Let It Grow

I started out last week with a flurry of new ideas for blog posts, and then mid-week I came down with a case of the cruds: sore throat, achy head and neck, fatigue. With a busy schedule, blog posts had to wait until I could recover. But it’s a new week and I’m feeling much better, so here we go.

My first topic this week is the physical and nutritional benefits of gardening. Now that most of us are enjoying spring weather, the time is right to think about planting a garden. You don’t have to sacrifice a large portion of your yard. Even if you live in an apartment or condo, you can still use containers to grow your plants, or look for a community garden in your area. Tending a garden as a family accomplishes several things: First, it provides wholesome food to feed your family, which can also save time, money and gas, since you don’t have to make that trip to the store when you need a few tomatoes for a recipe. Second, it can be a great workout. Pulling weeds and digging in the soil can increase your heart rate and strengthen yoru arms and back. And finally, it gives each member of the family a chance to contribute to a group project.

Homegrown produce always tastes best! By growing your own, you will know exactly which products were used on your fruits and vegetables. Kids love to “get dirty” and can help by putting plants in the ground and watering. And don't forget the physical benefits: A 150-pound person can burn 286 calories by gardening for an hour.

A garden can also be a source of pride. Even young children can literally see the fruits (or veggies, or even flowers) of their labors and say, “I helped create that!” Taking care of something and watching it grow and prosper carries over to other lessons in life. Besides, at the end of a warm summer day, there is nothing like sitting on the back porch and enjoying a bowl of homegrown strawberries with your family.

Hypereating

Have you heard about the “conditioned hypereating” theory? (Check the link section.)

Dr. David Kessler of UCSF suggests that millions of us can’t resist foods that are bad for us because we are slaves to the pleasure-inducing combination of fat and sugar. And because many foods that are marketed as “healthy” simply replace fat with more sugar, we wind up wanting to eat even more, our bodies can’t metabolize the sugar so it turns into fat, and we’re right back where we started. Thank you, makers of “light” ice cream everywhere.

It’s not major news that food can be addictive, just like alcohol, nicotine, and other drugs. Look at our obesity rate: we didn’t get this way because overeating is a challenge. The difference is that even at the height of addiction, any logical person can see the reason to stop drinking, smoking or taking drugs: your body doesn’t need that stuff. But you can’t stop eating. The key is retraining your brain to resist those foods that are so unhealthy.

One way you can do this is to stop buying it in the first place. If I don’t put the cookies in my shopping cart, I don’t have them in the pantry later when I’m bored and looking for a snack, hungry or not. So I might eat an apple or a banana, a piece of cheese or some turkey instead.

Of course, absence makes the heart grow fonder, and over time, if I really want that cookie, I’ll go to the store to get it. A little indulgence once in a while is fine, and it keeps us from going on a binge. So here’s another trick: buy or make a single serving. Just buy one cookie from your grocery’s bakery department, instead of a big bag that you will inhale in no time flat.

Or make one of my family’s favorite desserts: parfaits. We’ll layer pudding, whipped cream, and cake, cookie or brownie pieces in a tall sundae glass. You can also use fruit or granola. Get creative. The kids love it because it looks like a fancy treat. I love it because there are no leftovers to tempt me the next day. It helps when I can say, “I had it, I enjoyed it, and now I can burn it off.” And my craving has been quashed.

Finally, recognize that no food should be off-limits. Just enjoy it in moderation. Put a portion on a plate or in a bowl and then put the package away. It’s a lot easier to stop eating those chips when the bowl is empty, even if you know there’s ¾ of a bag left in the pantry. Seeing the portion size makes you feel satisfied faster, so you’re less likely to gorge.

Cola Wars

I'll admit it: I have a love/hate relationship with diet soda. On the one hand, it's a calorie free way to quench my thirst and has more flavor than water. On the other hand, there is more and more research to show that it can be much more harmful than you may realize. Recent studies suggest that the artificial sweeteners in diet soda actually make us crave more of the real thing. And that leads to overeating.

I joke sometimes that I need a diet Pepsi "patch." I've given it up several times--as part of a new nutrition plan, for Lent, as a New Year's resolution--but I always seem to find myself running back to my old flame. I'll be out running errands and that cooler at the checkout will seduce me like Antonio Banderas holding a bouquet of roses in a candlelit room. Without thinking, I add it to my cart. As soon as my purchases are stored away, I climb in behind the wheel, open the cap and those fizzy bubbles start tickling my nose. I take a long sip of the sweet, dark beverage, savoring it as it bounces down my throat. OK, I'll say it: I might even let out a loud, raucous burp of satisfaction. But as is true with any addiction, the following sips are not quite as fulfilling as the first.

At one point, I was going through 2 to 4 cans every day. More than a 12-pack each week. That can really add up, especially if you're not the only one in the house drinking it. And I've found that it's true: I really do crave sweet things when I drink diet sodas. I try to avoid caffeine, but sometimes it's the only option. When I drink too much of it, I get headaches and I tend to develop fibroid tumors in my breasts, which can be painful, and may panic you into scheduling a mammogram if you haven't had one recently. Better to be safe than sorry.

Well, this year I took a different approach to giving up soda, one not entirely of my choosing. Like most humans, I have been forced to reexamine my spending during this recession and eliminate anything that's not an absolute essential, so soda has been out for the past few months. Instead, I usually drink water or decaf herbal tea. And guess what? No more headaches, no sugary cravings, my skin looks better, and I just feel better in general. I can't really say for sure, but I think I may have finally kicked the diet soda habit for good.

There will always be that temptation at the checkout, and it will be hard to avoid diet soda entirely. In the past four months, I have had maybe 8 diet sodas, a dramatic change from my 2+ can a day habit. Sure, I'll probably still order an occasional soda if we go out to eat or if we're at a party and there are some in the cooler. But from now on, I'm putting diet soda in the category of "sometimes food" and I think that's the way it will stay.

Sweet Revenge

I have a notorious sweet tooth! One of the hardest challenges I face is convincing myself I don't really need that little sugar rush after every meal. I tried chewing gum: great, until the flavor wears off, and then I REALLY want something sweet. I've tried cutting out sugar all together. OK for some, but not realistic for me. Then one day I discovered something. If I have something sour at the end of my meal--the last taste in my mouth--I don't want anything sweet. So my secret weapon is a big jar of dill pickles that I keep in my fridge. They have to be kosher dill and they have to be cold. As a writer, I work at home and if I lose focus, I may wander through the kitchen, even though I'm not likely hungry. If I just feel like I have to eat something, I'll get myself a small plate, put a pickle or two on there, and maybe a handful of low fat whole grain Wheat Thins. Having it on a plate makes it look more substantial, and since we eat with our eyes first, this helps me feel satisfied. That sour taste just kills my sweet tooth and I can go back to my work without any more distractions. Pickles can be high in sodium, so don't eat more than a couple. And be sure to drink a little extra water. I figure it's worth it if it keeps me from downing half a bag of cookies in my quest to satisfy my sweet tooth!

Making the Best of It

One of the biggest challenges of healthy living is the dreaded “change of plans.” If we had time to plan every single meal and activity, we’d always make good choices. But sometimes things don’t go quite the way we anticipate and we can be tempted to chuck our diet or exercise plan for the day, which can lead to a binge or a long period of inactivity, derailing our carefully thought-out routine.

But it doesn’t have to be that way if you prepare. I want to share with you something that happened today. In 48 hours, we are leaving for vacation. As usual, I have a million things to do, three writing assignments to finish, and my husband is working every night (and therefore sleeping every day) until we leave.

Earlier today, while waiting for my car to be serviced, I took the opportunity to take a walk and get some exercise instead of sitting in the waiting room and watching TV and gorging on the free popcorn they offer their customers. (Besides, the combined smell of tires and hot popcorn is a bit nauseating!) The temperature was over 100, but I went slow and just concentrated on moving since I knew that my massive chore list would prevent me from getting in my regular workout.

Tonight’s dinner was supposed to be sandwiches, and for tomorrow night I planned to order pizza. (It’s a “sometimes” food, but I’ve learned that the trick is to order a smaller pizza so I’m not tempted to eat so much or have leftovers for lunch the next day.)

Unfortunately, because of the heat, the last few slices of bread I had carefully saved for tonight’s dinner had gone bad. Now what? My default response was to hit our local drive-thru, but I had planned pizza for tomorrow and didn’t want “sometimes” food two nights in a row. Well, I managed to convince my daughter she could have her sandwich on a leftover hamburger bun from our barbecue a few days ago. And I did find two pieces of bread in another bag, so my son got those for his sandwich.

Wonderful, now what about Mom? I poked through my nearly empty fridge and pulled together: one chicken Italian sausage, a handful of shredded mozzarella, and handful of shredded parmesan, some liquid egg whites, and some chopped tomatoes. The packages for these items were already opened, and nearly empty, and I probably would’ve wound up throwing them out before we left. But I scrambled it all up instead. The end result was delicious, filling and surprisingly healthy. Less than 300 calories, and to tell you the truth, it tasted even better than the sandwich I’d planned to make. What a victory.

Experiences like this teach us that it is possible to take a negative and turn it into a positive. All it takes is a little planning and creativity and you will be set up for success. By keeping those items in my fridge, I was able to make a good choice instead of caving in to the convenience and temptation of fast food. And it took me less time to make that healthy dinner than it would’ve taken to go through the drive-thru and come back.

TV or Not TV

Some people would have you believe that the root of all evil is that box that sits in nearly every American living room. And in some cases, they might be right. But it doesn’t have to be. Everything in moderation, I always say, and that extends beyond food and beverages.

Especially during the summer months, you may discover that the TV seems to be on as long as someone is awake in your house. If you are concerned that your family is watching too much TV, try limiting it for a while. Assess your family’s situation and set some rules. Ask yourself how many TVs are in your home and do you really need all of them? One rule we set long ago was that there would be no TVs (or computers, or video games) in any bedroom, including the master. My kids are young, but I don’t want them disappearing to their rooms for hours at a time to watch cartoons when we could be doing something together as a family. It sets them up for bad habits later on and there’s no need to head down that path. And although it would be convenient to watch TV in my bedroom in the evening, I know that would lead to a more sedentary lifestyle, and I have to remind myself that I am setting the example for my kids. Only you know what is best for your family? Is an hour a day OK? Two hours? More? Think about what’s best for your family and then try it. We have used a system where the kids get a designated amount of poker chips each week. White chips are a half hour show. Red chips are an hour show. Blue chips are a movie. If they want to watch TV, they need to pay us a chip. We have a yoga video that they may watch for “free” any time they want, and videos that teach morals like the Veggie Tales series are two for one. This system is especially helpful when school is out! When they have to consider giving up a chip or doing something else besides watching TV, it forces them to think about how they’re spending their time.

Another “exception” is sports, but again we use moderation. I moved away from my hometown a few years ago and I love to follow the baseball team I grew up rooting for. But because I’m in a different time zone, games often come on during dinner. So I had to make the tough choice to turn off the TV while we were at the table. Sure, it can be frustrating to miss part of a game, especially when you’re paying for that subscription cable service, but I know that spending time with my family at the dinner table is far more important and rewarding than any ball game I’ll ever watch, and at my age, I’ve watched thousands. Besides, if something really incredible happened when I was away, they’ll show replays of it, either during the broadcast or on SportsCenter anyway. And if not, was it really that important?

TV can provide motivation for you while you are tackling your diet and fitness goals, as well. There are tons of great shows on network and cable stations that can give you tips and ideas for living a healthier life. Check out TLC, Discovery Health, FitTV and other networks for shows that will interest you. If you like reality shows, NBC has The Biggest Loser and even VH1 has Celebrity Fit Club. Watching these can inspire you to make positive changes. Or if it’s convenient, you can watch a show while you hit the treadmill or do your workout. I lift weights and do yoga or crunches in the evening, and I love watching these inspiring shows or—some habits die hard—sports. I’m especially partial to a baseball game or bull riding, but will also watch football, cycling, hockey, or whatever I can find. Watching athletes compete really inspires me to work harder. If I’m really in need of an energy boost, I’ll switch on one of FitTV’s shows like Cardio Blast or All-Star Workouts. Even if I’m not doing the same exercises, I feed off the energy and find the motivation I need to finish strong instead of saying, “Oh, it was a long day. I think I’ll quit early.”

The TV can also provide a built-in pace for your workouts. I wear a pedometer and strive for 10,000 to 12,000 steps each day. If, at the end of the day, I find I’ve come up a bit short, instead of zoning out in front of the TV, I will do “stair laps” during a show. My staircase is right next to the living room, so it’s easy to get some exercise without missing my program. You can walk the stairs, run up and walk down, or add some hand weights to up the intensity. I like to carry a ten-pound dumbbell in each hand to get my heart rate up. You can do these during the entire show, or do “bursts” on the commercials, challenging yourself to do as many laps as possible during the break and then resting in between. Or just do some step ups from the bottom stair, counting out sets of 15 reps starting on each foot. Don’t forget to use the stairs to stretch your calves. See how many crunches you do before your show comes back on or do a wall sit with a stability ball during the commercial break. I also like to do pushups with my hands or feet on the bottom step. This can also be a fun way to break up your routine if it has gotten a little stale.

A word of caution: know your limits. If I'm aimlessly wandering through the channels after the kids have gone to bed, and the only thing that appeals to me is a Food Network special on decadent desserts and I have PMS, I know I have to turn it off and do something else. Even if that means turning in early or reading a book in bed, I know it's better than the binge I'll inevitably start after watching anything that involves chocolate!

TV provides us with information, entertainment and an opportunity to learn. We all need to veg out from time to time to recharge our minds and bodies. But that said, with moderation, TV does not have to be adverse to a healthy lifestyle. You just have to learn how to use it to your advantage.

Water, Water Everywhere

You know you need to drink more water. We all need eight to ten glasses a day. But so many of us don’t care for the taste (or, if you will, non-taste) of water so we skip it in favor of other things. Before you go buy another case of diet soda, take a look in your grocery store’s beverage aisle and see what’s there these days.

An easy to make, low calorie alternative to water is an Italian soda. You may have had one of these in a fancy café. They’re simple to make at home and are especially refreshing on a warm day. In your grocery store’s coffee aisle, you will find flavored syrups. (Torani is the brand I like best, but there are lots of others.) You can also find these in cafés, import stores like Cost Plus, and many other locations. Many of the flavors are available in a sugar free variety. When you get home, fill a glass with ice, then drizzle a little of the flavored syrup over the ice. You may need to experiment before you find the right amount to suit your taste. Now just fill the rest of the glass with club soda. Add a straw and sip away. You can mix it up to combine the flavors or leave it as is, depending on your preference. My kids think this is a special treat and they have no idea that it has virtually no calories and no sugar. Use one flavor or a combination. Chocolate and hazelnut are great together and I get the feeling that I’m indulging when I’m really not. You can combine flavors like raspberry and lime for a refreshing summer cooler. Or take yourself to a faraway place with flavors like coconut, banana, Irish cream … the possibilities are endless.

Another great alternative to plain water is the little packets that you can add to your water bottle and mix on the go. It seems like these are getting more and more popular and you’re bound to find a flavor you like! There are all sorts of special varieties so pick a few to give you enough choices to get through the week.

Many of these contain artificial sweeteners, just like diet sodas, so use them in moderation. I wouldn’t recommend replacing all of your water servings with these, but if you just need to get some variety in your liquid diet to keep you from getting bored, these are great solutions.

One Hour A Week To Better Health

In order to facilitate healthy eating, you’ve got to do a little prep work. This is the point where most of us give up and cave in to the path of least resistance. We think we don’t have time to wash and chop all that produce, especially when it’s so much easier and cheaper to grab a prepackaged snack and call it good. Or maybe you start out with good intentions and buy a cart full of healthy produce, only to have it turn into a science experiment at the bottom of your crisper.

Precut fruits and vegetables can be expensive, and if this is the only way you think you’ll eat them and can afford to buy them this way, then stick with that plan. But the next time you’re in the grocery store, look at how much you can save if you buy an equal amount of unprepared produce. That five pound bag of regular carrots is usually the same or less than the two pound bag of the peeled baby carrots. Yes, it takes a little longer to process, but all it really takes is one hour each week.

I do my prep on Monday afternoon, but you can do it any day or night of the week that suits your schedule. To get started, I fill a pot with water and put on 8-10 eggs. In warmer months, I’ll also boil water so I can make a pitcher of iced tea. While that’s going, I get out all of my produce, zipper bags or plastic containers, a large stainless steel bowl, a vegetable peeler, a colander, a cutting board and my favorite knife. I might even put on some music to keep me moving. And then I go to work. As the eggs are boiling and my tea is brewing, I rinse anything that needs to be cleaned and let it drain in the colander. Next I peel my carrots and cucumbers, dropping the scraps into my stainless steel bowl. Then I start chopping.

As the hour passes, it is quite a sense of accomplishment to see all those produce bags on the counter transform into a stack of containers full of healthy snacks for the week. This is your fuel, your foolproof arsenal of tools for staying on track. Hungry between meals? No problem. Just look at what you can reach in and grab. On a good week, I’ll have an assortment of carrots sticks, celery sticks, red, yellow and orange bell pepper slices, cucumber slices, cubed watermelon, cantaloupe or honeydew, rinsed red or green grapes, sliced strawberries or kiwis, or maybe even a fruit salad. Plus I’ve got a pitcher of iced tea to keep me from reaching for sodas all day long, and a bowl of hard-boiled eggs, which can be used as a quick dose of protein between meals on their own, or chopped and added to tuna salad, etc. If you’re concerned about cholesterol, it’s pretty easy to use only the egg white and not the yolk once they’re hard-boiled.

As an added bonus, you now have a stockpile of healthy foods to add to your kids’ lunches, instead of having to rely on individual bags of unhealthy chips, cookies and crackers loaded with trans fat, and sugary gummy snacks.

A few common sense tips:
* It might be wise to clean out your fridge before you start.
* Chop the messiest foods (like tomatoes, oranges, strawberries, kiwi, etc.) last and you’ll have less of a mess to clean on your cutting board.
* Some people like their carrots or celery stored in water to keep them extra crisp. Some don’t. Do what works best for you.
* Once your produce is prepared, put the containers back in the crisper and you’ll save some room on your refrigerator shelves.
* Don’t have an hour? Do what you can for a half hour while dinner is cooking. You’re already in the kitchen anyway. If you have to chop produce for the meal you’re preparing, it’s no big deal to chop some more for later in the week.

Depending on the size and needs of your family, you may choose to do this process twice a week to ensure freshness of your produce. Again, experiment and see what works best for you. Once you get into a rhythm, you’ll be so glad you took a little time to make such a big impact on the health and nutrition of your family.