, with my sister who was receiving the National Distinguished Principal award for elementary schools in Texas. Whenever we travel, we manage to fit in runs and walks through the city, both as a way to explore the area and also to whip the cobwebs out of our brains after a day of meetings and sitting.

Two mornings we ran before 7:30 am through the streets of DC. We started running past the White House, which is peaceful and quiet early in the morning. No busloads of tourists or school groups are out at this time, and we had the view to ourselves - and the bike police. We ran past the Red Cross building and down the Mall toward the Washington Monument. The first morning we ran to the Korean and Viet Nam memorials, where we slowed to a walk to remember the men and women who served in those conflicts. The second morning we headed up to the Lincoln Memorial, where we walked up the steps. Alone with the two national park police who were getting ready for the day, we silently read the Gettysburg Address and walked around the quiet memorial.

Both mornings we continued on toward the WWII memorial, again slowing to a walk as we slowly circuled the fountains. Then it was on toward our hotel, fresh fruit, and bagels.

Saturday was wide open, so we started by taking the bus to Georgetown so we could run on the old C and O canal towpath. What a treat! The crushed stone path felt great on my legs after running on sidewalks in DC. The Fall colors were beautiful, and we could often see the Potomac through the trees. It was a peaceful alternative to running in the city, even when we had to squeeze past a couple of donkeys pulling an old-time barge loaded with tourists along the canal!

The next time you head to a new city, or on vacation, or maybe just to visit relatives or friends make sure to take advantage of the running, walking, and biking opportunities. Sometimes, like in DC, we just head out with only a vague idea of where we're going. Other times we have a route planned. Either way, you'll meet friendly people, see parts of the area you otherwise would have missed, and get an entirely different perspective on the area.

Enjoy!

Anti-wrinkle nutrition?

2007-10-15T14:44:00.000-04:00

I just read a research summary where after examining the diets of 4,025 women aged 40-74 years, the authors conclude that higher intakes of vitamin C and linoleic acid and lower intakes of fats and carbohydrates ("Dietary nutrient intakes and skin-aging appearance among middle-aged American women," Cosgrove MC, Mayes AE, et al, Am J Clin Nutr, 2007; 86(4): 1225-31. ) decreases your risk of developing wrinkles and dry skin as you age.

I don't know any woman who isn't interested in potentially decreasing her risk of developing wrinkles, or slowing down the inevitable spread of wrinkles once they appear. Everybody knows that grapefruit and oranges provide vitamin C, but papaya, red bell pepper, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and strawberries all have MORE vitamin C than citrus fruit! Other foods high in vitamin C include canteloupe, kiwi, and kale.

Linoleic acid is an unsaturated omega-6 fatty acid found in safflower, walnut, olive, and sunflower oils; as well as soybeans, egg yolks, and spirulina. If all of these foods are fats, then how could the researchers have concluded that eating more linoleic acid, but less total fat, decreases wrinkles? It al depends on the type of fat we consume, and for the majority of Americans, fat comes from fried foods, fast foods, and crispy snacks like cookies, crackers, and chips. Add in fat from dairy products and baked goods, and you get the drift.

Here's an idea: instead of eating high-fat fried foods and snacks, replace them with foods high in vitamin C such as papaya, strwberries, and broccoli. Use small smounts of safflower, olive, and sunflower oils to get linoleic acid.

Finally, the researchers noted that eating more carbohydrate increases wrinkles. My guess is that the type of carbohydrate is crucial. After all, fruit and vegetables are high in carbohydrate, and nobody recommends eating less of these healthy foods, do they? I bet my money on refined carbohdyrates, especially sugar and highly processed foods such as cookies, chips, and many crackers (did you note that these are also high in fat?) are the wrinkle-promoting carbohydrates.

So here's my plan: I'm going to eat at least two servings of foods high in vitamin C every day. I already use olive or safflower oil in cooking, and rarely eat high-fat snack foods. I DO purchase, or make homemade, cookies often for my teenage boys. Instead of grabbing a cookie, I'm first going to eat a fruit or vegetable high in vitamin C. I probably won't be hungry for a cookie after that, right?

Now, where's my sunscreen?

Cooking with my exchange student

2007-10-11T20:10:00.000-04:00

We're hosting a German exchange student, Lena, for two weeks. In June, my youngest son, Nate, will stay with her family near Stuttgart for two weeks. I lived in Germany three different times: one summer as a high school exchange student in Bruehl; another summer in college studying German in Rotenburg ob der Tauber; and for three years stationed in Augsburg when I was in the Army. I learned a lot about German food during my time there, and even have a German cookbook that I frequently use.

Last night Lena and another German exchange student, Caro, made Kaesespaetzle for us as part of our dinner. Kaese is cheese, and spaetzle are a specific shape of egg noodle common in Germany. We had great fun translating ingredients (Speck is bacon; Zwiebeln are onions) while cooking. Even better was the final result: a hit with everyone.

We're extremely lucky here in the US to have access to a wide variety of ethnic foods. But having the opportunity to cook with folks from another country and learn how they make a popular recipe is priceless. Lena and I picked out an entire German meal we're going to cook together on Sunday. Stay tuned for the results!

Who should run a marathon?

2007-10-10T10:03:00.000-04:00

The Chicago marathon ran into trouble this past Sunday with temperatures in the high 80's along with high humidity. I grew up near Chicago, and know what it's like to try and run through weather that feels like hot soup.

Of the 45,000 runners registered for the Chicago marathon, about 10,000 didn't even show up to run, probably because of the heat. Another 10,000 didn't finish, in part because the race organizers closed the course after 3 1/2 hours due to shortages of water and Gatorade.

I ran the Chicago marathon in 1999, when the temperature never got above 40 degrees. But I've also run a marathon in Phoenix (high temps but low humidity) and Burlington, Vermont (you'd think it would be cool, but the temperature was in the high 80's along with high humidity). It's not as much fun running in hot weather, but it's certainly doable.

If:

If you've trained in hot weather.
If you're adequately hydrated at the start of the marathon.
If you pace yourself. 26.2 miles is a long way.
If you drink regularly throughout the race, using primarily sports beverages.
If you're dressed appropriately. Tights are NOT suggested in the heat.

Some bloggers are demanding qualifying times for all marathons, supposedly to prevent problems with the heat. I don't buy it. Not everyone can, or should, run a marathon. But if you put in the prep time, learn how your body reacts in various weather conditions, and take the advice of the race directors you can certainly set a goal to run and finish a marathon. There is always the potential for injury, and not just due to the heat: you could slip on a tossed water cup and break your leg; you could trip over a hole in the street and break your arm; you could have a heart attack while running.

Life is full of risk. That doesn't mean we shouldn't be prepared for the possibility of risk, but it also doesn't mean that we should avoid all risky situations. If you see a marathon in your future, go for your goal.

Wine or grape juice?

2007-10-03T15:47:00.000-04:00

My husband and I used to own a retail winery. As soon as the research known as the French Paradox hit the newstands, people started flocking in looking for red wine to help reduce their risk of heart disease. It didn't matter if they didn't like wine, or never drank wine - they were going to start drinking it to improve their health.

Now research is showing that it's not the alcohol in the wine that is protective, but rather the ability of the grapes to make arteries more flexible and pliable, which helps support healthy levels of blood pressure.

Add to that research that shows that drinking even small amounts of alcohol can increase the risk of breast cancer in susceptible women, and it makes you think: should I drink wine, or just enjoy a glass of grape juice?

I'm voting for the grape juice. Choose 100% juice with no added sugar, and drink 4 ounces, about the size of a small juice glass, once or twice each day. Red grape juice appears to be healthier than white at this point. Remember that juice contains about 60 calories per half-cup, so reduce your calorie intake from other foods, or take an extra 1.5 mile walk each day to avoid gaining weight.

Can the President helpy you lose weight?

2007-10-01T14:00:00.000-04:00

I read several headlines over the past couple of days trumpeting how the presidential candidates are declaring they'll fight the obesity epidemic. Sounds good, but will it help?

How many people really think that what the President, or presidential candidates, say about obesity makes a difference?

So what if insurance reimburses for weight loss programs. I doubt it will make a difference. Saying we can't afford a weight loss program is just another in a long line of excuses we create as a self-defense mechanism. We can't exercise because we can't afford a gym membership. We can't eat healthy because our kids demand cookies and chips. You know the mantra.

Here's my take: losing weight comes down to each one of us. If we decide we're going to lose weight, then it happens. Once we decide that we really can make different food choices, or that food doesn't have to be the answer to solve our problems, or that regular activity is positive rather than negative, we're on the road to weight loss. Having support and encouragement along the way is certainly helpful, but not required.

I'm going to ignore whatever government officials have to say about obesity. If they want to talk about developing walking paths, or adding safe bike trails, or helping organize intramural sports for fun after school, I'm all over that. But when they start saying that they can stem the tide against gaining weight, I won't listen. I know it comes down to each of us taking a stand in our own lives.

self esteem

2007-09-29T17:57:00.001-04:00

How many times have you told yourself that you'll take a vacation, buy a new outfit, get your hair done, etc... - AFTER you lose some weight? Why do we withhold these pleasures from ourselves until we reach some ideal weight?

It's partly because the media bombards us with images of perfect people, making us think that we can reinvent ourselves to look just like them. And if we look like these perfect people, then it makes sense that our life will be perfect, right?

Wrong. Who we are inside is much more important than what we look like on the outside. Instead of focusing on our "problem areas", or weaknesses, why not put your attention and energy into areas where you shine and succeed? Robert Frost said: "Something we were withholding made us weak, until we found it was ourselves."

What are you doing to make you weaker, and how can you turn that around to feel more positive, energetic, and in control?

The Veggie Queen

2007-09-26T19:06:00.000-04:00

Isn't that a great title for a book? I just finished skimming through Jill Nussinow's "The Veggie Queen", and it's already one of my favorites. More than a cookbook using seasonal vegetables, Nussinow includes nuggets of nutrition information, stories about her past adventures with foods, and suggestions on hunting down the freshest, most delicious vegetables. Plus, she does it all with style and flair. This is a cookbook you can actually sit down and read.

The reality is that most of us don't eat enough veggies. Many of us state emphatically that we dislike ALL vegetables. Some of us can't correctly identify anything more exotic than a carrot.

At the same time, we all know that eating vegetables is good for us: it protects our heart, decreases risk of some types of cancers, keeps our digestive systems moving along, and provides a wide range of healthful antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. All for just about the lowest amount of calories you'll find in foods.

So why don't we jump up and demand more vegetables? Blame it on marketing, a childhood dislike of mushy vegetables, and ignorance. Nussinow is out to correct all of these problems with her book.

If you've been thinking that you'd like to eat more vegetables, but don't really know how to get started, check out "The Veggie Queen". Plus, take a look at Nussinow's website http://www.theveggiequeen.com/ for recipes, a newsletter, and even more fun tips.

Planning for success

2007-09-24T08:43:00.000-04:00

I came across this quote just a few minutes ago as I downloaded my email:

"The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare." Juma Ikangaa, world-class marathon runner from Tanzania.

I'm not a world-class marathon runner, and probably you aren't either. But Ikangaa's words apply to each of our daily lives:

- we won't succeed in our work unless we prepare ourselves through education
- we won't meet our health goals unless we think about the necessary changes we need to make in our eating habits and exercise, and then take steps to make those changes a reality
- we won't make it out the door in the morning ready to face the day unless we plan the night before to get everything ready and organized
- we won't complete a 5K, 10K, half-marathon, marathon, or other athletic event without consistent planning and training

I often hear people tell me that they want to make changes in their eating habits, or they want to begin an exercise program, or they want to get more sleep each night. The question really is: what are you willing to do to prepare for these goals, to actually make them happen?

Great words for a Monday morning, don't you think?

Productivity

2007-09-22T09:43:00.001-04:00

I'm spending a few minutes (OK, a few HOURS more likely) on this Saturday morning cleaning up my email in and out boxes. It seems like this task is routinely delegated to the bottom of the pile during the week, then on weekends I play catch-up.

Many of my fellow dietitians include quotes in their signatures. One in particular I read today caught my eye:

Make Today More Productive Than Yesterday

Just how can we make today more productive? Some ideas:
- focus on the task at hand instead of multitasking
- create a to-do list, then prioritize that list and work through it in order of importance
- use a timer to set aside a set period of time to focus on one task
- take planned breaks to clear your mind
- fuel our body and brain with healthy foods
- include a reward for completing tasks

I really like the positive tone of the quote. It doesn't say that yesterday was completely unproductive, just that today will be an improvement. It doesn't dwell on past mistakes, such as saying I can never get anything done, or I'm always behind in deadlines. We can take just one step forward, and feel good about making that progress.

What will YOU do today to make it productive?

Blue foods

2007-09-21T09:50:00.000-04:00

How many blue-colored foods can you name?

I bet the first one that came to mind was blueberries, right? I grew up picking blueberries (and eating at least as many that went into the bucket) with my family in northwest Indiana, and I've continued the tradition with my boys here in Vermont. Of course blueberries are scrumptious in pies, muffins, and pancakes, but did you know that they're also a nutrition powerhouse?

The blue color in blueberrries gives them one of the highest antioxidant scores of any food. That means that blueberries can help inhibit inflammation which may be implicated in heart disease and Alzheimer's disease. The antioxidants in blueberries also help prevent urinary tract infections similiar to cranberries, and may help reduce risk of some types of cancer.

Along with high antioxidant activity, blueberries are a good source of vitamin C and fiber. 1 cup of fresh blueberries provides almost 1/4 of your daily fiber needs - and in only 80 calories!

I prefer fresh-picked, local blueberries but always keep a bag of frozen blueberries in my freezer. They're perfect added to yogurt smoothies, and you never know when you might have a craving for a blueberry muffin!

Heirloom foods

2007-09-18T20:55:00.000-04:00

We had a discussion the other night about heirloom foods. While enjoying dinner at The Perfect Wife in Manchester, VT, we noticed that several items on the menu included the term "heirloom". There were heirloom tomatoes, potatoes, and squash available. Just what is an heirloom food, my family wondered.

The Seed Savers Exchange organization at www.seedsavers.org is credited with starting the heirloom foods movement in 1975. SSE defines an heirloom as any garden plant that has a history of being passed down within a family, just like pieces of heirloom jewelry or furniture. Heirloom foods represent a wider range of genetic diversity compared to the industrial-grown foods we've become familiar with. Greater genetic diversity means better resistance to disease, as well as a greater variety in flavor.

So today while I was shopping at one of our local farm markets, I purchased a couple of each of the five heirloom varieties of apples available as well as three different heirloom tomatoes. They don't look as uniformly beautiful as other produce, but the taste is out of this world.

Check out Seed Savers, or better yet, ask about heirloom varieties at your local farmers' market. Your taste buds will thank you.

Healthy foods for kids

2007-09-14T17:35:00.001-04:00

Have you heard about the Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative? It's a voluntary self-regulation program consisting of many of the top children's food and beverage producers, including: Burger King Corp.; Cadbury Adams, USA, LLC; Campbell Soup Company, The Coca-Cola Company, General Mills, Inc.; The Hershey Company, Kellogg Company, Kraft Foods Inc.; Mars, Inc.; McDonald's USA, PepsiCo, Inc. and Unilever United States. It is estimated that these companies accounted for more than two-thirds of children's food and beverage television advertising expenditures in 2004.

You can read the specifics of the company pledges at: http://www.cbbb.org/initiative/pledges.asp For example, Burger King pledges that by the end of 2008 advertising directed primarily to children under 12 will be for Kids Meals that meet the following nutrition criteria:
- No more than 560 calories per meal
- Less than 30 percent of calories from fat
- Less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fat
- No added trans fats
- No more than 10 percent of calories from added sugars

Other companies have similar pledges designed to make consumers feel better about feeding their children at fast food restaurants. Children's meals that come with milk and applesauce instead of soda and french fries is definitely a step in the right direction. Of course, it's even better to serve home-cooked meals that include vegetables as well as fruit, but in today's busy lifestyle fast food is a fact of life for many families.

What do you think about this initiative? Do you think it will help reduce childhood obesity and encourage our kids to choose healthier foods, or is it just an advertising gimmick?

Do you know how many calories you eat?

2007-09-11T19:07:00.000-04:00

NYC made the news recently when it decided that certain restaurants would be required to post nutrition info, including calorie content, on their foods. The theory is that if we only knew the Big Mac and large fries we crave contain 1110 calories, we would order a hamburger and small fries, at only 500 calories, instead.

I doubt the calorie content makes much difference to the vast majority of people.

Everybody knows that fast food, fried foods, sugary foods, and snack foods are high in calories. We all know that the bigger the burger the higher the calories. Ask anyone, and they'll tell you that a piece of fruit has fewer calories than even a small order of fries.

Nutrition information is on every package of food we purchase, yet that doesn't stop most people from eating far more calories than they need. If we truly want to stem the tide of obesity, it will take more than information labels.

- We need to put more advertising dollars into healthy foods, and less into junk food.
- The government should subsidize the cost of healthy foods like fruit and vegetables instead of the components in high calorie foods like sugar and fat.
- Employees need more than a 15 minute lunch break.
- Every town and community should have sidewalks and bike paths in areas where people actually want to go.

I bet each of you reading this can add one or two items to this list, and we'd get more results than simply posting calorie information.

Finishing last

2007-09-10T18:32:00.000-04:00

I rode a century bike ride yesterday. A century ride is 100 miles long, give or take a couple of miles. This was my second century; last year I rode the one in Hampton Beach, NH, put on by the New Hampshire Wheelmen cycling club. This year I rode in the Hudson-Mohawk cycling club's century in Saratoga Springs, NY.

I knew I was in trouble when all 12 of us lined up for the 8am start. I'm not especially fast on my bike, averaging 14-15 mph and the other riders all looked extremely fit. Three of them also rode the same century the day before, and were looking forward to another 100 miles. The pack started out with me at the end, and that's where I stayed.

I'm not used to finishing last. In big running races my goal is to finish in the top 50% of my age group. In small races there are always a few few folks behind me. At first, I was a bit angry to be dead last. Then I thought about the fact that someone always has to be last, right? Why not me? I didn't get lost (thanks to the cycling club who had the course extremely well-marked) and I kept up with my goal pace.

I felt sorry for the rest-stop volunteers who waited for me with a smile and kind words. Every once in a while I'd catch up with some of the other riders (or perhaps they were waiting for me) and after about 40 miles, everybody knew me as "the lady from Vermont". Everyone was extremely friendly, and no one chided me for being slow. No one suggested I drop out. I thought about dropping out when the rain changed from a drizzle to a downpour and I could barely see the road, but then I was in the middle of nowhere and figured the best way to get back was to keep following the blaze-orange arrows on the road.

The reality is that in races, as in much of life, someone is first and gets a lot of glory and fame. There are a bunch of people in the middle who perhaps set personal goals, run or ride with friends, and have a great time. There is always someone last. Last in your high school graduating class. Last to be chosen for the grade school kick-ball game at recess. Last to be promoted at work. Last in the century ride.

But even the last person finished. Set a goal and met it. Didn't give up or quit. Kept going even when they couldn't see anyone else in front of them. And of course had some help along the way from volunteers, friends, and family.

Last isn't so bad after all!

Maple Leaf Half-Marathon and 5K

2007-09-08T17:25:00.000-04:00

We did it! A group consisting of the Manchester Lion's Club, the Manchester and the Mountains Chamber of Commerce, BattenKill Valley Runners, and Stratton Mountain pulled off the new and invigorated Maple Leaf Half-Marathon road race, and added a 5K to it just for fun.

It's been two long days of set up, helping out with registration, answering questions, and working the finish line. In fact, I'm just as tired as if I had run the race myself! Actually, I DID run the course yesterday morning before we started putting up tents for the race, just to see how the roads and walking path looked to make sure we hadn't missed anything.

It was hot and humid today, and the runners for the half-marathon really felt the hills. But these folks just don't give up. They may walk up the steep parts or run a little slower on some sections, but they keep putting one foot in front of the other all the way to the finish.

The numerous volunteers also put in a huge effort, plus everyone was a lot of fun to work with. These folks not only know how to organize a quality event, they have a great time doing it.

If you're looking for a challenging half-marathon in a gorgeous part of the country (southwestern Vermont), put the Maple Leaf Half-Marathon on your schedule for next year! The website is http://www.manchestervtmapleleaf.com/ and it's held the first Saturday after Labor Day. See you there next year!

What the heck is a localvore?

2007-09-07T20:10:00.001-04:00

Omnivores are people who eat meat and plants.
Herbivores are people who eat only plants.

What are localvores?

According to the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) of Vermont, localvores are:
" people committed to eating and learning about foods grown close to home.". Most localvores commit to eating foods grown and produced within 100 miles of their home. Many grow a large portion of their foods themselves. The idea is that if we eat more food grown close to where we live, less fuel is needed to transport the food which not only cuts down on fuel costs, it's also better for the environment.

If you're interested in more info on this topic, check out: http://www.nofavt.org/localvore_articles_list.php

My local area is sponsoring a 7-day localvore challenge later this month, asking people to commit to eating only foods grown and produced within a 100 mile radius for those 7 days. They're starting with a potluck dinner this Sunday evening, and I plan to attend. I strongly support farmer's markets as a way to encourage the local farming economy and enjoy absolutely fresh foods.

I'll post more about the pot luck and the challenge itself later this month. Meanwhile, here's a challenge for everyone reading this post: find out about localvore groups in YOUR area, or even start one yourself!

A caffeine buzz

2007-09-05T09:23:00.000-04:00

How often do you reach for a beverage containing caffeine for "an energy boost"? Do you feel like you just can't start the day, or get through the afternoon, without some caffeine?

You're not alone. Yet how much caffeine are you really getting? Unlike reading nutrition labels for info on fat, sugar, sodium, or fiber content of foods and beverages, caffeine content isn't required. Some companies include caffeine content on labels because they view it as good customer relations, but until it's a requirement it won't be readily available on all foods and beverages.

Check out this article for more on caffeine: http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5ipTIpYd5zagDbEhiNgeSFEZVbCQw

Helping kids maintain a healthy weight

2007-09-03T19:49:00.001-04:00

If you're a parent, or if you plan on being a parent, read this article: http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/2007/08/31/how-to-win-the-weight-battle.html?PageNr=1

It's full of helpful information on what to do to help kids maintain a healthy weight: set a positive example, develop healthy family habits, don't talk about weight issues, help kids learn that their self-worth is more than their outward appearance, etc.

Several of my clients have taken these ideas to heart, and are making great progress in helping their kids learn healthier eating and activity habits. The results apply to everyone in the family, kids and parents alike. Setting limits for after school snacks for the kids means that the adults also choose healthier snacks. Wanting your kids to eat more fruit for desserts means the entire family enjoys fruit more often. Incorporating non-food activities into family time, such as taking a walk, throwing a frisbee, or playing board games keeps everybody occupied and reinforces the idea that eating is not a hobby.

If all parents would read this article and make only one or two changes in their families lives, we'd go a long way toward helping our kids maintain a healthy weight, which translates into a longer, healthier life.

Terminology

2007-09-02T20:02:00.000-04:00

How often do you say "I"ll try to....." or "I should......."? Maybe you think to yourself "I'll try to eat breakfast" or "I'll try to take a walk after dinner". Or perhaps you told a friend "I should really start exercising" or "I should eat more fruit".

It's time to learn new terminology. Trying to do something means that we think we're going to fail. If we were really confident, we'd say "I WILL.....". I WILL eat breakfast tomorrow or I WILL take walk after dinner is more powerful and convincing, even when we say it to ourselves. Whenever a client tells me that they will try to do something, I ask them to break it down into steps that they WILL do. It may take a few days or weeks before they get to their final endpoint, but in the meantime they're making progress and doing something positive.

We use the word "should" when we're not convinced that taking a certain path is really the best course of action. Of course we know lots of things we should do: clean the bathroom, water the plants, call a friend. But we won't actually do these things until we want to do them. Replace should with want: I want to begin an exercise plan. I want to eat more fruit. Then figure out exactly how you're going to follow through with these plans.

Every time you catch yourself using the word try, replace it with will.

Every time you say the word should, replace it with want.

You'll take control over your actions and make progress on activities that are meaningful to you.

Time management and the bike

2007-08-31T19:30:00.000-04:00

Do you have time to exercise?

That may sound like a loaded question, because most of us are time-crunched. But we have time to work, time to do the laundry (but maybe not fold it right away), time to spend with our friends and family. Why not add exercise to that list?

My husband accuses me of developing my work schedule around my exercise plans, and he's right - to a point. If I know I need to do a 70 or 80 mile bike ride to prepare for the bike century coming up, I definitely schedule it into my day because it will take at least 5 hours to do this. When I was training for the triathlon, I scheduled in swimming because the pool was only open for adult lap swim from noon to 1pm Monday through Friday. But if I want to lift weights one day, or go for a short run or bike ride, I usually don't enter it into my PDA.

Today was one of those flexible days. I had some free time in the morning after the kids left for school, so I went to the gym and lifted weights. It looked like rain most of the morning, but the forecast said it would clear up without showers. When my youngest son called to tell me he needed to be picked up 30 minutes later than planned, a bike ride option opened up. I packed my rain jacket and took off for a lovely 22 mile ride.

OK, so I didn't get the bathrooms cleaned. My husband did those. I'm finishing up my computer work after dinner instead of getting everything done before dinner. But the weight lifting and bike ride are worth the trade off because I feel so much better whenever I exercise.

How can you schedule - or fit in - exercise into your day?

Should you eat before a workout?

2007-08-30T21:42:00.000-04:00

I get this question all the time: I exercise first thing in the morning - should I eat something first?

The answer is YES. By the time morning rolls around, your body has used up all the readily available energy keeping itself running while you sleep. Rev up your engine by eating something small and quickly digested so that you have more energy to put into your workout. If you routinely feel sluggish or tired during morning workouts, try eating first.

Check out my article here: http://diet.ivillage.com/issues/itimingmeal/0,,q41l,00.html for more information and suggestions.

Tomato season!

2007-08-29T10:55:00.000-04:00

I stopped by our local market yesterday, and was amazed at all the tomatoes. There were tomatoes everywhere: small boxes of cherry tomatoes, tables heaped with golden tomatoes, more tables with "field tomatoes" (the kind that don't look as pretty, but make wonderful sauce or juice), and baskets of plum tomatoes.

I grew up eating tomato sandwiches for lunch, helping my grandmother pick ripe tomatoes from her garden (and eating them straight from the garden), canning tomatoes with my grandmother, freezing tomatoes with my mom (never a fan of the long, hot canning process, she favored freezing), and teaching my children to pick and eat cherry tomatoes when they were little. Can you tell I love tomatoes?

Tomatoes are one of the best sources of lycopene, a phytochemical that helps prevent prostate and other types of cancer, and may even help prevent hardening of the arteries. Did you know that tomatoes are also high in vitamin C? Tomatoes, like all vegetables, are also good sources of fiber.

August is prime tomato month in my area. Sure, tomatoes are available in grocery stores year round, but they just don't taste as wonderful as just-picked tomatoes. Do your taste buds a favor, and enoy fresh tomatoes this month!

Diet advice

2007-08-28T17:12:00.001-04:00

I really like the sensible advice and suggestions on losing weight in this article: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-08-27-diet-book-advice_N.htm

I'll add one of my own: make changes in your eating and activity habits that you expect to continue - forever. All too often we go on a diet, or join a gym, never expecting to continue these habits after we've lost weight.

And then we gain back all the weight we lost when we stop those habits.

Whatever you do to lose weight you'll need to continue to do to keep the weight off. Long-term weight loss is difficult because we tend to focus only on reaching our weight goal, then all bets are off. People who keep off the weight stick with their healthy habits and make them part of their life.

How many calories do I eat each day?

2007-08-27T20:02:00.001-04:00

If you ever wonder just how many calories you consume each day, you're not alone. If you estimate your calorie intake, you're probably off by at least 20-30% - meaning that you assume you eat 20-30% LESS than you really do.

If you really want to know how many calories you're eating, or grams of protein, or milligrams of calcium, or info about just about any other nutrient, check out www.fitday.com You can log in your daily food intake, and the free website calculates your nutrient intake.

Knowing more specifically what we're eating can help us decide where to make changes to improve our overall eating habits. Keeping an online food record is easy to use, and you can compare changes over time.

Give it a try!

Lunchables: health food or junk food?

2007-08-26T20:53:00.000-04:00

I never let my boys purchase Lunchables, or any other packaged meal aimed at kids. My reasons were three-fold: low nutritional value, too much packaging which is bad for the environment, and high cost.

Now I find out that Lunchables is trying to make their foods healthier with a Sensible Solutions option. These foods have an upper caloric limit range of 250-600 calories, no more than 30% of calories from fat, and no more than 10% of calories from saturated fat plus trans fat; and no more than 480-960 mg sodium. The threshold for sodium criteria in Sensible Solution varieties of Lunchables will continue to decline by more than 10 percent over the next two years. For more info, check out their website at www.lunchablesmom.com

Does this make them healthy? It's definitely moving in the right direction, but we still have the problems of lots of packaging which is bad for the environment and high cost. I much prefer that kids - and grown ups as well - eat more foods that are less packaged. Packaging means processing, and processing means decreased amounts of nutrients and more sodium.

I won't call these products health foods, but if you're going to buy packaged foods for your kids, they're better than many other choices. But why not set some rules and limits and ban these packaged foods completely? As one of my very wise colleagues likes to say: You don't let your kids play in the street, right? So why let them eat food that we know is bad for them? It's just as risky.

Real Living Nutrition Services

2007-08-23T13:57:00.001-04:00

I just started working with Real Living Nutrition Services which provides online weight management programs. Check it out at http://www.reallivingnutrition.com/LynnGrieger.aspx and you can read more about me as well as the programs they offer.

Website based nutrition, fitness, and coaching programs aren't the future: they're here! They offer in-home convenience, lower cost, high-quality programs, and flexibility to people who use them. In fact, research has shown that web-based programs are just as effective as face-to-face consulting. Plus, you can get more frequent feedback via email and online chat rooms or message boards that are available with many of these programs.

I look at web-based consulting as a win-win for everyone. I get to work in my sweats without having a set time schedule, so I can talk with my kids whenever they happen to be around, take advantage of a beautiful day and head out on my bike, or just spend a few extra minutes during the day reading. My clients have the opportunity to work with me no matter where they live, they don't have to pay high gasoline prices to "talk" with me, and they definitely see progress on their eating and fitness goals. Everybody wins!

Virus causes obesity?

2007-08-22T08:49:00.000-04:00

Even though scientists continue to tell us that what makes us gain weight is simple math - we eat more calories than we expend - researchers continue to look for other potential causes of obesity. Now there's new evidence that a simple virus, one that often causes colds or pinkeye, may be implicated in obesity for some people. Check out the article at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/20/AR2007082001350.html

It seems that this virus may change human stem cells into fat cells, and the more fat cells we have, the more we weigh. In one study, 30% of obese people had antibodies to this virus, meaning they've been exposed to it in the past.

So what about the other 70% of overweight people? What makes them overweight?

It's clear that we don't have a good handle on either the causes of obesity (except for eating too much and moving too little) or the treatment of obesity. Prevention seems to work best, but our society isn't really big on preventing diseases - we want treatment, and we want it quick.

This latest study doesn't provide any hard answers. It only muddies the waters, adding yet one more possible reason for obesity to the mix. It may be years before scientists unravel the mystery completely. Until then, our best defense is to prevent obesity by encouraging an active lifestyle and healthy eating habits.

I think I'll go eat some cucumbers.

Portion size

2007-08-20T17:08:00.000-04:00

This article about trans fat content in foods http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Diet-Trans-Fat-Labels.html brings up an important point: the info on the nutrition facts label is based on one serving.

That one serving is also listed on the label. Sometimes a package may contain two servings, even though we routinely eat the whole thing. For example, I ate a Udon noodle bowl for lunch today, and even though it came in one cereal-size bowl, the label says it serves two. I ate it all (I was hungry!)

Legally, food companies are allowed to round the numbers on the nutrition label. So if a food contains .4g of trans fat, it's allowed to state "zero grams trans fat" on the label. If you eat two servings, you get .8 grams trans fat, but there's no way for the consumer to know this.

You have one important recourse: read the list of ingredients. Anything that contains partially hydrogenated oil is going to contain some amount of trans fats. Avoid these foods as much as possible.

And of course, just eat one serving of everything else (unless it's fresh fruit or veggies)!

Sweet corn: a rite of summer

2007-08-19T13:16:00.000-04:00

I made a beeline at the farmer's market in Dorset today straight to the Sheldon Farm's sweet corn. Sheldon Farms is regarded as the sweet corn in our area, and it's well-deserved. I grew up eating sweet corn grown by my maternal grandfather on his farm in northwest Indiana. This was one of my favorite vegetables, probably at least in part because I didn't have to weed it! Grandpa would bring fresh-picked ears of corn up to the farmhouse in bushel baskets, where Grandma and I (plus any assorted cousins, relatives, or visiting neighbors) would sit outside under the shady maple tree and shuck it. In mid to late August my paternal grandfather would come to our house loaded down with sweet corn from his farm, and help us freeze quart after quart of corn for the winter. The kids would shuck the corn, my mother did the blanching in the boiling water, Grandpa would cut the kernels from the hot ears, and we all would spoon it into quart freezer bags. By the time we were finished there was a sticky layer of sweet corn goo all over the counter tops and ourselves, but we always had enough frozen corn to last until the next summer.

Today I buy my corn from a local farmer, but I still sit outside to do the shucking, sometimes joined by my teenage boys. It always brings back memories of hot, slow summer days back in Indiana.

Some people think that sweet corn is too starchy to be a healthy vegetable, but they're wrong. Sweet corn contains both vitamin A and beta-carotene, which are powerful antioxidants. Sweet corn is also a good source of fiber and folate, which promote a healthy cardiovascular system.

We prefer to enjoy our sweet corn simply boiled, then spread with butter and a touch of salt. I cut the kernels from the cob for my youngest, braces-wearing son, and any leftovers are added to tomato salad for the next day's lunch. Whether the corn is from a family garden or a farmer's market, it's as much a part of summer as cooling off in the local swimming hole and catching fireflies in the backyard.

The Government makes us fat

2007-08-18T16:13:00.001-04:00

Did you know that the U.S. government spends 20 times as much money subsidizing sugar and fats than it does fruit and vegetables?

Or that if every American really DID eat the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables, we would need double the acreage devoted to these types of foods?

According to many health experts, and even Tommy Thompson, the Secretary of Health from 2001-2005, there is a strong disconnect between the government's agriculture and its nutrition policies. The agriculture policies are politically based, and the nutrition policies (like the Food Pyramid) are designed to make us healthier.

If you want to learn more - and be completely shocked about the state of our food supply and our health - check out this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtLFeH0W1x4

Portion size know-how

2007-08-17T21:09:00.000-04:00

If you don't think that portion sizes of foods and beverages have grown over the past few years, check out the slideshow at http://hp2010.nhlbihin.net/portion/

Just about everything we eat or drink is available in larger serving sizes, and of course, most of us eat everything we're served. Fight back by learning about recommended portion sizes of foods at www.mypyramid.gov and then shrinking your usual portions to match these guidelines. You can continue to eat your favorite foods, just less of them!

US Government pushes unhealthy foods

2007-08-16T11:29:00.000-04:00

Believe it or not, the US government is a leading promoter of unhealthy foods, according to a Presidential report on cancer at http://pcp.cancer.gov

In fact, the report clearly states that the US government "must cease being a purveyor of unhealthy foods that lead to disease and increased health care costs." Changing regulations for school lunch and breakfast programs to include more fruits and vegetables is a key recommendation. The report also encourages the government to stop subsidizing programs that end up producing high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, and grain-fed cattle because of their impact on obesity and increased risk of cancer.

I'd love to see the government change rules for Head Start and WIC, programs that are feed millions of at-risk children, to include more healthy foods with less reliance on processed foods.

Makes you stop and think about what you're feeding yourself, and your family, doesn't it?

Watermelon

2007-08-14T15:09:00.000-04:00

Watermelon is finally ripe and ready at my local farmer's market. I bet just about everyone has fond childhood memories of watermelon seed spitting contests.

Watermelon is a great source of nutrition, and not just water! 1 cup diced watermelon gives you 25% of your daily vitamin C needs, and it's also a good source of the antioxidant lycopene that helps protect against cancer (prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, and colorectal).

My dad always used to cut a small plug out of the watermelon to tell if it was ripe before he purchased it. If you don't routinely carry a pocketknife with you, look for watermelon that is heavy for its size.

If you're a smoothie fan, blend chunks of watermelon with a few fresh mint leaves. Good taste just doesn't get any easier!

Triathlon - the day after

2007-08-13T15:38:00.000-04:00

Thank goodness for Tylenol 8 hour! I first used it a few years ago when I ran in the Phoenix Rock 'n Roll marathon where I was part of a study comparing the effectiveness of Tylenol 8 hour in reducing muscle pain and soreness after running the marathon. This stuff works! I started taking it yesterday after the triathlon, and will continue through today.

Other tactics to reduce muscle soreness and recover after a hard event or workout:
- Rehydrate for the next 24 hours. I drank a bunch of water, Gatorade, and V8 right after the race and throughout the evening and into today. V8 is a summertime post-race favorite because I'm craving sodium due to all the sweating.

- Eat every 2-4 hours to fuel recovering muscles. This part is easy! I brought food with me to the triathlon, plus they had bananas and pizza for the racers. We had too-ripe bananas at home, so I made banana bread last night, using a healthy and delcious recipe from http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=549764 Add in some fruit, salad, BBQ chicken, yogurt/fruit smoothie, peanut butter sandwiches and I'm feeling great!

- Stretch. I sat in the shade yesterday after the race, chatting with the other racers and stretching while we listened to the race results and cheered for the winners. At home, I used the stick, a great tool for self-massage of sore muscles. Check it out at http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/HSP003/ It really helps get the kinks out.

- Rest. Yesterday I took it easy after the triathlon. Today is another rest day: no running, biking, swimming, or weight-lifting. Just some more stretching and using the stick. Tomorrow I'll get back into activity with a run and hopefully bike ride.

Feeling great!

Triathlon completed!

2007-08-12T15:12:00.001-04:00

My August challenge is finished! Today I completed the Lake Dunmore Triathlon, which is the Olympic distance of a .9 mile swim, 28 mile bike, and 6K run.

The weather was perfect: not too hot, a few clouds, and a light breeze. I met some helpful and friendly 40- and 50-something women as we were racking our bikes and getting our gear ready before the race began. That's the great thing about triathlons: some people are super-fast and very competitive, but everyone is willing to share suggestions and tips (and tire pumps, if you forget yours!)

The swim was two laps around a line of buoys parallel to the shore in Lake Dunmore, in Brandon, VT. The start of the swim is always hectic, with everyone running into the water and jockeying for position. Even though I'm comfortable in the water and have been swimming for years, it's still a bit nerve-wracking. I used the breaststroke for the first few minutes until everything settled down, then switched off between the crawl (faster) and the breaststroke (I could see where I was going) for the rest of the swim. Piece of cake!

Run to the transition area, where I stripped off my swim cap and goggles, dried my feet and slid on bike socks and shoes, put on my helmet and sunglasses, grabbed part of a Clif bar and water, and headed out on my bike. Again, two laps mostly around Lake Dunmore. I pedaled faster than usual, and passed a few people climbing up the relatively few hills. But then THEY passed ME on the way back down the hills! I guess I need aero bars to make me more aerodynamic.

Back to the transition area where all the bike gear comes off, running socks and shoes go on, plus a hat (both to keep the sun off my face and to hide the horrible hair-do I'm left with after swimming and biking), and my waist belt with water, Accelerade, and Gu. At the start of the run my legs are shaky from biking, and it takes a good 10 minutes to work out the kinks and settle into a regular stride. Thank goodness for shade along the course, because by this time it was getting hot! The water at the water stops was used to douse my head to help cool me off (I drank the water and Accelerade I carried with me). Everyone on the out and back course was friendly and encouraging, with shouts of "Looking great!" and "Almost finished!" from just about everyone.

A final surge through the finish chute, with a time of 3:21:28. Certainly not a very fast time (I came in 5th out of 7 women in the 45-49 age group bracket) but I wasn't last, either. Plus, I had a lot of fun, met great people, and completed my goal.

Check out http://www.vermontsun.com/triathlon.html for more info on the Vermont Sun triathlon series and race results. Maybe next year I'll set my sights on the Half-Ironman....

Can you choose healthy foods when eating out?

2007-08-09T18:04:00.000-04:00

I get this question all the time: just how am I supposed to choose healthy foods, follow a low-calorie diet plan, and/or stick to my meal plan to lower my blood pressure (or cholesterol, or blood sugar) when I eat out?

Most of the time people just throw caution to the winds when they eat out. Deciphering the menus seems to be too difficult.

Not if you read Jo Lichten's update to her popular Dining Lean book! Check out Dr. Jo's Dining Lean at http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9781880347508&itm=1 if you eat out just for fun or for business.

Here's what Brian Wansink, PhD (author of Mindless Eating and director of the CornellUniversity Food and Brand Lab) writes in the preface:

"Dining Lean to the rescue. Although restaurant 'calorie counting' bookshave been around for a long time, that's not what this book is about. Dr.Jo's book takes a more useful, more intelligent, and more insightful approach. Dining Lean provides the basics about restaurant food including ethnic cuisine, lots of rules-of-thumb about how to estimate sizes and calories, and what (and how) to order so you can have the great meal you want but without all the calories. Dining Lean is fun to read, well-organized, and graphically clever."

I keep a copy on hand to answer questions, and also to use myself when I go out to eat. Check it out!

Food and mood

2007-08-08T23:59:00.001-04:00

I just finished reading a wonderful book by Susan Kleiner, PhD, titled The Good Mood Diet. Basically, she outlines which foods help increase our mood and make us feel better; plus those foods that do the opposite. Luckily, there's a longer list of foods that improve our mood!

It comes down to neurotransmitters, chemicals in our brain that transmit a variety of signals. Some foods help those neurotransmitters do their job, and others hinder them. Foods like salmon, whole grains, spinach, ground flaxseed, turkey, and grapefruit improve our mood. Caffeine, fried foods, fatty snack foods (like chips), and sugary processed foods (like cookies) decrease our mood.

There's a great website for more info, and even an online club you can join for free at http://www.goodmooddiet.com/.

Eating more salmon and other types of fish high in omega-3 fatty acids (tuna, sardines, anchovies) is the hardest part for me. I love fresh salmon, but it's expensive and no one else in my family cares for it. I tried frozen salmon patties, and they tasted awful. I have a different brand that tasted OK if I heated it in the toaster oven and then added a bunch of cooked vegetables. Canned tuna just isn't one of my favorites, and don't even talk to me about anchovies or sardines.

It's a good thing fish is just one of many feel-good foods. I'll continue eating the others, and limit the feel-bad foods as much as possible. One step a time, right?

Lynn

A beef about tea

2007-08-07T21:09:00.000-04:00

I have a beef about tea, specifically the bottled tea that we find in convenience stores, grocery stores, gas stations, etc.

It's all full of sugar. Why?

I like plain tea. No fruit. No sugar. No sugar substitute. No lemon. Just tea.

Why is this so difficult to find? Am I the only person out there who wants just plain tea?

All types of tea contain healthful antioxidants. Most of us use too much sugar, and sweetened beverages have been associated with increased body weight. Plus drinking sweetened bevereages, even those with sugar substitute, can increase our cravings for even more sugar. Moderate amounts of sugar are fine, but I prefer mine in something I can sink my teeth into, like chocolate or a cookie.

My solution: I always bring along a bottle of water. Once I find a location that sells plain, unsweetened tea, I stop there frequently and stock up. Thank you, the hot dog guy in Manchester, VT! You're the only one in town who carries plain tea.

Spa Theme Week at the Stowflake!

2007-08-06T20:18:00.000-04:00

I'm going to be part of the Spa Theme Week on healthy nutrition at the Stoweflake in September. This is a wonderful opportunity to come to gorgeous Vermont in the Fall, spend some relaxing time at the Stoweflake, experience everything the Stowe area has to offer, and of course to meet me in person!

Sunday, September 16: 4:00-5:00 PM Banish the Bulge: Eating right for your 40’s to 50’s*
Monday, September 17: 11:00-12:30 PM The Top 10 Diet Mistakes & How To Correct Them*
Tuesday, September 18: 2:00-3:00 PM Cooking with Natural Ingredients Demo
Wednesday, September 19: 11:00-12:00 PM Eating for Energy
Thursday, September 20: 2:00-3:00 PM Preparing and Cooking Healthy Foods Demo
Friday, September 21: 11:00-12:00 PM Healthy Pantry

*Featured Presenter Session with Lynn Grieger, RD, CDE, cPT
other sessions led by Stowflake nutritionist, Laura Biron, MBA, RD, CD

Sign up in advance: 802-760-1083 (Prices vary)
www.spaatstoweflake.com
Mountain Road, Stowe

I'm looking forward to seeing a whole bunch of you there!

Lynn

Energy bars: are they worth it?

2007-08-03T09:31:00.000-04:00

People are always asking me which is the best energy bar, granola bar, or sports bar. My answer depends on why you're using it - for a quick snack, a meal replacement, before exercise, or post exercise recovery.

There are so many different bars out there it's tough to keep track of them all. A great article in Her Sports + Fitness gives a great explanation. Check it out at http://www.active.com/women/Articles/Energy_Bars_Unwrapped.htm

Some helpful hints:
- Avoid anything with chocolate in the heat. I bring banana walnut or oatmeal raisin flavored bars with me when I bike, because while I love chocolate, it melts in the heat!
- Some bars are really candy bars in disguise as something "healthy". Read the label ingredients to know exactly what you're getting.
- Bars can get expensive. Peanut butter on whole grain bread is just as nutritious and satisfying - and it costs a lot less!

Lynn

4 steps to increased health in middle age

2007-07-25T09:21:00.000-04:00

Are you middle-aged (45 - 64 years old according to a recent study)? If so, you're probably concerned about your health, both current health and future health risks. 4 simple changes can improve your health, according to a study published in the July issue of The American Journal of Medicine.

Decrease risk of death by 40%? Count me in. Decrease risk of having a heart attack or stroke in the next 4 years by 35%? I'm there.

I bet you can even guess the four changes that improve health for us middle-aged folks:
1. ≥ 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily;
2. regular exercise (at least walking for at least 2.5 hours per week);
3. body mass index [BMI] of 18.5 - 29.9;
4. no current smoking or stop smoking

The easiest change to implement is to increase the amount of fruit and vegetables we eat. After that, increasing activity is doable for most people.

But stopping smoking and losing weight are the most difficult changes to make - and to stick with.

The good news is that making even one or two of these changes will improve your overall health. You'll probably also feel better on a daily basis and have more energy as well.

Evaluate your current status in regard to these four areas, and then set a specific goal to improve in at least one area. I'm off for a bike ride!

Lynn

July challenge

2007-07-16T13:49:00.000-04:00

My challenge for July was to run a 5K trail race in Georgettii Park, Rutland, VT. It was a blast!

Running on trails is a LOT different than running on the road. Mud, rocks, streams, and foot bridges over streams are part of the fun of running on trails. Plus, the race was at 6:30 pm, and I'm typically an early morning runner. Add in hot temperatures and high humidit, and I was sweating while sitting in the shade waiting for the race to start!

The race was well-organized, the course extremely well marked (I never even made a wrong turn!), all the runners were friendly, and they had Tootsie-rolls at the end. The best part was that my husband, Mike, ran the race as well. It's always more fun to travel to a race, hang out before and after the run, and then stop for something to eat when he's with me.

Running this trail race reminded me how much fun it is to run on trails periodically. I guess I'll add that to the training mix!

Next up for August: an Olympic distance triathlon at Lake Dunmore, VT. See you at the pool!

2007-07-06T19:03:00.000-04:00

The weather didn't cooperate with my workout plans today.

The forecast was for thunderstorms and rain. Not good when MY plans were to swim 1 mile in the outdoor pool at the Rec Center, followed by a 45-60 minute bike ride. "Brick" training, where you do two different workouts one right after the other, is a mainstay of training for a triathlon, where you do three different activities one right after the other.

The weather held for the swim. Well, most of it. I was 3 lengths shy of a mile when the lifeguard heard thunder and got everyone out of the pool. 10 minutes later after I showered and changed, the downpour started in earnest. No bike riding today.

Instead of heading home and catching up on work and laundry, I went to Triad, the local gym, and rode the stationary bike. Definitely not as much fun as riding outside, and I only rode for 40 minutes due to the time it took to drive there, but something is better than nothing.

I actually had a great swim today, and when I bike inside I can read at the same time. So all was not lost, I finished my brick workout, and feel good about winning over the weather.

Soup's On!

2007-07-03T20:12:00.001-04:00

I love soup, and recent research shows that we can eat fewer calories at meals that begin with soup. That's great news!

Barbara Rolls, a nutrition researcher famous for the book "Volumetrics" and her sensible approach toward weight loss by choosing foods with more volume and less calories, led this study. 60 men and women came to her lab for lunch and were served soup. After eating the soup, they were allowed to choose from a buffet lunch and eat as much as they wanted.

Eating soup first reduced calorie intake at lunch by 20%! All the soups were vegetable-based, which of course increases the nutritional value of the meal as well as reducing the calories. Eating high-calorie soups won't have the same effect, so stay away from creamy soups, soups made with cheese, or soups that are basically meat. The more veggies, the better!

If you want to eat fewer calories at lunch, or even at dinner, try serving vegetable-based soup first. Since it's summer, I'm mixing up a big batch of gazpacho!

Eat your calcium!

2007-07-02T08:00:00.000-04:00

Boy, am I glad I grew up in a home where milk was our beverage of choice with meals!

A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that women who get the majority of their calcium intake from dairy products - plus taking supplements - have higher bone mineral density. Higher bone mineral density equals stronger bones, and decreased risk of osteoporosis. The researchers looked at the diets of 183 postmenopausal women for one week, adding up calcium intake from foods and supplements.

The researchers aren't sure if the calcium in dairy products is responsible for the increased bone density. Other nutrients, perhaps something that improves estrogen metabolism which can also increase bone strength, may also be involved.

Based on this study and previous research, here's my recommendation for women looking to build strong bones and prevent osteoporosis:

1. Drink 2-3 cups of skim milk per day. That could include some milk on high-fiber cereal, milk in a smoothie, milk in hot chocolate, or a cold glass of milk with your lunch.
2. Use 1 cup of fat-free yogurt per day. Plain yogurt has the most calcium and the least amount of calories. Zip up the flavor by adding it to a smoothie or making a parfait with fruit and high-fiber cereal.
3. Aim for a total of 1500-2000 mg of calcium per day from foods and supplements. A cup of milk has about 300 mg of calcium; plain fat-free yogurt has about 400 mg.
4. Do some form of weight-bearing activity for at least 30 minutes every day. Walking and running are weight bearing; swimming and biking are not.

Turning 50 - one year in advance

2007-06-17T13:26:00.000-04:00

I just celebrated my 49th birthday, and decided that this year I'm going to prepare for turning 50 in style. My plan is to schedule a new physical event every month until the big day.

On June 2-3, I ran in the Green Mountain Relay, a 200 mile race from Jeffersonville to Bennington, VT, as part of a 12 person team. OK, we only had 11 people because one guy threw out his back a few days before the run. This is us to the left, celebrating our finish at Mt. Anthony Middle School in Bennington. I'm in the middle in the bright blue rain jacket.

Yeah, it rained. And it was hot. And humid. The race is held during the full moon, but you could never see the moon because of the rain and fog.

But the scenery between the raindrops was absolutely gorgeous, running along the spine of the Green Mountains from north to south. We passed (and stopped to play in) swimming holes, the Ben and Jerry's ice cream factory (where we took a tour and sampled ice cream), serene town greens, a cow wandering along the dirt road, and 7 different covered bridges. You spend a lot of time driving and waiting in the van compared to the short amount of time spent actually running.

Each of us ran three sections, or legs (except for my three teammates who volunteered to each pick up an extra leg due to missing one runner). We started at 8:30 am on a sunny Saturday morning, and finished Sunday afternoon in the cold and wind. I met my teammates for the first time when we drove up to Burlington on Friday night. What a great group! Bennington College graduate students, a Navy guy and his wife from Connecticut, a sports massage therapist from Philly, a pharmacist from Dallas, 3 volunteers, a mixed-breed puppy, and a mechanical engineer living in Philly who's originally from Venezuela. Picture us divided into a mini-van, a 12-person van, and a station wagon (for the puppy). We ran, shared food and water, tried to sleep (I napped three hours total), ran some more, swapped stories, sprayed each other with bug spray, took turns driving and reading the map, took pictures, and kept on running.

My only relay experience prior to this was part of a 3-person half-marathon relay several years ago, and part of a 5-person marathon relay for the Vermont City Marathon about 5 years ago. This one was special because it lasted 30 hours and 13 minutes and covered 200 miles. Plus, I turned 49 years old less than 2 weeks later.

So the year-long celebration of turning 50 begins. I'm planning a triathlon for July, and perhaps a longer one for August. I want to run/walk at least one race with each of my sisters in their states (Michigan and Texas), and head back to my home state of Indiana (yeah, I'm a Hoosier) for a half-marathon in my home town of Valpo in the Spring.

Too many women fear getting older, thinking only about the wrinkles, gray hair, and decreasing estrogen levels. I'm planning on barreling right through this year, looking forward to every month that brings me closer to 50. There's a lot left to experience and accomplish; new places to visit; interesting people to meet; and adventures to be dared.

Stay tuned to find out more!