Like it or not, Facebook and all of its colloquialisms has woven its way into our vernacular. “Friending” is an especially ubiquitous FB term. Suddenly we’re “friending” and “unfriending” people left and right. Some friends we know, some we don’t, and some are friends we thought we knew - until we read their FB posts. That’s when the “unfriending” option is particularly handy.

That got me thinking about other things people may friend or unfriend. Like food.

It’s not uncommon for people to be wary of friending food. It’s almost as if they’re afraid to get too close, that the food will somehow take advantage of them, like a friend that always takes and never gives (NOT a true friend, btw).

Perhaps they feel that friending food will lead to a loss of self control. Keeping food at arms length offers protection from eating the wrong thing, eating too much of the wrong thing, feeling uncomfortably full, gaining weight.

You know that old saying, the “wrong side of the tracks”? Remember when parents used to warn their kids about getting involved with THOSE kinds of people, because it could only lead to no good? I regularly see people in my private practice who follow that same line of thinking, only it’s about food.

Friending foods from the right side of the tracks, you know, the “good” foods, assures us that our diets will be virtuous, our bellies flat, and our jeans skinny.

Friending foods from the wrong side of the tracks, foods that are “bad” for you, but oh-so-much-fun, can only lead to no good; weight gain, pudgy bellies, goodbye skinny jeans.

Surrounding yourself with friends (virtual or not) who support you and make you feel good is a smart move. You are the company that you keep. Same with food.

But think through your list of friends. I’m certain you have many who are reliable, predictable, and “good” for you, yet I’m also pretty sure you can think of one or two who are crazy, adventurous, and get you to do things waaayyy outside of your comfort zone. And it’s fun. And it doesn’t make them “bad” for you.

You may only be able to take those crazy friends in small doses - too much of a good thing, and all that. Friends, like food, are best when balanced. You see them occasionally, and enjoy the heck out of your time together - no regrets, no bad feelings.

Try applying that logic to food. It’s the same principle as occasionally eating cookies, a slice of pie, or French fries. Once-in-awhile will not make you gain weight, your diet “unhealthy”, or your skinny jeans too tight. 

So consider “friending” all food; enjoying it with no regrets, and no bad feelings.

It almost seems like a lifetime ago, but in reality, just three weeks have passed since I ran the Chicago Half Marathon on September 11.

The weather couldn’t have been more perfect (look at those blue skies), from packet pickup on Saturday to crossing the finish line Sunday morning.

I kept up a steady pace throughout and finished in 2:15 - with gas left in my tank! Not that I WANTED to keep running, but my training and nutrition paid off, and I could have if I’d needed to. I was happy with my overall time - I truly wasn’t out to break any records. Especially because this was my first half marathon, my goal was simply to finish strong and check it off my “things I’d like to accomplish in my lifetime” list.

A funny thing happened, though. Somewhere around mile 8, my brother’s voice came into my head; “You’re going to get addicted and want to run more”. I hate it when he’s right.

Although I’m not sure I would use the word addicted, I’m certainly up for more. Winter in Chicago is not my favorite running season, and it’s just around the corner. So I’ll set my sights on post-winter events (yes Michael, if you’re reading this, I’ll join you in Champaign/Urbana in April 2012 :).

Ladies, if running a race is on your list of things to accomplish, go for it! Don’t be intimidated by the men, all of the other runners who will finish ahead of you, or your own head.

Here are a few very basic “get started” training tips:

1. Pick a manageable distance; a 5K race (3.1 miles) is great. Make sure the race date is far enough out to give you ample time to train; at least 8 weeks.
2. If you currently aren’t running, start by alternating walking 2 minutes with running 2 minutes for 15-30 minutes (depending on your level of conditioning).
3. Don’t run every day - recovery days are critical for saving your body and building strength.
4. Always, always warm up before you break into a run. Get the blood flowing, your muscles warm, and your joints lubricated - you don’t want to get injured before you even get started.
5. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate - before, during, after.
6. Have fun - happy running!

The title of this blog is the title of a 10-week program I’ll be co-facilitating September 15 - November 17, 2011, 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

A little background on how this program came to be. . .

I specialize in working with women age 40 plus. So many of my clients have learned, somewhere along their life’s journey, to use food as a coping mechanism for uncomfortable feelings, emotions and situations. They “stuff” their feelings, numb themselves with food, procrastinate or disengage with a food diversion or obsession - all the while thinking, “If I could just lose weight, my life would be on track”. 

So they call my nutrition therapy practice looking for help in losing weight. It doesn’t take long before I tease out the true issues. 

Being overweight is a SYMPTOM of what’s burbling beneath the surface. Staying on the same destructive path of eating, gaining weight, dieting, failing the diet, eating, gaining weight, dieting, failing the diet doesn’t resolve anything.

A couple of years ago I was fortunate to meet a wonderful therapist, Katherine Walker. We’ve since worked together referring clients back and forth, collaborating in our efforts to move clients toward a place of healing. Out of this work came the idea to develop a program that draws on both of our strengths.

If you suspect that you may be struggling with these same issues and are looking for a safe, supportive, nurturing environment in which to explore this scary place - click below for more information.

“Discovering Your Healthy Hunger - How To Stop Eating Your Feelings”

There are still spaces available. We would love to have you join us to experience the power of group support, guided self-exploration, and a safe exit off that destructive path.

I clearly remember, way back in 1992, when the original food guide pyramid made its debut. I had just gone back to college to earn my nutrition degree and RD. I went to school at night, worked in corporate America by day. 

The building cafeteria placed pyramid table tents all around, and my co-workers asked what I thought of the new symbol. Taking only pre-requisite classes at that time, I, of course, had no training whatsoever in nutrition - but I did have an opinion.

I thought that it was an interesting way to bring the topic of nutrition to the public, but I wasn’t certain how helpful it would be - it seemed a little complicated. And that proved to be the case. Americans just couldn’t seem to translate the pyramid info into real-life servings and balanced meals - even after it underwent a revision. In fact, once I became an RD and began to teach the FGP, I found it challenging for people to apply.

Fast forward almost 20 years (yikes!) and we’re giving it another go, this time with a simpler approach. Since the introduction of that original pyramid, Americans have gotten heavier, more out of shape, nutrition related diseases are on the rise, and most people would welcome a useful tool to help them adopt healthier eating habits. Is MyPlate that tool? Time will tell.

But I love that it’s simple. Nutrition doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does have to be realistic. A plate is realistic and familiar, a pyramid is a destination, and for many, an unattainable one at that; not helpful in changing unhealthy habits!

So we may be onto something; stay tuned. Here’s an overview of the plate and the actionable guidelines that go along with it:

When was the last time you went an entire week without using your microwave? Assuming you HAVE a microwave. For the sake of simplicity, let’s just assume that most every U.S. household (and beyond), has one. Standing at the ready to heat leftovers, melt chocolate, or actually “cook” food, the microwave is easy to take for granted. Except when it’s broken.

Since our 2003 kitchen remodel, our KitchenAid stainless steel microwave had reliably done it’s duty. I spent last Saturday afternoon whipping up my version of Mark Bittman’s “Pinto Beans Enchilada-Style” from How To Cook Everything Vegetarian http://content.markbittman.com/books/how-to-cook-everything-vegetarian, with the microwave in full-on heat/melt/warm-up mode.

But sometime during the night, it met its demise. Other commitments on Sunday prevented us from dropping everything to replace it - and that’s when the challenge began.

My husband took to re-heating his coffee in a pan on the stove, with me heating dinner “planned-overs” in the same way. Not difficult, mind you, but the “just nuke it” habit was certainly put on hold.

Thankfully, we picked out a replacement yesterday. After quadruple checking the dimensions to be certain it would fit into the microwave cubby, who would have thought about a bulky vs. flat plug-in and the extra space it would require. . . .grrrrrr.

Welcome to 2011!

I hope the New Year finds you rested and replenished from time spent enjoying the holiday season with family and friends.

The holiday season is always a whirlwind of activity; so much shopping, so much merry-making, festivity-attending and fun, so much cooking, baking and tasting – so much it’s almost too much!

Now that things are quieting down, are you digging out from beneath the excess only to find you’re a few pounds heavier, a bit deconditioned, and generally feeling drained and depleted?

Here are a few things to remember and tips for getting back on nutritional track:

1.      You didn’t let go of your healthy eating and exercise habits overnight, so don’t expect to bounce back in a couple of days. If you spent Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day gobbling excess calories and skipping your exercise, realize that it may be close to the same amount of time (mid-late February) before you’re back to where you started. Sort of makes a strong case for not letting go completely in the first place, right? (Note to self for next year.)

2.       Identify where you can make the most impact through calorie reduction. If you’ve enjoyed Christmas cookies every day for the last few weeks, that’s several hundred extra calories slashed from your diet already. Just getting the excess sugar and fat out of your diet will make you feel better by reducing cravings and increasing energy.

3.       Focus on three, balanced meals each day. I know that prevailing wisdom is to eat 5 – 6 times per day, but in my experience that doesn’t work well for everyone. Eat three,  400 – 600 calorie meals, and if you’re truly hungry between meals add one to two 150-calorie snacks (otherwise, skip ‘em). You’ll stay satisfied and satiated rather than under or overeating, and the structure of that eating pattern also helps regulate appetite.

4.      Leftover candy/cookies/treats? Dump ‘em or donate ‘em. I also suggest putting them in the freezer (out of sight, out of mouth), but for some people that’s not far enough. Replace the junk with with low calorie, high nutrition, filling, fiber-rich foods; fruit, vegetables, dried beans and legumes, whole grain crackers and breads, lowfat dairy products, and healthy fats like nuts and canola and olive oil. Make pots of bean soup, fruit-based desserts, and snack on high fiber cereal and milk, lowfat cheese or yogurt, high fiber crackers and nut butters, and raw or steamed veggies and dip.

When you see the word “natural” on a food package, does it make you feel like the food is somehow healthier or better for you? That was the concensus among attendees at this morning’s “Get Fit Friday: WALK & TALK” session. Thankfully, these are savvy consumers; they are frequently skeptical of just how “natural” the product truly is.  And they should be!

Food companies know that “natural” makes a difference in how their products sell; in 2008, “natural” products made up 23 percent of new products featured worldwide. In the U.S., one-third of new products carried the “all natural” claim (source; “Read It Before You Eat It.” Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, CDM). Yet the FDA has no set definition for the word “natural”, so essentially companies can toss the word onto just about any food label. That leaves you on your own to determine the actual healthfulness.

My advice? Read beyond the pretty, natural-looking packaging; check out the ingredient list to be certain that natural product isn’t loaded with added sugars, unhealthy fats, artificial colors and flavors, or preservatives - you’ll be suprised at how many are. And remember, “natural” potato chips are still potato chips; the calories, fat, and sodium are typically the same as any other “unnatural” chip!

When you travel, do you struggle to keep your eating habits “normal”? Do you veer waayy off track, then take weeks to get back to a balanced eating rhythm? If so, you’re not alone.

Eating outside of our regular, familiar routine can challenge even the healthiest eaters. Maybe it will help to consider the following: 1. out of town travels are temporary, and a few days of eating richer, higher calorie foods than you normally do won’t make you “unhealthy” 2. look for every opportunity to eat healthy, like grabbing 100% fruit juice if there’s no whole fruit available, asking for extra lettuce/tomato/onion on a sandwich, ordering a double serving of vegetables with lunch or dinner, taking every opportunity to down H2O (look for water fountains!).

Keep it simple, try your best to stay focused on healthy choices, and give yourself permission to explore regional cuisine and “fun foods”, knowing that your tried and true “normal” eating routine will be waiting for you when you return!