The Next Hundred Pounds

IS ORGANIC REALLY BETTER?

 NPR recently reported on a new study from Stanford, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine , which found that there is little evidence that organic food is actually better for you than the average pesticide-laden produce you pick up at the grocery store. The specific conclusion of the study is "The published literature lacks strong evidence that organic foods are significantly more nutritious than conventional foods. Consumption of organic foods may reduce exposure to pesticide residues and antibiotic-resistant bacteria."

People have different reasons for eating organic. I don't eat organic because it might be more nutritious. I eat it because it is not exposed to pesticides and because organic farming techniques are significantly kinder to the environment  and animals than Big Agra-style farming. It also tastes a lot better than produce you get in the grocery store, especially if you buy it from a farmer's market. NPR's article does acknowledge the environmental angle, and also acknowledges that the study in question doesn't look at the longterm or subtler effects that conventional food may have on the body.

Also, the study found that most convential food does not exceed the "allowable limits" of pesticide residue as decreed by the government. Which comforts me not at all, because I don't trust the heavily lobbyist-influenced FDA and USDA to have my best interests at heart. They certainly don't have the best interests of small farmers. The incident linked to smacks of jack-booted thuggery, if you ask me. Toe the company line set by Big Agra or suffer.

But getting back to organics ... is the science behind them, or isn't it? My own admittedly unscientific opinion is that this study is incomplete. I think there are many other factors that come into play, and that the lack of evidence in support of organics' health benefits may simply have to do with them not being sufficiently investigated. Or maybe I'm wrong, and it's just fine to ingest small quantities of bug poison and genetically modified crops, like our government says it is.

The comments section following the NPR article is well worth reading, though. One commenter suggests that when considering this study's validity, we should "follow the money". Stanford, she claims, has received a great deal of money from the Gates Foundation (whose CEO is also on the Stanford Board of Trustees), which in turn has partnered with Monsanto on billion dollar projects. 

Organics are  big business now, but not all organics are created equal. Sure, you can buy organics at Walmart, cheaper than at Whole Foods! But they come from China and other distant places, where production processes are suspect. There's not much point in eating organic food that has to be shipped in from across the planet. Better to buy local, if you can. It's in season and usually tastes better.

Speaking of which, there's a relatively new small farmer's market in my vicinity. I went there last week with my mom and sister-in-law. My haul included some gorgeous oak leaf lettuce (a new-to-me variety, buttery and tender), Boston lettuce, beautiful organic red bell peppers, sweet potatos, and homemade paranthas from a really nice Indian man who was very appreciative of our business. The paranthas went with me to a party that evening, where they were a HUGE hit.

There were some organics, not as many as I would like; but then I am more likely to buy conventional produce at a farmer's market, after speaking to the farmer about their growing practices. Many haven't taken the steps to be certified organic, which I understand is an expensive and time-consuming process; but they don't use pesticides anyway, or use them minimally. And locally grown food is always more environmentally friendly.

And while we're chatting about the health benefits and safety of certain types of food, a couple of weeks ago I heard a very interesting report, also on NPR,  about expired food. Apparently, there are auctions of it, and you can get cases of expired but still edible food for a fraction of the original cost. Of course, this is mostly the typical highly processed stuff you find in inner aisles of the average American grocery store, but if you've gotta get your Cheeto fix and you're not worried about the expiration date, this might be the way to go.

I found it quite informative because like most people, I didn't realize that the so-called expiration dates are not legally required (except for baby formula) and that they are more or less a marketing tool. I confess that I have been known to eat expired food. In the comments section following the NPR article, there's a remark by a chef and former dairy processor  who says, "The rule of thumb that I have always lived by, in good health, is: If you aren't sure whether it is bad, eat it; rotten food is obviously rotten... Please believe me, you will not mistake the taste or smell of rotten food."

Huffpost also has an interesting little article on how long past the sell-by date it's safe to eat certain foods. And here's a whole website devoted to the question of whether you can safely eat your expired can of tuna without inspiring a lengthy worship session at the Church of the Porcelein God.

Bottom line: like anything else, you have to educate yourself about food and nutrition. That includes where your food is coming from. The most recent study is something to keep an eye on, but ultimately it doesn't change my mind.  I'll keep eating organic.

INSPIRATION AND BURNING

One finds inspiration where one may. I was inspired by this poster from The Rogue Cookie,
whose FaceBook page features funny and inspiring graphics. (I just wish they didn't have to rag on vegetarians; they're a Paleo-friendly site if not downright Paleo. Can't we all just get along)?

I also loved this,  from Cave Girl Eats; I may not espouse the Paleo thing 100% but the basics make a lot of sense and are doable by anybody.

Awesome! We all need reminding, especially when somebody brought doughnuts to work or your mom just made her famous chocolate cake filled with deep-fried Twinkies or you just would kill for a gallon of ice cream and a big spoon and a dark closet to eat it in. I'm going to print these out and carry them around as part of my new little collection of reminders, along with my "Just for Today" mantra.

Saturday was a double workout day: Ballet Barre Burn and TRX Suspension Bands. Wow! My quads are a little cranky but my shoulders and upper back are WEEPING today. Weeping, I tell you.

Barre workouts are one of the latest fitness crazes, but here's a little secret: you don't need a barre to do a lot of them. The back of a chair will do.  The focus is on ballet training moves to tone and strengthen while giving you a long, lean look; but our class moved at such a fast pace that there was plenty of cardio and sweat going on. My only complaint was that there was not sufficient stretching before or after the class. In the future, I'll get there early enough to do some warming up on my own. We did some fast-paced jumping jacks , knee kicks, and a move they call "locamotive" in P90x (it involves putting your hands behind your head and bringing opposite knees to elbows) to warm up, and then it was an hour of leg lifts, squats, calf raises, work with resistance bands (standard stuff like bicep curls, rows, and presses), and a little mat work for core at the end. It was challenging and fun, and a good full-body workout. There are a lot of studios offering barre workouts, and there may even be classes at your local gym. Pure Barre, Barre Fitness, and Barre3 Fitness are a few of the pro studios; and there are also lots of DVDs you can try.

After class, I went next door to a nice little vegetarian cafe which advertised smoothies. It smelled great and several of the instructors from the gym were in there, having snacks. I grabbed a menu and had just started to salivate when I saw the prices --- EIGHT BUCKS for a smoothie? Yikes! No wonder all those girls are so skinny; they can't afford to eat much. I hightailed it out of there and down the street to the Starbucks, where you can get a perfectly decent, healthy smoothie for $4.25.

The second class of the day was TRX Suspension Bands. These are long nylon bands with handles at the end, which attach via D-clip to a beam on the ceiling ,over a door frame (with the door shut), to playground equipment, tree limbs, fences, etc. --- anything that's sturdy enough to hold your body weight. They were originally developed for the Navy Seals and the really cool thing about them is that they use your own body weight for resistance.

I loved this class! It was tough, especially since I was already tired from doing Barre Burn, but I got through it just fine. We started off with more cardio and did plyo breaks throughout the workout. Almost everybody in the class was new to the bands, but they are really easy to figure out and use, especially if you already have some fitness knowledge about good form and so on. It's also very easy to adjust the resistance, by moving closer to or further from the point where they are hanging. We did fast, energetic bicep curls, presses, squats, butt lifts --- every muscle got a workout. I was dripping with sweat and DONE when it was over, but it was terrific and I can't wait to go again.

I love that I can see all the classes online and plot out what I want to take --- especially since I don't know my schedule more than 24 hours in advance. I can go ahead and reserve, and then cancel if it turns out I won't be able to make a class. Tonight, I'm going to take it easy and do yoga --- all that stretching should feel really good.

It's really exciting to have the time and place to concentrate on intensive workouts again for a while. It's only a short time, unfortunately, but it's giving me a great kickstart. Hopefully I'll lose some weight, get toned up, and when I move on to my next singing adventure --- back to beautiful Princeton in June --- I will find something else. Back to P90X and biking, perhaps. However, this does inspire me to want to find a gym with great classes for the times I am home. I thought sadly that I had lost my taste for working out, was sliding permanently back into sloth, but now I realize that not only did I really need a little time off (Christmas break) and a little time to ease back in (Sarasota); but when I do have the time and easy access, I'll do it with gusto. Another lesson --- do what you can, when you can, and forget about the rest.

 

FOOD AND DRUGS - WHO CAN YOU TRUST?

I'm not sure what I think about the Paleo diet. It does make a certain amount of sense, but the emphasis on fat and protein is a little much for me. And maybe it's just that it's getting kind of tiring reading about yet another set of "what you should eat, what you must not eat" rules, another diet where you have to go to extremes to find your food. (Which is not an exclusive feature of paleo, by any means).

As I understand it, you're supposed to eat a lot of unsaturated fat, animal proteins, and fresh or raw veggies. Butter and oils of olive, coconut, avocado, and macademia nuts are okay.  You can eat a little bit of fruit and nuts, but you're supposed to stick to low-sugar fruits. You're not supposed to eat dairy (at least not much), legumes, grains, cereals, veggie oils, or sugar. These are basics; if you're interested in finding out more, here's a link to a good site.

What I do like about Paleo is the de-emphasis on carbs. We eat way too many of them. And here is an excellent article, written by a Paleo enthusiast, which explains thoroughly and simply why they are so bad for you. I also like what he has to say about the evils of Big Agra --- they don't care about your health. Not news, not news at all, but it needs to be said over and over because there is so much advertising, so many temptations, so much misinformation thrown in our faces day after day. Meanwhile,  agro behemoth Monsanto continues to contaminate organic fields with pesticides, create Frankenseeds (genetically modified organisms), and gain ground in world food domination. It's impossible to avoid them --- they have their fingers in every pie. Even my beloved Whole Foods is involved, forcing me to rethink my grocery shopping practices. I guess it really is best to buy local, from farmer's markets, or a CSA, whenever possible.

Speaking of people (corporations are people, don't you know)  who don't care about your health, recently Gwen Olsen, a former pharmaceutical company representative, published a tell-all book about the industry and their appalling practices. Food Renegade has a great writeup on it that everyone should read. Confessions of an RX Drug Pusher is Olsen's account of her fifteen years as pharmaceutical rep, her own struggles with mental health issues, and the suicide by burning of her niece, Megan, who was attempting to withdraw from a cocktail of prescription psychiatric drugs.

We can't afford to be complacent about our health on any front. We have to educate ourselves and take charge. Don't get your information from the people who are trying to sell you something! That's difficult, because in a sense, everyone is trying to sell something --- but some have a lot more to gain in others.

As for Paleo ... well, let's just say I'm intrigued, and I'm going to do some more reading. I don't see myself adopting the strict diet, but the no carbs thing ... that is sounding right.

INTRODUCING THE SHAMBASSADOR

I just have to give a shoutout to Dr. Barbara Berkeley and her Refuse to Regain blog (which, obviously, I need to be reading regularly). Check out this recent post about Paula Deen, the queen of health-horrible cooking. There's been a  Big Announcement about Paula Deen's Type II diabetes --- she's had it for three years, but is just now "coming clean" to her audiences , just in time to announce her signing as a "Diabetes Ambassador" for one of the giant pharmaceutical companies. Irony, anyone? A star whose entire brand is built around selling the most unrepentantly fattening, unhealthy food on the planet, is now capitalizing on her illness by dispensing health advice? And this same star has stated for the record that nothing will change about her cooking methods. In other words, she is going to unabashedly continue to encourage poor eating habits AND make money off her fans who are unfortunate enough to develop diabetes. What a sweet gig. And by sweet, I mean disgusting. Paula Deen, Shambassador!

Speaking as someone who has successfully managed her Type II Diabetes for seven years now, the last three without medication ... diet and exercise is the very best way to manage your diabetes, and the least expensive. And you don't have to lose very much weight at ALL to see really great results.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, folks: don't get your advice or information from the people who are trying to sell you something. They will never have your best interests at heart. Paula Deen is an ambassador for the Paula Deen brand, and that is all.

Before we leave the Refuse to Regain topic, be sure to scroll down and read the comments from Alexie about the current emphasis on the social obligation to be healthy. I've never heard anyone put it quite like that before, and she raises some very interesting issues that I want to explore further.

Continuing with the unhealthy food theme, here's a recent article about foods you most likely want to avoid, and why. Several of these I knew about: farmed salmon, conventional apples, cornfed beef, milk full of hormones. Microwave popcorn is an occasional treat for me, but after reading this, I'm striking it off the list. It's highly processed, anyway --- it's just a good idea to stay away from processed foods, because of all the low-quality ingredients, additives, and harmful processes that alter the basic food. The biggest, saddest surprise were the canned tomatoes, 'cause I do love my Muir Glen!

Last but not least, I tend to go on and on about the importance of organics, but this cute little girl and her science project is one of the best demonstrations of why you should eat organic that I've ever seen!

 

Way to go, Alyse!

And now, it's a beautiful, sunny, cool day, and I am off for my walk and Diva Warrior Resistance Training. Eat well today, friends!

 

 

NOT BUYING IT

A recent New York Times article discusses "functional foods" --- the lastest marketing term for foods being promoted as providing health benefits. Economists call them "credence foods", with good reason ---  all this expensive marketing and branding is meant to make health-concious consumers believe that this particular food not only tastes good, but has special health benefits. And we're all familiar with these claims. Quaker Oats helps lower your cholesterol! Kellogg's Rice Krispies helps support immunity! Frosted Mini-Wheats will make your kid more attentive in class! Think Jamie Lee Curtis and her Activia "probiotic yogurt" ads.

As the Times article and others explain, Dannon has come under fire on more than one occasion for overstating their claims of Activia's benefits; and last December agreed to a settlement with the FTC over charges of deceptive advertising. Other food giants such as Kellogg's and Nestle's have also come under fire in recent years. The FTC found that Kellogg's was making unsubstantiated and misleading claims by stating that Rice Krispies "now helps support your child's immunity" and "has been improved to include antioxidants and nutrients that your family needs to help them stay healthy", and also with Kellogg's claims that Frosted Mini-Wheats improved children's attentiveness by nearly 20%. (It turns out that the study upon which this claim was based involved feeding one group of subjects Frosted Mini-Wheats for breakfast, and the other nothing but water).

Healthy eating is under attack by big business, and consumers have to be more careful than ever. There is simply no substitute for reading labels and understanding nutrition. We cannot afford to hand our health over to the companies that stand to make big profits off of us! Let's just take a look at some of these health claims.

Oats are indeed good for you. 3 grams of soluable fiber a day help significantly lower cholesterol in individuals with high cholesterol, and eating high fiber foods has been shown to lower risk of heart disease. Other studies have shown that oats have special antioxidants; that they can help improve immunity, lower risk of Type 2 diabetes, stabilize blood sugar, and lower risk of breast cancer. (Whole grains in general provide these benefits). But know what you're getting! The much-touted McDonald's oatmeal has 21 ingredients, including modified food starch, caramel color, preservatives and additives, and according to food critic  Mark Bittman,"... has about the same amount of sugar as a Snickers bar, has about the same amount of calories as one of their hamburgers...".

A packet of plain Quaker's Instant Oats contains : WHOLE GRAIN ROLLED OATS, OAT FLOUR, CALCIUM CARBONATE, SALT, GUAR GUM, CARAMEL COLOR, REDUCED IRON, VITAMIN A PALMITATE. It's 100 calories for a 28 g serving, and contains no sugar, so additivies and nonorganic status aside, it's a good nutritional value, especially if you get your sugar from added natural fruits and keep the fat low by using skim milk (or skipping milk entirely).

My current instant oatmeal of choice is Three Sisters' Plain Grain or Dark Chocolate. It has no artificial ingredients of any kind, and although it's not organic (boo!) the company is green and socially conscious, which matters to a hippie like me. I put a little fresh fruit or dried cranberries on mine, and skip the milk. The main thing is, you want to skip the artificial ingredients and added sugar and fat. By choosing a good, plain brand and making oatmeal at home, you can control how much sugar and fat you add as well as the sources of that sugar and fat. Plus, it's cheaper!

I'll skip reviews of Rice Krispies and Frosted Mini-Wheats, neither of which have the slightest appeal to me as a foodstuff, although I will say that in researching this post, I visited the Rice Krispies website. The first thing that popped up was a cute cartoon character pointing to pictures of Rice Krispie Treats, touted as "gluten-free treats!" Well and good, but gluten-free is not code for "healthy". There's a lot of sugar and fat in those treats. And some sugar and fat is ok, as long as you know what and how much you're eating, and understand that a Rice Krispie treat isn't any better for you, nutritionally speaking, than a cookie.

I don't eat a lot of cereal because I prefer to get my carbs other ways, and unless it's whole grain, cereal is a processed food. I full admit and confess to loving Barbara's Bakery products, especially the Shredded Oats Original, but these days I eat them more as a snack than a meal, and even then, I have to be really careful because 1) they're addictive and 2) they're still processed carbs.

But let's move on to yogurt, because those Activia ads have pissed me off for a long time.It's touted as  "probiotic". Well, all yogurts are probiotic. They contain a certain amount of beneficial micro-organisms that aid in digestion. Any yogurt containing live cultures like lactobacillus acidophilus and streptococcus thermophilis is probiotic.Maybe Activia and other probitic brands have a little more, I don't know. I do know that the longer it stays on the shelf, the less effective the probiotics become, which is a good reason to just make it yourself.

There's no question that yogurt is a wonderful healthy food, and when I started out my weight loss project, I ate a bowl of homemade nonfat Greek style yogurt every single day. Yogurt is really easy to make, and it's a whole lot cheaper to make than to buy. And if you don't want to go to the trouble of making it, but you want the thicker Greek style (or yogurt cheese, which is also really good!) you can buy plain, nonfat organic yogurt and just strain it through a cheesecloth bag until it's your desired consistency.

Processed foods, big brand names, fast food --- they're popular for a reason, and that reason is that they are convenient, and relatively cheap. But make no mistake --- you pay for the convenience and savings in other ways. You pay through damage to the environment due to the manner in which big agro raises, harvests,  ships,  processes,and markets its crops. You pay with your health in the long run when you consume artificial ingredients, genetically modified foods, low quality foods, foods which may not contain the benefits and nutritional value that those who are profiting off you would have you believe.

I'm not buying it.

The only answer is to take ownership of your own health. Don't have time to do a lot of reading? It's simple: out of the (let's say) 21 meals and 14 snacks you eat each week, make it a goal for 16-18 of those meals and 8-10 of those snacks to be simple foods, as close to the way they originated as possible. You'll be healthier, wealthier, and probably skinnier.

Now that's a bargain.

 

DOING WHAT WORKS

My math skills (or lack thereof) are a family joke. It took me forever to learn how to tell time because the clock face just didn't make sense to me, and I once forgot how old I was. Due to my math anxiety, I use a calculator for all but the very simplest equations. So it's no wonder that counting calories or points or what have you holds very little appeal for me.

When I decided to lose weight once and for all, counting calories was high on the list of things that just weren't going to happen. Aside from the math, it seems punitive to me (as does keeping a food journal). It feels like giving away my power, like I have to report to some fussy Food Matron who will chastise me if I go over my allotted number. And oh, the agonizing over what I can "buy" with my points or my calories! No thank you. For me, the only path to success was one in which I was in control, answerably only to myself, and there could be no more punishment or self-flagellation or shame or guilt. I needed to be empowered.

The points system has a certain appeal. A bunch of my friends do it with great success, and they really seem to like it. They sort of make a game of it, obsessing over how many points they can spend and guessing at how many points the frozen custard has and how many minutes they'll have to spend on the treadmill to afford it. I'm glad they enjoy it and have found something that works, but me, I'd rather eat the frozen custard knowing I just need to skip bread and any other sweets for the next couple of days. Plus, life's too short for me to learn another complicated system. There's already a system in place and if you know it, you know everything you need.

So how do you lose weight if you're not going to count calories or points? Well, you educate yourself about nutrition. You need to know what constitutes a serving size, and what proportions of foods you should be eating --- i.e. how much of your daily diet should be fruits and veggies, how much should be protein, carbs, fat, and so on. You need to have a rough idea of how many calories are in servings of food, and also what proportion of them is made up of carbs, fat, sugar, and protein. You need to know the difference between good and bad fats and simple and complex carbs, and where the best, purest source of nutrients can be found. And you need to know how your own body reacts to certain combinations of foods. Some people need more protein than others. Some people need a certain amount of carbs to feel full. Some people need chocolate every single day. (OK, that's only a slight exaggeration. Not that there's anything wrong with chocolate every single day).

It may sound terribly complicated, but it's really not. If you've been trying out different diets all your life like I have, chances are you already know a lot of this stuff. And you don't need to take a course in nutrition to find it all out, either. Just read labels. Look it up online. I can't quote you the exact number of calories in a banana, but I can tell you that half a medium banana is a serving, and bananas are pretty high on the GI (Glycemic Index) which means they've got a lot of sugar in them and therefore more calories than, say, an apple. I can tell you that fruits are carbs (a surprising number of people don't know that). That's not all they are, but they're carbs. A lot of veggies contain carbs, too.

I've done a lot of reading. That, along with my personal experiences, has helped shape what works for me and what doesn't. When I drift too far from what works, that's when I start gain weight.Your mileage may vary. Bodies and personalities are individual, and there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all diet. You have to experiment and find out not only what works for you, but what you can live with. Here's what works for me, based on what I've learned from my reading and my own process:

1. Organic and local are better for your body, the environment, and the local economy. There are some foods that should always be consumed as organics --- dairy, for example, and a long list of produce. Other foods don't strictly have to be organic, because there either aren't a lot of pesticides used to grow them, or because of the way they react to pesticides.

2. Eat fresh, simply prepared foods whenever possible. The closer it is to the way God made it, the better it is for you. Nowadays frozen foods are prepared in such a way that they lose very little in the way of nutrients and are almost as good for you as fresh. Canned foods are my last choice, but if they don't have a lot of gunk added to them they're fine, too.

3. Eat real food, without preservatives, artificial anything, hydrogenated anything, or added ingredients like HFCS. Strive to eat foods that have short, simple ingredient lists. Avoid processed food, fast food, and chain restaurant food. It has so much crap added to it, including extra fat, salt, and sugar which is often hidden. Much of it is pre-cooked at the factory. And after you've eaten fresh foods for a while, this stuff won't even taste good.

4. Cook with olive or canola oil spray. You need a whole lot less fat to cook than you think you do. I don't keep butter or margarine in the house and rarely use them even when I eat out. I also rarely use salad dressing; I'd rather get my fat from a little avocado, cheese, or nuts and moisture from fresh fruit. If I do use dressing, I fork-dip it.

5. I use smaller plates whenever possible and make sure 3/4 of that plate is green --- in other words, filled with veggies. A serving of lean protein is about the size of a deck of cards or the palm of your hand.

6. I don't eat much meat, and when I do it is usually poultry. On very rare occasions, maybe once or twice a year, I'll enjoy a hamburger or a steak. I have them when I want them,  and I don't really miss beef on a daily basis. I do eat fish regularly.

7. I've recently come to the conclusion that for me personally, it's best to save anything made with flour for a rare treat. It's better for me to get most of my carbs from fruits and veggies, and a little bit of them from whole grains like oatmeal or quinoa and popcorn for a snack. This means that I can't bake except for an occasional treat. Sadness, because I love to bake. But it's just a slippery slope.

8. I don't keep any sweets in the house except for dark chocolate. For some reason, I can eat a small square of dark chocolate and be satisfied. Ice cream, cookies, cake, fuggedaboudit. I can have those things if I want them, but I have to go and get them. And I've gotten pretty good about being able to walk into a coffee shop or bakery and get JUST a coffee. (Thanks to Starbuck's for publishing their calorie counts. Now every time I see a tempting scone, I think "FOUR HUNDRED CALORIES! THAT'S A MEAL RIGHT THERE!").

9. If I start eating too much of anything, even healthy foods, out of the house they go for at least a while. I've had to curtail my beloved Barbara's Bakery Shredded Oats cereal because I will eat handfuls of it as a snack. As a snack goes, it's nutritionally quite sound, but I have a hard time limiting myself so I've stopped buying it for a while.

10. Be aware of portion sizes and how much you're actually eating. It is very, very easy to fool oneself about how much half a cup really is, or how many handfuls of snacks you've actually eaten. Weigh it. Measure it. If not every single time, then at least regularly. Eat mindfully, pay attention to how full you're getting, never eat when you're not actually hungry. Be honest with yourself about how much food you are putting in your mouth and what kind it is. Don't make excuses. If you want a big greasy cheeseburger or a hot fudge sundae, by all means have them and enjoy them, but OWN IT. And eat healthy for the rest of the week.

And that's what works for me. I don't always stick to it, but when I do, that's when I lose weight, maintain lost weight, and feel my best.

MIGRAINE PIZZA

Yesterday was kind of a blur. I had plans for a long-awaited phone date with a dear friend, followed by making a garlic-shrimp pasta recipe from Eating Well Magazine for lunch, some work on The Mikado, and perhaps a trip to the gym to find out whether my knee will tolerate the elliptical machine.

Instead, my mom showed up and wanted to take us shopping for an extremely early Christmas present. So, my phone date was cut short, and off we went. I was so lethargic and quiet that both my husband and mother kept asking me what was wrong, and I kept telling them I was really tired. I thought perhaps I needed to eat, since sometimes having extremely low energy is the only way I know I'm hungry. 

We had a coupon for pizza from a new place, Promise Pizza, which is supposed to be all organic.  You can get whole wheat crusts in a variety of thicknesses, several different sauces, and they have vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. Sounds great, right? We ordered a Nature's Choice veggie pizza on whole wheat thin crust, with the olive oil garlic basil sauce ("Is it pesto?" I asked. "Uhhh..." said the girl taking my order). As great as it sounds, it actually wasn't very impressive. For a pizza with both garlic and basil in it, it was remarkably lacking in flavor; in fact, if I hadn't been told those two ingredients were included I wouldn't have known. It was on the greasy side. And the veggie toppings were extremely skimpy. For a $17 pizza, I expect to see veggies piled high. I'll stick to Papa Murphy's. They have a pesto sauce now, a much better option than the creamy white garlic goop that's standard on their veggie pizza, and they really pile on the veggies. Plus, they make it while you watch so you can direct how much cheese you do (or don't) want. 

Of course, the best thing is to make your own at home. I like to make my own whole wheat pizza crust, but in a pinch, I'll buy it. I got one at Whole Foods the other day called Rustic Crust. They weren't my favorite, but they were handy. I top mine with a can of organic Muir Glen Fire-Roasted Tomatoes in lieu of sauce; or some of my light homemade pesto (basil, garlic, walnuts, and just a teensy bit of olive oil; the rest is water); and then pile on the veggies. I also love to use Upton's Naturals Italian Sausage-Style Seitan. And I can control the amount of cheese --- low-fat part-skim mozzarella, or Daiya vegan cheese (which tastes great but is much lower calorie).

After the pizza adventure, I was simply exhausted. I thought it was from all the driving I've been doing the past couple of days, so I conked out on the bed, thinking I'd have a little nap, wake up refreshed, and actually get something accomplished with my day. Alas, this was not to be, for it seems I was due a visit from the Dread Migraine.

I spent pretty much the next twelve hours lying on my bed of pain, or else calling Ralph on the big white phone (think about it). I took a five hour nap, woke up at 10 p.m. and felt well enough to eat something, which shortly thereafter necessitated another call to Ralph, and then collapsed back into bed and slept until 8 a.m., which is pretty much unheard of for me. This morning the bulk of the pain is gone, but I get some "day after" pain and am pretty sluggish. Ugh! 

So, plans for productivity dashed, and I will probably take it kind of easy today, too. I'll do some desk work. The only bonus to yesterday was that I wasn't able to keep anything down! And I'll have to make another attempt at the garlic-shrimp pasta recipe, which of course I shall report on. But for now, it's time to make some non-fat Greek yogurt.

FARMER'S MARKET CONFESSIONAL

Confession time: I did not make a food plan today. I did not make a food plan because it is foolish to do such a thing when you plan to spend the morning shopping at a farmer's market, and then come home and make something fabulous based on whatever fresh local goodies you obtained.

After all these weeks here, at last an opportunity to go to the Des Moines Farmer's Market arose. There is a little one here in Indianola, but the Des Moines one is the local Mecca. I rolled out of bed, stopped off at the Hy-Vee to get change, drove through for coffee, and off I went.

As you can see, it was packed, and also sunny and hot. There were so many stands full of beautiful produce, fresh dairy products, handmade jewelry and soaps and textiles.  I drooled over some gorgeous tablecloths with faux vintage and Provencal prints. I tasted wine, goat cheese, jams, mustard, sweet potato pie. I splurged on an almond honey pastry and a mini Dutch letter for breakfast. And I filled my bags with everything that looked good:

Duck eggs (haven't had those since I was a kid! I wonder if they'll taste like I remember); smoked gouda; garlic basil and cranberry amaretto artisanal goat cheese;  fresh peaches and blueberries; peaches and cream corn (a local specialty); red and green bell peppers, broccoli, new potatoes. There were a lot of stands from Asian farmers, and I scored some cilantro, ginger, lemongrass, garlic, and --- the most expensive thing I bought today: beautiful pink and yellow oyster mushrooms, as delicate and lovely as flowers. Oh, got those too --- three stems of gorgeous gladiolas. How could I resist?

So, what to do with all this bounty? Make a stir-fry, of course.

I sauteed some onions and garlic in a tiny bit of olive oil, then added ginger, lemongrass, broccoli, red bell pepper, and oyster mushrooms, with a little lime and tamari. Then I cooked some scallops, also in a little lime and tamari, and sprinkled the whole thing with a  few honey-roasted cashews. YUM. My friend, Sarah Jane, came for lunch and declared that the whole thing couldn't be more than 5 points on Weight Watchers. It was de-lish, especially the fresh broccoli. 

I have a show tonight, so I probably won't be able to cook anything fancy for dinner. Maybe I'll just do up some sweet corn and a couple of poached duck eggs.

But now, it is time for my pre-show routine, which includes a workout, stretching, and a mental run-through of the whole opera, as well as my vocal warm-ups. Having eaten so well today --- even without my food plan --- I feel terrific!

WHAT'S DIRTY, WHAT'S CLEAN, AND WHO NEEDS A SHOWER

There's a new Dirty Dozen list out --- the twelve most pesticide-ridden types of produce in your supermarket, which are therefore best eaten organic. Much of the list is the same as it has been in past years, but there are one or two changes. The New Dirty Dozen:

1. Celery
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries
4. Apples
5. Blueberries
6. Necatarines
7. Grapes
8. Bell Peppers
9. Spinach
10. Kale
11. Cherries
12. Potatoes

To counterbalance the nasties, there's the Clean 15, produce so low in pesticides that it's fine to buy the conventional versions:

1. Onions
2. Avocado
3. Sweet corn
4. Pineapple
5. Mango
6. Asparagus
7. Sweet peas
8. Avocado
9. Kiwi
10. Cabbage
11. Eggplant
12. Papaya
13. Watermelon
14. Broccoli
15. Tomatoes

Tomatoes were formerly on the Dirty Dozen list, so I am suspicious of their inclusion on the clean list now and will continue to buy organic. But the other produce listed is pretty safe, I feel. Anything with a thick rind is usually safe; as are things like onions and broccoli, which don't face a lot of pests and therefore don't need a lot of chemicals.

Today I got up and went for a fairly slow, easy run; my legs were still a bit tired from yesterday's hike and I have a performance tonight, so I didn't want to overdo. I did some intervals, and during one of my walking intervals, passed these gorgeous flowers. So of course I had to stop and take a few pictures! The phone cam does not do the color justice. They look blue here, but they were a vibrant, deep purple.

I also saw a night heron, a snowy egret, and some kind of little striped grass snake, who scurried off the trail as soon as he felt me coming. At the end of the run, I rounded a bend and came face to face with a very surprised doe, who stared at me for a moment before bounding off into the woods. Cute!

I ran out of trail before I did workout minutes, so as I walked home I called my dear friend Kim. We have a standing phone appointment. But when I got in the door, there were Sammy and Lila, looking sad. You see, Mommy has deserted them a lot lately. They didn't get to run with me on Wednesday night; they didn't get to go hiking with us yesterday (and they wanted to, very much --- they knew from the moment we got up that we were heading out, and they really campaigned to go!). And they didn't get to go on my run this morning. So, when I saw that Kim and I would be talking for a while longer, I just snapped on their leashes and off we went. Kim and I got our talk, Les Saucisses got their walk, and I got a little more exercise. Everybody wins!

Then I came home, made healthy pizzas for lunch, and afterwards Eric and I did our Power 90 Sculpt DVD, fighting over who gets the heavier weights. Next week we're going shopping for more equipment. And we've got our hike planned for next week: it's back to Colorado Bend, the gorgeous park with the terribly marked trails. If there's no blog post by the next morning, send a rescue team. ;)

And now, it's time to pack for Laredo and prep for my concert gig tonight.This evening, I am singing the beautiful Elgar Sea Pictures with the orchestra at my university, St. Edward's. Tomorrow morning, I plan to do a long, slow run, hit the shower, and then hit the road for Laredo, where I'm singing the Mozart Coranation Mass with the Laredo Philharmonic Chorus on Sunday. If you're in the neighborhood, I hope you'll come hear one or both of these gorgeous works (and check out my "guns" in person, because I can now wear sleeveless gowns without flinching).

Ciao!

HOW TO BE A GOOD CONSUMER (LITERALLY)

After all my blathering yesterday about not eating at fast food and chain restaurants, guess where we went to dinner last night? No, not a fast food place. Fast food is evil. I thought we established that, but in case we didn't, let me be clear: fast food is deep-fried Satan.

No, we ate at a chain, and not only did we eat at a chain, we ate at a dangerous chain: a buffet.

Buffets are minefields for anyone who is trying to eat nutritious, healthy foods and appropriate quantities. By nature, they are the worst possible environment. You pay one price --- usually fairly cheap --- and have unlimited access to a vast array of tempting foods, much of which is of extremely questionable nutritional content. It's so easy to eat too much, and too much of exactly the wrong thing. You can even be fooled by salad bars, where the add-ons add so many calories, fat, and carbs that your so-called healthy salad becomes a diet disaster.

It takes a lot of self-control to eat well at a buffet. And yet, it is possible.

We went to Fresh Choice, which is probably the only chain buffet I would ever actually recommend. And I do recommend it, with the caveat that if impulse and portion control are big issues for you, you're better off waiting until you've had a chance to do some work on those areas. Here's what I like about Fresh Choice: first of all, the name is accurate. The produce is extremely fresh,  beautifully presented, and there are many healthy choices (alongside some not-so-healthy ones). When you enter, you are greeted by the giant salad bar, which unlike many is chock-full of excellent fresh veggies and plenty of non-meat protein choices, including tofu and several kinds of beans. A vegan would do well here. Sure, there are the usual pasta, potato, and chicken salads, and nutritionally "expensive" add-ons like croutons and fatty dressings, but remember what I said about impulse control?

Further down the line, there are several soup choices, usually a couple of which are healthy, vegetarian, and broth-based rather than cream-based. Last night's visit featured a lentil soup and a tomato-black eyed pea, both under 200 calories per serving. Then there are the pasta, pizza, potato, and bread bars, which you may visit at your own risk.

Here's the other thing I really like about Fresh Choice: they put the calorie per serving count on EVERYTHING. Right there on the label, so you cannot fool yourself about what you're eating. Frankly, as I have discovered on my Starbuck's runs in New York City (where by law chains have to display calorie content on the menu), having the calories stare you in the face is a great deterrent. Do I really want 400 calories in a scone for a midday snack? No, I do not.

Armed with this knowledge and a firm limit in my mind about how much from the bread and dessert bars might make it onto my plate, I can navigate Fresh Choice fairly successfully. The trick is to pile your salad plate high with the "free" veggies --- all those great low-cal, high-nutrient items --- and just have a tiny taste, if you must, of the prepared salads. Stick to one of the lower-cal soups, or take half a serving. If you fill up on these healthy items first, you can then go back and sample --- sample, mind you --- the other goodies with a clear conscience and no fear of the next weigh-in.

Incidentally, the trick of filling up on lower-calorie items works at home, too. Always start with the veggies. Once you're not very hungry any more, a small amount of the other temptations will taste just as good as a large plateful. It'll taste even better the next day when you get on the scale.

It's all about being a good consumer --- pun intended. And speaking of which, over on Tara Parker Pope's Well Blog at the New York Times, there is a very interesting article about suggested makeovers for food labels. Those labels can be very confusing, and the Center for Science and Public Interest

(never heard of 'em, but I sure like this idea!) would like to make them less so. In the comments, one reader suggested the addition of a pie chart to show nutritional content at a glance. I think these are great ideas, but I bet the USDA* won't employ them any time soon. The food lobbyists would go nuts.

*Edited to add: orginally I mistakenly typed "FDA", but it's the USDA that governs the nutritional labels and offers that iffy pyramid. I prefer Dr. Walter Willet's model.

It's quite a maze out there, figuring out what is and isn't really healthy. I promised to write about my personal guidelines for choosing food, and as I've been thinking about it, I realize it's not very cut-and-dried. It's hard to quantify. But I'll give it a shot.

First of all, my basic criteria: it has to taste good. There is absolutely no point in eating food that isn't delicious. One of the things I have learned over the past few years is that I am ABLE and ALLOWED to remove food from my plate, or not eat it, if it's not good. I did this last night at Fresh Choice. I had taken a small taste of some creamy pasta salad and when it wasn't as good as it looked, I took it off my plate. It may have only been 25 calories worth of food, but that's 25 calories I could save, or spend on something that tasted amazing. And like pennies, those calories do add up.

Whenever possible, I want it to be organic, fresh, and locally produced. Now, organic can be tricky. Just because something says it's organic doesn't mean it's healthy. You have to know the nutritional content and you have to have some idea about the source. Also, there are certain types of produce that should always be purchased organic, because of the amount and types of poisons used to farm them, and others that are fine to eat conventional.

I think that food is healthiest when it is pretty close to its natural form. I'm not willing to go as far as the raw foodists, though I enjoy many raw foods; but I believe in avoiding most processed foods, especially anything with artificial stuff added, or lots of high fructose corn syrup. Now, the big industrial food producers would like you to believe that these things are just fine enjoyed "in moderation", and they probably are, but one of the problems with processed food is that it is designed to make it very difficult for you to enjoy in moderation! Do a little reading about the addictive combination of fat, salt, and sugar, and how it encourages you to eat more. Then check out the label on your favorite bag of chips, candy bar, or can of soup.It's no coincidence.

I also prefer to eat food fresh as opposed to canned or frozen, although I do use both. Canned and frozen food from good sources are lightly processed and thanks to improved processing, these days retain a lot of their nutritional value. They can also be more convenient than fresh; but fresh will always be optimal. I also like locally produced stuff because, let's face it, I'm kind of a neo-hippie and I believe all that stuff about being good to the earth and supporting local farmers and not using more fossil fuel or polluting more than necessary by importing food from far away. Also, most of it time, food that is fresh, local, and in season just tastes better.

Finally, when I'm planning meals, I make it a point to try to eat as low fat, low sugar, and low carb as I can get away with and still enjoy my food. Here's where it gets little complicated to quantify. There aren't any official definitions of "low sugar" or "low carb". Low fat is defined as less than 3g of fat per serving.

Here's what I do: I don't buy butter or margarine, unless I am making a specific (and usually special event) recipe that calls for it. I use a canola or olive spray, or a small amount of one of these oils, to grease pans or for recipes that simply must have oil. I often skip salad dressing --- I find that if I am putting nuts, avocado, olives, or a little bleu cheese, along with some juicy fruit like pears or clementines on a salad, that's enough fat and flavor that dressing isn't needed. Or I make a fat-free dressing. I substitute pureed banana or apple in baking instead of using fat. I use fats like cheese primarily as a condiment --- a little sprinkle to give some flavor. I buy fat-free or low-fat versions of any dairy products, which I use sparingly at any rate.

I don't drink much fruit juice or eat anything that contains sugar, except as a special treat. I bake with agave syrup, which is lower on the glycemic index and also sweeter, so less is required. I do use honey and maple syrup in small amounts.

Carbs are a little tougher to handle; but generally speaking, I try to get most of my carbs from fruit and other unprocessed sources. I don't eat a lot of rice, pasta, bread, or potatoes. This is a holdover from when I was diabetic; they just spiked my blood sugar too much and it wasn't worth it for the tiny amount I could have. I save my carbs for dessert! Or a nice glass of wine!

You may find the idea of doing all this overwhelming, but remember that this is an evolution that took place over a long period of time, and also that I do not deprive myself of anything I want to eat. I simply choose when and how much I'll have, and make sure that if I'm eating one thing that is calorie, fat, sugar, or carb-dense, that the rest of my food that day is on the lighter side. I eat what I eat now because I like it and it tastes good to me, as well as being healthy.

Long story short: if you want to be healthy, you and no other must take ownership. You have to educate yourself about nutrition and fitness and figure out what works for you, and that means delving deeper than what commercial sources (by definition untrustyworthy insofar as they have their own best interests at heart rather than yours) tell you. Health and fitness are anything but one size fits all.