House of Carbs

By Kris Pitcher

Eating on the road is difficult no doubt about it. But for me, observing other people's habits presents a real learning moment. What I learn is reinforcement of controlling my nutritional environment when I can. I'd say I'm aware of people's habits, but when I'm out there being a consumer with the masses...I'm hyper-aware. And on my recent quick business trip, I was eyes "wide open" to the world around me.

In my un-scientific, non-peer reviewed completely observational opinion, Americans are nutrient deficient. How can that be, right? In an obese country of excess and over consumption? Well, I'll tell you what - we live in a "house of carbs". Our society is full of ready made, and made to order cheap eats full of carbs. Period. Restaurant menus either quick choices or sit down alike, it's difficult to get the nutrients you need. Specifically our power house friend, protein.

It's generally agreed that we need between .8-1.0 gram of protein per pound of body weight (lean body mass). That's for us ladies, guys you need a bit more. Some experts recommend a bit higher, some lower. This essential macro nutrient is made up of amino acids. Amino acids come in two categories; essential - which must come from our diet (there are 8), and non-essential - which our body can create (pretty cool). Protein is responsible for building and repairing our tissues, and our bodies use those amino acids to help regulate our metabolism and support our immune system. Seems pretty important right?

When I analyse people's food logs, or make un-scientific observations amongst the masses, I'm not surprised they are struggling with their weight when they are taking in 10% of their nutrients in protein, 75% carbohydrate, and 15% fat. Lots of room to balance out nutrients, and there are countless benefits which go along with that.

If you're not tracking your intake, you don't know what your getting. You know me, so day one of travel I was eating baggies of meat and veggies out of my purse...but day two I was a consumer in the house of carbs. I made my way but it's not easy out there. And the people around me, zero protein. Track your protein for a few days to see if you're low, high, or just right. Getting the appropriate amount of macro nutrients is critical to your nutritional success.

Body Conscious

by Kris Pitcher

This is not me.

There's nothing quite like airline travel to make even the most body-confident shrivel into being body-conscious. I really should have thought more about airport security before my travel day. Now, whether it's for work or pleasure I know the rules - I am a good traveler. I can pack for a week in my carry on and I have the security system down. From when to take off my shoes to what goes in which bin so I look like a pro coming out the other side.

But with the new security scanners I never thought I would become so body-conscious. Suddenly I wondered if I should have stepped up my cardio leading up to my trip. Lifting my arms over my head I stood in the scanner wishing I hadn't skipped shaving my armpits to shave a few minutes off my morning routine. At least with my arms raised that little bit of tummy smoothes out...who's looking at me I wondered? I started to sweat as I thought about my panty liner....they can see everything. "At least it's not a diaper." I comforted myself.

Quickly I flexed my glutes as if I were on stage presenting my physique. Shoulders back, chest up. Do I look nervous? I'm standing in the airport a virtual unclothed digital me...of course I'm nervous. I wanted to tell the person I felt like I was retaining a little water. That it was off season and I had put on a bit of size. I thought I should apologize for not having time for a pedicure, but I know there's little room for humor...and they're not judging me right?

I will tell you one thing, if you thought you could slide through the winter in your sweaters and long pants...without making an appointment to see your waxer, you better cancel your travel plans. If there's an airport in your future, you've got all the incentive you need to stick to your plan. Maybe even step it up a notch. I'm all for security, and I'm staying on track so next time I'm scanned - I'll stand body-confident!

Making Meals Easy, Where Sparks Fly

by Kris Pitcher

I'm on a nutrition role here so I'm just going to give you one more on this topic. You might not like it, because I'm also feeling a bit of tough love coming through. I think people have a misinformed fantasy idea about meal time. And I'm not talking about everyone sitting down together, don't be crazy. But sparks are not going to fly each time you sit down to eat...they're just not. It's not going to be exciting, or new, or different. Give up the idea that it's a wild variety of culinary wonder. Let it go. Bye-bye...

When we are making changes, managing our weight, trying to lose weight, gaining control of our choices, increase our performance, run a marathon, go off insulin - fill in your own ad lib style goal there - our food becomes fuel. It's a tool. No longer is it recreation, celebration, or medication. It's fuel to run our body, and if we use it correctly we will meet our goals.

Making meals easy means preparing and planning ahead. Take a day and prepare food for at least 4 days. At any one time, we've got 2 or 3 kinds of protein cooked and ready in the refridgerator. When there are carb days, there's rice prepared ahead. Frozen veggies are waiting in the freezer. At meal time it's a matter of selecting your protein and veggies, done. Spice it up with different spice mixes, or sauces and your meal is ready. As things run low, it's to the freezer to bring something up to thaw, or put more chicken in the crock-pot.

Let go of the idea that your meals will be exciting and different every time, and begin to shift your view of food. You have to work for what you want and unfortunately our socialized views of food don't align with what most of us want (regardless of how fun that Happy Meal was). Look at where those views have gotten us. Trust me, meeting your goals is where the sparks will fly.

Fresh vs. Frozen, The Veggie Debate

by Kris Pitcher

Canned, fresh, or frozen? Vegetables and fruits that is, and the great debate goes on. This is certainly an issue where you may have a personal preference, or opinion, or value. That's great. But I can offer some clarification, and quite possibly some serious simplification for you.

Americans eat about one third of the daily recommended servings for fruits and vegetables. And we're more likely to eat more fruit than veggies. Hmm, why am I not surprised. Fruit is good for us, but tops we should get 2 servings per day especially if we are watching our calories. At 100 plus calories of nature made sugar per serving...there isn't much room in our food plan for a lot of fruit depending on our goals. Sorry.

But with a recommendation for 7-10 servings of vegetables - we could use some easy ways to get these guys in. So which is better canned, fresh, or frozen?

If you are fortunate enough to grown your own, by all means go fresh. And if you can get fresh when it's in season, very nutritious. Canned vegetables lose nutrients in the canning process, except for tomatoes, and pumpkin - go figure. For the most part, canned are the least nutrient dense of the 3.

Frozen veggies are often more nutritious than fresh. They are processed at their peak ripeness when their nutrients are at their height. They are typically blanched, and then flash frozen locking in all those nutrients.

Vegetable destined for the supermarket are picked before they are ripe, they have a long way & time to travel. They have less time to fully develop their nutrients. Often fresh are less nutritious than frozen.

Steam or microwave vegetables to get the most out of them in terms of nutrients. When you boil them, you lose additional nutrients. Frozen veggies are convenient, cost effective, and ready when you are. There's no washing or prep work, just steam and go. Look for variety blends to give your taste buds a little something different.

Which ever you choose think of your fiber rich veggies as go to tools for weight management. Go easy on sugary and starchy veggies including: red peppers, carrots, potatoes of all kinds, yams, corn, sugar snap peas, peas, edamame, etc.

Go for it with your dark green leafy and water packed veggies like: lettuce, cabbage, bok choy, cucumber, mushrooms, bean sprouts, celery, asparagus, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, etc.

We are in a constant state of food prep at our house and for us, frozen vegetables fit both economically and in ease of preparation. Canned veggies do have their place, and I've got some in my pantry. And in season, we eat fresh veggies too. But our staple is frozen broccoli & green beans to give away the secret. Now pick one and eat your veggies!

Amy's Sweet Potato & Apple Whipped Casserole

by Kris Pitcher

This recipe was shared with Jacques by Amy...which I'm publishing without permission. Admittedly, I'm not good at instructions, or rules for that matter. This morning I had my apples and sweet potatoes on the counter ready for this recipe, then I got out my peeler and large stock pot because I was going to boil them.

But then I remembered my sense of inquiry being squashed by my 5th grade teacher who had a sign which read, "When all else fails, read the directions." I guess that teacher was tired of little 5th graders asking lots of questions. I thought I'd better double check the recipe before I started forging ahead on my own.

I did follow the directions for Amy's recipe, and the casserole is warming in the oven and smelling delicious. I highly recommend you give this a whirl!

Amy's Sweet Potato & Apple Whipped Casserole

• 4 sweet potatoes (equivalent 4 cups, cubed)
• 3 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and quartered
• 1 egg
• 4 egg whites
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/2 c freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 Tbsp freshly grated orange rind
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg (fresh is best, if you have it)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Roast sweet potatoes whole at 450 degrees until tender, about 30-40 minutes, depending on your oven and size of the potatoes. (Make sure you poke holes in them with a fork, first!)
2. Bake apple pieces on a pan sprayed with non-stick for the last 20 minutes or so, until soft.
3. Whip the egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Keep in the frig until ready to use
4. Let sweet potatoes cool enough to scrape the pulp out of the skins, add to mixer with softened apples. Using the paddle attachment, blend until as smooth as possible, adding the single egg, OJ, orange rind, spices, and vanilla.
5. When thoroughly mixed, slowly fold in the whipped egg whites to the sweet potatoes and apples, gently mixing by hand until a uniform, lighter color. (Nor egg white streaks)
6. Spray 9x13 inch baking pan with non-stick, carefully pour mixture into the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Serve hot.

Optional:
Before baking, sprinkle with pecans for crunch and a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar for sweetness. Or, another great topping is chopped candied ginger, about 2 Tbsp - adds a nice bite of spice.

You can add a little Splenda or brown sugar to the sweet potato/apple mixture if you like things on the sweeter side, maybe 1/4 cup.

 Much more than a great cook...

Amy Hatvany's newest novel BEST KEPT SECRET

is due out July 19, 2011

BEST KEPT SECRET: "Amy Hatvany's powerful language, delicious imagery, and tender treatment of motherhood is a love letter to women everywhere, who try and sometimes fail, but who always get back up again. She is a gifted writer, whose compassion and clear-headed view of addiction and recovery are inspirational and empowering." ~ Rachael Brownell, Mommy Doesn't Drink Here Anymore.

Portion Distortion

by Kris Pitcher

Super size doesn't begin to describe what has happened to our portion sizes. Further, there is a consumer sense of entitlement that comes with getting big portions. People feel entitled to eat a lot, regardless of their goals to be a certain "normal" weight. We see "everyone else doing it" socially - through very strong marketing, and we think that is normal. Let me tell you something straight...it's not normal unless you are choosing obesity.

In order to get a handle on our portion sizes we need to know how much should be on our plate. The Mayo Clinic describes a portion as the amount on your plate, not to be confused with a serving which is a specific measurement of food. They have a handy little slide show on their web site to help explain the difference.

How do you know how much food you're getting? You have to measure it or weigh it. Simple. You need a scale to do that. I like one that has a digital readout, and a zero function - meaning I can add something, zero out and then add another item. You can't rely on guessing when it comes to getting portion sizes right. 

Our scale has a permanent home on the kitchen counter. Every meal is weighed, every time. Period. Otherwise, you don't know what your putting in. And when you want a specific outcome, you need to control what's going in...make sense?

You can begin to get a good feel for serving sizes by familiarizing yourself with labels. Portion sizes are the amount of food you are taking in based on the outcome you want. But Kris, that seems like a lot of work?! Well - you're right it is but there's no room here for portion distortion.

Get Organized! Where It Matters!

by Kris Pitcher

This is what's in my cooler.

I'm not organized in many areas of my life, but when it comes to food, food-prep, and food storage...I've got a system down. Being prepared (my inner Girl Scout) is the only way to have what you need when you need it. Seems simple, yet how often have you found yourself out there in the cold world without your meals and snacks. Once you're out there defenseless, you are forced to choose between the better of bad choices. Why put yourself through all that when you can just take what you need to keep yourself on track and in good graces with your values...ie. guilt free. Now that's priceless.

When I travel for work I plan ahead, look for a hotel near a grocery store, and I've been known to take my big purse with baggies of frozen chicken on the plane. When you sit next to me, you'll be noshing on your tiny pouch of salted cracker shaped things, and I'll be eating my protein. I have no shame.

Most days I take my cooler to the office and it's stacked with 3 meals, 2 containers of nuts, an apple (when I'm really splurging), and a diet grapefruit pop (the joys of off-season eating!). I use Pyrex glass containers with plastic lids that fit snug as a bug. My boss studies environmental toxins and she badgered me out of my plastic containers at the microwave - she's right I don't need those in me. So, I choose glass. Ah! Value laden Choices! There's one of mine. But, I found a nifty little gadget that's worth taking a look at to help you organize your meals on the go.

What I like about this gadget is that it's got one main compartment and 2 smaller ones so you can take 3 meals with you. If you're going to be away for 8+ hours you should have at least 3 meals with you. Add travel time, and a trip to the gym before or after and you may have a 10+ hour day. Be prepared and organized. It matters and you'll be a happy little Scout! I'm also a big fan of treats that are not food based...so here's something to get yourself when you meet your next goal, or add to your wish list.

Organize where it matters! On the go! Lunch on the Go by Fit & Fresh