Tasting! Alexia Sweet Potato Puffs

This is a multiple choice quiz. Now take a wild guess at what happened to the Alexia Sweet Potato Puffs:

a) They burned in the oven.

b) The dog ate them.

c) Water spilled on the leftovers.

d) I ate waaay too many Puffs.

Welp, I didn’t burn them, we don’t have a dog, and I surely didn’t eat too many. So the correct answer is C. The leftover Puffs did get water logged, but I didn’t give a damn.

Even after cooking them a few minutes longer than package directions, the Puffs only get sorta crispy on the outside and stay mashed potato-ish on the inside, so forget about a regular tater-tot experience with super crispiness. The flavor problem I keep getting with any kind of packaged sweet potato product is that they somehow lose the bold flavor that comes with a fresh sweet potato. I hate that.

Alexia’s Puffs are just fine and dandy: edible and likable in a ho-hum kinda way, but it’s like eating a sweet potato with 50% of your taste buds removed. The flavor is ghostly. It’s kinda tasty, but really only just a shadow of real, fresh flavor. So why even bother?

I thought these would be a hit with the Greedy Family, but I was almost stoned with stale dinner rolls for bringing the Puffs to the table. This is why I didn’t give a damn when the mound of leftovers got water logged. Someone (and it certainly wasn’t me) manged to run the leftover Puffs under faucet. How convenient, huh?

PUFFY NOTES

Price Paid: $4.59 for 6 servingsServing Size:  2/3 cupCalories: 130Fat Calories: 30Total Fat: 3.5gSat. Fat: 0gSodium: 230mgCarbs: 23gFiber 2gSugars: 8gProtein: 1g

REACTIONS FROM THE TASTE TEST CREW

Health-hater Husband: Eh, they’re just okay.

Greedy Kid #1: These are a fraud. They’re not like real tater tots.

Greedy Kid #2: Nope. I only eat this vegetable in sweet potato pie.

Yum UP! to: Sweet potato pie. Gimme summa that!

Yuck Down to: Burning flames in an oven. Been there, done that.

View the complete Taste Test Directory and Fast Food Cheats Sheets.

Get printable grocery coupons at Coupons.com.

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Healthy Choice Herb Crusted Fish Review

Healthy Choice Herb Crusted Fish is described as a, "herb crusted white fish and whole grain pasta in a tomato basil sauce, with green beans and carrots." There haven't been many "fishy" frozen meals that I've enjoyed, but the picture on the front of the packaging looked so enticing that I decided to try this.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 1 meal (312 grams)
Calories: 270
Total Fat: 5 grams, 8%
Saturated Fat: 1.5 grams 8%
Sodium: 350 mg, 15%
Carbohydrates: 39 grams
Fiber: 5 grams, 20%
Sugars: 8 grams
Protein: 16 grams

The individual components of the meal were okay, but they just didn't come together. The green beans & carrots were firm and plentiful. The pasta was al-dente but flavorless. I gather there should have been a tomato basil sauce, which I came to realize later was the wetness on the underside of the fish - it totally soaked up the sauce, and didn't add anything positive to the eating experience I might add - who wants to eat soggy fish bottoms? The fish itself was - okay - it wasn't dried out, but it wasn't exactly flavorful either.

Each Healthy Choice Herb Crusted Fishh meal (312 grams) provides 270 calories from 5 grams of total fat, 1.5 grams of which is saturated (8% of the daily value). 350 mg sodium (15% of the DV), 5 grams of fiber (20% of the DV), 8 grams of sugars and 16 grams of protein.

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Foods of Rosh Hashanah and Breaking the Yom Kippur Fast the Healthy Way

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is a holiday of celebration, yet it also is the beginning of a process of self-examination and internal reflection and contemplation, which ends ten days later with Yom Kippur.

The traditional foods that are eaten on Rosh Hashanah hold a great deal of symbolism (and, if you are not careful, many calories). Apples and honey are perhaps the most well known traditional new year’s foods; they represent a sweet new year ahead. It is also a tradition for Jews to eat a slow-cooked stew, which may be made from the head of an animal, like fish heads, or cooked cows’ tongue. This symbolizes the “head,” or start, of the year.

Pomegranates are eaten during this holiday because of their many seeds, which symbolize fruitfulness. Not only do pomegranates symbolize good things, they are full of goodness. They are high in vitamin A and potassium, and a good source of fiber. They are also rich in polyphenols, a potent class of anti-aging and heart-healthy antioxidants.

Challah, a typical Jewish bread, is baked in a round shape on Rosh Hashanah. This is then dipped in honey. The roundness symbolizes wholeness and continuity, and again, the honey represents wishes for a sweet year ahead. It’s particularly important to keep challah and honey to symbolic portions — enough to respect your tradition, but not so much as to upset the balance of your diet.

Ten days after Rosh Hashanah, which begins at sundown on Wednesday, September 28, comes Yom Kippur. This is the holiest day of the year in the Jewish faith. It is otherwise known as “the Day of Atonement.” Jews will fast for a period of 25 hours (from sundown to sundown) on Yom Kippur. This is thought to help one focus on well being, asking forgiveness, and praying for a better year ahead.

Traditional foods eaten to break the fast on Yom Kippur are eggs, cheese and bread. Many times, a family will prepare the break-fast meal a day ahead, so they don’t have to deal with any food the actual day of fasting. Other families will only break the fast with cold foods, such as boiled eggs, cheese, bread, and cold meats. Again, the traditional foods might not exactly be up to your usual low-fat and low-carb standards. Boiled eggs, in moderation, are, of course, a wholesome food (you may even want to prepare my “deviled” eggs, where the yolk is scooped and replaced with hummus, a day in advance). Try to eat whole wheat bread and or bread made with other whole grains instead of their white-flour counterparts.

Keeping healthy foods on hand is important, as the urge to over-indulge and make the wrong food choices is always a danger when you are very hungry (as you might be at the end of a fast).

Find the recipe for my “deviled” eggs and five other quick, prepare-ahead snacks that would be ideal for breaking your fast here.

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GT's Enlightened Organic Raw Kombucha (Gingerade) Review

Kombucha (tea) is a fermented beverage made using yeast and bacteria (which forms the kombucha culture - often referred to as the "mushroom" or the "mother"). It has been all the rage on the internet for it's health benefits, but that has yet to be scientifically proven. Nevertheless, when I saw that GT's Enlightened Organic Raw Kombucha - Gingerade flavor provides only 30 calories and 2 grams of sugars per cup - well, needless to say I whipped the $3.69 out of my wallet pretty quickly ... did I hear someone whisper the saying, "a fool and his money are soon parted?"

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 8 ounces
Calories: 30
Total Fat: 0%
Saturated Fat: 0%
Sodium: 10 mg, 1%
Carbohydrates: 7 grams
Fiber: 0%
Sugars: 2 grams
Protein: 0 grams

Well, in this case, I think I came out a winner. The taste might take a little getting used to for some because it's like a tangy, carbonated beverage with a slight sting from the ginger. It's not sweet, but you won't miss that because there is so much more going on with the taste. This is the kind of drink that I prefer to take a sip of every few minutes, and not something I would guzzle an entire cup of all at once. That doesn't mean that I didn't like it - let's just say I preferred to savor it for a while.

As I mentioned before, GT's Enlightened Organic Raw Kombucha (Gingerade) provides 30 calories from 2 grams of sugars. There's also 25% of the daily value for folic acid and 20% of the DV for vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6 and B12. The ingredients are organic raw kombucha and fresh pressed ginger juice.

One of the products of prolonged fermentation is alcohol - so there may or may not be low levels of alcohol in the bottle you purchase (I had to show ID at the store I bought this from).

Needless to say, I'm a fan of GT's Enlightened Organic Raw Kombucha (Gingerade) - mostly for the nutrition facts & taste, but since it might help my health too - I'm even more into it ... I'm hoping the 1 billion probiotic organisms floating around in this drink is doing some good in my body! The only down side about this drink is the price - a 480 mL bottle (16 ounces), costs $3.99, which is a little expensive for me. So I won't be drinking this everyday, but I'll probably get it at least once a week - 30 calories and only 2 grams of sugars from a flavorful, organic, all natural drink simply cannot be beat!

{Website: GT's Kombucha}

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September 11...

I concluded today - after two weeks of no bike riding - that riding my bike is the number one stress reliever/mood lifter/mind clearing activity I engage in. It surpasses (and please don’t laugh or judge) sex, cooking, and watching reruns of “Frasier.” Spending time with my grandkids is usually really awesome, but sometimes I leave my daughter’s house needing to de-stress, so technically they don’t qualify. Riding my bike always relieves stress.

On today’s ride, I encountered five new things. 1. A woman riding a horse; 2. A Blue Heron. 3. A couple smacking down a dog toy from a tree branch 10 feet off the ground. They used a very big branch and their Golden Retriever was very anxious to have his toy back. I slowed down on approach, and just as I was going to pass them, the man whacked the branch successfully and all was well in their world; 4. This lovely red mushroom:

And 5. This tree:
I discovered it when I parked my bike on a ride back in May and went hiking down the stream that runs concurrent with the trail. I love the bend of this tree and its moss. I imagined it was the the kind of tree the Victorians leaned against to read “Jane Eyre” or “Age of Innocence.” I visited it again today and thought, ‘Hmmm….I need to bring a book along next time.’

I’m feeling less overwhelmed than I was last week because: A. I discovered once again the importance of a to-do list; and B. Prioritizing. My school schedule is a normal school schedule, but the difference between in-class and online classes is that I have to do the “Xeroxing” myself.

Remember how you used to sit in rows in class and the teacher would hand the first person in the row a pile of papers and he or she would take one and pass it back? In online classes, you have to make your own copies. And not only do you have to make copies, you have to determine what’s relevant. Your in-class teacher always did that for you, right? I don’t know what to learn, so I’m learning it all.

Today I experimented with a bean burger recipe and it turned out…well…not so good. The remnants will become sloppy Joe’s tomorrow. I made hummus, too. But the thing that remains with me today (and is in my head more often than I can say) is what happened 10 years ago.

As I listened to Bruce Springsteen’s CD “The Rising,” I – as millions of us in the U.S. and around the world – remembered the uncertainty, the fear, and the incomprehensible grief and loss and confusion of that day. What stays with me the most is the will and the bravery and the ultimate loss.

I don’t know if we’ll ever wrap our brains around that day. Certainly we’ll never understand it. But what I owe every life lost that day is to appreciate and understand the precarious nature of life. To appreciate a tree, a mushroom, or a bike ride, grandchildren and children, and even people we encounter in traffic. I mean, heck, we’re all trying to live our lives as we know them in this moment, same as the folks who died 10 years ago today in NYC, PA and Washington.

I hope you can value your life, at whatever weight you are, and know that you are loved and would be sorely missed if you weren’t here anymore.

May your strength give us strength
May your faith give us faith
May your hope give us hope
May your love give us love

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Phone bloggin’ from grocery. JUICING.

Oh people I’m in
So curious am I.
I’m wanting to juice
(Please not to ask why)

I stand in the aisle
I type with my thumb
I’m looking at veggies.
I feel suddenly dumb.

I wanna concoct
A mixture that’s GREEN
Cram veggies galore
In my V-MixMachine!

Ren Man is IN
Or so say the wife.
(Will this new juicing thing
Cause MARITAL STRIFE?!)

We get fruits galore.
I want VEGGIE BASE
Please to comment below
Leave me LINKS to YOUR place.

Please share with me tips.
Do you juice? Have you long?
Can I convice my Ren Man
It will make him more strong?

Back to the shopping.
Kid you not. I thumb type!
If you leave me FAB TIP
Just come back here I might!**

**please to pretend this rhymes. I be tired of standing near the cucumber misting thingymabobs.

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Hi. I’m Dr. Darlene and I Lost 40lbs on the HCG Diet System.

Don’t believe me? Well take a look at this…

Click to enlarge – Screen Shot of the site that stole my image.

Yup that’s me. You might not recognize my long hair and the 1 year old "Little Guy" on my hip but those pictures were swiped right from my Weight Loss Progression page.

Some bottom feeder of a company decided they could just use my image as an example for their shady weight loss system. Well, they messed with the wrong blogger.

Don’t ask because I’m not going to give them any attention by linking. I already sent them an email to which they responded….

Hello:

We outsourced this website and were unaware that your picture was taken without your permission.  It will be gone within 24 hours as you requested.  Our apologies to you. 

Sincerely,

HCG Staff

Poppycock.

I wonder how many times that email was sent out. Is it just me or does it sound like a form letter?

I can only assume the images of other people on the page are also bogus. Right? Well here’s the kicker. This was taken directly from their DISCLAIMER page….

ANY CLAIMS MADE OF ACTUAL WEIGHT LOSS OR EXAMPLES OF ACTUAL RESULTS CAN BE VERIFIED UPON REQUEST.

Oh really? Well considering Darlene doesn’t exist or at least isn’t ME I’m curious how they would "verify" her success. Hmm wonder if they’d send you a picture? oh.. wait.

As of now I’m STILL on their shady site. It’s been 9 hours.

Needless to say, this pisses me off.

Last year I wrote a post called Do you believe what you see? which focused on airbrushing in magazines but there’s a bigger issue here.

How many times have you watched an infomercial, read an ad in a magazine, admired a success story or testimonial, and considered or bought the product they were selling? I think it’s human nature to WANT to believe these things but the truth is they lie. They lie through their teeth! The stories, the images, the claims, it’s all bogus. If it sounds/looks/appears too good to be true it is.

The only way to lose weight is to eat less and move more. I’m sorry, it simply is. For YEARS I listened to these snake oil salesmen hoping there was a magic pill, some combination of food or a secret I wasn’t aware of. I find myself still mesmerized by the late night infomercials, but this incident was the last straw. Not only do they make crazy outlandish claims but they FAKE their own success stories??

I don’t know. Maybe I’m making a mountain out of a molehill, maybe you all knew this already, but these companies make a lot of money preying off other people’s insecurities, and MAN that makes me angry.

ok. Vent over. Off to see if my image is still there.

I forgot to add it was Liz at Shedding the Fat-Suit who found my pics. THANKS LIZ!

View the original article here

Chatty Post: Race Plan, Funk Update, and More.

Oh my word. I just enjoyed the most amazing Banana Soft-Serve! I used a frozen banana, almond milk, dark chocolate cocoa powder, a bit of protein powder, and frozen blueberries. It was creamy and DELICIOUS! I wish I had better light, I would have snapped a picture for you.

OMG I’m becoming such a food blog photo snob! lol

Anyway, just a chatty post today. I’m not sure how long Runner’s High lasts, but I think I’m still basking in the post-race glow. And THAT is why I run events. They make me happy. There’s the goal accomplishment, of course, but there’s also the re-energizing that happens being around happy, active people.

It’s really, REALLY inspiring.

I have 2 events lined up in October I’m super excited about.

The Atlantic City Marathon – No I’m not running the WHOLE marathon but the half. If you guys remember the Husband and I are big AC people, but we haven’t gone since before I got pregnant. So when Jen told me about the AC half I hopped on the opportunity to make it a weekend away with hubby. Little Bean will be 7 months and it’s time the Husband and I get away. I’m just using the event as a fun excuse to do so. ;)The Run for Your Lives Zombie Run! – If you’ve been reading for any period of time, you may know I’m a bit of a Horror Movie freak. So when Carrie told me about the Zombie run I had to hop on it. Plus it’s an obstacle course run. Something I’ve been wanting to try for awhile now.

How fun is my October going to be?!?

The running is helping pull me out of the funk I’ve been fighting. It’s an outlet for me. A sport. I get to work at it and see progression. I set goals and build confidence as I reach them. Not to mention it just makes me FEEL good. It makes me take time for myself and as some of your know, nothing beats that post-run feeling!

OMG. I’m a RUNNER! lol Still hard for me to believe.

STILL.

Anyway, I had a great day. How could I not hanging out with this guy all day?

Us this afternoon.

There are times I feel like the luckiest woman on the planet yet I miss working outside of the home. I feel like a walking contradiction. For some reason I struggle with feelings of guilt that I work for myself and I’m constantly second guessing myself and my choices. Wrap all that up with adjusting to life with a baby and the stress it adds to a marriage and there you have it… Funkville.

I’m getting over it. Just like the half, I think to myself… forward progression.

On Friday I recorded a video for GreenLiteBites and that felt great!

I miss recording and I hope to get more consistent again. Tomorrow I have a call about FitBloggin’12 as I’m trying to assemble a team to help. There’s no way I can do it without more help next year.

I think I could keep going with this post. It’s therapeutic but I have to go to bed! My goals this week are more sleep and less snacks. Sounds simple, doesn’t it?

Oh and before I go I want to share a pic of my dinner because it’s just so stinking pretty!

Ok, signing off. ‘Night!

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Q+A: Newest Biggest Loser Trainer Anna Kournikova

Anna Kournikova, who has been a guest on the Ranch in the past, joins The Biggest Loser as  a full-time trainer this season, bring her own sort of fire and intensity and a whole new energy. Kournikova has had a tennis racket in her hands since the age of five, and, as the daughter of two athletes, grew up training hard, pounding backhands in her native Moscow, and made a splash on the international tennis circuit while still in her teens.

I met with Anna at the start of season 12 to discuss The Biggest Loser approach to food and nutrition and had the chance to ask her a little a bit about her career and what she would do to motivate the contestants this season.

What’s the greatest adversity you’ve faced and how did you overcome it?
Anna: Having significant injuries as a professional athlete and finding creative ways to still workout and train.

What do you think you can do to inspire others?
Anna: The most important thing I can do to inspire others is to tell them to dream big! Growing up in the Soviet Union I was a small girl with very modest means but I had big dreams of becoming a professional tennis player. I can personally tell everyone that with a lot of hard work and dedication you can achieve things that you never thought were possible.

What would most surprise people about you?
Anna: I am a huge adrenaline junky and love to try all sorts of cool and exciting action sports.

How would you describe your tennis playing style, and, how if at all, do you think this relates to your approach to life?
Anna: I have always loved to be creative on the court, and sometimes it worked to my advantage and sometimes it didn’t. I was never a “play it safe” athlete; I always loved to take some risks. I think I approach life this way, too.

I am, overall, pretty regimented, which is a given having been a professional athlete, but I love to mix it up a bit and have some fun. I am a Gemini so it’s in my blood!

What is your favorite recovery food, following an intense workout?
Anna: All the carb choices like bananas, oranges, or whole wheat pasta if I need more fuel to keep going.

What’s your food weakness or indulgence?
Anna: I love a juicy cheeseburger with sweet potato fries

What is one meal or snack you love that feels indulgent, but isn’t?
Anna: Guacamole and whole wheat tortilla chips -- of course, in moderation!

What do you listen to when working out?
Anna: Anything and everything that keeps me moving and motivated!

What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten?
Anna: Trust your gut, and know who you are as a person. You really have to know who you are and you have to be a complete person before you can give to others.

View the original article here

Sensational Sunday Shots: A 10 Miler and a Sleep Over I’ll Never Forget.

My day in pictures…

Someone had a sleepover!

We blasted music

and I cooked.

Banana Pancakes for the kids (click here for recipe)

I had a Dark Chocolate Banana Smoothie with some spinach blended in. Click here for the recipe.

The baby? Well, he was STILL SLEEPING. I’m not kidding, click here, I wrote about it on Babble.

He finally woke up and DEVOURED breakfast. Today, one of his favorites, Mango! (click here to see pics of his first mango experience)

The kids danced.

And danced.

Little Bean was amused.

I mean VERY amused.

Before we new it… LUNCH! (I had a Cheesesteak Wrap out of leftovers)

Scooby Time! While Mom headed out for her last training run.

That was eff’ing HARD! I feel good now but yikes.. it took everything I had.

When I got back all I wanted was cold fruit and water. SO refreshing!

Someone got a new (well, hand me down) high chair!

Someone else was just chilling ALL day per her usual.

Snack time! (the dip is salmon salsa)

This was a fun first!! :)

Laundry and Football, a fabulous combination.

Some edamame at our favorite japanese steak house.

I had tuna with veggies and noodles.. skipped the rice!

Came home, cleaned up and made lunch. See how much he eats of it tomorrow on GreenLiteBites School Lunch Idea page.

Before bed, a sweet bite with my baby.

And that was my day. (the cat hopped right up as I sat down to work)

I took a lot of pictures today. I cherished every moment. This is why.

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What is Your Nighttime Snack of Choice?

Right now I am fighting the munchies something FIERCE! It seems everyday around this time (10PM) I want to snack on something, anything. Normally I choose popcorn, make some banana soft-serve, or if the husband is around, fall prey to the Doritos.

Considering I don’t actually WANT Doritos, I’m tired on popcorn, and all out of bananas, I thought I’d open floodgates and ask you…

What is Your Nighttime Snack of Choice?

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Finish It Monday (Video): Dealing With Flames Of Fitness Burn Out

Sooner or later we all feel the flames of fitness burn out. Unfortunately, that time for me has arrived. Like right now. Yep, I’m a little burned from being on the consistent grind with my fitness goals (it’s hard work!), and I’m feeling it quadruplefied from also tending to the Greedy Family. You know, being a mom ‘n stuff.  There’s ALWAYS so much to do.

So here’s my vlog to explain how I’m dealing with the very real issue of burn out. What’s a flaming woman to do? Does she shut down completely to fan the fire, or handle it another way…

So how about YOU? Anybody else feel the fitness flames sometimes?

How To Earn Your Bonus Star This Week (your assignment)

Shall we talk about D-word? …DOING! It doesn’t matter if you’re “doing” at 100 mph, or for whatever reason, you have to turn down the throttle to 35 mph for awhile: JUST DON’T STOP DOING. There is absolutely no way you can Finish What You Started if you don’t “do”.

Doing takes you places. Doing moves you forward. Doing gets you progress. Doing leads to finishing.

Your assignment this week is to  “do” on those days that you’ve planned to “do”, yet the urge to “not do” creeps up as a better option. (I hate when that happens!) And just like I yapped about in the vlog, if you’re forced to adjust your doing because of overwhelming irritations like burn out, injury, other unforeseen crap, etc., then please go on then. So long as you’re doing something! Because something is waaaay better than nothing.

Have a great week!

(photo credit)

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Jamba Peach Blackberry Smash Fruit Sorbet Bar Review

The bright colors of the box of Jamba Peach Blackberry Smash Fruit Sorbet Bar made me check it out, and when I realized that it was only 70 calories per bar - well, enough said right there, it was coming home with me.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 1 bar (63 grams)
Calories: 70
Total Fat: 0%
Saturated Fat: 0%
Sodium: 15 mg, 1%
Carbohydrates: 20 grams
Fiber: 3 grams, 12%
Sugars: 14 grams
Protein: 0 grams

This fruit sorbet bar doesn't mimic an ice cream bar, but instead has it's own tangy, fruity flavor going on, and I like. It does melt in your mouth as you work on each delicious bite, and it's just the perfect size for an evening nosh. Compared to Yolato Pomegranato Frozen Yogurt Gelato Bars (Review), this Jamba bar has 10 fewer calories, the same amount of sugars (14 grams) and 3 grams of fiber but no protein (the Yolato bar has no fiber but 2 grams of protein).

Jamba Peach Blackberry Smash Fruit Sorbet Bars are all natural, non-fat and made with real fruit. The ingredients are, water, sugar, tapioca syrup, peaches, blackberries, soluble corn fiber, peach juice concentrate, natural flavors, citric acid, guar gum, locust bean gum, tapioca starch, fruit juice and anatto (color), ascorbic acid (vitamin C).

I purchased a box with 4 Jamba Peach Blackberry Smash Fruit Sorbet Bars for $3.99, and I would buy this again - it won't leave you yearning for an ice-cream bar at all.

{Website: Jamba Juice}

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Are You Your Own Priority?

“Woke up. Fell out of bed. Dragged a comb across my head. Found my way downstairs and had a cup…” and that’s where my life stopped being like the rest of the song today. I don’t smoke and I didn’t go into a dream. I did, however, read the news. Oh boy.

Today I’ve spoken aloud three times: to the clerk at the liquor store, the clerk at the grocery store, and a guy standing at the ATM. Our conversation:

Him: “It sometimes does an upgrade thing at 3:00. It usually only takes a few minutes.”

Me: “I’ll come back later.”

My conversations with the clerks were shorter. “Credit, please” “Paper,” and “Thank you.”

I’ve grown accustomed to days like this. Accustomed and desirous. I need days like this – totally disconnected from oral communication and human contact – in order to focus on school and my goals…daily or long-term.

The woman ahead of me in the grocery store checkout bought $194 of groceries. Said she’s feeding two sons and a husband. I used to do that. Feed kids and a husband. My weekly grocery bill was crazy, too. As she paid her bill, I looked in my basket: one nectarine, two plums, one leek, 10 ounces of mushrooms, a package of spinach, a head of red leaf lettuce, two crowns of broccoli, two bananas, a bulb of garlic, one mango, one red pepper, three plum tomatoes, a loaf of light whole wheat bread, a dozen brown eggs and a container of grated parmesan cheese. Total: $27.57.

This morning I took a 102-point exam in Foods and a 30-point quiz in Nutrition (got 29 out of 30!). I printed out all my assignments, wrapped my head around more math, watched another episode of “Mad Men,” and washed the dishes. Oh…and I steamed and ate broccoli with parmesan sprinkled on top; ate a piece of bread with jelly because it just sounded so darn good; sautéed snow peas, carrots, garlic, onion, zucchini and slivered almonds in a little sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger and red pepper flakes, and served it over quinoa; and I’m thinking a spinach salad is what’s for dinner. Maybe popcorn. I don’t know yet.

Right now I’m drinking a glass of Chardonnay and staring at my Dietetics textbook. Chapters 5, 6 and 8 need to be read by Saturday. Foods, Nutrition, and Assessment need my attention, too. So does my diet. So does exercise. So do my grandkids and my children and Colton and my plants.

You know what I mean. I have no doubt that all of you have similar responsibilities and priorities, all within a household of what seems at times to be a dozen people. You have my infinite respect and awe. I know what that’s like because I was there once myself. And I was rarely my priority.

So I ask you, how do you make yourself a priority amongst the chaos? How and when do you focus on your food plan? It’s not too hard when you’re one person, but when you’re responsible for two or five or more…it’s not just a matter of waking up and having a cup and catching the bus and going home. There are infinite other things tugging at you, wanting your attention. You have many more conversations within the day than simply, “I’ll come back later.”

I look forward to your answers.

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Saturday's Alright For...School

It’s been 15 years since I spent Saturday mornings in a classroom. My alma mater – Augsburg College in Minneapolis – offered a weekend program for working adults. I went to school on Friday nights, all day Saturdays and Sunday afternoons every other weekend for four years to get my degree.

I loved Saturday morning classes the most. My kids spent the day with my sister or my parents, so I didn’t have to worry about daycare. There was no traffic, so the I-94 loop around downtown was a breeze. And I could listen to NPR without hearing “Change the station!” from the back seat.

Today (a Saturday), I went to my first Foods lab at my new school, Community College of Allegheny County. It’s there in the photo below, just up and across the highway from Heinz Field (home of the Steelers and Pitt Panthers), which is in the lower left corner.

Foods is a class I’m really going to love. I know my way around a kitchen, so I shouldn’t get too lost. Wait until I take chemistry and biochemistry, though, then you’ll hear some definite groaning and requests for sharp objects to stick in my eye. Thankfully I’m friends with my ex, Larry, who has his Ph.D. in? Ah….biochem.

I’m taking four courses this semester (12 credits), two of which are Fundamentals of Nutrition and Nutrition Assessment. In Fundamentals, I will have to track my own diet. In NA, I will track the diets of three other people. I admit *hanging my head* that I’ve not been the best at tracking my food intake this summer. I start out great most mornings, but by evening, I’m like, “What did I eat this afternoon? Fruit? Yes? Just pop some popcorn for dinner and call it a night. I can’t think.”

This convergence of getting my food mojo back and taking classes in nutrition and food preparation will screw my head on straight again. I didn’t lose it completely; it’s just that the mojo took a hiatus this summer after being thrown that curveball called brother-with-brain-injury.

I admit *hanging my head again* that prior to June 23, I was pretty cavalier about the role emotions and time constraints played in planning, executing and maintaining a healthy diet. I subscribed to the edict: YOU come first. YOU decide what goes in your mouth. YOU are in charge. While these platitudes are true on the surface, they don’t always apply to every situation.

When you’re busy caring for someone else, you don’t come first. When you’re in a rush and pressured to get to this appointment and that, you’re not always focused on what you put in your mouth. Sometimes a cheese sandwich on whole wheat bread is the best you can do in the moment. “Could you throw some lettuce, onions and cucumbers on that, please?” was sometimes my best effort to get in my veggies. Yes, I’m in charge of myself, but autopilot Lynn is still in training. In the six years I’ve been losing /maintaining weight, I’ve not been as crazybusy/stressed as I have been the last three months. I’m adapting. And learning. And forgiving myself for my transgressions…for the most part.

So….Saturday mornings. Driving to the city. No traffic. I get time in a kitchen with people who seem to be fun, including the instructor. And I can listen to “On the Media” with no one yelling for me to change the station. Just like old times.

Can you dig it? Yes, I can.

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A Tale of 20 Pounds

I couldn’t wait to see Denny yesterday. We met for breakfast at King’s in Kittanning, even though we were hoping to find some dive in East Brady, which probably exists, but not on Google.

Denny’s a long-time friend of ex-Larry, and they’d been on a “Sideways”-ish tour of the NY and Canada wine country over the weekend. Denny is also my friend, and the thing about friends when you get divorced, they either pick one side of the couple to side with or they throw their heads back and say, “I like you both. I’m not gonna choose or get in the middle.” Denny’s that friend.

When I walked into King’s, Denny was seated in a booth facing the entrance. When he saw me, he stood up, gave me a big hug, and said, “Hey, I was expecting that waif of a woman in a pink shirt! Your face is fuller. You look great!”

What I heard: “Damn, Lynn, you gained weight again!”

The last time Denny saw me I looked like this:

This is what I look like now:
My lowest weight was 125. I am now 145. Twenty pounds in two years. The gain has stopped, and I know why it happened (surgery, menopause, divorce, move, stress), but still…

I sometimes want to be that waif again.

At least I think I do.

And yet….

1. When I gained 10 pounds last year after my knee surgery, my body felt better. I have severe osteoarthritis, and when my body-fat levels were low, I was in a lot of pain. I’ve not been in as much pain at 145. Hmmm….

2. I like my current food regimen and I don’t want to change or reduce amounts at this point. I eat healthy foods, I’m still a vegetarian, but I’m no longer a food Nazi. I police myself, don’t get me wrong, but I let a baguette or full-fat cream cheese or a piece of my daughter’s banana bread fall through the cracks sometimes. I confess: I’m human.

3. This gain has stopped (I’ve stayed the same weight for 3 months) and I’ve fell in love with exercise again. It was a rough summer. My brother’s seizures and my pending school schedule had my undies in such a bundle there was no way to detangle them. Now that things have settled down and I have a better understanding of what’s what, my exercise schedule and nutritional intake are front and center again.

I learned that in times of stress, that when I stay focused on my health, my principles will not fail me. In the last three months, I’ve made the best decisions I could and stayed conscious of everything I put in my mouth. My food plan – culled over the last six years – has become rote. And that is what I think is the key to success. When the diet you choose becomes second nature, and you allow for some latitude and yet reign yourself in when you go too far, you are there. You get it.

My body has a few more curves than before. I’m no longer a waif, and that sometimes makes me sad. But I feel better physically. I’m strong and I look…eh…well, I’m still working on that positive. I look OK. I fell in love with being skinny. Waifishly skinny. That’s a psychological thing I’m still working out.

Today I was driving down Route 28 on my way home from Claire’s taekwondo class. A man – who I’d guess was in his late 60s – driving a late model (1980s?) black Jaguar passed me, and he was wearing a safari hat like the Man in the Yellow Hat from the Curious George books. There was what looked like a book mark hanging from his rear view mirror. He was singing. I imagined the book markish thing was some kind of saying or verse that he liked that kept him grounded. I thought about what mantra I might hang on my rear view mirror, what words would remind me that I am OK here in this moment, at 145 pounds, happy to be alive and singing in my car.

I’m open to suggestions. What mantra do you live by? What words give you strength?

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Weekend Quote: Head Games

Ok, so I’ve been in a funk. As you know, this happens from time to time, and of course it oozes out here on the blog. Sometimes the funk is weight related but not always. Sometimes it’s just life. Husband ticking me off, kids on a last nerve, hormones, messy house, blah, blah, blah. You all know. You’re people, dealing with all the same crap.

When I get overwhelmed with life it manifests as body image and food issues. That’s just the way I’m wired. I’m sure there are others that don’t eat or turn to alcohol or spend more time in bed, but my “drug” of choice is and will always be food.

You know what it is?

A head game.

Cheryl said exactly what I needed to hear in a comment on yesterday’s post…

Keep on doing what you are doing, running, eating well and quit playing head games with yourself.

There you have it. WHY do we over-complicate things?

Who’s with me on ending the self-sabotage?

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Lean Cuisine Veggie Cuisine Indian-Style Masala Review

We have a LOT of Lean Cuisine Reviews - you would think I've tried them all by now, but LC is always putting out new products, and trying different things. Recently, I came across Lean Cuisine Veggie Cuisine products - a new line of meatless offerings from the company. I scooped up the Indian-Style Masala, which is described as, "gardein chick'n strips, in a creamy tomato curry sauce with cauliflower, carrots, peas and whole grain brown rice."

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 1 entree (262 grams)
Calories: 290
Total Fat: 6 grams, 9%
Saturated Fat: 3 grams, 15%
Sodium: 640 mg, 27%
Carbohydrates: 39 grams
Fiber: 4 grams, 16%
Sugars: 7 grams
Protein: 20 grams

What had me oohing and ahhing about this meal was the curry sauce. It is lightly spicy and so flavorful that nothing entered my mouth without first being dipped in it. The cauliflower florets were bigger than I've seen in many frozen meals, and since I'm not a cauliflower fan, I wasn't too thrilled (but I'm happy they didn't skimp on the vegetables), and anything dipped in that curry sauce became mighty tasty. The "fake chicken" - or rather, Gardein chick'n didn't exactly taste like chicken - in fact, it didn't have much flavor on it's own - but ... you should know what's coming next ... anything dipped in the curry sauce (say it with me) = tasty! Color me impressed Lean Cuisine because you did pretty darn good with this Indian-Style Masala.

A Lean Cuisine Veggie Cuisine Indian Style Masala entree (262 grams) provides 290 calories from 6 grams of total fat, 3 grams of which is saturated (9% and 15% of the daily value), 640 mg sodium (27% of the DV), 4 grams of fiber (16% of the DV), 7 grams of sugars and 20 grams of protein.

I purchased this on sale for $2.50 and I would buy it again in a heart-beat. In fact, I've been back looking for it several times, but haven't been fortunate enough to find it again. I hope it becomes more widely available, and I'm looking forward to trying the other varieties of Lean Cuisine Veggie Cuisine.

{Website: Lean Cuisine Veggie Cuisine}

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Ahhh the guilt.

I have to confess, up till now, I’ve bumbled through life pretty much guilt-free.

Guilt (& her bitchy BFF shame) simply didn’t have much of a place in my life.

I experience healthy guilt (my conscience telling me that I acted in a manner which didnt mesh with my self-definition/personal mission statement) and in those instances I immediately take steps to change the situation as typically I’d accidentally done something hurtful or unkind.

Guilt with regards to food or exercise? Never.

Was I born this way? Hell no Im Jewish, remember?! Not really.  You can find the four steps I took to shed the guilt here.

Recently, however, I’ve struggled with squelching emerging feelings of guilt.

Feelings which, for me, are tied into motherhood but the same ones I saw frequently with clients when it came to making time for themselves in all realms of self-care from exercise to quiet moments.

An ah ha! moment of sorts I want to share and see if youve experienced the same or if you have an tips or insights to share with us.

With the start of kindergarten came the onslaught of volunteer requests. 

Everything from booster club meetings (845a on a weekday!?) to helping in the front office (various & sundry times. All during the day).

As I do in the rest of my world (and whether it’s right or wrong it’s who I am) I whipped out my Sharpie, picked an activity I could work into my schedule and I drew my mom-working-out-of-the-house-so-it-appears-Im-always-free-but-really-Im-not boundaries.

I fought off the pressure of the school as if I really did wield super-powers because I knew, if I over-committed, the one who’d pay the price is the one for whom I ostensibly was volunnteering.

The  Tornado.

I was proud of myself and yet, for the first time ever, I experienced guilt that didnt mesh with my guilt-definition.

I felt it while working.

Something which neither violated my moral code nor caused me to be unkind or hurt someone’s feelings.

I felt it at the end of the day when she & I would snuggle and she’d asked me how my work was & if it had been hard.

An act I should have celebrated (really? you’re learning empathy & to think about others? Im so proud!)

I was seeing my world through a narrow just-me lens —- something I’d always tried to challenge my clients not to do.

I heard her saying: How was work mama? Is that why you weren’t at school today with me like other mamas?

I exhausted myself with 18 thousand different approaches to how I could volunteer more than I’d already planned while still maintaining my current workload.

I beat myself up over the fact I loved my work almost as much as I adored unplugging entirely, meeting her at the bus stop at days end & immersing myself in Tornado time.

I likely would have maintained this cycle (here’s where I admit I wasnt listening to you adult-types who tried to tell me) had I not seen the artwork pictured above at Meet the Teacher night.

Needless to say this over-tired misfit cried I noticed what she wrote & asked her about it the next morning as we played.

We had to say what we wanted to learned in kindergarten Mama (she said half paying attention and half coloring) and I want to be good at writing like you are good for your bosses with your work.

And like that my guilt vanished.

I cant promise myself it’s gone forever—but at least for now I learned (again) it was a wasted emotion & all in MY INTERPRETATION of the world around me.

When the Tornado prayed at night Thank you G-d for my mama come to lunch today she meant merely that.  THANK YOU MAMA.

When the Tornado prayed at night what I heard was Seriously G-D why the heck is my mom only there for lunch & only once a week?! 

It was all in my misfit-head.

So that’s where I am on this Friday.

Looking to you and wondering about YOUR EXPERIENCES with GUILT.

Are you like I am was & have you experienced guilt when, in all reality, it was entirely in your mind? (Hello we women beating ourselves up over self-care & making time to be healthy!)

Or have you happily lolloped through life, experienced nary a pang of misplaced guilt, & never lost sight of the definition I’d thought I’d internalized?  (I command ye to share below and feel not an iota of GUILT at asking for your time in showing us the light!)

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Cheryl Chats With Biggest Loser Trainer Dolvett Quince

The charismatic trainer Dolvett Quince joins The Biggest Loser this season, bringing years of expertise in, in his words, "body sculpting." He keeps his clientele in shape and works with some to transform their bodies (one client lost 325 pounds) as founder of Atlanta, GA-based Body Sculptor fitness studios. In preparation for this season of BL, I had the chance to chat with Dolvett about fitness, training Atlanta's celebs (Justin Beiber even brought him on tour), and his advice for the rest of us.

Cheryl: What is the number one mistake people make when starting a training program?
Dolvett: Getting started without stretching.

Cheryl: What do you say to someone who thinks they are too out of shape to start exercising?
Dolvett: How much more out of shape are you gonna get before you get started?

Cheryl: You own your own successful fitness studios and have trained everyone from Justin Beiber to Janet Jackson. Of your accomplishments as a trainer, which are you most proud of?
Dolvett: I'd have to say making it here on Biggest Loser, I can affect more people, and help change lives.

Cheryl: Any of your celeb training clients ever give you a hard time about working out?
Dolvett: Always. No one really loves working out until the compliments come in, so the hard work pays off.

Cheryl: Do you ever get starstruck?
Dolvett: Sure, Im a fan like anyone else, I admire anyone who is great at what they do...it motivates me.

Cheryl: What do you love to eat following an intense workout?
Dolvett: Chicken and spinach salad! Mmmmmmm yum!

Cheryl: What's your food weakness or favorite indulgence?
Dolvett: I love, love sweets … lemon cake!

Cheryl: Is there anything that most people (even your friends!) don't know about you?
Dolvett: I don't take myself too seriously, so I've always had a dream of doing standup comedy, or singing the national anthem before a game!!

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Teva Mush shoes ode of love (and give away).

As it seems so many things are these days (Im nothing if not late to the Facebook party) this post was sparked by a thread on Facebook.

A thread about the sad icky state of my feet (Ill spare you the link.  You’re glad. Take my word for it.) & how I wondered it some of it could be caused my  CONSTANT flip-flop wearing.

Constant.

I was generously offered the chance to try Teva Mush shoes by a Facebook friend who firmly believed they were the answer to my icky feet woes (FTC? The shoes were free! The photo-montage & opinions are all my own) .

Full shoes which offered the comfynessment of my beloved flip-flops.

I was a skeptic—till I was a believer.

I was smitten upon releasing the Teva Mush from their cardboard confines.

Love. Love. Love.

Of course having feet which sweat like a mo’ fo’ residing in Texas this little sticker immediately caught my eye:

I slipped em on and commenced admiring myself:

Then, being the focused freelancer I am, I immediately got back to work:

Next, because I do rock the self-care, I took a break and tested the Mush shoes’ relaxing capacity inside :

And

outside:

Id already given them MY MizFit seal of approval and, when the Tornado came home from kinder she (excited because “we now!almost!match!mama!”) eagerly bestowed hers as well:

Bottom line?

I love my Mush.  Comfy, lightweight, cool, & not stinky.  My misfit definition of heaven in a shoes. AND I want the purple pair.  BAD.

Bottom bottom line?

I couldnt experience the love without procuring one of you the chance to try the…love.

A USA or CANADA one of you*

You may be entered to win for the lowlow cost of a comment below:

Were you to be the winner o’ the MUSH—where would you wear your prize?

*GUYS? I didnt forget you! Mush make fab fall is coming gifts! Feel free to enter, too.

Winner announced 9.19.11

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