California Food & Fitness

I just returned from an amazing trip to California.  I spent most of my time in Santa Monica and Palm Springs.  I was excited because I was staying at The Huntley Hotel in Santa Monica which is right across from one of the most amazing spas, Exhale Spa, where I attended two of the hardest Core Fusion exercise classes I have ever taken in my life. I literally felt my body being whipped into shape!  I also couldn't pass up the opportunity to take a 90-minute ashtanga yoga class at Bryan Kest's Power Yoga studio right on Santa Monica Boulevard.  I have done his DVDs for years, but to actually be in his studio was incredible.  The calmness of his energy and presence is like no other.

As for food, I was in heaven as organic restaurants were readily available on practically every block.  I ate a few meals at Real Food Daily on Santa Monica Boulevard, which was within walking distance from my hotel.  Much to my surprise, my favorite meal from RFD was called the Real Food Meal consisting of brown rice, steamed kale, marinated seaweed (who knew I would love seaweed so much!), an Asian cole slaw, and steamed vegetables with some delicious peanut sauce.  Mmmm, mmm good!  Twice I also ordered their Sweet Green Juice, which is freshly-juiced cucumber, celery, parsley, and spinach juices with a splash of apple juice (best when ordered with a double-dose of apple juice).  It was a perfect after-yoga replenisher!  I also checked out M Cafe on Melrose Avenue (try their yummy brown-rice-and-veggie burger, The Big Macro) and Urth Caffe on Main Street.

I tried to refrain from doing too much shopping in LA, but it was fun browsing at Lululemon, (a yoga-inspired atheletic apparel store I first discovered in Whistler, British Columbia on my honeymoon a number of years ago), Kitson (a Hollywood go-to boutique on Robertson Avenue), and Lush (a scrumptious skin and body care store).

I was thrilled to discover that my trip renewed my passion for exercising at a level outside of my comfort zone and pushing myself to become The Best Me that I can be, both from a dietary and fitness standpoint.  It was just the jump-start I needed to head into the upcoming Spring and Summer seasons.

Time for Spring Cleaning

This weekend, I felt in dire need of a spring cleaning.  Not of my house... of my body.  On Saturday night, I decided to do a quick cleanse that releases the toxins and matter out of your bowels.  I have done this particular cleanse before with positive results.  I used a product called Oxy-Powder, which is basically oxygenated magnesium, with a few other natural ingredients added in.  Magnesium is a natural diuretic, and in fact, is the main ingredient in "milk of magnesia".  It totally cleans out your bowels by pushing the matter out - and, let me tell you, (this might be too much information) but there always is a lot of matter to be pushed out! 

Once my bowels were clean, I wanted to be very thoughtful about what I put back into them again.  The first thing I did was to take 2 probiotic capsules to increase the "good" bacteria in my gut. We all have millions of bacteria in our gut, much of which is considered "good" bacteria that are completely necessary for "eating up" the toxins and waste, and which help with elimination.  The "bad" bacteria in our guts are what multiply when we eat sugar and processed wheat, flour, etc. The goal is to feed your body healthy foods so that you can multiply the "good" bacteria and enable the proper absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream.  The "good" bacteria are also responsible for keeping our immunity high - they are very, very important to our good health.

For breakfast, I ate steel-cut oatmeal (which has lots of fiber) and blueberries (which have lots of antioxidants and vitamins) and a touch of agave nectar (for sweetness). I am a snacker so I had a mid-morning snack of plain greek yogurt  (which has twice the amount of protein than regular yogurt) with 2 tablespoons of sugar-free apricot preserves (100% fruit) and a tablespoon of ground flaxseed (I buy it pre-ground).  I commonly eat greek yogurt for breakfast, but it is good as a snack too.  For lunch, I had a piece of Ezekiel bread (toasted) with a tablespoon of almond butter on top and some green grapes.  My afternoon snack consisted of a banana and a handful of unsalted, mixed nuts.  For dinner, my husband grilled beef tenderloin (which has very low fat) and I made baked crispy kale (so easy - chopped up kale sprinkled with olive oil and sea salt, baked at 300* for 20 minutes, then sprinkled with balsamic vinegar).  Kale is full of B vitamins and fiber, and it gets crispy when it bakes - it's delicious!

I am feeling better and more energetic now that my body has been cleaned out.  I do love that the act of "spring cleaning" makes me more aware and thoughtful of what types of foods I put into my body.  Lately, I am not as concerned with the calorie count, and more concerned with the quality of the foods.  If I listen to my body, it tells me when it is full.  I just have to keep paying attention to it.

Eating Clean at Home and Away

I can't believe it is April already.  March just blew by.  I went to Florida for a week for work in mid-March, and would you believe that I ate good, nutritious food the entire time.  I always think that when I travel I will have a hard time finding healthy, clean food at airports, hotels, and on the run.  Yet, I think that it was precisely because I was not at home that I deliberately sought out healthy food.   It wasn't hard either.  I found a Publix grocery store in Sarasota for lunch one day where I bought fresh, super-ripe, delicious pineapple slices, hard-boiled eggs, and a spinach salad.  At the JFK airport, I was thrilled to find Cibo Express Gourmet Market where I bought sun-dried tomato hummus and pita, greek yogurt, strawberries and grapes.  Later, I found a Starbucks where I ordered a Strawberry Vivanno Smoothie (which, by the way, has 280 calories, protein AND fruit).  Eating at restaurants was easy too.  We went to a steakhouse and I ordered a nice, small filet served with asparagus and a salad.  I ate lunch at a couple of country clubs as well and just ordered big salads with grilled chicken. 

It reminded me that if I don't have sugar, sweets or junk food around me, I simply don't eat it.  Even at home, my husband and I don't have many unhealthy snacks in our cupboards.  We mostly snack on foods like fruit, yogurt, nuts, dried fruit, and string cheese. We may have some tortilla chips (but only ingredients in them are corn, vegetable oil and salt - we just have to watch portion sizes) to eat with heart-healthy Wholly Guacamole.  Sometimes, we have a homemade chocolate chip cookie or two, but I have noticed that I seem to crave sweets more at home than when I am traveling.  Probably daily stress that we carry around, or maybe due to years and years of having a bowl of ice cream in front of the TV after dinner - a hard habit to break.  I have to say that I don't do that much anymore, fortunately, but I still find myself having sweet cravings from time to time.  I am sure it is because I know that sweets are readily available if I want them that badly.  I know where I can find them at the store and I know it is only a short drive to get there.  When I travel, I am less aware of where sweets lurk.  Even becoming aware of this fact has made a big difference to me.

At home, I am trying to cook and bake more, most recently from The Eat Clean Diet Cookbook by Tosca Reno.  (Love her!) Over the weekend, I made her (vegan) protein bars with oats, protein powder, olive oil, canola oil, dark chocolate, flaxseed, and oat bran - so perfect for breakfast!  I also made the homemade applesauce, and I have tabbed about 20 recipes to make in the future. As the weather warms and the days grow longer, I am eager to come home from work and exercise with my husband and then make a nice clean meal to eat together.

The Ebb and Flow of Healthy Living

Last month I was in a rut.  Not motivated to work out as hard as usual and not interested in eating much beyond my winter comfort foods (more grains and starchy carbs, less fresh fruit and vegetables).  I so dislike that feeling of being out of sync with my intentions and goals to live healthfully. 

I tend to gravitate to the "all or nothing" approach to life.  My family says that I am like my father in that I am either "on" or "off".  Either going a million miles an hour or lying flat out on the couch and watching TV.  I don't walk the middle ground very well.  It didn't help that I was glued to the 2010 Winter Olympics for almost 3 weeks last month, and thanks to the invention of the DVR, I was able to watch every single evening broadcast on NBC but one.  (Fortunately, I could condense about 3 hours of viewing into about 90 minutes or so.)  I am in such awe of Olympic athletes, but watching them day in and day out apparently wasn't motivating enough for me to get my own body up and moving beyond the occasional hike with my husband or a walk on the treadmill.

However, when the calendar page turned to March, something shifted in me.  I felt more eager to focus more on eating well and working out regularly.  Maybe it is because Spring formally arrives this month (although in Maine, it truly doesn't feel like Spring until May or June) or maybe because I have to go to Florida for work next week and the upcoming trip is making me think of sunshine.  I am not sure, but either way, I am grateful for the shift. 

Sometimes there is no real reason as to why shifts happen or when they appear, but I try to trust that my body was taking care of itself through January and February by needing some "rest" and now my body needs to "move" again.  Observing and respecting the ebb and flow of my energy, desire, motivation, and habits helps me to not fight myself as much when I seem to be less in sync with healthy living.  I try to trust the process and rhythm of my mind and body.  It is hard and frustrating at times, but I try to remember that I need to be gentle with myself.

Letting Myself "Be"

Ever have those days when you are just in a funk?  When you are just having a "grumpy day"?  Nothing is overtly wrong, but you just don't feel like yourself.  You can't put your finger on the reason for it, but you know that you aren't in your usual state of mind.  When this happens, sometimes, I find myself feeling quiet or withdrawn.  Other times, I just want to not tax my brain too much and let myself rest. 

One of the most valuable lessons I have learned over the years is to simply let myself "be".  This morning, my youngest niece, who is 7, told me on the phone that she was having a "grumpy day".  I told her I was having a grumpy day too.  Then, I said, "You know, it's okay to have a grumpy day every once in a while.  You can let yourself feel grumpy today, and then tomorrow I bet you will feel better." 

Often we fight our natural feelings because we think we need to present a happy face to the world, or that we need to be up and energetic, when we really are feeling everything BUT happy and energetic.  I have found that the more I let myself "be" and not fight the "grumpy" feelings, the faster they dissipate and the less I want to indulge in something sweet or unhealthy.  It's almost like engaging in reverse psychology with myself.  The less I fight feeling the way that I do, the faster my mind and body work through the emotions. 

It took me many years to learn to value this state of just "being".  I am a very active person, with an active mind, always planning and thinking about what I want to accomplish on a daily basis.  I had always thought that just "being"  - and not "doing" anything - was giving in to the negative feelings or somehow acquiescing to them.  Sometimes, I worried that those feelings might stick and not go away if I chose to "accept" them and that I might end up unmotivated, sluggish, and sad. 

Growing up, I had always valued the state of "doing" to make things better.  Taking action to fix the problem.  Seeing a need and filling it.  While it is important not to dwell permanently in the land of "problems" and "grumpy days", it is also key to know that sometimes we just need permission to accept those feelings as they are...to just "be".  So, just for today, I am going to let myself "be" and I have resolved to be okay with that.  I am not going to fight it.  I am just going to observe and feel the emotions, let them pass through me, and watch myself naturally return to a state of balance.  In short, I am going to accept with grace that today is just a "grumpy day".

What's Not Working for Me

Yesterday afternoon, I had a battle with sugar - and the sugar won.

I truly believe that there is always room for a little sugar in your diet, but where to draw the line is not always clear. Although I prefer to choose honey and natural sweeteners when I can, sometimes when good old regular sugar makes an appearance  it is hard to resist. Since I was a child, I have always loved bullseyes - the chewy caramel candy with the white confectioner's sugar in the middle. I sometimes salivate just thinking about them!  And, yesterday, I could not stop eating them!

I can tell that sugar and my body don't get along because my skin breaks out in a red, itchy rash a few hours after I eat it, usually on my hands, arms, knees, or feet - a strange combination of places, I know.  I can tell my body is talking to me and that it is saying "I don't like sugar!". But, even knowing what I do about clean eating and healthy living, I sometimes I don't listen to what my body is saying.

The question I had to ask myself is "Why am I eating these bullseyes?" Yes, they are sweet and chewy and tasty, but what is making me eat so many? I wasn't feeling stressed or hormonal or tired or cranky. I didn't have a craving for them.

This may sound simplistic, but I think it was because I COULD eat them. They were available and there was nothing to stop me. No peer pressure, no self-pressure, no shortage of supply.  It was easy and I could do it.

Even though as of late I very clearly have found that "it's not about the food", and that instead it is about everything else in our lives that make us not eat well - our stresses, our worries, our lack of time and planning, our habits, and, most importantly, our mind-talk - I realize that it is also because of our ability to choose.  Frankly, yesterday, I chose poorly. I chose a food that gave me a skin rash, upset stomach, and tired body, even though, based on past experience, I KNEW that my body would react that way.

The ability to make choices is very powerful.  Sometimes that is easy to forget. I ignored my responsibility to my body to make a healthy choice in what I eat, and I paid a price for it. I have been thinking long and hard about how important it is to remember to choose well and to take care of my body...for no other reason than just because I can. 

Yummy Homemade Granola

Yesterday, after returning from a chilly afternoon hike with my husband, I had a sudden urge to make some yummy homemade granola.  The version I make is sweetened with natural sugars - nothing artificial - and is chock full of healthy ingredients.  Not to mention that it is delicious!  I decided to adapt a Barefoot Contessa granola recipe that I have made in the past.  Since my granola-making project was rather spontaneous, I used what I had on hand in my cupboard.  But, I have to say, that is the wonderful thing about making granola - almost any kind of nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and natural sugar can be used, whatever suits your tastes.  Here is the recipe:

LISA'S YUMMY HOMEMADE GRANOLA

4 cups rolled oats, old-fashioned or or steel-cut (steel-cut is best)
1/2 cup natural sweetener - honey and/or real maple syrup
1/4 cup canola oil (I like Smart Balance because it has omega-3s)
1/4 cup water
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup dried fruit - raisins, chopped dates, dried apricots, dried apples, goji berries, cranberries, organic coconut, dried cherries or any other dried fruit (I used goji berries, dates, coconut, and raisins)
1/2 cup nuts - almonds, walnuts, cashews, etc.
1/2 cup seeds - sunflower, sesame, and/or pumpkin
1/2 cup wheat germ (optional)

Preheat your oven to 300*
In a large bowl combine:  oats, honey and/or syrup, water, and vanilla, and cinnamon.  Mix well.
Then add the dried fruit, nuts, seeds and wheat germ to the oat mixture.  Stir well.
Get out a large jelly roll pan.  (Layer it with parchment paper, if available, to ease clean-up.)
Spread mixture evenly across pan.
Bake for 10 minutes, then stir to allow for even toasting and bake for 10 minutes more.
Let mixture cool, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Yum!  I ate about a cup of the granola with a small amount of unsweetened Blue Diamond Almond Breeze almond milk for breakfast this morning, and then I had a snack this afternoon of 1/2 cup granola sprinkled over some greek yogurt.  So, so good!  I love it because it satisfies my sweet tooth (and keeps it under control), but provides a lot of fiber and vitamins for my body.  I am finding that the key to keeping myself healthy and happy is to eat food that brings me joy, but that simultaneously feeds my body the nutrients that it needs.

So, If It's Not About the Food, Then What is It About?

So, if it's not about the food, then what is it about?  It's about managing your stress and your emotions.  In a nutshell, that's it.  It's a simple concept... but it's not easy.  If you are like me, you are someone who may know a lot about clean eating and healthy food, and you know what you SHOULD eat, you just don't always do it.  You may even be passionate about reading as much as you can about vitamins and minerals, protein and carbs, calorie counts, the benefits of monounsaturated fats, etc., and you can rattle off the nutritional value of almost any food.  But, if you are like me, you may not always eat the way you know you should.  And, you likely know that managing stress and life is not as easy as it seems.

It's not even that I go overboard  with my eating - well, except for ice cream from time to time - but I find that when I am stressed, unfocused, overwhelmed, tired, frustrated, or anxious that I automatically reach for something sweet or salty to calm me.  Usually I go for the sweets, but sometimes I just need that crunch of something other than a carrot.  Why is that?  I know that some describe these moments "emotional eating", but I think it is just "life eating".  Life eating away at me, at my healthy habits and my self-care.  It drives me nuts.

Fortunately, I now am aware of the pattern.  And, that's the first step.  I realize how I am feeling when I reach for the sweets.  I now know that I am just trying to make myself more comfortable in an uncomfortable situation.  It really is nothing short of a bad habit, and one that I have been finding ways to break.  One of my favorite yoga instructors, Baron Baptiste, says that is one of the goals in  yoga, just as in life, is "finding equanimity in an unbalanced world".  Finding the calm within storm.  Sitting with the discomfort.  You know, I think he is onto something.

My A-Ha Moment

For as long as I can remember, I have been passionate about nutrition and fitness. As a cross-country runner and cheerleader in high school and a marathon runner as an adult, I have always been athletic and active, but like many women, I have always struggled with losing "those last 10 pounds."

Through the years, I have sampled a zillion diet plans, bought every book, and subscribed to way too many fitness magazines (just ask my husband!).  I even became a certified Nutritional Consultant through the Global College of Natural Medicine and formally trained for three years to become a Life Coach through CoachU.

I feel like I have been swimming in knowledge about health and wellness, but I could never seem to put my finger on WHY it was so hard to take off the weight. If I know what, when, and how to eat healthfully, why isn't it working?

That's when it hit me. The realization. The light bulb. As Oprah would say, my "A-Ha moment". Plain and simple, a thought popped into my head: "It's Not About the Food, Silly!"

In fact, it is about everything BUT the food.  I finally "got" it.

And, as a result, I wanted to create this blog to share with others what I wished I had discovered myself many years ago.