Get Yourself a Cheap Piece of Meat

But, you know I want it to be good quality.
I am stealing this post from the folks at Whole9 who were kind enough to share this awesome post about the different types of meat that we could choose to spare some change.

Eat Up!
http://fuelasrx.blogspot.com/2011/03/buying-meat-on-budget.html

Get into the Games!

You all know I love the Games Fever, and 'tis the season.
Some of you have jumped into a competition, others are considering participating in their first via the Open.

Lemme tell ya ~ Just Do It!

Bring $10 and show up. Give it your all. Whatever you have that day. It does not matter how prepared you feel, how competitive you will be. Just be there. And get sweaty. CrossFit is an amazing community. Competitions are one more element. You deserve to feel completely involved.

And, just so ya know, it is not just me that is a competition junkie knowing full well that I will not be standing on a podium at the end, read this!

Sick - Digest This!

http://whole9life.com/2011/02/stm-feed-a-cold/

'Tis the season. It seems like we are all getting sick, or getting over being sick. Here you will find reasons why you should not go completely off of your food plan JUST because you don't feel well.

There are recipes to keep you full, rationale to keep you on track, and humor too.

Eat Up!

Love the one you’re with! The people AND the food choice

Click this, allow it to play in the background while you read through this amazingly simple yet impressive Dinner.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5IVuN1N6-Y

Today is a great day for you to love whoever it is you are with, and love your food. This menu is easy people. I will walk you through step by step just in case I have any tips that might serve you well. Most of the time I post a recipe for a side dish, an entree, or maybe a salad that is an entree. This post is long. Hang in there, it is worth it. This is a full meal.

Balsamic Roasted Chicken with Cripsy Seasoned Potatoes and Spaghetti Squash tossed with red peppers.

The roasted chicken recipe was inpsired by the Balsamic Roast Chicken recipe found in the Clean Eating Magazine, May/June 2010 edition. The basic spaghetti squash instructions can be found here: http://killyourcoward.blogspot.com/2010/10/eat-some-spaghetti.html
The Crispy Potatoes are based on a recipe found in the Cusine at Home Magazine.

Love your Food Plan. Love this Menu. Love how easy it is to prepare. Share it with someone you Love!

I would say this takes an hour and half to prepare. Enjoy the adventure! (Servings - 3/4 cup chicken, 1/2 cup potatoes, 1/2 cup spaghetti squash)
For that effort you will get about: 319 calories, 10 g total fat (3 g saturated fat and 5 g monosaturated fat, 5 g polyunsaturated fat), 93 mg cholesterol, 537 mg sodium, 23 g carb, 4 g fiber, and 34 g protein.


Gather the Goodies!

For the Roasted Chicken

1. One whole chicken. About 5 pounds is plenty big.
2. Aluminum Foil
3. Large Roasting Pan, and a rack if you have one.
4. salt
5. 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
6. About 3 feet of cooking string (butcher's twine) (Kid's kite string will work great, if it is clean.)
7. 1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
8. Black pepper
9. 4 tsp olive oil
10. Small bowl
11. 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

For the Spaghetti Squash

1. 1 spaghetti squash
2. Baking dish with cover.
3. Olive Oil
4. Salt and Pepper
5. 1 tsp. garlic
6. 1 red pepper

For the Crispy Potatoes

1. 1 1/2 pound of russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes. (If you do this prep in advance, store them in water so they do not brown in the open air.)
2. 1/3 cup vegetable oil
3. Large non stick skillet
4. 1 tsp dried thyme
5. Salt and pepper to taste
6. Collander to catch your boiled potatoes
7. Clean kitchen towel to rest your boiled potatoes on so they dry
8. Large pot of cool and salted water

Get Cooking!

1. Get the chicken out of the fridge, out of its bag and rinsed well inside and out. You need to get your hand all over the inside of that bird and make sure you remove any hearts, giblets, livers, and whatever else the butcher stuffed in there. If there is a neck still hanging on, cut it off. Allow your bird to air dry for a bit while you work on your oven. Wash your hands please.
2. You are going to need room in your oven to cook that bird in a roasting pan and the squash in a covered dish. Arrange your racks accordingly before the oven gets hot. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
3. Start by prepping your spaghetti squash. Follow the previous post listed above. Cut it in half, remove seeds, place in a large baking dish, add about a half inch of water to the dish to make the cooking process go quicker, drizzle olive oil and spread, season with salt and pepper, and add garlic if you want.
4. Clean and chop that red pepper. Set it aside for now.
5. Next, work on getting your chicken in the oven. Your bird is clean, empty of extra parts, and no longer dripping wet.
6. Line the chicken roasting pan with aluminum foil. You will hate me if you skip this step. Ask my mom.
7. Rub the bird all over, front and back, with 2 tbsp of olive oil. On the breast side, loosen the skin by poking your fingers in and around. Go easy, but keep at it. Wash your hands now please.
8. In a small bowl combine the thyme, rosemary, 1 tsp salt and several grinds of pepper. Pour half of your herb mixture into your hand and rub that under the breast skin right onto the actual breast meat.
9. The remainder of your herb mix goes all over the outside of your bird, front and back. Feel free to put a little inside the chicken, too.
10. Drizzle the chicken with the balsamic vinegar.
11. Ok, the chicken is almost perfect for roasting. Put it in your roasting pan, on the rack if you have it.
12. See how his wings and drumsticks are loose and could flop around?
13. To make this bird cook evenly, you do need to truss it. The idea is to tie him all together. Never done that? Go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KECQggg-Rvk
14. It is finally time to cook. Get the bird and the squah in your oven. Set a timer for 25 minutes.
15. The bird and squash are cooking, and you have the chopped red pepper set aside. We need to work on those cubed potatoes now.
16. Boil the potatoes in the salted water for about 5 minutes. You want them to be fork tender.
17. Drain them well and then dry them.
18. Now you get to wait for that timer to go off. When the timer does go off, check on your chicken. Is it pretty and brown? If not, continue cooking uncovered until it is. This may take another 10 minutes, but not much longer than that.
19. Once the chicken is browned well, cover with aluminum foil and set the timer for 25 more minutes.
20. Add the red peppers to the wells of your spaghetti squash.
21. Again, you are on a break. Start cleaning up your kitchen and setting your table. If get your beverages prepped and update your FB status. By now your kitchen should smell amazing and you should feel all proud of your Betty Crocker self.
22. When the timer goes off again pull the squash out of the oven carefully. Don't forget about that water that is in the bottom of the pan; don't let it splash you. Is the squash fork tender? If not, put it back in the oven. If your water has evaporated, add more.
23. Check the chicken to see if it is done. Mom taught me a cool trick so I did not have to use a meat thermometer. (Sticking a thermometer in the bird releases juices, making them dry.) Twist the drumstick. Gosh, be careful. That bird is HOT! The drumstick is probably tied up but it will still twist only a bit. Just rotate it clockwise. Does it release easily from the joint or does it resist? I promise, when it releases you will know it. If it resists then not much is happening and you may feel unsure. That means it is not done. Bake it longer.
24. When the Chicken is done, pull it from the oven and leave it covered.
25. When the squash is done, pull it from the oven and remove it from the baking dish. Let it cool while you start crisping those potatoes.
26. In a large nonstick skillet on medium high heat, add vegetable oil. Add the parboiled potatoes and allow them to sautee WITHOUT stirring them for five minutes.
27. This is a great time to prepare your bowl of spaghetti squash. Scoop out the red peppers into your serving dish.
28. If you have time start forking the squash off of its rind.
29. Once the potatoes sauteed for 5 minutes it is time to turn them and cook another 7 minutes or until they are golden brown.
30. Keep working at the squash and toss well to distribute the red peppers throughout. Taste, and add salt and pepper if desired. Congrats, the squash is ready.
31. Place that beautiful bird on a platter. Yeah, you should probably pat yourself on the back now.
32. Once the potatoes are done cooking, transfer them to a serving dish and season them with thyme, salt, and pepper.

It does not matter if you are cooking for you and a parent, you and a loved one, or you and some yummo leftovers. Love where you are, celebrate it. Do it in a healthy way!


Eat up!

Why I participate in CrossFit Competitions

• You do get a T-Shirt.
  


• I am not a competitor, yet. I am unstoppable! My showing up meant there is no such thing as failure. You just have to do YOUR best!


• I know I can’t if I don’t even try.


• I cannot think of a better reason to do 4 workouts in one day.


• Being last in a group this amazing is FINE by me!
  
• Is there a good reason not to? Ha! As if?!?

• It is a challenge. I happen to like a challenge.


• It makes other WODs easier. Knowing that I participated in the physical goat rodeo of the GLI gives me a boost of confidence at the end of any workout.


• I get to watch a lot of other people get sweaty and learn from them.


• I like knowing you were too scared to even try. Yeah, I just said that.


• The Events are amazing – what else amazes you these days?!?


• The camaraderie of the competitors. Good sportsmanship abounds.


• Seeing CF in action – the physical work output is a mind-gasm!


• Seeing CF in action – Yep! This philosophy does work for everyone, even me!


• Because I have a gym crush on April Garner and you can bet your butt she will be competing in the competition.


• The spectators at the Competition relish hard work. They will do these WOD’s later on their own because they are jealous they have not done it yet. But, I did!


• This guy summarizes it pretty well. So, What He Said!


• The other cool kids are doing it. Other 180 folks are starting to catch the Competition Fever.


• Because Brad Garner is my CrossFit Coach and he told me to live life as Rx’d. He says I have passion. That is pretty damn cool!


• Because Amanda Miller can’t anymore. That is one Epic Fail thanks to Melanoma!
  This list was inspired by a Catalyst Gym Blog Post referenced by CFHQ main page.
  

Superfoods

Here are 10 foods everyone should have in their diet:
1. Blueberries. Contain the highest amount of antioxidants per capacity than any other fruit. A great alternative is strawberries. One 53 calorie cup has more vitamin C than an orange. These berries may also help reduce blood pressure and control levels of stress hormones. They are also a great help to ease muscle pain and soreness after one of our WOD's.

2. Red Wine or Beer. (There you go Joy!) They are made with an antioxidant rich plant. Women who drink one drink a day, wine or beer have lower risk of developing high blood pressure than nondrinkers. Beer has also been linked to higher bone density.

3. Almonds or Peanuts. Nuts have been proven to lower both total and bad cholesterol. It can be a great weight loss snack. People who eat peanuts and peanut products tend to have lower BMIs than those who nix them. Stick to one-quarter cup of peanuts or two tablespoons daily.

4. Tomatoes or White Button Mushrooms. These two are very high in antioxidants! Tomatoes are loaded with lycopene which helps protect against cancer and heart disease. Mushrooms contain vitamin D, which aids calcium absorption for strong bones.

5. Flaxseeds or Sunflower Seeds. These seeds are packed with omega-3 fats and fiber. One-quarter cup has three grams of fiber to help keep you full, plus almost half your daily requirement for antioxidant-boosting vitamin E.

6. Broccoli or Cauliflower. Broccoli is packed with vitamin C and may fight cancer. One cup of cauliflower supplies about 3/4 of the vitamin C you need daily.

7. Salmon or Trout. Packed with omega-3's, these foods are the best sources of healthy fatty acids you can find. These fats reduce inflammation, lowering your risk for cardiovascular disease and even easing post-workout soreness. The American Heart Association recommends getting two servings of fatty fish per week; one three-and-a-half-ounce trout fillet give you half the recommended amount.

8. Olive Oil. This oil is rich in monounsaturated fat, which has been shown to fight the dreaded-and dangerous-muffin top. Some experts believe that when this belly fat wraps around your internal organs, it may release fatty acids into your liver and trigger insulin resistance, which is linked to diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

9. Edamame or Black Beans. Edamame supplies four grams of fiber in just a half cup, and a healthy dose of protein. Cooked black beans, which have 7.5 grams of fiber per half cup, get extra points for having tons of healthy plant compounds called phytochemicals.

10. Brown Rice or Barley. Brown rice is a super side dish contains more nutrients, minerals and cholesterol-lowering fiber than its white counterpart. With Barley, you can get 16 grams of fiber per half cup!

New Year's Resolutions

With many of the unrealistic New Year’s resolutions people make, like “I’m giving up sweets,” or “I’m going to work out every day,” it’s no wonder that only 40% to 46% of people who make resolutions will be successful after six months.  To make resolutions that will actually stick (and improve your health and well-being), I’ve included 10 ideas for resolutions you can actually keep.
Small changes = big results. Consider two simple diet substitutions—like a side salad instead of fries and dessert once a week—rather than a complete overhaul of your lifestyle. Simple changes can add up to big health and weight-loss payoffs and are more likely to stick, compared to resolutions that are too restrictive.
Commit. You’ll be more likely to succeed if you write your goal down and put it where it’s visible. You’ll see and read it most days, and sharing your resolution with family and friends adds additional incentive to improve your chances of success.
Limit liquid calories. Since beverages are less filling or satiating than food, limiting your liquid calorie count to 150 a day is one of the easiest ways to cut calories without increasing hunger. Aim for nutritional beverages like antioxidant-rich tea and 100% fruit juice.
Break the fast. Enjoy a daily breakfast of whole-grain cereal to improve your diet, reduce caloric intake, and help with weight loss.
Snack smarter. Choose fruits and veggies as snacks for a big weight-loss payoff. Since snacks currently account for one-quarter of your total calories, produce will help slash between-meal empty calories by filling you up with fiber.
Make a list, check it twice. Make a grocery list for each shopping trip and stick to it to limit impulse purchases that may occur on the snack food aisle. And when you are in the grocery store, stick to the peripheral of the store, where you’ll find fresh produce, lean protein, and whole grains.
Find your inner chef. Eating out less and trying to cook at home will slash calories and fat from your diet.
Write off pounds. Those who track what they eat and how much they exercise lose more weight than those who don’t. Take advantage of online food and exercise logs—sign up for a program and begin documenting what you eat and how much you move. Two of my favorites are LoseIt.com, which is iPhone compatible, and FitDay.com.
Find fitness that fits. Fitness resolutions are among the most likely to fail because they are too rigid and essentially impossible to achieve. Making fitness a part of your daily schedule will aid in your success. Do an activity that you love or try to sign up for fitness events—like 10Ks, marathons, or charity walks.
Have a fall-off-the-wagon plan. Have a strategy for when/if you cheat or break your resolution so that you can get back on track without derailing all of your efforts. Think progress, not perfection.

‘Tis the season for Resolutions

If you spend the slightest amount of time in front of the Televsion, you will notice that it is time to come up with the obligatory list of New Year's Resolutions. It is time to:

Welll... hrmpf! I don’t do Resolutions. To me they are a kissing cousin to a Diet. Kissing a cousin is poor form, and I hate diets. Diets are a short term change from your traditional food plan, that will make adjustment in order for you to hit a goal. I am all for goals. I am big supporter of you hitting your goals. But, that should be a lifestyle. Not a temporary plan. We deserve to consistently succeed. We do not deserve to succeed, go back to our traditional food plan, and then NEED to Diet again. To me, that has FAIL written all over it. I think, instead, your food plan should meet your goals. And your goals should be aligned with the lifestyle you want. And, I bet you want to succeed.

Resolutions, to me at least, are the same as a Diet. Generally they are a flouncy idea built upon some brief thought about the previous year and its disappointments or failures, and then BAM, the list of resolutions is born. Gah! That can’t be good.

I even went to Wikipedia, they agreed with my stance. “Recent research shows that while 52% of participants in a resolution study were confident of success with their goals, only 12% actually achieved their goals. Men achieved their goal 22% more often when they engaged in goal setting, (a system where small measurable goals are being set, such as, a pound a week, instead of saying "lose weight"), while women succeeded 10% more when they made their goals public and got support from their friends. Despite each goal having its own specific rewards and challenges, there are deep commonalities in the mindsets which start change."

I found a link to an interesting post that applies well to people who are interested in setting good goals rather than temporary New Year’s Resolutions. I liked the point made about not just pondering What you want to accomplish, but also Why you do. And, that we should consider What and Why we have accomplished so far. Hmmm… that IS some smarty pants stuff!

• What did you do in 201o? Why?

• What do you want to do in 2011? Why?

When thinking about those goals, continue to use the SMART acronym that many of us have seen before but add in the Why to the mix.

I hope you enjoy the process of establishing some goals, planning to succeed, and them reaching them! I would like to encourage you to go one step further. Consider how empowering it will be to your 2012 goals when you meet the 2011 goals.

Cheers!

Healthy Fats, Proteins, and Carbs

Healthy Fats, Proteins, and Carbs

Healthy Fats

Olive Oil = 1 TBS = 120 cals = 13.5g fat
In order to reap the benefits of olive oil, it should be added to food AFTER the food is cooked. Drizzle on salads and fresh vegetables. Topping a tomato with a bit of olive oil will increase your body's ability to use the lycopene in the tomato. Pretty cool, eh?
Natural Peanut Butter = 1 Tbs = 100 cals = 8g fat
A reasonable serving of natural peanut butter is one tablespoon for a snack and two tablespoons for a meal. Please understand that you must eat the NATURAL peanut butter. Read the ingredients and if it lists hydrogentated anything, put it back on the shelf.
Almonds = 1 oz. (22 whole) = 170 cals = 17g fat
Avoid salted as they are high in sodium. Add a small apple and you have an easy-to-pack, healthy, mid-afternoon snack!
Avocado = 1 medium = 115 cals = 15g fat
Avocados are so yummy! Try them on your salad, on top of black bean soup, with salsa on your eggwhites, or in your tuna wrap. They add a creamy, tasty and satiating bit of fat to your meal so that you stay full until the next feeding.
Ground Flax Seeds = 1 Tbs = 50 cals = 4g fat
I add a tablespoon to my morning oatmeal. It adds a fun, nutty flavor. It's also quite delectible in yogurt or on top of cottage cheese and strawberries.
Flax Seed Oil = 1 Tbs = 115 cals = 15g fat
Combine with balsamic vinegar for a twist on your typical salad dressing. If you are into that whole nutty flavor thing, try substituting it for peanut butter in your protein shakes.
Salmon = 4oz = 200 cals = 9.2 g fat
Salmon is high in protein (19grams per 4oz. serving) and low in carbs (0). It is best to eat it broiled, baked, poached or steamed.

Healthy Proteins
Eating a little high protein food at each meal helps reduce the appetite, plus the body uses energy to convert protein to carbohydrates; a process known as Gluconeogenesis.
If too much protein is consume regularly, then it can be converted to fat (indirectly) and stored, the same as carbohydrates can be converted for fat storage. However, protein contains Nitrogen, an important chemical essential for the production of antibodies, so the body prefers to hold onto this Nitrogen. Thus, protein is more likely to be converted to carbohydrates rather than fat. These complex chemical reactions use up extra energy and help us burn more calories at rest!

Although, it is NOT wise to assume that consistently eating a high protein diet would necessarily be better for burning off even more calories at rest. A diet should always have a good balance of all essential macro, and micronutrients for good health!

High protein food Protein Carbs
EGGS ( 1 medium size ) 6 grams 0 g
MILK ( 1 pint or 568ml ) 19 grams 24 g
MILK ( 1 glass ) 6.3 grams 8 g
SOY MILK Plain (200 ml) 6 grams 1.6 g
TOFU (100 g) 8 grams 0.8 g
LOW-FAT YOGURT (plain) 150g 8 grams 10 g
LOW-FAT YOGURT (fruit) 150g 6 grams 27 g
FISH (cod fillets 100g or 3.5 ounces) 21 grams 0 g
CHEESE cheddar 100g ( 3.5 ounces) 25 grams 0.1 g
ROAST BEEF ( 100g or 3.5 ounces ) 28 grams 0 g
ROAST CHICKEN 100g ( 3.5 ounces) 25 grams 0 g
OTHER MEATS AVERAGE (100g or 3.5 ounces) 25 grams 0 g



List of High Protein Foods from Processed & Meat Products

High protein food Protein Carbs
Sausages (100g or 3.5 ounces) 12 grams 13 g
Bacon (100g or 3.5 ounces) 25 grams 0 g
Ham (100g or 3.5 ounces) 18 grams 0 g
Beefburgers - freezer type average(100g) 2 0 grams 6 g
Corned Beef (100g or 3.5 ounces) 2 6 grams 0 g
Luncheon Meat (100g or 3.5 ounces) 13 grams 5.5 g
Meat Paste (100g or 3.5 ounces) 15 grams 3 g
Protein supplements are a fast and efficient way to gain all your high protein diet needs.

High protein Supplement Protein Carbs
Met-RX Big 100 bars 27 g Metamyosyn 26 g
Myoplex Protein 42 g 24 g
Precision Protein 20 g 4 g
EAS Products 21 g 0 g
Whey Protein 2 3 g 3 g



Healthy Carbohydrates

All-Bran cereals
Apples
Artichokes
Asparagus
Bagel
Baked beans
Bananas
Beans
Broccoli
Brown bread
Brown rice
Brussels Sprouts
Buckwheat
Buckwheat bread
Cabbage
Carrots
Cassava
Cauliflower
Celery
Chick peas
Corn
Cornmeal
Cucumbers
Dill Pickles
Dried apricots
Eggplant
Garbanzo beans
Granary Bread
Grapefruits
High fiber breakfast cereals
Kidney beans
Lentils
Lettuce
Low fat yogurt
Macaroni
Maize
Muesli
Multi-grain bread
Navy beans
Oat bran bread
Oat bran cereal
Oatcakes
Oatmeal
Okra
Onions
Oranges
Other root vegetables
Pastas
Peas
Pinto beans
Pitta bread
Plums
Porridge Oats
Potato
Prunes
Pumpernickel bread
Radishes
Ryvita crispbread
Shredded wheat
Skim milk
Soy milk
Soybeans
Spaghetti
Spinach
Split peas
Sprouts
Strawberries
Sweet potato
Tomatoes
Turnip Greens
Water Cress
Weetabix
Whole Barley
Whole grain flours
Whole meal bread
Wholemeal spelt
Wholegrain Cereals
Wild rice
Yam
Zucchini

Drink more Water and you may Drop more Weight...

Many people do not care for water. I am one of those people. I don't like the smell, the taste and I think it is just boring. Well, here's the deal. Water is great for you and great for your body! Clinical evidence shows that drinking water prior to eating can be an effective weight loss tool. A study led by Brenda Davy, PhD, RD, at Virginia Tech showed that middle-aged and older people who drank 2 cups of water right before eating a meal consumed 75-90 fewer calories. Over the course of 12 weeks, dieters who drank water before meals three times per day lost about 5 pounds more than dieters who did not increase their water intake. Water is so effective because it fills up the stomach with a substance that has zero calories. People feel fuller as a result and eat less calories.

Eat well!

http://robbwolf.com/2010/11/10/long-hard-road-out-of-hell-or-why-fat-girl-went-primal-the-unabridged-version/

As many of you know, I stalk several websites. I think they have important information about health, fitness, intake and mental aspect of it all. I also think that simply being fat makes you even more unhealthy than being fat itself. Add to that, my thinking that food choices make us perform poorly.

I don't know it all, but I know I like the story told by the gal in the Robb Wolf link above. Give it a read.

Are you an Emotional Eater?

Eating is more than something we do to nourish our bodies with vital nutrients. It's also an activity we do out of habit, like nail biting, hair twirling, or finger tapping. And sometimes, we habitually turn to food in response to certain emotions. Whether you feel angry, sad, bored—even excited—food can act as a buffer against these emotions, something 82 percent of you know all too well.

Emotional eaters know that it's easier to stuff down our feelings with each bite. We know that the fleeting "high" we get from food blocks the pain or discomfort of dealing we might be feeling, even if only temporarily. We also know better; in the long run, we still feel bad and we know that we shouldn't eat for purely emotional reasons. But that knowledge isn't enough to stop what feels like an addiction to food and eating. So where do you start if you want to stop eating emotionally?

It may be cliché, but the first step is awareness, recognizing that you do eat emotionally—and WHY. Each time you reach for foods (or even feel a craving come on), ask yourself, "Am I really hungry or am I just responding to something else that is happening?" If hunger isn't the reason, it's not always easy to pinpoint the reason why you feel like eating. Tracking your food can help, especially if you note the times you eat and how you were feeling before, during and afterward. By tracking your food (and related notes) more regularly, you could notice trends, like a tendency to overeat on Mondays, for example, and then pinpoint your true feelings from there. Ask yourself what it is about Mondays that leads to overeating (Stress from getting the kids to school? Anger over going to a job you hate?) Notice if you tend to munch in the evenings. Is it out of boredom, loneliness, or an unhappy relationship? Journaling (or blogging), in addition to tracking your food intake, can help you examine the causes of eating episodes so you can pinpoint your feelings.

While emotional eaters soothe themselves with food to avoid feeling and examining uncomfortable emotions, that gratification is temporary—and still painful, just like the emotions you're trying to avoid. But if you learn to recognize the emotional triggers that lead to eating, you can also learn to stop emotional eating before it starts by choose healthier ways to deal with your feelings. Here are some alternatives to eating that can help you deal with three of the most common emotions that can lead to eating.

Stress and Anger
Stress is part of our everyday lives, and it can create the same physiological responses as anger, such as increased heart rate and blood pressure. If you are eating as a response to anger and/or stress, some of these activities will help you calm down and deal with the issue at hand, instead of covering it up with food.
Remove yourself from the stressful situation. If you’ve had an altercation with a friend or family member, take some time away from each other to calm down and get your thoughts together. Make a list of what you want to say to the person with whom you’ve had the conflict, and revisit the issue later when you're both calm.
Take some deep breaths. Deep breathing has been shown to reduce blood pressure and promote feelings of calmness.
Exercise. It's a known stress buster and you may even find that it helps you deal with anger. Go for a short walk outside, hit some tennis balls, or push around some heavy weights at the gym—these are all constructive ways to deal with stress and anger.
Listen to music. We can all think of some songs that calm us down. Make a special CD or playlist that you can turn to when you need it. Identify this as a trigger of emotional eating.
Prevent stress from happening again. If mornings are so busy that you're barely able to get out the door on time, put some time-management skills into practice so that you don't have to rush or feel stressed each morning.

Sadness and Loneliness
These two emotions often go hand in hand. Loneliness can result in sadness, and sad people can often become withdrawn. Especially if you're dealing with grief or spending a lot of time alone, it's easy to turn to comfort foods or soothe yourself with foods that you associate with happier memories. Instead, work to replace these uncomfortable emotions with a positive action. Learn to use alternative activities as sources of gratification. Just as you've learned to turn to food for a pick-me-up, you can learn to use other activities in the same way.
Exercise. It boosts mood, releases endorphins (feel-good chemicals in the brain), and has even been reported to be more addictive than drugs. Anything you do to get yourself moving will work. Leaving the house for a short bike ride or walk will also help you avoid food temptations at home.
Play with your pet; animals have unconditional love and promote health and emotional wellness, too. If you don't have a pet, volunteer at a local shelter, which will expose you to both animals and more social interaction to combat your loneliness.
Write a letter to a friend. Reaching out to friends and family members, even if you haven’t talked to them in awhile, will remind you of all the wonderful people in your life who care about you. Spark up an old friendship!
Volunteer. People who volunteer feel better about themselves, and it's hard to feel down on yourself when you're helping others.
Post on the message boards! Even if you feel like you don't have a friend in the world, there is always someone here at SparkPeople who can help pick you up when you are feeling down.

Boredom
We have hundreds of TV channels, phones that surf the web, online social networks, and movement-sensing video games, but when it comes down to it, we still feel bored in our lives. Eating adds another layer to our entertainment options (like popcorn at a movie) but also becomes an easy thing to do when we don't know what else to do! After all, eating is fun and enjoyable, and it passes the time. Fortunately, many boredom-busting activities don't involve eating.
Pay attention to what you consume. Make a new rule that you will not multitask while you eat. That means no chips while on the computer and no ice cream while watching your favorite TV drama. If you're going to eat, you're going to be present and focus on the food you're enjoying to help avoid mindless overeating.
Develop a new hobby. Even without cash to spare, you can learn to knit, join a local book club, or train for a 5K race. By scheduling these activities regularly, you'll have plenty to do—and practice! Make a list of all the things you ever wanted to learn, from cooking to speaking a new language, and start investigating how to get started.
Read. We don't spend enough time reading these days, and while you may claim that you don't have the time, everyone has a few minutes here and there. Carry your book, favorite newspaper or magazine with you and steal minutes whenever you have downtime. Set a goal to read just 15 minutes each night, and you may find that stretching longer (and keeping your mind and fingers busy enough that they won't miss eating).
Play a game. Remember how fun board and card games can be? Some even take hours! Bring out a fun game for your next party or set up a game night with your best friend. If you're by yourself, crossword puzzles are a good alternative.
Connect with friends and loved ones. Some might argue that we feel so bored during this digital age because we're missing real-life interaction and friendships. After all, if you can post on your friend's Facebook wall or text your brother anytime, why call? Make a point to write letters, send personal emails, make phone calls and meet up with the important people in your life.
With an arsenal of activities you can do besides eating, you're on the right path to stop the emotional eating cycle. You might not be successful every time, but if you accept your mistakes and move forward, continuing to work on your issues by tracking, journaling and distracting yourself in a positive way, you'll overcome your emotional eating problems once and for all. With so many enjoyable experiences in life, food doesn't have to take center stage. Make sure you are taking time to enjoy all of them equally!

Sweet Potato Crisps

As I mentioned in a previous post, I am struggling with insulin resistance and anyone who carries our extra 'us' around our torso may be fighting the same battle. You may have slightly elevated fasting blood sugar even though you eat pretty darn well. Cinnamon has been shown to help our bodies with insulin resistance. My doctor says that the best way to combat the insulin monster is to lose the torso bunchiness and work out alot. Yay for CrossFit and cinnamon!!

The other thing I like about this recipe is that it does keep my hands out of the bag of traditional store bought chips. It will take a little time to make these, and the recipe is not very strict. (I promise, that will become clear once you read through the process below.) The more potatoes you start with, the more cinnamon you need and the longer the process takes. But, it is totally worth it.

This recipe inspired by a post on Whole9, http://whole9life.com/2010/10/stm-pwo-sweet-potato/, and served at the food fest following Barbells for Boobs. My mom took on the majority of the work for these chips and we made some observations along the way. Here is the recipe tweaked in a way that we think will serve you well.

Ingredients:
Sweet potatoes. We used 6.
Cinnamon. We used several tablespoons.
Coconut oil. I could not find it. Mom says it comes in a can or a jar and it is more solidified, like lard or Crisco. Trader Joe's probably has it. Since I could not find it, we used Peanut Oil. You will need about a half cup of (liquidfied) oil for 6 potatoes.

Stuff ya need:
Baking sheets
Baking sheet liner
Small paring knife
Space to cool the crisps, and a cooling rack would move that process along.
Vegetable peeler
Zip top bag or air tight storage container
Small bowl to hold the oil when basting
Basting brush, or your fingers would probably work

Get started:
Spread your sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and cook them on the middle rack of your oven at 325 degrees for about 30 minutes.
Turn the potatoes and continue to cook them for another 30 minutes.
Remove the potatoes from the oven, allow them to cool for one hour. We found that they are easier to peel when warm, not cold.

Crisp 'em!:
Gather as many baking sheets as you can and get excited to start your assembly line. Line the baking sheet with something - Silpat works great, other silicone sheets would be fine, or parchment paper on a traditional baking sheet worked good too.
Peel the potatoes.
If you are using coconut oil you will probably need to warm it so that it is liquid rather than chunky. Small pot, low heat, watch it so it does not scorch.
Slice the potatoes 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. The thicker you cut them, the longer the crisp process will take and the chewier they can be. Up to you, crispy or chewy.
As you slice the potato, place it on a baking sheet.
Pour oil into a small bowl so you can baste when it is time.
Up the oven to 350 degrees.
Fill the lined sheet as you slice your potatoes, and brush the sliced potato with the oil.
Dust the sweet potatoes with the cinnamon. Be brave, coat them well.
Get that sheet in the oven. They will need a good 30 minutes so you have some time to fill the other sheets you might have on hand.
Once those 30 minutes have passed, pull the sheet from the oven. Allow the sheet to cool for a few minutes. The potatoes will crisp as they cool. If they are not quite crispy enough for you, return them to your oven for a touch up.
Once the sheet of crisps has cooled a bit and you have decided they are crispy enough for you, move them over to your cooling station.
Once the crisps are completely cooled to room temperature you can store them in an air tight bag or container.

Eat Up!
If you wanted to serve these as a treat, a mustard sauce would be a great dip for them.

How Soda Affects your Body!

Since I can't get to video to post of our page, here is the link. I tried!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Hbgv4q57yY

You need to hear this!

From fat to fit ~ it is so much more than physical

January 2009 I decided to lose weight. I knew I was unhealthy. The litany of health concerns were strikingly like that of an unaware 68 year old woman and no longer something I could ignore or excuse.

Elevated blood pressure – to the extent that Emergency Room visits occurred at least twice.

Elevated Triglycerides and Cholesterol. My blood literally appeared fatty

instead of clear and fluid. Gross!

Chronic dizziness. 2 car wrecks, walking into walls, multiple stops by police, and falling down at work. Not fun.

Chronic ankle swelling controlled by medication

Insomnia

Elevated blood sugar Decreased self esteem a generally crappy attitude and a self imposed level of stress that was sad.

For me to even spend the night out of town for one evening required an entire bag of medications that could have competed with most drug stores.

My doctors were polite enough about it. Not one of them ever said, “if you would just loose the weight” about resolving any of the concerns. No, they never said anything all that helpful. Instead, they prescribed medications and made more appointments. That was not really working, so instead I made appointments for myself at the gym.

The group I was working out with was varied. Some had physical injuries to tend to, some had emotional fears to get past, some were just trying to figure it all out. I was one of them. How had this happened? How had I gone from a spry 16 year old that played volleyball with enthusiasm, dated and had a fun circle of friends; to a wandering 20 something, US Amy Reservist, curious about what life would have in store for me; to a scared 30 something, knowing that I had somehow lost track of my strong suits and now literally wore very large suits.

From January 2009 – May 2009 I worked out as if my life depended on it, and I do think that it did. I was on a mission. I even had family come into town on surprise visits and would simply NOT skip a workout while they were here to share time with me. They were gracious; they respected that I had a lot going on with school, work, and my dedication to get healthy. But, the fact that I had gotten myself into such a mess spoke volumes, and still no one really said how far I had gone off track.

May 2009 came and the folks I had been working out with were faced with the opportunity to make one amazing change. We had the chance to stop working out and instead get CrossFit. Huh?

By then I was no longer taking the medication for blood pressure or for fluid retention. I had not yet learned a thing about my food choices, but I had gained a return to joy in JamieLand. I was finding that sweat was actually good for you, injuries were not a reason to not work out, and a committment to yourself is incredibly important.

So, this CrossFit thing came up. And I jumped in. I learned that being strong is not really impressive to me. Nor is the ability to run and run and run and run long distances. But, being fit is amazing! The chance to be strong AND be able to run long distances would prove to be invaluable. Turns out that CrossFit would rehab me right out of the majority of the dizzy spells far better than the drugs or therapy had done.

But, still, I had this thing with food. Ok, I have a big thing with food. When I am bored, or lonely, or stressed, or happy, or sleepy, I eat. Nachos are the best thing ever intented. They fill my tummy and my heart. While I was happier and healthier, the next key for me to turn would be my relationship with food.

And so, since September 2009 I have been working on that. Nachos will always have a place in my heart, but not in my hands. At least not every other day. It turns out that, at least for me, being fat was not the worst thing in the world. The worst thing was NOT being fit, not having my own self respect, not understanding why I chose the foods that I did, why I sometimes ate without even making that action a choice, and not knowing how foods impact my mood, and my health. It is amazing to me that I could actually lose 40 pounds, and then when hit with one too many life challenges, actually permit myself to gain all of that back. Clearly, I had had successes or I would not have lost that 40, but had missed out on something key. Food. It is a key, for me. Some people battle alcohol, some people battle with faith, I battle with food.

We all have a burden. Not everyone has CrossFit. For me, CrossFit has been more than just physical. It has been an amazing learning curve. It has taught me about measuring successes, being honest about your efforts, and that working out is better for us than just well defined abs or biceps popping out of your short sleeved shirt. It is about community, and team work, and change. We may all be seeking different changes - increased strength, decreased body fat, increased cardio capacity, etc. I am looking for all of that, and more. And, because I am looking for it within the CrossFit community, I will find it. And in the mean time I will continue to learn more about food, how it impacts me and my health, and I will continue to post recipes for you to try.

Given the way food impacts me, the recipes I try out are foods that serve me well. They do not generally include sugars or dairy. Until I get my blood lipds and sugars under control and my wishy washy relationship with food is more consistent, I am going to enjoy learning about what the alternatives are that leave me feeling full and proud of what I just ate.

What are you hungry for? Don't think just food, think about what fuels you, your inner athlete, your level of satisfaction with yourself. I am willing to bet that for each of us, getting fit involves far more than just NOT being fat and are not solely related to the amount of time we spend in the gym.

Sweet Potatoes and Flank Steak over Wilted Greens

Serves 4

Ingredients
Flank Steak, trimmed as needed
Spicy marinade of your choice

1 tablespoon Olive Oil
2 yellow onions, sliced thin
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons red chili flakes
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
2 teaspoons cumin
1 can of purreed pumpkin

1 bunch of kale, removed from the stems and chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Get Ready -
Marinade your flank steak with some something a little spicy for a few hours.

Get Cookin'!
(Now would be a good time to get the steak out of the fridge and let it come up to temperature for grilling and start up the grill.)

Grab a large sautee / frying pan and allow it to get hot.
Add olive oil to the pan. Sautee onions until they caramelize.
Add paprika, balsamic vinegar, and red chili flakes.
Add sweet potatoes, cover the pan with a lid and allow the potatoes to soften, stirring from time to time.

Throw the flank steak on the grill and cook to your preferred temperature.

While the potatoes are cooking, wilt the kale. In a warm skillet, put the kale, salt, pepper and a tablespoon of water. Cover. Allow the kale to hang out and wilt. It may seem like the kale wont fit but it will be fine. Just put the lid on and check it in a few minutes. As it wilts, turn the kale. Once wilted, divide the kale up over 4 plates. You are not going for mush here, no need to soften the kale until it is a glob in the bottom of your pan.

Return to your large pan of sweet potatoes and onion.
Add cumin and pumpkin purree. Stir well, and season with salt as needed.
Allow the pumpkin to heat through while the steak is grilling.
Remove the steak from the grill and set aside to rest.
Add the sweet potatoe to the bed of kale.
Cut the flank steak on the bias, and add to your plate of veggies.

Eat up!
I made up this recipe last week so I dont have a good calorie and nutrition count. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
If you are making this to heat up later for lunch at work, etc., then do not wilt the kale in advance. Instead put the kale in the bottom of your tupperware, top with the cooked sweet potatoes and sliced steak. When you heat up your meal to eat it, the kale will wilt in the microwave just fine. Also, you may want to cook your steak a bit less than to your preferred temperature so that when you reheat the meal, the steak will not be too overdone.

Roast Your Seeds

(Recipes inspired from links found at http://allrecipes.com//HowTo/roasting-pumpkin-seeds/Detail.aspx.)

Many of you have been working from a Paleo Plate, and still others are just trying to eat better using other plans. Turns out that Pumpkin Seeds are good for us! And now is the time to harvest the gourds, scoop out their goodness and roast them.

From now until the end of the month gasoline station convenience stores will be stocking roasted pumpkin seeds and you might feel like grabbing a bag. Well, I say you should do it one better, and just do it yourself. Get the kids involved, make a few different varieties, have some fun in the kitchen, and eat something you made yourself.

The General Goods:
1. Line a baking sheet with Parchment Paper. If you do not already have this stuff, it is worth a trip to the grocery store. You can find it in the same aisle as the aluminum foil and plastic cling wrap. A good substitute is a silpat if you have one. The point is that it makes it keeps your baking sheet from being ruined by a bunch of baked on stuff.

2. Rinse pumpkin seeds under cold water and pick out alot of the pulp and strings. (This is easiest just after you've removed the seeds from the pumpkin, before the pulp has dried.)

3. Place the pumpkin seeds in a single layer on an oiled baking sheet, stirring to coat.

4. Sprinkle with salt and bake at 325 degrees F until toasted, about 25 minutes, checking and stirring after 10 minutes.

5. Let cool and store in an air-tight container.


Kick it up a notch!

Same recipe but use some extra seasonings for some Mexican Flair:
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Spooky Seeds:
Same recipe with the flavors of the season.
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice.

Slim Down for Good

#1-Keep it simple-Do not eat processed foods. Eat whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and lean protein.
#2-Eat often. Eat a protein (the size of your palm), carb (the size of your fist), and fat (the size of your thumb) PLUS as many green veggies as possible at each meal. Eat every three or so hours. Going too long between each meal slows down your metabolism.
#3-Fill up with Fiber. Eat foods with fiber all day. Your fiber intake should be 25-35 grams per day. Slightly more for men.
#4-Stay hydrated. Aim for 8 cups of water per day. Limit your intake of caffeine.
#5-Write! Keep a journal of your food and liquid intake each day will help you stay motivated and more conscious of your consumption.
#6-Sleep! Not getting enough sleep can cause MANY problems in our bodies. Strive to get at least 7 hours eat night.

I have currently been following this "diet" for a little over a week...no cookies, no sugar, no bread! I have honestly never felt better. I am not always happy, but I am sure my body will adjust to not having any sugar and I just won't want it anymore.

Have a great day!