In the mood to grab a drink? This is a dwindling question amongst my girlfriends these days. At this stage in my life, many of my friends are or are trying to have children, and avoid our past frequented watering holes. I guess it works out for everyone, I get to introduce them to my new favorite eatery in the loop, fro yo, my new go-to dessert spot. Fortunately or unfortunately, it is close to my home.

Fro Yo opened its doors about 6 months ago. I vividly remember the day I noticed the “frozen yogurt, coming soon” sign in the door. Everyday for 2 months, I drove by to see if they had opened yet. In Tennessee, where I am from, the well-known frozen yogurt store was The Country’s Best Yogurt (TCBY) and the “shiver” was my common (and frequently often) order. When I moved to St. Louis, I searched and searched for my beloved TCBY and finally found it in the East Terminal airport at Lambert. Not the most ideal spot for a quick sweet tooth fix.

I soon realized that custard was the queen of frozen dessert in St. Louis. Delicious, no doubt. But if I ate custard as much as I ate TCBY, my parents would not have recognized me when I returned home.

Enter the answer: fro yo. Fro Yo trumps TCBY for several reasons. First of all, it is self-serve, and I can tailor my portion to my hunger, mood, etc. Second, there are at least 8 different yogurt flavors to choose. Can’t make up your mind? Try them all! You can select from yogurts which truly are “yogurt-like” and tart (which I never choose) or fill your fro-yo cup with creamy, sweet flavors, like my favorite: white chococolate macademia nut.

Now, the part that really “tops” TCBY. Fruits, candies, nuts, cheesecake, brownies, whipped cream, the list goes on. The toppings are also self serve and you can select from common fruits like kiwi, strawberries and bananas or go for the more exotic fruit like the “lychee” berry. Once again, I go straight for the chocolate and bypass anything I could put on my morning cereal.

Time to check out your damage. There are two sizes of fro-yo cups, and my dietitian eye would guess the small cup holds 4 cups of delicious-ness. Similar to stepping on the scale at home, you must weigh your creation and pay the price. So far, the cashier hasn’t gasped at my ice cream weight, so I must be somewhere within the patron norm.

The calories in fro yo yogurt are ~110 calories per half cup. Unfortunately, there are no standards in labeling for yogurt like there are for ice cream which are the requirements mandated by the Food and Drug Administration for ice cream. But as a comparison, here are some ice cream nutrition facts.

Real ice cream must contain 10% butter fat (7 grams of fat) per 1/2 cup. Some “premium” ice cream contain 16%. Ice cream must state on the label whether it was naturally or artifically flavored.

“Reduced-fat” ice cream means it contains 25% less fat than the original product.

“Low-fat” ice cream must have 3 grams of fat or less per 1/2 cup.

“Light” ice cream must contain 50% less fat than the orginial product.

“Fat-free” ice cream must contain less than 0.5 grams per 1/2 cup.

I also did a little research on ice cream that might give you an ice cream headache…

Dairy Queen’s Banana Cream Pie Blizzard (large) = 1,100 calories

Baskin Robbin’s Premium Oreo Sundae = 1,330 calories

Cold Stone Creamery Milk & Cookie Shake = 1,660 calories

Yikes.

Land of frozen yogurt, thank you for coming not only to St. Louis, but close to my home, in the loop.

Over Memorial Day weekend, PJ and I did a ton of grilling. Our grill is only 1 year old this summer, so we are still trying to figure him out. Grilling is one of my favorite cooking methods and is a great method for cooking low-fat, flavorful foods. We have “tried” to grill everything from the non-traditional foods like figs and flatbreads to staples like hamburgers and chicken.

Unfortunately, the charred taste some of us love (or inadvertently create), might be putting us at risk. Recent attention has focused on the link between grilling and cancer, in particular, stomach, colorectal, lung, and breast cancer. The culprits are cancer causing agents called heterocyclic amines (HCA) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). These chemical substances are formed when fat is heated to high temperatures.

So now what? Cut back on grilling? Absolutely not. There are several tips you can follow to relieve your grilling woes, and it can all start with a tasty marinade. A recent study from Kansas State University marinated the same cut of meat in 3 different marinades. The various marinades reduced these “bad” chemicals anywhere from 57-88%. The largest reduction (88%) was seen in the “Caribbean Marinade” .

Here are some additional steps for a healthy grill out.

ð Avoid placing meats in contact with high flames or extreme heat through grilling, broiling, barbecuing, or frying.

ð Grill foods such as vegetables, veggie burgers, quesadillas, or even pizza. These foods contain little fat and can be a fun new way to introduce to the grill.

ð Choose lean and trimmed meats. They have less fat to drip into flames and cause flare-ups.

ð Briefly cook meats and poultry in the microwave before placing on the grill, this will remove some of the drippings that could cause flare-ups.

ð Place meat on aluminum foil instead of directly on the grill to avoid juices into the fire or flames touching the meat. Not only does this help prevent charring, but it also makes for easy clean-up.

ð Keep your grill clean.

ð Keep a spray bottle on hand to tame flames.

ð Remove charred portions of meat before eating.

Happy Grilling!

As my two favorite tv shows (24 and American Idol) continue to grow in excitement, so does the speed of the popcorn that I pop into my mouth. But what goes better with nightime tv than popcorn? I guess 94% fat-free Act II popcorn or better yet air popped? 

Many of my clients complain that they can’t control their evening cravings.  When I look at their dietary recalls, the first thing that typically appears is that they didn’t fuel themselves like they should have during the day.  The majority of their calories come after 6pm!

Therefore, one of the best ways to eat less at night, is to eat enough during the day. Even someone following a 1,600 calorie diet should eat at least a 400 calorie breakfast. Fueling yourself early and often is one of the best ways to control hunger.

Next, plan to snack in the evening, but make the snack part of your overall daily budget. Knowing that you are going to eat again after dinner can encourage one to eat less at dinnertime. Choose a snack that takes awhile to eat and that you enjoy like light popcorn, a sliced apple, frozen grapes, or a fudge pop.

Out of site out of mind. Fortunately, because I am in charge of the grocery shopping, I am charge of what is in our cupboards. I call this creating an environment conducive to making healthy choices. Willpower, whatever, this is something we shouldn’t test ourselves often with. Most likely my healthly choices in the house are healthy for PJ too. (However, the Baskin Robbins ice cream cake that I have been having for breakfast everyday is an exception, it’s my bday week- and post marathon celebration, yes we finished!! and it was awesome!).

Another helpful tip is to eat those vegetables. When we pack half our plate with fiber and water filled veggies those foods will also fill us up, but on a much smaller amount of calories than if our plate was half-full with  meat or pasta.

Finally, distract yourself. Maybe take a stroll around your neighborhood, or pick a tiny project in your house you want to tackle, like that sock drawer. Most of the time, these cravings come when we are idle or idol…

PJ and I went to Nashville to see my parents for Easter. Because the weather was rather chilly and rainy we ended up playing several card games, and ate our way through a lot of “dips.” Although my mom is fairly health conscious, she had purchased a crab dip (with pseudo crab) and an artichoke and cream cheese dip. Delicious they were, healthy they were not.

With the arrival of warm weather, you might be attending some upcoming BBQs or grill outs and could use a quick dish idea. I thought a run down of some of my favorite pre-made, easy dips might be of some help!

Let’s start with hummus. Although most people have had hummus before, they might not know what it actually is. Hummus is made from a puree of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), tahini (a paste of sesame seeds), oil, and usually lemon juice and garlic. There are all sorts of variations of this dip, one of my favorites is Trader Joe’s Horseradish hummus. I love its spicy kick. Hummus in general, is quite a healthy spread, as it usually contains healthy monounsaturated fat from olive oil, and fiber from the beans. The calories can add up quickly though (most have 50 calories in 2 Tbsp). I have started to make my own humus in a food processor.  After the first try, it is quite easy, a ton cheaper, and 2 cans of chickpeas makes enough for my hummus loving husband.

Next is a dip called “Baba Ghanoush.” I just love saying that name. Baba is similar to hummus, but in lieu of the chickpeas, it subs smoky eggplant. Both spreads are tasty when added to a turkey or deli sandwich. For an afternoon snack, I will often fill a whole wheat tortilla with some of this dip for a fiber-filled treat.

We all know guacamole, a dip made from avocados, lime juice, and sometimes other additions like cilantro, garlic, cayenne pepper, onions, tomatoes, jalopenos, and/or cumin powder. My guacamole recipe is never the same. Although even more calorically dense than hummus, avocados are an excellent source of healthy fats.  You do have to be careful of the store bought products. For example, Kraft Guacaomole is mostly water, partially hydrogenated coconut and soybean oil, and corn syrup. Not really the fresh ingredients you think of when craving guacamole. Once again, Trader Joe’s product scores a home-run with its taste and real ingredient list. Try guacamole on a veggie burger or on top of grilled fish.

Now comes my favorite, salsa. Last night, I went to a great restaurant in Maplewood, called Maya Cafe. They have some the tastiest salsa around (in my opinion). It is more like a pico de gallo than salsa.  Because salsa is made from mostly vegetables, it is a very low calorie dip, with usually 10-20 calories per 2 tablespoon serving. If concerned about the sodium content, you do have to watch some of the store bought jarred salsas which tend to have more sodium. My top store bought brands are Trader Joe’s Thai Style Mango and Newman’s Own Organic Chunky. Try putting salsa on a baked potato a healthy, non-calorie loaded topping.

Finally, we have the Caponatas and Tapenades. Caponata is made of diced eggplant, tomatoes, and onions cooked in olive oil and seasoned with capers and olives.  A tapenade is made from green or black olives and oil.  Due to the olives, this dip is higher in sodium. These dips go great on vegetables like green beans or also on top of a white flaky baked fish like wild cod fillets.

So spread the love, and spread on some healthy dips with friends this spring!

I put my headphones on…bad sign. I told PJ that when we trained together for our upcoming marathon our runs could be a great time to “connect.” However, the knee pain I was beginning to experience with each stride was too much, and we still had 10 miles to go. I had to resort to “I Will Survive” on my iPod.

Training can be so frustrating. I had gotten all the way to my longest run, and a reoccurring past injury called “IT band syndrome” reminded me that it could still stop me in my tracks. As soon as I got home, I got online to research my knee pain, and as I suspected the advice was…rest. Recovery from this type of injury could take weeks or months of no running. I wasn’t giving up so easily.

The day before, I met with one of my client-athletes for a nutrition consultation, and she mentioned to me that she had tried acupuncture for her over-training issue called plantar fasciitis. After years of this problem, she said that acupuncture was the only thing that had done the trick. That conversation rung in my head, and it didn’t take long for me to get her acupuncturist’s (Christine) number. I was in Christine’s office that next Monday morning, describing to her where I hurt.

I was new to acupuncture but actually wasn’t too worried. Her calming office and soothing music made it seem like I was going in for a massage. As I filled out my medical history form, I had to identify on a drawing where my pain was located. After circling about 20 different areas on my legs and feet, I asked Christine, “Are all your clients this hypochondriac-like?” She assured me I was normal.

After discussing my aches and pains, she went through a description of holistic terminology I remember from my college yoga days — words like chakras, flow and chi — to describe how acupuncture worked. She then felt my pulse and asked me to stick out my tongue. That one surprised me. But I passed the test with flying colors and bragged to my husband that I have a beautiful tongue…so says my acupuncturist.

Next, she showed me the tiny needles that would be gently tapped into my body. To be honest, the needles inserted into my legs were fairly painless. The needles placed in my feet caused a little discomfort, but nothing compared to other lovely things women put themselves through (aka: waxing). She then left me alone for 30 minutes to allow the needles to do their work (break up that bad “chi” and cause white blood cells to migrate to the injury sites and speed up the healing process). I actually fell asleep. It was relaxing!

30 minutes later, the needles were removed, and Christine suggested I drink a lot of water and call her after my first run to see how things went. Regardless of this treatment, I have still been stretching, icing and taking anti-inflammatories. I haven’t abandoned traditional medicine. (: However, if I run pain-free this weekend, you better believe I won’t hesitate to be a voodoo doll again.

It’s that time of the year again…no, I am not talking about losing an hour of sleep this Sunday, or Spring Break, but Girl Scout cookie time! In the past years, I have successfully avoided the sweet girls who sell these tempting treats, but not this year. Now, I have 11 new nieces and nephews, just waiting to hit up the latest addition to their family. How could I say no?

My favorite girl scout cookies are the Samoas.

I love this caramel, toasted coconut, and chocolate striped cookie. Deee-lish.

After doing some research for this blog, I found out that Girl Scout cookies are made by two different bakers, which both make similar renditions of the traditional cookies. The first company, “Little Brownie Bakers” is actually not so little and is one of the largest cookie companies, Keebler, owned by Kellogg’s. Depending on where you live, you might call your Samoa cookie a “Caramel deLite.” The Caramel deLite is the samoa’s twin with a slight difference in its nutritional profile and is made ABC Bakers owned by Interbake Foods.

Every year, the two bakers try out at least one new type of cookie on us. If they’re big sellers, you will see them again, (aka- the thin mint). Otherwise, they end up on the retirement list, like the Lemon Coolers (a light, lemony flavored cookie dusted with powdered sugar) or the Ole Ole (which was a wedding style type of cookie, light and flaky, dusted with pecans and coconut) did. This year the new addition (seen below) is the “dulce de leche”

Believe it or not, the Girl Scouts may be looking out for our health. Introduce the Girl Scout “lighter” cookies! (In my opinion, it won’t be a big surprise if we don’t see them on the order sheet next year).

The reduced-fat “daisy go rounds” come in 100 calorie “snack packs” and have only 2 grams of fat, 1 gram saturated fat, and 8 grams of sugar. Compared to one serving of my “2″ samoas, they are quite a bit lighter. The samoas contain the highest amount of fat at 8 grams and 6 whopping grams of saturated fat. Darn my taste buds.

The sugar-free chocolate chip cookies contain 0 grams of sugar and 7 grams sugar alcohols (sugar alcohols are only partially digested by our bodies). Although low in sugar, they are still fairly high in fat, with 9 grams of fat in 3 cookies. Not to be the cookie monster, but I am not a fan of their taste or consistency and feel they are a poor representation of the classic chocolate chip cookie.

As an additional health benefit , since 2007, the Girl Scout cookies have contained “0″ grams of trans fats. Keep in mind, a company can claim “0 grams of trans fats” if the product contains 0.5g or less per serving. Many of the cookies have partially hydrogenated oils in the list of ingredients which are trans fats. Like me, you probabaly never eat more than one serving…

However, if “partially hydrogenated oils” is listed in the first 4 ingredients, and you eat more than one serving, you will likely get close to taking in one or more grams of these bad guys.

Speaking of more than one serving…remember to enjoy your cookie eating experience. Savor every bite, “in-tune” while you eat. Sometimes changing the tempeature (freezing the cookies) or eating one of each type of texture of cookie (say samoa and thin mint) can help create awareness while you eat.

In addition, just like you don’t grocery shop hungry, don’t open up a new sleeve a cookies hungry. Eat them after a meal and you will be more likely to enjoy them without the post cookie guilt!

Is there an explanation for my “down in the dumps mood today”? Could I be concerned about PJ’s new running injury (yes…on our long run this weekend, he developed some ankle pain and is on the DL this week). Is it the 35 papers I have sitting in front of me to grade? Or is it the gloomy, cloudy winter day that makes it seem the spring flowers will never arrive?

Most likely, it is a combination of the three.

On a more rational note, it could be the fact that I haven’t had my full dose of the sunshine vitamin “D” in awhile. With the abundance of food in our environment, it seems rare that Americans are “deficient” in a nutrient(s), however, recent statistics show that over half adults and children might be deficient in vitamin D. Vitamin D is important for several health reasons, but is most known for its role in bone health, mood, and most recently has been in the spotlight for its role in heart disease prevention.

Vitamin D is so vital actually, that our bodies make it on their own when exposed to sunlight. Five to 30 minutes about twice a week (without sunscreen) to your face and arms is usually enough for most individuals. But what about in these long winter days? Research shows that our blood levels of vitamin D might be lower during the winter months than in the warm summer. In addition, those who live in northern latitudes, those with dark skin, and those that do not get outside are even at higher risk for a “D” deficiency.

In addition to the lack of sunlight, vitamin D is not surprisingly found in many foods. Salmon and other fatty fish like tuna are naturally rich in the sunshine vitamin. Fortified foods like milk, cereals, and orange juice can be good sources as well because Vitamin D has been added.

So how do I get enough to kick my mood up a couple of notches? I can hear my “soon to be on spring break” senior”itis” students asking me now…”so the tanning bed is OK?” Well, I am not going that far, but I do recommend taking a 15 minute walk outside on sunny days. Even if you are so bundled up that your face is the only thing in sight, go ahead, the face is better than nothing. In addition, ask for fish on that salad when eating out instead of chicken.

Experts disagree on the requirements for Vitamin D, and most, currently agree that the recommendations are too low. For those under 50 year of age, the requirement is 200 IU (International Units), and the requirements increase with age. However, sun exposure for 30 minutes, allows your body to make up a whopping 10,000 IU! To put it into perspective, a 3.5 oz serving of salmon contains ~360 IU and 1 cup of milk contains ~100 IU.

Since it doesn’t look like I am going to get my sunny walk in soon, I think I’ll just go eat some fortified D ice cream, make sure PJ ices his foot tonight, and apply some self-tanner.

Valentine’s Day has always been one of my favorite holidays. Even when I was single and had no prospects, I always enjoyed the day devoted to love. In grade school, I loved making the homemade mailboxes covered in red and pink paper which awaited the Valentine card from your grade school crush. You had to be very careful about the assignment of your Valentine cards, for fear of sending the the wrong message.  If you were thoughtful enough to include some candy hearts in your Valentine, one would also want to make sure those messages matched the right person.

I have definitely received some interesting v-day gifts in the past…take for example the “instant cup of flowers.” The instant cup of flowers is a small plastic cup filled with the soil and seed packages that require you to grow your own flowers…hum. I like flowers, and I yes, I do like to plant, but for Valentine’s day?

So you don’t make the same mistake, or just haven’t had the time to plan out your day yet, I have a couple of food-related (of course)

#1:  Treat yourself to the new hot spot called Mia Rosa on Manchester Road in the “Grove.” What is awesome abou this restaurant, is #1 the food is delicious and #2 you get share with your friends or loved one. The restaurant is an Italian “tapas” style restaurant, which means the dishes are smaller in size and therefore, are meant to be shared. The prices are very reasonable, (tapas range from $7-$12) and the desserts (which of course you should indulge on for v-day) are $3-$4. Last time I was there, we had the warm beet salad, the goat cheese and artichoke flatbread, scallop and mushroom pasta, and the flourless chocolate cake with mint & coffee ice cream. Delish!

2) Wine & Chocolate: two aphrodisiacs…Celebrate early, and check out “The Ultimate Tasting Experience: Pairing Bissinger’s Chocolate & Chaumette Wine Event on Wed, Feb 11th. The event takes place at Whole Foods on Brentwood and starts at 7:00 pm. Price: $15. Can you think of a better pairing?

3) One of the latest dessert trends are the “cupcake bars”. One to check out in Saint Louis is Jilly’s Cupcake Bar on Delmar and I-70. Last week as PJ was perusing in my Runner’s World magazine, he stumbled upon some very important running advice. Eat Red Velvet Cupcakes. Runner’s World Magazine actually has a recipe in their latest issue for Red Velvet Cupcakes. And even better, they won’t do too much damage to your Valentine’s waistline. I promised PJ these treats for his v-day, and here is the recipe below in case you want to treat someone too.

Red Velvet CupcakesCupcake Recipe

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 1/2 cups cake flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons red food coloring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon vinegar

Cream-Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese (one bar)
1/2 pound unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Heart-shaped cupcake toppers or colored sugar

Preheat oven to 325° F. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with wrappers.

Mix dry ingredients together. Mix wet ingredients together. Pour wet mixture into dry and mix until combined. Fill tins two-thirds full with batter. Bake 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely.

For frosting, mix butter and cream cheese until smooth. Slowly mix in confectioner’s sugar. Add vanilla extract. Frost cupcakes using a piping bag fitted with a star-shaped tip. Or frost with a small spatula. Sprinkle with colored sugar or cupcake toppers. Makes 24.

Calories Per Cupcake: 290
Carbs: 35 g
Protein: 3 g
Fat: 16 g

4) Hike with the One You Love…so this one doesn’t have to do about food, but check out the Valentine’s Hike at the Shaw Nature Reserve in St. Louis County. The reserve is hosting a special evening hike for couples the night before Valentine’s Day.
February 13, 2009
7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
(636) 451-3512

5) Check out SLU’s own “Chocolate Celebration” in Fresh Gatherings Cafe on Thursday the 12th from 11am-1pm. The event is hosted by the Nutrition and Dietetics’s senior culinary class who have created a chocolate spread you won’t want to miss!

Here’s a taste of what’s to come….

Chocolate Covered Brownies
Variety of Chocolate Truffles
Chocolate Biscotti
Chocolate Cheesecake Bites

7 pieces for $7.50
4 piece boxed chocolate for $4.00

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Over the Christmas Break, PJ, the new hubby and I were having a conversation about future plans, goals, etc.  As other newlyweds can relate, once you are married, the next question people love to ask you is…when are you going to…run your next marathon!  Well, we decided to put one on our calendar for 2009.

I tend to incorrectly assume that people know what a “marathon” is, but for individuals who aren’t into running, a marathon is a race (usually road race) that lasts 26.2 miles. I am not for sure I would say I actually “race” it.  So when you hear someone talk about a half marathon that is equal to 13.1 miles. My first marathon was on my 22nd birthday in my hometown of Nashville. This marathon will be the day before my 31st birthday.  Over those 8 years, I have run a total of 4 marathons. It seems all my body can handle is one every other year, but there are people who run several marathons a year.

Each one of my marathons conjure up special, unique (and painful-some more than others) memories. People run these crazy distances for numerous reasons.  I actually have a framed poster in my office that I bought at the Boston marathon in 2007 that lists personal reasons of why a person takes on the marathon, a couple of them are as follows:

“The Best, Worst, Hardest, Happiest 26.2 miles of your life.”

“My boyfriend said I’m afraid of commitment. So I had to prove him wrong.”

“The road is my therapist.”

My quote on the Boston wall (but didn’t make the final poster cut), was that “there is no other feeling like starting and finishing a marathon.”  Even as I write this blog, I get a lump in my throat of the dedication and determination it takes to finish this event.

The training is tough, and especially training over the winter season for a spring marathon- we are training for the Big Sur Marathon, CA in April. I won’t forget the 17 mile day, when I was training for another spring marathon and ran in Forest Park in the pouring sleet for 12 miles, and then finished the last 5 miles on a treadmill in a small claustrophobic workout room at my first apartment complex. 

To train for a marathon with my husband is very special. As I have trained with others in the past, I am aware of the nuances that you pick up after running with someone for 3 hours. Maybe they (or I) complain too much, or want to stop for water at every water break, and then, consequently,  stop at every restroom.  However, more importantly, you realize that they are also supportive, committed, and strong.  You learn a lot about someone on those long runs, and I look forward to sharing that with PJ. For our first couple of weeks, I have consciously tried not to disseminate too much advice or start sentences with “in my past marathon experience…”. I do realize that this is an individual commitment, and we will both go through some tough training times and unfortunately or fortunately, they won’t happen for us at the same time.

I wanted to share my goal today in this blog, because I feel that when we set goals, no matter what size, we should share them with others. The more people that know about our commitments, the more likely we are to follow through with them and benefit from other’s support.

If you are interested in trying your first marathon, I highly recommend following Hal Higdon’s training programs. He offers programs at every level and also educates you on why the training program is set up as it is.

For whatever your 2009 health goal is, may it be accomplished and be somthing that makes an impression on you forever!

Last Friday, I participated in our Nutrition and Culinary undergraduate students’ pastry exams. As part of their exam they presented beautifully plated pastries such as the butternut squash creme bruelee, flourless chocolate cake, and poached apple & pumpkin spiced pudding. It was delish.

Yesterday, our Graduate Students presented their “nutrition assessment” projects while we the evaluating faculty enjoyed wine and cheese offered by the course’s professor.

Today at lunch, two of our Dietetic Internship students dropped off a cranberry bread pudding that they had prepared last night for cooking demonstration.

And you thought that you had it tough with the seemingly endless food celebrations at your office!

As I researched this “weight gain in the office” topic, I found a statistic that stated that those who have sedentary jobs and sit for 6 hours or more are at least 2x as likely to be overweight than those who sit for 45 minutes or less at their jobs. It makes sense! An office environment can provide many pitfalls for those who are trying to stay in shape.

To avoid being part of that terrible statistic, I realized, I must hold true and strong to a couple of my current strategies.

I never miss a meal. I really can’t remember the last time I did. I am not for sure if that is somehting to be proud of or not, but what I do know is that it allows me to never get really really hungry. Some people work through lunch and don’t even realize it, others skip it intentinolly to get more work done. But do you really get more work done by skipping a 15 minute lunch? That lunch provides us energy to get through the rest of the day at work, it gives us a chance to take a mental break from our work and come back to our desk refreshed and mentally energized.

I try to get up and move. I actually sit on a stability ball at work. I initially decided to do this so it would be a constant reminder to sit up straight. I definitely catch myself slouching, but one unbalanced movement on the stability ball reminds me to tighten up that core and pull back those shoulders. In addition, I try to get up and walk around at least once a hour, drinking lots of water helps…if you know what I mean. (: A quick walking break gets my blood pumping and improves my alertness.

I bring my lunch. Yes, Fresh Gatherings Cafe, our nutrition and dietetics student run cafe, has the best food on campus. However, I usually save both calories and money when I bring my lunch from home. As I put away my dinner, most of the time I pack the leftovers for lunch. It is important though, that if you pack your lunch, it is something that you look forward to eating! Easy ways to spice up the brown bagged lunch is try and new and flavorful condiment, instead of the yellow boring mustard, try a spicy hot horseradish mustard. Swap out some whole wheat pita for your sandwich bread. Use last night’s grilled salmon instead of tunafish for your salad sandwich filling.

I have learned to just say no. It gets easier as you go. Unfortunately, as much as I wished I could, I just can’t and shouldn’t eat it all. If I know we have a department party or a pastry exam, I make room for it in my caloric daily budget, or…I go over my budget. However, for all those unexpected break room goodies, I do my best to say, maybe next time.

I have healthy friends. My next door “office neighbor” has healthier habits than I do. He snacks on figs and almonds, eats 2-3 apples a day, and never fails to not ride his bike into work..Even on 20 degree days. In addition, he’ll keep me abreast of running or biking events around town. We all need someone like this in our life, someone who keeps us on our toes and challenges us, and, if you are lucky enough like me, you can find this friend at work. Maybe you have to be that person to someone else? Encouraging others to partner up with you and bring healthy foods to your office potlucks or to meet you at lunch for a walk? What a great and fun way to stay on track.

So get up and take a quick break! You and your work deserve it.