H.A.L.T.

Are you Hungry? Or are you Angry, Lonely, or Tired? Try to pinpoint what’s sending you to the fridge. Is it a physical hunger or is it just boredom? If it’s hunger, by all means, eat up! But be aware if your desire to munch away is fueled by something else. Your machine needs food when it requires food, and it will tell you so. But your mind will send similar signals out when it needs comfort. 

Is it really hunger, or are you looking for food because you are emotional or tired? 

Questions to ask yourself:

1. When was the last time I ate? What did I eat then? Is it appropriate to eat now?
2. If the answer to # 1 is "Recently / Enough / No" - are you feeling an emotional reaction right now? Am I mad at something? Upset? Lonely?
3. If the answer to #2 is "Yes" - you need to rely on whatever motivates you to work through the "false" hunger. 

Drink water. Listen to music. Call a friend. Read something motivational. Examine your upset or emotional response - is there anything you can do to make yourself happier / less upset? Remind yourself why you are eating Clean. 

Putting the brakes on emotional eating is one of the hardest skills a Clean Eater has to master in order to change their eating habits. 



The sooner you can be honest with yourself - and honest with those around you - the sooner you can grow as a person and as a Clean Eater. Honesty IS the best policy. What is driving you? Hunger, or something else?

Another Clean Eating App & Website: Shopwell.com

I'm all about using technology to my full advantage, so when I heard about another app that could help Clean Eaters make healthy choices at the store - I was all over it!

Once installed, Shopwell will match any product you scan and compare it to the profile you've set up on their website to see if it is compatible with the dietary parameters you've set up there.

**Unfortunately, this app is ONLY available for iPhones at the moment. I'm a Droid user, and am hoping this becomes available soon **

Step 1 - Create a profile on shopwell.com
Step 2 - Download their app
Step 3 - Scan product at the store to see if it is compatible with your profile.

http://www.shopwell.com/

Bananas for Bananas!

I love bananas. Perfect portion of healthy fruit in a convenient "to go" package. Vitamins, minerals, and enough fiber to keep my stomach happy for extended periods. They are a great accompaniment for your mini-meals, and wonderful "anytme" snack. Consider reaching for a banana the next time a sugar craving hits.

I've written other times about bananas - check out these previous posts from me, too:

Bananas: You Think They'd Be Straightforward - The Facts on Ripe versus Unripe Bananas

The Yonanas "Ice Cream" Machine

Homemade Banana Chips

Clean Eating Banana Oatmeal Muffins

Rice Flour Conversion Chart

Looking to reduce wheat flour in your baking? I found this helpful little chart with wheat flour to rice flour ration spelled out - as well as the additional starch you'll need to add to make up for rice flour's lack of elasticity ( gluten ).

Refrigerate or Room Temperature ?

I do believe this graphic is referring to the storage of various fruits and vegetables, and not immediate consumption. Personally, I don't think there's anything more delicious than a cold piece of melon or kiwi but maybe that's just me.Also, I store potatoes and onions at the bottom of my fridge, like my Mother did...but perhaps that's just the climate I live in. My pantry isn't a "cool dark place" as they tell you to store onions and potatoes. And I generally keep zucchini on the counter...hey, wait a minute. Have I been doing it wrong all these years? What do you do?

Pack Your Lunch!

1. Control. Do you ever wait in the lunch line only to find when you get to the front that you don’t like what they’re serving? So you reach for pizza again. A healthy packed lunch lets you avoid the lunch line (and any temptations). Bringing your own lunch also lets you control exactly what goes into the food you eat.

2. Variety. It doesn’t hurt to cave in and enjoy the occasional serving of pizza and hot dogs. But if you’re eating these foods all the time, your body probably feels ready for a change. A packed lunch a couple of times a week means you can enjoy some favorites that you might not find at every school — like a piping hot thermos of your mom’s chicken soup; hummus and pita bread; or some crisp, farm-stand apples.

3. Energy. If you have a big game or activity after school, plan a lunch and snacks that combine lean proteins with carbohydrates to give you lasting energy and keep you going through the late afternoon. Some ideas: your own “trail” mix of dried fruit and nuts or sunflower seeds, whole-grain pretzels and low-fat cheese, or a bagful of baby carrots and yogurt dip.

4. Money. Packing your lunch will save you money—no doubt about it. And I’m talking hundreds of dollars in cold hard cash! Think about it. How much do you spend when you go out to eat? $5 per meal? $10? $15? Multiply that times 20 (5 days per week times four weeks per month). Yikes! A packed lunch, such as a turkey sandwich, baked chips, a piece of fruit and some carrot sticks will run you about three bucks. You’ll be saving money you could spend on something else fun. Reward yourself! How about a shopping trip? New electronic? Running shoes? Or some cool lunch-packing supplies?!

5. Health. Whether you grab fast food or sit down at a fancy restaurant, you are probably consuming more fat and calories than you need. Instead, you can pack your lunch and know exactly what you are eating. Pack whole fresh foods that are high in nutrients and health benefits.

So what are you waiting for? Bring your own lunch! 

( TY, The Healthy Cook on Tumblr )

Adventures in Clean Eating Out & About, Part III - The Office Christmas Party

Once again, it was time for my company's swank Christmas party Saturday, where my co-workers and I shed the shackles of the Engineering Mines and step out to eat and drink well ( and not talk about work! )

 ( using the same pic as last year because heck, it's cute )

Because we enjoyed last year's meal so much, we decided to have our party at the same steakhouse as last year : a very upscale steak house in Annapolis...the kind where steak is priced by how long it is aged, and essentially everything is made in the restaurant...no processed foods, everything handmade.

Previous years:

2011 Christmas Party

2010 Christmas Party


     This year, I again used the techniques I've learned to control myself, my intake - and I still had a wonderful meal and a great time. There are definite ways to stay Clean while eating in mixed company ( Clean and Unclean eaters, that is! )

1. I made sure I found out the menu before hand, and knew exactly what I was going to select - no last minute wobbly "Um..." or "Well..." - I knew what I was going to eat, as if there were no choices that night.

House salad with their homemade basil vinaigrette ( tomatoes were AWESOME )
Filet mignon on a small pool of garlic mashed potatoes and broccoli
A magnificently delicious baked 1/2 sweet potato ( a side dish )
Skip the dessert course and ask for coffee instead

2. I ate a small meal a few hours before we left for the restaurant. This way, I wasn't ravenous by the time our meal was ordered and more easily swayed to make an incorrect choice.

3. I ate slowly, savoring my steak with a mindfulness  so I enjoyed and appreciated each bite. I finished my steak with a very satisfied feeling.



 When the dessert course came, and our devastatingly handsome waiter brought my coffee as requested, he made a suggestion - sometimes he'll bring a single slice of cheesecake or whatever to the table, and divide it into 4 or 6 pieces...so everyone has just a taste. I looked over at a female co-worker who also carefully watches her food consumption and she nodded. A plate of cut up cheesecake was brought forth for us, yielding about 2 bites apiece. Enough for a taste and a savor. It was delicious, I felt satisfied and not deprived, and I left the table knowing I had a well thought out meal and a little treat without going "hog wild" and eating an entire slice of cheesecake by myself.


Recap: Preplan, Pre-eat, Mindful Eating - keys to successfully staying on Path when dining out.


PS - Saturday was also my few times a year indulgence with liquor. ( I don't drink beer or wine at all. I like whiskey and will have a glass a few times a year, at most. )

The glass of Jameson was welcome, and that was all I was going to have 1 glass. I had already told myself I would only have 1 glass this year, and even warned my whiskey drinking co-hort of my plan.
He asked for a glass of Knob Creek bourbon straight up. It arrived on ice. He frowned. The waiter apologized. I couldn't see a good drink go to waste, so I took it from the waiter, smiled, and said I would drink it. My co-worker said "Um, that's a little stronger than you are probably used to..." and I assured him it was no problem. ( This morning, I looked - Jameson is 40%; Knob Creek is generally between 50-60% alcohol by volume )

Between you and me - the Knob Creek knocked me on my ass. Lesson learned. Next time I will stick to the single and double malt end of the Whiskey Pool.

My Latest CE Obsession: Chocolate Whey Oatmeal with Banana

My husband always likes to kid me by saying I'm easily distracted by shiny objects. The man knows of what he speaks - I am.
And my recent distraction?

Chocolate oatmeal with banana and honey. 

 ( photo credit : imtoobusy.com )

Looks kinda gross, huh? It isn't, I swear!

Simply prepare oatmeal as you normally would ( I use almond milk ) and add a scoopful of chocolate whey powder to the oatmeal. Add about 1/3 - 1/2 c more water than you normally would to adjust for the powder. A squirt of honey, a cut up banana...and you've got yourself a very filling nutritional powerhouse that will keep your machine going and going.

Why is this recipe so important? Think about it.

You are combining a complex carbohydrate ( the oatmeal ) with a strong protein ( chocolate whey ) with a vitamin and nutrient filled fruit
( the banana ), and adding a little simple sugar to give you an instant boost ( the honey. )

This is an excellent way to start the day, and I've even eaten it for lunch when I've left my lunch at home ( don't you hate that? ) and I've turned to my desk drawer to cobble together a Clean meal.

Printable Food Journal

I found this great printable over at a Tumblr page: http://backonpointe.tumblr.com/image/25934653770
Head over there and print out a few weeks of this page if you don't have a regular food journal you are using.

Journalling is crucial to keeping yourself on track and analyzing your weak spots - where and when you are most likely to cheat / eat not as Clean as you should be.

Eve Was Partially Right 2010 - The Importance of a Food Diary

Positive Thoughts For A Friday

Make Your Own Almond Milk

I found this graphic on Tumblr and it seems really straight forward!

 

Thanks to 10000 Steps on Tumblr. - Not sure if the graphic is original to this site, but that is where I found it!

Know Your Avocado Varieties and When Each Is In Season!

Avocados flummox me. I just sort of freeze when confronted with a bin full of avocados, and grab the first one that looks decent. But what is decent? How do I chose? And this one - it says Hass. But these huge ones over here say Choquette. Is bigger better? Which is best for slicing? Which is best mashed into guacamole? Which isn't for me?

Check out this awesome post over at FoodRepublic.com: Know Your Avocado Varieties and When They're In Season!

I love learning more about fruits and vegetables I wasn't brought up with - I never knew there were so many varieties! My parents weren't avocado people, so I didn't taste one until I was in college.The avocado is healthy and nutritious - don't worry about the fat hype. It's an excellent once or twice a week addition to your diet.

Clean Eating At The Office

I found this nice little graphic online a few days ago - and it is courtesy of another great CE blog out there, HeandSheEatClean.com. 
I don't pretend I'm the only CE blogger out there, and will happily point out other great websites to look at in your quest for CE information. Check out my sidebar; I've got links to several CE blogs and sites online.

So - a nice reminder of CE at your office - courtesy of HeandSheEatClean.com.  

What Is Clean Eating? Tips From Expert Tosca Reno

Tosca Reno has been interviewed for CNN.com - Click on the link below to go read Tosca's story, and tips from her if you are starting the Clean Eating lifestyle.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Tosca Reno champions a clean eating lifestyle
• Clean eating means avoiding all processed food
• It "really is a lifestyle change," Reno says
• Living healthy has helped her power through grief after her husband's death

Reno, the author of 13 clean eating books, says the secret to being healthy and happy is eating clean. Her popular "Eat-Clean Diet" encourages individuals to drink plenty of water and eat six small meals daily, including a combination of lean protein and complex carbohydrates.

Put simply, clean eating is avoiding all processed food, relying on fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains rather than prepackaged or fast food.

"It may sound counterintuitive, but eating clean allows you to eat more and weigh less because you are making smart food choices," Reno said. "I sometimes get criticized for using the word 'diet,' but the Eat-Clean Diet really is a lifestyle change that leads to healthy, steady weight loss and healthy eating for life."

Love this quote:

Reno's advice to those wanting to change their lives is to first realize there is another way to live. "This could come in the form of that 'a-ha' moment, when you suddenly catch a glimpse of your lumpy reflection in a store window, or perhaps after you receive some bad news at the doctor's office," she said."You just need that opening, that moment, when you finally decide to give yourself permission to change."

CNN.com: What is Clean Eating? Tips From Expert Tosca Reno

Clean Eating Tip - Don't Skip ANY Meals

     One of the core tenants of Clean Eating is eating 5-6 small meals a day. Why?  Giving your body small amounts of fuel to process at regular intervals does more than just keep you satiated. It keeps your blood sugar at a constant level which significantly lessens cravings. It keep your body's metabolism at a constant rate as well. As the picture above reminds us, the machine of your body is encoded through thousands of years of evolution to assume prolonged periods without food equals potential starvation - and what does the body do to protect itself? It burns less fat because it "thinks" the fat will be needed at a future time.  

     Eating small meals ( approximately 300+ calories per mini meal ) 5-6 times a day will give you the fuel you need at even doses to maintain your body's machine at peak performance. It is one of the main reasons Clean Eating works - you are never hungry; your body is literally always working on digesting something - so don't skip any meals!

Product Review: Open Nature ( Safeway ) Veggie Chips

I found a new product at my local Safeway today, and they are really very good: vacuum fried veggie chips. What is vacuum frying? Glad you asked!

A vacuum fryer is a deep-frying device housed inside a vacuum chamber. It was originally developed for potato chip production. Vacuum fryers are fit to process low-quality potatoes that contain higher sugar levels than normal, as they frequently have to be processed in spring and early summer before the potatoes from the new harvest become available. With vacuum frying it is easier to maintain natural colors and flavours of the finished product - this making the process ideal for high sugar veggies like carrots, sweet potatoes, etc.


So yes - these are fried. They also have no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. Yes, they add fructose ( why? I have no idea... ) but I can deal with a natural fruit sugar for those times when I need a crunchy, wheat free snack.

I liked these, a lot. The store also had carrot chips and sweet potato chips I will definitely go back for - but for my first time, out, I decided to try the mixed bag of veggies. They did have a slightly oily feel, but not so much I was put off by it.

Part of a Clean diet is finding foods that satisfy you mentally without straying too far off your Clean path. This type of crunchy salty sweet product does it for me. I can see a bag of these chips in my desk drawer at work, or taking a bag along with me on a trip.

If you have a Safeway or Safeway affiliate store ( Safeway, Carr's, Von's Dominick's, Pak N Save Randall's, Tom Thumb ) in your area that sells Open Nature brand products, you'll find these in the fruit / vegetable area of the store - or near where they have raisins and dried fruit.

Ingredients:

Sweet Potatoes, Squash, Taro, Carrots, Green Beans, Canola and/or Palm Fruit Oil, Fructose, Sea Salt.
Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts, tree nuts, milk, wheat, egg and soy.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 15.0 pieces (28 g)

Servings Per Container 4

Amount Per Serving
Calories 130	Calories from Fat 35

% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4 g	6%
Saturated Fat 0.5 g 3%
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg	0%
Sodium 125 mg	5%
Potassium —	—
Total Carbohydrate 22 g	7%
Dietary Fiber 2 g 8% Sugars 4 g
Protein 1 g

Vitamin A	20%
Vitamin C	0%
Calcium	0%
Iron	0%
Copper	—
Folic Acid	—
Iodine	—
Magnesium	—
Niacin	—
Phosphorus	—
Riboflavin	—
Thiamin	—
Vitamin B12	—
Vitamin B6	—
Vitamin D	—
Vitamin E	—
Zinc	—

• * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Clean Eating Prep Ahead: Eggs in Muffin Tins

Over the long holiday weekend that just passed, I decided to use my time by catching up on some projects I'd been putting off for a long time. I cleaned a lot of paperwork off my desk, I cleaned the fridge, and I did some Clean Eating prep I've been meaning to do. One of them was making "cook ahead" egg and veggie cups I saw on Pinterest.

Simply spray a muffin pan with olive oil cooking spray ( or wipe down each cup with Olive Oil , crack an egg into the cup, add seasoning ( a dash of hot sauce,  salt & pepper, onion powder... ) and a few bits of leftover vegetables. In this case, leftover spinach. If you like, you can use a plastic fork to slightly scramble each egg in the cup.

Pop the tray into an oven set to about 350 degrees for approximately 10-12 minutes, cook, cool completely, then place the egg cups into a freezer bag and freeze until ready to use. I put 3 of the egg cups into a sandwich bag and froze them in groups of 3. This way the night before, I'll be able to pull a single bag out of the freezer, put it in the fridge, and by the time I make it to work the next day...they are thawed.

 

They turned out nicely and with some fruit make a very nice little breakfast!

Looking Beyond The Scale: Sage Advice From Sparkpeople

Last week I filled in for a co-worker while she was on vacation. I had to monitor her email for most of the week. This co-worker I've discussed before - she's been very successful in weight loss in the past 2 years. She gets a daily motivational email from Sparkpeople - a website with a community of people who are trying to lose weight. 

She received this email last week. I found myself nodding my head as I read it. Sage advice. 

Measure your progress in ways other than those numbers on the scale. 

I wish I could link directly to the source. Instead, here's a link to the Sparkpeople website.

Looking Beyond the Scale

When you first begin taking steps toward a healthier you, it's easy to think that the only thing that matters is the number on the scale. After all, that message is reinforced everywhere you turn. Look, the scale is a great indicator of progress, but it is simply that - ONE indicator. A SINGLE data point in a sea of potential progress markers. Why did you start this "journey"? Was it just to lose some arbitrary amount of weight with a total disregard to your overall health? If so, cut off an arm and cauterize the wound.

No, I suspect that you are taking steps toward a healthier you, a stronger you, a more confident you. And that, my friends, is NEVER going to be reported by the scale. Here's the truth - you're not going to lose weight all the time. You'll "plateau". You'll "gain muscle". You'll retain water. You'll retain beer. If you're a woman, you'll have to deal with that "TOM weight gain". Some weeks, life just gets in the way. And that's...OK.

If you pay attention only to ONE indicator of success, you set yourself up for failure. Instead, look beyond the scale.

- Maybe the scale reports a gain, but you've just fit into that smaller size.

- You didn't lose a pound this week, but your coworker says "Hey, lookin' good, have you lost some weight?" - instead of fixating on the "weight" aspect of this compliment, focus on the fact that other people are noticing the results of your efforts, even if the scale did not.

- The scale says you gained a pound, but you lifted more, ran faster, did a pushup, walked farther than you ever have, etc.

It's been a long "journey" for me, and I'm still learning. Every day. I do weigh-in and keep track of it, but I don't obsess over that number. In fact, I probably remember the non-scale-victories more than the numbers.

Some of my favorites include:

- Getting to the last notch on my belt and having to drill a few extra holes. Did this years ago, then gained a bit back. Recently I've been thinking about putting in a few MORE holes.

- Chasing the kids around the yard and realizing that they'll tire before I do.

- Donating 20+ LBS of CLOTHING this past weekend that no longer fits. Swimming in size 36's that used to be snug.

- Completing my first 5k, 10k, half-marathon, marathon, ultra-marathon, etc, etc, etc.

- Getting a smile from random people while I'm out because they can sense my increased confidence and overall happiness.

- When wife told me - "Hey, you no longer stop breathing at night. I'm not afraid you'll just die while we sleep."

- Being able to do 50 push-ups at a time

- Being able to more than ONE pull-up

...

And the list goes on and on. Bottom line - don't put too much weight on the scale. You may not like what you see. So when you see no change on the scale, or that number creeps up a bit, don't give up. Think about how the changes you've made have positively affected your life and the lives of people around you.

Quick Breakfast Ideas

 

Always vigilant for breakfast options, I saw this picture and knew it would make a great post. 

I've talked about thinking outside the box when it comes to breakfast- don't be stuck in the old "If it's before 11 am, I've got to have eggs / toast / oatmeal." Start thinking about some of your favorite Clean foods, and incorporate them into an early meal. Turkey on flat bread? Why not? Who said a turkey sandwich is only for lunch? Don't let ingrained behavior stop you from eating what you want, when you thing you should have it. Omelets for dinner are a-ok, as is yogurt with a toasted whole grain English muffin with a smear of peanut butter. 

One thing I’d like to point out in each breakfast idea permutation above is the presence of a Clean, lean protein.

Peanut butter

Yogurt

Eggs

Nuts

Cottage Cheese

Turkey

Your body wants and needs protein in the morning to get the engines started. Always look to include a lean protein in your breakfast.

Homemade Garlic Powder

Over the weekend, I came across this post for homemade garlic powder over at The Burlap Bag,  a funky little DIY blog I peek at every now and again.

Why on EARTH would anyone go to the trouble of making their own garlic powder. Are you serious? I've got better things to do with my time than make garlic powder when I can buy perfectly good garlic powder from the grocery store. Her post talks about all the preservatives in garlic powder.

Really?

So I went to my pantry, and looked at my container of garlic powder. Mine happened to be Safeway brand. I couldn't find ANY listing of ingredients on the jar ( Um, isn't that a legal requirement for labeling? ) but what I DID see startled the snot out of me.

Made in China. 

In the trash bin my garlic powder went. Do not pass go, Do not collect $200.

From wikipedia on garlic:

 Garlic is grown globally, but China is by far the largest producer of garlic, with approximately 10.5 million tonnes (23 billion pounds) grown annually, accounting for over 77% of world output. India (4.1%) and South Korea (2%) follow, with Egypt and Russia (1.6%) tied in fourth place and the United States (where garlic is grown in every state except for Alaska) in sixth place (1.4%).^[16] This leaves 16% of global garlic production in countries that each produce less than 2% of global output. Much of the garlic production in the United States is centered in Gilroy, California, which calls itself the "garlic capital of the world".^[17]

When I was at a different grocery store, I specifically looked at the garlic cloves packed 4 in a mesh sleeve - Product of China.  I looked at the minced garlic in jars - no indication of country of manufacture. I'm going to need to research that further.




Homemade Garlic Powder ( courtesy of The Burlap Bag )

-Getcha garlic. Lots and lots of garlic ( Maura's Note: Look for garlic in the store labeled "organic" OR grown in California. If it is organic, it couldn't have been grown in China. If it is grown in the US, you're on the right track )

 
-Peel them all.
-Cut them into thin, uniform slices.
-Stick them in the oven at the lowest temperature yours will go (mine goes to 150). OR a dehydrator! But we don’t have one of those.
-Leave it in there for forever. (ok, a couple of hours. your oven is barely on) But they need to be VERY VERY DRY. Brittle. If they are a little “wet” still and you do the next step, they will jam everything. (i know from experience with a few fatter garlic pieces. oooooops)
-Then stick them in a coffee grinder. OR a mortar & pestle if you like a good arm workout. 30 seconds in a coffee grinder and you will have garlic powder EXACTLY like the kind you’d buy at the store. Except without the preservatives that some of the store ones have. Yuck, preservatives! Yay, all natural garlic powder!

Thanks to The Burlap Bag for the pictures, too!