The Denim Diaries by Kami Gray

I talk a bunch about food and how to tweak your diet to finally and forever get rid of those unwanted pounds, but in addition to dietary changes like watching portions, consuming plenty of fruits and vegetables, eating whole grains, limiting sweets, drinking plenty of water, and getting some exercise, maybe what you also need is an attitude adjustment! Nothing major — Just a few minor adjustments. I’ve been where some of you are and what I’m about to share with you has worked flawlessly for me with very little effort. And the best part? The weight has stayed off for the past 23 years.

ADJUSTMENT #1: Rethink food.

Channel the thoughts of a newborn baby for a second. They’re not thinking about what tastes good or even looks good, they’re thinking fuel and we give them premium fuel that will promote the best health possible. Take the same excellent care of yourself and only put the best possible fuel in your body. When I’m hungry, I don’t think about what sounds delicious or what would taste amazing; I think about what would quickly satiate me and optimally fuel my body, and I make sure I have plenty of things on hand that will do the job. I call this “purposeful eating” because everything I put into my body, I eat on purpose.

ADJUSTMENT #2: Start anywhere.

It all comes down to habits. Positive things we do repeatedly can add up to real measurable results. Rather than get frustrated and focus on those pounds of weight you want to lose, start somewhere, anywhere. When you have a big task ahead and don’t know where to begin, start with the most obvious thing or whatever pops into your mind first. Once you do, you’ll be under way. You choose what habit you’d like to begin with. Maybe, starting tomorrow, you’ll take a half-hour walk in the morning or maybe you’ll eat only a small bowl of berries for dessert after dinner. Think about how good you feel that you took better care of your body, and imagine what you might add to your efforts the following day or the day after that. One small habit at a time. Once you get rolling, you’ll feel an unstoppable amount of momentum, confidence, and accomplishment, and the rest will be history.

ADJUSTMENT #3: Think baby steps and not big picture.

It’s one step in the right direction at a time. Try not to obsess over those ten pounds or your final weight objective. If it takes a little while to reach your ideal, healthy weight, then that’s what it takes. You are not in a fat-burning race. There is no quick fix, and when you don’t take the time to lose weight with habits you can sustain over the long run, the weight will inevitably return. Celebrate the modest progress you achieve every day by eating well, drinking plenty of water, getting much-needed exercise, and changing your habits so today’s extra weight will one day be history and not a part of your future. When my sister lost considerable weight over a nine-month period, she didn’t think about how many pounds she was losing per week. In fact, she didn’t set any weight-loss goals at all. She changed her habits, one baby step at a time, and how she looked at food and saw it as a new, lifelong way of healthy living.

ADJUSTMENT #4: Participate in life.

Happy, fulfilled people are simply more successful. Back when I was overweight, I thought I was fat and ugly and not deserving of friends or social activities. I was going to live a full and rich life only after I reached my ideal, healthy body weight. I realize now how silly that was. So you have some weight to lose. If you are feeling anything remotely like I once did and you’re waiting to live your life until after you achieve your weight-loss goals, stop. This is your life. Get out there and share your triumphs and difficulties with anyone and everyone. People want to know you. Maybe there’s someone in your life who is just dying to have someone to commiserate with, walk with, eat with, have tea with, and get to know. Likely, there are many co-workers, friends, family members, and acquaintances who would love to share some good times with you. Have some fun, and join in on the action, no matter where you are in your weight-loss efforts. This increased happiness and fulfillment will, believe it or not, help you in your weight loss efforts.

ADJUSTMENT #5: Dress for success.

There is no need to hide in oversized clothing because you’ve got some weight to lose. Wear clothes that fit you. Oversized, elastic-wasted clothing actually adds weight and sends a loud and clear message not only to yourself, but to the world, that you’re in hiding. Get rid of those sweatpants and go buy yourself a pair of jeans that are just the right size for you. Don’t spend a lot of money because they won’t fit you for very long. If it were me, I’d splurge and buy a second pair in the size you realistically want to be, can be, and will be before you know it. Try that second pair on once a week and relish in that week-by-week, they are getting looser and looser. Believe wholeheartedly in your success and watch it unfold.

Who is up for an attitude adjustment?

My book will hit bookstore shelves next week and is currently available online at all major booksellers so the question of the day is…How is THE DENIM DIET any different from the bazillion diet books on the market? I’m SO happy you asked! 

Think of THE DENIM DIET as your personal weight loss coach. A great coach teaches you the basics, the building blocks, and strategies for winning…in this case to win at permanent weight loss and maintenance. That’s what you’ll get when you read THE DENIM DIET…only it’s even easier than that! I’ll teach you simple habits to easily and effortlessly practice and develop so you don’t have to think about how great it would be to lose weight and keep it off; you’ll be living it, one simple habit at a time…while simultaneously lessening the impact you make on the planet! It’s all about being lean and green, and of course, getting into your dream pair of jeans!
 
And I have a confession to make…THE DENIM DIET isn’t a diet book! Shhhhh….don’t tell anyone! I know it’s in the title to my book, but I’m not a fan of the word diet. It implies that for a temporary period of time, your lifestyle habits will need to change dramatically in order for you to achieve weight loss. Instead of dictating a diet, I’ll teach you how to replace your old habits with new ones, easily and effortlessly!

Oh and my book is funny! I promise you will laugh out loud (and probably at me, not with me!) as I share my own embarrassing stories. I’ve read many self-help books on a wide array of topics. The ones that have appealed to me the most are those that got up close and personal. Self-help books that only teach and preach bore me silly. I don’t appreciate being lectured at or badgered with heavy-handed tactics and overly technical language.

I’ve tried to create a book that’s more intimate, sensible, and understanding. Just like you, I’m a real person. I’m happy to share my own experiences, issues, triumphs, and setbacks. I don’t stop there, though. Oh no; I share other people’s stories as well! With the exception of my sister’s, whom I repeatedly throw under the bus, I don’t divulge any names because I didn’t exactly get anyone’s permission! Some of these stories are humorous, a few are inspirational, others provide living examples of weight-loss success, and one is a dramatic life lesson in what not to do.
 
You’ll also find a detailed grocery list, a forty-four-page recipe section, my top ten tips for dressing slimmer, and a four-page summary (kind of a cheat sheet) of the sixteen habits to make and habits to break.
 
I realize that THE DENIM DIET doesn’t exactly make a great “gift” book, but I hope you’ll tell all your friends about it!

I’ve been checking out the ivillage.com message boards on health-related topics lately to see what the big issues are for people in terms of their weight loss efforts.  Finding motivation to get weight under control seems to be the biggest one for a lot of people. A friend of mine, with a busy medical practice and five kids, came up with a great idea a few years back when she wanted to lose some weight, start exercising more, eat healthier, ease up on the wine, have more energy, and just feel better.

She bought a spiral-bound calendar that she uses as a health journal. She doesn’t write down her appointments or people’s birthdays in her health calendar though - she writes down the commitments she’s made to herself. Everyday, she makes a plan…what she’s going to eat, how she’s going to exercise, how she’s not going to drink more than one glass of wine or skip it altogether, how she’s going to remember to take her iron and calcium supplements, and so on. She doesn’t write down her actual weight or even her weight loss goals. In addition to her daily plan, she makes comments like, “I have a lot of energy today,” and “my pants feel looser today,” and “I feel good about myself because I’m taking great care of my health” and “Pilates class made me feel strong and flexible today.” Each day before she writes a new plan, she reviews what she wrote the day before. This helps her stay motivated and makes sure she’s honoring the commitments she’s made to herself.

She lost that extra weight a long time ago, but still writes in her health journal everyday because being healthy is a priority to her. It’s helped her stay on track and is a daily reminder to put herself first even though five kids and thousands of patients also need her. She knows that if she doesn’t take care of herself, she’s not much good to anybody else.  If you think a health journal might motivate you as well…I highly recommend the calender from Mixed Role Productions that can be found almost anywhere or ordered online. They are the perfect size with plenty of room to write and are printed on 100% Post Consumer Recycled Paper from a Eugene, Oregon company. What are you waiting for?

Check out this very important interview with David Servan-Schreiber, M.D., Ph.D. conducted by Charles Stuart Platkin, a nutrition and public health advocate and founder of DietDetective.com. Dr. Servan-Screiber has been living with brain cancer for approximately 16 years and shares his expertise, experience, and insights about the causes of cancer and cancer prevention and how what we eat plays such a critical role.

Diet Detective: Can You Really Prevent Cancer? – An Interview with David Servan-Schreiber, M.D., Ph.D.

Here’s a brief excerpt from the interview:

Diet Detective: How does the traditional American diet create conditions for cancer to thrive? Do other countries do a better job in terms of cancer prevention?

 Dr. Servan-Schreiber: Look at the American national dish: hamburger and french fries, with a white bun and ketchup. You couldn’t do better if you wanted to try to promote cancer growth: red meat (the No. 1 food ingredient associated with a variety of cancers), grown on corn and soy (which remove the healthy omega-3s that are found in grass-fed meat), and bovine growth hormone (which stimulates all cell growth, including cancer cell growth); french fries: a rare vegetable that does not help slow cancer growth but, on the contrary, stimulates insulin release and thus cell growth, dipped in omega-6 inflammation-promoting oil and fried to increased oxidative stress; white bread: which again stimulates insulin release; ketchup: a rich source of high-fructose corn syrup, associated with insulin resistance and obesity.

I have two friends I was speaking with recently that have both had their gallbladder removed. Neither friend was informed by their healthcare professional that their body might not be able to digest fats as well as it used to and that their diet may need to be modified to compensate for this change.

Put simply, the liver produces about a liter of bile each day (yes, the gross, smelly yellowish stuff you throw up when you have food poisoning after your stomach feels completely empty). Through ducts, it’s secreted downward from the liver into the gallbladder which can store up to roughly a half a cup of bile at a time. This bile just sits there ready for a message from the small intestine (via a fancy hormone called CKK or cholecystokinin) saying that it has food in it that contains fat. The small intestine (specifically the upper part called the duodenum) is looking for a little help in dissolving that fat. Your rockstar gallbladder goes into a kind of muscle spasm and squeezes the bile through ducts and into the small intestine where it helps to emulsify the fat. Because the liver can still get bile to the duodenum without the presence of a gallbladder; the gallbladder is not considered (by some) to be a critical organ…hence the common practice of gallbladder removal. This is a simplified description which I derived from an article by Dr. Dixie Mills on womentowomen.com.

On Medicinenet.com, Dr. Marks says, “When the gallbladder is removed, bile made by the liver can no longer be stored between meals. Instead, the bile flows directly into the intestine anytime the liver produces it. Thus, there still is bile in the intestine to mix with food and fat. It is true that there is not as much bile, but there is enough to allow the digestion and transfer of fat.”

Even so, if I can avoid gallbladder complications, I think I’ll keep mine because in researching this topic, I’ve discovered that many people that have had their gallbladders removed experienced weight gain. It seems possible (and to me, very likely) that bypassing the gallbladder in the process mentioned above could be one likely culprit. So the question is, how can we help our bodies digest fat more efficiently? Things I do to help my body digest fat as efficiently as possible are including prebiotics, probiotics, and plenty of fiber in my diet. I also drink a ton of water which I also think aids in good digestion. Here’s a quickie explanation of those terms…

Prebiotics: According to Realage.com, “prebiotics prompt the growth of healthy, keep-you-regular probiotic bacteria.” They list these “Gut-friendly Foods” as Bananas, berries, asparagus, garlic, wheat, oatmeal, barley, flaxseed, tomatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, onions, chicory, greens, and legumes,” which, “all contain prebiotic carbohydrates — nondigestible fiber that sets the stage for beneficial probiotic bacteria.”

Probiotics: Realage.com says probiotics are, “something you definitely want, because probiotics do everything from protecting your bowels from toxins and infections to helping things move on through.” Think organic nonfat or lowfat plain yogurt with live cultures, or fermented milk, tempeh, miso, and even some juices. I’m a yogurt gal myself, preferably with blueberries and a few nuts sprinkled on top.

High Fiber Foods: Realage.com recommends aiming for 25 grams per day. To put that in perspective – one cup of cooked black beans has approximately 16 grams while a cup of raspberries has a little over 8 grams…Check out this handy chart to see how the numbers on fiber break down…get it “break down?” I love food puns!

Not surprisingly, a balanced diet consisting of those items as well as healthy fats (like nuts, seeds, olives), plant-based foods including whole grains and fruits and vegetables, and limiting packaged and processed foods is a terrific way to prevent gallbladder disease.

If you have the patience and want a more detailed and far more academic explanation of life after gallbladder removal, I encourage you to read a post on Studyhealth.net titled, “What your doctor forgot to tell you about gallbladder removal.” Here’s an excerpt, “Once the gallbladder is gone, there’s nowhere for that bile to collect. Instead of that, fat from pommes frites (not to mention bigger sins) cannot be modulated as it was before when person still had a gallbladder. And without bile (its function was to break down the fat), the small intestine can become flooded with water. This happens because the fat draws water from surrounding regions of the body. This can be combined with activities of intestinal bacteria, which can cause bloating, bad restroom experiences, and stomachaches.” Yikes.

Just something to think about…obviously your healthcare provider is the best place to get accurate information about what will make you optimally healthy. I believe good digestion is a critical component to weight loss and maintaining your ideal healthy body weight so I hope you get the help you need if you’re experiencing weight gain after gallbladder removal surgery or even if your gallbladder is intact like mine!

It’s an icy, cold day in Portland, Oregon. Venturing out is not such a great idea. I tried yesterday and slipped three times before heading back home. Best to stay indoors right? Maybe not. I went to a small dinner party last night in my condo building and while we were playing Cranium, I downed about eight tollhouse cookies! And French vanilla ice cream! Totally uncharacteristic of me, but I must say, those cookies were goooooood!

No big deal…I’ll get a good workout in today and monitor my food intake more carefully over the next few days and all will be forgiven. Then I learned that my Jazzercise studio is closed today due to bad weather and may remain closed all week since the forecast is more cold weather. Darn! I can’t get out and walk either because of the icy streets.

I’m not totally helpless though. My building has tons of stairs and there are always pushups, sit-ups, and jumping jacks and dancing around the house to 80s tunes to get my heart rate up. I’ll burn those cookies off…maybe not all in one day, but they won’t get the best of me. If you slip up, make a plan, and then execute your plan. If you make it fun and involve Duran Duran, Madonna, and Bananarama, you’re bound to be successful.

According to my calendar, it’s December first today. Here we are facing another holiday season. Before things get out of hand, let’s make a better plan for the holidays this year. Let’s arrive at January first, 2009 feeling great because we didn’t overdo it on unhealthy, fattening foods and we stuck to our exercise routines.

If you’re one of those people who loves the tradition of making cookies and other sweet treats, consider trying out some other crafty creations like making your own wrapping paper, tree ornaments, or healthy food items like raspberry vinegar or rosemary olive oil. I find that having all those sweet treats around doesn’t do anybody in the household any good. A nibble here and there and before you know it, your jeans are a little tighter.  

For holiday parties, eat a little something before you go like a small handful of walnuts and a piece of light string cheese. This will help prevent you from noshing on party appetizers and helps prevent the absorption of alcohol.  Overdoing it on alcohol packs on the calories and can greatly diminish your ability to make good eating choices. For dinner, skip the starchy side and stick with protein and vegetables and watch out for rich sauces.

Make time for regular grocery shopping. As people get busier this time of year, takeout food, fast food, and eating on the go becomes way more common. Having healthy, easy-to-prepare snacks on hand will help to keep you on your normal eating routine.

Make time for exercise. Put it on your calendar just like you would any other commitment and stick to it. Even a thirty minute walk inside the mall everyday will keep your energy up, your attitude positive, decrease your stress, and keep the pounds from creeping on. If you don’t get regular exercise, don’t wait until January for those New Year’s resolutions to kick in…get going now!

Think how much better you will feel on January first – one month from today – if you ditched the sweets, kept to your healthy eating plan, got plenty of exercise, and not only maintained your weight through the holidays; maybe even got rid of some of that excess weight. How awesome would that be?

It’s 9: 30 AM and I ate breakfast over three hours ago. I’m hungry, but I can’t eat a meal because I’ll be doing that around lunchtime. Twice a day, I wander into my kitchen (I work from home most days) and enjoy a small snack. These can easily transport to work or school. I don’t like to spend time doing a lot of food prep. Conveniently, healthy, whole foods don’t require much effort to prepare. Here are my current favorites for quick snacking (always go for certified organic whenever possible):

1. 1 tablespoon of hummus on two whole wheat crackers

2. A small handful of raw walnuts w/ square of dark chocolate

3. Light string cheese and a piece of fruit

4. Celery sticks dipped in 1 tablespoon peanut butter

5. Sliced (nitrate-free) turkey rolled up with 1/4 small avocado

These little midmorning and midafternoon snacks go a long way in preventing me from overeating at lunch and dinner. Anyone have any other good snack ideas?

Photo Courtery of quickspice.com

I may be the laziest cook in the universe. Just ask my poor kids. One of the easiest and healthiest lunch or dinners is to throw a bunch of good stuff in a bowl. Many restaurants have caught on to the “it’s better in a bowl movement.”

My friend wanted pizza yesterday at a place I knew wouldn’t carry whole wheat crust. I figured they would have something that would work for me, but I assumed I would have to make significant modifications to whatever I was ordering…I was pleasantly surprised because they had a terrific bowl on their menu. It wasn’t cheap, but at least I wasn’t stuck eating white crust.

Grilled chicken + quinoa bowl

organic black beans, sweet potatoes, red peppers, avocado + spicy cashew sauce

Another restaurant in town, called, The Whole Bowl, makes me equally happy and it’s half the price, but sans the chicken.”The Bowl” consists of:

A signature Tali sauce (made of lemon, spices, and garlic), short-grain brown rice, red and black beans, salsa, black olives, avocado, cilantro, and the option of sour cream and cheese for the dairy lovers.

Here’s a bowl I make at home for lunch:

Whole wheat couscous, sliced (nitrate-free) turkey, carrots, onions, and celery sautéed in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt, freshly-ground pepper, freshly-grated parmesan cheese, and a dollop of lowfat sour cream on top.

It takes me about ten minutes to prepare and I’m good until three PM when I need a little dark chocolate and green tea pick-me-up.

Anyone have another good bowl idea?

JOHN MCCAIN:

According to the Chicago Tribune, McCain’s:

“Favorite food: Shrimp, and pizza topped with pepperoni and onions”

According to the New Yorker, the campaign bus has…

“On one side is a bathroom and on the other a galley stocked with Dunkin’ Donuts and Coke, the staples of the McCain diet.”

According to dietsinreview.com:

“Apparently he isn’t too keen on watching his waistline, his favorites include enchiladas, pizza, BBQ and shrimp.” And, “McCain – Says he doesn’t “do too well with vegetables.”

BARACK OBAMA:

According to healthcare.zdnet.com:

“His personal aide, Reggie Love, offered The New York Times  some insights into that diet, which runs to grilled fish, protein bars and iced tea.”

According to dietsinreview.com:

“ It looks as though this candidate is more in tune with a healthy diet, preferring to eat vegetables like spinach and broccoli, nuts, Dentyne Ice gum, and handmade milk chocolates from Fran’s Chocolates in Seattle.”

“Obama - Skips salt and vinegar potato chips and mayo, will eat beets and asparagus only “if no other vegetables are available,” and drinks water over soda.”

My politically impartial view is that Barack Obama’s diet is the clear winner. I’m not big on Obama’s protein bars, but they’re far better than McCain’s apparent love of Dunkin Donuts. Obama is also not fearful of veggies like McCain appears to be and drinks water instead of soda. In fairness, Obama’s sugarfree gum and milk chocolate has to go. Nicorette would be a much better choice and always go for the dark chocolate Senator! 70% pure cocoa or higher! Even so…My vote stays with Obama because McCains’s pizza, doughnut, and coke diet combined with a distaste for vegetables is not only unhealthy for the mature Senator from Arizona, it doesn’t make him a good role model for Americans trying to eat healthier. There you have it!

Another article pitting fat against thin…This one comes from Australia and is harshly titled,

“Fit fatties healthier than slim lazies”

Here are a few passages from the article:

“It’s about health, not weight, but people don’t seem to get it.”

“The message is stop focusing on the weight loss only and think about your health in general.”

Of course, health and not actual weight is where you should place your emphasis. Adequate exercise is a critical component to lifelong wellness. Being slender and unfit is not what I would characterize as healthy.  Admittedly, my love of fashion helps keep me on track, but a “whole body” approach to being healthy is what keeps my blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and condition of my vital organs in good shape.

I have seen countless articles and blog posts (including a reaction post of my own) on this topic. Do we really need to make this us vs. them? I say, let’s lighten up and get healthy together. What do you say?

“5 health habits to skip: Redbook identifies five habits that are less important than you think”

Caught this one on msnbc.com this morning. I’m only covering the first “habit to skip” today…I felt it needed a post all its own.

#1 Eating breakfast every day

This one is awesome!  In the same paragraph that Redbook and David Katz, M.D., an associate professor of public health at the Yale School of Public Health tells us we don’t need to eat breakfast first thing in the morning, they say…

“breakfast eaters are less prone to obesity and other problems”

Either I’m a complete idiot or this next one is a misprint…

“research also shows that if you eat breakfast, you’re more likely to engage in other healthy behaviors, such as exercising and getting plenty of sleep — and experts aren’t sure which of these habits is really keeping you trim.”

Huh? I’m totally confused. I’m guessing they meant to say “don’t” eat breakfast. If it is a typo, are they saying eating breakfast is going to take your time away from sleeping and exercising? Why?

But, wait! Here’s what they do know…

“What we do know is that skipping breakfast as a weight-loss strategy tends to backfire; it causes you to overeat later in the day,” says Katz. Also remember that what you eat matters more (for your weight and your health) than when you eat: i.e., grabbing a doughnut as you run out the door is not better than nothing. “Wait until you’re hungry and then reach for something nutritious,” Katz advises.

Duh!

Seriously, could someone else go to this link and read this one…Did I miss the boat? http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27328421

I tagged along with a friend recently who was furnishing her new place. We ended up at Target, Ikea, and Costco.  I frequent these places every so often; Target sells an organic wine I like for cheap, Costco sells a decent organic, fair trade coffee, and Ikea sells wine glasses and coffee mugs for less than a buck a piece. Since I was helping a friend this particular day and not on a mission of my own, I took the opportunity to “digest” all the activity going on inside theses big boxes.

I was astonished at how well-patronized the big box restaurants were…Not too many people were eating at Target, mostly employees in their red vests, but Costco was packed. Mom’s buying hot dogs and ice cream bars for their not-so-little ones to quiet them down. Dad’s waiting for Mom and downing a Polish Sausage to pass the time. Teenagers eating churros, berry sundaes, and tropical smoothies. Since it was late afternoon, I was curious whether these Costco shoppers were eating their dinner at Costco or just staving off hunger and would also be eating a Costco-sized dinner.

At Ikea, same thing. Dozens and dozens of shoppers were lined up in the restaurant waiting for  Swedish meatballs, boiled potatoes, gravy, and lingonberry jam. By quick glance, the average serving size was the twenty meatball plate. I saw a lot of perfectly cleaned plates. What I didn’t see was any nutritional information available for any of the “food” served at these big boxes. So I did a little research of my own.

For your sake, I’m hoping you’re not one of the many I saw standing in line, but for those choosing to patronize the big box restaurant….how about a little reality check on a few popular items?  Check out Target’s Nachos with Cheese!

COSTCO (Hebrew National) Hot Dog

530 calories, 32 grams of fat, (14 grams, saturated) 1530 mg of sodium (64% of RDA)

COSTCO Polish Sausage

570 Calories, 32 grams of fat, (12 grams, saturated) 1570 mg of sodium (65% of RDA)

COSTCO Churro

430 Calories, 18 grams of fat, (5 grams, saturated) 450 mg of sodium (19% of RDA)

IKEA Meatballs (this is for the 6 meatball dish…before the gravy, boiled potatoes, and lingonberry jam which appears to add an additional 334 calories…you do the math)

240 Calories, 13 grams of fat, (5 grams, saturated) 450 mg of sodium (17% of RDA)

TARGET Barbecue Chicken Sandwich

867 Calories, 25.7 grams of fat, (9.5 grams, saturated) 915 mg of sodium (38% of RDA)

TARGET Nachos with Cheese

1101 Calories, 59 grams of fat, (18.5 grams, saturated) 1580 mg of sodium (66% of RDA)

Target and Costco nutrition information found on http://www.calorieking.com/foods/

Ikea nutrition information found on http://www.thedailyplate.com/

Hey kids…When you go to the zoo, Disneyland, the state fair, the movies, the skating rink, the arcade, the bowling alley, or go see your favorite sports team play, can you tell me one GOOD reason why you need cheesy nachos, red vines, popcorn with fake butter, and a giant soda pop? I can only think of a lot of BAD, unhealthy, fattening reasons. These types of places usually have terrible food choices that make you delightful kids cranky and chubby. You’re too cute (and sometimes even pleasant to be around) to be eating that junk. Eat at home or bring some healthy snacks and go have some fun!

Another reason to cut down on or even better, quit eating candy and junk food all together, is that it creates a mountain of waste and literally fills our beautiful world up with stinky trash. I know you care about your body AND our amazing planet so make good choices kids!

Here are some snack ideas to get you going:

-Piece of fruit

-Light string cheese

-1/2 cup of applesauce

-Cup of tomato soup

-Whole grain toast with peanut butter

-Small bowl of whole grain cereal

-Small bowl of oatmeal with brown sugar and milk

-Three or four slices of turkey rolled up with light string cheese

-Half tuna, turkey or chicken sandwich on whole-wheat bread

-Small handful of whole-wheat crackers with hummus

-Carrot sticks dipped in organic ranch dressing

-Celery sticks dipped in peanut butter 

-Plain yogurt with berries and brown sugar

Eating whole grains not only transforms your body and makes you healthier; it also helps transform the Earth and makes our planet healthier.  You are requiring less energy from the planet when you eat food that is minimally processed.  The planet’s energy and resources aren’t expended taking apart the grain and processing, refining, and bleaching it. 

Those whole grains you’re eating are eventually processed or broken down though – guess where that energy comes from?  YOU!  So not only are you saving Earth’s precious resources and energy that are required to process whole grains into white foods; your body is using its energy to break down those whole grains instead.  That’s good news for you.  When your body uses more energy, you become less fat.  With “white” foods; all the good stuff, like the nutrients and the fiber, are thrown away and end up as waste.  By eating whole grains, you are conserving the planet’s energy, becoming less fat, and being less wasteful.

It’s pumpkin season again and this healthier version of creamy pumpkin soup will help take the chill off. The small amount of half-and-half is divided by 8 bowls of soup. The only other fat comes from heart-healthy olive oil. Serve with a colorful garden salad and some chewy on the inside, crusty on the outside, whole-wheat baguette….a perfect fall dinner.

-2 tbls olive oil

-1 large chopped onion

-1 tbls raw brown sugar

-half teaspoon ground cinnamon

-8 cups vegetable broth

-2 (15 oz) cans pumpkin puree

-2 tsp sea salt

-half teaspoon ground ginger

-one-fourth teaspoon ground cloves

-one-fourth teaspoon black pepper

-half teaspoon dried thyme

-half cup half-and-half

-one and a half cups nonfat plain yogurt

-one-fourth cup finely chopped chives

-Nonfat plain yogurt for topping

Sauté the onion in olive oil in a medium saucepan until tender. Add 1 cup vegetable broth; bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Puree until smooth in a blender or with an immersion wand. Put pureed mixture in a large soup pan and add the remaining 7 cups vegetable broth, the pumpkin and the seasonings (except chives). Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Stir in one and a half cups nonfat plain yogurt and half-and-half and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Do not boil. Ladle into soup bowls and top with a dollop of yogurt, chopped chives and just a tiny sprinkle of cinnamon.

One of my workshop students asked me yesterday how I sort out all the conflicting research and evidence that we are constantly bombarded with concerning food products and ingredients like high fructose corn syrup. I told her I don’t. I keep it simple and don’t pain any attention to the hype. I eat foods that could have been eaten long before I was here. Does it surprise me that Pepsi helped fund the latest “research” on high fructose corn syrup and claims that it’s really no different than regular white, refined sugar? Not all all. I disagree wholeheartedly, but it doesn’t matter to me whatsoever because one, I don’t consume refined food and two, common sense tells me to steer clear of ingredients that are comprised of four words strung together. To me, that sounds complicated, manufactured, fake, and toxic.

I keep it simple. Most of the foods I eat don’t have brand names or an endless list of ingredients. The biggie food manufacturers have taken the food out of our food and replaced it with chemicals, preservatives, and poison that make us fatter and fatter and full of disease and cancer and they’ve packaged our food in a way that creates a mountain of waste and ensures our dependence on non-renewable resources like oil. Trust your common sense, your instincts, and your ever-expanding gut.

My sister Kelly and I taught our “Lean & Green” workshop yesterday through Lane Community College in Eugene, Oregon. Before class got underway, the program coordinator at LCC stopped by to see if we had everything we needed. She then told me that since reading an advance copy of my book, she has lost 25 pounds! Nothing like a 25-pound confidence booster prior to the start of class.  It’s not that I was nervous about speaking to the group, but I sincerely want to provide my students (and my readers) with tools that will help them succeed at weight loss and maintenance. It’s nice hearing from a reader that my guidance is working for them.  I forgot to tell my students about this gal’s success story! Maybe they’ll check out my blog like I asked them to.

They were a great group yesterday and both Kelly and I felt like they really got it and were ready to start making some simple changes in their lifestyle. I gave them all an advance copy of my book so in the future; I hope to hear all about their own success stories.

If you’re interested in catching one of our workshops, we have Oregon classes coming up in Portland (#GH25511), The Dalles (#1076958), and another one in Eugene. In Washington, we have classes this fall in Olympia (#4216) and Pasco.

I love Greek sauces and dips like tzatziki (yogurt-based), hummus (garbonzo bean-based), and melitzano (eggplant-based).  What I’m usually lacking at a Greek restaurant is a dip delivery vehicle.  You’re unlikely to find whole grain bread or pita.  An alternative is to order some meat, seafood, or sliced cucumbers to mop up your dip with.  Eat feta cheese and kalamata olives in small doses.  Avoid casseroles, things made with fillo dough, items wrapped in grape leaves, and layered appetizers and entrees.

Gag me with a spoon, but if you’re feeling adventurous, try some octopus marinated in olive oil, vinegar, and garlic.  I prefer fasolia giahni (baked beans in tomato sauce).  I like the contents of gyros, I just don’t eat the white pita shell they come with.  Broth-based and lentil-based soups are a terrific choice. Traditional Greek salads usually include feta, kalamata olives, tomato, cucumber, and raw onions tossed in olive oil; an ideal choice, but go easy if you’re also ordering a lamb, pork, or chicken entree.  You’ll have plenty of meat choices like souvlaki (meat kabobs); just skip the potatoes and rice that typically accompany them. 

You may be tempted to try a glass or shot of Ouzo, an anise-flavored liqueur.  Ouzo is basically sugar and alcohol…If you’re actually on a Greek Island, have a celebratory sip, but at your average Greek restaurant, stick with wine or water.

Great article today in The New York Times by Tara Parker-Pope titled, “6 Food Mistakes Parents Make.”

I’ve summarized all six and added a few of tidbits of my own that I learned (sometimes the hard way) while raising my own 2 children, now 17 and 18.

1. Booting kids out of the kitchen. Let kids help with meal prep in the kitchen. Studies show that this helps to get kids to try new foods and eat healthier food like whole grains and vegetables.

2. Pressuring them to eat. Don’t offer rewards or demand your child eats something. Make good food available and gently and calmly encourage your kids to try it…then back off.

3. Restricting them from eating certain foods. It’s human nature to want what we can’t have. Within reason, give kids a little taste of everything so they lose the temptation or think there’s something overly special about a sugar cookie. 

4. Making a big deal when you’re on a “diet.” Instead of dieting in front of your children, eat healthfully and explain that you make choices to be optimally healthy which includes only eating what you need in order to avoid gaining weight since obesity is a risk factor in countless diseases and health conditions.

5. Making veggies taste boring. Even if you’re choosing to have steamed or roasted veggies, let your kids have a little cheese or butter on top. A little won’t hurt them and you’ll feel better knowing they’re getting important vitamins and minerals because they’re actually eating their veggies.

6. Giving up and thinking you just have picky kids. Taste buds change and what they wouldn’t eat at age four, they may love at age six.  Keep gently trying and meet each refusal with calm understanding.

Now that my kids are sort of grown…I realize that even though my son ate next to nothing for many of his young years, today he is 6’1 and 170 lbs. As for my daughter, I realize that even though she rolled her eyes at all the “weird” and healthy food I ate, she now eats just like me…and I didn’t even have to tell her to!