Clearing Up Coffee Confusion

So I’m 9 months pregnant and oh the looks I get when I’m carrying a cardboard, steaming cup. It’s coffee folks! You’d think I was walking around with a bottle of Jack Daniels in broad daylight. And how do YOU know it’s not decaf? Well, chances are it’s not... but that’s not the point. I must thank you, little old lady with the snide comment, for the blog influence :)!


So - coffee - good? Bad? "Moderation - huh?” Here’s the latest.


Aside from comments and looks during pregnancy, I also get clients and acquaintances alike who’ve chosen to make the “big step” of cutting out coffee. Then expect a pat on the back for it. Poor you. That’s about all I can offer. Life must suck now! Lol.


We’ve lumped coffee drinking in with unhealthy habits like drunkenness and smoking. We view the strung out, sunken-eyed, over-worked employee with a cigarette in one hand and coffee in the other as one of those “unhealthy coffee drinkers.” Looks more like a Meth addict if you ask me.


So here’s the bottom line... all recent, credible findings suggest, COFFEE drinking offers no serious detrimental health effects. In fact, if you want to improve your health, its better to focus on other lifestyle factors like, ummmm, weight loss, exercise, increasing fiber, eliminating all recreational drugs, etc ;) - instead of avoiding coffee, which can actually be helpful to your health.


Well, that’s moderate amounts right? Sure, if SIX cups a day is moderate – that’s the established upper tolerable limit – or the equivalent of about 600 mg. Its about 2 Starbucks, Grande black brew or 6 (8oz) cups of “Folgers.”


It doesn’t mean your latest high calorie “coffee concoction” either. The excessive calories will do more harm over time than the minute amount of coffee you MAY be getting somewhere under the whipped cream. And not ALL forms of caffeine, are created equal - Coffee is very complex.


Why the flip-flopping over the years? Well, we’ve just recently been able to isolate the hundreds of compounds in coffee and other potential lifestyle factors that cloud results - like lack of exercise and smoking (two things that are common with heavy coffee drinking).


Although not a miracle food, coffee can protect against Type 2 Diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, liver cancer, and liver cirrhosis. It can help with focus and thinking. New findings regarding cardiovascular benefits are currently being studied – but early findings look good there too!


Now for pregnancy. Caffeine crosses the placenta, to the fetus (unlike Sucralose and Aspartame hgm hgmmm – sorry I couldn’t resist). The fetus is very sensitive to caffeine  (because it's teeny tiny) and metabolizes it very, very slowly. The position statement of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists as well as Harvard researchers, recommend less than 200 mg of caffeine a day during pregnancy (8 oz of caffeinated tea and a 12 oz soda have about 50mg, and 8 oz of coffee has about 100 mg).

If you have HTN and are having trouble getting your blood pressure down, try switching to decaf (for some coffee benefits without the caffeine) and see if that makes a difference. But there is no need to simply cut it out unless its posing a problem. 


Also, brew/drip vs. french press/boiling is the preferred method of prep because of a compound called cafestol that is filtered out. When left in, it can affect your LDL (bad cholesterol). Espresso falls somewhere in the middle (some cafestol is filtered out, but not all).


Tea offers DIFFERENT benefits than coffee and recent studies have confirmed that tea is still not nearly as beneficial as coffee. This could be because U.S. tea is much weaker than other countries’ tea and coffee, or it could simply be due to a lack of study in this area.


So...


Starbucks anyone?

Nourishment and Nostalgia vs. Guilt and Gluttony

I recently spoke about emotions surrounding food and the misuse of food for anything but nourishment or nostalgia.  The Holidays are Food Suicide.  Not only are we surrounded by amazing food this time of year, but we are typically with, or reminded of, ones who may cause us to misuse food for emotional purposes to begin with.  I ended the presentation with this Holiday Food Filter, that will hopefully weed out unnecessary calories and put you one step closer to appropriately viewing and consuming food in the new year!    

HOLIDAY FOOD FILTER:

What is the purpose of this food?

Are you legitimately hungry?  If so, eat a substantial meal. You will consume a lot more calories, before recognizing said hunger, than if you were to eat a quality meal and follow it up with a serving of something yummy.  No grazing on chocolate-peanut buttery goodness.  Fill up on the turkey, then enjoy the goodness.  

Is this food simply providing nostalgia - grandma’s famous _________ ? Which is okay!  Food should provide pleasure, and bring back fun memories.  However, how many other foods today have provided nostalgia?  Can you hold off until tomorrow when you have a fresh set of calories to pull from? Thanksgiving never lasts for one meal, or even one day!  We’re spoiled rotten.  Don’t kid yourselves, you’ll be eating left-overs all week!  So spread it out.  Fit a little, portion controlled, nostalgic food into each day.  Remember, the goal is weight maintenance during the Holidays.  

Am I going to thoroughly enjoy this food?  IS IT PERFECT?

Is the food you’re “splurging on” amazing?  Take a bite, if not, then move on.  This is not the time to think about starving children in Africa, they won’t get your Cherry Pie.  Move on to something else that you only get during the Holidays.  These are valuable calories, spend them on something you are going to 100% enjoy.  Slyly, trash the rest, or better yet, wipe them onto your husband’s plate - he gets more calories anyway. :)

How do I practice self control with this food? 

Find a way, or get rid of it.  God calls us to self control in every area.  Portion some into a dish, and eat that! No eating from the pan, as tempting as that can be.    Keep from being alone with favorite foods.  Store them out of site - back of the fridge, microwave, cupboard etc.  Eat slowly, enjoying every single bight, put your fork down between bights - whatever it takes to savor it.  

Am I eating this food to solely fill an emotional void? 

This is the danger zone.  The food does not provide nostalgia, is not being used to satisfy legitimate hunger, you’re not really enjoying it, it’s “there” and you’re woofing it down with no self-control -- it’s filling a void!  If you’re waiting to be alone, to eat way too much of it - chances are, it’s filling a void. Call a good friend.  Find something else to keep you busy - read a book, crochet, draw, go for a walk, get out of the house or go to bed. Spend some time with God, pray, meditate, read His word.  Find a great podcast - Tim Keller has excellent messages addressing emotional health.  

Take the emotion and guilt out of food so you can actually enjoy it again.   

A Pre-Holiday Diet, This Dietitian's Favorite Fad

So, the Holidays are here.  This is when everyone stands me up for Nutrition appointments and typical dinner conversation with the Dietitian includes... “for real, how do I drop 10 lbs by the Holidays?”  ummmm, Spanx?  lol.  

So here it is, A Transparent Dietitian’s preferred, quick Holiday/Wedding fix to, “just tell me how to get it off.”  

*drumroll please*  “Eliminate Anything White.” Yup, that’s white sugar (and anything containing it), white flour, white potatoes, white pasta etc.  (many throw in banana too, which DOES happen to be a high-er calorie fruit, but is much like a sweet potato in that it has fiber and a ton of nutrients.  So I wouldn’t put this on the essential list, unless you know you consume massive amounts of banana :) ).  I would add to the diet (although not white) the elimination of fruit juice and the limiting of milk/yogurt to 16 oz a day (non-fat), but not eliminating.

I like this method because its a great jump start, that will hopefully continue into the New Year, you can do it FOREVER, and always lighten up a little as needed for special occasions, without “throwing in the towel” completely.  There’s also no need for damage-control when you’ve reached your goal (Atkins), you rarely have to back-track (weight wise) to re-enter “eating” civilization (because you never leave it), and after “getting used to it,” most can stick to it better than any fad out there.   

The key to weight loss IS calories, BUT, we typically over-eat and incessantly snack on the “white/refined” things. Okay, not typically, ALWAYS!  (i.e. cakes, cookies, pies, chips, sodas/sweetened teas and coffee drinks, white bread, crackers, pasta etc).   I cannot tell you how often I get, “I just eat too much fruit, that’s my problem.” Baaaahahahahaha, no, I promise, that’s not your problem.  Its the other things you’re ignoring and sneaking, that apparently don’t exist if eaten after 10pm or are in the form of a drink.

I have a brother in law who has had great success with this. Using the “Better Plate" as a guide (below), you are not eliminating any major food groups, can sufficiently fuel your body, and cut out the “triggers” that not only bring on extra fat, but extra water and bloating as well.  All the while, increase essential (typically missing) nutrients like whole grains, antioxidants and fiber in the process - all good things.    If you want to tighten the belt even more, you can eliminate ALL grains and still get sufficient carbs and nutrients from milk/yogurt, fruit, beans/lentils and sweet potato, this happens to be my preferred method - no non-sense!

Note - start it now - shed a little weight and water - then lighten it up from Thanksgiving through New Years.   Few things bother me more than someone who says... "no thanks, I’m dieting," at the Thanksgiving table.  No pity.  There are 11 other months of the year to cut calories and shave pounds than the most FUN month to eat in.  It doesn’t mean go over board, with permission to be gluttonous for a month or so - but no restricting either.  If you can maintain your weight through the Holidays and not feel deprived - job well done.  

May the force be with you, and Steven, thanks for the inspiration, great job!

Plate and Pyramid Perplexity

“Now, first lady Michelle Obama is helping roll out another tool to fight America’s obesity epidemic: ChooseMyPlate.gov, the new food icon and website that Obama administration officials say is a lot easier to understand and follow than the old food pyramid from which we’ve learned for nearly two decades. “As long as they’re eating proper portions, as long as half of their meal is fruits and vegetables alongside their lean proteins, whole grains and low-fat dairy, then we’re good. It’s as simple as that,” the first lady said at the MyPlate.gov unveiling at the US Department of Agriculture, which developed the MyPlate icon.” -John Garcia ABC News

Pretty sure Ms. Obama is a LAWYER. Pretty sure this is one of the most colorful wastes of time since… well, the “MyPyramid” icon. And, who says we “learned” anything from the Pyramid the last 2 decades? Have you walked into a school lately? Perhaps a mall? How bout a beach or a HOSPITAL? Wow.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I do commend Ms. Obama for her healthy initiatives and think she has the greatest of intentions, but I also feel she’s working with folks at the USDA that should know better!

We’re paying for pretty new posters and “icons,” while our kids are nutritionally stupid, and their parents aren’t much better off. We can mandate homosexual history education and women’s rights to reproduction, but we won’t teach our kids how to EAT!? Something we HAVE to do! Daily. Everyone. Dietitians, health professionals and MOMS, have been trying to get PROPER nutrition education in schools and healthier school lunches for YEARS, but I’m so glad we were able to push through this [redundant] “campaign”, so our kids, parents and cafeteria workers can STILL BE CONFUSED!

To MyPlate’s defense - in the full article - Ms. Obama mentions a parent not having time to measure out proper portions of foods “i.e. 3 oz meat etc.” True. (BTW in my practice I’ve never recommended this, nor have I come across any parent that does it). She states the “plate” as something easier to visualize, and that the Pyramid is confusing. Agreed.

However. As long as America classifies French fries as veggies, and mac and cheese as grains, we are in serious trouble.

The problem…

All current and previous government sponsored attempts to classify food into pretty pictures and “icons” STILL does not tell us how to feed our families. For instance…

Do you see the problem? All foods are “properly categorized” using both MyPlate AND MyPyramid methods – I even threw in buzz words I get in my office all the time, somehow indicating the meal is now “healthy” – however, this is a high calorie, high sugar, high starch, high sodium and high saturated-fat meal – hardly balanced -- with ALL foods falling into the “carbohydrates” macronutrient category and a Diabetic nightmare. Not to mention the lack of COLOR and variety – there are NO antioxidants, no phytonutrients and no Omega 3 fatty-acids. THIS, ladies and gentlemen is where we’ve messed up in the school system – this, and providing a CHOICE for KIDS while forcing Cafeteria directors to stay within a ridiculous budget.

Classifying food as fruit, grain, vegetable… etc. doesn’t help at all. Who came up with that anyway?! It makes no sense. Our bodies treat food differently based on what MACRONUTRIENT category they belong to: Carbohydrate, Protein and Fat. Hence the mass confusion, a concept that I didn’t learn until I was in COLLEGE! Now, there are more nutritious carbs, proteins and fats than others, but a proper balance of THAT is what we should be striving for.

Instead, check this out…

It’s not perfect, there are parameters that should be explained, aaand that’s why I’m here.  Some foods will always fall into multiple categories. But if this was ALL I was using to base my family’s nutrition off of – we’d be in MUCH better shape. BTW Diabetics, tape this to your fridge and follow it like a cult! It will drastically help in blood sugar control.

That’s my two-cents anyway, because you asked right? ;)

A Dietitian's Struggle

So, in an effort to be the most Transparent Dietitian I can be, that is the name of my blog, is it not? And in light of my last blog entry, I found it important to let you in on one of my husband’s and my biggest nutrition struggles. Yes, being married to a transparent Dietitian means you too must be transparent :). Ha ha, no, he agreed for me to share.

We are both, hmmm, vertically challenged (requiring less calories daily), love rich, decadent sweets and are both quite “emotional,” of course I prefer the terms “passionate about life” ;). With great emotion, comes great self-soothing. Aaaand what does a Baptist soothe with best? Food! Lol. Our struggle is simply maintaining our calories in a healthy range daily. DAILY, as in ONGOING. Ongoing, as in FOREVER.

Keeping our bodies at a calorie balance is tough. Some never achieve it. Some have such high metabolisms they’ve never had to “work on it,” but at some point in life, we will all choose to focus on or ignore our caloric needs. As I’ve said before, its a crucial, non-negotiable, step one, and for some, where they will stop, as we strive to achieve a physically healthier life, or refuse to acknowledge its importance.

My husband plays with an extra 10 lbs he’d rather not have. He finds stressful, long days, and enticing foods, make it difficult not to exceed his budgeted 1500 calories at times. He overshoots too many days – weeks – months in a row and steadily gains weight. For me, it’s the opposite, coupled with over-compensation. I tend to teeter on maintenance and weight loss calorie recommendations (whether I ‘need’ to lose weight or not) and push the limits with my exercise, because I’m a perfectionist. It’s never good enough, and never will be. Follow that up with emotional, over-eating largely out of over-restriction and “rinse, wash, repeat,” you’ve got a very unhealthy relationship with food. Neither mentality is a healthy one. Both involve a sinful reliance on self, and most certainly, gluttony and recklessness at some point.

As I’m writing, I’m still not sure many of you are getting this concept. We. Will. Always. Have. To. Watch. Our. Calories. ALWAYS. Even Billionaire’s have to budget. There is no time in our lives, NO TIME, when we will be able to simply consume calories without needing to turn around and expend them. It’s not how our bodies were designed.

Our view of “weight loss” and health has been so skewed by gimmicks, marketing, quick “fixes” and fads, that we somehow think there is a beginning, and an end to health. There is never, NEVER a time when we simply have “achieved” health and can coast with Bon Bons and Krispy Kreme’s for the rest of our lives. We have to change this way of thinking.

Your “number” may change based on your current season of life. I don’t need as many calories now, even pregnant, than I needed when I was 9 years old. But there is always a number, always a calorie requirement, that if we don’t meet, consistently, we’ll fail to maintain an appropriate weight. All other health efforts are null and void if we don’t maintain a healthy weight.

Notice I keep saying “healthy weight.” Healthy weight = a weight at which you are comfortable. When you’re joints and knees don’t ache simply from excess weight. It’s when your lab work improves and your risk for preventable diseases decreases. When you’re sleeping better at night. When you can move around without becoming winded. When you simply feel good, clear minded, and able to best function in life.

We are all a work in progress. If you take nothing away from this blog entry, take this: health is a constant discipline. There is no beginning, no end. Some days we hit the mark, some days we miss it completely. The goal, is to have more days that we healthily hit the mark and pick ourselves up when we don’t, better yet, ask a more powerful God to pick us up, striving to make those times fewer and shorter. Get back to work.

The secret to weight loss, and a healthier life...

CALORIES!!!!

See ya!

Lol. Okay, enter the inevitable eye rolls and yells at the computer – please refrain from throwing objects. Buuuut, it really is math. MATH. Now, if you’re still reading, you’re offering me excuses as to why it’s not the calories for you. You’re mumbling, “I’ve tried that, *expletive*!” OR, “Just wait till you turn 30!” Yes, yes, I’ve heard I should expect wonderful things when I hit the big 3-0; I’m waiting with baited breath. However, it is simply black and white, non-opinionated, proven fact, that you must burn more or as many calories as you take in, to lose or maintain your weight. If you eat more calories than you need, you will gain weight. End. Of. Story. It is the FIRST step to any weight loss, or healthy initiative – the FIRST. And it is essential.

Now, there are VERY FEW exceptions. Yes, I know, you all fall under the “exceptions”category. Well, guess what, most of the exceptions, have solutions – HA!

1. Have your Thyroid checked – it’s a simple blood test. If your MD (not an Herbalist!) finds there are problems, insist on a medication regimen with close following. A strict medication regimen should result in a normalized metabolism.

2. So, your Thyroid’s fine -- Visit a facility that offers an instrument for measuring REE (Resting Energy Expenditure) its called Indirect Calorimetry and usually involves a breathing apparatus. Not a contraption you stand on or a calculation at your local gym. This will give you a more accurate representation of the calories your body is burning at rest – AKA THE GOAL. For most – its between 1100 and 1500. I’ve seen ONE patient with a metabolism close to 900 – and she had a diagnosed metabolic disorder from birth! She was also average weight – how bout’ them apples.

3. Not in denial? Simply jump in. Try 1200, 1500 or 1800 calories. Not real scientific I know, but even if I do the math specifically for you, I will place you in the closest of these categories. Start low and move up as needed.

(Now, I won’t begin to ignore medications and disease states that may cause water retention – edema – steroids and the like, that cause weight gain or excessive hunger. Please discuss changing these medications with your MD if weight gain is an issue for you. However, limiting your calories can still help dramatically in these cases).

The math. 3500 calories is equal to 1 lb. The trick is finding a way to cut these calories from your days, without putting yourself into starvation. This is harder for shorter ladies, aiming for 1100-1300 calories a day for WL, where this may only be a deficit of 200-300 calories from your normal 1300-1600 calorie day, resulting in 1 lb per 2 weeks. Tall men might be able to handle a deficit of 1000 calories a day without too much restriction - this is about 2 lbs loss per week. Obnoxious? Yes. Healthy? Afraid so. Consuming fewer calories than your REE or BMR will result in starvation -- limited early weight loss with plateau or gain thereafter, and inevitably… Cranky. Pants. Wow. Do us all a favor and eat.

Your challenge. Find a non-cumbersome way to STRICTLY track your calories - STRICTLY! Food journals are rarely maintained long-term. If its not easy, you won’t do it. I get that. Here’s what we do. Jordan, my favorite, and hottest client, aims for 1500 calories a day, most days of the week. He writes NOTHING down. Why? Because he lives by the “cash system” for calories. He has 300 calories to spend for breakfast, 600 for lunch and 600 for dinner. This just works well with his schedule. Occasionally he borrows from lunch for his coffee concoction, and from dinner, for his frozen custard concoction – but still sticks to his calorie “cash.” No credit here, well, because credit = love handles.

We use these phone apps to stay within our “calorie cash allotment,” they are my favorite! Calorie King and Eat This Not That.

I don’t care WHAT you order or bring for lunch, remember, this is step ONE, without mastering this step you DO NOT go on, and without losing excess weight, you will be defeating the purpose of ALL healthy dietary modifications. I want your calories, snacks, nut-bowl-trips, fancy coffees, desk-drawer chocolates and “juice with meds,” to fit within your calorie allotment. We can talk about the quality of your calories later. Get to work.

Nutrition and Fitness... too "Churchy?"

You decide. I was recently part of a conversation, where someone mentioned a “stretch” to make Nutrition and Fitness, "Churchy.” Well, if you know me at all, you can probably tell what my response was...silence. Ha! For fear that I would make very clear, one of my greatest “pastor’s wife character flaws,” the anti-thesis of P31, where I proceed to open my mouth and give an earful of, although very true, not very, mmm... “winning friends and influencing people,” verbiage. The fact that I said nothing, I suppose indicates progress in this area ☺. It’s probably why I enjoy writing and speaking in my career most, because I can proofread, re-word, practice and pass everything through my husband-filter first!

What I wanted to say? (Husband-approved mind you) Because it IS “churchy,” as she so intelligently put it. I see it much like our behavior around Christian friends vs. work friends, how dare we make the distinction. If our bodies are atrociously wasting away (as I know they are dying but for some of us, slow, painful and downright gross), how exactly are we exuding Christ-like characteristics in our “everyday?” Now, I know the oh, so, pre-pubescent paintings of our contorted view of “Jesus” show him thin, muscular and able to throw a large sheep over his vein-bulging neck – a specimen of true fitness. But now, take a moment and picture him as a fat slob, eating a Twinkie or better yet, a Hardees’ “Thick Burger,” mustard and ketchup running down his face and wiping his mouth with his sleeve. Now follow it up with a big, growling, yack of BELCH, where everyone looks over to see if something has presented itself on the table, and the smell of acidic onion fills the room. Wow, loses some “majesty” and “grace” doesn’t it? I hardly doubt this is the Jesus of the Bible, the Jesus of moderation and discipline – God Himself! I also can’t see him making a Noni-Juice, power-protein smoothie to wash down his Detox pills and enzymes daily. He knew that our bodies were built with a perfect design in mind. Our only job was to appropriately fuel them with the things He’s provided on this Earth for nourishment, and enjoyment. As usual, our sinful selves take it too far! The distortion of such has led us to be an obese, unhealthy, moody, self-soothing, instantly gratifying, sick nation, and our desperation has lead to a multi-billion dollar industry of quick fixes and false promises.

If you’re like me (not the literary genius that is), I was the one in English class who took everything literal and had NO CLUE how the teacher arrived at her supposed, “symbolism.” Yup, pretty sure it was just a tree the author had in mind and not some woman’s innocence and whatever other garbage was included in that test question I bombed, wow, huh? Anyway, you may be tempted to take every mention of food in the Bible, as sustenance. Now I’m no biblical scholar, and very literal at that, but even I’m not certain of this. Like many of God’s illustrations, he uses analogies that we’ll understand to make bigger points in scripture. And we ALL understand FOOD! Well, we know we like it anyway. I know that God thought the power of food important enough to mention parameters (gluttony/drunkenness). I know He uses its deprivation to draw us closer to Him through prayer and fasting. I know its essential to our survival – we HAVE to eat. At times, its there simply for our enjoyment, in the proper context, like sex, we’ve managed to pervert that too. He mentions and initiates fellowship around the dinner table, and numerous times it’s a crucial part of a celebration. Finally, He used food to set entire nations apart – as He gave rules regarding food to the Jewish Nation in the Old Testament.

I whole-heartedly believe that eating food and striving for fitness is not just another thing we haphazardly do, or should be forced to figure out alone. I also don’t think it’s a choice whether we’re physically fit or not. Nothing is accidental or an after-thought from God. It was designed to be another part of the puzzle, another way to show our obedience. It’s another aspect of our lives, heavily ignored, that we are continually improving on and sharpening, with guidance from the Holy Spirit and qualified teachers. Like scripture, something we should be striving to teach our children. I also know I’m looking forward to the Feast promised in Heaven. And I’m pretty sure God will put more effort into it than Twinkies and Boone’s!

3 Morning Habits for a Healthier Day

Ever seen this commercial?



NutriGrain Bars, my favorite *insert eye roll here*. Great concept, great marketing, wrong breakfast choice. Yes, starting your day with whole grains and fruit is a great breakfast, but I’d hardly classify NutriGrain bars as a substantial source of whole grain and “jelly” as a fruit. I digress…

Experience has taught me, that there are certain things I HAVE to get into my morning routine to keep me making healthy decisions throughout the day. There are also triggers that make me want to throw the whole day out the window, commit sodium suicide or eat my weight in Oreos – a food I don’t even particularly enjoy, but keep in the house for my husband’s sanity (it’s not easy living with a Dietitian). My routine has had to change a little with the incorporation of babies, and every day is a little different, but the fundamentals are still the same.

1. Scripture. Okay… don’t stop here, its not a guilt trip and I won’t begin to claim that I’ve mastered this. What I am going to say is that although proper nutrition is a great foundation, Christ is first and foremost… AND lets face it, gluttony is a sin, food is an emotional thing, we eat out of stress, anxiety, boredom, anger, depression… starting the day with ANY form or length of scripture and asking for the Holy Spirit to help you make good choices will only help you in your health battle. Sometimes between making lunches while the kids are screaming as they rummage through the cupboards because I’m apparently dragging my feet at providing breakfast, the hubby asking if his favorite jeans are clean and the dog… well, we don’t have a dog – but you get the point. Amidst the chaos, reading my chalkboard scripture verse (Do I get “Beth Moore” points for the chalkboard scripture verse?), and taking a second to BEG the Holy Spirit to get me through the day without killing anyone, is all I can muster. My husband has an app on his iPhone that reads the bible aloud – he turns it on when he’s in the shower, and getting ready. Sometimes it’s making the commitment to read my Bible app on my phone before I check my twitter, facebook, email, linkedin or any other media. Don’t wait until later to “get your devos in,” the first time my butt hits a comfy chair at night, I’m gone! Do it in the morning and move on. If you can do more later, great!

2. Breakfast. If you’re not a breakfast eater, become one. I could ramble off all the studies that have proven that folks who eat breakfast are more fit, burn more calories, learn and retain more academically… buuut, how bout’ you just trust me and do it?! Some common Richmond breakfast items are… Kashi’s Peanut Peanut bars, LARA bars, Cliff and Cliff Kids bars, Egg McMuffin, Peanut Butter and toast, PB and English muffin, PB and whole wheat waffle, PB and juuuuuust about anything (except for a bagel, too many calories, too much sugar first thing), plain greek yogurt with fruit, a baggie with whole wheat cereal and nuts… Lots of options, all “on the go.” Low sugar, with Protein, Fiber, Good Fat, 300 calories or less, done.


3. Sweat. Kind of like scripture reading, working up a sweat takes on many forms, it has to be a priority, it can be helpful in ANY amount and it needs to be in the morning/daytime, for most of us. Now, there are some who can go to the gym after work, or attend a nightly Zumba class etc, those are great. But if you’re signed up for the Zumba class and you haven’t been in 3 weeks, its time to change. There is no magic time you should work out. But if you can get that sweat going in the morning, you tend to make better decisions throughout the day. It gets those endorphins goin’ early. A natural stimulant and (if you're like me) its something else we get to check off the to-do list first thing! (its a little scary how much I enjoy that). It has less to do with calories burned, more to do with the mindset you establish. You can lose weight without ever lifting a barbell, or running a lap. But the proper mindset, entering your day, will do wonders. I have an elliptical. Whether its 15 minutes or 50 minutes, it is a MUST 5-6 days of the week. Its typically the first part of the boys’ naptime. Sometimes Kal comes in and colors or plays with Play-do while I’m on the “Lellipkical” as he calls it. If I have more time, I do more. We also have P90x DVDs and a chin up bar in the kitchen. It may be coming home at lunch and running around the block. Find what works and do it, consistently.

Putting some effort into your morning will help in making healthier decisions throughout the day. Try it!

It's low fat, so its healthy...right?

Wrongo! I frequently get folks in my office who insist on describing everything they eat as, “healthy” and “fat-free,” using the words interchangeably. I'm not sure if they're trying to convince me, or themselves, but what they've missed is that eliminating fat in our diets can leave us hungry, unsatisfied, excessively eating empty calories, unsatiated, stupid-cranky (due to poor blood-sugar control) and typically eating more calories by the end of the day than those who incorporate fat appropriately. Most people, who limit fat when they limit calories, as part of a weight-loss diet, feel more like they are “dieting,” than those who simply limit calories. Did you know that fat is essential, even in a heart-healthy diet? Did you know that some vitamins are only absorbed by way of the fat we consume? Fat is extremely beneficial - the problem is - we either cut it out completely, eat too much or eat the wrong kind.

Low-fat diets became popular in the 80s and 90s. Another “Fad Diet” I wish would just DIE. Another food meant for enjoyment, with great importance to our bodies, in moderation, that we’ve chalked right up there with being “evil” along with carbohydrates, alcohol and the like. Many high fat foods, eaten as part of a varied, nutritionally dense diet, give us strength, nourishment, help us think, regulate our moods and very importantly - provide enjoyment… all in moderation.

A long, long time ago, we ate all kinds of meat (our greatest source of saturated, bad, fat) - the meat our strong men hunted and killed for us. Way to go manly men! Pretty sure I’ll keep this in mind next time I’m fighting for a good sale at the meat counter with 2 screaming toddlers – think I’d prefer the loin cloth and machete - or better yet, make my man do it (loin cloth optional ;)). There are all kinds of arguments from scholars and homemakers alike, as to what God meant for us to eat, Biblically speaking. Some have misconstrued, re-worded, stretched and/or taken out of context, every passage they can find, to make their (unimportant) point. If you want proof, just spend a couple of minutes on Google in this topic area, then discount everything you’ve read! I’m not here to prove anything, to tell you God does or doesn’t want you to eat meat. What I will point out however is that the common trend throughout the Bible, is that meat (and the saturated fat found in meat) was typically mentioned with regard to special occasions and always in limited amounts. In fact you wouldn’t dare binge on it, or you’d run out before the end of winter – a concept that never hit home until I moved to KY - burrrrrr. I will also point out that too much saturated fat over time, can lead to a host of deadly diseases, proven over and over as something that should be limited.

So what did we eat the rest of the time? Well, most diets, aside from a plethora of grains, (no low carb diets here), were full of fish, nuts, seeds, olive oil, legumes… things that were readily available. Funny, how the things God provided the most of, are the best things for us (nutritionally speaking), chalked full of Monounsaturated fats, Omega Fatty Acids, fiber and protein – extremely healthy for our psyche, bodies and hearts.

What does this mean today? Well, we need to limit our saturated (animal) fat, and eliminate Trans fat (created by us to mimic Saturated fat) in our diets. Be concerned with buying “low fat” or “fat free” versions of items with unhealthy fats (and reducing their consumption), milk/cream/cheese/yogurt and meats (white meats like pork-loin, venison, white meat chicken, white meat turkey, sirloin and lean ground beef are lower fat forms of "meat" that can be eaten more often). The nutritional integrity of these items is not affected by their fat removal. High fat foods you should enjoy in their full-fat form, in moderation, are peanut butter (*big cheesy grin*), walnuts and other nuts, Olive Oil, Canola Oil, Avocado, Salmon and most other fish. Do your best to limit all other types of added fats as well – i.e. processed foods with added poly-unsaturated fats, that are simply, unnecessary.

Remember, any fat is high in calories, so its crucial to practice portion control – no nut bowls lying around the house! No incessant snacking on trail mix and the like. These are easy ways to blow your calories and gain excessive weight (or prevent yourself from losing), which is never a “healthy” choice. And no, frying a Twinkie in Peanut oil does not make it healthy, however, if you’re going to get high calorie, fast-food anyway, choose something like all white meat chicken (full of protein, low in calories), choose somewhere that cooks in peanut or canola oil, (as to make the best use of the calories/fat eaten), and limit your portions!

The Mediterranean diet does a great job of incorporating good fats into a very heart-healthy, blood-sugar-controlled diet.

A word on non-animal sources of Saturated fats…

Coconut oil – a Saturated fat, with little to no substantial, or credible evidence lending to its consumption being healthy in any amount. Avoid.

Dark Chocolate - huge, medically and scientifically proven, peer-reviewed health-benefits, that out-weigh its Saturated fat content, in its purest form, at a maximum 1 oz per day!

Can Nutrition Affect Bad Breath?

Absolutely. But have no fear garlic-lovers! Like all aspects of nutrition, it has less to do with your most immediate meal, and more to do with long-term habits affecting your GI tract. Obviously Gastric Reflux (exacerbated by garlic, chocolate, coffee, alcohol and tomatoes) can taint the air you exhale. But simply eliminating certain foods from your diet may not be the cure. Low-carb diets, sending you into Ketosis, can also contribute to stinky breathing. But again, simply getting sufficient carbohydrates (45-60% of total calories) daily may not do the trick. Here are some nutrition factors that may help:

(BTW if you're looking for a great Oral Hygiene help in your bad breath dilemma, try the TUNG brush! http://www.tungbrush.com/...okay back to Nutrition)

1) Sugar - keep in mind sugar causes plaque, making mouth odor worse. So in any remedy you consider, be sure it’s low sugar. This applies to your quick-fix mint or gum too - go sugar-free!

2) Water - one of the most important and easiest things you can do is to stay hydrated. And don’t mistake properly hydrating with drinking coffee and sodas all day – that just makes dry mouths dryer. Saliva and calorie-free, caffeine-free beverages can wash away food particles and bacteria that contribute to bad breath.

3) After-Meal-Cocktails – coriander, spearmint, tarragon, eucalyptus, rosemary and cardamom are great for fighting bad breath. They may not taste amazing together, but steep any one of them in hot water, tea, or soda water, add a spritz of lime and a dash of Splenda for a refreshing, calorie-free, funky-breath-fighting, after-meal cocktail!

4) Yogurt - active cultures, like those in most yogurts can also help fight bad breath causing bacteria. Try a low-sugar, low-fat brand like Dannon Light or Active.

5) Fiber - try eating crunchy, fiber rich apple slices or carrots to clean your mouth of plaque and sticky food clinging to your teeth and gums after meals. The insoluble fiber in these foods will also help move food along the GI tract quicker, keeping odors from sticking around; its also good motivation for getting in those pesky “5 a day.”

6) Vitamin C - the Vitamin C in berries, citrus and melons help fight bacteria and are helpful in preventing gum disease and Gingivitis – both major causes of Halitosis. Avoid the urge to supplement. Vitamin C tablets can provide too much of the vitamin at once, causing GI upset and making bad-breath worse.

Even more reasons why a varied, nutritious diet is essential!

Good Mood Food?

Arby's.
What the crap?

Why do we insist on mixing feelings with food? Our obsession with finding anything to “make it better” has led us into a miserable and unhappy existence. People come into my office daily - spouting “food is my ‘coping mechanism’” and “I’ve been a ‘carb addict’ since I was very young’” or, ooh, this one’s good, “food is my only friend” or whatever else you heard on Oprah. For real?! Sounds like an addiction to me. Same. Old. Story.

We’ve used any means necessary, since the beginning of time, to put us in “good moods.” We date losers, drink too much liquor, sleep around, buy new toys we can’t afford, get surgical modifications, consult “inspirational speakers” and “life coaches,” spend money on ridiculous de-toxes/cleanses/supplements/juices made from berries we can’t pronounce correctly – or spell half the time – and we eat, and eat, and eat…all to make our lives a little better. To find that “good mood” and comfort we’ve searched for since BIRTH! Have you found it yet? Well… have you?! Pretty sure it’s not in your burger…pretty sure.

Pretty sure Jesus was in a good mood at some point in His life, and seeing as He was sinless and blameless – PERFECTION – I’m thinking no where in the Bible do we read Jesus asking the Father for another glass of wine or Flodni, so the sin would go away and people would “just like Him.” In fact, I’m pretty sure the night Jesus would be TORTURED, knowing full well His death on the cross was coming, He PRAYED. He prayed until He cried blood.

Depression doesn’t magically go away, eating disorders rarely absolve, but you find ways to give and re-give it to God, sometimes daily. Because even though we’re “dealt a bad hand” we don’t have a right to be drunk, perverted, fat, mean or living in any other sin because of it. Did you ever think that perhaps the Holy Spirit could help you with your obsession with food, just like any other sin in your life? Did you ever think fueling your body with healthy food was just another commandment from Christ? Our body is only a “temple” when we’re getting tattoos apparently, says the fat Baptist. Pretty sure God never addresses ink, pretty sure he makes mention of a little thing called Gluttony.

Like sex and wine, food was given by God to be enjoyed. He also gave us rules by which to enjoy them, somehow we seem to always miss that part. “Good moods” can be nurtured with a diet of MODERATION and VARIETY – Fish, dairy, cocoa, wine, dark colored fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts, whole grains, caffeine… not all inclusive necessarily, but all in moderation. A healthy diet is full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants (including polyphenols) and phytonutrients, carbohydrates, proteins, and good fats. All combined with sufficient sleep, a healthy prayer life and, well, sex with your spouse. Yup, I went there. You know this stuff. Quit looking for joy in your burger and start praying – its bigger than YOU, its bigger than FOOD, its never bigger than Him.

High Fructose Corn Syrup - Friend or Foe?

You decide...



So I was laughing out loud by the end, grabbed Jord’s arm and said, “Please never let me be ‘that woman’!” Ha! Okay, we’ve all got similar goals, we trying to get them fed, bathed and still alive by bedtime, all the while without scarring them for life with our issues. Gotcha. So that includes doing our best to make the right dietary decisions for them.

You know what? The mom that “fired back” was RIGHT! High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is sugar, it’s made from corn, it’s made by scientists, and most who go spouting how horrible it is, are looking for another “scapegoat” for our unhealthy society. HFCS in and of itself has not been proven to make your kids fat, unhealthy or give them cancer or Diabetes. Wouldn’t it be great if it were that easy! No more HFCS – Poof! The world is cured of all disease, and your kids will now behave in public! I digress…

A couple of facts: HFCS consumption has increased 4000% from 1974 to 2000. Roughly 1.5lbs per to 62.7lbs per capita. FOUR THOUSAND PERCENT!!! SO, it would be safe to assume that HFCS is making our kids fat. WRONG. We can assume that WE are making our kids fat and WE are making OURSELVES fat! Pretty sure it has more to do with our sinful selves needing more and more…and more, and being afraid to tell our children "NO", than some poor scientists’ evil scheme to poison our children and make us all fat.

It is also known, that High Fructose intakes may cause hypertriglyceridemia and gastrointestinal symptoms in susceptible individuals, remedy – drink fructose (yes, including that stuff we get in fruit and fruit juice) in moderation, and don’t give it to kids under 1 yr (those are the ‘susceptible’ ones). Too much fructose can lead to malabsorption by the body and a build up of fructose in your system – again – moderation anybody?

As the Nutritional Head of my household, I choose to avoid HFCS for my family and myself. Am I able to eliminate it completely? No. But we limit it drastically. Here’s why…

Countless studies have shown that limiting added sugars, in general, will help in promoting healthy, happier lifestyles in the long run – especially for our little ones. Most added sugars these days are in the form of HFCS. We know that too many calories leads to being overweight, we also know that most excessive calories are consumed in the form of added sugars. Cutting it out is a great way to limit these excessive calories (especially in the home of “sweet-tooths” and tots). It’s the same reason we choose to use non-nutritive sweeteners in moderation at our home (Splenda, and occasionally Aspartame) because WAY more scientific peer-reviewed studies have linked excessive sugar in the diet to co-morbidities and long-term health detriments, than artificial sweeteners. In fact, 1 study (in over 7000 to date) has linked artificial sweeteners to tumors in rats over 20 years ago, its since been “thrown out” by most of the medical community for inconsistencies… buuut, back to corn syrup…

HFCS is made by scientists in an effort to maintain a more affordable sweetening agent for processed foods (mainly fruit drinks, sodas, cookies, cakes and pies that are shelf stable for millennia). Eerily similar to the creation of Trans fat, which were created as a more affordable fat for processed and convenience foods years ago, and look at how that turned out for us. Trans fats, over time, were proven to be even more harmful than the “natural” form of fat it was created to replace. Which is why we’re encouraged to eliminate Trans fat and limit Saturated fat. Sugar’s been around forever, with no harmful effects ever proven, when consumed in moderation, as part of a healthy, nutrient rich diet. So, I choose the very scientific conclusion here of… “Better safe than sorry.” Ask me in 30 years and I may feel otherwise.

So. Limit total sugars in your diet (especially your growing kids’) and be sure that the foods they are consuming 90% of the time are full of nutrients, in relation to overall calories, and for cryin’ out loud, sodas and Hawaiian punch are a treat, not a source of hydration. Make every calorie count.

Will more protein get me bigger muscles?

Nope! Although many personal trainers and fitness instructors think so! In fact without necessary calories and carbs – caaaarrrrrrbsssss - from a balanced diet, your body will be forced to use a good amount of protein for energy instead of the glycogen it was designed to use, actually working against strength and muscle-building. Most people (active or not) need about 0.8-1.0 g protein per kilogram body weight (to find your weight in kilograms, divide by 2.2). Muscle builders and intense athletes can go up to 1.3-1.5 g/kg body weight – rarely but possibly, up to 1.7 g/kg. Most Americans get 2X this amount and then some. I may make that kind of recommendation for… oh, I don’t know… chemo patients and burn victims! Not necessary for bigger biceps folks. It is important to include some protein with your carbs before and after exercise for muscle recovery – you can sufficiently do this with a glass of skim milk. Skim. Milk. The skim milk also has Calcium, which helps with the digestion of protein. Take note, a lack of Calcium in your diet may cause your body to take it from your bones, so if your trainer told you to cut out milk too, you may want to reconsider... aaaaand stop listening to your trainer for nutrition advice they've recently Googled. Feel free to spend way too much money on “high performance drinks” that fill you with caffeine (fake “energy”) and B vitamins, but its not necessary. Small doses of caffeine and protein during exercises can be beneficial, but “monster sized” is absolutely not required. By the way, the protein your body doesn’t need, is peed out… how sexy. But not before passing through your kidneys…I can’t imagine that much protein passing through your kidneys can be good for it… what do you think?

Have a picky eater?

Of course you do! Join the club! Now you’re expecting some perfectly GENIUS way to get your children (and hubbies) to eat their veggies right?! As a Dietitian, I MUST have mastered this concept (have you seen my kids – yeah, they don’t miss meals buddy). Wrong. I can show you about a million and one ways to hide pureed spinach into baked goods, but that’s not the point right now.

I had a woman in one of my talks recently state that she went through a phase when her son was 2 to about 5 years old (ummm that’s a long “phase” BTW) where all he would “stomach” was McDonald’s chicken nuggets and fries. And she was absolutely serious. HA! Wow. This is pretty extreme, but I get it all the time and its never, “he only ‘tolerates’ asparagus and legumes;” its typically some fast food, boxed item, frozen pizza product, fried “kid food,” animal by-product, or of the Pop-tart genre.

Or how bout’ the 10 year old who very seriously looked at me and stated, “I am allergic to milk, but I’ve built up a tolerance to Ice Cream, Easy Mac, and Cheese Whiz for my dairy group.” Hmm, yes. Funny thing this, “building up of tolerances.” What was most staggering, is that mom was going along with it! While trying to gather what role mom played in her daughter’s food choices, she stated, “at least she isn’t going hungry, whatever she chooses.” Mistake number 1 “…whatever she chooses.” Mistake number 2, “not going hungry” is not the goal. And, might I add, lack of said “eating” is not what got the young lady an appointment with me. Every snack, meal and grocery trip is an opportunity to teach good, healthy habits so they can make better food-decisions when they are OLD ENOUGH and ready to. Oh, sometime around the time they start paying the grocery bill! You’re not simply providing food they’ll eat, the challenge I give you, is to expose them to the most variety and tastes that you can. Even if out of every 20 new foods you only have 1 taker. Just because they don’t eat mango at 2, doesn’t mean they won’t love it at 5, or 12, or 18. Find ways to add a new vegetable or fruit to your day or even week, and don’t call attention to the eating of it (or lack there of). Get creative. Dust off your blender. Add more fresh peppers to your frozen (thin crust, whole grain ;) ) pizza, even if they pick every last one off.

Children will very rarely, and I mean very – rarely - starve themselves. In fact, juuuust about never will a child not eat until they perish. I think we can all agree American children are not necessarily under-fed. Sometimes they may be getting too many snacks, or drinking too much between or with meals, making pickiness worse, this is something you should look at. But, stop making meal time a war! And for cryin’ out LOUD stop feeling guilty about it. One day, they will, or they won’t. They will not starve, hate you or become hoodlums because you didn’t hog-tie them and force down okra! Don’t fry it or bathe it in processed “cheese”. They will live. Oh, and from now on, potato, corn and peas are starches… not veggies. Just trust me on this one.

I confess *pat pat* I did everything “right” when it comes to introducing new and varied food groups to my two year old and making vegetables a priority in our household. NEWS FLASH – HE’S TWO… some days he likes carrots, and some days its right up there with eating kitty litter, in-fact, some days, you may have better luck with the latter.

Remember, DON’T back down. This is what’s for dinner. This is all there is for dinner. You do not have to finish your plate, you must try every new food and you may not have seconds until you eat what’s already on your plate. Done. No substitutions. Breakfast is not that far away. All children are different and human. Refusal and impromptu gagging typically has more to do with their fallen nature than with the actual food. Most of the time, they’re trying to get a rise out of you, and they’re succeeding. Stop with the guilt trip, and no more blame game. May the force be with you. #theywilleatwhatyougivethem

It's Too Expensive to Eat Healthy!?

THAAAT’s why we’re an obese nation. I’m sure it has nothing to do with the amount of food we eat… nothing. Don’t get me started on expensive produce and school lunches unless you want an ear-full. Yes, it can be more expensive to eat healthier, and its not fair, get over it and make it work. I can’t afford a brand new car, so cry about it.

Get ready, it’s a long one…

I’ve had all kinds of clients and patients; senators, doctors, lawyers, housekeepers, retirees on fixed income, wealthy retirees, single mothers, welfare recipients, commodity recipients, wealthy with a personal chef, and middle class soccer moms alike, we all need help eating better. Eating “healthy” is not dependant on social class. Every person needs more fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, antioxidants, less saturated fat, less salt, less simple sugars and most definitely less calories (3rd world countries excluded from that last one). Like anything else, it may be easier for some, but absolutely not impossible for most.

My family is blessed. Even our hardest of economical times pales in comparison to what some have and are currently struggling with. I won’t pretend that we’re scraping bottom, because we’re not. BUT, we are on a ridiculous budget for the new-year to keep it that way. For many, putting your wife on a budget means cutting off the shoe fund, well, in the Dietitian’s home, it’s cutting off the food fund – grrrr. There are a couple of things I do to be sure that I’m within, and well below (because I’m an OCD over-achiever) the allotted food budget (understatement of the century BTW – how bout’ we nix ALL Starbucks budgets and see how THAT flies… I digress…).

Lets start with commodity and bulk items. Believe it or not, Twinkies, Little Debbies, Hostess Cakes and sodas are not essential food groups, yet they wind up on the most financially challenged menus. Rice, beans and a dozen eggs are all cheaper and healthier options. Water, in most of this nation, is clean, environmentally friendly when out of the tap and last time I checked, calorie free, affordable and (provided you can pay your water bill) it’s versatile too!

Peanut butter, a commodity food, imagine that. Peanut butter! A good fat. A great source of protein. Jelly’s help-mate in every way. Boring over time, yes, (well, not in our house hold) but perfectly nutritious for any snack, meal, garnish, cooking oil, or fat leavening. Use it, use it, use it and get creative. Natural peanut butter is probably not on the government’s give-away list, but most peanut butters still have redeemable qualities. Tis’ better to have PB and J every day of the week than a Happy-Meal any day of the week. And who says dinner has to be hot? Well, then throw it in the microwave. Ta dah!

Ingredient shop, don’t brand shop. Just because they’ve sprinkled oats on top, dyed it brown, called it whole grain and charged you an extra buck-50 does not mean it’s the better option. Many cheaper breads are considered excellent sources of whole grain. You’re looking for words like whole wheat, whole grain, rolled oats, oat flour vs. bleached, and enriched in the first 3-5 ingredients.

Feel free to buy store-brand, look for 2-for-1 deals, lowest price shop and/or find coupons on foods like unsalted nuts and/or natural peanut butter, 100% juices (if you MUST have juice), dried beans, frozen vegetables (just the vegetables- no “sauce mixes”), frozen fruit, canned tuna, low fat milk, toasted oats and other whole grain cereals, oatmeal, and lean meats (freeze).

Some brands I can’t find equivalents to, so, when it’s a great sale or a 2-for-1 deal, I buy it, whether we’re low or not. Such items include Kashi peanut peanut Bars, Barilla whole-wheat pasta, and Bertoli natural pasta sauce (I like the simple ingredients, tomato, herbs, sugar, olive oil) – to name a few.

Look at the price per unit or ounce instead of the over-all or ticketed price. This is shocking with cheese – it may require some additional grating on your part, if you can handle it ;), but it’s usually cheaper to buy a block of low fat cheese vs. a bag of the pre-shredded stuff. And, sometimes buying the largest size is not always the cheapest, compare, compare, compare.

Buy the ground beef that’s on sale and rinse it after browning for less saturated fat. Yes, this is true - it removes most of the fat. You can’t just drain, literally rinse the meat after you’ve browned it.

Find items you’re willing to sacrifice on quality for price, especially if it’s the end of the month and your budget is getting close (or if you’re simply trying to prove a point by staying WAY below the budget – me? No! ;) ). Such items include… dish soap, window cleaner and other house-hold cleaners, plastic baggies, trash bags, diapers (questionable) etc.

Go without everything but the essentials – we call it the “beans and rice” budget in our household for a reason. Because if it comes down to it, you know we’ve covered all nutrients with rice, beans/lentils, and value sized mixed veggies… watch me. You will thin the waste-line and the pocket book by simply simplifying! What do you already have in your freezer or pantry that can hold you over just one more week? Get creative.

Fast food is not part of a healthy diet, so don’t worry that the healthiest things on the menu are the most expensive, get an 89 cent burger and eat less fast food. 4 words… peanut butter and jelly.

This is obviously not an exhaustive list – I haven’t even TOUCHED on baby food - there are many more clever, money saving mammas out there – feel free to email me your tips and I’ll share my favorites here!

Happy spending… or not.

Control-Alt-Delete

It’s that time again – NEW YEAR CLEANING!! A control-alt-delete for the home if you will. The first week of January is the time when our family purges the house of the processed, sugary, fatty (oh so yummy) edible (debatable) junk that’s accumulated since Halloween. Search it out, cupboards, fridge, pantry, random candy bowls that look oh so festive with green and red M & M’s. Wasteful, yes. Necessary, absolutely! Your home, your work and for some perhaps your car, are where you spend the majority of your time. That time needs to be free of the munchies that add extra, empty calories to your day, fat to your mid-section and drive you CRAZY simply by being there. These are also the things that sabotage your efforts to eat better and for some, lose weight. If you were an alcoholic, would you keep booze in the house to drink-it in moderation? NO, because your track-record with booze is about like mine with chocolate chip cookies. There are some things we simply don’t eat in moderation! You can only ignore them for so long. The first bad day, busy week, emotional break down, hormonal moment, sleep-less night, “special occasion” and for many “cheat day,” weekend or “reward”, will cause you to go straight for them, over-eat them and then beat yourself up about it. If the junk is not there, you won’t eat it – funny how that works.

Now, there is the periodic “date night” which, as the home-body mother of a two year old and a 9 month old, typically consists of putting the boys to bed, throwing in a movie without loud, obnoxious cartoon characters or puppets bossing me around, while making and eating way too many chocolate chip cookies – or, who am I kidding, the dough! Hey, judge not, lest ye be judged! BUT, the remainder of the dough goes bye-bye that night or next morning! Or cooked and given to a neighbor or sick friend or whatever. NOT kept in the house. Don’t freeze it or hide it or tell yourself you won’t eat it or you’ll “eat it in moderation” – it won’t happen. Its not about lack of will-power or failure, its about knowing and accepting yourself and your limitations. I know that if there is chocolate chip cookie dough in the house, I will eat it. If its not there, I may resort to other stress relievers with long-term benefits like, reading my bible, meditation or praying, exercise or taking a walk, talking it out with someone (9 month olds are great listeners), or simply going to bed to name a few calorie, chemical, and sugar/bad-fat-free options. This may not be an issue for you – Awesome! I’m not talking to you. ;)