It's the holiday season and I hope that you are enjoying the year-end parties and family celebrations. We take the time this year to be thankful for our families and friends. And look forward to a new year full of happiness and good surprises. It hasn't been an easy year for many people given the difficult economic climate. But that makes it even more important to eat well, exercise, reduce stress and get plenty of rest.
So that means in 2009, we are off to a new start. That includes myself. Beginning January 2009, I will start providing Personal Training. I have always advocated exercise and provided guidelines for fitness. But now I will begin actual training that is specific to your needs. Whether it is general wellness, weight loss or athletic performance, I will coach you so you can meet your goals.
Wellness is multifaceted. To feel healthy and energetic, you need to eat heathfully, exercise regularly, reduce stress and sleep well. Begin 2009 with a new outlook. Or better yet, begin today!
Happy Holidays!
Sunday, December 07, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Eat locally and seasonally - Apple picking
This is the perfect time to get outside and visit your local apple orchard. Last week, we visited Hilltop Orchard in Richmond, Massachusetts and had a great time apple picking. They had a large variety of apples: Milton (heirloom), Cortland, Ginger Gold, Jersey Mac, McIntosh, Paula Red, Granny Smith, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Strawberry Apple, Summer Delight, Wealthy (heirloom) .
Now the big decision is what to do with all these apples besides eating one a day. I am looking forward to making apple sauce, apple crumble, apple muffins, apple pie and apple toppings for pancakes and French toast.
Why does an apple a day keep the doctor away? Apples are loaded with fiber, flavonoids, phytonutrients and antioxidants, particularly Vitamin C, quercetin, catechin, phloridzin and chlorogenic acid. Enjoy them fresh off the vine. And they store well in the refrigerator.
Happy picking!
Now the big decision is what to do with all these apples besides eating one a day. I am looking forward to making apple sauce, apple crumble, apple muffins, apple pie and apple toppings for pancakes and French toast.
Why does an apple a day keep the doctor away? Apples are loaded with fiber, flavonoids, phytonutrients and antioxidants, particularly Vitamin C, quercetin, catechin, phloridzin and chlorogenic acid. Enjoy them fresh off the vine. And they store well in the refrigerator.
Happy picking!
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Eat locally - a Seattle restaurant recommendation
Our 2 week trip ended in Seattle. We needed to find a place for dinner and the only information about Seattle restaurants that I had was something I tore out of a Travel and Leisure magazine a few months ago. There were 3 on the list that sounded interesting, but the one that I thought would be the best was also the first one we would drive by. It is called Tilth and what made it special was it featured locally grown, produced and/or caught food and drinks.
The menu changes frequently which reflects the seasonal aspect. Each item is available in either a small or large portion. The waiter suggested multiple small portions so we can try various items. Since I am not a food critic or a restaurant reviewer, I don't want to get into the specifics about what we ate. But I will tell you a story about our dinner.
Our waiter was very talkative and knowledgeable. After my husband and I ordered wine, he asked my 10 year old son what he wanted to drink. As usually, he asked for "water". I am so glad he never asks for soda. But then the waiter starts telling him about the home-made sarsaparilla soda. I started to cringe when I heard the word "soda". When Marc asked what is sarsaparilla, the waiter explained it is made from sassafras roots. Marc made a connection because in camp they picked the sassafras roots and made tea. That brought back memories from my camping days when we picked fresh sassafras and made tea. What a wonderful memory! So, of course, Marc ordered the soda. When it arrived, we all had a taste. It was not sweet like mass produced sodas. It tasted refreshing and delicious. I was disappointed he liked it so much because I wanted more than a sip.
So if you are ever in Seattle and need a place to eat, consider Tilth http://www.tilthrestaurant.com/menu.htm. It is on the pricey side, but it's a great experience. Another note is that it is considered the top 9th restaurant outside of New York City according to the New York Times.
The menu changes frequently which reflects the seasonal aspect. Each item is available in either a small or large portion. The waiter suggested multiple small portions so we can try various items. Since I am not a food critic or a restaurant reviewer, I don't want to get into the specifics about what we ate. But I will tell you a story about our dinner.
Our waiter was very talkative and knowledgeable. After my husband and I ordered wine, he asked my 10 year old son what he wanted to drink. As usually, he asked for "water". I am so glad he never asks for soda. But then the waiter starts telling him about the home-made sarsaparilla soda. I started to cringe when I heard the word "soda". When Marc asked what is sarsaparilla, the waiter explained it is made from sassafras roots. Marc made a connection because in camp they picked the sassafras roots and made tea. That brought back memories from my camping days when we picked fresh sassafras and made tea. What a wonderful memory! So, of course, Marc ordered the soda. When it arrived, we all had a taste. It was not sweet like mass produced sodas. It tasted refreshing and delicious. I was disappointed he liked it so much because I wanted more than a sip.
So if you are ever in Seattle and need a place to eat, consider Tilth http://www.tilthrestaurant.com/menu.htm. It is on the pricey side, but it's a great experience. Another note is that it is considered the top 9th restaurant outside of New York City according to the New York Times.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Eating healthfully while on vacation -Part 2
We got back from 2 days at Telegraph Cove, and as many of you may have experienced, plans changed. Everything started out just fine. We woke up early and I prepared a breakfast that we could eat in the car - whole wheat bread, light cream cheese and locally produced smoked salmon. It was a 4 hour car ride, so during our break, we had some locally grown fruit (peaches, nectarines) as a snack.
We arrived on time to Telegraph Cove and headed towards the boat for our whale watching tour. We brought with us PB&J sandwiches plus fruit for lunch to eat on the boat. The tour was awesome. We saw humpbacks, orcas (killer whales), dal porpoises (so speedy - they raced our boat), sea lions (fat and happy) and eagles. But it was very rainy and cold. The boat had some snacks so I enjoyed a hot cup of coffee and half a cookie that I shared with my son. And that warmed me up.
Once the tour was over, I went to the Grizzly Bear tour operator to get some info on the following day tour. Unfortunately, we found out that the prior days they saw just 2 and 3 bears respectively and the weather forecast was for rain again. Now this is a 8 hour tour and I have limited sitting tolerance. So we decided to cancel the tour but still stay overnight in Telegraph Cove and do some sight-seeing on the drive home the next day.
That evening, we had dinner at the only restaurant in town. I had a yummy fish stir fry with locally caught salmon, halibut and prawns. We split a dessert 3 ways. I don't remember what it was, so it was obviously not very memorable.
We stayed overnight in Telegraph Cove overlooking the marina. It was an interesting "cabin" but cold. In the morning, we awoke and wanted to eat a breakfast out. This would be our first breakfast at a restaurant in over one week. So we drove 100+ km to Sayward and had a "decadent" breakfast. The menu was made up of primarily eggs, bacon, and potatoes. Then at the bottom of the menu, I found the "Jogger's Breakfast" which was yogurt, fruit and granola. That sounded fine to me. I haven't had enough calcium during this trip, so I knew I should select the yogurt option. What I received was a cup of strawberry yogurt, a tablespoon of granola and sliced nectarines, melon and oranges on the side. In addition to this, was home-made white bread, toasted with butter. So I ate my yogurt, fruit and granola. I usually don't eat white bread, but I make an exception for almost anything home made. It was delicious. During the day we explored Strathcona Provincial Park and did some moderate hiking. Our huge breakfast kept us feeling satiated until dinner.
Ok, so this was all about my trip and meals. What does this mean for you? Well, here are some more pointers that you can take away from my experiences and examples:
1. Bring food so you can prepare meals and snacks.
2. Select locally produced foods when possible.
3. Expect some bumps in the road and work around them. Make the best of the situation. If you find that your only eating options are not what you may consider healthy, then pick the best choice and compensate for it later in the day (or the next day). One "bad" day is not a big deal as long as the majority of the days are filled with whole grains, fruits, vegies, low-fat dairy, and lean proteins.
4. Share foods when eating out. This will give you a reasonable portion and also keep the price of a meal down.
5. Enjoy your vacation! This means sampling local fare including home-made breads, pastries and other delicacies. Today we had teriyaki smoked salmon - what a treat. It tasted nothing like the smoked salmon we get in New York City. This salmon was recently smoked and thickly sliced (about 1/4 inch thick). My 10 year old son could not get enough.
We arrived on time to Telegraph Cove and headed towards the boat for our whale watching tour. We brought with us PB&J sandwiches plus fruit for lunch to eat on the boat. The tour was awesome. We saw humpbacks, orcas (killer whales), dal porpoises (so speedy - they raced our boat), sea lions (fat and happy) and eagles. But it was very rainy and cold. The boat had some snacks so I enjoyed a hot cup of coffee and half a cookie that I shared with my son. And that warmed me up.
Once the tour was over, I went to the Grizzly Bear tour operator to get some info on the following day tour. Unfortunately, we found out that the prior days they saw just 2 and 3 bears respectively and the weather forecast was for rain again. Now this is a 8 hour tour and I have limited sitting tolerance. So we decided to cancel the tour but still stay overnight in Telegraph Cove and do some sight-seeing on the drive home the next day.
That evening, we had dinner at the only restaurant in town. I had a yummy fish stir fry with locally caught salmon, halibut and prawns. We split a dessert 3 ways. I don't remember what it was, so it was obviously not very memorable.
We stayed overnight in Telegraph Cove overlooking the marina. It was an interesting "cabin" but cold. In the morning, we awoke and wanted to eat a breakfast out. This would be our first breakfast at a restaurant in over one week. So we drove 100+ km to Sayward and had a "decadent" breakfast. The menu was made up of primarily eggs, bacon, and potatoes. Then at the bottom of the menu, I found the "Jogger's Breakfast" which was yogurt, fruit and granola. That sounded fine to me. I haven't had enough calcium during this trip, so I knew I should select the yogurt option. What I received was a cup of strawberry yogurt, a tablespoon of granola and sliced nectarines, melon and oranges on the side. In addition to this, was home-made white bread, toasted with butter. So I ate my yogurt, fruit and granola. I usually don't eat white bread, but I make an exception for almost anything home made. It was delicious. During the day we explored Strathcona Provincial Park and did some moderate hiking. Our huge breakfast kept us feeling satiated until dinner.
Ok, so this was all about my trip and meals. What does this mean for you? Well, here are some more pointers that you can take away from my experiences and examples:
1. Bring food so you can prepare meals and snacks.
2. Select locally produced foods when possible.
3. Expect some bumps in the road and work around them. Make the best of the situation. If you find that your only eating options are not what you may consider healthy, then pick the best choice and compensate for it later in the day (or the next day). One "bad" day is not a big deal as long as the majority of the days are filled with whole grains, fruits, vegies, low-fat dairy, and lean proteins.
4. Share foods when eating out. This will give you a reasonable portion and also keep the price of a meal down.
5. Enjoy your vacation! This means sampling local fare including home-made breads, pastries and other delicacies. Today we had teriyaki smoked salmon - what a treat. It tasted nothing like the smoked salmon we get in New York City. This salmon was recently smoked and thickly sliced (about 1/4 inch thick). My 10 year old son could not get enough.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Eating healthfully while on vacation -Part 1
I am writing this while on vacation in British Columbia. What a beautiful place! We started our trip spending a week in the mountains surrounding Whistler and we are ending it by the water on Vancouver Island. Eating well while on vacation is possible, particularly if you plan ahead.
1. First there is the plane trip. Bring your own food and snacks. Often planes do not provide food/snacks and when they do, it is usually not the healthiest choice. If you can carry a freezer bag include plain low-fat or non-fat yogurt, sliced fruit, an ounce of nuts, cut up vegetables, and a dip for vegetables such as hummus. If you cannot carry a freezer pack, bring foods that are non-perishable such as nuts, cut-up vegetables, fruit, and whole grain crackers. Don't forget to purchase a bottle of water before boarding the plane. Air travel is very dehydrating which impacts you internally and externally (meaning dry skin). This is especially a concern if you are traveling from a place of low altitude to high altitude. I keep this in mind when traveling from New York City to Colorado for skiing at over 10,000 feet. I find that when I eat properly (whole foods and proper hydration), I can acclimate to the altitude easier. Which means I can ski higher and faster sooner.
2. When you book your hotel, ask if there is a refrigerator in the room. Hopefully the answer is yes because this will give you an option of storing some more healthy snacks such as non-fat or low fat dairy products (yogurt, milk, cottage cheese, cheese) and lean protein sources. Or request a room with a refrigerator. I was quite fortunate on our trip since all the rooms we stayed in had a kitchen. So we ate every breakfast in our room, had picnic lunches each day and ate a home cooked meal almost every evening.
3. If you do not have the ability to store or cook foods, think ahead about your day and how/where you will be eating. If you are on a businesss trip, your meals may be served at your meetings. Most likely you will get a continental breakfast with offerings such as croissants, muffins, cereals, fruit, yogurt and coffee. Stick with the cereals, yogurt and fruit. Stay away from muffins and any other pastry items. They are loaded with sugar which will give you a quick pick-me-up but will find you napping during the next 1/2 hour of the meeting. You need food that will keep you alert which means consuming foods that digest slowly such as whole grains and whole fruits.
4. Now that you ate a healthy breakfast, you have to think about your next activity. Are you sitting around a table listening to a presentation or are you climbing a glacier? (yes, that is what we did yesterday.)
4a - If you are sitting at a meeting and you did not go the gym in the morning, keep a tall glass of water at your side and sip it slowly. Or savor a cup of coffee or tea. Save a bowl of fruit from breakfast and munch on that before lunch.
4b - If your after breakfast activity is active (examples from my latest trip include bicycling, glacier climbing, spelunking, hiking), bring a healthy snack with you. You may not be able to bring perishable foods, so think about what you can either carry in your pocket or back pack. I have been surviving on peanut butter and all-fruit jelly on whole wheat bread for over 1 week. The best part was purchasing freshly baked whole wheat bread from a farmers market. Go local when possible to support the community and environment. If you bring bars to snack on, watch out for the sugar content. Some sports bars are just a "bad" as candy bars. Fruit and nuts are always are great source of energy. Dried fruit is a wonderful option when you are concerned about persishability.
Part 1 discussed breakfast and pre-lunch snacks. The next section, I'll discuss lunch and snacks/meals that follow. But now I have to think about what I need to prepare for tomorrow. We are taking a 4 hour drive north to Telegraph Cove where we'll go whale watching one day and search for grizzly bears the next day. I am already prepared with my whole wheat bread, peanut butter and all-fruit jelly for 2 days of lunch. I have whole grain cereals plus fruit which I'll take along for breakfast for 2 days. Snacks will be fruit and cut up vegetables. Dinner we'll eat out. I am expecting to have some locally caught fish. The update on our food and my recommendations for lunch, dinner and in between snacks will be coming up as soon as I return from Telegraph Cove, British Columbia. Happy and healthy eating!!
1. First there is the plane trip. Bring your own food and snacks. Often planes do not provide food/snacks and when they do, it is usually not the healthiest choice. If you can carry a freezer bag include plain low-fat or non-fat yogurt, sliced fruit, an ounce of nuts, cut up vegetables, and a dip for vegetables such as hummus. If you cannot carry a freezer pack, bring foods that are non-perishable such as nuts, cut-up vegetables, fruit, and whole grain crackers. Don't forget to purchase a bottle of water before boarding the plane. Air travel is very dehydrating which impacts you internally and externally (meaning dry skin). This is especially a concern if you are traveling from a place of low altitude to high altitude. I keep this in mind when traveling from New York City to Colorado for skiing at over 10,000 feet. I find that when I eat properly (whole foods and proper hydration), I can acclimate to the altitude easier. Which means I can ski higher and faster sooner.
2. When you book your hotel, ask if there is a refrigerator in the room. Hopefully the answer is yes because this will give you an option of storing some more healthy snacks such as non-fat or low fat dairy products (yogurt, milk, cottage cheese, cheese) and lean protein sources. Or request a room with a refrigerator. I was quite fortunate on our trip since all the rooms we stayed in had a kitchen. So we ate every breakfast in our room, had picnic lunches each day and ate a home cooked meal almost every evening.
3. If you do not have the ability to store or cook foods, think ahead about your day and how/where you will be eating. If you are on a businesss trip, your meals may be served at your meetings. Most likely you will get a continental breakfast with offerings such as croissants, muffins, cereals, fruit, yogurt and coffee. Stick with the cereals, yogurt and fruit. Stay away from muffins and any other pastry items. They are loaded with sugar which will give you a quick pick-me-up but will find you napping during the next 1/2 hour of the meeting. You need food that will keep you alert which means consuming foods that digest slowly such as whole grains and whole fruits.
4. Now that you ate a healthy breakfast, you have to think about your next activity. Are you sitting around a table listening to a presentation or are you climbing a glacier? (yes, that is what we did yesterday.)
4a - If you are sitting at a meeting and you did not go the gym in the morning, keep a tall glass of water at your side and sip it slowly. Or savor a cup of coffee or tea. Save a bowl of fruit from breakfast and munch on that before lunch.
4b - If your after breakfast activity is active (examples from my latest trip include bicycling, glacier climbing, spelunking, hiking), bring a healthy snack with you. You may not be able to bring perishable foods, so think about what you can either carry in your pocket or back pack. I have been surviving on peanut butter and all-fruit jelly on whole wheat bread for over 1 week. The best part was purchasing freshly baked whole wheat bread from a farmers market. Go local when possible to support the community and environment. If you bring bars to snack on, watch out for the sugar content. Some sports bars are just a "bad" as candy bars. Fruit and nuts are always are great source of energy. Dried fruit is a wonderful option when you are concerned about persishability.
Part 1 discussed breakfast and pre-lunch snacks. The next section, I'll discuss lunch and snacks/meals that follow. But now I have to think about what I need to prepare for tomorrow. We are taking a 4 hour drive north to Telegraph Cove where we'll go whale watching one day and search for grizzly bears the next day. I am already prepared with my whole wheat bread, peanut butter and all-fruit jelly for 2 days of lunch. I have whole grain cereals plus fruit which I'll take along for breakfast for 2 days. Snacks will be fruit and cut up vegetables. Dinner we'll eat out. I am expecting to have some locally caught fish. The update on our food and my recommendations for lunch, dinner and in between snacks will be coming up as soon as I return from Telegraph Cove, British Columbia. Happy and healthy eating!!
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Making and keeping your 2008 New Year resolutions
The holiday feasts are over and a new year has begun. Many of you have probably made resolutions to improve your health. This includes losing weight, eating healthfully, and exercising regularly. It is easy to say that you will make all those changes. But how do you keep your resolutions without getting frustrated by February? Below are some tips to successful wellness:
1. Create measurable goals.
That means attaching time, numbers and amounts to your goals. Goals that are not measurable are too vague, difficult to achieve and usually forgotten. Here are some examples:
- Immeasurable Goal: Exercise more
- Measurable goal: Exercise 4 times a week, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday at 7:00 am.
- Immeasurable Goal: Eat more fruit
- Measurable goal: Have 4 fruits each day – 1 at breakfast, 1 at lunch, 1 at mid-afternoon snack and 1 for dessert.
2. Make your goals reasonable and achievable.
If you make unrealistic goals, you are setting yourself up for failure. When you can meet your goals, you feel motivated. This also incorporates creating measurable goals. For example,
- Unrealistic goal: I will stop eating fatty foods.
- Realistic goal: I will limit fat intake to 25% of my total diet, and reduce saturated fat intake to less than 10% of total fat.
3. Schedule your exercise goals
Make your exercise goals part of your life in the same manner you schedule meetings, appointments and dates. If your goal is to exercise 4 times a week, make time for your work-out in advance. Put it on your Blackberry, PDA and Outlook calendar. Do not cancel your exercise appointments with yourself.
4. Get friends and family involved.
It is highly motivating when you eat healthfully and exercise with friends and family. This is great for both social and wellness goals. Here are some examples:
- Cook healthy meals for your friends and family. Show them how tasty a balanced eating plan can be.
- Start a healthy eating dinner club where once a week you rotate between homes and the host prepares a special meal. Or guests bring a dish from an assigned food group that is incorporated into a healthy meal.
- Exercise with friends and family. After dinner, go for a long, brisk walk or bike ride together. Schedule weekend games of Frisbee, softball, basketball, tennis or soccer. Go to exercise classes with workmates regularly.
5. Create a contract with yourself.
Your goals are not real until you write it down. As stated above, make sure the goals are measurable. Write down all details including amounts, dates and times. And don’t forget to sign the contract and have it witnessed by a close friend or family member. Lastly, post your contract so that you can see it daily.
6. Stay motivated
There may be times when life gets in the way of achieving your goal. That doesn’t mean that you have to throw away the contract. If you go off-course, take a good look at your goal. Is it realistic and achievable? What are your roadblocks? Do you need to revise it? After reviewing and possibly changing your goal, create a new contract and get back on the road to wellness.
I wish everyone a happy and healthy new year!
Reyna
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