About Last Night
Spent last night in the big city. I couldn’t think of a more perfect way to work off the oysters, Caesar salad, Ahi tuna, potatoes, macaroni and cheese, mushrooms, creme brulee, wonder woman and a lemon drop martini or two, than with an early morning run through Coal Harbor and along the seawall.
Channeling my inner Rae
T’was The Day Before Christmas
T’was the day before Christmas and all through my house,
My running family was stirring and so was my spouse,
Their wet shoes were placed by the backdoor with care,
In hopes that Vanessa’s goodies would soon be there.
The runners were nestled around the table ready to be fed,
While visions of Rae’s mimosas danced in their heads;
And Tony in his Santa hat and I in my cap
Had just settled down to shoot the crap.
When out in the hallway arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my counter to see what was the matter.
Away to the hallway I flew like a flash,
To see D’s birthday wine on the floor, thank goodness it didn’t smash.
The mud and the rain on my somewhat clean floor,
Gave luster, who am I kidding, hey, who’s at the door,
When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a big box of chocolates, and six more runners spreading Christmas cheer.
“Now, Colin! Now, Soraiya! Now, Murray you vixen!
On, Barry! On, Shelley! Oh Conny, is she still Blitzen?
To the top of the stairs! To the top of the wall!
Now eat away! Eat away! Eat away all!
We spoke many words, but not about work,
And filled all our bellies, without worrying about calories, what a perk.
Before I knew it, coffee was drawing to a close,
And giving a hug, to the door they rose.
They sprang to their cars, to my dog gave a whistle,
And away they all drove like the down of a thistle.
But I heard them exclaim, ere they drove out of sight,
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
Thank you to everyone who came out to the Jingle Bell run! I couldn’t think of a better way to spend the morning of my favourite day of the year. Merry Christmas.
The 10 ish k'ers
The 5 k'ers
Vanessa’s recipes:
Sausage and Egg Casserole
- 6 slices bread, cubed
- 1 pound sausage, browned, drained
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
- 8 each eggs, beaten
- 2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon, salt
- pepper to taste
Cube bread and place evenly in greased 9×13 pan or baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with sausage and cheese. Mix eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over ingredients in pan. May cover and chill overnight. (if left overnight, remove from refrigerator 15 minutes before baking). Bake 45 minutes at 325 degrees or until set. Cut into squares to serve.
Serves 8 to 10.
Mini Cheddar and Bacon Frittatas
- 4 eggs
- 2 T. creamo
- ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- 3 strips finely chopped cooked bacon
- 2 T. salsa
- ½ cup chopped bell peppers
- pepper and chili powder to taste (approx ½ t. each)
Beat eggs and creamo in a medium bowl – add remaining ingredients and mix well.
Grease mini muffin tin. Fill cups with egg mixture almost to the rim. Bake at 375°F for 10-15 minutes or until centers are set. Makes 12 mini frittatas.
NO-vember Challenge
Chances are you have had more candy in the last few days than you have had in the entire year and your stomach is gurgling. Today we embrace NO-vember, a month to take back our health, waistlines, and self-control, the month where we make amends with our indiscretions from Valentine’s Day (because really everything goes to pot after Valentine’s Day) until today.
NO!
NO-vember rules:
- Move your ass! Quit making excuses! Start now and get ahead of the inevitable holiday weight gain.
- Healthy choices, plenty of fruits, veggies and water, it’s not the jeans that make you look fat, you can only blame so much on poor pocket placement.
- Say “NO” to negative people, energy and leopards, you know they will never change their spots.
- Set a fitness goal, register for a race, stay accountable and put your money where your mouth is.
- Weekend wine only (your definition of weekend is open for interpretation).
- Make something from scratch every week that you would normally buy. Also a great excuse to buy a cute little apron, my crafty friend Lysa recommends Smok’n Hot Designs or you could make one yourself.
- One specialty coffee indulgence per week (I had to add this because eggnog lattes start today at Starbucks).
- Go to bed early, what you do from here is your business but according to WebMD sex relieves stress, boosts immunity, burns calories, improves heart health, self-esteem and intimacy, reduces pain and risk of prostate cancer, strengthens pelvic floor muscles and helps you sleep better!
- It’s a long month, so choose a suitable reward for the end. Maybe new jeans, the one’s with the great pockets, or a nice pair of riding boots? Think about all of the money you are going to save by saying NO!
Exceptions to the rules:
- If you leave the country.
- Christmas parties in November.
- Thursday November 24th – American Thanksgiving.
- Out of town house guests.
- Desperate times.
You in? We start now.
Happy Halloween!
For the last week I have transported a box of mini chocolate bars from Whonnock Lake Centre to the Leisure Centre, to my Studio, back to the Leisure Centre (when it became a second box), to the trail, to the track, back to my Studio and it has finally come to rest on my kitchen counter. What kind of fitness instructor gives out candy? Oh, there is a method to my madness; I do the same at Christmas and Valentine’s Day as well.
So as I unwrap my 4th candy bar of the day I look at the nutrition facts on the back of said box, I am thrilled to read that my candy bar of choice, Aero, only contains a mere 40 calories and not the 100 that all of “how to have a boring healthy Halloween” articles have been reporting.
With so much to celebrate in October, it seems like it has been one big party since Thanksgiving weekend. So let’s enjoy one last day of October celebration, because tomorrow is the first day of NO-vember…and I have a dress that I have to wear the first week of December and at this moment in my life the only way that I am going to get into it is to be shot into it!
image courtesy of www.thisiscornwall.co.uk
Happy Halloween my lovelies, MWAH-HA-HA-HA.
Eating On The Run
Nothing like a strategically placed water break to enjoy the scenery and indulge in the fruits of late summer! Reason number 29 of why I run.
Railway Trail
succulent...such a great word
And yet another reason to wear compression socks!
Eat Your Water
Article post: July 2011 issue of Runner’s World
Hydrating foods provide plenty of fluid and healthy nutrients to fuel hot summer runs.
Here’s some juicy news: Drinking water isn’t the only way to stay hydrated. According to the Institute of Medicine, 20 percent of your water intake comes from food. “Eating a three-ounce cucumber is like drinking three ounces of water, but better,” says Howard Murad, M.D., author of The Water Secret. Besides being water-rich, vegetables, fruits, and a few other key foods contain nutrients that can boost a runner’s performance and health. In addition to filling your water bottle, add these foods to your diet for hydration, nutrients, and a tasty change of pace.
H2O+ ELECTROLYTES
CANTALOUPE, PEACHES, STRAWBERRIES
These fruits are mostly water and rich in potassium, an electrolyte lost through sweat. “Potassium and sodium work together to maintain fluid levels in the body,” says Wendy Bazilian, Dr.PH., R.D., author of The SuperFoodsRx Diet, “which helps regulate your heartbeat and circulation.” One cup of each contains between five and 10 percent of your daily needs.
WET YOUR APPETITE
Toss strawberries into guacamole. Or make a cool soup: Blend together peaches, cantaloupe, peach nectar, lime juice, and sea salt, says culinary nutritionist Jackie Newgent, R.D.
H2O + VITAMIN C
WATERMELON, KIWI, CITRUS
Vitamin C helps maintain cartilage and joint flexibility, and these fruits provide at least a third of your daily need per serving. It also plays a role in protecting your skin. “UV rays, pollution, and sweat negatively affect your skin,” Bazilian says, and vitamin C counters those effects. A study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found watermelon and kiwi are nearly as healthy six days after being cut, so make fruit salad for the whole week.
WET YOUR APPETITE
Stir-fry tofu, bok choy, and scallion; add grapefruit segments. Combine kiwi with greens, avocado, pistachios, and onion. Toss watermelon with feta and mint.
H2O + CANCER DEFENSE
TOMATOES, BROCCOLI
Tomatoes are rich in lycopene; studies link this antioxidant to a reduced risk of lung, stomach, prostate, breast, colon, and cervical cancer. While it may not seem juicy, broccoli is 90 percent water and contains compounds called isothiocyanates. A 2010 study in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry found isothiocyanates block a defective gene that causes cells to become cancerous.
WET YOUR APPETITE
Skewer cherry tomatoes and grill until lightly charred; add mozzarella balls, balsamic vinegar, and fresh basil. Stir-fry broccoli with grated ginger; add minced grapes and sunflower seeds.
H2O + RECOVERY
PINEAPPLE, CHERRIES
Both fruits may help you recover and rehydrate postrun. Studies show the enzyme bromelain, found in pineapple, may reduce inflammation and speed muscle repair. “Tart cherries contain anthocyanins and melatonin, which reduce inflammation,” says Russel J. Reiter, Ph.D., professor of cellular and structural biology at the University of Texas Health Science Center.
WET YOUR APPETITE
Skewer pineapple with chicken and bell peppers; brush with teriyaki sauce and grill. Stir minced cherries into dijon mustard.
H2O + IMMUNITY
YOGURT, KEFIR
Studies show that eating probiotic-rich foods can protect you from catching respiratory-tract infections that might otherwise thwart your run. Yogurt usually delivers between one and five strains of probiotics (healthy bacteria); kefir, a yogurtlike drink, can contain up to a dozen. One cup of each also contains 10 to 12 grams of protein, an immune-system building block.
WET YOUR APPETITE
Mix together hummus and yogurt; add lemon juice. Whisk together equal parts maple syrup and kefir for a pancake topping.
H2O + DIGESTION
BEANS
One cup of cooked beans (like kidney, pinto, and garbanzo) provides a half cup of water, as much protein as two eggs, and half your daily fiber needs. Fiber keeps your digestive system moving, helps lower cholesterol, and controls appetite. “Beans are the perfect runner’s food,” says Bazilian. “They’re a balanced combo of carbs and protein, which allows for a slower release of blood sugar for optimal performance.”
WET YOUR APPETITE
Combine beans, celery, onion, olive oil, and red-wine vinegar; add herbs and salt.
Drink Up
Beverages with benefits
CHOCOLATE MILK
Its ideal ratio of protein and carbs helps speed postrun recovery.
COCONUT WATER
The liquid found in green coconuts has fewer calories and more electrolytes than sports drinks.
CONCORD GRAPE JUICE
Research shows it has more antioxidants than other common juices.
ICED GREEN TEA
Compounds called EGCG give it anti-inflammatory properties.
EAT Better: Stick to plain yogurt (which is water-and protein-rich), since sweetened varieties can contain four or more teaspoons of sugar per serving.
By Leslie Goldman
How to Decipher the Yogurt Aisle—Finding Truly Healthy, Weight-loss Options
Article post: acefitness.org
Yogurt, anyone? Here are your choices: low-fat, organic, Greek, light, sugar free, plain, with fruit and non-fat. Huh? With so many “supposedly” healthy choices, picking a yogurt that actually delivers on its promise is no easy task.
When put to the test, San Diego-based registered dietician, Michelle Murphy Zive—who oversees two large health projects at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) that focus on childhood obesity prevention and access to healthy foods—found that a company’s advertising claims don’t necessarily correspond with the nutritional facts.
Zive’s No. 1 tip for consumers: read the nutrition label and know what to look for. A truly healthy yogurt is low in fat and sugar, high in protein and made with good bacteria. Once you find your tasty preference, eat often. Studies show that yogurt is a great snack to promote weight loss while offering numerous health benefits. The active cultures in yogurt can help with lactose intolerance, constipation, diarrhea, H. pylori infection, inflammatory bowel disease and boost your immune system.
Greek Yogurt Craze
If you’re buying into the Greek yogurt craze, you will be happy to know that this European favorite tends to be healthier than traditional American-style yogurts. Strained multiple times, it takes three pounds of milk to make one pound of Greek yogurt, which makes Greek more nutritious. Compared to American-style yogurt, Greek yogurt also tends to be lower in sugar and fat and higher in protein, which fills you up longer. For people who are trying to lose weight, this snack is ideal for keeping your hunger at bay.
To help you sort out a yogurt aisle near you, we’ve compared several top brands:
Chobani Nonfat, plain Greek yogurt
At 100 calories per 6 oz. container, 7 grams of sugar, zero fat and 18 grams of protein (or 36 percent of your daily value) this yogurt is an excellent choice for health and weight-conscious consumers. It’s packed with nutrients, and the high protein will keep you satisfied for hours.
Chobani Nonfat Greek Yogurt with black cherries at the bottom
When you mix Greek sensibility with American sweetness, you’ll always end up with more calories. Added “juice concentrate” – in this case “cherry juice concentrate” - translates into more sugar, even if it is fruit sugar (fructose). At 21 grams, this yogurt has three times the sugar than its plain alternative. It also has 50 percent more calories. Zive’s recommendation? Buy plain and add fresh or frozen fruit.
Fage, made by the Greek Dairy Company, was the first Greek yogurt company to push its way into the U.S. market. It now faces stiff competition from Chobani and others. At 100 calories per 6-oz. serving, 7 grams of sugar, 0 fat and 18 grams of protein, the Fage Total 0% fits the bill for the traditional creamy yogurt popular in Greece, Turkey and the Middle East. The preference for health-conscious consumers may come down to taste.
Honey is good for you, right? Yes, but sweet equals sugar.
Fage Honey packs 170 calories per 5.3-oz container, 0 fat, 13 grams of protein and a whopping 29 grams of sugar. That is almost twice the calories of Fage Total 0% and more than four times the sugar with less protein.
If you’re trying to lose weight, watch for added sugar. Consider this: honey has 3.8 grams of “added sugar” per teaspoon, or more sweetness than maple syrup, which packs 2.8 grams of sugar per teaspoon, but less than table sugar, which packs 4.7 grams of sugar per teaspoon.
Yoplait Banana Cream 99 Percent Fat-Free
Ninety-nine percent fat-free? That sounds great! Well, look closer and you’ll find that it’s a trick companies use to water down the numbers—literally.
The number calculates fat as a percentage of weight (milk is mostly water) or milk-fat by weight. If you add water, you will increase the weight, but keep the fat constant. This yogurt packs 170 calories, 15 calories from fat (5 percent from saturated fat), a whopping 26 grams of sugar and only 5 grams of protein. Also, made with skim milk or low-fat milk (1 percent milk-fat), this yogurt is healthier than those made with “reduced-fat” milk (2 percent milk-fat) and whole-milk (3.5 percent milk-fat), but still packs more calories than non-fat milk.
Who doesn’t want to be light and fit?
At 80 calories per 6 oz., this yogurt certainly is light in calories. And with 11 grams of sugar, it’s also quite fit for an American-style yogurt. But with merely 5 grams of protein, this snack will not satisfy your hunger for long. Take a closer look at the label and you’ll see ingredients like “phenylalanine,” which is a chemical, and “aspartame,” which is an artificial sweetener.
Most “light” yogurts are made with artificial sweeteners, some of which have been linked to health problems. Aspartame can cause headaches in some people. As a general rule, the more chemicals you find in yogurt—or any food for that matter—the less healthy it is, according to Zive.
Dannon All Natural Vanilla Yogurt
Health-conscious consumers are often drawn to products that promise to be “all natural” and “organic.” But the food labels will reveal the truth.
This yogurt has 150 calories per 6-oz. serving and 25 fat calories (12 percent total), including 1.5 grams of saturated fat.
The government recommends limiting total fat to 20 to 35 percent of your daily calories. Consuming two Dannon All Natural Vanilla Yogurts would get you close to the daily maximum. Also, at 25 grams of sugar, this yogurt is past the limit for recommended daily intake of sugar for adult women, which is five teaspoons, or 20 grams of sugar per day. For adult men, the daily recommended sugar intake is nine teaspoons, or 36 grams daily; and for children, it’s three teaspoons (12 grams per day).
The Bottom Line
Even if it sounds healthy, check the nutrition label to be sure.
Low-fat often really means high in sugar. Low in sugar often means high in fat, and if it’s light, it’s likely sweetened artificially. Added fruit translates into more sugar as well.
If you like it sweet, why not add your own fresh fruit and a couple of tablespoons of nuts, such as whole almonds or walnuts? A recent study showed that the extra protein and fiber in nuts increase feelings of satiety and delay gastric emptying—two ways to eat less.
Also, most Americans consume too much sugar. Zive says we can actually “train our bodies” to crave less sugar by cutting back on our overall sugar consumption. Start by eating fewer foods with added sugar and consume more foods with naturally-occurring sugars, such as fruit and low-fat dairy, instead.
Non-fat, plain Greek yogurt is a great start to healthier eating. Couple this by adding a walk, a bike ride or any other physical activity into your daily routine and you’re on your way to overall better health and well-being.
Marion Webb is the writer and editor for the American Council on Exercise and is an ACE-certified Personal Trainer and an ACE-certified Group Fitness Instructor
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Potlucks are great, because everyone has their own thing at which they rock. Liz brings the romanoff potatoes, Kathy brings her basket cinnamon buns (the batch needs to be tripled next time), Chris makes a mean veggie chili, you can always count on Shannon for the simple syrup and/or x-rated delicacies…and it’s not a party without jojos!
Me, I make chocolate covered strawberries; somewhat healthy, oh so good and made in less than 10 minutes. I do have to confess that I borrowed this recipe from my friend Nadine, but added my own twist (although not that original of white chocolate drizzle).
You will need:
- Strawberries
- Milk chocolate melting wafers from the bulk food aisle
- White chocolate melting wafers from the bulk food aisle
- A small plastic bag
- 2 bowls (medium and small)
- 2 spoons
- Cookie sheet
- Wax paper
- Clean hands
Here we go…
Thoroughly wash and dry strawberries.
Place milk chocolate wafers in the medium bowl,
microwave for 2 minutes, stirring after 1minute,
and every 15 seconds after until chocolate has melted...smooth!
Dip the strawberries in the chocolate
and place on the wax lined cookie sheet.
Place the white chocolate wafers in the small bowl,
microwave for 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute,
and every 15 seconds after until chocolate has melted.
Pour white chocolate into plastic bag, snip the bottom corner,
drizzle over chocolate covered strawberries, refrigerate
and serve.
Disclaimer: The amount of wine that you have consumed before or during the making of these chocolate covered strawberries can and will effect the consistency of the dipping and drizzling chocolate.
Hold the Mayo and Pink Slime Please
It’s no secret how I feel about Jamie Oliver. Last night my boy and his tongue were back for a second season of Food Revolution, this time with sights set on the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Our hero’s efforts were completely disregarded by the School District in the first episode. However, he was able to rally support from some of the parents and students of the district especially after giving them a pretty graphic demonstration of how everyday foods are processed. Last season we learned about chicken nuggets (which I have not had since), last night he held no punches about ground beef pink slime…
Yes, Canadian laws and practices differ from our friends in America, but it sure made me think about what I was putting in my chilli tonight and will certainly make me think twice about what foods I am consuming during my next trip south of the border.
Did I Really Talk About That?
I talk a lot (which is two words, one of my pet peeves). And when I saw that someone found my website yesterday by searching pilates underwear to avoid farting, it left me scratching my head wondering did I really talk about that?
Turns out, in my Gym Etiquette 101 post I did in fact talk about embarrassing things that can happen while at the gym that included farting in a Pilates class, I also referenced underwear, but not all in the same point.
But if you ask, I will tell, as both of my Pilates By The Lake classes on Monday night will attest to (although they didn’t ask, I do make it part of my first class of the session speech), always avoid high fat, hard to digest (i.e. lasagna, Caesar salad, most recently I added tacos) and known gassy foods (i.e. – cabbage, lentils, cauliflower…you know your list) prior to any exercise, not just Pilates. There are just some food combinations that are better left for after a workout.
My Mum always says that she learns new things from my blog, so here’s today’s nugget, there are underwear on the market that have a carbon filter. I actually remember seeing a segment on Dragon’s Den marketing this very concept. I dug a little further, they come in many styles by the way (shorties, boxers, no thong), but it was unclear if they filter odor as well as noise, so the jury is still out.
For what it’s worth, it is a completely normal bodily function which happens, on average fourteen times a day (who’s counting?), how about that for a random fact. And really it all comes down to where it happens. So if it should happen to you during one of those quiet moments at the gym or while you are going for a run take comfort with the following words that were whispered by a very kind lady to a very mortified lady during one of my classes many years ago “don’t worry about it, it just means that you were working really hard”.
There it is, I really did talk about it.