Training Journal

Training Journal

2 miles; Burbank HS; very hot but felt optimistic.  Mostly walked

Vegan Whole Food Energy Bars

When I'm on the go and I need a quick food source that is both delicious and healthy, it is sometimes helpful to turn to energy and whole food bars. I have tried a wide variety of the different bars available and have made a list of some of my favorites. Here they are, listed in no particular order:

1. Vega Whole Food Vibrancy Bars - The Vibrancy Bars come in three different flavors, Chocolate Decadence, Green Synergy, and Wholesome Original. I have not tried the Wholsome Original, but I have tried the other two. I like these bars very much. Made from all-natural, raw, organic, and enzymatically-active plant-based superfoods including sprouted buckwheat, sprouted almonds, white chia seeds and hemp seeds, the bars certainly pack a nutritional punch. Not only are they Vegan, but they also are gluten-free, alkaline-forming, and rich in Omega-3. They taste earthy, especially the Green Synergy Bar. It is a pleasantly mild taste, very natural and wholesome. My favorite, being a chocolate fan, is the Chocolate Decadence bar.

Click here to go to the company website.



2. Pure Bar Chocolate Brownie - This bar is delicious. It is a bit sweeter than some of the other whole food chocolate bars (much sweeter than Vega's Chocolate Decadence Vibrancy Bar, for instance), which is fine by me. The rich creaminess of the chocolate contrasts nicely with the crunch of the nuts. It is made with organic dates, organic walnuts, organic agave nectar, organic almonds, organic cashews, organic brown rice protein, organic cocoa.

Click here to go to the company website.



3. Pure Bar Apple Cinnamon - This is my favorite of the Pure Bar flavors. The taste is light and refreshing. I am a big fan of the apple-cinnamon combo. The two ingredients just naturally go well together. Here is a sweet and simple flavored bar, made from organic Dates, organic apples, organic agave nectar, organic walnuts, organic cashews, organic almonds, organic rice protein concentrate, organic cinnamon.

Click here to go to the company website.



4. Pure Bar Cranberry Orange - This bar is quite tangy and rich. It tastes like a tart desert - very good. The nuts in the bar give it a nice texture. The orange flavor is bright and clear! It is made from organic dates, organic cranberries (with organic apple juice concentrate and organic sunflower oil), organic walnuts, organic cashews, organic brown rice protein organic almonds, organic agave nectar, organic orange peel, organic orange oil.

Click here to go to the company website.



5. Goraw Spirulina Energy Bar - Now for a seriously weird looking bar. The Goraw Bar is green as can be and it's hard like brittle. It doesn't look appetizing, but it is actually quite tasty. The predominant flavor is banana, with a hint of coconut. It is sweet, but not very. I like it a lot. Goraw products are typically a little pricier than some of the other bars, but sometimes it might be worth it to splurge a little. This bar is made from sprouted organic sesame seeds, organic banana, organic coconut (unsulphured), organic date, and of course, organic spirulina.

Click here to go to the company website.




6. NuGo Organic Dark Chocolate Almond Bar - Here is where I go for my chocolate fix. The chocolate coating contrasts nicely with the crunchy soy and rice crisp center. It tastes kind of like a chocolate-covered Rice Krispie. The chocolate coating may be a little too on the sweet side, but for the most part, this bar is a decadent treat. The Mocha Chocolate flavor is also quite good. It has a strong dose of coffee flavor, if that's what you crave. This bar seems more like a vegan treat than a wholesome nutrition bar.

Click here to go to the company website.




7. 22 Days Enlightened Pumpkinseed Vegan Protein Bar - I like this bar very much for its smooth and nutty taste. The seeds in the bar provide a good source of protein.

Click here to go to the company website.

(Mis)adventures in Veganism: My First Real Vegan Eating Out Experience

I knew this day would come. I had been telling myself that when it finally happened, I would keep my cool, play it on the down low and everything would be okay. And, yes, everything did turn out fine, but I don't think I realized how much of a challenge it could be to eat vegan in a non-vegan world. The day I am talking about is the day a vegan goes out for the first time to a restaurant with a group of people who are not vegan.

I know, I know... the world we live in is rapidly accepting vegetarianism as a mainstream way of life, and more and more restaurants are incorporating vegetarian options into their menus. But, veganism is a different ballgame. You have to question the bread they bring to the table, the dressing they put on your side salad, and the sauce they use to garnish your pasta. For a newly-converted vegan, this can be quite a novel experience. It was for me.

I went with my friend to Carino's Italian Restaurant. First of all, let me say that I am not the kind of person that likes to draw attention to myself. I am the kind of guy who, when he gets the wrong order, doesn't complain but rather eats the dish he is given. So, when my friend went to use the restroom to wash her hands, I used the opportunity to discreetly ask our waiter if there were any vegan options available. I assumed most Italian restaurants had vegan dishes, maybe a little pasta plate with some steamed veggies or some such fare, but when the guy solemnly shook his head no, I panicked. Should I just not order anything?

I feel like it's rude to go to a restaurant with people and not eat. It's also drawing attention and we can't have that. Plus, I was damned hungry - me not eating was so not happening!

Times like these are when you break out the iPad or iPhone . There is a wonderful app called VeganXpress that catalogs all the vegan items at various chain restaurants around the country. It also lists vegan-friendly food, beer, and wine. Unfortunately, I did not have my iPad on hand to check what I could eat. So I had to scrutinize the menu carefully.

I used my cell phone to check the message boards. On Yahoo.com, I typed: "vegan options at Carino's Italian." Chacha.com informed me that "Carino's doesn't offer much for vegans (they do offer gluten-free options), but you can get a salad, and omit any cheese or grilled chicken, and get oil & vinegar for the dressing." Not too promising, but I could make do.

I asked the waiter if the kitchen could make me a dish with some plain old angel hair pasta, some artichokes, black olives, capers, and diced tomatoes, and absolutely no sauce. I also ordered a side salad with no croutons, cheese, or dressing, but rather a side of vinegar and lemon. When he brought me the salad and the sides, I mixed the vinegar with the herb olive oil they have on the table and the lemon and, voilà, a wonderfully good dressing! The pasta was delicious with just a drizzle of olive oil over it. When I left the restaurant, I was content with my meal.

There is a lesson here: American restaurants, especially those in Barbecue Capital, USA (also known as Lubbock, Texas) might not yet offer the most diverse vegan menu options, but if you are flexible and creative and you can keep your cool under pressure, then a perfectly satisfactory vegan meal is not too far away.

Vegan Chocolate

If you're looking for a bit of indulgence, here is your ticket: Go Raw Real Live Chocolate. It is vegan, made with raw organic cacao and raw organic agave nectar. This item is a bit pricey, at nearly ten bucks a box (six .3 oz pieces), but it might be worth it for the occasional splurge.

The chocolate tastes like fudge. When you pop it in your mouth, you get a soft, chewy texture that slowly melts in your mouth. As the flavors of the chocolate intensify, the true joy settles in. The product is not overly sweet (thankfully) and it does not have any of that bitterness to it that one comes to expect from non-milk chocolates.

A great vegan snack - Spicy Garbanzo Bean Bites!

It's movie night here in my apartment. I just ran 6 miles to the grocery store (this indigent college student has no car) and walked 6 miles back with about 30 lbs. of groceries in hand (not a fun trip), but it was so worth it because now I get to relish in what may be the best snack ever! These tasty treats are extremely easy to make, healthy, and can be seasoned however you want them. Then, you pop them in your mouth like popcorn!

Spicy Garbanzo Bean Bites

1 small baking sheet
1 can of reduced sodium garbanzo beans
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Seasoning of your choosing

1) Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2) Drain the beans completely and dry them with a paper towel
3 Spread them on the baking sheet.
4) Drizzle olive oil over them
5) Sprinkle your seasoning over them. You can use any kind of seasoning you want. They work well with Cajun seasoning. I used a sort of Italian herb blend of rosemary, black and red pepper, parsley and sea salt.
6) Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until crunchy.

A note about my shifting diet...

I just realized my diet seems to be shifting towards a higher-fat, Mediterranean-style (relatively unprocessed plant foods like nuts, seeds, olive oil, avocados), vegan diet! Of course, I am making sure I am getting adequate levels of vitamin B12 (to reduce homocysteine levels)and omega-3 fatty acids (to reduce platelet aggregation). How this will affect my ultrarunning endeavors, I haven't the slightest idea. I feel like a mad scientist and the experiment is my body. I like it!

Fat, Cashew Butter, and Other Such Random Musings...

Fat does not necessarily make you fat. We all know that. And, we all need some healthy fat in our diets. It isn't bad for you, per se. But, it is easy to overeat it. Compared to the other macronutrients, fat should comprise a relatively small percent of your diet. As an ultrarunner, I like to stick to the 60/20/20 ratio. That is: 60% of my daily calorie intake comes from carbs, 20% from protein, and 20% from fat. I like this ratio. It works for me. So how do I get my fat?



Well, lately, I notice I've been relying heavily on cashew butter. I love the stuff. I eat it with just about anything. The thing about cashew butter is, it can be sweet or it can be salty. I used to smear some on some on whole wheat bread and squirt some honey on top, but since I turned vegan, no more honey for me. Insert sad face! Seriously though, you should try this magical, rich, creamy food.

Speaking of fat, have you ever heard of the website This is Why You're Fat? It is a site that features really fatty, really unhealthy food concoctions that people have made or eaten. Most of the food looks really gross. Some items look, I'm ashamed to admit, intriguing. Here are some of my favorite gross-outs:

Chocolate-covered bacon on a stick...



Spam fries...



And the best: deep-fried lard balls with powdered sugar sprinkled on top...



Now, take some time to recover. These are obviously NOT the kinds of fats you want in your diet. Try some cashew butter instead!

Stay away from the fried fish!

I was browsing the New York Times this morning and I came across an interesting piece in the Health section. The article was about how fried fish is seen as a culprit in the "stroke belt" phenomenon.

I had never heard the term "stroke belt," but apparently, you are more likely to have a stroke if you live in one of these eight Southern southern states: North and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Louisiana. These states have a higher rate of cardiovascular illness than the rest of the United States.

Why? Well, scientists have analyzed the diets of people living in these states and compared them with the diets of people nationwide. What they found suggested that people in the South eat the roughly the same amount of fish as the rest of the country. However, they are 32% more likely to eat that fish fried.

As controversial as this finding may be (certainly there are other culprits than fried fish for the "geographic and racial differences in stroke rate"), I can certainly see how eating fried fish might not be the best for your health. When you deep fry fish, all the naturally-occurring omega-3 fatty acids that help reduce the risk of stroke are replaced with the cooking oil.

The American Heart Association recommends at least two fish meals per week. But, deep frying the fish defeats the purpose. You are destroying the nutritional value of the fish.

Is there a lesson here? Yes. Be conscientious of what you eat. Take care of yourself. Eat good, whole foods that you enjoy and that benefit your body. And while a little indulgence in your favorite foods, be they fried catfish or in my case bean and cheese tacos, remember that it all comes down to diet. You are what you eat.

A recipe for veggie tamales

Here is a pretty simple recipe for veggie tamales. A lot of it is improvised according to judgment and taste, so feel free to experiment. None of this is set in stone. For example, you can use a different vegetable mixture than the one used here. You can add carrots or broccoli. You can add cheese if you want. There is no end to where you can take it! This recipe is meant to give you ideas (not to say that the tamales won't be perfectly delicious if you stick strictly to this recipe). Also, these tamales are not made-from scratch tamales. We are using store-bought masa here. You can find many good masa recipes online if you want to make the tamales entirely from scratch. But, you can get perfectly good masa at a quality "molino," or tortilla factory. Note that some masa that you buy at the store is not vegan-friendly since some contain lard. This masa is vegan friendly. We are using olive oil here instead of lard. The finished product here is not vegan friendly however since we are using chicken stock to boil the tamales in. However, you may be able to use vegetable stock instead for a pure vegan product! Have fun!

8 pods chiles anchos (dried red peppers)

6 lbs fresh masa (you can buy this at a tortilla factory called a "molino")

1 large package of corn husks ("hojas para tamales")

A 1 oz. small package of chile powder mix (the mix has other seasonings than chile powder)

1 3 oz. bottle of plain chile powder

Salt

Black pepper

One cup of olive oil

6 Zucchinis

2 Green bell peppers

2 Red bell peppers

1 Bunch green onions

A half gallon of chicken broth

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1. Prepare the chile ancho paste to season the masa.

The following can be prepared a few days before making your tamales:

Remove stems from each pod of chile ancho.

Tear open each pod and discard all the seeds.

Soak the hallowed out pods overnight in hot water to soften them.

When completely softened, discard the water and puree the pods and set the paste aside in bowl.

2. Spice the masa.

The following can be prepared a day or two before making your tamales:

*Note: this is the fun part. Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty and don't be afraid to taste! Remember, none of this is set in stone, so feel free to add seasoning as you see fit.

Place the masa in a very large pot.

Add the pureed chile ancho, chile powder mix (1 oz.), half of the bottle of chile powder (1.5 oz.), and salt and pepper to taste.

Mix thoroughly with clean hands. Make sure to break up all those little clumps of masa. You want a completely evenly spiced and textured masa mix.

While mixing add about one cup of olive oil. Here, you want to get the masa to a soft and manageable texture, not too stiff and not too thin. Go by feel. If the masa seems to dry, just add more olive oil.

3. Prepare your corn husks.

The following can be prepared a day or two before making your tamales.

Open each corn husk.

Remove any corn silk (the hair-like fibers from the husk).

Soak the Corn Husks in a large pot with hot water. This makes the corn husks soft and flexible for when you spread the masa on them.

Leave them in the water overnight or until soft.

4. Cut up your veggies.

The following can be prepared a day or two before making your tamales:

Chop all the veggies to a desired size and mix in a large bowl. You can dice them up into small pieces or you can even julienne the bell peppers and zucchinis to about inch long.

Set aside or refrigerate until ready to cook.

5. Make your tamales.

Now that you have done all your prep work, you are ready to assemble and cook your tamales. This is a tough day. Spreading the masa on the tamales can be tough work, but it is well-rewarded work. One suggestion: the more people you can get in on this process of spreading masa and stuffing the tamales, the better. You can even make a party of the whole business. These tamale-making parties are called tamaladas. Sit around a large table with your friends and family and have a blast!

Drain the corn husks completely, stand them upright on drain board or in a pan so that all the water can come out. You can even shake them off to get rid of any excess water.

"Sautee" the vegetables in a non-stick skillet. Do not add any fat or oil; you won't need it. The vegetables will release their own water in which to cook. Just put the vegetables in a pan and set them at a low to medium heat. You want them tender but not too soft because they will get more cooking time when you stuff them in the tamales. Make sure most of the water in the pan is evaporated because you don't want the vegetables too watery.

In a separate pot, bring half a gallon of chicken stock to a boil. You will use this later to cook your tamales.

Take a corn husk and cup it in your palm. The corn husk naturally cups itself into a bowl-like shape. You are going to spread the masa on the inside of that "bowl."

Using a spoon, place about a golf ball size hunk of masa onto the corn husk.

Holding the husk in one hand, spread about a golf ball size of masa onto the bottom portion of the husk with the back of the spoon. The bottom portion is the wide part (do not spread any masa on the upper (tapered) part of the the husk). This is all about technique and judgment. You can place the corn husk on a flat surface and spread the masa like that, but you get more control when you cup the husk in your hand. Find out the technique that works for you. You want the masa to be spread with an even thickness across the bottom portion of the husk. How thick a layer of masa you want is up to you. A thicker layer will make a really fat, "doughy" tamale. I personally like the fat tamales, but you may not. Experiment. And remember, practice makes perfect!

When finished spreading, stack the husks with masa on top of each other.

Spoon enough vegetables, length-wise, on the masa, but don't spread the veggies all the way to the top and bottom of the masa. Rather, leave about half an inch on either side so that you can close off the tamale on both ends by pinching the masa together (see the next step). Refer to diagram below.

Roll the tamale up and fold the flap top-section of the husk (the part without masa) part down. Pinch the masa on the top and bottom of the tamale so that the vegetables are closed off and enclosed completely in the tamale. If you do not have enough masa to close off the open end of the tamale, feel free to take a little bit of extra masa in your finger to seal off the end.

Arrange all the tamales in a large pot, (teepee style), with the opened part of the tamale upright.

Pour the boiling hot chicken stock into the pot with the tamales. Maintain a boil. Cover and lower flame to where you can still hear the boiling sound. Cook for one hour on medium low. This is terribly important: do not uncover them until the hour is up. They will not cook properly if you uncover them.

6. Enjoy your tamales!

Another of my favorite health foods

Coconut Secret's Raw Coconut Crystals came as a revelation to me. Comparable in taste and texture to brown sugar, I think it is far superior health-wise. To make them, the company takes the sap from a coconut tree and and dries it out to remove moisture and allow for crystallization. There is a slight saturated fat content (.5g per tablespoon), so beware of that. Otherwise, it is a pretty decent product. I imagine you can make some great baked goods out of this.

Fueling Up: A New Energy Bar Made for Endurance Athletes

When I crewed at Badwater this summer, I remarked on how quickly our Clif Bars melted. After just a few short hours on the course, they were reduced to a gooey mess. Of course, just about anything that can melt will melt in Death Valley's summer heat. But, here's an energy bar that won't melt!

Seriously, it won't (attention all Badwater runners). It's called 3BAR.

It was invented by Erin DeMarines, a triathlete and certified sports nutritional consultant. Erin developed these bars from her grandmother's cookie recipe. As an athlete, you know how important fueling is. These bars can help you meet your fueling needs! The bars are diabetic-friendly and safe for hypoglycemics, vegans, and vegetarians.

A big concern for me as an ultrarunner is finding food that won't upset my stomach during a run. Fortunately, these bars were specifically designed for athletes who need to digest energy fast without upsetting the stomach.



They come in three different flavors: Blueberry Blast, Tropical Tri, and Cocoa Crunch. Each bar boasts that it is vegan, kosher, wheat free, dairy free, gluten free, trans-fat free, cholesterol-free, GMO free , all natural. While these words may send up red flags for the taste-conscious consumer (healthy = bland and tasteless), the bars also promise an incredibly good taste. These are grandma's concoctions after all, and grandma only makes the very best tasting treats!

If you are interested in 3BAR, visit the website at: http://www.tri3bar.com/index.htm. A single bar costs $1.99 on the website; a box of 15 bars costs $29.99.

Also, I've attached a video below of an interview with creator DeMarines. Enjoy, and happy running!

*Note: I was not compensated for writing this article, nor was I encouraged to write it. I am always interested in better and smarter ways to fuel up for a run. When I ran across 3BAR, it seemed like something worth sharing!

Food Journal - A week of eating

I recorded everything I put in my stomach for a week. Here are the results:

Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2010

Lunch

Zola Acai with Pineapple Juice (1.5 servings) - 150 cals total, 27 g carbs, 1 g protein, 1.5 g fat
2 blocks of Almond Good Health Cheese Alternative (16 servings) - 800 cals total, 3 g carbs, 7 g protein, 1 g fat
Guiltless Gourmet All Natural Chili Lime Tortilla Chips (7 servings) - 840 cals total, 22 g carbs, 2 g protein, 3 g fat

Dinner

2 cups of cooked lentils seasoned with Herbamare Herb Seasoning Salt, served over a bed of salad greens (2 servings) - 460 calories total, 40 g carbs, 18 g protein, 1 g fat

Snack

Pretzels -
2 cups of air popped popcorn

Daily Totals (Net Grams)

2250 calories total, 323 g carbs, 164 g protein, 41.25 g fat

Workout

Jogged 1 mile (warm-up)
Hill repeats (30x total) alternating walk/run, walk up 2x and run up 1x, then run up 2x and walk up 1x
Walked 1 mile (cool down)

Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2010

Breakfast

Dried apples (6 servings) - 90 cals total, 0 g fat, 4 g carbs, 0 g protein
Dried mangos (2 servings) - 240 cals total ???
1 tablespoon of 100% raw honey - 60 cals total, 0 g fat, 17 g carbs, 0 g protein

Lunch

2 5-ounce bowls of Barbecue Sausage and Beans Soup (2 servings) - 340 cals total, 29 g carbs, 5 g protein, 4 g fat (2 g saturated fat)
Salad greens with 1/4 cup of black olives, 1/4 cup green olives, 1/4 cup green peas, red onions, 1/2 cup of diced turkey - estimate of 500 calories ???
1 plain baked potato (1 serving) - 200 cals total, 46 g carbs, 5 g protein

Snack

Dried apples (6 servings) - 90 cals total, 0 g fat, 4 g carbs, 0 g protein
Dried mangos (2 servings) - 240 cals total ???

Midnight Snack

2 Wasa light rye crispbreads - 60 cals total, 0 g fat, 14 g carbs, 2 g protein
1 banana - 120 cals total, 0 g fat, 31 g carbs, 1 g protein
1 Bartlett pear - 100 cals total, 1 g fat, 25 g carbs, 1 g protein

Daily Totals (Net Grams)

2040 cals total, 5 g fat (not including the olives in the lunch salad and the turkey) (2 g saturated fat), 239 g carbs (not including the salad or the dried mangos), 19 g protein (not including the salad or mangos)

Workout

10 miles, with 33 hill repeats up and down (set of 3) after every mile.

Thursday, Sept. 9, 2010

Lunch

1 Bartlett pear - 100 cals total, 1 g fat, 25 g carbs, 1 g protein
7 Wasa light rye crispbreads (3.5 servings) - 210 cals total, 0 g fat, 14 g carbs, 2 g protein
1 whole avocado - 227 cals, 21 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 12 g carbs, 3 g protein
1 cub sweet butter leaves -
2 tablespoons green roasted salsa

Snack

1 whole avocado - 227 cals, 21 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 12 g carbs, 3 g protein
3 Wasa light rye crispbreads - 90 cals total, 0 g fat, 14 g carbs, 2 g protein
1 banana - 120 cals total, 0 g fat, 31 g carbs, 1 g protein

Dinner

Green salad with diced tomatos and cucumbers - 150 cals total, ???
2 wheat dinner rolls - 400 cals total, ???
1 glass of red wine (Shiraz) - 100 cals total, ???

Midnight Snack

4 avocados seasoned with lite salt and red chili flakes - 908 cals total, 21 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 12 g carbs, 3 g protein
12 Wasa light rye crispbreads - 360 cals total, 0 g fat, 14 g carbs, 2 g protein
2 tablespoons green roasted salsa

Workout

Run/walked 5 miles at noon
Run walked 5 miles at night

Friday, Sept. 10, 2010

Bad Day!

Breakfast

Banana
2 Pears

Lunch

(Clarissa's B-Day Party)
Spaghetti w/ 3 meatballs from Orlando's Restaurant
Chips and Queso
4 glasses of blush wine

Snack

1 bag of Turkey Jerky
4 string cheese sticks
24 oz. 100% Apple Cider

Workout

Run/walk 5 miles

Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010

Breakfast

8 oz. 100% Apple Cider

Workout Food

Vanilla Bean GU Gel

Dinner

2 avocado roll sushi
Edamame appetizer
2 bowls of steamed white rice (3 cups, maybe 4)

Snack

4 turkey slices
1 avocado
16 oz. orange juice

Workout

Ran all day at Buffalo Springs Lake

Sunday, Sept. 12, 2010

Lunch

3 slices of turkey

Dinner

Vegetable Biryani (vegetables and rice, not healthy because cooked with butter)
2 falt wheat breads (not healthy because greasy)
1/4 slice of naan
Cilantro chutney
1/2 of a bowl of Tomato soup
Iced tea

Midnight Snack

Bowl of salad greens
4 slices of turkey
1 avocado
Leftover rice
1/2 flat wheatbread

Workout

Ran 10 miles
Ran 10 miles
20 miles total for the day

Monday, Sept. 13, 2010

Breakfast

2 pears
1 and 1/2 bananas

Lunch

4 slices of turkey
3 cups of cooked lentils
Powerade Zero

Dinner

4 slices of turkey
8 oz of apple juice
5 slices of reduced fat swiss cheese
Dried mangoes
A handful of pecan halves

Snack

2 sandwiches (4 100% whole wheat bread slices, 3 slices of turkey, a handful of salad greens, 3 slices of reduced fat swiss cheese, 1 tablespoon green roasted salsa)

Workout

Ran 6 miles

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Lunch

Salad (salad greens, red bell peppers, handful of almonds, handful of sunflower seeds, black olives, liquid aminos)
1 plain baked potato
1/2 of an avocado
Dried mangoes

Snack

Handful of pecans
1 slice of turkey
1 slice of reduced fat swiss cheese
8 oz 100% apple cider

Dinner

2 sandwiches (4 slices of wheat bread, 4 slices of reduced fat swiss cheese, 5 slices of turkey)
8 oz 100% apple cider

Snack

1 sandwich (2 slices of wheat bread, 1 slice of turkey, 1 slice of reduced fat swiss cheese)
8 oz 100% apple cider
Handful of pecans

Workout

Ran 20 miles before school

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Breakfast

1 1/2 bananas
Dried mangoes

Lunch

2 sandwiches (4 slices of bread, 4 slices of reduced fat swiss cheese, 2 slices of turkey)
Handful of almonds
8 oz of Odwalla Protein Monster Chocolate Milk
16 oz 100% apple cider

Dinner

Baked potato (plain)

Workout

Run/walk 3 miles

Some of my favorite health foods

People tend to think of health foods as bland and flavorless, but that's not always the case. Here are some specialty items that I think are really tasty:


These yeast flakes are so great! You have to try them. They have a nutty, cheesy flavor that goes so well on popcorn. I remember the first time I tried them. I went to a small, art-house theater in Austin, and bought a bag of air-popped popcorn. There on the counter, they had the usual butter and salt condiments. But, I was watching what I ate, so those items were ruled out for me. But, I was instantly attracted to the yeast flakes, not least because the label had the word "nutritional" on it. I'm glad I tried them. I fell in love. And, it turns out, they are pretty healthy.


Bragg Liquid Aminos is perfect for salads! It is like soy sauce, but better! It makes a terrific broth. Trust me, it is delicious. All it is, really, is vegetable protein from soybeans.


Herbamare is a flavorful alternative to table salt. It is basically just sea salt with some herbs mixed in: celery leaves, leek, chive, rosemary, basil, thyme, parsley, etc. I think it works really well on vegetables. It somehow manages to enhance the flavor of the vegetables in a way that ordinary table salt cannot.



Weird. Almond imitation cheese. It has no cholesterol, saturated fat, or preservatives. It's mostly just crushed almonds. That is the base for this cheese imitation product. But does it taste good? Well, I love cheese. Nothing can hold a candle to real cheese, in my opinion. But, it's best to not think of this product as an imitation. Rather, think of it as something separate, something that stands on its own. It has a really mild nutty, creamy flavor. It's quite good, actually. But, if you think of it as a cheese alternative, which it is, you may be disappointed.

What are your favorite health foods?

A typical meal

I've been asked what a typical meal looks like for me. So on no particularly special occasion, I took a picture of my lunch plate. Here it is: It consists of a nice green salad with red bell peppers, sunflower seeds, olives, and shredded carrots. I dash on lots of Braggs Liquid Aminos. I usually eat one avocado a day. They are delicious. And, I'm a big fan of baked potatoes. To drink, I have water and an Odwalla Superfood. I would say my diet is 60% carbs, 20% protein, and 20% fat. I eat healthy probably 90% of the time and I eat crap 10% of the time. No refined sugars. I sometimes describe myself as a flexitarian. Maybe you've heard the term before. These are people who see the benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle but are also not opposed to eating the occasional piece of meat. So there you have it. It works for me.

Food for Thought: Notes on My Relationship With Food

Losing weight is hard. Not everyone understands this. I've heard some people explain it to me like this: "you just burn up what you put in," referring to calorie intake and expenditure through exercise. "It's pure mathematics." The problem with this logic is that it completely ignores the complicated physical, chemical, and psychological factors that make us overweight to begin with. If ever someone tells you this, you can be sure they haven't had to lose a lot of weight before. People are too complex for such irreducible formulas.

When I was losing weight, I had to evaluate my relationship with food. I had to look at what I ate and why I ate it. I struggled so much to understand my habits and where they came from. I still struggle with food today. For example, I sometimes feel overwhelmingly guilty for eating, even when I know that there is nothing wrong with what I am eating. Where does that guilt come from?

I had been heavy most of my life. Growing up, I was always the chubby kid. Food was such an important part of my life. Mexican-Americans place a great emphasis on culinary traditions. If you ever go to a pachanga, you will find plenty of food available. In my family, eating was very much a social event, a part of the cultural fabric that allowed us to relate to each other on deeper, more personal levels. I came to love food.

There is nothing wrong with loving food. I think food is meant to be enjoyed. I've met people that take a purely utilitarian approach to food. "Food is fuel," they say. "Nothing more." I do not share this view. Food has the potential to awaken us to the most cherished sensory experiences of our lives. It is both tradition and culture, memory and expression. To eat food is to partake in one of the most fundamental experiences of the human condition. Truly.

So where is the problem? The problem for me was when I ate for the wrong reasons. Emotional eating, for example, often leads to problems. I remember eating to soothe my emotional pains. This started at a young age. When I would cry as a child, my parents would give me candy to cheer me up. Is it any wonder that I came to see food as an emotional crutch, something I could lean on for comfort during the rough times?

When I was losing weight, I had to stop my emotional eating. Not completely, though. I still allowed myself to eat for emotional reasons. Food and emotion are so closely intertwined in our modern times that I think it's unreasonable to expect to shut off the habit completely. But, rather than associate food with negative emotions, I tried to associate it with positive ones. So, if I was having a good day or I accomplished something good, like getting a good grade on a school paper, I would allow myself a culinary treat - maybe a big bowl of homemade vegetable soup that evening.

I believe associating food with positive emotions is essential to weight loss. So often, the diet books emphasize the negative. "No" to this. "No" to that. Food becomes something we fear and we try to avoid it. Of course, this ends up in diet-disaster. We abstain from eating because we are afraid to eat, but we can only abstain for so long before we give in and chow down. Then, we overeat. We binge. This leads to guilt, which leads to more eating. We shouldn't fear food.

That's a hard concept to put into practice, especially for someone trying to lose weight. As I mentioned, I still sometimes feel guilty when I eat. I can't help it. All through high school I was called names and teased because of my weight. College, too. I saw myself as fat, and I blamed food for it. When I tried a new diet, it was always with that do-or-die attitude. With each new attempt to shed the pounds, I would set out on a mission to conquer food, the archenemy of my desired waistline.

Eventually, I realized that I couldn't conquer food. I had to embrace it. Most importantly, I had to acquaint myself with new culinary experiences: eating healthy, making smart food choices, opening up my palette to new tastes - fruits instead of candy, vegetables instead of junk food. I eliminated fast food from my life. I cooked 95% of my meals. With this new approach to eating, and with the benefits of exercise and running, I lost 180 pounds.

However, losing weight is just the beginning. A lot of people, after successfully losing weight, put it back on within a year. There are many culprits behind the problem of yo-yo dieting. One culprit, and I think it is the most important, is that some people, while dieting and losing weight, never fully analyzed their eating habits. They never understood their relationship with food, and they never fully embraced food as a part of life, not to be feared but rather to be enjoyed. By that same token, our relationship with food changes as time goes by. It evolves. But, the basic tenant of the relationship should always stay the same: love.

I enjoy food, just as you should enjoy food, just as we all should enjoy food. I also enjoy exercise and running. Whether you are trying to lose weight, or just struggling like me to come to terms with your ever-shifting relationship with food, remember that love conquers all. It is the opposite of fear. And when you learn to love good food, you also learn to love yourself.