Y- FIT - Reality Weight Loss Journey with Cynthea Wight Hausman - Week 6

 Working out with YMCA trainer Alex Jasinowski

Hello.  My name is Cynthea.  I'm a 40-something single mom who owns her own business and is overweight.  I’m joining the Summer Y-FIT program with Alexandra Jasinowski to take my own advice and make my health a priority.

All calories are not created equal.  I attend many business events and all I want is to eat cheese and use up all of my free drink tickets.  Oh, and still lose weight.  I had a heart to heart with my trainer about it because this is one of my toughest situations regrading food (the other is when I have to go to court and talk over my impending divorce - I'm an emotional eater, remember). 

Alex came up with a great concept when I"m in social eating situations.  She suggested taking a plate and going over the buffet one time and then only eat off that plate of food.  This way you don't have to eat it all at the same time but you can keep track of the calories.  I even went so far as to take a picture of my plate with my phone so I wouldn't have to try and remember everything until I got home to my computer to log it into Calorie King.

With the plate concept in mind, I went to a huge business networking gathering and banked 1000 calories so I could eat what I wanted (cheese!), not go over my 1500 calories for the day and not feel deprived.  I ate 1000 calories of cheese.  Do you know how much cheese that is?  10 one inch cubes. And I loved every inch.  Until the next day when I felt horrible.  I had no energy.  I thought I had played by the rules and figured out how to still do what I wanted.  I still lost weight but, I didn't physically feel good.  It's the last time I'll do something like that.

Weight lost so far: 13.4 lbs.  Has it gotten any easier? No, but I am giving it everything I've got.

Cynthea Wight Hausman is the owner and operator of Cynthea’s Spa, a petite, urban day spa in the heart of Burlington’s Church Street Marketplace.

Y- FIT - Reality Weight Loss Journey with Cynthea Wight Hausman - Week 5

 Cynthea working out at the Greater Burlington YMCA

Hello.  My name is Cynthea.  I'm a 40-something single mom who owns her own business and is overweight.  I’m joining the Summer Y-FIT program with Alexandra Jasinowski to take my own advice and make my health a priority.

I am extremely proud of myself today.  I lost my first 10 pounds in the program!  It feels really good.  No, I am not a "perfect" dieter.  I'm not a "perfect" work out scheduler either but, I did my best and I am really excited.  I like to win.  I like to achieve things I set my mind to.  I also push myself really hard to remember the goals I set.  Sometimes in healthy ways and sometimes not.  However, even without being that perfect rule follower, I am still finding success.  Phew.

Alex helped me with one of my greatest challenges - social eating.  I am lucky to have such wonderful friends that invite me to parties and gatherings.  The buffet is sometimes a gauntlet I have to survive.  I do make good choices but, the running total of all the little things I sample gets crazy and hard to remember for later food logging.  Alex made a really great suggestion, take a plate and make a pass at the buffet.  Then eat only what you have on your plate - even if you don't eat it all at the same time.  Genius!  I think that will definitely help.

The other thing I notice is that my crazy sweet tooth is so much better.  Maybe it's because I am not quite as tired in the evening or maybe because I have actual food in my belly from real meals throughout the day.  I'm not sure but, I'm glad it's gotten better.

I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes, "The journey IS the reward."  That is what I have to hold close to my heart.

Cynthea Wight Hausman is the owner and operator of Cynthea’s Spa, a petite, urban day spa in the heart of Burlington’s Church Street Marketplace.

Y- FIT - Reality Weight Loss Journey with Cynthea Wight Hausman - Week 4

With my girlfriends at a summer wedding

Hello.  My name is Cynthea.  I'm a 40-something single mom who owns her own business and is overweight.  I’m joining the Summer Y-FIT program with Alexandra Jasinowski to take my own advice and make my health a priority.

An interesting thing happens when you begin to put yourself higher up on the list of importance . . . LIFE!  Work, family, and a strained interpersonal relationship with a particular person I wish I no longer had to talk to, are part of the fabric of this journey.  Remember when I told you that I am an emotional eater.  Now is a very emotional time.  I am doing a very good job of not over or under eating.  I am doing a great job at keeping up my food log and making good choices.  Losing weight is VERY important to me.  My resolve to take care of myself has been challenged to the core this week.  Sometimes I have to take things in 10 second increments - making choices that take care of me in that 10 seconds.

My goal this week was to maintain my weight loss.  I was sick last week and I'm making my way back into my full training sessions this week.  I did achieve my goal but, I am very motivated to see the scale get lighter.  I hope I'll have a loss to post next week.

Cynthea Wight Hausman is the owner and operator of Cynthea’s Spa, a petite, urban day spa in the heart of Burlington’s Church Street Marketplace.

Found it - Clean Eating Ice Cream Sandwiches!

I was searching every where to find this recipe and I finally found it! I am a huge fan of this recipe, especially, when it is still extremely hot outside.

Clean Eating "Ice Cream" Sandwiches
From Clean Eating Magazine July/August 2009

Vanilla Frozen Yogurt

Ingredients

1.5 cups strained low fat plain yogurt
1/4 cup agave nectar
2 tsp vanilla

Directions

In a mixing bowl, combine strained yogurt, agave, and vanilla. Stir until blended, then spoon mixture into a shallow 9x9" non-reactive freezer-safe container.
Transfer container to freezer and chill until mixture is starting to freeze slightly around edges, about 45 minutes. Scrape ice crystals from edges with a spatula and mix thoroughly back into yogurt mixture. Continue to blend until creamy again, about 2 minutes. Return container to freezer and repeat this process 2 more times, for a total of 3 times. Each time the mixture will get thicker and harder to blend. After third mixing, return container to freezer until ready to eat, about 2-3 hours. For best results, store tightly sealed in freezer and use within 2-3 days.

Chocolate-Spiked Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

olive oil cooking spray
1 1/4 cup quick-cook old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
2 tsp flaxseed meal
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder (I had more success with out the baking powder - they were flatter)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup agave nectar
1 large egg white
2 tsp. unsalted almond butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup dark mini chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly spray 2 baking sheets with olive oil.
In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, flour, flaxseed meal, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together agave, egg white, almond butter and vanilla. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients all at once and combine. Stir in chocolate chips.
Divide batter equally into 16 mounds and arrange evenly spaced on prepared baking sheets. Using the back of a slightly dampened spoon, flatten each mound into 2.5 inch circles. Bake 9-10 minutes, until golden. Cool on sheets for an additional 10 minutes before transferring to racks to cool completely. Stored in an airtight container, cookies will keep fresh for 2-3 days.

Putting the two together:

To assemble sandwiches, spoon 3 Tbs frozen yogurt between 2 cookies. If yogurt is too hard to scoop, allow it to warm slightly for a few minutes on counter until desired consistency. Repeat for remaining cookies. Eat immediately of transfer to freezer-safe container and store in freezer until ready to eat. For best results, eat within 2-3 hours of filling cookies.

Makes 8 cookie sandwiches
Nutritional Facts:
calories 260

total fat 4.5g

carbs 50g

fiber 3g

protein 8g

ENJOY!

Enjoying the Warm Weather!

Lifting next to the Winooski River

For all of you reading this blog outside of the New England area: Oh my is hot outside here! Buildings are not setup in Vermont for such heat waves, which makes working out a bit uncomfortable…you sweat all day doing nothing but sit at a desk then you go to an even muskier place to workout?! My first thought is “No thank you! An air conditioned restaurant and my air conditioned condo sounds much more appealing, especially if there is a creemee involved!” The reality is that if I followed through on that decision, I would go crazy and my rear-end would get so wide -- from all the yummy creemees -- that I wouldn’t fit in my new bathing suit! So how do I keep myself comfortable and energized to workout in such hot weather? The key is wearing the right clothing, eating the right food, and staying HYDRATED.

The best type of clothing is light-colored articles made out of breathable and thin fabric. I look for tanks and shorts made out of wicking fabrics, which tend to be thin and very breathable. Wearing the least amount of clothing is also your best bet (that does not mean I am giving you permission to go workout naked). Your body regulates its temperature through sweating and allowing the sweat to evaporate off the skin causing a cooling effect – thermoregulation. Wearing too much clothing incorrect fabrics can prevent your body from efficiently regulating its temperature. The right clothing does make it more comfortable to workout in the warmer temperatures, especially when you are not used to the temperature.

Now: eating the right food in the summer to stay cool and energized… an interesting concept considering a summer past-time for me and most people I know is barbequing. Last time I checked, barbequing produces quite a bit of heat and requires you to stand outside in the heat to cook. Better yet, you cook foods full of fat that sit heavy in your stomach and do NOT energize you for a workout. Also, new studies have shown that direct heat on fattier foods, i.e. hamburgers, hot dogs, and steaks, oxidizes the fat in the meat causing it to release carcinogens. Sorry if I just ruined your summer barbeque plans-- I promise I am not the food-police. I love to barbeque, but I make it healthier without having to worry about cancer causing chemicals! The easiest way to barbeque healthy is to not let the fat burn on the meat and don’t put it directly over the flame-- use indirect heat. Also, use leaner meats such as chicken breast, ground turkey breast, sirloin, flank steak, etc. My favorite barbeque tip is using aluminum foil. Simplest recipe: take a pork chop (or chicken breast) and lay it on top of aluminum foil, put a pineapple ring on top of the meat, then drizzle your favorite teriyaki marinade over everything, wrap up the aluminum and throw it on the grill. Another summer foodie past-time would be ice cream or creemees, if you are in Vermont. However, ice cream is full of fat and sugar and does not help the waist line or the summer body. Substitute ice cream with homemade frozen treats. I love freezing berries and grapes and snacking on them to cool off during the day. Also, making homemade “ice cream” sandwiches are quite tasty (recipe blog tomorrow).

Most importantly, STAY HYDRATED! To stay cool you need to sweat and to sweat you need fluids, so drink up! Try your best to drink water all day long. If you find water to be boring throw some lemon, lime, and/or orange slices into your water for some citrusy-pizzazz. Another one of my water tricks is to add watermelon slices and cucumber for a very crisp-melon flavor.

Now that you have all the knowledge of how to stay cool and healthy during the long, hot summer months and still maintain motivation to workout, I’ll see you in the gym!

Y- FIT - Reality Weight Loss Journey with Cynthea Wight Hausman - Week 3

 photo by Brett Luper

Independence Week:

After my first week of training my second week seemed to fly by so easily.  Before I knew it, it was Thursday and I was doing really well.  My body has adapted quickly and I'm not feeling specifically sore from each training session.  Generally tired but, not in a bad way.  I even seem to have enough energy to push the pace when fellow Y-FITers are less then thrilled about the exercising part.  It's hard to breathe heavy and question at the same time (wink).

Friday was our 3rd of July Celebration here in Burlington and because of my schedule with my former Husband, I had my son this year (he'll have him next year).  I co-sponsored a charity event that I feel very strongly about, many friends were there and it was a beautiful night.  Only slightly marred by an outspoken young man standing directly behind me who could make endless conversation mainly about himself to his lady companion.  Food choices were limited and I picked the least fatty thing I could find.  I allowed myself one cocktail but, it seems every photo that was taken of me that night was while I was holding it!

On the 4th my son and I made our way to Lake Placid for a BBQ festival.  He bounced for 4 hours in the bouncy house and we never did get any BBQ but, there was live music and after our hotel room fell through, we had a very nice sushi dinner and drove home to see the Richmond fireworks and sleep in our own beds.  The other alternative was to take our chances with some Kazakhstan hooligans that had seemed to overrun my friend's Inn while she spent the night in the Hospital.  No thanks.

The next day we took a big hike and went on a fossil finding expedition to Isle LaMotte with great success.  But, after that I have been having horrible flu like symptoms and not feeling like myself.  I missed my workout today and stayed home from work.  As I am self employed - I can count on one hand when I have done that. 

The good news is that I lost a good solid 4 pounds this week for a total of nearly 8 pounds so far, the somewhat bad news is that if I simply maintain that loss for this week I'll consider that success.  Other successes include consistent food log entries and drinking lots of water.  Challenges include social eating and drinking (still working on that one!)

Cynthea Wight Hausman is the owner and operator of Cynthea’s Spa, a petite, urban day spa in the heart of Burlington’s Church Street Marketplace.

Y- FIT - Reality Weight Loss Journey with Cynthea Wight Hausman - Week 2

 At Miguel's sponsoring a Singles Party with Seven Days

Hello.  My name is Cynthea.  I'm a 40-something single mom who owns her own business and is overweight.  I’m joining the Summer Y-Fit program with Alexandra Jasinowski to take my own advice and make my health a priority.

Day 1: Insanity . . .

Slept late, had to bring my son to the Dr. (like we do almost every Monday).  15 minutes late.  Good report from the Doc. I am supposed to make it to my first workout with Y-FIT at 10am it is now 10:04 and I still need to drive my son back to daycare and then get downtown to the now waiting Press for our interview and weigh in.  Not going to happen.  Decide to bring my son to the YMCA and luckily there is Member Daycare so he can play there while I give my first interview to FOX 44.  I am nervous.  I do well in front of a camera, must be the years of media training on the US Luge National Team.  I think I do an alright job of explaining why this program will help me and why it’s so important to put yourself at the top of the list.  But, deep inside I am feeling like “FAT” on display.  Hi, I’m Cynthea, I’m fat.  It’s mean.  It’s not fair.  But, that is what my inner self is saying at this very moment.  I recognize the inner talk as unhelpful at best and self sabotage at worst.  But, I am hanging in there and not taking it very seriously. There is a huge shift happening right now.  A great shift but, a not completely comfortable shift. PHEW.

Onto my first workout: I feel great! Cardio on the treadmill was challenging but good.  My whole body hurts from rearranging my entire house over the weekend.  I am one of those people who couldn’t write a college paper if there were any dishes in the sink and I can’t begin to think about a new weight loss program when there is a month of clean laundry on the couch waiting to be put away.  I busted my butt getting my surroundings ready for me to be more efficient in my house work and home management so I could send more time working out and spending fun time with my son.  The cardio helped my muscles actually recover from the weekend.   My homework is to food log (ARGH!) and drink lots of water.

Day 3: I have kept my food log and I am totally pi$$#*!  I drink too much and don’t eat enough during the day.  I am a bit sore and tired but holding up OK.  Many events and lots to do at work have my head spinning a bit but, I can’t over think things.  Today I did walk on my treadmill but, all I could muster was to let the dog out and then get on it in my nightgown and slippers for 30 minutes.  Hey, it’s better then not doing it at all!  Yes, squeezing my self into my jogbra and Lycra shorts was too much for me at 6am.  If I could have had my coffee at the same time it would have been even better!  I also realize that I like to chew.  Chewing makes me very happy.  Maybe it sets off some kind of happy endorphins in my brain.

Day 6: I am in PAIN - but, very proud of myself.  I could barely move today.  I managed to get out and do a bit of yard saleing with my dog.  Then we dropped down to the Burlington Farmers Market and I got a massage (from one of my wonderful staff of course.)  My Golden and I went on a walk and I drank lots of water.  I’m feeling better.  

Day 7: Weigh-in - Down almost 4 pounds! Hooray! Now it's time to sweat some more . . . 

Cynthea Wight Hausman is the owner and operator of Cynthea’s Spa, a petite, urban day spa in the heart of Burlington’s Church Street Marketplace.

Y- FIT - Reality Weight Loss Journey with Cynthea Wight Hausman

Hello.  My name is Cynthea.  I'm a 40-something single mom who owns her own business and is overweight.  I’m joining the Summer Yfit program with Alexandra Jasinowski to take my own advice and make my health a priority.

There isn't just one reason I find myself heavier than I would like to be.  I wish we could look over my eating habits or lack of exercise or stress level and have an "A-ha!" moment and say, "Well, if you just change that one thing then your extra weight will simply fall off," and it would be SO easy.  But, it just isn't that simple.  Many factors have contributed to my being overweight.  And the truth is I don't have much control over many of them.  Probably when I try to control things is when I feel the most out of control.

I am an emotional eater.  I reward my self with food.  Nothing crazy.  No whole pints of Ben and Jerry's for goodness sake.  But I have an out of whack sweet tooth.  I can't keep ANY sweets in the house or I will eat them.  Later at night, after I put my son to bed, I walk into my kitchen and I am so mad that there is no ice cream, cookies or ANYTHING!  I bang around and settle for some yogurt or tea or cereal.  I eat it but, it's not what I really want.  I also punish myself by not eating or not planning well.  I'm great at making my son's lunch and snacks everyday for school but, I don't do it for myself!  Why?  I don't know.  But, I do know that it has to stop.

It's not easy for me to admit that sometimes I get so wrapped up in taking care of others (which I love), my family, my business, or whatever fire that needs putting out, that put myself and my health lower down on the proverbial "list". I'm sure many folks can relate and maybe that's exactly why YMCA asked me to share my experiences.

I promise to be as honest as I can be in this blog.  I have struggled with my weight since childhood.  During my young adulthood I was a US National Luge Team member and was the most fit of my life - but even then, I was asked to step on a scale everyday before breakfast and body fat tests once a week.  My fitness and training was my job and my life.  I enjoyed it and at that time I didn't have any other responsibilities. It was an all-consuming goal - to be the fastest woman in the world on ice.  In that world, you are both all in and completely dedicated or you are out.  It is very black and white. 

Now my life is much fuller, I am struggling to find the middle path.  I am seeking a way to balance my life as it is now and my fitness goals at the same time.  I have a wonderful opportunity to finally succeed with these goals and I am going to give it everything I've got.

Cynthea Wight Hausman is the owner and operator of Cynthea’s Spa, a petite, urban day spa in the heart of Burlington’s Church Street Marketplace.

Reality Weight Loss

Starting Monday, June 21st, a new Yfit program* will begin and this time around we will be following a participant’s, Cynthea’s, weight loss journey. I feel honored to be working with Cynthea because she is such an accomplished female. She owns her own business, developed her own charity, won 2010 Luge Masters Nationals, and is a loving mother and part of so many organizations I can’t keep track. I’m constantly impressed with how much Cynthea is always doing and much good it brings to others and the community, but I have always worried about whether or not Cynthea is taking care of herself the way she should be. I met Cynthea at her salon, which is where we first started talking about weight loss and the behavioral and lifestyle changes that need to be made to make weight loss successful. When you are as busy as Cynthea certain priorities go out the door, like exercising and feeding your body correctly. As Cynthea's trainer, I will teach her to put aside time to care for herself. Through this YFit program, Cynthea will be using this blog to talk about what she is going through and how she is doing with the program. Also, as her trainer, I will be using the blog to discuss how to overcome the obstacles you face when trying to lose weight, nutrition and fitness tips, and I will post a recipe each week.

Keep checking in for updates on Cynthea and weight loss, nutrition, and fitness tips!

*Yfit is an exercise-based weight loss program that is held at the Greater Burlington YMCA. Participants meet with a personal trainer 2-3 times a week for 8 weeks.

Cornmeal-Pecan Shortcakes with Lemon Curd & Blueberries

Even though I never do it, my favorite thing to do on the weekend is stay in and make pancakes! I found this great pancake recipe on eatingwell.com, which is perfect for staying in on the weekend or breakfast in bed! Enjoy!!!

Lemon Curd
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
2/3 cup lemon juice, juice
1 tablespoon butter

Blueberry filling
4 cups fresh blueberries, divided
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Shortcakes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup reduced-fat cream cheese
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons chopped pecans

Preparation
1. Whisk together egg, egg whites, sugar, lemon zest and juice in a medium nonreactive saucepan. Add butter and cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Do not let sauce come to a simmer. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool slightly; serve warm.

2. To prepare blueberry filling: Combine 2 cups blueberries, water and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the berries soften into a sauce, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 2 cups blueberries and vanilla. Set aside.

3. To prepare & assemble shortcakes: Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

4. Whisk flour, cornmeal, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut cream cheese into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Combine 3/4 cup buttermilk, oil and vanilla in a glass measuring cup. Make a well in the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients and stir with a fork until just combined. (The dough will be slightly sticky; do not overmix.)

5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat into a 3/4-inch-thick circle. With a floured knife, cut dough into 8 triangles; place on the prepared baking sheet.

6. Combine pecans and the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in a small bowl. Brush shortcake tops with the remaining 2 tablespoons buttermilk and sprinkle with the pecan mixture.

7. Bake the shortcakes until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. To serve, split shortcakes in half with a serrated knife. Set the bottoms on dessert plates. Spoon on blueberry filling and lemon curd. Set the tops on at an angle. Serve immediately.

Nutrition
394 calories Fat: 6g 7 Carb: 57 g Protein: 6 g

Lasagna Made Healthy and Tasty!

For all of you healthy food skeptics, this recipe passed the ultimate test: the junk food loving, health food skeptic male! He even asked for leftovers! So for all of you women out there here is a recipe you can trick your man with. Each piece of lasagna only has 205 calories, so there is nothing to feel guilty about. Here is the recipe:

Turkey and Arugula Lasagna

Ingredients
6-8 plum tomatoes, diced with the skin
1-2 tbsp tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, minced or put through a press
2 tsp Italian spices
2 tsp (separate) basil
15oz part-skim ricotta (I prefer Sorrento)
15oz fat free ricotta
1 tsp nutmeg
1 egg
¼c parmesan cheese
8 slices extra lean turkey bacon
.5 lb extra lean ground turkey breast
5 oz arugula, spinach, or arugula and spinach mix
3 tsp (separate) extra virgin olive oil
One box of Ronzoni Healthy Harvest whole wheat lasagna noodles (13.25oz)
8oz low-fat mozzarella (I prefer the price chopper brand it melts the best), shredded



Preparation
1. Boil water and follow the instructions on the lasagna box. Preheat the oven at 375°.
2. In a large non-stick pan, heat up 1 tsp of extra virgin olive oil and throw in the tomatoes on medium heat. Stir so the tomatoes are coated in the oil and spread out on pan.
3. Add the garlic to the tomatoes and stir until tomatoes. Continue to cook until the juices have released.
4. Add the 2 tsp of Italian spices, 1 tsp of basil, and tomato paste (just enough to thicken the sauce). Continue to let cook on low heat.
5. In another large non-stick pan, heat up ½ tsp of extra virgin olive oil and start cooking the turkey bacon strip by strip.
6. Let the strips cool on a paper towel. Then crumble it up and throw it in the tomato mixture.
7. In the bacon non-stick pan, add another ½ tsp of extra virgin olive oil to the pan and cook the extra lean ground turkey breast.
8. While the turkey is cooking, go ahead and combine the ricotta cheeses, egg, nutmeg, and 1tsp of basil in a large bowl. Just put aside.
9. When the turkey is done, add it to the tomato mixture.
10. In the turkey non-stick pan, add ½ - 1 tsp of extra virgin olive oil and throw in the arugula.
11. Lay down one layer of lasagna noodles in a large lasagna pan. Put spread a little over a third of the ricotta mixture over the noodles. Then add half of the tomato mixture and cooked arugula. Put down another layer of lasagna noodles and repeat the above (use all of the left over tomato mixture and arugula).
12. Put down a third layer of lasagna noodles and then spread the rest of the ricotta on top of the noodle. Top it off with the mozzarella cheese.
13. Cover with aluminum foil and put in the oven for 45 minutes.
14. Take the foil off and broil for 3-5min on low. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes.

Nutritional Facts:
205 calories
Fat: 7g
Carbs: 19.8g
Prot: 16.9g

Cheap Healthy Foods!!!

I researched various healthy foods and found the cheapest healthiest foods for you, so you can keep your waist skinny and your wallet fat!

• Cheap foods
  Breakfast foods: eggs (2 eggs/serving = $.30 or 1 egg and 2 whites/serving = $.45) and oatmeal ($.17/serving)
  - Cereal is about $.74/serving
  - One slice of 100% whole bread is $.32, but most eat 2 slices so that would be $.64/serving
  
  Complex carb (rice, pasta, grains, etc): Brown rice ( $.08/serving) and lentils ($.18/serving)
  - 100% whole wheat is a luxury compared to the prices of brown rice and lentils. It costs $.41/serving!!!!
  - Other grains, such as quinoa and couscous, can be found in bulk at certain specialty supermarkets and tend to be cheaper in bulk than prepackaged.
  
  Fruit: Bananas ( $.35/banana)
  - Oranges are about $.79/orange
  - Apples are about $1.00/apple, but Rome apples are only $.84/apple
  - Berries are always pricey, so I recommend buying frozen. Frozen berries are actually better for you than other berries, because they are frozen at the point of ideal ripeness, which contains the highest nutritional value. You save at least a dollar per ounce when you buy frozen.
  
  Vegetables: depends on what is in season
  - In season fruits and vegetables are the cheapest.
  
  Type of pork: Pork loin (price depends on grocery store, but it was consistent that it was cheaper than the other cuts)
  - Significantly cheaper than ribs and ham and it’s leaner and healthier than any other type of pork
  
  Type of beef: Sirloin (price depends on grocery store, but it was consistent that it was cheaper than the other cuts)
  
  Type of poultry: Chicken breast
  - Stick with chicken breast even though chicken thighs are significantly cheaper because thighs have 6 more fat gram and 4 less grams of protein for every 3oz. Huge nutritional differences!!!
  
  Fish: Catfish
  - Tilapia has a close second, usually about a $1.00 more

If you are trying to figure out whether or not to buy organic, don’t waste money on organic foods that you have to peel. The pesticides are sprayed on the outside of the fruit or vegetable, so if you can peel the outside off you do not need to worry about. Poultry, eggs, beef, and lamb are important to get organic because then you are not consuming unnecessary antibiotics that are normally given to the animals. With grains it is smarter to eat organic, so you can avoid the pesticides in regular grains.

When grocery shopping, especially for produce, meat, and fish, keep in mind prices and sales vary by grocery store. Check out the local grocery store flyers before going to the grocery store, so you can figure out which store has the best prices and you can put a budget friendly shopping list together.

- Alexandra Jasinowski

Clean Eating Sour Cream Chocolate Cupcakes with a Chocolate Whipped Topping

These cupcakes are always a hit! Give them a try and let me know what you think!

Ingredients:
1 cup unsweetened extra dark cocoa powder
1 ¼ cup Sucanat
¼ cup whole wheat pastry flour
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. baking soda
1 cup low fat sour cream (try substituting with fat free greek yogurt)
1/3 cup plus 2 tsp. skim milk
1 Tbsp. olive oil
½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 whole egg plus 2 egg whites

Topping:
2 squares of Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups of fat free cool whip

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper cupcake liners.
In a large bowl combine cocoa powder, 1 cup Sucanat, flour, salt, and baking soda.
In a medium bowl whisk together sour cream, 1/3 cup milk, oil, vanilla, and whole egg.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. Add egg whites to the mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Whip egg whites until foamy. Gradually add remaining ¼ cup Sucanat to whites. Continue whipping until medium stiff peaks form. Fold whites in thirds into cake batter with a rubber spatula.
Fill each of the 12 cupcake liners ¾ full with batter. Tap pan on countertop and put into oven. Bake for 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cupcakes cool completely.

When cupcakes have completely cooled, combine chocolate and remaining 2 tsp. milk in a bowl and microwave on 50% power for 30 seconds. Stir until melted chocolate is completely smooth. Fold the chocolate into the fat free cool whip. Then with a tablespoon, spoon out a spoonful and spread on top of the cupcake. I tend to have half of the topping leftover.

Slimming Valentine's Day Desserts

Valentine's Day is this Sunday and you should treat your sweet with sweets or your fabulous self! I have three great dessert recipes for Valentine's Day. One is my all time favorite dessert tiramisu and the other two are chocolate recipes because you can never go wrong with chocolate.

Baby Tiramisu (from eatingwell.com)

Ingredients
1/2 cup nonfat ricotta cheese, (4 ounces)
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 ladyfingers, (about 1 3/4 ounces)
4 tablespoons brewed espresso, or strong coffee, divided
2 tablespoons bittersweet chocolate chips, melted

Directions
1. Combine ricotta, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
2. Place 6 ladyfingers in a 9-by-5-inch (or similar size) loaf pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons espresso (or coffee). Spread the ricotta mixture over the ladyfingers. Place another layer of ladyfingers over the ricotta and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons espresso (or coffee).
3. Drizzle with melted chocolate. Refrigerate until the chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.

Nutrition Facts
Calories: 107 Fat: 2g Carbs: 18g Protein: 3g



Thick & Rich Hot Cocoa (from eatingwell.com)

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups nonfat milk
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions
1. Combine milk, cocoa, sugar and cornstarch in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking often, until steaming. Continue to cook, whisking constantly, until it comes to a boil, then remove from the heat.

Nutrition Facts
Calories: 98 Fat: 2g Carbs: 19g Protein: 5g



Chocolate Covered Strawberries - super simple

Ingredients
2 pints of strawberries
1 container of chocolate Dolci Frutta (better than any recipe I have tried)

Directions
1. Wash strawberries and lay them out to dry. Also, manually dry them with a paper towel or a clean kitchen towel.
2. After the strawberries are dry follow the instructions on the Dolci Frutta container.
3. ENJOY!!!!

Have a great Valentine's Day!!!

- Alexandra Jasinowski

Fast Food - Can it be for the healthy?

Stuart and I and other health advocates can preach all day long about how much better it is for you to cook your own meals and stay away from fast food restaurants, but realistically, who has the time to cook every meal. I know I don’t and sometimes I only have less than 30min to eat, so I feel like my only options are fast food restaurants. When I used to go grab fast food, I would feel a little guilty because I was unsure of the calories in each meal and what was actually in it. I have a short analysis of fast food restaurants, so you know what the healthiest thing is to order.

Restaurant Analysis
I have compared and contrasted McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King, and few others to figure out where the best and worst place is to get breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Breakfast – McDonald’s has the best selection. They have the Egg McMuffin (300 calories and 12g of fat), Sausage Burrito (300 calories and 16g of fat), and the Fruit’n Yogurt parfait (with granola 150 calories and without 130 calories and both only have 2g of fat). In comparison, Brueggar’s whole wheat bagel with light cream cheese is 490 calories and 12g fat. The fat grams are high on the McDonald’s breakfast sandwiches, but they are pretty lower in calories. Another great place to get breakfast is Dunkin Donuts. Their Egg White Flatbread sandwiches are all under 300 calories and less than 9g of fat. The Turkey Spinach is only 280 calories and 6g of fat.
Coffee drinks – McDonald’s, Dunkin Donuts, and Starbucks had similar nutritional facts for their coffee drinks, but Dunkin Donut’ mocha with skim had the least amount of calories and fat grams.

Lunch and Dinner –

A Grilled chicken sandwich sounds healthy, but is it really? Depends on where you go to get it and what you have on it. Wendy’s had the best grilled chicken sandwich with 350 calories and 7g of fat, Burger King was in second with 380 calories and 9g of fat (no mayo), and McDonalds was in last with 420 calories and 10g fat. Make sure the sandwich does not have cheese or mayo on it because that will add about 100 or more calories to the sandwich (scary…huh?).
Salads are assumed to be the healthy alternative, but that is not always the case, especially when going out to fast food restaurants. Be careful of what they top their salads with and make sure you always get grilled chicken and not fried. Wendy’s had the best salads, but with out all the crunchy stuff on top (i.e. croutons, almonds, crunchy noodles, etc.). Their two best salads were the Mandarin Chicken and Chicken Caesar and they contained 180 calories and the Mandarin only had 2g of fat and the Caesar only 4g of fat. If you wanted to add more crunch and flavor for the Mandarin add half of the pack of almonds for 70 calories and 5.5g of fat and use the fat free French dressing, which is only 70 calories. That would be a total meal of 320 calories and 7.5g of fat… not bad at all! For the Caesar, I’ve used the fat free French dressing before instead of Caesar dressing and it tasted great. Beware of Wendy’s BLT grilled chicken salad because it has 470 calories and 27g of fat without any extra toppings or dressing. Burger King and McDonalds both have their salad pre-packaged with cheese or the toppings, so if you don’t use dressing their salads are pretty healthy. McDonald’s highest calorie salad is the Southwest grilled chicken salad, which has 320 and 9g of fat without dressing. Because it has corn and black bean salsa on it, I think it taste great without dressing. Burger King just has a basic grilled chicken salad with lots of veggies and cheese that is 270 calories and 9g of fat without dressing.

Other – chili, wraps, and desserts.
A lot of the fast foods have developed these inexpensive grilled chicken snack wraps, which come off as being healthy. They aren’t that big and they are made with grilled chicken, but they are not that innocent. They have around 270 calories and 10g of fat and they are small! I know I was expecting around 150 calories and 6g of fat in one snack wrap, so I shocked to find out this information.
For dessert, the best place to get ice cream is McDonalds! Their ice cream cone has only 150 cal and 3.5g fat and their strawberry sundae has 280 calories and only 6g of fat! I know where I will be getting ice cream this summer. Be weary of the soft serve ice cream treats with mix-ins like McFlurries and Frostys. They all have over 480 calories!!!
I do want to mention Wendy’s chili because it has a lot of protein and fiber and the large is only 280 calories. It is probably one of the best things you can get for dinner at a fast food restaurant.

I hope this makes eating out at fast food restaurants less stressful and a lot healthier!

- Alexandra Jasinowski

Pasta Night!!!!

Turkey Sausage and Arugula Pasta from Eatingwell.com

Ingredients:
- 12 oz whole wheat short pasta (shells or twists)
- 8 oz hot Italian turkey or chicken sausage links, remove from casings
- 3 garlic cloves chopped
- 8 cups arugula or spinach
- 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
- ½ cup finely shredded Pecorino Romano, or Parmesan cheese, plus more to taste
- 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until just tender, 9 to 11 minutes, or according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, cook sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, arugula (or spinach) and tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, until the greens wilt and the tomatoes begin to break down, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and keep warm.
3. Combine ½ cup cheese, pepper, and salt in a large bowl. Measure out ½ cup of cook liquid from the pasta and then drain. Whisk the cooking liquid and oil into the cheese mixture; add the pasta and toss to combine. Serve the pasta topped with the sausage mixture and an extra sprinkle of cheese, if desired.

Nutrition Facts (6 – 1.5 cup servings):
Calories: 352
Fat: 9g
Carbohydrate: 18g
Protein: 6g

Winter exercise, it’s not just for Polar Bears anymore

Here we are in the thick of winter where the weather can truly challenge your motivation to exercise. If you are like most, your instinct is to get a stack of books and curl up beside the wood stove. Now, don’t think for a minute that just because the temperatures outside is dipping to levels that would make a penguin smile you no longer need to get your body moving. Need some motivation to get outside and get active? How about losing those extra 5 to 10 pounds you packed on over the holidays? Getting started now will help you prevent the need to scramble to get in shape for swimsuit season. In addition, outdoor exercise is a sure cure for cabin fever and the winter blues. Besides the usual warm weather activities, winter weather provides a multitude of opportunities for you to participate in; unique outdoor experiences that are a heck of a lot of fun.

At this point you may be wondering, is it safe to exercise in the severe cold? Well, the good news, or the bad news, is you can exercise safely for hours in severe cold as long as you follow a few rules. Dr. Castellani, a lead author of a 2006 position paper from the American College of Sports Medicine on exercising in the cold, came to the conclusion “it is never too cold to exercise.” Let’s face it, people go to the North and South Poles and do incredible things where temperatures can reach minus 50 degrees below zero.

Here is what you need to know in order to keep you safe and having fun:

• The two most dangerous conditions that can result from cold weather exposure are frostbite and hypothermia, both easily avoided. Frostbite is most common on your face, ears, fingers and toes. Early warning signs include paleness, numbness and loss of feeling or a stinging sensation. If you suspect frostbite, get out of the cold immediately and slowly warm the affected area without rubbing. If numbness continues, seek emergency care. Hypothermia is characterized by intense shivering, slurred speech, loss of coordination and fatigue — get emergency help right away. To help prevent problems know when to head for home.
• While staying warm is important, it is just as important to stay dry. Try not to overdress, which may cause you to overheat. One mistake winter exercisers do is wearing too much clothing. A good rule of thumb: If you are already feeling warm when you first step out to exercise, it is likely you are overdressed.
• Dress in layers that you can remove as soon as you start to heat up and sweat and then put back on as needed. Start with a thin layer of synthetic material such as polypropylene or polyester which draws sweat away from your body. Avoid cotton, which stays wet next to your skin. Second layer, try fleece for insulation. Top this with a waterproof, breathable outer layer.
• Cover your head and extremities. The most vulnerable areas for frost bite are your hands, feet, ears and cheeks. Keep these covered with a synthetic layer close to your skin. Wear a hat! 30 to 40% of body heat is lost through your head.
  Head into the wind. You'll be less likely to get chilled on the way back if you end your workout — when you may be sweaty — with the wind at your back.
• Stay hydrated, dehydration affects your body’s ability to regulate body heat and increase the risk of frostbite.
• Breathe warm air. If it's very cold (about 0 F or -17.8 C) or you have asthma, wear a face mask or a scarf over your mouth in order to warm the air.
• Avoid alcohol. Alcohol dilates blood vessels and increases heat loss so the odds of experiencing a hypothermic event increase. Alcohol can also impair judgment to the extent that you may not make the best or brightest decisions in a cold weather emergency.
  Stationary or stop and go activities can pose a significant risk of cold related injury, so try to keep moving.
• Chemical heat packets can be stuffed wherever necessary to provide immediate auxiliary heat
• As with all outdoor exercise, if the lighting is dark or dim wear reflective garments and carry identification.

Now get outside and have some fun!