Cooking Done Right Saves Lives

I just read an article this morning on ABC News about a new Food Network show coming out called “Fat Chef.” Part of me thinks its’ release is damage control over Paula Deen’s diabetes diagnosis, but whatever the reason, this sounds like a good program. An award winning pastry chef, Michael Magnano, started out the show over 500 pounds. It wasn’t even so much from his own sugary concoctions, but rather working late hours at the restaurant and eating fast food meals. On the show, he goes through a 16 week boot camp of sorts to learn how to cook healthy and start exercising.

Although I’m not a huge fan of reality TV, I think this show sends a great message. It doesn’t sound like it has the extremes of Biggest Loser, but encourages healthy weight loss through healthy methods such as changing recipes and portion control. Michael has lost 115 pounds and has run a 5K race. He has also gotten off his diabetes medication.

I think in this day and age of fad diets and pills/juices that promise to lose weight, it’s refreshing to see a show go back to the basics. Healthy cooking, portion control and exercise will not only let you lose weight, but you have a much higher chance of keeping it off. The average person can watch that on TV and think I can do that. The average person cannot watch Biggest Loser and think oh yes, I have 6 hours a day to devote to the gym.

If you’re wanting to lose weight, start slow with a food journal and healthy food substitutions. Gradually cut back your portions and try to get more physically active. It takes small steps to make big changes.

Paula Deen’s Not So Shocking News

It was finally revealed yesterday by Paula Deen that she has Type II Diabetes. The Southern chef who is most known for using multiple sticks of butter in every recipe has kept quiet about the disease despite persistent rumors for years. It’s not really surprising that she does have diabetes given her extremely high fat, high calorie recipes and that she’s overweight. However, I find it irresponsible that she’s hidden for so long and continues to cook in the same manner.

According to People Magazine, Paula said she doesn’t want diabetes to stop her from enjoying the foods she loves. While I fully understand that and believe one can be healthy following the “everything in moderation” rule, I’m not so sure it applies to her situation as much. To me, it sounded more like she was in denial. Granted, towards the end of the article, she did say she was going to lighten up a few of her favorite recipes, but overall I got the feeling she doesn’t plan to change much.

If she weren’t in the public eye, I suppose that’s her decision then. She knows the risks of continuing her high fat cooking lifestyle with diabetes and it’s her choice to live that way. But, I think as a celebrity, she has a responsibility to the public. By adopting such a laissez-faire attitude, I think it shows that she doesn’t think diabetes is all that serious. In reality, it is very serious and when it’s not in control with medication and lifestyle changes, it can cause extremely serious health problems as well as early death.

Obviously she can’t give up her favorite Southern favorites for the rest of her life. I fully get that, but she should give them up the majority of the time in order to stay healthy and encourage her fans with the same health issues. Splurge on holidays with decadent macaroni and cheese, but during the rest of the year, Paula should focus on making all of her recipes healthy. If she’s as good of a chef as she is perceived, it shouldn’t be hard for her to convert her recipes to healthier options.

The obesity rate in this country is skyrocketing and so are diabetes diagnoses. As a public figure, she can do so much to educate people about the disease and help those struggling with proper diet and nutrition cook healthy, but tasty meals. Right now, I’m really disappointed with the way it is being handled. I hope to see changes from her in the future that will not only benefit her own health, but the health of the public.

Ready for an Overweight President?

Will America Vote for An Overweight President?

Yesterday I saw an article on ABC News about New Jersey governor Chris Christie’s possible run for president in 2012. The article was wondering if America would vote for an overweight man to become president and based on the article’s preliminary information, it sounded like no. Although I was appalled, I guess I can say that I really wasn’t that shocked. Or was I?

The world of politics has gotten more and more corrupt over the years and in the world of 24 hour news, nothing is a secret. Sex scandals, prejudice, faux-pas are all the norm now in politics. Yet those things are overlooked and accepted. Sure Clinton got into some trouble with the ladies and was impeached, but face it, he was an extremely popular president and considered very, very successful. Bush faced controversy by getting us into the Iraq war and the mess that led to, yet he was reelected.

To me, those seem like pretty big issues, but yet the thing America will hold against a potential candidate is their weight. Is it right that someone who could potentially be a fantastic leader of this nation (I know nothing about him or his political views so please take this theoretically) be held back from the position just because he weighs a lot? Are we really that shallow?

The article argues that Americans want a healthy president in office due to the fact it is such a high stress job and being in good health is key to handle it. Yet, one in three Americans is obese and the rate is expected to climb over the years. So isn’t that a little the pot calling the kettle black?

Entertainer Kelly Osbourne said she received far more flack in the press for her weight than she ever did for her numerous trips to rehab to battle drug and alcohol addiction. The first things tabloids point out once a star has had a baby is how fast they are back to their regular body and have lost the baby weight.

For a country with an obesity epidemic as high as ours, we sure are hypocritical to our leaders, entertainers and other public figures in expect rail thin, health freaks when we as a nation can’t seem to accomplish it.

I personally think that when choosing a president, I care more about his views on different global and national issues and whether or not he can help our country over his weight. I do agree that the president should be healthy, but I think all people should strive to be healthy. And I’m certainly not going to base my vote on a candidate’s weight.

Ninja Niblets: September 23, 2011

Just a few links and niblets to get your weekend started. Have a great weekend and try to incorporate some physical exercise into your time off. Take a nice walk, go for a run, go for a bike ride to enjoy fall weather!

High Intensity is Best for Burning Calories
FitSugar.com posted an article about a study recently done that has shown high intensity workouts are the best for burning calories. Some have theorized that long, slow workouts will get a good fat burn going, but in reality it’s high intensity workouts. So hop on the treadmill or elliptical and do some speed intervals for 30 minutes. Try 30 seconds high speed, 1 minute medium speed and do this on and off for 30 minutes. According to the study, your caloric burn will last for another 14 hours!

FitSugar: High Intensity Workouts Best

7 Exercise Machines to Skip
Not all exercise machines are created equal. Some cause more harm than good and others don’t do anything. Check out this list from Shape Magazine.

Shape Magazine: 7 Exercise Machines to Skip

Last Chance Workout
Have a race coming up? Runner’s World has come up with last chance workout plans to implement the week before a 5K, 10K, half or full marathon to help improve your speed for the race itself.

Runner\'s World: Last Chance Race Workout

Have a great weekend!

The Greatest Run

Last week, I had friends in from out of town for my 30th birthday. I was really busy taking them around and playing hostess as well as partying it up for the big milestone birthday. As a result, I didn’t get a run in for 4 days.

I didn’t think it’d be a big deal. I was happy to have my friends in town and getting a chance to lay around and relax was really nice, as it’s something I almost never do. But, the withdrawal started to build. I felt more and more out of it and antsy as the days wore on. I wanted to run so badly. I couldn’t believe it.

After all these months of running several times a week every week with each distance getting longer and harder, I thought I’d be thrilled to have a block of time off. Instead, I was craving a run like a pregnant woman wants pickles. How could this be? Yes, I’ve enjoyed running and I’m grateful that I can even do it given my medical issues, but to be at the point where I was ready to sell a kidney on eBay just to get a run in?

On Monday, I was able to get back to the gym. Normally, during the week, I do speed interval training on the treadmill and more or less hate it. I much prefer my long, slow runs outside with changing scenery and my own pace. But, since I’m a slow runner, speed training is a necessary evil. However, I was dying for a run so badly on Monday, I whipped through 3.1 miles of speed intervals in 37:37. It was the best feeling in the world. I felt like I had won the lottery, I was on such a high.

As my feet pounded out the miles, I felt better and better. I felt like I could have run the entire marathon at that moment. There was such an intense runner’s high and feeling of satisfaction. The fatigue and restlessness was gone, I was doing something I loved again. And I finally remembered why I do love it. That feeling has gotten lost on several occasions throughout my training since it’s been so stressful and trying at times. But it was back.

I now feel confident that everything is going to be okay with the marathon. I will finish it, and most importantly, I will run it with joy.

Restaurants Pledge Healthier Menus

My apologies for my absence this past week, but I had company in from out of town. Now back to our regularly scheduled programming…

ABC News: Olive Garden, Red Lobster Pledge Healthier Menus

An article on ABC News announced that Darden Restaurants, Inc. is working with First Lady Michelle Obama and pledging to produce healthier menus over the next decade. The corporation owns restaurant chains Red Lobster, Olive Garden, The Capital Grille, Longhorn Steakhouse, Bahama Breeze and Season 52. They are pledging to cut their calories and sodium by 20% over the next decade.

While it overall seems like a small amount over quite a long period of time, this is a step in the right direction. Right now at Olive Garden, the dinner portion of the lasagna is 850 calories and has 2830 mg of sodium. With this change, the entree will come down to 680 calories and 2264 mg of sodium. Is it still too high in sodium and calories? Yes, but it’s a start.

The company is also pledging to revamp their children’s menus by having vegetable side dishes and low-fat milk as the standard. McDonald’s and Burger King have also gotten on Mrs. Obama’s healthy bandwagon and are revamping their menus as well.

Whether you’re democrat or republican, one can safely say that Michelle Obama has worked hard to make a difference with our country’s obesity problem. While these are all small steps and are far from fixing the overall issues with the food’s calories and sodium, they are positive steps for change. If she gets the ball rolling, in the future, we can maybe see more dramatic changes.

Restaurants take the easy way out of enhancing their food with massive amounts of sodium. I never cook with salt, but I use other seasonings to make my food flavorful. If I can do it, then surely talented chefs can revamp restaurant menus to include very little salt. I make dishes using lots of healthy substitutions like Greek Yogurt instead of sour cream or heavy cream, and they taste the same. Again, this is something that seems like a no brainer for someone who went to culinary arts school.

Small steps make big changes, so hopefully this news will pave the way for the future of other restaurants following suit and revamping their menus.

Weight Watchers a Success

ABC News: Weight Watchers Most Effective Diet

A recent study has shown that the popular diet Weight Watchers is the most effective weight loss plan. Over 700 obese adults in Australia, the UK and Germany were studied and given different diet plans. Those who did watchers as opposed to checking in with a regular nutritionist or doctor as well as other plans were the most successful.

Weight Watchers participants lost on average about 11 pounds while those on other plans lost only 5 pounds. The diet is basically calorie counting and portion control, but uses an easier, faster system with points. No food is off-limits in Weight Watchers and it is basically a lifestyle change as opposed to a weird, fad diet.

I can see how it would be the most successful. Not only is the food plan the most realistic, but the weekly group support can really do wonders for people in terms of sticking with it. It helps to have other people in your situation and share your highs and lows of the week.

I basically did Weight Watchers when I started losing weight, though I just counted calories and kept a food journal. No foods were off-limits as long as they fit within my daily allotment of calories. This is honestly the simplest method to losing weight and it is the most successful because people CAN stick to it. It is a lifestyle change of cutting portions and exercising. That can be done over a lifetime. Never eating carbs again or drinking liquid syrup with lemon juice cannot be maintained!

The only downside to Weight Watchers is that it’s somewhat expensive. Plans can cost as much as $40 a month, which is a lot of money depending on your income level. However, think of all the money you’ll save in medications and doctor visits if you can get your weight and health under control. You only get one life and it’s worth investing in. Try Weight Watchers or just try keeping an online food journal like I did. Small steps make the biggest change.

Ninja Niblets: August 31, 2011

A few niblets to get you going throughout the day.

Current Workout Music Obsessions
Middle Finger by Cobra Starship
Sing by My Chemical Romance

Healthier Fast Food Lunch: Panera
When going out to eat, choose healthy options. Most restaurant chains have their nutrition information online.

If you’re going to Panera, try the “pick two” lunch option and order a soup and half sandwich of:
• Low Fat Chicken Noodle Soup
Calories: 80 Fat: 1g

• Half Smokehouse Turkey Hot Panini
Calories: 340 Fat: 13g
*If you order the sandwich without bacon, you shave off 60 calories and 4.5g of fat.

Total Lunch Calories: 430 calories, 13.5g fat

Quick Links
Shape Magazine: 10 Best Weight Loss Tips

Fitness Magazine: 8 Guilt Free Smoothie Recipes

Runner\'s World: Reasons to Eat Honey

What’s in a Number

When I first started losing weight, I didn’t even set a goal number or size. I just wanted to see if I could stick with a diet and exercise plan. The more I got into it and stuck with it, I set a goal weight of: 145 lbs. I thought this was somewhere around a size 8 – 10. I was extremely surprised to discover that it put me into a size 6.

I was ecstatic. I was one of those “skinny girls” now who could wear a tiny size 6. I couldn’t believe it. Every store I went into had my size and it fit! This was such a new and novel concept to me. Two years later, I still get a thrill that I can go to my favorite stores and wear anything I want.

This past Saturday I went shopping with my mom for my birthday. I love getting clothes for my birthday, but I have to pick them out and try them on. So we typically make a day of it rather than exchanging money or gift cards. Much more fun! I went to The Limited, which is my favorite store and took a haul to the dressing room.

Everything was going great until I got to the pants. They were tight! The size 6 skirts and dresses I tried on were fine, but the pants were a mess. They fit, but if I even ate a big lunch, they’d be uncomfortable. My legs were the worst part. They were hugging every inch of them with no room to breathe. I was shocked. Then I got really upset. The scale has stayed steady. I lost the 5 lbs that I gained on my vacation, and I’ve been at my goal weight ever since. How could I have gone up a size without gaining weight?

Then I looked at my legs. They’ve gotten huge. Huge in a good way. Huge from miles and miles and miles of running and doing 50 lb squats and 24″ box jumps. My legs are full of strong muscles that I will need to carry me across the finish line of my marathon. My new size 8 legs were dying in my normal sized pants.

I was mopey about the size change for the day, but after coming home and verifying again that the scale had stayed the same, I was actually kind of proud of my legs. I now have one of those athletic bodies that I hear about all the time that are hard to find clothes for. Now I understand. I wear my normal size in tops, skirts and dresses, but pants are getting difficult. I get what the athletes go through when they go shopping.

So it’s like the Nike Women’s Ads said, “I have thunder thighs. And that’s a compliment because they are strong and toned and muscular and though they are unwelcome in the petite section they are cheered on in marathons.”

5 Steps to a Healthier Life

Starting a new diet or exercise plan can seem really overwhelming. Whether you’ve tried and failed on numerous occasions or have a lot of weight to lose, surmounting the weight demon can seem impossible. The way I achieved my weight loss success was through a series of small steps. I couldn’t imagine a drastic change in my life when I was going through recovery from surgery, so I made small changes. These are 5 simple steps that I feel will really help you make a change in your life for the better without being overwhelmed.

1. Keep a Food Journal
Start keeping a food journal. Use an online resource like My-Calorie-Counter.com or Livestrong.com and record everything you eat for a full week. Write down the good and the bad and see what you consume in a week. Let’s say you’re consuming 2700 calories a day, which is a pretty big number. Rather than doing something drastic like cutting it down to 1500, cut it by 500 calories a day. It’s a small amount you won’t probably notice, but this allows you to lose a pound a week at a healthy, safe rate. As you lose weight, adjust your caloric intake gradually.

2. Go the Distance
Start incorporating small forms of exercise into your daily life. Park your car in the furthest slot away from the door so you have to walk more. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Go for a 20 minute walk after dinner. Start small. If you try to take on a huge exercise program right off the bat, chances are you’re going to get sore and give up. Try to move for 30 minutes a day. If you can keep that up for a month or so, join a gym.

3. It’s All Greek to Me
There’s a reason the Mediterranean Diet is worshipped by doctors for its health and nutritional benefits. One of the big staples is Greek yogurt. Use plain non-fat Greek yogurt as a substitute for sour cream or heavy cream in recipes. You can’t taste the difference and you cut hundreds of calories with this simple substitution.

4. Breakfast of Champions
Eat a good breakfast. A good breakfast is not a donut in your company’s break room nor is it an Egg McMuffin. And don’t go thinking you can skip out on this important meal. Eating a healthy, well-balanced breakfast will jump start your metabolism working right away. If you don’t eat in the morning, your metabolism slows because your body thinks it’s in starvation mode. You feel sluggish and irritated because you have no nutrients to get you fired up in the morning.

Try 1/4 Cup Greek Yogurt, 1/4 Cup Non-Fat Milk, 8 Blueberries, 4 – 5 Strawberries, and 1/4 TSP of Honey for a great morning smoothie. Eat with a slice of bread with 1 TBS of Peanut Butter. This 350 calorie breakfast will keep you full and get the metabolism going.

5. Be Strong
Lift weights. Cardio is an extremely important part of exercising. It burns calories and builds a very strong and healthy heart. However, you can reap far more benefits from your cardio workout if you incorporate a good strength training program as well. Lifting weights builds muscle which burns fat. You will burn more fat if you both strength train and do cardio. Ladies, you will not bulk up and look like a guy with strength training. It is healthy and especially necessary for women to prevent osteoporosis.

Remember, start small and work your way up. Don’t get discouraged. Know that making small steps towards a healthy life will result in a big payoff.