I’m intolerant to cow’s milk and the products made from cow’s milk. Unfortunately, that includes ice cream. I have not really been impressed by the alternatives until recently. I stumbled on La Loo’s goat milk ice cream and frozen yogurt. I seem to tolerate goat milk just fine, which makes these an option. One of my favorite treats is chocolate-covered cherries. The first flavor of La Loo’s I tried was Cherries Tuilerie Frozen Yogurt. It is a mix of vanilla yogurt, cherries, and dark chocolate. Yum!
Today, I picked up another carton of Cherries Tuilerie Frozen Yogurt and a carton of Deep Chocolate ice cream. I can’t wait to give the Deep Chocolate a try. They also have ice cream sandwiches. I hope my local Whole Foods has them soon.
If you are looking for an alternative to cow milk ice cream or frozen yogurt, you might want to give this one a try.
*I did not receive compensation of any kind for this post.
Here’s a great article about how people are using their cell phones in the kitchen for a lot of different things including keeping grocery lists, texting friends for cooking help, and looking for recipes. . .
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/21/dining/21tele.html?_r=1&ref=style
Determining portion size, particularly when eating out, is a challenge. As tempted as I am sometimes to carry my scale and meauring cups and spoons with me, I don’t. Here is a good article on determining portion sizes: http://www.ajc.com/services/content/printedition/2009/01/14/eatingout.html
Happy New Year!
A new year usually means a new set of goals. Some people set formal resolutions, some set goals, some don’t set anything. I’m a fan of goal-setting – if you do it right. Here are some quick keys to making and reaching your goals:
1) Goals should be measurable in a certain timeframe. “I want to lose weight” is a goal, but not measurable. “I want to lose 25 pounds” is measurable, but we also need a timeframe. “I want to lose 25 pounds by June 1″ is both measurable and has a timeframe.
2) Set both long and short term goals. A long term goal is usually a larger goal. “I’d like to lose 25 pounds by June 1″ is a long term goal. Then, set shorter goals to keep you motivated. “I’d like to lose 5 pounds by February 15″ is a good short term goal, or even “I’d like to lose 2 pounds by January 21.” Again, the goals need to be measurable and have a timeframe assigned. Your short term goals will lead you to accomplish your long term goals.
3) State your goal in positive terms. In the previous examples, I’ve said “I’d like to. . .” Well, I’d like to be a fairy princess, but I don’t think that is going to happen. Rather than using the words “like” “want” etc. make the goal stronger by saying “I will.” “I will lose 2 pounds by January 21″ is stronger that “I’d like to lose 2 pounds by January 21.” Saying “I will” increases your motivation – think of the Nike ads – “Just Do it!”
4) Think, plan and act. Think about what it is going to take to reach your goal. Does it mean you need to learn how to cook? Find healthy options at your favorite restaurants? Find a gym? Make a list of the things you need to do to be successful. Once you have your list, plan how you will make each thing a reality. “I need to find healthy options at my favorite restaurant” may mean going in during a slow time and talking to the chef to find out details about how items are prepared. Or, you can print out nutrition information from a lot of chain restaurants and keep it in your car for quick reference. Then, once you’ve thought about what you need to do and planned it out – act on those plans. Many of us fall on our faces when it comes to doing the things necessary to make our dreams a reality. Whenever you start an action – ask yourself: does this align with my goals? If not, find something that does.
Good luck with you goals this year! I’d love to hear your feedback, your goals and your thoughts, plans and actions to make them reality.
Penny
If you are interested in maintaining, losing or gaining weight you need to know how much you are eating. If you are eating something without a label (such as fruit and vegetables) I wouldn’t worry about those calories as much as those foods with labels. I know you try to be good and read those labels. The most important piece of information on that label is the serving size. It is usually given in a measurable amount such as number of pieces or amount of a cup. But, how do you know what “about 15″ pieces means? 13? 14? 16? 17? Does it depend on the day or how hungy you are at the time – Yeah, 60 is “about 15.” There is another piece of information on that food lablel that can help you watch what you eat – the serving size in a weight amount. This amount is much more precise than the other amount. However, in order to harness the power of this information you need the the most important item in your kitchen – a kitchen scale!
I can hear the grousing – “you want me to weigh my food?!?!?” Yes, I want you to weigh your food. It only takes a few seconds and can keep you honest about what is going in your body.
Even Dietitians get caught in the serving size game and that scale keeps me in check. For example, I found a new cereal I really like (Kashi Strawberry Fields). The serving size said “1 cup.” I measured a cup plus a little for breakfast. I learned what that looked like in my bowl so I wouldn’t have to measure each time. Over time, I started putting more in my bowl. More in my bowl = extra calories. I stopped one day and pulled down the scale just to double-check. I was putting in not one, but about three servings!!! I thought this was odd, so I measured out a single serving by weight (32 g) then put it in a measuring cup. The serving by weight was less than a cup! I’ve started weighing my cereal each day to be sure I don’t overdo the calories since, apparently, I’m not trustworthy when it comes to Kashi Strawberry Fields cereal (it has fruit in it – right?).
Stopping to weigh something only takes a few seconds and can save you a tremendous amount of calories. If you have foods you regularly eat, learn what that serving looks like on the plate or in the bowl and you won’t have to weigh forever (however, it is good to check yourself occasionally).
What scale should you get – one you will use and can afford. You don’t have to spend a lot to get a kitchen scale. You can find them at just about any general retailer such as Target, Bed, Bath & Beyond and Linnens ‘N Things. They range from the simple (which tell you just weight) to the complex (which allow you to enter in information from the nutrition lable, weigh and get a calorie count for that specific serving, save and add more foods for a total calorie count for the meal).
As an athlete, when you look for someone to help you with your nutrition, you want to be sure you choose someone who:
- Has been or is still athletic
- Is an Registered Dietitian (RD) otherwise they do not have a nationally recognized nutrition certification which requires specific coursework, an internship and a national exam
- Has practical experience helping others like you
When I work with someone, I want to know their qualifications. Since I would like to work with you, here are mine.
I became an athlete as an adult. I began cycling for pleasure then began racing. I raced both road and track for approximately five years. After I stopped racing bikes, I began running. I completed both the Houston and Marine Corps Marathon (DC) in 2001. I completed my first triathlon in 2005 – Try Andy’s Tri in Sugar Land. I plan on completing at least two triathlons this year.
I have completed all of my course work and internship to become an RD and am currently studying for the exam. I am planning on taking it in mid to late March.
During my schoolwork, I have assisted three triathletes with their nutrition and recovery plans while training for a half Iron Man. During the off-season, I have helped them with any weight issues that may arise.
I believe in matching nutrition to your training. Most training plans are periodized, and your eating should match these periods. You should use your training to try out what you’ll do on race day so there will be no surprises. I can help you determine how much to eat and when in your daily life, training and racing. Many athletes also overlook recovery. Recovery eating is key to your next training session. We can work together to create a recovery program that works for you and your body.
One of my main principles is that everyone is different. Sounds simple, but in nutrition it means that what works for one person may not work for the next. I will work with you to create your unique nutrition training plan.
Today a big event happened – one I’ve been dreaming about for a while. An unusual dream maybe, but mine none the less. Let me start at the beginning. . .
In the summer of 2002 I began a journey of becoming a Registered Dietitian. This meant leaving a job in process and technology consulting that allowed me to travel all over the country and make lots of money. I was ready to stop traveling – more than ready honestly. And, the change from two incomes to one hasn’t been so bad. DH is an amazingly supportive man. I could not have done this without him. Anyway – why the change? I wanted to do something that I felt would really help people, help make their lives better. I had seen a dietitian while training for my second marathon. She helped me tremendously not just with food, but with the whys behind the food. As I started thinking about changing careers, I looked in my bookshelf and saw all of these nutrition, fitness and cooking books. The light bulb went off and the journey began.
I took all of the college courses required to get a BS in Nutrition at the University of Houston and completed an internship (also at the University of Houston). These were the two major steps towards my goal. Today, an envelope arrived that contained the key to the final step of the journey – the approval to take Registered Dietitian exam. I’ve registered and have a year from today to take the exam. But, who wants to wait a year? Not ME! I’m targeting to take it mid to end of March. Once I pass, I can add two initials after my name – RD and actually call myself a Registered Dietitian.
I’m also pursuing a Masters degree currently in Nutrition at Texas Woman’s University in Houston but may change to Exercise Physiology at the University of Houston. Hopefully, I’ll know more about that soon.
What do I want to do with this new found knowledge and, upcoming accreditation? My goal is to help athletes of all ages and levels reach their goals by incorporating nutrition into their training. So many athletes ignore this critical component of their training but by paying attention to it they can improve their performance. I am an athlete myself so can understand where they are coming from.
Anyway, that is a quick introduction. Welcome to my blog!
