Finding Motivation

I’ve been eating pretty well for over a year now. I find motivation in food itself (delicious, organic, seasonal produce, sometimes out of my own back yard, and well raised meat, etc.), T.V. shows like Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution and other blogs, websites, articles and books. The biggest motivator though, is the way I feel. I feel good when I eat well. I’ve been doing it long enough, that it’s become a lifestyle.

What I can’t seem to find motivation for is regular, daily exercise (other than working in my small garden, playing with the kids, household chores, etc. – all of which are exercise, but not vigorous enough for me anymore). Lately it feels like my muscles are deteriorating. And, now that I’m well into my thirties, my bones are probably beginning to deteriorate as well. I’ve noticed some weakness in my joints, which I find unacceptable at my age. I’m eating a healthy diet and my weight is fine, so that leaves me thinking I’m just wimpy, physically unfit. I need to bulk up so that my muscles can take some of the load off of my joints. My youthful flexibility is dwindling too. The years are beginning to catch up with me. Flexibility and strength can no longer be taken for granted. I’ll have to work for it.  Exercise is no longer an option. It’s a necessity.

So last week I did some soul searching. Why can’t I get my butt in gear? I can do lots of other things for my health – eat well, get more sleep, even stay moderately active. So what is my hang up in getting in a daily workout? I think it boils down to this: I just don’t want to give up an hour a day. That hour could be spent doing something else. Something less physically demanding and yet more productive like work,  gardening, cooking or spending time with the kids.

Regular daily workouts require a commitment. Doing it two or three times a week is probably enough for most people, and something is better than nothing. But I know myself well enough to know that if I don’t do it every day (or nearly every day),  it’s not going to give me the results and structure I need to form a habit and keep me motivated.

Years ago, when I was exercising regularly, I’d wake up early and sneak in a workout. Now I get up early to get in a couple hours of work before the kids wake. I realize though, that I have to do both. Simply because it’s necessary. Because if I don’t, I’m going to be nothing but skin and bones, which is just as debilitating as being overweight. When I’m just starting out, exercise is hard on my ankles, wrists and knees. In the past I’ve used this as an excuse to stop, but now I see it as motivation to keep going.

Exercise isn’t just good for physical fitness. It’s a mood booster. I feel empowered, strong and determined after a workout, which is why I prefer to do it first thing in the morning. It’s better than coffee. I feel it in my core. I walk taller, stand straighter and I just feel strong – mind, body and soul. Isn’t that motivation enough?

In short – yes! So I’m digging deep. I’ve been waking up even earlier every morning so I can do yoga or toning exercises. I’ve dusted off my old DVD’s (I almost got rid of those during the big purge) and I’m committed. It’s much too soon to pat myself on the back, but I think it’s going to stick this time. Something “clicked” this morning. I actually remembered how good it feels to be in the habit of exercising regularly. In a month or so I know I’ll be a little stronger. Wielding the shovel in the garden will be a piece of cake and I’ll be able to keep up with my kids. My body and mind will thank me. Besides, after just a few days, I’m already feeling pretty great – a little sore – but still, pretty damn great.

My Sweet Tooth Returns – Sugar Really Is Like Crack!!

Every time I think I have it under control, it comes back. I don’t even realize it’s happening until I’m feeling icky, moody and have gained a couple pounds. And just in time for bathing suit season, no less!! Sugar addiction is a real thing, and it has me rethinking everything I’ve learned so far. For over a year now I’ve read countless articles, books, essays and blogs about nutrition and food (some insightful, some misleading) and it always seems to come back to sugar. Could this one thing be at the root of America’s health problems?

We all know that added sugar isn’t good for us, but I truly believe the situation is much worse than that. Most of us are suffering from sugar addiction. And I believe that most of us are in denial that the problem even exists. The average American eats 156 pounds of sugar each year. That is the equivalent of 31 five-pound bags a year – 7 ounces (just under a cup) a day. Most of the time we don’t even know we’re eating sugar. Prepackaged, processed foods, even savory foods, are laced with it.

There is enough evidence out there to say that sugar affects us in the same way drugs do. It’s mood altering, addictive and withdrawal symptoms occur when it’s taken away. I won’t to go as far as to say that sugar is equivalent to cocaine, but they are worth comparing. Remember that cocaine was once legal and also remember that it was one of the original ingredients and the inspiration for the name of America’s favorite drink. It was later outlawed and removed from the drink, but (interestingly) the amount of sugar in sodas and other junk food has gradually increased over the decades. I can’t help but wonder whether Coke, Nabisco, Kraft and other big names in the food industry (including fast food restaurants) will one day face law suits for covering up and down playing the addictive quality and health risks of sugar, similar to those faced by Phillip Morris and the tobacco industry.  I believe those companies know just how addictive sugar is. And they know that putting it in their food will keep us (and has kept us) all coming back for more.

Enough about added sugar and the dirty dealings of the food industry for now. That’s not the only place sugar is found. While whole fruit (not peeled, dried, candied, juiced, fruit sauce, etc.) is good for you, it does contains fructose (sugar), so there is a such thing as too much fruit. Milk also contains sugar. Unfortunately, in our society, our sweet tooth is so out of scale with nature and our bodies ability to metabolize sugar, that most of us probably don’t even really consider these whole foods to be sugary.

When sugar is eaten with the entire, original package – as delivered by nature (fat in the case of milk and skin, pulp, etc. in the case of fruit and veggies) – we’re much better off. We ingest less sugar because the fiber, fat and even the water in these foods fill us up and tell our brains that we’ve had enough. Dried fruit on the other hand, with water removed, or applesauce without the fibrous peel isn’t going fill us up until we’ve already ingested too much sugar. A couple of dried apricots halves aren’t going to be enough for most of us. But one whole, fresh apricots might just do the trick. The same goes with milk. If you drink a glass of  whole milk you’ll be more satisfied than you would if you drank the same amount of skim milk. The amount of sugar is the same in skim and whole milk (12 grams per cup). If you like it thin… I don’t know. Add water to it? Then at least you’re also cutting down the sugar.

Here’s something else to consider. There are about 145 calories in a cup of whole milk, versus 90 calories in a cup of skim. So only a third more calories – only 55 more calories per cup . The nutritive value is well worth the extra calories. Another way to look at this is that you could actually drink less milk if you drink nutrient dense whole milk in place of skim, and you’d save money. Milk costs the same per gallon whether you buy skim, 2% or whole. This is yet another example of how buying the real, whole, nutrient dense food is actually cheaper, not more expensive, than it’s processed, refined counterparts. And yes, skim milk is processed, refined whole milk.

But back to the crack. Sugar’s drug-like qualities aren’t the only reason we should avoid it. Simply put, we should be getting the greatest amount of nutrients for the least amount of calories. Study after study shows that limiting calories has the greatest impact on weight loss, health and longevity. And sugar has the least amount of nutrients for the greatest amount of calories. Added sugar, especially refined sugars like sucrose (table sugar) and high fructose corn syrup (because it’s the cheapest, most widely used sweetener in the food industry) and even sugar substitutes have no place in our diet. No diet – anywhere… ever – recommends added sugar. Natural sugars, like honey and evaporated cane juice (still added sugar), may have some nutritive value, but still are nowhere near worth the calories. The only sugar we should be consuming should come from whole, natural foods like fruit and milk.

Play with Your Food.

You probably already know I love food, but cooking from scratch… is like playing with my food. When I was a kid I loved to get in the kitchen and play. Most everyone I know (including my kids) loved it too. I remember coating a spoonful of peanut butter in crumbled Oreos as a kid and thinking it was the best creation – ever! While the combination of Oreos and peanut butter still sounds pretty tasty, I can’t imagine eating that now. When you’re a kid, you’re limited to what your parents have stocked in the kitchen and to what appliances you are capable or allowed to use.  As adults, we don’t have these limits.

And here’s the icing on the cake. You learn so much when you cook from scratch. If you’ve always eaten something out of box you may not even know what’s in it or what cooking methods are used to make it. And believe me – you can find a recipe for nearly everything you can buy in a box or bag. Brownies are so easy to make from scratch, yet I never even bothered to look at a recipe until about a year ago. There are only a few ingredients, most of which anyone would already have in their pantry. I’ll never buy boxed brownies again. You’d be surprised how quickly you learn the basics of cooking when you start cooking from scratch. It’s often cheaper to buy the ingredients than it is to buy it prepackaged, and it’s better for you. It does take a little longer than opening a box, but that’s the best part. Really! When food is too easy to prepare (or already prepared), you tend to eat it more often and over indulge. When you slow down and take the time to make it yourself, you really learn to appreciate food. You eat slowly and savor every bite. You eat less and you get to control the quantity and the quality of the ingredients (and eliminate additives, preservatives and excess sugar). Cooking from scratch is gratifying and you might even lose a few pounds – effortlessly.

If the kitchen is my play ground, then the markets are my toy stores. I used to hate going food shopping. Now that the blinders are off, I find new things all the time. Sometimes I take them home to learn more. My favorite places to shop are off the beaten path – farmers markets, specialty markets and less common markets where you find things you’ve never seen before. I’ve learned what eating seasonal and local means and I’m so inspired by it.

Growing your own food seems like a quintessential part of life. Nurturing a plant and then (hopefully) eating the fruits of your labor restores a connection to food that has been lost in America. I’m still amazed at how disconnected this nation is to food. I recently walked through a small greenhouse display and the woman ahead of me was surprised to see how bell peppers grew. I don’t presume to know how everything grows, but I know how most of what I eat grows and I am curious about the rest. And I’m not suggesting we should all know where everything we eat comes from (or am I?).

Bell Peppers

Asparagus

Broccoli

Artichokes

Pineapple

Coffee is made from the roasted seed inside this berry.

Cacao Tree - Chocolate is made from the beans found inside these pods.

And playing with food is more fun when you do it with friends, family – even strangers. Involve them as often as possible. Nothing is more enjoyable than sharing a good time and good food with other people. This summer I plan to let the kids get in on the fun a little more. It’s not like they have anything better to do. Even London (3 years old)  can help.  Our schedule will be more relaxed which means meal times will be less hurried. They can help in the garden, the kitchen and with shopping, and we’ll learn even more together. Maybe by the end of summer, they’ll be able to help with dinner every night. Hell, maybe they’ll be able to cook an entire meal themselves! I’ll just sit back and have a glass of wine while they do it all. That would be nice. And fun for them I think.

Fed Up with Food Restrictions

I’m really, really hating the food restrictions (gluten free and casein free). I know my last couple of posts sounded so positive and I’ve been trying really hard to be optimistic about the whole thing, but it’s wearing me down. It’ exhausting! Saying “no” to the kids (and myself) too often, finding gluten free substitutes for staples like bread and crackers (which so far taste horrible and are unbelievably  expensive), searching for gluten free recipes, missing warm, chewy bread… homemade ice cream and yogurt, macaroni and cheese… And you know what else? The second ingredient in soy sauce is wheat. Who knew!? (Hello? My mother is Korean… We use soy sauce at least a couple times a week.) I had no clue that gluten is in so many things – things I never would have even thought to check, like soy sauce. This gluten free thing may not go on much longer. Totally eliminating gluten doesn’t feel well balanced. This has been an eye opening experience and we’ll never go back to eating as much gluten as we were before, but my gut is telling me that a little is okay. All things in moderation…

I’ve been loosening up on the dairy a little (reintroducing it) to see if it negatively affects Linsey. A little goat cheese here. A little cottage cheese there. A little ice cream here and there. Sadly, she’s been getting stomach aches and digestive issues shortly after eating these foods. There also seems to be a slight increase in irritability and behavioral issues, but I can’t be sure.  She is so aware of the effects herself that she’s been reminding us that she should not eat dairy. She even admitted that she got a stomach ache after having a pretty small amount of ice cream. For her to admit that, is a major step on her part. I think the connection has been made for her and skipping dairy won’t be hard for her anymore. (Though I’m sure there will be occasions when she won’t be able to resist and will be willing to risk a stomach ache for something really yummy, like a little bit of ice cream. I think very small amounts every now and then are still okay.)

In light of the fact that she is most likely intolerant to casein (dairy), once we get her all better and give her a week or two to really make sure her gut has completely healed, we’re going to reintroduce some gluten and see what happens. My guess is that small amounts will be okay.

Now just some random stuff…

These came in the mail this week.

I’m looking forward to making my very own vanilla extract, vanilla sugar and having real vanilla beans to flavor foods (like ice cream)!

Here’s something else I love:

I had tons of mint growing in a container out front and I had to do something with it quick.  Having this mint infused simple syrup around is making it really difficult to drink unsweetened green tea. And do you see that wad of mint leaves that was left over? I worked really hard to fight an urge to put that in my mouth like chew (or dip, or whatever it’s called) to get the remaining sweet, minty syrup out of it before tossing it in the compost. I had a little argument in my head while I cleaned up the rest of my culinary mess: Don’t be ridiculous. If you stick that in your mouth, you’ve gone over the deep end. But wait… in the interest of frugality, using every morsel of food and not being wasteful… maybe I should. It took a couple or ten, fifteen minutes to come to my senses, but of course I couldn’t resist – and I’m not ashamed to admit it. It was unimaginably delicious and took me by surprise. I literally had to stop what I was doing, lean against the counter and savor the thing. I’d do it again (and probably will). I even pondered duplicating this in some way as candy. Maybe… candied mint leaves? This was definitely the best candy I’ve ever had! Pondering again…

This is not purple broccoli. It’s purple cauliflower. (I’ve had to repeat this several times to my family.)  I love how the farmers market broadens our view of food. Good luck finding it in the grocery store. Beautiful and yummy!

More goodies from the farmers market. I split these carrots in half, tossed them in a little olive oil, honey, salt and pepper, then threw them in a grill pan and roasted them in the oven. They were good enough to be eaten for dessert. Carrots lose their flavor quickly after being harvested and these are fresher than any you’ll find at the grocery store.

Proof my garden is organic. There are no pesticides here. I don’t mind sharing. There is plenty for everyone!

Food my kids love:

Guilt Free Banana Popsicles: Cut a banana in half, insert popsicle sticks and freeze for at least 2 hours (longer is better). My kids also love frozen grapes pierced with toothpicks. (Thanks mom!)

And of course their very favorite – kettle corn – a traditional part of our family movie nights!