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By Katie, February 22, 2010 10:03 pm

Hello, folks! I hope your week got off to a wonderful start!

Breakfast

I practically jumped out of bed this morning! I was just a ball of energy! So I decided to split my workout into two parts – part before and part after breakfast. Before breakfast I did my strength training for the day: 40 minutes of Jackie Warner’s full-body circuit training (On Exercise TV On Demand - LOVE IT!). It’s a series of four-minute circuits that work your entire body: quads, hamstrings, glutes, chest, back, biceps/triceps/shoulders, and abs. It makes me feel buff.

After I pumped my iron, I enjoyed this amazing breakfast.

A fun breakfast sandwich consisting of:

• 2 Kashi Go Lean blueberry waffles
• 1 tbsp PB & Co Bee’s Knees Peanut Butter
• 1 sliced banana
• drizzle of agave nectar

Delicious!

The Bee’s Knees peanut butter is just peanut butter blended with honey…which is pretty fabulous. By the way, did you know that on average, one teaspoon of honey is the output of the lifetime labor of twelve bees. Yes, you read that right: twelve bees worked their entire lives for my one little drizzle. WHOA!

This sandwich had some amazing staying power. After I ate it, I did some research for school and then headed to the Y for the second part of my workout. I did 3.5 miles on the treadmill – 3 miles of speed intervals plus a short warm-up and cool-down. Usually I come home and have a mid-morning snack, but today I didn’t need it! The sandwich kept my stomach perfectly content until lunch time.

Lunch

Once I actually got hungry, I fixed myself this lovely plate.

The main event contained:

• wholegrain wrap
• 1/4 of an avocado, mashed with sea salt and pepper
• one packet of tuna packed in water (minus a little that I shared with the felines )
• tomato
• sprouts

Quite a delicious combo of ingredients, I must say.

Paired with some carrot sticks.

And some Trader Joe’s Pita Puffs.

Those little puffs are like air to me – nothing to them! But they’re tasty and great when you want to add a little CRUNCH.

Quite satisfying.

Afternoon Snacks

This afternoon I had a meeting on campus, and I was informed beforehand that there would be refreshments available. This, however, did not turn out to be the case. I was disappointed because the catering at my school is actually pretty good!

Fortunately I wasn’t even that hungry when the meeting began (which is rare for me…I’m thinking all that healthy fat in the avocado helped!). But by the time the meeting was over I was more than ready for a snack! Fortunately I keep an emergency stash of goodies in my purse. Pulled this little bag of Annie’s Fruit Snacks out for the drive home.

(Don’t worry – I wasn’t actually driving yet when this photo was taken!)

When I got home I had a more substantial snack. A serving of roasted almonds.

We usually buy raw almonds for adding to oatmeal and the like, but last week we decided to get roasted ones for a change of pace. While I still prefer raw ones for oatmeal, roasted ones have a great flavor for when you eat them by themselves!

Dinner

Dinner tonight was the best kind: simple and quick, but still very satisfying!

I doctored up some plain old boneless, skinless chicken breasts with a maple-mustard sauce.

The sauce was made with 1/2 cup wholegrain Dijon mustard, 1/4 cup real maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon rice vinegar. I seasoned the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then put them in a baking dish coated with nonstick spray and coated them with the sauce.

Baked at 450* for 20 minutes. Voila!

Plus some roasted cauliflower. (I follow this Kelly Cooks method.)

And a slice of TJ’s whole wheat Tuscan pane with a smear of Earth Balance.

Evening Snack

I definitely wanted something that felt like a “treat” tonight. I went with a nicely portioned bowl of tart frozen yogurt topped with frozen blueberries and a sprinkling of granola.

I rarely eat things like ice cream and frozen yogurt in the winter; I usually prefer warm, dense desserts this time of year, like cookies and pie and hot chocolate. But tonight this hit the spot!

Now I’m just enjoying more Olympic competition and relaxing before the longer morning run I have planned. One of my favorite running loops has finally been plowed, so I can actually run outside! Can’t wait!!!

Two questions for ya!

1. To all the Comcast customers: Do you use Exercise TV On Demand? What’s your favorite workout? I like the Jackie Warner one I did this morning, and a few of the ab workouts are pretty good!

2. What’s your favorite way to doctor up plain old chicken breasts? I’m always on the hunt for new ideas!

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By Katie, February 22, 2010 5:50 pm

I once heard someone say, “What others think of me is none of my business.”

While that is so true, it is also so hard for me to remember!

When I was in college, I thought I wanted to go to graduate school to become an English professor. I was accepted into a lot of great graduate programs, but when I visited the one at Lehigh University, something just felt right. I was 99% certain that was the grad school I would be attending.

Until I became distracted by others’ opinions of me.

One of my professors shared with me that another professor – a man I deeply admired and respected – had made this comment when he heard I was planning on going to Lehigh: “Lehigh? Of all the programs she was accepted into, why would she choose Lehigh? Doesn’t she know she should choose a more prestigious school?”

After I heard that, I scratched Lehigh off of my list.

I ended up going to a more prestigious school and  - not surprisingly – absolutely hating it and leaving the program the first chance I got. Guess I should have trusted myself and not worried so much about what someone else thought, huh?

Unfortunately, I don’t think my experience is all that uncommon. So often we waste precious time and effort fretting over others’ opinions of us. I’ve tried to learn from my mistake, and now whenever I find myself worrying about what someone else is thinking about me, I tell myself four things:

1. When I think people are judging me in some way, chances are they are not.

We have a tendency to assume people are thinking about us a lot more often than they really are. The oh-so-insightful Dr. Phil once shared these wise words from his father: “You wouldn’t worry so much about what others thought of you if you knew how seldom they did.”

2. Even when people are judging me, it probably lasts about…2 seconds.

I used to worry a lot about trying to impress other people; I’d always want to be “put together” or “showing my best side.” Then I realized that even if someone were to think about me in a negative way, he/she would probably completely forget about it a moment later. So maybe my hair really is a mess one day. And maybe someone does think, “Wow, Katie’s not having a good hair day.” So what? That is but a fleeting thought, one I’m sure they don’t dwell on as much as I do!

3. Don’t make any decision – large or small – based solely on how you think others will perceive you for it.

I ended up making a pretty major decision – and a bad one – because I wanted others to have a high opinion of me. I made decisions about my life in order to please them. Silly, right? How could my professor have known which graduate school was the best fit for me? We are the only ones who can truly decide what is right for us individually.

4. In the end, whose opinion really matters?

Would it have been such a big deal if my professor was disappointed in me? Probably not. In the end, whose opinion of me do I truly value? For me personally, the answer is: myself, God, and my closest friends and family. If I am living a life and making decisions that are in alignment with my faith, my values, and the values of those I love and respect the most, why worry about anyone else?

Do you ever find yourself worrying about what others are thinking about you? Have you ever made a decision just to please or impress someone else…and then regretted it?

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By Katie, February 22, 2010 2:16 pm

If there’s one thing I hate, it’s diets. At least in the traditional sense. I have become a much happier, healthier person since I made the decision to ditch the diet mentality.

I wrote a guest post for the lovely Brandi of Bran Appétit! while she was enjoying her vacation in Spain. Head on over to her blog and check out my Four Steps for Ditching the Diet Mentality. Thanks for reading!

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By Katie, February 22, 2010 7:27 am

What’s the only thing better than 90 minutes of sun salutations and forward bends? 90 minutes of sun salutations and forward bends in a room heated to 90º!!!

I’ve been practicing yoga with on and off regularity for about a year now, both as a means of strengthening my physical body and as a method for calming and focusing my mind. I’ve only ever done yoga in your standard 68º room…that is, until last week.

Enter…HOT VINYASA at Charm City Yoga.

The Hot Vinyasa class I took was 90 minutes long, in a room heated to 90º. It differed slightly from the standard hot yoga – or Bikram yoga – which is taught in a 105º room and follows a standardized, uniform routine. I figured this Hot Vinyasa class would be a nice way to get my feet wet (or should I say sweaty ) before going full out.

So what did I think?

What I Liked

- On a very basic level, the heated room actually made me feel more comfortable. I’m one of those people who is always cold; I learned long ago to carry a sweater or jacket with me at all times. So stripping down to my workout tank top and not shivering was quite nice! But I realize that I’m a bit bizarre in this regard.

- I am NOT a naturally flexible person, and the fact that I often skip my stretching routine doesn’t help matters. But the heat definitely made my muscles feel more flexible. I was able to go far deeper into the stretches than I usually do, and I enjoyed feeling more bend-y and pliable!

- Throughout most of the session I felt extremely invigorated. The heat helped to raise my heart rate, and I felt like I could sense my blood pumping, circulating through me. My body just felt more alive – if that makes any sense – and it was a wonderful feeling!

What I Didn’t Like

- As expected, there was a bit of extra perspiration. Honestly, the sweat covering my body didn’t bother me…except for my HANDS. Sweaty hands, I discovered, slip a bit on moves like the downward dog. Putting a towel on my mat helped a little, but still.

- By the end of the 90 minutes, I was SLEEPY!!! And not like “my body feels fatigued from a tough workout” sleepy, but rather “I could really curl up and take a nap” sleepy. I had to force myself to stay awake throughout the relaxation poses at the end!

Overall, my experience with Hot Yoga was a great one; I will definitely be taking the class again. In fact, I’m going to try to incorporate a once-weekly class into my 10-mile training schedule, to help stretch my muscles from the longer runs.

Have you ever tried Hot Yoga? If so, did you like it? If not, do you want to?

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By Katie, February 21, 2010 2:33 pm

1 in 5 women struggle with an eating disorder or disordered eating.

90% of those who have an eating disorder are women between the ages of 12 and 25.

51% of 9 and 10-year-old girls say they feel better about themselves if they are on a diet.

42% of 1st-3rd grade girls say they want to be thinner.

(Source: The Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness)

Those are some frightening statistics.

February 21-27 is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week.

The theme for the week is “It’s Time to Talk About It,” and I couldn’t agree more. While most people are familiar with the terms “anorexia” and “bulimia,” many are unaware of the complexities of these illnesses. And there is still a major stigma associated with eating disorders that prevents many from getting the help that they need.

The issue is one that is close to my heart. Although I was never officially diagnosed with an eating disorder, I have suffered greatly from disordered eating thoughts and behaviors.

(Source)

In May 2008, Self magazine reported that more than 6 in 10 women are disordered eaters. While these women may not starve themselves to an unnaturally low weight, or purge food on a regular basis, they do have an unhealthy relationship with food and their bodies, one that disrupts their ability to live their lives to the fullest.

Some symptoms of disordered eating:

• feeling terrified of gaining weight
• obsessively thinking about food and weight
• seeing foods as either “good” or “bad,” and feeling extremely guilty for eating anything on the “bad” side
• eating indulgent foods in secret
• constantly “feeling fat” and/or engaging in “fat talk”
• constant yo-yo dieting, or living in cycles of dieting/binge eating
• eating to soothe stress or other difficult emotions
• exercising obsessively for the sole purpose of weight loss, feeling devastated when a workout is missed
• stepping on the scale daily, and feeling good or bad about oneself based on that number

Full disclosure: At one time or another, I have experienced every one of those symptoms. The scariest thing is that no one ever thought such behaviors were abnormal or unhealthy; our society tells us that being obsessed with food and weight is completely natural and normal for women.

I’m hoping that by sharing this information – and by openly discussing my own struggles – that others out there who are struggling either with an eating disorder or with disordered eating thoughts and behaviors will know that you don’t have to live your life obsessing over food and weight.

Here are some RESOURCES you can use if you want more information.

- Think you might have an eating disorder? Take this Eating Disorder Assessment.

- Think you might be at risk for disordered eating? Take this Disordered Eating Quiz.

- Want general information on anorexia, bulimia, compulsive overeating, and/or disordered eating? Check out the National Eating Disorders Association and the Something Fishy Website on Eating Disorders.

- Check out this helpful Tip Sheet on disordered eating.

As I’ve said before, I am not an expert on eating disorders or disordered eating; I am just someone who has struggled through these issues, emerging stronger and healthier (although I do still struggle on occasion – I’m not perfect by any means!). While I cannot provide medical advice or expertise, feel free to contact me if you’re looking to get help but are unsure where to begin.

Did the statistics on eating disorders/disordered eating shock you? Or are you not surprised? Do you feel that our society treats women’s obsessions with food and weight as “natural” or “normal”?

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By Katie, February 20, 2010 10:13 pm

Hello, everyone! I hope you’re having a great weekend! So far mine has been very productive – exercise, homework, errands, chores, whew!

Breakfast

Breakfast was all about OATS and ALMONDS!

In the mix:

• 1/3 cup oats, cooked in 2/3 cup water
• pinch salt
• sliced banana
• ground flaxseed
• cinnamon
• toppings: ALMOND butter, sliced ALMONDS, and golden raisins

A lovely bowl of breakfast goodness!

Mid-Morning Snack

After breakfast Dave and I headed straight to the Y. Dave likes to exercise while watching soccer on the gym televisions, so we make a serious effort to align our workouts with the weekend European game. I start my training program for the Broad Street Ten Miler next week, so I avoided the treadmill today. Instead, I did 45 minutes of resistance intervals on the elliptical, plus 10 minutes of core work.

Came home and snacked on some orange slices.

Lunch

Lunch was pretty spectacular. It may not seem all that exciting, but it was exactly what I was craving.

Swiss cheese and pickle sammie!

2 slices of Swiss cheese and 3 long sandwich pickles on two hearty slices of whole wheat. Seriously YUM!

Plus a huge red delicious apple. It wasn’t all that good. Not crunchy enough.

But the sandwich totally made up for it!

After lunch Dave informed me that only ONE PIECE of chocolate from our Wockenfuss loot remained. My reaction:

I was very sad to see it go.

Bye bye, sea salt caramel.

Afternoon Snacks

While out running errands in the afternoon, I had this Kashi bar. I personally find most Kashi bars to be too dry. This one was dry, but not as dry as some others, so that was a pleasant surprise!

And later, a few dried figs and cherry tomatoes. I pop those things like candy!

Dinner

Tonight Dave and I both had a craving for PIZZA!  However, we are trying to reign in our spending a bit, so going out or ordering in were both out of the question. Thank goodness for Trader Joe’s $0.99 wheat pizza dough!!!

Can you tell which half is mine?

My side was topped with:

• tomato sauce
• artichoke hearts
• mushrooms
• broccoli
• 1 link Trader Joe’s Roasted Garlic Chicken Sausage
• mozzarella cheese
• oregano
• garlic powder

This was infinitely healthier, way more customizable, and a whole lot more fun than take-out!

I started with two slices.

And then went back for a third. And there’s still one more slice left over for lunch tomorrow!

After dinner there was a lot of cuteness going on.

Evening Snack

My three slices of pizza were really filling, so I kept dessert small and simple: a bowl of green grapes.

Now Dave and I are just relaxing and watching the OLYMPICS! So far tonight we’ve enjoyed bobsledding, speed skating, ice hockey, and curling.

Which winter Olympic sport have you been following? I’ve been totally into speed skating this year!

AND

Do you make homemade pizza instead of getting take-out? What are your favorite pizza toppings?

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By Katie, February 19, 2010 9:07 am

Welcome to the weekend, folks! T-G-I-F, am I right???

Yesterday was a productive but uneventful day for me…fortunately it was also quite tasty!

Breakfast

Breakfast was another one of those wonderful meals that I never thought to eat before I started reading food blogs – OVERNIGHT OATS!

If you’re not familiar, overnight oats are just oats that are soaked in liquid overnight. You eat them cold, and you don’t cook them at all. And just like with hot oatmeal, the mix-in and topping possibilities are endless! Dave can’t get over the idea of eating cold oats, but I think they’re really delicious!!! Kath offers a full explanation of overnight oats, along with tons of great topping combinations, if you want to learn more.

For this bowl, I combined:

• 1/3 cup dry oats
• 1/3 cup nonfat milk
• 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 sliced banana
• handful of frozen blueberries (added in the morning)

Mixed up into a delicious mess!

Mid-Morning Snack

After breakfast I did some work, then headed to the Y for my workout. I ran for 40 minutes on the treadmill, and I have to say, it was mentally challenging. One of those workouts where you find yourself looking at the clock just a little too often. Do you ever have workouts like that? I’m so ready to be able to run outside again!!! I originally planned on doing some strength training after my run, but decided to scrap it because I just wanted to be out of there. I’m hoping to squeeze some free weights into today’s workout to make up for it.

Came home and got in touch with my inner child with a Clif Z bar.

Lunch

Lunch was a lovely Panera-like combo: soup and salad!

A can of Amy’s Organic Split Pea Soup.

And a big salad.

In the bowl:

• leaf lettuce
• cherry tomatoes
• carrots
• 1 Quorn chik’n cutlet (which was really good, by the way!)
• sliced almonds

For dressing, some spicy brown mustard thinned with a little bit of water.

Delicious!

Afternoon Snacks

One thing I’ve noticed about soup: I get extremely full when I eat it (probably because it’s liquid-y), but often feel hungry again shortly after. Good thing I love snacking!  Not too long after lunch I found myself munching on a small apple with cinnamon.

And a bit later, a toasted Arnold’s sandwich thin smothered with peanut butter and jelly.

But not just any peanut butter, mind you. This was Cinnamon Raisin Peanut Butter from Peanut Butter & Co.

So good. For everyday peanut butter use I prefer my all-natural, nothing-added varieties, but for a little treat this stuff sure is tasty! (The ingredients are: peanuts, evaporated cane juice, raisins, cinnamon, organic palm oil, and salt. So at least no refined sugar or the dreaded high fructose corn syrup! )

Dinner

Dave had a work function last night, so I was on my own for dinner. I knew I wanted to have a wrap of some sort because he doesn’t like them (crazy, I know!). I ended up going with an awesome combo I learned from Caitlin: sweet potato and black beans!!!

It made for a lovely, albeit slightly messy, dinner!

The orange and black gives it a bit of a Halloween feel, no?

On the side, some Brussels sprouts roasted in EVOO, balsamic vinegar, a touch of agave nectar, salt, and pepper.

And some extra sweet potatoes and beans that couldn’t fit in the wrap.

Very satisfying!

Evening Snack

Dessert was pretty darn glorious, thanks to my awesome momma! Look what she sent me for Valentine’s Day this year!

Chocolate-covered Oreos from Compartes Chocolatier! The snow backed up our mail system, so I just got them yesterday! What a scrumptious surprise!

I ate the yellow one.

And then went back and ate the purple one too! That one went unphotographed.

What’s your favorite packaged cookie? Are you a big fan of Oreos? I generally only like them dipped in milk, or – as illustrated here – covered in chocolate!

Enjoy your weekend!

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By Katie, February 18, 2010 8:08 pm

I was inspired to make this Turkey Bolognese sauce for two reasons:

1. My husband Dave praises me endlessly every time I make a more “hearty” dinner. He says it just “feels right” with the cold weather and all. And what can I say, I’m a sucker for the compliments! 
2. Saying that I made a bolognese sounds kind of impressive, no?

So maybe those aren’t the most honorable reasons for making a dish, but I think in the end all that matters is that it made for a delicious dinner!

The next time you’re in the mood for a substantial – but still healthy – pasta dish, try this recipe! Here’s how I made my Turkey Bolognese sauce.

First I sautéed onion, garlic, and carrots in a bit of olive oil. Then I added lean ground turkey, breaking up the meat until it was no longer pink.

Once the turkey was browned, I added some dry red wine, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce to the pan. Then I seasoned it generously with oregano, basil, crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper.

Then I busied myself with laundry, dishes, and other such tasks while the sauce simmered away for 1.5 hours. You want it to get nice and thick.

This sauce made a delicious topper for whole wheat spaghetti.

Turkey Bolognese
Serves 3-4, depending on how much sauce you like on your pasta
Adapted from Healthy Food For Living

Ingredients
1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
3/4 lb. lean ground turkey
1/4 cup dry red wine
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1/2 tsp ground oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
salt and ground black pepper, to taste

1. Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and chopped carrot and sauté for another 5 minutes.

2. Raise the heat to medium high. Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking up the meat, until no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Pour the wine into the skillet to deglaze, then add the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce.

3. Add the seasonings, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the bolognese is thick and reduced, about 1.5 hours. Add additional seasonings to taste throughout the cooking process.

4. Serve over your favorite pasta and/or with thick, crusty bread.

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By Katie, February 18, 2010 4:03 pm

Here’s a quick round-up of some interesting links I’ve come across recently.

Portion Size, Then vs. Now

Katie from the Vegetarian Lunchbox passed along this visual representation of how our portion sizes have grown over the last twenty years. Turns out bagels weren’t always as big as our heads!

Binge Eating – An Official Mental Disorder?

The American Psychiatric Association has released a new draft of its diagnostic manual. One suggested change is to officially label binge eating as a mental eating disorder alongside anorexia and bulimia (it was previously listed in the appendix as a “tentative category”). Here a psychiatry professor discusses what the new classification would mean for those who struggle with binge eating.

Email Sanity: How to Clear Your Inbox When You’re Drowning

Ever notice how email – which is supposed to make our lives easier – can actually make us feel more stressed out? Here are some concrete tips for managing the maze that is your Inbox.

The 100 Best Workout Songs from the ’80s

I’m not going to lie – I love rocking out to some classic Madonna while I’m breaking a sweat. Check out these workout songs from the decade of big hair and puffy sleeves…then go ahead and add some to your iPod.

What’s your all-time favorite song from the 1980s? Mine’s a toss-up between “Love Shack” and “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” (My husband is definitely rolling his eyes right now!  )

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By Katie, February 18, 2010 10:02 am

Here’s the challenge: capture the essence of your healthy living experiences…in only six words.

I was having trouble falling asleep last night, so I pulled this fun little read off of my bookshelf. Have you heard of it?

(Source)

Not Quite What I Was Planning is a compilation of six-word memoirs. Yes, just six words. It was inspired by the legend that Ernest Hemingway was once challenged to write a story in six words. Not surprisingly, he rose to the occasion, writing:

“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”

Wow. The lesson? You really can tell a whole story in six words!

Some highlights from the book:

“My second grade teacher was right.” - Janelle Brown

“Danced in fields of infinite possibilities.” – Deepak Chopra

“When all else fails, start running.” - Dean Karnazes

“Brought it to a boil, often.” - Mario Batali

“Lucky in love, unlucky in metabolism.” - Leah Weathersby

“In a Manolo world, I’m Keds.” - Colleen Cook

“I colored outside of the lines.” - Jacob Thomas

Of course my brain started spinning with what my six-word memoir would be in regards to healthy living. I couldn’t pick just one! (I guess writing multiple memoirs kind of defeats the purpose of only using six words, but whatever! )

My Six-Word Healthy Living Memoirs

On Healthy Eating

• Ate real food. Felt much better.

• I found balance amidst the extremes.
  

On Exercise

• Thought I couldn’t. Then I did.

• Learned to love moving my body.
  

On Balancing Body, Mind, and Soul

• Started living when I stopped obsessing.

• I hope God knows I tried.

• So grateful for my undeserved blessings.

• Trusted in Jesus’s message of love.

• I finally realized perfection is overrated.
  

Just For Fun

• Loved God, cookies. In that order.

Can you relate to any of my six-word memoirs?

If you decide to write your own, feel free to share it in comments!