Bite Size

Tuesday night, I went to an event at Organic Avenue. My friend Ashley Koff was hosting a seminar for her new book Mom Energy. Organic Avenue is on Suffolk Street on the lower East side of Manhattan. From where I live and work it’s the equivalent of getting to San Diego from Portland, Maine. Market Melissa and I decided the subway was best and that we’d meet on the 14^th street platform. The talk started at 6pm and so, at rush hour, the train was fairly crowded when I got on. I made a seat for myself between two people each greedily occupying 1.5 seats on either side. It strikes me as extremely selfish that people sprawl out while others don’t have seats but, undeterred,  I directed my tush at the yellow-orange colored half seat giving them the choice to move over or have me sit on them.

Seated and kindle-less, I looked around. Directly across from me sat two ladies talking. One of them had the most beautiful purse; it was woven with all different shades of brown, really unusual. As I contemplated the purse, the woman reached into it and took out a package of rice crackers. I couldn’t completely see but my guess would be Edward and Sons (gluten free!) black sesame rice crackers. The crackers are divided into compartments with maybe 15 rounds in each one. Purse lady, with rather large hands, took the majority of one compartment in her hand. She offered the package to her friend who reached in with tweezer-like fingers extracting two black crackers.

There was something about this interaction that I couldn’t stop watching. First, I find a lot of public eating sort of revolting. I suppress my need to fully inhale when riding the subway and here these women were snacking away. I can’t help but think there are only certain places we should eat and the sidewalk, subway or driver's seat of a car don’t make my list. Purse lady disagreed. She popped her crackers whole into her mouth. Like the dolphins with fish at SeaWorld, they seemed to disappear without visible chewing.  Tweezer-fingers held her two crackers between her thumb and pointer finger. She was telling a story and every so often she would bring the cracker to her mouth biting off ¼ of the cracker max at a time. There was about one bite per stop on the train.  Pursey started on the second compartment and once again passed the package to her friend who shook her head declining. I was starting to such an inappropriate extent I may have caused purse-y to unzip her gorgeous bag and put the crackers away. At Times Square they got off; my impromptu focus group about snack habits adjourned. A pack of mall chicks, with cheap purses, took the newly-vacant orange seats.

I could’ve mentioned earlier that Pursey was slightly rotund and Tweez, like her frail fingers, was petite but I don’t think that matters. I loved the slow, dainty way Tweez ate; however, there are many times I eat more like Pursey. Soon enough I was at my stop, I got off and found Melissa. At Organic Avenue (which I will tell you more about) we were greeted by Ashley and an array of juices.  I selected a shot glass sized cucumber juice and took little, slow sips just as I imagined Tweez would’ve.

What do you think about street or subway eating? Do you watch what and how people eat? And do you eat more like Pursey or Tweez? 

Do you talk skinny and order fat?

The drive-thru, can't really be good, can it?

Yesterday, I taped a segment for CBS (I am providing the link even though I look like a senior citizen). There are times I’m asked to do something in media and I pass either because of scheduling or if I feel it’s not in my area of expertise. Other times, the subject of a piece isn’t necessarily exciting but I agree to participate. My clients in PR remind me it’s good for the “brand” (which seems to be the business word of the moment). And then there are times a story is right in my nutrition strike zone.  Yesterday was a “strike zone” subject for me. The segment was based on an article entitled “Customers think about healthy food but order the opposite” The concept was that Americans say they want healthier menu items but continue to “double down” and order the artery cloggers.

One of the people points raised was that some people view eating out as a treat. “If I wanted to eat healthy I’s stay home,” said one person interviewed clearly with no Foodtraining under her belt. While I understand (and help clients plan for) birthday dinners and special events, not every meal out can be “special”. The National Restaurant Association reported, “an average of one of five meals consumed by Americans-4.2 per week- is prepared in a commercial setting.” That figure sounds a little low to me but we still cannot have four treat meals a week and expect to maintain our weight. Most treat foods or temptations aren’t going anywhere. My suggestion is to keep treats to once a week.

The reporter then presented me with this scenario “sometimes you plan to have the salad but it comes time to order and the burger or the fries just sound so much better.” First, the restaurant is well aware of how scents and visuals can sway purchasing. Impulse decisions have derailed many determined salad scoffers. From fast food to fine dining all menus are available online.  Study before selecting. As I said on camera, you want to make your food decisions before you’re actually ordering.

In the original article, someone else said: “I wouldn’t go to a fast food place if I wanted something healthy.” This was a good point. For one thing, fast food “healthy” items can sometimes seem like an afterthought. The brown lettuce or the icky packet of dressing isn’t all that appealing. Then the establishments say, “we tried healthy menus and they don’t sell.” Wendy’s is mentioned later in the article as one of the first to try to “go healthy” in the 80s “with a short-lived effort to sell tomato halves filled with cottage cheese and pineapple chunks on lettuce leaves.” The thought of eating that nauseates me.  The food has to taste good and I have to think if the R and D went into the healthy menu selections that go into the fries, offerings would be different. I think Starbucks has done a great job with healthful items. They have their plain oatmeal and also an egg and spinach wrap. I’d have to check this but I believe they are both good sellers. As hokey as it sounds it’s important to order the healthy items. Restaurants listen to sales to drive decisions. You can vote for fresh food or you can vote for French fries.  What’s it going to be?

Do you order “skinny” or “fat” when you’re out to eat? Why do you think only 23% of Americans order healthier items? What do you think can change this?

Congratulations to Gina, Lisa, Kristin and Julie, the winners of our Tata Harper and Odacite' giveaway.

Kirstie's Organic Misstep

Kirstie looks a little like Fergie here, no?

I don’t know about you but I find it hard not to root for Kirstie Alley; she’s quirky and likable. I root for Kirstie Alley as I do for all my clients, hoping that they can make the positive changes in their eating that they are seeking. After years of counseling, I am fairly good at reading genuine readiness. Until recently, Kirstie seemed to want weight loss but there was an awkwardness, you got the sense there was something being withheld. I caught a glimpse of Kirstie on Dancing with the Stars and she was fantastic. I observed the previously missing ingredient, which was self-belief.

Kirstie Alley has slimmed down further since the show. Many of her weight-related tweets have said things to the effect of I’m not on any diet it’s just organic eating and exercise. Oh yeah…and I have this company I founded called Organic Liaison too.  I had heard bits and pieces about Kirstie’s company and have to say I liked that there was an emphasis on organic food and farmers markets. I was curious to learn more.  When I went to the site disappointment set in. My “dodgy detector” was beeping away. Pricey supplements are center stage. The worst part is that there are no ingredients listed for any of the supplements.  This is a serious red flag. Aside from the lack of information, there’s automatic monthly billing which just rubs me the wrong way. If you'd like to come with me on this disturbing ride watch this video. Kirstie shows you a box full of bottles and says "it's all you need for a month."  Some of the concepts the supplements address: sleep, relaxation and GI function are sound but without ingredients this is shady.

As far as the organic component, despite my initial interest you can’t help but be feeling the organic umbrella is nothing more than a hook.  There’s information on farmers markets but you don’t need to pay a monthly fee for that. Many people criticized Kirstie’s insinuation that pesticides in our food may affect our metabolic levels. While this has yet to be proven, I wouldn’t entirely dismiss that notion. There’s also the “liaison” component of a menu planner, journal, group chat, and blog. This type of service can be found on other sites for a lot less money. You are forking out money for the pills. Sad.

The other question I had in reviewing the materials was whether being overweight or having lost weight makes you an expert (Daphne Oz I’m talking to you too).  Sure, this seems to be working for Kirstie or she’s thinner right now but we don’t know about Kirstie or this regime long term. There are no studies or long-term data to support some rather serious claims.

Kirstie looks great; the woman is 60 years old. She also has a dance instructor that travels with her and a lot more support in place than an online chat room. If Organic Liaison was about putting high-quality ingredients into your diet, it would have my vote. As for taking things without knowing the ingredients or dosage…I graduated from college already.

Have you read about Organic Liaison or known anyone who has tried it? What do you think of the concept? Do you think Kirstie Alley is someone to take weight loss advice from? If there was a pill that could make you lose weight but you weren't allowed to know what it was, would you take it?
Skincare giveaway winners will be announced Wednesday, comment by Tuesday for a chance to win.

Your Food is Organic but Moisturizer Carcinogenic

If you were to ask me about a foreign-sounding food ingredient there’s a good shot I would be able to tell you what it is. I can also explain which produce is more pesticide-laden and why you shouldn’t be drinking from a plastic water bottle (if you’re using one right now, you’re busted). Until a couple of years ago there was a large discrepancy between my knowledge of what goes in our bodies and that which goes on our bodies. In many ways “green” changes when it comes to food are easier ones. An organic apple simply tastes better. When it comes to body products, some of the more natural choices do not work as well. I test-drove many lotions and potions and thought I’d share my favorite finds. And because I do not consider myself an authority on these products I interviewed two women who are.

Odacite' Perfect Nutrients Body Lotion

I read about Odacite' in a magazine and was taken my Valerie’s story.  Valerie was diagnosed with breast cancer and subsequently made many sweeping life changes. She learned that some of the greatest exposure to toxins occurs with our personal care products. Even her expensive French moisturizer was chock full of chemicals. Odacite’s products use only the best, organic ingredients and they are made fresh for each customer. This lotion kept my skin hydrated for the entire ski season last year. 

Tata Harper Hydrating Floral Essence

I first tried these products in Sag Harbor at one of my favorite stores Wellnest. This spray is fantastic after you wash your face in the morning and I also use it after hot yoga. Tata Harper’s skincare was founded on the idea “that women no longer need to sacrifice their health to look and feel beautiful.” All of her products are produced on her farm in Vermont.

Rahua Voluminous Shampoo and Conditioner

I’ll admit I feel like a bit of a hypocrite talking about natural hair care. I’m pretty sure what’s making this head blonde is far from organic. I’m not proud of that. Despite the highlights, I was on a mission to ameliorate my chemical exposure.  My friend and fellow dietitian Ashley Koff tweeted about Rahua and it caught my attention. I’ll tell you that Rahua isn’t just my favorite organic hair care; it’s the best hair care line I’ve ever used. If only Rahua could make me blonde without bleach, I’d be thrilled.

SpaRitual Nail Polish

I don’t wear polish on my nails anymore because it grossed me out when I was cooking. I didn’t want “ballet slippers” in my smoothies or families’ meals. Because my runner’s feet need all the help they can get, I was excited to experiment with Spa Ritual. Spa Ritual’s polishes are free of toluene, formaldehyde and DBP.

Valerie and Tata were kind enough to answer some of my questions. Their answers may help you choose better products.

What are your top 3 evil ingredients when it comes to topical products?

Valerie:

1. Parabens- are the most widely used preservatives in personal care products. These synthetic chemicals are hormone disruptors. Medical concern is raised as many studies show that parabens are linked to breast cancer. Studies also show parabens react with the sun and accelerate aging. So if you don’t do it for your health, toss them to avoid wrinkles.
2. Fragrance- considered a trade secret manufacturers are not required to list ingredients in formulating their fragrance. Most are synthetic chemicals that can trigger allergies and disrupt hormone levels.
3. SLS and SLES (Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulphate)- are cheap detergents in many “foaming” cosmetics. They can cause damage to the heart, liver and lungs.

Tata’s top 3: Hydroquinone, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Parabens.

Note: hydroquinone is a skin-bleaching chemical that has caused tumor development in animal studies. The National Toxicology program is conducting reproductive toxicity studies of this chemical.

Parabens, according to the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Consumer products, may cause reproductive and developmental disorders. The following ingredients indicate paraben presence:
methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, parahydroxybenzoic acid, parahydroxybenzoate. You cannot assume that a product labeled organic or natural is free of parabens some seemingly wholesome brands like Kiehls are paraben parties, sad.

If someone is just starting to consider what goes “on their body” is there one place or product you would suggest they start?

Valerie: Great question, 60% of what you apply on your skin enters your bloodstream. The EWG showed that women are exposed to 200 chemicals every day from personal care products. I would say whatever you use the most of. Body lotion covers most of your skin. Lipstick would be second as women ingest 32 lbs. of lipstick in a lifetime and most are contaminated with lead. Shampoo and toothpaste are important too.

Tata: I would definitely start with body lotion because as women we generally apply it 2x a day and sometimes more frequently.

And finally, what do you say to people who say organic, chemical free products are too expensive?

Valerie: I say choosing organic is the best long-term investment you can make for yourself, your family and the planet. You can choose to support your local farmer who grows his product with care and integrity, you can choose to purchase from companies that make organic products and say no to chemical business or you can chose to support your MD. In the long term it is a lot less expensive to buy organic because your health is priceless.

Tata: High quality natural and organic ingredients are going to cost more than their synthetic alternatives; but when you think about this carefully natural ingredients are more compatible with our systems and don’t pose the potential health risk of the chemical ingredients so there’s really no comparison.

If you’re new to organic personal care products, start to read ingredients and avoid Valerie and Tata’s “evil 3’s”. And maybe start with one product, as they suggested, the one you use most.  We also like Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Database, The Detox Market and Spirit Beauty Lounge.

Where do you stand with personal care products? Any natural companies you’d suggest? Are you willing to read product labels or make one organic/natural switch?
*Valerie from Odacite graciously offered to give away 3 of their discovery kits (includes 7 Odacite' products) to our readers. Be sure to leave a comment below in order to be eligible.
And Tata Harper is giving one reader her floral essence (too bad I am ineligible).

Holiday Eating: Food Pushers, Gymlessness and the urge to ProcratinEat

At sundown today, Rosh Hashanah begins; Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year (do not click away if you aren’t Jewish, if you celebrate any holidays or attend any group food events, read on).  Many Rosh Hashanah foods are sweet as they signify the hope for a sweet New Year. This is a lovely tradition but a challenge from a food perspective. There have been countless articles written about holiday eating and the calories in holiday foods. To me, the often overlooked aspects of holiday eating are the extra time spent with family (glass of wine for me please), the travel involved in getting to wherever you are going and associations with traditional, special and often home-cooked food.

It’s more about the dynamics at work than the food itself.  Here are some of the potential pitfalls, see if they strike a chord.

Problem: The Food Pusher, I tend to think every family has one. Food pushers have been known to ask, “is that all you’re eating?” or “how come you didn’t try the potatoes?” or worst of all food pushers plate the food for you.

Solution: There are several strategies to handle a food pusher. My first thought is that the food pusher often wants you to try things but doesn’t necessarily mind if you don’t finish them. So put the kugel or cake on your plate and only eat what you wish to.

The second, more aggressive route is to be honest and polite but push back “it’s so delicious but I think I’ve had enough.” It’s always good to throw in a compliment while refusing food.

Problem: Slim (healthy) Pickins - It’s hard to believe in 2011 someone can compose a menu with zero regard for health but it happens and happens a lot for holiday meals. Even my mother uses by grandmothers stick-of-butter recipes and justifies it as “traditional.”

Solution: Help green the menu. By this, I don’t mean green as in better for the environment,  I mean literally green. Many holiday menus lack clean vegetable options so offer to bring something. Yes, there may be an ounce of selfishness here but say “can I bring a beautiful crudité and dip?” Or, “I saw a great Brussels sprouts recipe.” Even if the host declines your offer it may send a message that potatoes shouldn’t be the only vegetable on the table.

Problem: Gymlessness-you’re away from home, at your parents or in-laws far away from your usual gym or spin class.

Solution: Don’t be an exercise snob. Bring your sneakers and even if it’s cold or not as good a workout, commit to walking the day of the holiday AND the day after. Throw in some crunches and push-ups and you may have burned off those potatoes.

Problem: ProcrastinEATING. ProcrastinEATING happens when you feel as if you had a large, holiday meal and that you’ve blown it as far as your food plan goes. The procrastineater says “on Monday I will be good.” Or, “when I get home I will get back on track.”

Solution: nip it in the bud. It’s often not the holiday meals that do people in. It’s the leftovers and couple of days following the meal and the towel getting thrown in. If you are off track regroup at the next meal and plan your food for the day following Rosh Hashanah, Thanksgiving or Christmas etc. It’s not just about the holiday meal.

Aside from potential pitfalls, there are so many interesting food traditions tied to holidays.  For Rosh Hashanah there is the notion of “new fruit”. This is a fruit that is recently in season; pomegranate is commonly used. There is a blessing that’s said. The implication is to be grateful for the fruits of the earth and the opportunity to enjoy them. Religion aside, this is something we can all do.

What do you find to be the biggest challenges with holiday eating? Have you ever been a procrastineater? What “new fruits” have you been enjoying?

Hamptons Marathon: The Best Laid Plans

So, I ran a marathon on Saturday. Compared to Chicago last year, there’s been very little mentioned here about this race and that was a conscious decision. I figured I would check in after the race, tell you all about my fun day and move on to other topics. We chose the Hamptons Marathon. It’s a small, local race that Runners World gave good reviews. I don’t like marathon training hanging over my head too far into the fall, so late September seemed perfect. Let’s just say my plan didn’t work that well and Saturday- well it was rough.

My training leading up to the race was pretty strong. I was running faster than I had in recent years and diligently tracking all my runs from my Garmin GPS watch in Training Peaks.  I ran a couple of half marathons this summer; one was strong, one more conservative (it was a very hot day). And though I was sidelined with bronchitis a couple weeks ago still felt ready to go. I started eyeing the forecast about a week ago and felt relieved that there didn’t seem to be a heat wave coming. Of course as we got closer rain seemed a good possibility but I was ok with that. What had started out as five people we knew running the race had dwindled to three. Friday, late in the day, my friend emailed she was out, a hurt knee and the weather didn’t help.

So it was just Marc and me. The boys would be staying with friends (very, very nice friends) and we drove out East Friday night. We had our usual pre-race sushi dinner and prepared for the next day. We pinned our numbers to our shirts, packed our shorts with Clif Shots and printed our pacing wristbands. I set the coffee maker for the next morning and of course brought our Le Pain Quotidian coffee from home. I am a big believer in race rituals and am a planner by nature; this too would work against me.

We woke up at 5AM Saturday, my father in law said “I think you got lucky, it’s not raining.” I had my E3 Live, followed by coffee and Purely Elizabeth Granola with fruit. I put some Vega Performance optimizer in a bottle to have in the hour before the race. We drove to the start, found parking close by and felt that nice race day buzz. 

We had plenty of time and a full row of empty and clean Porto potties. I decided to take advantage of this and laughed when a Lululemon bag with the words “Breathe Deeply” had been discarded on the floor of the Porto potty, I decided not to comply.

We lined up at the starting area. Instead of a motivating welcome speech the man counting down said these ominous words “this is not a flat course, it’s very hilly out there” and then we were off. We were running alongside half marathoners and some doing a 5K so it was important not to get caught up and go out too fast. After a bunch of marathons, I knew slow was better than fast and continued to consult my watch and pace accordingly. I distracted myself looking at the runners around me. There was the woman in teal who moved her arms as though she were swimming freestyle. There was also the shirtless man with a hairy back and Vibrams. I briefly wondered where he placed his running number without a shirt.  I also noticed it was very, very humid. It felt like you were running through glue and I just didn’t feel energetic. 

We were on pace through 5 miles and at about mile 6 my hypersensitive Garmin watch, probably malfunctioning from the humidity/mist, stopped. Part of me freaked while the trying-to -be-sane part of me realized I’d have the race clocks and with my pacing band could gauge my speed. The only thing was at 6 miles the full marathon split from the half marathon course and so it seemed did all of the race’s efforts. The next clock would be mile 13 (it said 2:70, 2 hours 70 minutes? It was broken).

Trying to regroup, I tried to use the fluid stations as markers but there were times when these were 2 miles or more apart. Some had Gatorade, some didn’t, and some didn’t even have people manning them. Marathons are very mental and looking back for someone so routinized (ok anal) all of the changes didn’t go over well. By mile 15, I was wiped out. I felt how I did last year in the final miles of Chicago. I had never experienced this so early in the race. There were really no spectators and with the hills I was warned about looming for as far as I could see, I made the decision to drop out. I reasoned that it wasn’t my day and that was fine. I planned to find a police car at the next water station and pack it in. Even my dropout plan backfired when at the next water stop there were no police cars or anyone to drop out with. I had one Clif shot left in my pocket and figured I may as well see if some “triple espresso” would do the trick. I looked ahead of me and it didn’t help that everyone was walking. I elected to continue and figured worst case I’d have a 10-mile walk. Instead, I used my music and told myself I couldn’t stop until a song was over. As I ran for the duration of my son’s favorite song (Paycheck), I passed hairy back. As miserable as I was, I laughed a little

Soon I was at mile 20, I was scared to look at the clock. With my walking breaks and fatigue, I thought for sure it would be beyond horrible. It said 3:18, I was flummoxed.  I was only a few minutes slow. In a typical race, I’d dig down deep and finish strong only I was so exhausted that wasn’t going to happen. There was no euphoria, there was no strategy remaining except to finish. At the 26-mile mark I summoned the last remaining energy and ran it in. Marc was there. Though it was humid and he didn’t feel he could push it like he wanted to, the lack of clocks or water didn’t affect him. He didn’t really have a race plan and it worked out well. As for me, while disappointing this crappy race was also informative and will in no way diminish my planning tendencies. In fact, one day later I realize how lucky I was to have participated and will use what I learned in planning future races.

Are you someone who plans or wings it?  What’s your next fitness goal or challenge?

Do you think being goal-oriented can have its disadvantages? 

No Time to "Cook" Breakfast

I’ll admit, muesli and I don’t know each other. I am a huge fan of overnight oats where you combine rolled oats, milk (I use almond milk) and plain yogurt overnight and simply heat in the morning. Abbie, our newest nutrition nerd, suggested muesli and I pretended I knew what muesli was. I thought muesli was a cold cereal that came in a box but clearly didn’t know. In case you’re unacquainted with this concoction, I’ll let Abbie tell you about it. 

How many times have you grabbed something for breakfast, yogurt’s a popular choice, simply because it’s the easiest thing? This week we set out to debunk the myth that delicious means time consuming. You can put together a hearty, nutritious, flavorful breakfast in minutes the night before you plan on eating it. The key is to have the main ingredients prepped and ready so that all you have to do is mix.

So, on to this magical concoction called muesli. Basically, it's granola, without the toasting and baking. You take a bunch of uncooked rolled oats and other things you like, such as chopped nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and coconut, mix it all together, put it in a sealed container, and walk away. Some of my favorite ingredients to use for muesli are Bob's Red Mill Old Fashioned Rolled Oats and Unsweetened Shredded Coconut. Various nuts, seeds, and dried fruit should be available at most grocery stores. Look for raw, unsalted varieties. Also look for dried fruit that is fruit only, made without sulfites or sugar.

The night before you want to use the muesli, simply mix a scoop of it with some yogurt and leave it in the refrigerator overnight. You can thin out the yogurt with water or substitute the water with or nut milk, if you prefer. You can use all milk and skip the yogurt but this results in thinner muesli. You can also add a touch of sweetness to the yogurt with maple syrup, honey, or agave.

The next morning, as you wonder how you could possibly find something for breakfast since you have to be out the door five minutes ago, you open the fridge and voila! Breakfast is served.

The following is a combination of several muesli recipes I've gathered in my head over the years, with a special nod to Mark Bittman and Heidi Swanson.

Basic Muesli Recipe

4-6 Servings

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats

2/3  cup nuts (chopped) and seeds (I used walnuts, almonds, and sunflower seeds)

1/3 cup dried fruit, chopped (I used dried cranberries and apricots)

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut

1/4 teaspoon salt

Plain yogurt

Maple syrup, agave, or honey to sweeten (optional)

*Remember to use whatever nuts, seeds, fruit, etc. that you like.

Directions:

Combine the oats, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, coconut and salt in a large bowl. Transfer to a container until you are planning to use it.

When ready to use, for each serving spoon 1/2 cup of yogurt into a bowl. Thin with 1/4 cup nut milk and sweeten with a teaspoon of maple syrup, agave, or honey if desired. Stir in 1/2 cup of the Muesli and place in the refrigerator overnight. Serve garnished with a few chopped nuts or dried fruit.

Do you muesli? What are your favorite fall breakfasts? Any time-saving tricks?