Watching the clock, counting every second, hoping I’m almost done! I am guessing that many of you feel exactly like I do when I am exercising. Maybe not always but when I wake up in the morning to get in a workout before work, I just can’t wait for it to be over. Today, I figured out why. It’s not fun! We make a lot of excuses about why we don’t exercise. We don’t have time. We have to run with the kids. We don’t feel well. Our knees hurt. We have to work late. Yet, we all have time to watch TV or play on facebook None of those excuses are really at the root of why we aren’t exercising as much as we should be. The real problem is that it isn’t fun. If that is the case, I challenge all of you to find something that is fun. Something that won’t make you watch the clock and count the seconds until you are done.
This morning, I changed my routine and headed outside. I would have tried to run but with the hill near my house, that will have to wait a few months. This morning, I walked. I didn’t look at the clock once. I could have kept walking for hours. The fresh air energized me. I got a much better workout. For me, the trick to enjoying exercise today was moving outdoors. That may not be what you enjoy. The key is to stop suffering through workouts that you hate. If you hate walking on a treadmill, try something different. Maybe its swimming (which is actually my drug of choice). Maybe its dancing--no one said you have to stop dancing as soon as you turn 18. Maybe you like hiking, biking, basketball, kickball or tennis. Try different classes like yoga or zumba. Just find something you like to do instead of looking at exercise as just something you have to do.
While I have been exercising because I need at least 30 minutes a day to maintain my health, my goal for this summer is to find those things that I will enjoy. I am going to try as many activities as I can that I think might be fun! Physical Activity shouldn’t be work, it should be Play! I think in the end, I’ll benefit from it even more. I will share my activities with you and hope you will join me and try new things that you think might be fun too!
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Sugar Free Peeps..Really?
I have just read over 20 articles about how to create a Healthy Easter Basket. Every article has ideas for adding carrots, nuts, sugar free candies, etc. I am not sure that I agree with all of those strategies. But I think what bothers me the most is a new, very popular product--Sugar Free Peeps!
For one, I do not like to give my children artificial sweeteners. But, something about sugar-free peeps really bothers me. What could they be made of? Peeps are made of sugar right? The ingredient list says they are made from malitol, isomalt, polyglycitol syrup, sorbitol, gelatin, calcium chloride, natural flavors, yellow 5, sucralose, potassium sorbate, carnuba wax. These definitely aren't the ingredients I want my children to eat. Let's look at the calories. Each sugar-free peep is about 20 calories and each one has just under 8 grams of carbohydrate all in the form of sugar alcohols. For those of you that don't know much about sugar alcohols, all products with sugar alcohols contain a warning that with excessive consumption you may experience a laxative effect. I am sure that is exactly what you would like for your kids on Easter Morning or yourself, as far as that is concerned.
So let's compare. Regular peeps are made from Sugar, Corn Syrup, Gelatin, Potassium Sorbate (A Preservative), Natural Flavors, Red #3, Carnauba Wax. At least I can identify the ingredients easily. I notice the label also points out that they are gluten free. Nutritionally speaking, the calories for one regular peep: approximately 28. with 9 grams of carbohydrate. So I guess you save 8 calories per peep, but is it really worth it?
My advice is to use common sense. Teach your children that it is okay to enjoy a few peeps, just not the entire box at once. You do not need to be the food police and not allow them to have treats for a special occasion like Easter. Instead, teach them it is okay to have a treat and balance that treat with some activity. For each box of peeps, maybe the Easter Bunny should bring something like a jump rope, a soccer ball, or side walk chalk that will help your child to burn off the extra sugar.
If creating a healthy Easter Basket for your children is a priority, I hope you think carefully about these sugar-free options that are calling out to you in the store. They may not be the better choice. Not to mention, even if you try to provide only the healthiest choices like fruits, vegetables, and nuts--in the end, Grandma is always there to give them chocolate!
For one, I do not like to give my children artificial sweeteners. But, something about sugar-free peeps really bothers me. What could they be made of? Peeps are made of sugar right? The ingredient list says they are made from malitol, isomalt, polyglycitol syrup, sorbitol, gelatin, calcium chloride, natural flavors, yellow 5, sucralose, potassium sorbate, carnuba wax. These definitely aren't the ingredients I want my children to eat. Let's look at the calories. Each sugar-free peep is about 20 calories and each one has just under 8 grams of carbohydrate all in the form of sugar alcohols. For those of you that don't know much about sugar alcohols, all products with sugar alcohols contain a warning that with excessive consumption you may experience a laxative effect. I am sure that is exactly what you would like for your kids on Easter Morning or yourself, as far as that is concerned.
So let's compare. Regular peeps are made from Sugar, Corn Syrup, Gelatin, Potassium Sorbate (A Preservative), Natural Flavors, Red #3, Carnauba Wax. At least I can identify the ingredients easily. I notice the label also points out that they are gluten free. Nutritionally speaking, the calories for one regular peep: approximately 28. with 9 grams of carbohydrate. So I guess you save 8 calories per peep, but is it really worth it?
My advice is to use common sense. Teach your children that it is okay to enjoy a few peeps, just not the entire box at once. You do not need to be the food police and not allow them to have treats for a special occasion like Easter. Instead, teach them it is okay to have a treat and balance that treat with some activity. For each box of peeps, maybe the Easter Bunny should bring something like a jump rope, a soccer ball, or side walk chalk that will help your child to burn off the extra sugar.
If creating a healthy Easter Basket for your children is a priority, I hope you think carefully about these sugar-free options that are calling out to you in the store. They may not be the better choice. Not to mention, even if you try to provide only the healthiest choices like fruits, vegetables, and nuts--in the end, Grandma is always there to give them chocolate!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Is my salad making me Fat?
They say the first post is the hardest, so I've decided to just get it over with!
Living in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, sometimes finding a healthy meal in a restaurant can be a challenge. The “Pittsburgh” portions make even healthier choices an enemy in a battle versus the bathroom scale. Of course, there are always salads on the menu right. Salads are the go-to-choice for both myself and others trying to make a healthy choice in local restaurants. Salads are packed with healthy vegetables that are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants right? Maybe not, I think it is time to be honest with myself and with all of you. If you live in southwestern Pennsylvania, your salad might be making you fat! Let’s think about it. All of the salads have lettuce which is great, especially if there are some darker mixed greens. Most will have a few tomatoes, maybe carrots, cucumber, onion, and beets. That is the best part! If you are lucky--you might get lean grilled chicken breast added to your salad or possibly hard boiled eggs. Those lean protein sources are an important part of a healthy diet. But wait, the serving size that most of us need is only about 3 ounces and the last grilled chicken salad I had was topped with two 5-ounce chicken breasts. While it isn’t bad nutritionally, extra calories are extra calories. Maybe you ordered the grilled salmon salad. The concept is the same. The protein is healthy but the portions may not be. I haven't even touched the surface with what you might be eating in those salads. Add Steak and depending on the cut, you may be adding enough saturated fat (the bad kind of fat) for three days. The chicken could be fried or breaded with refined carbs and that healthy salad is looking more like the Bacon Cheeseburger I was craving but didn’t order because of course, as a dietitian, I could never do that. Apparently, adding 4-8 ounces of cheese or more is also a requirement in this area. I love cheese but with 100 calories per ounce, I would like a little less on my "healthy" salad. And then there is the signature ingredient that makes salads in our area so special--French Fries! Any way you look at it those fries are adding a lot of fat and calories and very little as far as nutritional quality. We haven’t even gotten to the part where we pick dressing! Yes, I could order my salad with no cheese, no fries, and half the chicken but today, I think I am going to look at the salad a little differently, save the calories, and order the soup!
Living in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, sometimes finding a healthy meal in a restaurant can be a challenge. The “Pittsburgh” portions make even healthier choices an enemy in a battle versus the bathroom scale. Of course, there are always salads on the menu right. Salads are the go-to-choice for both myself and others trying to make a healthy choice in local restaurants. Salads are packed with healthy vegetables that are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants right? Maybe not, I think it is time to be honest with myself and with all of you. If you live in southwestern Pennsylvania, your salad might be making you fat! Let’s think about it. All of the salads have lettuce which is great, especially if there are some darker mixed greens. Most will have a few tomatoes, maybe carrots, cucumber, onion, and beets. That is the best part! If you are lucky--you might get lean grilled chicken breast added to your salad or possibly hard boiled eggs. Those lean protein sources are an important part of a healthy diet. But wait, the serving size that most of us need is only about 3 ounces and the last grilled chicken salad I had was topped with two 5-ounce chicken breasts. While it isn’t bad nutritionally, extra calories are extra calories. Maybe you ordered the grilled salmon salad. The concept is the same. The protein is healthy but the portions may not be. I haven't even touched the surface with what you might be eating in those salads. Add Steak and depending on the cut, you may be adding enough saturated fat (the bad kind of fat) for three days. The chicken could be fried or breaded with refined carbs and that healthy salad is looking more like the Bacon Cheeseburger I was craving but didn’t order because of course, as a dietitian, I could never do that. Apparently, adding 4-8 ounces of cheese or more is also a requirement in this area. I love cheese but with 100 calories per ounce, I would like a little less on my "healthy" salad. And then there is the signature ingredient that makes salads in our area so special--French Fries! Any way you look at it those fries are adding a lot of fat and calories and very little as far as nutritional quality. We haven’t even gotten to the part where we pick dressing! Yes, I could order my salad with no cheese, no fries, and half the chicken but today, I think I am going to look at the salad a little differently, save the calories, and order the soup!
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