Ms. Moderation
Practicing Extreme Balance in all things Food, Fitness and Fun.
Learning is good. We all know that. It keeps us mentally sharp, socially engaged, happier and healthier. That’s what the experts say.
And so it is that I took up snow skiing at age 51. For some strange reason, I never pursued the sport. Too much trouble, too much equipment, too many arrangements. (Yes, this from someone who will portage kayaks down snowy river banks in freezing temps just to be on icy water in the winter.)
So when the offer came to ski Park City, I was excitedly apprehensive if that’s possible. I figured the worst case scenario would be that I stunk at it. Best outcome would be that I loved it and was recruited for the Senior Olympics. Either way, I’d know by Day 1 which direction I was headed. Equipped with amazing support from our hosts, a ski school schedule and some groovy rented equipment, the challenge was on. My 55 year old hubbie was skiing for the first time as well, so we could commiserate if needed.
I should note, I’m a fairly athletic girl. Jack of all, master of none, but I play a lot outdoors no matter the weather. Since the forecast for Park City was in the high 30’s, I almost smirked at the layers of clothes I donned. But better to be padded like a stuffed doll than fall downhill at lightning speed with no protection (Yes, I wore a helmet). Oh, and did I mention the slopes were deserted due to Sundance Festival attendees booking all the lodging in town? How could I not succeed with all these factors stacked in my favor?
After a morning lesson on Turtle slope (as if I didn’t know I was slow), we were ready to tackle a steeper run. Not really, but we did anyway. Down First Timers I flew since I hadn’t quite mastered the stopping action on skis. (Aerodynamic panic was a new concept for me, which I later repeated on a much longer, steeper turn, resulting in a small human pile up due to laughter as I slammed into the mountainside to avoid an untimely death. My body outline can still be seen in the snow.)
Fast forward a few more days and a few more lessons. I am now a skier. Not a great one, but a skier none the less. I learned to glide, turn, ride lifts without causing wipeouts, and sip a latte in front of the fire like an old timer.
The experts are right about that happy feeling.
What a great way to start a Snow Day! Bob’s Red Mill 6 Grain hot cereal is a soft textured blend of high fiber organic grains. Served here (in my kitchen in my pj’s) with dried cranberries, chopped walnuts, cinnamon, and a drizzling of vanilla soy milk.
Note: This cereal is found in the baking aisle of many grocery stores, alongside the flour and other milled grains, not in the cereal aisle with the oats. Go figure!
Hiking a muddy Chubb Trail today with AC.
With holiday parties ramping up, overeating becomes a real threat to your wellness. Remember a few tips as you Deck the Halls:
1. Eat a healthy snack before you go. Carrots and hummus, apple with peanut butter. (Takes the edge off your hunger and fills your stomach before the cocktails flow.)
2. Drink a glass of water between cocktails. Club soda with lime works. (Keeps you hydrated and sober.)
3. Check out all the appetizers before you begin grazing. You won’t be full when you discover your favorite treat in the next room.
4. When you’re full, walk away from the food area. Out of sight, out of mouth:)
5. Arrange for a ride home if you over-imbibe. You and every life you spared will be grateful in the morning.
A little off trail climb.
Now’s NOT the time to panic! It’s the time to sit back and assess what the next few weeks are going to look like. So, a few shoulder shrugs and deep breaths please…
Sure, it’s important to make all these magical moments happen. But it’s just as important to understand that much of our holiday stress is self-inflicted. Do you really need to bake 10 batches of grandma’s holiday cookies? Or would it be ok to bake one batch and share the memories with your immediate family. How many holiday cards are necessary? Could you whittle that list? How about the sheer number of gifts you buy to keep things even?
The cost of these additional responsibilities, piled on top of regularly scheduled life can be enormous. I’m not just talking credit card debt here. I’m talking lack of sleep, lack of holiday spirit, lack of wellness. Add a dose of over-indulgence and too tight jeans for an extra layer of discomfort. (I guess there’s no time to exercise until January.)
Now, take another deep breath and envision how to spend your time and energy. I know it can look far more appealing if you plan ahead. Maybe those cards go out for New Years. Maybe a new tradition is a family hike instead of baking all weekend.
Weed out the unnecessary, focus on the people that mean the most to you, and take care of yourself. It’s the greatest gift you can give your loved ones.
Quinoa Flake Hot Cereal. Serve it up like any other warm breakfast cereal. A little sprinkling of cinnamon and dried figs makes it a high protein, iron, and fiber powerhouse.
If you’re not familiar with quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) it’s a South American plant containing all nine essential amino acids and a huge hit of Riboflavin (Vitamin B2). Although it’s treated as a grain, it’s actually more closely related to spinach and beets. It has a mild, nutty flavor and is most commonly found boxed or bagged in the grain section of the grocery store to be prepared like rice. (Another bonus of this gem is the shorter cooking time.)
But many specialty stores also carry quinoa flour and flakes. I find mine at Global Foods in Kirkwood. If you can’t find it, ask your store to carry it. It’s an inexpensive and easy way to fuel your body. For breakfast, drizzle it with honey and almonds, for lunch and dinner, add it to your veggie stir-fry or favorite fall soup, serve it as a pilaf, make a quinoa salad.
You already know that healthy living comes from a diet rich in natural grains, fruits and veggies. Time to add this one to the list.
Need a quick and healthy sandwich idea? This sauteed portobello, red pepper, and onion sandwich on kalamata bread took about 5 minutes to make. A sprinkling of parmesan cheese and leaf lettuce finish it off fabulously.
And if you think you can’t prep a good sandwich because you don’t keep fresh veggies stocked, think again. Peppers, onions, carrots, and a load of other fresh ingredients keep in the fridge for long periods of time. For layers of flavor, slice them thinly and saute in a little olive oil. (I use an oil sprayer to control the quantity and distribute evenly.)
One pan, one cutting board, one knife. Guaranteed faster, healthier, and tastier than any drive thru fatty alternative.
How can you make lifestyle changes if you don’t recognize the habits that need to change? A reality check might make you squirm a little, but squirming is good if it leads to positive changes.
Sometimes all it takes is the gentle reminder from a food journal that our eating is out of whack. Maybe it’s the portion size, or maybe it’s the “splurge” that’s taking place three times a week. “I don’t eat desserts often” can turn into “Look how many desserts I ate this week!”
In an ideal world, it would make sense to break down every ingredient in every dish at every meal for itemized caloric values. But let’s face it, most of us don’t have ideal schedules, which is why the extra weight is there in the first place! So rather than feeling frustrated over your lack of time, why not just track your intake in a simpler way to jump start your diet makeover.
Food journaling can be as complicated or simple as you want it to be. For medical purposes it may be necessary to count calories with a dietitian, but it’s easier to start off in a simpler fashion if you’re just looking to make a few corrections for weight or training purposes. Some of the phone apps for tracking are pretty labor intensive, taking a great deal of time to locate the ingredients on the drop down menu. (Journaling shouldn’t take longer than the consumption part!)
Use a spiral notebook if you like paper journaling. You can find some cute journals at book stores and online. Or just start a word or excel document in a blog fashion, noting breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks, posting most recent at the top of the page. If the portion size was out of the norm, make a note about it. If you’re stress eating, write it down. This is how patterns are identified and corrected on the simplest level.
Be honest, including all beverages, as sometimes a small change in beverage consumption can lead to significant improvement. For instance, multiple cups of morning coffee can contribute to multiple bakery breaks. And you already know what extra alcohol consumption can do to our common sense gene. (“Yes, I ate the whole pizza”)
Finally, find a partner to swap journals with. Share a blog, email each other, pass your journal across the lunch table. You’ll get feedback, you’ll see someone else’s challenges, and you’ll have an accountability factor. Try it for 30 days. And if you can’t recognize your weak spots, find a dietitian or weight management consultant to help steer you in the right direction. 80% of you probably know what foods to choose, but forget to practice it daily. Writing them down will keep you focused and kick start your correction.
Remember, it’s YOUR health tool. Use it or set it on the shelf next to your Ab Roller.
Dear Lewis and Clark, It’s the eve of your final race, so I’m sure you’re busy with last minute details, but I wanted to let you know I’m thinking about you even though I won’t be there tomorrow. You probably don’t remember me telling you this when I picked up my race packet in ‘06, but you were my first half marathon. You see, I’d done 5k and 10k’s before, but I always left the big ones for the elite athletes. They were real runners, and I was just a 5k kinda girl.
Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks for making me feel like an important part of your event. You referred to me as a half marathoner when I came into your store, even when I mentioned I probably couldn’t run the whole thing. And you talked to me like I had potential, and you gave me permission to be a giddy 47 year old newbie.
The final mile is etched in my brain (and framed on my desk of course). I wanted to walk that nasty little hill at mile 12 - by the way, who puts a hill one mile before the finish line? - but I couldn’t because your race volunteers yelled “You can do it!” and they knew more about running than me, right?
I put my head down (bad idea noted) so I didn’t have to see how far it was to the top. I saw the guys handing out beer and I thought about throwing up and I thought about the finish line and then the hill was done.
I think I put my arms up in the air like a Gold medalist as I crossed the finish line, although my photo doesn’t remember it that way. Maybe I was sweating, maybe I was crying, but I was definitely an elitist half marathon runner in that single moment.
Thanks for your warm spirit and mostly flat course. And best wishes for a strong final run tomorrow.
Lisa, half marathoner
You might be cooking like me and I’m sorry.
You see, a favorite past time of mine includes wading through pages of recipes. Cookbooks, magazines, online databases. Even if I have no intention of making the three layer coconut lime cake, I’ll read the ingredient list and directions, making a mental note of the ingredients I have on hand. (Just in case I run into an emergency need-a-cake situation). I love the professional photos that almost let you taste the softened butter frosting.
The reality is that I cook very few of the recipes I find most enjoyable to read. I love lamb, but rarely cook it at home. Duck? No one does it like Sidney Street Cafe, so I allow them to retain their crown. In fact, I rarely prepare meat at home, so it’s a bit of a treat to savor it elsewhere. Sure, we grill chicken and the occasional steak, but the vast majority of my recipes involve vegetables. Pasta primavera, wild rice soup, quinoa stuffed peppers.
I didn’t realize how predictably mundane my cooking had become until our youngest son, Jacob, came home from college and asked if I ever put three separate dishes on a plate anymore. “You know, meat, a starch and a vegetable - not mixed together!” Ooh, that stung. It seems I’m known as the sauteed/roasted veggie queen, with little else appealing to hungry carnivores.
So a few weeks ago, I began purchasing andouille sausage from my farm share mercantile. I added it to my sauteed veggies and stuffed peppers. Still no rave reviews except those from my hubby, who will eat anything I place before him. (“Mmm, this is delicious. I like how you blended summer squash and spicy sausage into your winter recipe.”)
With steel determination, I took a greater leap last week. That’s right, huge, juicy burgers (Couldn’t bring myself to purchase the gigantic enriched flour buns, so I lost points for the whole grain skinny buns.) Then homemade baked fries, grilled eggplant, and a salad. Three dishes on one plate with a bonus salad bowl!
Proud as a male peacock (the female is so drab), I carried my overloaded plate to the patio and reveled in the multiple choices before me. As I chewed, I thought of the tasty recipes I used to make and envisioned grand additions to my fall menus. Parties, accolades, Iron Chef invitations.
Jacob left for school this week, so I threw together a summer vegetable stew with the leftover andouille sausage.
Baby steps…
