This is Why America is Fat: Jersey Shore Episode

I can’t believe it’s been so many years since I’ve been on the Ocean City, New Jersey boardwalk. The place I spent so many days and nights in my childhood normally takes a backseat to shore spots like Avalon, Sea Isle City, Atlantic City & Margate for me. So in the name of nostalgia, I decided to head down to the OC boardwalk for the day last week.

What an episode of “This is why you’re Fat America!” I witnessed. Do not get me wrong, I love junk food and was very excited to be in the presence of Kohr Brother’s Ice Cream, but this was all just too much. We walked up and down the boardwalk amidst one vendor after another hawking pizza, ice cream, French fries, candy, hoagies, funnel cakes, cheese steaks, water ice and popcorn to name a few. I saw one place with the word “salad” on its sign (I cannot attest to whether the salad was actually healthy, organic, etc.)
Then look around…kids are heavier than ever, and obesity is everywhere.

We decided to splurge a bit, join the fun. First up, a slice of pizza…normally I try to say NO because of the cheese and gluten – a digestive nightmare for me. But it’s the shore, I lived it up with a few bites! (For the record, the pizza was just OK.) Next, was Kohr Brother’s Ice Cream. Again, dairy is a no no for me normally. It’s really hard to digest, I’m not sure I believe adult humans should be consuming dairy, and I’m horrified by the treatment of cattle by dairy farmers. But it’s the shore, I lived it up sharing a cone! (For the record, my chocolate & peanut butter custard with chocolate jimmies was amazing!!) Lastly, we scored ¼ pound of vanilla fudge – another Jersey shore staple and personal favorite. The two of us took 3 days to eat the whole thing.

Splurge over…

Dinner was grilled salmon & asparagus with a balsamic vinegar drizzled green salad. I had to get it together!!

I did manage to fit in a high intensity plyometric workout in my house before heading down the shore. The workout was about 55 minutes, including my warm up and stretch cool down. The next day I hit the gym for an hour of cardio.

Obviously the point to all my rambling…you cannot eat Jersey shore boardwalk style every day!! Yes it tastes good. Yes it’s fun. Yes you will get fat eating a lot of this. You may also go broke, because nothing on the boardwalk is cheap – but I’ll save the financial preaching for another time.

I do know this for a fact…the more junk you eat and the longer you eat it, the harder it becomes to make healthier decisions. I don’t know if it’s psychological or physical addiction – science isn’t my area of expertise. However, I do know from experience and listening to other’s that this is true.

The reverse is also true…the more whole, natural, high quality foods you eat, the easier it becomes to make healthy choices on the daily! I SWEAR THIS IS TRUE.

I am worried about the health of this country! I asked my mom if it was always that bad at the shore. She said it was. But none of my brothers nor I was ever a fat kid. My parents weren’t fat. Yet we summered year after year at the shore.

Mom’s simply beautiful explanation: We didn’t eat that stuff everyday on vacation. We still had home cooked (or packed if we were on the beach) meals and snacked on fruit. We didn’t continue that eating at home. One more thing…we were ACTIVE!

Ah childhood, simpler times! Thank you momma Kelly for teaching her kiddies a critical life lesson (although I wish you never ever let me have ice cream because I just love it!!).
Nobody’s perfect!
Enjoy the unofficial end of summer. Make healthy choices!!

A Word on Calcium, Without Milk!

I was that odd child who NEVER drank milk with dinner…or with cookies…or for any other reason. I did like milk in cereal, or a milkshake, or mixed with a lot of Nestle Quick Chocolate! But no thank you, you can keep your glass of cold milk!

For some reason it just made me want to gag…plus there is something so NOT thirst quenching about milk. Fast forward many years, I still don’t drink milk (or lattes for that matter). It’s still not appetizing, plus I noticed not feeling super after having too much dairy.

I tried lattes for a bit maybe 7 years ago on the tip from a personal trainer. He said grab a skinny latte in the afternoon for a pick-me-up, protein boosting snack. I’m all for the caffeine boost (oops!) and I love coffee, but hold the massive amount of milk. It just didn’t sit right with me.

Ditto for cheese and ice cream. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE ice cream…and cheese is great. But I feel like it sits in my stomach forever, making me feel ill. Then I heard undigested cheese sitting in your colon starts to rot, and you can imagine all the nastiness that brings with it. Not sure of the science on that, but personal experience certainly felt like that!

Dairy is so easy to replace and so unnecessary. So, piggybacking on my post about protein in plants is my next announcement : There is sufficient calcium in nature!

Further, the absorption of calcium into the human body via plants is much better than from milk. In fact, 300mg of kale or spinach has a 25% better absorption rate than the same amount of milk!

Almond, rice, hemp and coconut milks are fantastic substitutions. Almond is my favorite! By the way, it’s lower in calories, carbs and sugar than milk. I also hear almonds aren’t being pumped with hormones, antibiotics and forced to live miserable lives in their own filth : )

Bottom line is: Veges — Especially leafy greens — will give you all the calcium you need!

Happy 4th of July…the Good, Bad & Ugly of eating in America

   I love America!  I am an American first, then we can talk about the Irish, Swedish and Polish heritage…NOT the other way around.  We live in an amazing country with endless freedom and hope.  For that reason, I made some red, white and blue flag kabobs (recipe tomorrow).  It was the perfect afternoon snack for me, and could suffice as a healthy BBQ dessert for tomorrow’s festivities.

   Now my rant…the Bad & Ugly of food in the good old USA.  It’s no lie that we’re an overweight country.  Diabetes & obesity are as common as apple pie!  Diseases and deaths that could be prevented are so common.  Our kids are portly, inactive and sick themselves!  But we’re almost set up for failure.

   I am so committed to a healthy lifestyle.  I make choices based on discipline and a goal rather than fun or comfort a lot.  For example, tomorrow is 4th of July and I have every right to sleep in then treat myself to a stack of diner pancakes.  However, I’m due at the gym at 8am for a 2.5 hour “triathlon.”  Why?  Partly because I’m crazy….but mostly because I know I really like feeling good and fitting into my clothes. 

   But it’s hard to stick to those disciplined choices in America.  Try going to one of the many popular chain resturaunts and asking for a vegetarian dish that’s not loaded with fatty pasta or white rice.  Where are the vegetables?  Try ordering a colorful delicious salad made with more than some wilted lettuce, croutons and bacon bits.  Where are the vegetables?  Try stopping at any convenience store for a fresh snack or lunch…you’ll find a basket of sad looking apples and some prepackaged unappetizing salads.  Don’t even get me started on salad dressing.

   Then there’s the organic issue…good luck finding anything organic or even fresh for that matter.  We love our Cheesecake Factories and TGI Fridays, and the small family owned spots cooking fresh recipes or the random healthy spots are shunned. 

   “I could never eat like you” or “you’re so good” — I hear this a lot in response to my passion for all things fruits & veges.  While yes, I do battle cravings…I love chocolate, peanut butter, ice cream, cake and French fries.  I try to keep those things at a minimum.  BUT I also LOVE a huge fresh organic salad with bright greens, crunchy carrots and radishes, cucumbers, lentils and ripe Jersey tomatoes.  I’m happy with raw apple cider vinegar, lemon and whole grain mustard salad dressing.  I look forward to a super crisp super sweet & sour Granny Smith apple or pieces of frozen banana!  I really truly love steamed brussel sprouts and artichokes. 

   I promise you, taste preferences can be changed!  The transition is so painful, but if you can break the addiction to at least some of the junk you’re eating, you’ll learn to love and embrace health eating.  Even if it’s one thing…stop salting everything, reduce dairy or meat consumption, ditch the soda, decrease (or eliminate) the cream in your coffee, give almond milk a try instead of cow’s milk.  For me, the best way to transition off a bad habit is to replace it with a better one.  I’m happy to share my alternatives …just ask.

 

High Raw? Vegan? Nutrarian? None of the Above for Real?

Following my week+ from hell, I’m feeling much better.  I’ve been on a high raw vegan diet since Sunday.  So far my body is thanking me!  Four days of mostly raw fruits, vegetables, and nuts.  I had one meal of steamed veges, some beans,  an organic protein bar, flax and some dried fruits (my candy!)…ok and a few small pieces of chocolate.  I’m not complaining either!

So this begets the question…is some type of raw or vegan diet the way to go?? 

I honestly think the answer to this question is a screaming YES!  In theory, I really don’t see how this is not the way to go.  The science behind it all backs up the fact that enough fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds will provide all the vitamins, minerals, energy and (yes) protein a person needs.  Emphasize organic and local and it’s a golden, humane plan.

The problem is…it’s not always practical in the world we live to eat organic, vegan and raw.  Try going to a restaurant on any diet and it’s difficult, try going on a pure vegan lifestyle and servers look at you like you have 7 heads. 

I’m ok at this point with most people thinking my way of eating is boring and not fun.  I truly love it and feel amazing when I’m devouring freshness!  But I’m not going to lie, sometimes I just want some ice cream!  So, I’m going to be strict, but patient with myself.  My goal is some kind of pseudo vegan, raw, Furman, frutarian lifestyle. 

I’m learning so much about this.  I’m only a little concerned of not sticking 100% to a specific plan.  I mean, the 80/10/10 raw folks eat massive amounts of fruit all day…like 20 bananas plus!  I may not be eating 20, but what about 3?  I’ve been stuffing my face with fruit the last few days:  apples, pears, oranges, grapefruit, grapes, papaya, bananas, blueberries, raisins and prunes.  I feel good.  My energy is up, my cravings are less and my digestive system is happy.  I’ve had at least one green smoothie and one huge green salad a day, along with lots of tea.  I still have a cup of coffee with stevia each day.

At the end of the day, I’m not really sure what my so called “plan” is.  I do know high raw vegan is a lifestyle I do plan to continue.  I’ve been on and off the lifestyle since January and it seems to suit me.  So I’ll just list some of the things I know to be true for me and go from there.

My Beliefs:

-Whole foods (especially organic) are the most nurturing things you can feed your body

-Wheat, even if you can tolerate it, really isn’t a friend.  Most of what we know of as wheat products are so overly processed anyway it cannot be healthy.

-Eating mostly vegan is kind.  I really don’t want to be a part of the inhumane mass murder that goes on in animal slaughter houses.  I don’t want to consume dairy from a cow whose blistered udders are yanked so hard and often she is in constant pain.

-I’m uninterested in consuming excess hormones and antibiotics that are given to so many slaughtered animals.  Excess hormones = fat and bitchy

-I’m uninterested in consuming excess chemicals by eating far too many processed foods or genetically modified foods.  Chemicals = cancer

-My skin and eyes are really clear and bright when I eat lots of produce.  My stomach is flatter.  My hair grows quicker (still can’t get those nails from breaking)

-I can get all the protein I need, even when I’m working out hard, from this lifestyle

-I don’t feel so bad spending on organics when I’m not buying meats, dairy, and processed foods

-Wine is an acceptable part of my lifestyle

Relapse & set back, it’s been a tough week…But I’m still Fighting!

It’s been a rough week +.  Life is good, life is great…So I hate complaining when there are people walking around in far worse shape than me!  BUT, I felt like hell off and on this week and I really hate that!  I think I had 2 good days in about 8 0r 10.

Mom and I played headed to Atlantic City last Thursday for a much needed “playing hookey” day of hitting the beach and of course mother-daughter bonding.  I truly did not stray far off my diet!  My meals and drinks were all pretty good, barring a few bites of bread and a fiber bar.  I usually feel like I can tolerate this.  Maybe I can’t?  Thankfully, this was the beginning of a week+ IBS episode and a good time wasn’t ruined. 

But when flare ups occur, it’s always in the back of my head, weighing me down.  I don’t want to talk too much about it to the people around me and be a Debbie Downer!

And so it went, over a week of terrible digestion, poor energy, constipation, moodiness, and toxic hunger cravings.  I can always gage the level of toxicity by the brightness of my eyes.  When my eyes are really bright, I know my insides are happy!  Maybe there’s no real science behind that, but it seems to work for me!

All that being said, I am still fighting!  My least favorite workout every week is boxing.  It’s hard, I sweat, I want to give up every time…but I never do.  And you know what, I make progress every week and feel amazing knowing that I’m strong (and I’m developing a mean right hook!)

  I woke up feeling decent today.  I’m hoping for a great workout!  I’ve got a plan of action for the week and I’ll share that with you all later today!

Who Needs Caffeine??

I cannot tell you how much I love everything about Starbucks!  I will drive out of my way, stand in a stupidly long line and dodge comments of being a coffee snob to get my Starbucks dark coffee fix.  By the way, most of the time I order decaf or just half caffeine!

My fix is NOT often because I need the caffeine, I just love love love coffee!  I used to need the caffeine (and still occasionally do when I’m recovering from a night of insomnia), but now not so much.  I used to feel more tired, weak, and (God Forbid!) cranky!!  I’ve always eaten well and exercised, so it really made no sense.

What changed for me…

Going (mostly) gluten, meat and dairy free makes me feel lighter.  I don’t feel tired after a meal or day of whole foods.  Reducing sugar and alcohol helps too.  I’m really still working on eliminating processed sugar – challenge to come.  Exercise and yoga helps.  I’d like to learn how to meditate – challenge to come.

Blood work revealed that I was vitamin B deficient.  Huh?  I wasn’t anemic, often a cause of deficiency.  Back then I was even eating more meat (vegetarian diets are lower in Vitamin B12).  Aging can be a factor also, but I’m not that old – yet!

I really don’t know the science behind it, but apparently if you’re anemic, overly stressed out, not absorbing nutrients in food because of poor digestion, your adrenals are shot, you ever had mono or Epstein Bar, eat a vegetarian diet – and probably many other causes – you can become vitamin B deficient and feel like hell.  B vitamins are energy boosters, so it made sense I was tired without them.

**Another very important finding, Vitamin B12 deficiency speeds up the aging process**

That’s never ok!

So off to Whole Foods for Vitamin B pills.  A few months later, no noticeable changes.  I’ve tried the Vitamin B injections, which are great.  Small problem though, I don’t know if you can administer your own injections (NOT that I ever would or could!), and hitting the doctor’s office once or twice a week for a B12 shot isn’t cost or time effective.

More research, it’s really difficult for the body to grab all the nutrients from even the highest quality vitamin tablet.  The low quality tablets are made of a lot of fillers and chemicals, so there’s not much of the good stuff available.  Even a good tablet needs to be digested, so it’s difficult for the body to get 100% of the nutrients – and with digestive issues your body is having trouble absorbing nutrients from food and supplements.

Someone finally suggested taking my vitamins in a concentrated, pure powder form.  So a few months ago I started taking all my vitamins isotonically (is that a word?!)…on an empty stomach, mixed with filtered water every morning.  What a difference!  I feel more awake, alert…just brighter.  I seriously rarely need caffeine.  I just deal with the sideways glances from baristas when I order decaf at 8am.

I also noticed little differences, like the whites of my eyes are whiter and my skin seems brighter.  I’m lucky to have left behind the acne in my younger years, so I’m not talking about clearing up pimples (although who knows), just a brightness.  Anyway, I’m interested to have my Vitamin B levels checked again and see if there’s any change.  Regardless, I’m sticking with the regimen and it’s worth the few extra bucks to buy the good stuff over the pills I was getting in the stores.  It’s probably cheaper in the long run because I wasn’t retaining half of what I was paying for!

(There’s also a rumor that a good Vitamin B dose after an evening of overindulging on the wine or tequila does wonders to “cure” the fatigue of a hangover.  Just sayin’)

In my mission to toss all the supplements I don’t benefit from and weed out what does work, this one is staying for sure.

I use Isotonix Activated B complex, and it’s freakin’ amazing!

http://www.shop.com/tracikelly

Hot Mashed Cauliflower & Turkey Burgers

Sunday night was that cooking experience I hate!  I just didn’t get it right…

 After a quick trip to the Philadelphia Trader Joe’s—(quick note:  super crowded on a Sunday afternoon!  BUT the TJ staff, beside being so nice are so efficient and the treacherous line that formed funneled to each registered so quickly.  Go TJ’s!!) I got started cooking dinner for Orlando and me.  I figured turkey burgers (for him), mashed cauliflower and steamed asparagus (mostly for me), and a tomato pesto flat bread (I made the gluten free crust).

I’ve made all of these foods before, successfully.  Last night, it was average – if not mediocre.  Hence, we dipped too many rice crackers in guacamole – meant for just a pre-dinner snack – and I raided the fridge around 9pm (although not so much out of hunger, but a bad habit).  The flat bread was good, but I left more of that for Orlando.  I consulted the internet later to see where I went wrong!

  Lesson learned:

1. If I haven’t made it in a while, consult internet recipes first to make sure I’m not missing anything.
2. I need to start keeping recording or keeping track of my culinary successes

So here goes, my recipes for all 3 .

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Spicy Mashed Cauliflower

1 head fresh cauliflower

2 few bunches of scallions (depends on your spice tolerance)

1 TBSP diced onions

¼ cup 0% plain organic greek yogurt (I’ve also used plain almond milk when I’m feeling vegan)

Few dashes pepper and sea salt

Steam or boil the cauliflower.  In the vitamix (or other blender, or hand mixed) blend all the ingredients.  Depending on if you like a smooth or more chunky texture, adjust your blending time.  Add spices to taste.  I like paprika or dry red pepper flakes (not both!) for spice.

 

*I think next time I’ll add more scallions or play with another spice.  These are good, but a little bland. 

Healthy Low Fat, Gluten Free, Low Carb Turkey Burgers

1 packages lean, organic ground turkey meat (thawed)

¼ cup onion ( I used red, but prefer yellow onion – even though red is a better prebiotic)

¼ cup red, yellow or green pepper (green is most difficult to digest)

1 organic egg (optional, if omitted add a bit more ground flax)

2 TBSP ground flax seed meal

1 tsp oregano

A few leaves of chopped basil

  Dice onion, peppers and mushrooms.  In a bowl with clean hands, knead all ingredients until mushy.  Form into burger patties (can do large burgers or smaller sliders, just adjust cooking time).  I pan fried them on the stove top with a little coconut oil.  You could also grill or bake them. 

*Again, these were a little bland.  So, I should’ve whipped up a healthy sauce or condiment to add to this.  I only had a bite because I rarely eat meat.  It was ok, but nothing to get excited about.  I threw a little low fat feta and some whole grain Trader Joe’s spicy mustard on it to make it more palatable for him!

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Lemon Water — Can’t Start My Day Without It

Warm, filtered or purified water with the juice of a quarter to half a lemon first thing in the morning— I cannot live without this now.

Anyone who knows me knows my digestive system hates me. It’s so slow, and I’ve had days ruined because of stomach pain, bloating and fatigue from being “backed up.” (Sorry if you never wanted to know that much about me). I’ve also come to find out I’m not the only one – by far – with these issues. Sometimes I am the only one to talk about it, which can be awkward! But being honest and open about this issue has allowed other people I know who suffer to talk about it and try to make it better (WITHOUT medication!)

I’ve been battling this for years and this year I would say through new practices, it’s 75% better!!

Lemon water first thing in the morning on an empty stomach is one thing I’ve become obsessed with. And guess what, even if you don’t suffer the same digestive terrors as me there are so many reasons to add this elixir to your morning routine.

BENEFITS:
-Lemon water basically flushes out your digestive track. So if you’re sluggish, it’ll get things moving. It encourages the production of bile, and helps soothe and normalize the body’s natural ability to digest. Let’s be honest, our bodies tend to need some dealing with the sugar, chemicals, and fried foods we feed it.

-You’re increasing your vitamin C intake!

-If you’re trying to kick the coffee habit (why would you do that!!?? haha), hot lemon water can be a substitute. In fact, I order hot water with lemon at diners I know serve crap coffee.

-Studies show it helps you lose weight and maintain a balanced PH system in the body. A happy, alkaline body works more efficiently…metabolizing correctly.

-A big glass of lemon water increases your overall water intake for the day. We NEED to be drinking a lot of water every day for so many reasons, and I know so many of you struggle with this.

So grab a few lemons, and add them to warm or hot filtered water first thing to start off your day.
Bottoms up!!

I’m back…and my go to green smoothie

I have committed what I consider a major blogging sin!  Lord forgive me!  I got lazy and distracted and abandoned my blog.  I really hate reading through randomly written blogs where writers allow months, or years between posts.  I will not be one of them!

I was really excited to start talking to you all again for a few reasons:

1.  I have some new exciting stuff, health progress, to share

2.  I have so many emails and inbox message requests for recipes, advice or information

3.  So many people tell me when they start eating like me they lose all kinds of weight

4.  I’ve found so many “cures” to what has ailed me through others’ candid blogs that I want to share what I’ve learned  and help anyone who is suffering similar ailments

Ok, new exciting stuff…I’m maintaining a 5-8 pound weight loss.  I was in shape and happy with my body before, but feeling even better now.  I read Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s book, Eat to Live, and my life is changed.  After all this time why has this been the book to change me (because his message is not unheard of)?  I don’t know but it did.

My diet is better, but I’m still struggling with a sugar addiction.  I’m back to being a (mostly) vegetarian.  I’m not on any medications, unless you count the occasional Advil I take for a wine headache.  The digestive issues are so much better.  Still not perfect, but so much better.  I’m on less supplements too…but the ones I am taking are lifesavers and I need to share it all with you!

Oh, and when the flu went around and everyone was sick, sick, sick this winter…I was fine.  I came down with a bad cold and fatigue for only 2 or 3 days when winter changed to spring.

So, I’ll sign off this blog today with a recipe for one of my (almost) daily rituals – the Green Smoothie.  I swear, this is the elixir of life and you’ll thank yourself for adding it to your day!

 

GREEN SMOOTHIE

1 or 1.5 cups filtered water

1 cup spinach (or other dark green leafy vege like kale)

1 banana

1/2 granny smith apple

2 stalks celery

1 cup romaine lettuce

Optional: a squeeze of lemon, some fresh ginger, plain 0% greek yogurt or unsweetened almond milk if you want to add thickness

Blend very well, pour & enjoy!

Sometimes I add a protein powder, but I’m very picky about which ones I use.  More on that on a later post.

 

 

Junky Peer Pressure

It’s hard to be healthy!  Put aside for a moment that it’s just plain hard to maintain self-discipline and decline dessert or order a vodka and club soda over a Bahama Mamma at the beach bar.  To drag yourself to the gym when you want to be anywhere else is nothing short of heroic!  This is not the difficulty to which I’m referring.  I’m referring to the obstacle of dealing with other people.

To each his or her own…but this seems to be a one-way street at times in my experience.  So often I’m told to “live a little,” or “not be so rigid with your diet, enjoy life,” or “you can skip a workout today, you go so often,” or “you’re always so good, just eat this.”  The other favorite lines I hear that I absolutely abhor:  “eewww, you’re going to eat that?” or “let me guess, you’re going to order salad?”

To be quite honest, I DO live a little and enjoy life.  I do not want to skip a workout because it makes me feel good and strong.  And yes, I am going to eat that seaweed salad and feel great about it!  This is on a good day.  What is most difficult is how these comments hit on a less than good day.  Of course I want to choose the pizza, or just skip the gym to go to happy hour!  However, I’ve chosen my lifestyle.  I like feeling good and having energy.  I love that I look very close to how I did in high school and I only fight 5 pounds, not 50.  I like knowing I’m doing what I can to avoid the awful diseases debilitating so many around me.

I do my best not to push my lifestyle on those who do not want to hear it.  Quite honestly, it makes me sad to see someone unhealthy or overweight complain about their lack of energy, their inability to fit into their clothes, and the many prescriptions they take while they plow into a plate of pure fat, salt, sugar and empty calories.  I want to scream “you really want to eat that??”  But that’s unacceptable.  So why is it acceptable to say it to someone who’s doing their best to keep healthy?  (*Disclaimer: I do understand not all who suffer weight gain and disease do so because of an unhealthy lifestyle.  I also understand that very few truly want to be overweight or unhealthy.)

Lately, I tend to seek out relationships with other healthy-minded people not just because of what we do have in common, but because there is a mutual understanding.  It’s not easy to make healthy choices MOST of the time.  I like having people in my life who share the value of cherishing the body and treating it well.  That person who motivates you in a weak moment is priceless!  And YES, those like-minded individuals I seek out DO occasionally skip a workout and order the pancakes!!