Life in OM

Life in OM: Healthy Changes to Your Diet

 

After twenty years of fighting with my weight and trying every diet under the sun, I finally feel like I have a handle on my eating habits.

My grandfather summed it up once by telling me that I needed to find an eating level. Well, I found mine so I thought I would share a few things I learned along the way.

Plan Ahead: plan meals, snacks and shopping lists so you're not just shoving food in when your starving.

Don't Eat Out: stay home and cook the food yourself that way you control the ingredients and the portion size.
 
Know Your Portions: until you know what a cup, tablespoon and ounce are use measuring cups, spoons and a scale.

Drink water: cut down on sugar, diet and caffeinated drinks.

Be Mindful: eat slowly and turn off the TV and the computer.

Eat: 3 meals a day (and one snack) every 3 to 4 hours and don't skip meals.

Healthy Snacks: get rid of those 100 calorie snack packs for a natural snack (apple with almond butter; hummus and carrots).

Beware of Fat Free Foods: they can have tons of sugar, cut down the portion and go for reduced or full fat.
 
Avoid Unhealthy Ingredients: don't eat anything if it has more than 5 ingredients or you can't pronounce them or if you don't know what they are. (hydrogenated = bad)

Know Your Food:  read labels and be aware of serving sizes. That drink might be 50 calories but if there are 4 servings in it, that bottle is 200 calories.

Avoid Processed Sugar: instead of juice have a piece of fruit; use raw or turbinated sugar instead of the white kind, avoid anything with high fructose corn syrup.

Balance Your Meals: try to eat a healthy carb, lean protein and good fat at each meal

Not All Carbs are Bad!: eat your fruits, veggies and whole grains (in moderation) daily.

Not All Fat is Bad!: eat nuts, avocado, and olive oil in moderation.

Know Your BMR: learn how many calories you need to live, by knowing your Basal Metabolic Rate. This is the amount of calories you need to live if you sat on the couch all day. If you're trying to lose weight you may want to reduce this amount but never go below 1200.

Track Your Calories: I know this part really stinks but in the beginning you do need to learn how much you can eat so you don't overeat. Once you know what 1300 or 1400 calories looks like each day then you don't have to be so meticulous. Try http://www.livestrong.com/myplate.

Don't Eat After 8pm: Let your body really break it's fast in the morning by not eating too late. Your metabolisim slows down at night so let it rest.

Get Rid of the Scale: pay attention to how you feel. Incessant weighing is unhealthy and you want a lifestyle change not a quick fix.

Live a Little: splurge once a month if you're really craving something. We only have one life and if you feel like having a piece of cheesecake or a Ben and Jerry's ice cream do it! Just don't do it every week.

Move: (more on this in my next post)

Life in OM Recipe: Tuscan Skillet

This is a quick dish and although the photo is not that appetizing I promise it tastes great. 

It's packed with nutrients and is low in calories.

I use soy crumbles or Quorn grounds but for those of you not vegetarian you can substitute turkey grounds or lean ground beef.

2 -15 oz cans of Great Northern Beans drained and rinsed

8oz - Soy or Quorn crumbles

1 cup of your favorite tomato sauce

1 pack frozen chopped spinach,  defrost and drain

1 small onion chopped

5 cloves garlic chopped (if your not a fan use less)

spray olive oil

1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese (add upon serving)

Chop up your onion and garlic and put it in a large saucepan lightly sprayed with olive oil.  Cook till translucent.

Add spinach and saute a good deal of the water out. Add crumbles / grounds and cook 3-4 minutes. 

Add tomato sauce and beans. Cook another 3-4 minutes and you're done!!

Serve up with a tablespoon of Parmesan cheese.

It makes about four 1.5 cup servings, for those of you on Weight Watchers it's 4 points a serving.

Freeze it and have it for lunch, enjoy!!

Life in OM: Recipe

 

It's October 16 and it's 41 degrees.

I am still fighting off a cold that I have had for at least two weeks.

It's time for some heavy duty healthy food to boost my immune system - Escarole and Bean Soup.

This is a dish that is at least three or four times as old as I am. My grandfather's mother used to make it for him all the time and we refer to it as an Italian "first dish".

It's warm, hearty, and healthy. It’s also vegetarian or vegan.

Escarole is a slightly bitter leafy green that is high in folic acid, fiber, and vitamins A and K.  The white beans are a creamy low fat, high fiber, source of protein. The two together create a tasty contrast that warms you from the inside out.

And most importantly it's so easy to make.

 

courtesy of www.foodnetwork.com

You will need:

one large pot

one head of escarole (cut in strips across starting at the head. leave about 2-3 inches of stalk)

two cans white or cannelloni or great northern beans (rinsed until there water runs clear)

5 cloves of garlic (chopped up small)

one small onion (chopped up small)

4-5 cups of water

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup parmesan cheese (optional for vegans)

Add oil to the pot and let it get hot.

Add garlic and onion and sauté until onion translucent.

Add escarole and cook 3-4 minutes till it wilts.

Add beans and gently stir.

Add water then parmesan.

Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer for about 45 minutes.

You can cook this for less or for more, it depends on the consistency. I like less broth so I tend to make this dish early in the day and just keep it on a low simmer for a few hours. If it gets too thick add a bit more water.

You can garnish with more parmesan if you choose and serve with a piece of crusty Italian bread.

Tons of nutrients, great for you and so perfect on a very cold fall evening. Enjoy!

Life in OM: Weekly Wellness

Transforming an unhealthy way of eating into a healthy one can be very daunting. Especially if you are used to eating a lot of processed foods on the go.

Instead of making sweeping changes that will end up being too difficult and frustrate you to the point of diving head first into a bag of potato chips, try to make small adjustments.

Try to eat one piece of fruit with your lunch 3 times a week for one month. Forgo the 100 calorie snack pack of chips or an energy bar or some other processed snack.

Pick your favorite fruit or try something new. If you're on a budget, look for what's on sale that week at your grocery and try it. Experiment and find out what you like.

Although those 100 calorie snack packs are convenient and low in calories (if you can eat just one),  not all calories are created equal.

An apple or a cup of grapes provides tons of nutrients not found in baked cheetos! Your body will thank you for it.

Remember to take small steps and take the change one day at a time. Enjoy!!

Life in OM: The Secret to Losing Weight

As I was shopping in the grocery store last week I passed by the magazine stand and the cover of Time caught my eye. "Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin" 

I was astonished that mainstream media had finally picked up on a concept that I had learned about the hard way: vigorous exercise does not aid in weight loss, eating healthy and unfortunately less food is the key.

Now for all of you exercise haters out there, this is not permission to lay on the couch all day. What it means is that running 5 miles every day or going to the gym and killing yourself for an hour every day does not automatically mean the pounds will come off.

One of three problems usually arises when you do strenuous exercise:

• If you are restricting calories your energy begins to dwindle and you feel awful.
• Exercise makes you hungry (usually for sweet foods) which can lead to binge eating.
• You’ve exercised therefore you can eat whatever you want or reward eating.

Pick up any marathon training book and it will tell you that it's not a great idea to try and lose weight and train for a marathon at the same time. These experts know that running 30+ miles a week and restricting calories won't work.

I hated to restrict my eating so for years I exercised, sometimes twice a day, just so I could know that I had the freedom to eat what I wanted. I wasn't a bad eater. In fact, being a vegetarian and health nut, I was very conscious of what I ate. My problem was that I indulged when I wanted to by eating sweets and my portions, though healthy, were just too big.

 I once had someone ask me how much I exercised in a week and when I told them they asked me why I wasn't stick thin?  I was dumbfounded. Why the hell wasn't I stick thin!!

I had to admit defeat. I needed to reduce the amount of food I was eating, even if most of it was considered healthy. 

Running three times a week 3-5 miles and yoga were just enough for me. I was eating around 1500 calories, I had tons of energy and the extra weight was falling off.  I even had one day where I could indulge in whatever I wanted and still I lost weight.

Then I started training for my second marathon and once I started running over 25 miles per week, goodbye carrots hello vegan brownies (they may be vegan but they still have calories).

Luckily for me I saw it coming. It's been challenging but I have adjusted my diet to keep myself fueledand have put the remaining weight loss to the side until after the event. Even now it’s hard to swear off that pint of soy ice cream after a 16 mile run. I don't always succeed but I do try to be more conscious of what is happening.

So what does that mean for those of us trying to live healthy?  I wish there was another way but sadly if you want to get to a healthy weight (healthy not skinny!) less food is key.  However, we still need to move. Exercise might not be the solution to weight loss but it is beneficial to us in many other ways.

You need to find your balance. Pay attention to what and how much you are eating. Instead of running those five miles every day and having that muffin or cupcake afterward, reduce running to every other day and skip the sweets. 

Try more moderate and mindful exercise like yoga or walking. Take the stairs, walk or bike instead of driving and cook more often (just say no to take-out!). If you like to do the occasional race, go for it but just be aware of the changes your body goes through when exercise is increased.

You want the changes you make to your eating and fitness to be for life. Do what you can maintain and remember that moderation lasts. 

I was astonished that mainstream media had finally picked up on a concept that I had learned about the hard way: vigorous exercise does not aid in weight loss, eating healthy and unfortunately less food is the key.

Now for all of you exercise haters out there, this is not permission to lay on the couch all day. What it means is that running 5 miles every day or going to the gym and killing yourself for an hour every day does not automatically mean the pounds will come off.

One of three problems usually arises when you do strenuous exercise:

• If you are restricting calories your energy begins to dwindle and you feel awful.
• Exercise makes you hungry (usually for sweet foods) which can lead to binge eating.
• You’ve exercised therefore you can eat whatever you want or reward eating.

Pick up any marathon training book and it will tell you that it's not a great idea to try and lose weight and train for a marathon at the same time. These experts know that running 30+ miles a week and restricting calories won't work.

I hated to restrict my eating so for years I exercised, sometimes twice a day, just so I could know that I had the freedom to eat what I wanted. I wasn't a bad eater. In fact, being a vegetarian and health nut, I was very conscious of what I ate. My problem was that I indulged when I wanted to by eating sweets and my portions, though healthy, were just too big.

 I once had someone ask me how much I exercised in a week and when I told them they asked me why I wasn't stick thin?  I was dumbfounded. Why the hell wasn't I stick thin!!

I had to admit defeat. I needed to reduce the amount of food I was eating, even if most of it was considered healthy. 

Running three times a week 3-5 miles and yoga were just enough for me. I was eating around 1500 calories, I had tons of energy and the extra weight was falling off.  I even had one day where I could indulge in whatever I wanted and still I lost weight.

Then I started training for my second marathon and once I started running over 25 miles per week, goodbye carrots hello vegan brownies (they may be vegan but they still have calories).

Luckily for me I saw it coming. It's been challenging but I have adjusted my diet to keep myself fueledand have put the remaining weight loss to the side until after the event. Even now it’s hard to swear off that pint of soy ice cream after a 16 mile run. I don't always succeed but I do try to be more conscious of what is happening.

So what does that mean for those of us trying to live healthy?  I wish there was another way but sadly if you want to get to a healthy weight (healthy not skinny!) less food is key.  However, we still need to move. Exercise might not be the solution to weight loss but it is beneficial to us in many other ways.

You need to find your balance. Pay attention to what and how much you are eating. Instead of running those five miles every day and having that muffin or cupcake afterward, reduce running to every other day and skip the sweets. 

Try more moderate and mindful exercise like yoga or walking. Take the stairs, walk or bike instead of driving and cook more often (just say no to take-out!). If you like to do the occasional race, go for it but just be aware of the changes your body goes through when exercise is increased.

You want the changes you make to your eating and fitness to be for life. Do what you can maintain and remember that moderation lasts. 

Muesli: Breakfast Nirvana

Breakfast can get boring. Especially when you don't want to subject yourself to the many sugar laden options in the cereal aisle.

I think I ate oatmeal with a spoonful of peanut butter in it for years, until I ordered a bowl of Muesli at Bread and Chocolate (now closed) in Capitol Hill. I never looked at boring oatmeal the same way again.

The main ingredient in muesli is oatmeal but instead of cooking it, you soak it overnight in water, soy milk, rice milk or whatever you like really- some people even use orange juice.  Usually 1/2 cup of oats to a 1/2 cup of liquid does the trick.

Then, what you put in it is completely up to you. Bread and Chocolate served it with walnuts, strawberries, bananas, and apples. The Wynn in Las Vegas serves it with almonds, green apples and blackberries. Teasim in D.C. serves it with honey, fresh strawberries, walnuts, and dried apricots and raisins that have been soaked with the oats so they are plump and juicy. They top it off with fresh yogurt. The options are really endless.

So soak your oats. Add your fresh or dried fruit, sprinkle with nuts or seeds and top with yogurt, honey, or anything else that you desire. If honey isn't your thing and you need to sweeten it up a bit, mashing half a banana into the oat mixture works, as well as agave nectar or a tablespoon of turbinado sugar .

photo courtesy of BBC Good Food 

Questions? Please leave a comment. Enjoy!