Blueberry Muffins June 29, 2009

Today I enjoyed one of my favorite past-times: watching The Food Network. On one of the shows, they made blueberry muffins, definitely one of my favorite foods to eat and make, and I immediately knew what I wanted to do with the carton of berries in my fridge. However, The Food Network version was not so healthy. I’ve made whole wheat muffins from a traditional recipe going half and half on the flours (ww and white) many times before. But today I went on a google quest for a total whole wheat recipe.

The problem with going 100% whole wheat flour is that it dramatically changes the taste and texture of a product. This can be elliviated somewhat by using whole wheat pastry flour, which is a softer, moister flour. Even with the additional of whole grains and fiber, you still have to watch the amount of sugar and butter in a recipe. So, the perfect recipe is hard to come by.  My husband is a tough whole wheat critic so I want recipes that are healthy but also look and taste good.

Today this problem is solved for good. I found the best whole wheat blueberry muffin recipe! I also happened upon a pretty cool food blog. The link is below. I used whole wheat pastry flour, Kefir cultured milk instead of buttermilk (more protein), smart balance stick instead of butter, and threw in some Fibersure. The outcome was fantastic. I also used silicone muffin cups on two of the muffins and they turned out the best as far as shape goes.

Please check out this fun blog and great recipe!

http://makingbananapancakes.com/2008/06/10/perfect-whole-wheat-blueberry-muffins/

Here our my muffins. They actually look normal.

Workout Routine June 24, 2009

This week I was asked to describe my weekly workout routine. I am happy to do this, although my routine certainly isn’t the gold standard. I am quasi-training for a spring triathlon. I say “quasi” because I am getting in about one run, one swim and one bike a week. This is not really enough but all I am willing to make time for at this point. I enjoy doing the tri’s but am not super concerned about breaking any speed records.

I try to get in at least 5 days of exercise. Usually I take off Sundays and one weekday, just due to my schedule. I work out with a personal trainer twice a week. (BTW, if you are looking for an amazing trainer in Jacksonville, email me. Mine is the best!) She switches up my workouts often between low-intensity strength only work, interval training, agility work and high intensity/high rep work. As I mentioned, I like to get in a 30 minute run at one point in the week. I also try to get in at least a 30 minute swim once a week. Lastly, I either take a spinning class or do a bike ride outside. Two weekends ago I did an awesome 23 mile bike ride. It felt great. So this all adds up to about 4-5 days a week.

I get bored easily so I like to add some other fun activities to my exercise “routine”. This morning I took an aerobic dance class. It was so fun, but unfortunately I was reminded that I have no rhythm! I have also recently started playing in a beach volleyball league once a week. This special time in the week reminds me of how much I am NOT in beach shape. Whoooo, it is a workout! I love it. Some other activities that I like to throw in when I have the time are pilates or yoga or an exercise video.

My schedule is pretty unique in that every week is different. I also work at a gym which makes exercising very convenient. I am grateful for both of these factors.

If I had to sum it all up in a neat recommendation, I would say 4-5 days a week for at least an hour: 2 days of strength training, 2 days of high intensity (high heart rate) cardio, and one moderate intensity cardio day.

Lastly, one tool that I love to use when I work out is a heart rate monitor. Many track your calorie expenditure and all tell you your heart rate. This helps you determine your intensity/exertion level and ensures you are working efficiently. I love my Polar watch. www.polar.com

Happy exercising!

Getting back to my routine June 22, 2009

Last week I was on vacation in the Florida Keys with my family. When I am on vacation, I am checked out so that is why this blog has been dormant for over a week.

Vacations are great but can definitely bring some challenges for healthy eating. This trip was no exception. I had two main goals for this vacation: sample as much local seafood as I could and exercise every day. Fortunately, I accomplished both.  My husband and I both committed to getting some form of exercise every day. We were so glad that we did this. It helped us feel good and somewhat stick to our good intentions.

The seafood in the Keys was truly amazing. I enjoyed conch, lobster, snapper, mahi, shrimp and tuna (although that was not local). Oh it was so good! There were also many other goodies along the way – 2 types of Key Lime pie (a must for a trip to the keys), homemade ice cream sandwiches (a staple for our family gatherings) and various treats that my mom kept around the beach house. Oh, and maybe a margarita or two. =) I am sharing all this because I definitely ate more than I normally do. After nearly 7 days of all this great food, my mind starts to re-program itself. Things I would normally not eat started to end up in my mouth without a second thought. A cookie was an “easier” snack than a piece of fruit. Yikes! What was going on?!

It’s really easy to quickly turn from healthy practices and mindful eating. This proves that we are never truly immune from poor food decisions. Every food decision we make is practice for the next one. When you continuously practice unhealthy eating, doing anything different seems like a terrible task. On the contrary, when you are used to eating healthfully, an indulgent snack or meal may turn out to be an unwelcome change of pace.

As I get back into the swing of my regular life and eating after this vacation (as many of you will be doing as well this summer) I am reminded that once again, it may be hard work. I need to take a few days to retrain my mind to want and naturally choose my high fiber granola bars, simple lunches and fresh produce. Hopefully it will only take a day or two. My goal is jut keep going with my exercise, pass on the treats that come my way this week, and track my food on daily plate.

So don’t let your vacation get your weight up. Commit to exercise and returning as quickly as possible to your regular eating habits. Happy summer!

This is the snapper that I caught in the Keys and then later enjoyed eating.

Article in Times-Union June 11, 2009

Check out this article and video from today’s Jacksonville paper.

http://tinyurl.com/ShapeUpMeal

http://www.jacksonville.com/lifestyles/food/2009-06-11/story/shape_up_%E2%80%94_your_eating_habits_that_is

This made my sports nutritionist heart sing! June 9, 2009

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/george_dohrmann/06/03/shedding.pounds/index.html

This article totally energizes me to continue working as a sports dietitian. There is such a need for good nutrition education among college and professional athletes!

This week’s food plan June 8, 2009

I’ve been asked to post my menu plan for a week. This week is an odd week for us, but we have been having more odd weeks lately. I have had obligations almost every night of the week for a couple of weeks. I really try to keep my nights away from home to 2 or less because I  hate missing a normal dinner together with my husband. I really enjoy cooking as well. So here’s what it on the plan:

Sunday night: Arugula and goat cheese pasta salad (Sounds fancy but it was very easy. I  like all in one meals and this had a whole grain pasta, veggies and protein all in it. I just had it for lunch today too!)

Monday: Late dinner at a friend’s house (I  have no idea what is for dinner so I am focusing today on getting my fruits and veggies in as well as plenty of fiber.)

Tuesday: Up in the air (I typically don’t have days that are titled this but we may be trying to get together with friends for dinner that we haven’t been able to connect with on the weekends. I also play beach volleyball on this night so I eat a little before and more after I play.)

Wednesday: Baked sweet potatoes and salad

Thursday: Grilled chicken salad

Friday: Dinner at a friend’s house (Will offer to bring healthy side dish)

This week we may be eating away from home 3 nights, which makes it the majority. Like I said, this is not normal for us. We are also having salad several nights because my husband requested it. Every couple of months we will have a week where we eat mostly salads for dinner. It is a nice break from heavier foods and re-energizes our efforts of healthy eating.

So there you have it. This week requires some extra vigilance to stay on target with healthy eating. But it can be done.

Don’t forget to plan your week of eating. Healthy eating does not happen by chance but because you have a plan to make it happen!

Have a great week.

The mystery is solved June 2, 2009

Any client who has worked with me knows that I love Kashi products. I eat several different ones a day. They are high in fiber and yummy! For the past 3 months one of my favorite foods, the Kashi TLC Dark Chocolate cookie has been A.W.A.L. from the shelves at Target (where it is cheaper than most grocery stores). I was starting to get mad because I just figured they keep selling out as everyone discovered how great they are. Well, I just pulled up the Kashi website and found out the truth to missing the Kashi cookies — they had been recalled due to peanuts! Now it all makes sense. I finally was able to buy them again this past week and they are such a happy addition to my lunch. A cookie is 130 calories, 3 g fiber, 8 g sugar and has chocolate! One is pretty filling and satisfying for me. Keep a look out for a these cookies at Costco or other warehouse store for a great deal on 3 boxes.