Eat on the Road

Apparently in my life one month of constant travel equals no time for writing. Not a good excuse I know. I have to admit that during this Fall season, full of benefit galas, weddings, an anniversary trip and a relaxing week in Maine, I was constantly reminded of how difficult it is to eat healthy and on a budget when traveling. Rest stops and airports are full of snacks and energy drinks masked as health food. After hours of traveling it’s easy to let your hunger make the decision and you purchase a bag of trail mix and a sugar-free red bull (fake health food) instead of something that will actually give you energy and sustain hunger.

But I have found that even in these sugar stations one can find a glimmer of nutrition and tastiness. Plus it takes literally no time to grab something in your own kitchen before running out the door – and no, I’m not recommending you take a bag of baby carrots because seriously who wants to eat those after being on the road for 6 hours?

There are three essential things your body needs when it’s tired and hungry; protein, carbohydrates and hydration.

Get Your Protein On. Try Think Thin… the name itself is intriguing; I mean who doesn’t want to think thin? This protein bar contains only 240 calories, is low fat and low sugar and yet it retains 20 grams of protein. Extra bonus – it doesn’t taste like chalk. You can buy it for about $2.50 at Whole Foods and some convenient stores. It’s the perfect yummy snack that fits in a purse and makes it through security.

Eat Carbs, Get Energy. But stay away from crackers and cookies because it’s likely those are also full of sugar (the bad carb). Most rest stops, Starbucks and even airline snack packs include bananas and pretzels. Both are great options that contain about 100 calories per serving of good carbohydrates.

Can’t Get Enough Water. It’s true, it’s extremely difficult and rare that the average human drinks too much water. In fact most Americans don’t even get half the daily amount they should. Not only that, but traveling is very dehydrating, so you should actually be drinking more water than the recommended amount. So stay away from the energy drinks and sugar-filled juices and grab a bottle of water. Shoot for at least four bottles of 24oz each per day.

Take these snacks on your holiday travels and you won’t be tempted to grab unhealthy options. Besides don’t you want to save your calories for homemade holiday cookies?

Glenna Kohl

As adults, there are things in life that we teach our children and generations after us about their health and safety – eat fruits and vegetables, use oven mitts, don’t drink and drive. But as science continues to evolve and its information becomes more readily available, it’s our responsibility to add “rules” to that list. One that has recently picked up mass attention, and is particularly close to my heart, is the law encouraging tanning restrictions. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (Learn more here) 13 states currently have regulations in place that restrict minors from using tanning beds and the World Health Organization is encouraging lawmakers to increase those restrictions and spread awareness about the dangerous risks of tanning to young adults.

Many people do not understand how dangerous the overexposure to UV rays is; and while the state and national government slowly puts additional regulations in place, it’s our job to generate awareness about UV protection and to tell our stories.

Maybe these shocking statistics will turn a few heads (provided by The Melanoma Foundation):
· Using a tanning bed once a month before the age of 35 increases your chances of melanoma by 75%
· Melanoma kills one person every hour and is the second most common cancer for women aged 25-29
· Rates of melanoma cases are increasing faster than nearly all other cancers

The harm of tanning, whether indoor or on the beach, is something most people are generally aware of. But because there’s no law or mass epidemic causing us to rethink, we go on with our lives believing that something like that could never harm us. And maybe if you’re lucky, it won’t harm you. But for an increasing number of Americans, the affects of melanoma are hitting us right in the heart.

For me; her name was Glenna Kohl. She was a college acquaintance of mine; a blonde, smiling, life of the party, and a very close friend to my husband and many of my dear friends. She was an all-American, beach-loving, Cape-Coder, who was preparing for college graduation when a lump found on her leg tested positive for melanoma. After three years of surgery, remission, chemotherapy, and experimental treatment; the deadly disease took her away in December 2008. She was 26.

Shortly after, with Glenna’s inspirational spirit steering them; her courageous family and friends launched the Glenna Kohl Fund for Hope. The foundation educates people about melanoma and the importance of UV protection; catching the interest of Massachusetts’s State lawmakers and Cosmopolitan magazine (with a feature story in the October 2009 issue). Check out Glenna’s website to learn more about her story: glennasfund.org.

There may not be enough laws cementing the importance of UV protection just yet; but in the meantime it's our responsibility to spread awareness of its magnitude. Knowledge has the power that can lead to change.

Running Around

There’s something to say about hittin’ the pavement for a run every now and then. It releases stress, clears your mind, can brighten your skin and is known to be one of the best calorie burners out there. But whether you’re an Olympic swimmer, have muscles of steel or are working out for the first time, there are a few things to remember when conquering a running routine.

Small Steps
Your body gets used to a routine very easily, so it may take time to adjust when incorporating a new running workout (one of the reasons people cross-train is to help keep their body from becoming accustomed to only one type of exercise). During your first few weeks, try a circuit training approach by running for two minutes then fast-walking for two minutes; repeating the cycle five or six times. Gradually increase the number of minutes you run. For example, try increasing your running minutes by one every week if your training every other day. Or if distance is your goal, increase the number of times you repeat the cycle. It may seem like small steps, but that way you’ll protect your body from injury and overuse.

Nutrition

What you eat is incredibly important. Whether you’re training for a marathon or taking a 30 minute jog, your body and mind needs fuel before and after a workout. About 1-2 hours before your run, eat a combination of carbohydrates and low fat foods. Try oatmeal with berries or crackers and a glass of milk. Stay away from rich and high fiber foods because they’ll make you feel full and potentially cause cramps while exercising. After your run, the best things for your body are drinking fluids and eating carbohydrates and protein. Drinking water immediately after a run gives your body the fluid it needs to speed up the blood flow to your tired muscles. Eating a combination of carbohydrates and protein simultaneously build and repair muscles while supplying you with energy and a radiant glow. Try a banana with peanut butter and a glass of milk or whole wheat pasta with chicken and vegetables.

Rest
Listening to your body and knowing when it needs to rest is arguably the most important piece of becoming a successful runner. It can also be the most difficult thing to accomplish. Finding the right balance between “not in the mood to run” and “my muscles are sore and tired” is something that even professional athletes struggle with. The key is to incorporate both resting days and active resting days to your weekly routine. During your resting day, plan on doing little to nothing strenuous with your body. Your active resting days can consist of playing tennis, light weight training, or taking a yoga class.

Check out these sites for more information:

Women’s Health
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/running-tips-beginners-guide
Eating before a run
http://running.about.com/od/nutritionandhydration/f/preruneating.htm

Think Outside the Sandbox

There’s a good chance that you fall into one of the following categories: Your morning run is getting boring and as it gets cooler outside the last thing you want to do is get out of bed at 530am. Or your children are back in school and you want to make the most of the hour before dinner and bedtime. Or maybe you need to refresh your afternoon social hour at the park while the kids play in the sandbox – not that Starbucks and celebrity gossip isn’t fun, but you could be a little more productive. Or maybe the gym is too expensive (even with the enticing deals) but you still need a workout routine that’s challenging and will get you results.

I tried my new “sandbox” workout the other day simply because I passed by a playground, halfway through my boring run, and felt inspired. People probably thought I was crazy, which was a reasonable observation, but I did it anyways. Plus I guarantee that after I left there were women hanging off the monkey bars and rolling around in the grass just like I was. Because, I decided; it’s a brilliant workout plan.

Always start with at least a five minute warm up and continue to perform bursts of cardio (about 1-2 minutes) between each exercise. This could be marching in place, chasing after children, sprinting in the sand, doing jumping jacks – anything that gets your heart racing.

You can do the exercises below in any order you want – I usually do the tough ones first because my body is not as tired. Try to complete two sets of 12 reps for each. The entire workout should take about 30 minutes.

1. Monkey bar pull ups - this one is very difficult. You’re more likely to see me hanging and kicking my legs around after #4. But I’ll get there someday, and so will you. Keep trying
2. Any step dead lifts – stand as if you were walking down the step with your legs hip-width apart and a slight bend in your knees. Slowly bend forward allowing your arms to drop to your feet, then use your butt and hamstrings to bring your body back up to a standing position
3. Tire swing push – literally push the tire swing around. Focus on engaging your back muscles and side abdominal muscles
4. Waist high pushup – find a railing that’s about waist high and stand back a few feet. Make sure your arms are in line with your shoulders and perform a standing pushup
5. Any step calf raises – stand as if you were walking up the step with only the balls of your feet touching the stair. Lift up to your tip-toes and release
6. Sand squat – can be done on rocks too. The idea is that it’s an uneven ground, forcing your core to work harder. Stand with your legs a little further than hip width apart and bend down as if you’re sitting in a chair. Remember to keep your knees directly over your feet
7. Grassy abs - 25 bicycle crunches, 25 (each) side oblique crunches, 50 basic crunches and 30 seconds in plank position. Learn more about these abdominal exercises here: About.com/sportsmedicine

Good luck!

The Fad Diet Craze Just Met Cookie Monster

One of the biggest nutrition mistakes you can make is to try one of the fad diets that eliminates food groups or promotes liquid starvation. The only reason you should be doing those things is if you have a health condition or engage in certain religious practices. These quick-fix diets only stunt your metabolism and make you gain more weight when you return to eating like a normal person.

We as consumers are blasted with infomercials and magazine ads promoting one diet or another – usually showcasing before and after photos of a sad, overweight, makeup-less mess next to a dazzling, bikini-clad, airbrushed super babe. (Side note – Britain is considering banning airbrushing. Wooowhooo if you ask me. check it out: Banning Airbrushing).

Knowing that these claims of instant sliming power are out there have never really bothered me until I heard about The Cookie Diet. I am actually annoyed that it exists and you should have heard me yelling at the TV this morning (because obviously the Channel 4 anchorman can make it go away). But seriously, are you kidding me with this? The claim is that you eat seven of these cookies and then a dinner of lean protein and vegetables and will lose weight in no time. A few things immediately came to mind. First, who the hell wants to eat a cookie for breakfast? And, what happens when you stop eating cookies all day, because that can’t last forever? And honestly, since you’re required to workout and eat a normal dinner, it’s essentially the same diet as eating three healthy meals a day. Plus I guarantee you that the variety and taste of eating real food outweighs any benefit of eating a processed, plastic bag cookie.

Here’s where I’m coming from: Experts in the fitness and nutrition fields are working to educate people on the importance of eating real food in moderation – just Google “eat real food.” No one’s perfect at it; our world doesn’t function that way. I personally cannot seem to get away from dumping two fake-sugar splendas in my coffee even though I know it’s terrible for me. But the idea is that eating processed, nutrition-ejected food is what’s causing us to overeat and feel more sick and sluggish. It’s killing our metabolisms. Imagine feeding our children this way – seven cookies day. What behavior does that promote?

Our brain is in control of what we eat. We have a conscious choice. And for some reason Americans cringe at the sound of “health food” and light up when hearing “chocolate dessert.” If this stupid cookie diet is successful (please God tell me that Americans are smarter than that) I will be creating a new diet that tricks everybody’s brains and uses the word “cookie” to replace healthy food. “Would you like a cookie with your halibut?” – cookie equals broccoli in my diet. I’ll host blind-folded parties and tell people we’re taste testing new cookies (remember what cookie stands for).

I don’t think we’ve seen the end of fad diets, but at least there are people and organizations out there promoting nutritional lifestyles that actually work. So eat to fuel your body, exercise for energy and stress release and when you want a cookie, make it a delicious one.

A Leafy Challenge

My mother always taught me that playing tricks with your mind can help you eat healthier, study harder and exercise more often. And for the most part it works. Throughout college I would allow myself to indulge in my favorite Starbucks Grande skim latte only if I were studying for my toughest exam. Now I tell myself I can’t leave work unless I’ve had seven glasses of water (leaving 1-2 for at home).

Usually my inner mind games are thought out and routine, however I was recently surprised when one trick accidently fell upon me. I asked my husband to stop at the grocery store after work one day to pick up some organic greens. Now most of you with a husband or significant (usually male) other know that when you give a direction like that, you’re not only going to get the lettuce you asked for but also a few “interesting” items that wouldn’t fly on your weekly list – does four boxes of family size Cheerios, an assortment of frozen pizzas or 2-for-1 chocolate chips sound familiar to anyone? And my husband is Italian, so multiply that all by two. I have to admit though that I love him for it and it makes me laugh.

This particular time he came back with a gigantic box of leafy greens. I shouldn’t complain; it was exactly what I asked for, only we could have fed a entire hockey team or covered our apartment floor with it. I obviously expressed my sarcasm and he became bound and determined to finish that lettuce before it went bad. It quickly turned into our little challenge. Every day we brought salads to work and almost every night we incorporated the greens into our meal – pretty damn good. It took one week to eat it all, and it didn’t go bad.

The trick stuck. We bought another box the following week and again this week. It’s not about the lettuce itself though, and it’s not even just about food. It’s about challenging your mind to be a healthier, better balanced person. Think of positive things to incorporate into your routine that make your tough days not so bad and help you appreciate the gourmet coffees, pedicures and lazy Saturdays even more. Because everyone needs a few tricks up their sleeves.

It's Time to Play Football

Sundays. Love, love, love them; especially in the Fall. And after spending most the morning outside, running with Simon (my always energetic, Muppet-like puppy) and walking to the market, I find that I’m actually excited to sit on the couch and do nothing but eat a little homemade chili and watch football. – I could care less about the game but there’s something about football that nostalgically brings me back to my childhood.


This got me thinking about how the American family dynamic has changed so drastically in the last 10-20 years. As kids, we never actually sat down and watched the football game but instead it was background noise to us running in and out of the house playing tag or our made-up version of hotbox. Now, it’s more likely that kids will be found playing on the computer while watching the game from the other room.

According to the Child Trends Data Bank, “More than one in six adolescents ages 12 to 19 were overweight in the United States in 2003-2004, more than triple the rate in 1976-1980. One obvious correlation to the weight gain is the decreased levels of activity.” Read more at http://www.childtrendsdatabank.org/.

This is not necessarily new or jaw-dropping information as most of us are well aware of the affects of too much food and not enough exercise in adults and youth. But children depend on us to teach them about eating right and staying active. More and more companies and youth influencers are trying to do just that. The NFL, for example, partnered with the American Heart Association to develop a youth program called the NFL Rush Play60 (www.nflrush.com/play60/) . The challenge encourages youth to run around and play for at least 60 minutes every day. The promotion site includes tips, pro-player encouragement and even an interactive “game planner” to track your progress. It’s one of the first youth-focused, online exercise programs out there. I wonder how successful it will be…

If you’re concerned about your child’s activity level or want a new way to encourage them, then it’s definitely something to try. *But please remember to consult a physician before starting an exercise routine.