Weight Loss Archives | Fake Food Free

5 Things You Will Love About the Fit Bottomed Girls Anti-Diet

May 7, 2014

Have you ever picked up a book and after reading the first couple of paragraphs you were suddenly in a better mood? A smile slowly starts to spread on your face, the wheels in your brain kick into gear and a voice somewhere inside starts chanting – you can do this!

That’s how I felt the moment I cracked open Jennipher Walters and Erin Whitehead’s new book The Fit Bottomed Girl Anti-Diet.

I think most people assume that if you work in health promotion in any way, or if your persona is all about eating vegetables and staying active, that a healthy lifestyle comes super easy for you. That choosing kale over French fries requires no internal debate and that every evening you lace up your shoes ecstatic over the four miles you have get to run.

Untrue.

I have my ups and downs. Times when I gain weight and lose weight. Times when kale tastes good and when it tastes awful. Times when I bust through an eight mile long run and when I have to walk after just one mile.

I have to admit I was experiencing a down when I got this book. It launched me right out of it!

If you are a blogger, you remember those blogs you associated with at the very beginning when you first started out. Fit Bottomed Girls is one of those for me; one I connected with. I can still remember Jenn’s motivating comments on some of my original posts here at Fake Food Free. She and the Fit Bottomed Girls crew continue to motivate me. I’ve been thrilled to be featured a Fit Blogger We Love on the site and share a few guest posts on Fit Bottomed Eats over the past few months.

Their new book truly encompasses what is great about their site. These are five things I loved about it, and you will, too.

It’s about ditching the diet mentality and getting back in touch with eating because you’re hungry, because it tastes good and because it nourishes you.
It’s loaded with tips for quick exercise sessions that encourage movement, not punishment. It even gave me a few new ideas.
It focuses on the positive and being grateful. Too few healthy lifestyle books emphasize gratefulness. Being grateful for what you have, for the simple fact that you can walk or run, changes your attitude.
It emphasizes balance. I know there are people who feel that balance is not an achievable reality, but I completely disagree. It’s one of those journey, not a destination type of things and this book highlights that.
When you read scenarios in the book like the dreaded weigh-in you will laugh out loud while saying – holy crap, that is exactly me.

Intrigued? Good news, the book was released yesterday! Get yourself a copy and as they say – drop the diet drama.

If you are already a fan of the FBG website, then I’m sure you are also familiar with the Big-Ass Salad. It always makes me giggle a bit when I read the term, but I love it when Jenn shares her ideas for healthy lunches.

There are some quick and healthy recipes in the book that you’ll love, but I decided to share one of my salads with you in celebration of a healthy eating attitude.

Roasted Cherry and Nectarine Salad with Honey-Walnut Dressing | Fake Food Free

It felt like such a long wait, but cherries, nectarines and peaches are beginning to show themselves at the farmers market here. Since they come at a time when we go back and forth between cool and warm temps (well, that’s pretty much always the case in the Bay Area), I struggle to decide between a cold salad or a hot lunch. This recipe combines the two. Perfect solution.

Congrats to Jenn and Erin on the book!

Roasted Cherry and Nectarine Salad with Honey-Walnut Dressing

Servings: 2 to 3

Dressing

4 tbsp walnut oil

2 tbsp chopped walnuts

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Pinch of salt

3 yellow nectarines, pitted and sliced

1 cup cherries, pitted

4 cups mixed greens

3 oz. crumbled cheese (Blue cheese or feta works well. I used goat milk feta.)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil or coconut oil.

In a small food processor, add 2 tablespoons of the walnut oil, walnuts and honey. Puree until the walnuts are finely chopped and a paste forms. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of walnut oil and puree for about 30 seconds. You will be left with a thick walnut paste and a sweet milky liquid. Transfer to a bowl.

Whisk in the vinegar and salt. This will take a little time, but trust me, it will turn into a thick dressing. Keep whisking. Set aside.

Place the nectarine slices and cherries in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, until softened and the juices begin to bubble.

Place the greens in a bowl, add the warm fruit and cheese. Pour in the dressing and toss well to coat. (You can also serve the dressing on the side as pictured, but because the dressing is thick, it really works better to toss the salad in it.) Serve right away.

Disclosure: The book in this post was sent to me for review purposes. I was not required to write about it and received no compensation for doing so.

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Finding the Right Word

December 31, 2009

No one seems to like the word resolution anymore. It’s as if it’s some term that is certain to set you up for failure. I’ve seen that in 2010 we should set goals instead, but that doesn’t really strike a chord with me either. I’ve been thinking about it a lot though, and this year I think I will call them commitments. These things I choose to better myself in the next year will be promises to me and actions that I commit myself to.

I think last year was the first year that I took my resolutions/commitments seriously and I’m pretty proud of what I accomplished. (I honestly can’t believe I’ve been running regularly for a year now!) I don’t like it that this New Year’s practice has gotten such a bad reputation over the years, so I decided to change that for me personally. I agree we should set goals and make commitments throughout the year, but what better time to evaluate ourselves and recommit than a brand new year. I think reflecting on our faults and shortcomings and making a promise to better ourselves is an important part of wellness.

So here you go. These are my 2010 Commitments. I’ll be checking back with them in the spring to stay on track and I think there are a few that have the potential to result in some great reading and recipes!

Run my first half marathon on March 28th.
I’m giving it a try. I’ve grown to enjoy running although I can’t say it is my favorite activity just yet. This could be my one and only half, but I have to give it a try to challenge myself and my abilities.

Make at least one recipe from a fellow food blogger each month.
Like most of you, I have recipe after recipe bookmarked from all the great food blogs out there. I’m going to commit to trying one or more each month. My goal with this is to leave them relatively unaltered so that I can try some great food, give you a new recipe you may have missed in your reading and spread the word about some of my fave blogs.

Make at least one recipe from a cookbook each month.
Similar to food blogs I have cookbooks and magazine cut-outs galore. It is time to start trying some of these recipes more often!

Read one informative book & one novel each month.
This one may be tough, but I want to structure my time to get in more off-screen reading. I love mysteries because they help me unwind and take a break from work. Similarly I want to keep up with reading nonfiction, informational books such as those focused on nutrition, cooking, environmental concerns and world religions.

Visit as many local food festivals as possible this year.
No I don’t have a number associated with this, but I’m thinking anything better than zero will be a good start. There are so many local food fests around Kentucky. From spoon bread to strawberries to bourbon there always seems to be something going on. This is the year I’m going to make it a priority to attend. Now that I’ve learned about cultures halfway around the world I’m realizing how important it is to learn more about that which is right in my backyard.

Make at least 75% of our food purchases local and sustainable.
I’m not exactly sure how I will measure this, but I will figure it out. I would say now we are somewhere in the 50% range and I want that to change. I chose 80% because there will always be some things such as grains which we eat that are not likely to come from nearby. In addition, I enjoy eating and cooking ethnic foods and those ingredients aren’t always available locally. To define the foods I’m talking about here, locally grown produce, grass-finished beef, naturally raised chicken and pork and local honey are examples.

Frequent my local international markets.
My plan is to shop here once a month for grains and spices. My goal is for this to also help me diversify my cooking and start making more of the wonderful foods we’ve had the opportunity to try during our travels.

Okay, so what do you think? I’m actually pretty excited about it and ready to get 2010 underway!

I’d love to hear what some of your food and wellness related commitments/resolutions/goals are this year!

Also, if you are looking for some support while adopting some healthier habits this coming year, check out the Ten in 2010 event going on at Recipe Girl. I’ve joined in with the goal to stick to my half marathon training and lose 10 lbs.

I also wanted to be a part of it because I’m seeing a lot of commitments to eat less fat and carbs. I think we all know how I feel about that. I certainly believe in everyone’s right to their definition of health and healthy eating, but I’m hoping I can use myself as an example to debunk some of those old school healthy eating myths. I’ll be eating lots of full fat, whole grains and naturally grown foods. I’d love to see you join in if you haven’t yet!

Avoid, Guilt-free, Substitute, Light and Other Words I Don’t Like

December 11, 2009

Raise your hand if you’ve come across an article or an email with some form of these words in the title. (I have both hands raised). I promise if I receive one more email that has a “guilt-free” recipe in the title I’m going to scream. Well, okay, a delete and then a purge from my email memory forever will suffice.

Last year I did a post on All that Healthy Eating Advice and I’m sticking to those thoughts and feelings this year as well. I really dislike the idea that we have to use tactics and trickery to control eating and that a feeling of guilt can enter our minds when we eat a real food we truly enjoy.

Food is part of culture. Culture can often be defined by food.

Family celebrations and holidays throughout history have focused on food. I believe with all my heart that there is absolutely nothing wrong with this. I also feel it is dishonoring our culture and traditions to find sneaky ways to avoid enjoying real food and beating ourselves up like it is a failure of character if we do.

I’ve been there. Tried all the tactics myself and am guilty as charged.

Yes, there are some problems with our food culture in the U.S. Not listening to our minds and our stomachs and stuffing until we are sick is not healthy. Stuffing with foods made of heavily processed ingredients isn’t healthy either. Not to mention, avoiding any movement until New Years isn’t the best decision.

There are some very unhealthy habits that surround our holidays, that is true. I’ve mentioned some of them above. But truly savoring and enjoying my mom’s pumpkin pie, the cookies I bake or a rich, delicious appetizer at a party can be one of the healthiest things we do this holiday season, especially if we are in the camp of sacrifice, deprivation, and guilt this time of year.
I know, I’ve been there.

You can read all those tips/thoughts/ideas I listed in last year’s post. I only have a couple more to add this year. These are a few more of the ways I am looking at things this holiday season.

Invest and enjoy. If you are going to indulge, make it worth it. Buy real cheddar and not processed cheese food, make your own cream soup and buy a quality chocolate. Break those fake food habits and start eating real food. Yes, it will take some readjustment of your budget and time (we’ll address this in a later post), but when you stop buying the processed stuff you’ll have money to spend on the quality stuff and your body will thank you for it.

Keep moving. You are going to eat and enjoy some delicious foods this season that likely have more calories than what you eat on a normal daily basis. Again, this is okay. Physiology makes it so an increase in calories causes weight gain. Exercise will combat these extra calories and carry you happily through a holiday season. You’ll reduce your stress, the endorphins will be pumping and you’ll feel much more like St. Nick than Scrooge.

Not all the time, every day. Keep your parties in mind throughout your week and lighten up on the days you don’t have one. It’s perfectly okay to indulge in the foods at your friend’s dinner party this weekend, but when you have a chance to cut back this week, do so. Save your intake of cookies and desserts for the cookie exchange and take a break from them a few days before. Don’t take it to the point of feeling deprived, but some checks and balances throughout the season will keep you from gaining a lot of unwanted weight. Along with the exercise, doing this helps. Since the beginning of November, I’m rid of 9 lbs of the weight I gained over the past couple years (all that ex-pat eating experimentation) and I’ve enjoyed A LOT of great food.

And what if you do gain a few pounds?

Accept and appreciate yourself. So you gain 5 lbs during the holidays? So what? The bigger question is – 1. Did you enjoy the foods you ate and avoid mindless munching? 2. Did you enjoy the time spent with the people you love? Give yourself a break and commit to losing it as soon as the holidays are over. Life is so short, don’t spend it feeling deprived and consumed with guilt.

The healthiest thing we can do this holiday season is know ourselves well enough and be in tune enough with our bodies and emotions to choose the foods we want, eat them and savor every bite, appreciating where they came from and the people who made them.

Photo from the Bellagio Las Vegas Dec 2008

Economic Influence and Portion Control

March 19, 2009

I’ve had two food and health related topics on my mind lately – how the economy is influencing our food choices and gigantic portions. At first I didn’t really feel like my thoughts on the two had anything to do with each other, but the more I ponder it I think maybe they do.

Despite absorbing a small hike in food prices into our budget, living abroad has afforded us the luxury of avoiding most of the current economic struggles being experience by many in the States. Everyone is talking about it of course and I’ve been reading just about everything I come across on the subject. Though, I’ve realized that there is a big difference in reading about it and experiencing it.

When I go back to the US to visit it is much like a vacation. Everyone is happy to see me (thankfully) and typically when people want to get together it is to go eat a meal in one form or another. This leads to great opportunities for observing how the economy has changed eating out, if at all.

For example, in my hometown there has been relatively no change in the amount of people out in restaurants. My brother recently moved back to our hometown from Florida and is constantly commenting about vast differences in eating out between where he lived there and our hometown. He says that the numbers of people he saw eating out in south Florida have dropped drastically – no people hanging outside waiting for a table on the heavily restaurant-populated streets. However, in IN it seems nothing has changed.

So it has me wondering – are these simply the people that the economy has somehow failed to influence, or is it a case of drowning sorrows about current situations. To simplify, are people living beyond their means to begin with and say “What’s another charge on the credit card. Let’s go eat.”

This is where the issue of portion sizes comes in. My in-laws took me to Red Lobster while I was home last time. We all ordered off the lunch menu. The portions were appropriately sized, maybe even a little big for lunch. As I ate my meal and as we exited the restaurant something drew my attention to all the plates sitting on the tables around me (all tables which were full, by the way). I would estimate that 75% of people had large dinner platters, not the smaller lunch menu plates.

Now I would love to assume that this was the large meal for those people that day and they were going to have a light dinner, but our eating habits in the US as a whole tell me I would probably be wrong. Not only did these people have huge portions, but they also had the extra expense of purchasing a dinner entrée for lunch.

I used to feel that portion size was an issue that we were gaining control of – more restaurants offer half portions, people are educated to take ½ home in a to-go box, etc. However, I have to admit there are times when I get a bit scared for us and think – how in the world are we going to get a grasp on this unhealthy practice?

In the last 3 months I have had half salads on two occasions that could have fed two or more people. When something like that arrives to the table at first I start to chuckle about how huge it is, but then the reality sets in along with the feeling that it isn’t a laughing matter at all. It is really serious – a serious waste of resources and a risk to the health of those people who have unhealthy relationships with food.

Now, I realize the economy has affected people in many different ways and I am grossly generalizing through my observations. However, I can’t help but question what the key will be to solving our issues with portion sizes regardless of whether it is the consumer or restaurant’s fault. If a failing economy, loss of jobs and tight budgets doesn’t make us order off a less expensive menu to save money, and the health risks don’t scare us enough to eat smaller portions what will finally make use eat the way in which we were designed to.

Me? I don’t have any answers at the moment, but I definitely want to know yours.

Portion Problems

January 5, 2009

Things are slowly returning to normal for me and I’m glad to be blogging again. I’ve missed you all!! I’m not back in Brazil yet. I still have about a week left to spend in the US.

Of course, it is that time of year when everyone seems to get a little more focused on health and I’ve had a topic on my mind that really presented itself during our travels the last few weeks – portion sizes.

You probably know all there is to know about portion sizes and how the US in terms of restaurants and unhealthy eating has a really skewed view of what is appropriate.

If you do any traveling outside of the US, this is when the whole portion size issue really becomes quite baffling. I don’t think all countries have a good grasp on proper portions. For example, I think Brazil is almost as bad as the US when eating out. However, the majority of other places in this world serve a lot less food than we do.

A big reason why this came to mind is because of our trip to Jamaica. We stay at Sandals Resorts when we are there. Despite the fact that many people think all-inclusive resorts are all buffets, we know this isn’t true and I can’t wait to show you some of the amazing food we had in my post tomorrow.

When I read travel reviews about these resorts I almost always find a large majority of people complaining that the portions were too small at the resort. We even witnessed a couple ordering two entrees each.

I guess people don’t understand the idea that there are supposed to be 4 to 5 course meals and you are supposed to order all courses. This means each item is small. Personally, I love this because you get to try a lot of different things. We are beyond stuffed after all the courses which makes the small-portion complaint unbelievable to me.

It reminds me how our ideas of an appropriate amount of food to sustain our bodies are so amazingly far off.

When we came back and then arrived in Vegas we were greeted with the massive amounts of food USAmericans have become accustomed to. Below is a picture of my LUNCH-sized Asian salad from Grand Luxe Café in the Palazzo. Look at that thing! It is huge! It was awesome for sure, but it should have been about ½ the size.

Now here is a picture of my lunch salad in Jamaica. A much better size. It was amazing by the way. It had curry chicken, toasted coconut and mango chutney on top.

It can be quite interesting if you get into a conversation of who’s at fault for this distorted portion problem. Consumers blame restaurants and companies. Restaurants blame the fact that the customer demands it so they give them what they want. My perception is we are all at fault.

If you have ever struggled with weight loss I am sure you know that our stomach can be trained regarding how much food you need to be full. No, at the moment, I don’t have the scientific evidence to support it, but from personal experience I know my stomach will expand and shrink over time.

If we train ourselves to stop when we are full and to eat less food our body and stomach will eventually be satisfied with less. I go through this each year around the holidays. I go into them needing only small portions to fill me up. Then, after several weeks of eating too much, I find I can eat more and more before feeling too full. The beginning of the new year is spent getting things back to normal.

I guess my question is, how in the world are we going to solve this problem? I don’t see restaurants giving smaller portions anytime soon and I don’t see people without health at the front of the priorities to eat less. Sure, you can order a ½ salad at places or take ½ home, but not everyone is going to do this. Basically the people who need to do this for their health are not doing it. How are we going to retrain ourselves as a society to eat normally again? Will we?

Things just seem so far out of control that this issue truly worries me. Not only is it a problem for our health, but also our environment. We use a lot of resources for these mega portions.

What is your opinion on the issue?

All That Holiday Eating Advice

October 28, 2008

Halloween is on Friday and it is, what many people consider, the start of the holiday season. It’s about that time when little blurbs of information pop up everywhere offering tips on how to maintain or lose weight during the holidays.

When I read the bounty of tricks for avoiding holiday eating my first thought is usually an accusation that the person writing has obviously never been to a holiday party, or at least the kind I’ve been to.

Most of the tips are just too simple and I begin thinking – why do we need tricks to fool ourselves into eating healthy? It feels a little dishonest and sneaky. Why is it wrong to thoroughly enjoy the holiday season even if it means putting on a couple pounds?

I do believe the information out there saying that weight gain overtime can be attributed to the small amounts that people gain year after year at the holidays which they never seem to take off. This makes sense to me. It becomes a serious problem if you never lose holiday weight.

I struggle like crazy with the holiday eating because for the past few years my husband and I have taken an all-inclusive vacation the week before Christmas. After all that eating and drinking we head right into Christmas and New Years. We balance two families in the same town so that usually means 2 – 3 massive meals in the same day, everyday. Explode much? It’s a lot of food!

So I started thinking about all those tips that don’t work for me and here are a few.

Eat before you go. This one makes me laugh every time because all it has ever done for me is resulted in two meals instead of one. I understand the idea of not feeling starved when you get there, but why would I want to fill up before getting to all that tasty food.

Arrive late. Have we really gotten so out of control with our eating that we must be rude to the host in order to control ourselves?

Fill your plate with veggies. Okay, this can work sometimes, but after the carrots I usually go back for the stuff I really want.

You can’t take the food out of the holidays. Enjoying (and cooking) these meals with family and friends are a huge part of what memories are made of. It doesn’t mean we have to overeat and gain weight, but it does mean we have to develop a healthy relationship with food (and exercise) so our thoughts and energy are focused on the experience and not the size of our waistline.

These are a few things that I try to incorporate around this time of year.

I start right now. I mentioned that yearly vacation right? I’m always motivated this time of year to hit the gym a little harder and cut out excess calories in preparation for things to come. I get a head start so I’m not left with a ton of weight to lose come January.

Practice mindful eating. Don’t mindlessly stuff your face with food as you talk and talk. Take a second to enjoy each bite and recognize when you are full. Appreciate this time and all the wonderful foods that go with it.

Choose what you really want. It has taken me several years to make this change. I used to eat everything and anything offered. Now I’ve begun to recognize what I can pass up. For example, rolls, chips and other unexciting things I can get everyday (if I wanted it) I pass on, but that special mac n cheese or pecan pie only comes around about once a year.

Exercise, exercise and exercise some more. Keep up the workouts. The only real way to curb weight gain while enjoying the foods of the season is to burn it off. The bonus is that it will also relieve that holiday stress many of us feel.

Eat real foods (you had to know this was coming). The holidays aren’t an excuse for me to indulge in processed, chemically-laden junk. I focus on the homemade stuff with real ingredients. Spare me the calories of the chips and store-bought cookies.

Stay away from the food table. Okay, this one is usually listed with most tips and for me it definitely works. If I take a seat away from the buffet of holiday goodness, I end up eating less.

Don’t skimp on actual nutrients. Make sure you are still getting those leafy greens, fruits and calcium which can sometimes be lacking in holiday foods. Don’t make your body go without necessary nutrients for healthy function. Decide how you can include them.

Accept and appreciate yourself. So you gain 5 lbs during the holidays? So what? The bigger question is – 1. did you enjoy the foods you ate? 2. did you enjoy the time spent with the people you love? Give yourself a break and commit to returning to a healthy weight as soon as the holidays are over.

How do you feel about holiday eating “tricks”? Let me know what works for you.

Photo by Marica Umland, morguefile.com

Staying Focused through Mindful Eating

August 11, 2008

Mindful eating is a topic that really sparks my interest. It is a relatively simple concept, yet often it is incredibly difficult to master.

It basically has to do with being in the moment. I feel this is important for all life experiences, but can be beneficial to your mental wellness AND your waistline when it comes to eating.

One of my professors in grad school was really into this movement. We had several sessions where he went through some of his exercises with us.

We each got a carrot, a section of orange and a piece of chocolate. We took several minutes to eat each one, concentrating on the flavor and texture.

It is amazing how much more satisfying food can be when you are focused on it. I find this to be the case especially with chocolate.

I enjoy chocolate almost on a daily basis. I try to keep it dark in variety and only have a square or two. If I stay focused while eating it I am satisfied with just a little.

It is easier for me to practice mindful eating with real food. Since we tend to buy fake foods for convenience or when we are on the go, there were many times I would look down at the granola wrapper on my desk and couldn’t for the life of me remember when I had taken that last bite.

When I cook fresh foods I make more of an effort to enjoy them because of the work I just put into making it. Quiet restaurants are also supportive of more mindful eating for me.

On another note, I have to practice mindful selecting too. It has taken a lot of effort for me to stop before I grab something when I am hungry or shopping and evaluate if it is what I consider a fake food. If I think more about it, I’m much more liked to grab something fresh instead.

I’ve gotten to know myself well enough over the past few years that I can literally sense the change in my patterns as stress creeps up while I’m eating. Either I’m working on a difficult project, talking about stressful matters with my husband over dinner or I’m in a noisy atmosphere.

At these moments I catch myself shoveling the food in without thought.

I have to remember to put the fork down and taste. When I don’t taste, I don’t enjoy and I’m left feeling unsatisfied which leads to all sorts of bad snacking habits later on.

I am glad that I am able to recognize this in myself, but it is definitely an ongoing challenge to stay in the moment when it comes to eating and choosing food.

Do you have any challenges when it comes to mindful eating? Do you feel it is an important component for health?

Photo courtesy of Free Range Stock

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