Food Lessons from the Movie Eat Pray Love

In the movie Eat Pray Love, (based on Elizabeth Gilbert's autobiographical book of the same name) Julia Roberts plays the title character who after a broken marriage goes on a year-long sabbatical to Italy, India, and Bali to find herself and reignite her passion and appetite for life.  During the first part of her travels in Italy, she rediscovers the pleasure of eating for nourishment and enjoyment, relishing plates of pasta and slices of pizza, calling it her "no carb left behind experience."  The power of that scene stems from the fact that she lets go of the guilt associated with eating so-called 'bad" foods and is fully present in the moment, focused soley on the joy of eating. 

The movie is so inviting to watch because the main character has the luxury of getting away from it all (in gorgeous locations) while learning how to slow down and tune in to life.  Okay, so maybe we all can't quit our jobs and go on a year-long sabbatical, but we can still take small steps everyday to take time to actually appreciate, taste, and savor our food. 

In today's hectic lifestyle, we're so busy with our family, our jobs, and our activities, that we often give very little thought to the food we eat.  We approach food mindlessly, and we eat it mindlessly.  We eat meal after meal, barely aware of what we're eating and how much we're consuming.  Years of unconscious decisions add up to the point where we gain weight and wonder why.  We didn't choose to gain weight, did we?  Other times we think too much and try to be so restrictive in what we eat that when we overindulge, our internal judgement police march in to harshly scold us for our missteps.
 
So what's the key to creating our own Eat Pray Love experience without having to travel the world?

Mindfulness. 

Mindfulness is is simply the moment-by-moment awareness of what's going on. 

When we learn to eat mindfully, we gain power over food bite by bite.

As I've mentioned in a previous post, simple is not the same as easy.  Being mindful on a consistent basis is very difficult for most people but with practice it can became as natural as breathing. 

Here are 3 steps to practice:

1.  Tune In Before Eating

Take a moment to become aware of the food you're about to eat before scarfing it down.  You can do this by pausing to appreciate the color of the food on your plate and paying attention to the smell of the food - anything that slows you down and brings you into the moment.

2.  Tune In During Eating

The 2nd step involves paying attention while we're actually eating the food.  You can practice this by chewing your food slowly, paying attention to each bite.  Aim to think about how the food tastes, including its texture, temperature, and mixture of flavors.  Now here's the challenge - don't start loading up your fork and putting more food in your mouth until you've completely chewed and swallowed what's already in there. 

3.  Tune In After Eating

Now that you've eaten, how do you feel?  Are you comfortably full or stuffed beyond the gills?  Is your body happy with the food choices you've made or are you ready to put your head down and go to sleep? 

Tuning in and paying attention before, during, and after eating lets you learn how to listen to your body without judgement and learn how to balance your eating and maintain a healthy body weight.  While it takes practice, we can all relearn how to slow down and take time to smell, taste, and enjoy our food.

Need help working on mindful eating?  Contact me for an appointment today.

Do You Count When it Comes to Nutrition?

It's been a busy summer as I've literally had company visiting for the past month.  Since the middle of July, I've had different friends and family members staying with us each week.  You know the saying, when one door closes, another one opens with more people coming to visit. 

While it's been fun to see everyone, each week brought different challenges when trying to figure out what to feed everyone.  With each person having different likes and dislikes, coming up with a meal plan that would work for all was like trying to herd cats - a lot of effort and not always completely successful. 

Since I'm fully aware that I'm a hard core health nut, I always try to be sensitive to the needs of my guests and what they enjoy eating.  One night when we were trying to decide what to have for dinner, one of my visitors jokingly said that my opinion didn't count since my preference for food wasn't exactly simpatico with the rest of the group.  While this comment didn't bother me at the time, I did reflect on it later and think "Hey, I do count!" This made me think about how many times in social situations we give in to peer pressure to eat things we don't really want to but because we want to be part of the group or don't want to appear to be the odd one out.  How many times have you ordered fast food instead of making healthier items because you think your family will complain?  How many times have you given in and ordered an unhealthy dish because you wanted to be part of the group? 

This reminds me of a story a friend of mine told me about how she went out to dinner with friends.  She finished her meal, was perfectly satisfied, and had no desire to order dessert.  One of her dining companions refused to take no for an answer, and proceeded to order dessert and insist she eat it.  She took a few bites to appease this food pusher but it left her with a sick feeling in her stomach - not even so much from the dessert but more from feeling forced to eat when she really didn't want it. 

So my question for you is this:  Do you count when it comes to nutrition? Or do you always put yourself at the bottom of the list?

You deserve to feel good and make healthy choices without feeling like you always have to please others.  If you don't count yourself as being important when it comes to nutrition, who will?

Best Sports Nutrition Supplements: Pros & Cons

Wondering what sports nutrition supplements you should choose when preparing for or running your next race?  Here are some great guidelines from an article from Active.com to help you find the optimal energy foods.

SPORTS DRINKS

Sports drinks are designed to maximize fluid absorption and enhance performance by delivering readily absorbable carbohydrate and electrolytes, the most crucial being sodium. The better-formulated (and tasting) ones intended for use during exercise usually contain both simple carbs (sucrose, fructose and glucose) and complex carbs (glucose polymers, maltodextrin). Choose a sports drink instead of plain water when exercising or running 60 minutes or longer at a moderate intensity.

PROS: Multiple flavors and brands to choose from; readily usable liquid carbohydrates are absorbed more rapidly than solid food; sodium enhances the drive to drink and facilitates the absorption of carbohydrate.

CONS: Unnecessary added ingredients can contribute to digestion woes; you're hostage to the sports drink provided at aid stations unless you carry your own; unlikely to be enough to meet energy needs in marathons and ultras.

ENERGY GELS, CHEWS AND BLOCKS

These sports foods provide fast-acting, easy-to-digest carbohydrate--exactly what hard-working muscles and the brain require to perform while running fast or long.

PROS: Easy to chew and digest; many varieties also provide sodium and small amounts of caffeine, another performance booster during prolonged exercise.

CONS: Need to be taken with recommended amount of water (6 to 8 ounces); semi-solid chews and blocks may boost blood sugar levels more slowly than gels; toting enough with you requires wearing a carrier of some sort.

LIQUID FOOD SUPPLEMENTS

In addition to carbohydrate, these beverages provide varying amounts of protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, electrolytes and other lesser-proven ingredients, such as herbs and metabolites.

These nutrient-dense "liquid energy bars" provide considerably more fuel or energy per ounce than traditional sports drinks.

PROS: Convenient mode for consuming a concentrated dose of energy (calories) and carbohydrate; star as prerace meals or post-recovery drinks due to low fiber and higher energy content; typically a well-tolerated option for ultra-endurance athletes.

CONS: Can lead to digestive problems and dehydration when consumed during moderate-to-high intensity exercise; energy-dense beverage can contribute to unwanted weight gain if routinely consumed in place of meals or snacks.

ENERGY BARS

With practice an energy bar can be easy to carry, chew and digest while running. Unless you'll be on the move longer than four hours, however, choose varieties that obtain most if not all of their calories from carbohydrate (70 percent or more). It's only during longer hauls that the body has time to actually digest and assimilate the fuel from other sources.

PROS: Wide variety of flavors and textures to choose from; travel well; welcome alternative to sweet-tasting drinks, gels, chews and blocks; another option for meeting higher energy requirements of long-distance runs.

CONS: More difficult to chew and digest than liquids, especially when you're fatigued; must take with ample fluid for proper digestion; solids can take much longer to boost blood sugar levels than liquids.

REAL FOOD

Ultra runners can be seen refueling with everything from sports drinks and energy gels to sandwiches, fried chicken and pizza. Ditto for walkers and back-of-the pack marathon runners who often rely on real food for fuel, such as candy, dried fruit or pretzels. The longer duration and slower pace (lower intensity) allows these athletes to profit from consuming real food despite the extra time required to convert energy into fuel the body can use.

PROS: Helps fight "flavor fatigue" common when consuming only sweet-tasting sports foods; allows athletes to meet the high energy demands of prolonged ultra running; can be mentally uplifting or rewarding.

CONS: Protein, fiber and fat in real foods can slow absorption and digestion time and increase potential gastrointestinal problems; more complicated logistics of carrying and consuming while on the move.

The Importance of Planning

Setting a goal is not the main thing. It is deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with that plan.  ~Tom Landry

It's early evening as I write this blog post.  Like most of us, after you finish your work day, you're faced with household chores and the tasks of getting ready for the next day.  Often the last thing we want to add to that laundry list of chores is planning what we're going to eat.  Sometimes the thought of just putting one more thing on our "to do" list is enough to make us want to rebel, grab the bag of Cheetos and defiantly head to the couch. 

If it makes you feel better, sometimes I'm tired and don't want to plan either.  But because healthy eating is important to me, I make the time since I know it gives me that solid foundation to look and feel good and perform at my best. 

So my question to you is:  If something is really important to you, don't you make the time for it? 

Here's an excerpt from a blog post I wrote about planning earlier this year. 

Many people don't like to plan their meals or what they're going to eat. Instead they go about their day and grab whatever is available when hunger strikes. A lot of times we justify it in our minds by thinking: "Hey I'm busy, I don't have time to worry about another thing," or "It's not my fault I had to eat unhealthy food. I didn't have any other options. It was out of my control."

If you're trying to make a change in your nutrition, the importance of planning cannot be underestimated. To quote a chapter in Debbie Danowski's book The Emotional Eater's Book of Inspiration, "It is best to decide what to eat when you are full." Why you ask? Because when you're starving and ready to gnaw on your desk, it's much harder to make healthy choices when anything and everything looks delicious.

Now before you start throwing things at your computer screen and saying things like "Planning - she thinks I have time to plan. Does she know all the things I have to worry about?" You may be thinking, "I don't want to plan. I just want to eat whatever I want when I want."

To quote a passage from Debbie's book:

The truth is that you do have every right to eat anything at any time. But the question to ask yourself is how well has that been working for you? Are your eating patterns the way you want them to be? Is your life happy? Do you feel peaceful? Is your body a size you're comfortable with? In short, is this what you want for yourself?

If you're not happy with your life then the only solution is to try doing things differently.

It's just that simple.

There is no other way to change.

If you really want to make a change, don't allow yourself the excuse that you don't have time to plan. Take a few minutes to plan out at least a few meals and snacks. Give it a try. And if you need more personalized plans and support, I'm always here to help.

Skin Deep: Toxins in Cosmetics & Personal Care Products

While nutrition is focused on what food we're putting into our body, we also must consider what we're putting on our body that could have negative consequences to our health.

Today we're bombarded with reports about how our bodies are overloaded with toxins. In a previous blog I wrote about a Consumer Report's study that discovered toxic metals in several popular protein drinks and powders. Yet one culprit we make not think having a toxic load is our cosmetics and personal care products.

Though Glamour magazine reports that a woman eats anywhere from 4-9 pounds of lipstick per year, I don't think anyone would call Glamour a bastion of scientific knowledge. So while I think this figure is suspect, it still brings up the point that we may be ingesting chemicals that we never intended to. Many mainstream lipsticks consist of synthetic oils, dyes, and petroleum waxes.

Though this is slightly off-topic, I thought it was an important issue to raise. I also wanted to let you know about a helpful tool I found from the Environmental Working Group (EWG).

The EWG has a searchable cosmetic and personal care products database. You can search anything from makeup to skincare to sunscreen to toothpaste. The database rates each product on whether it has a low, moderate, or high toxic hazard based on its ingredients. I used it to search the makeup that I use and based on it decided to make the switch to organic makeup.

Good nutrition and health is not only about what you put in your body but also what you put on your body.

Product Spotlight: Sunflower Seed "Bread"

I'm happy to admit that I'm a health food product junkie. I love to flex my "chic card" by shopping not for shoes or clothes but for healthy food items that I can recommend to my clients. Going to the grocery store is a fun activity as I peruse the aisles, looking for the latest and greatest products. I get really excited when I find something new to recommend.

This weekend I found Lydia's Organics Sunflower Seed "Bread." Though it's called bread, it has the consistently of a dehydrated cracker but there is not a grain or flour in it. The list of ingredients is composed of easily recognizable, real food: Sprouted sunflower seeds, carrots, celery, sprouted flax, parsley, basil, dulse seaweed, herbs, and Himalayan salt. The 'bread" is gluten-free, raw, organic, and vegan. One slice is 100 calories with 5 grams of healthy fat coming from the sunflower seeds, only 7 grams of carbs, 4 grams of dietary fiber, and 5 grams of protein. This nice balance of nutrients is great for keeping your blood sugar and energy levels stable. One serving has 45% of your Vitamin A and 8% of your daily iron. It's also a low sodium food with only 65 milligrams per serving.

Since it's dehydrated, you can eat it like a cracker or quickly dip it in water to rehydrate it for a softer texture. Now that we're fully in the summer travel season, this would be a great product to take with you on trips - either in the car, on the plane, or even out camping.

I found this product at MOM's Organic Market in the DC metro area. You can also purchase it online. Check out Lydia's site as the company offers other interesting products such as green crackers, energy bars, and grainless cereals. Let me know what you think if you try any of the products.

The Nutrition Mistake Even I'm Guilty Of

I was in grocery store the other day and was walking past a display of cookies. The store had opened a container so people could sample it. Automatically my survival seeking lizard brain shouted "Free Cookie Must Eat!" I quickly snapped out of this barely conscious thought and was shocked at my mind's knee-jerk reaction. I wasn't hungry or particularly interested in the product, but it reminded me of the old joke of how you're on a "seefood diet" - you see food and eat it.

While noshing on free samples typically isn't an issue for me, I'm guilty of tasting things at home. Spoon some food on the plate and have a little taste. Cooking something and have a little taste. Putting the leftovers away and having a little sample. While having a little taste here and there doesn't seem like a lot, it can add up easily because it's such an unconscious habit. This is often a challenging point for my clients who have kids. Unconscious snacking can occur as you eat the leftovers off your kid's plate or snack as you make their lunches. An effective way to help realize how much you're really snacking is to take a ziploc bag and instead of putting all those little food tastes in your mouth, put in in the plastic bag and see how much food has accumulated by the end of the day. This exercise can be really shocking.

Another strategy that can help with unconscious snacking is keeping a food diary. Even if it's for only a few days, just the act of having to write down what you're eating often makes you much more aware of what you're putting into your mouth and provides insight and motivation into what changes need to happen.

Here's a link to a free food and activity diary called Figwee. What's different about this tool is it provides a picture of what you've eaten along with the nutritional information.

While your lizard brain may not be happy with your new focus, your waistline will.