Food hangovers, just say no!

While the vast majority of my posts are dedictated to fit travel, I, much like everyone else, do have a day job. As I've blogged before, I'm an attorney, and so I work long, stressful hours, attempt to juggle a family, work, friends and a social/business network. I fall prey to the same lack of sleep, stress eating, and weekend naughty food temptations that everyone else deals with. Having survived some SHAMEFUL eating binges in my day (dare I say 3am brownie batter snacks while studying for law school exams) I know the powerful hold a sugary carb can have over a weak and tired mind. And like any other vice in this world, such an indulgence takes its toll on your body in most unpleasant ways. Ever caved to a fast food urge and had a burger and fries(perhaps washed down with a milkshake)? Ever gone nuts and ordered a big heaping dessert all to yourself, or eaten the lion's share while splitting with friends? What about a late night candy binge? Ever sunk as low as I have and just eaten sugar out of the bag because you've already thrown all other temptations away long ago? If you answered yes to any of these questions (or they made you think of a few experiences of your own you'd rather not admit to publicly) then you know the aftermath can be grueling. Nausia, drop in energy, indigestion, inability to focus, irritability, these are the signs of a food hangover. Your body is flush with refined carbs, the sugars are busy causing inflamation and wrinkles, your insulin is going wild storing unneeded fat, your brain goes out of whack. The problem is, food is not quite like our other vices, is it? We NEED food to survive, and to thrive. Proper nutrition gives you energy. It can fight off inflamation, and even battle cancer. We're supposed to keep our energy levels up by eating MORE frequently, every 3 hours, so that means we're pretty much constantly thinking about food, a la my previous posts about our behavioral anthropology. Not to mention the powerful emotional ties we have with food. Comfort foods, party foods, foods to snack on while you study, entire festivals devoted to a single celebrated dish, we take our food genres very seriously. So how do we avoid food hangovers in the face of so much pressure and temptation? The first step is to rid yourself of obvious culprits. Look around you right now. Candy bowl on your desk? Get rid of it this second! Treats in the kitchen at work? Try grabbing one and instead of eating just throw it away. Odds are none of your coworkers need that crap food either. When you go home, take a good long look in the mirror, tell yourself you ARE strong enough and you DESERVE to get healthier, throw open the pantry, fridge and freezer doors and admit to yourself all the things in there that you know and love that you know it's time to say goodbye to. Not sure of what to toss out and what should stay? Here are some quick tips: if you can't pronounce the ingredients, it's gone. If it has high fructose corn syrup in it, it's gone. If it is more than 2 steps removed from a natural ingredient (i.e. apples-GREAT, applesauce (with NO added sugar)-ok, apple pie filling-stay away!). Now replace that crap food with health all-natural products. Fresh fruit, vegetables, oatmeal, milk, lean ground beef, chicken, fish, eggs, cottage cheese, milk, string cheese, yogurt, whole grains. Think of it as a body detox that never ends. Start feeding your body high octane fuel. You are worth it. The first step to avoiding a food hangover is to avoid the root causes. We can't always get rid of stress or late nights at the office, but you can fill your drawer with oatmeal packs, protein bars and soups so that you have healthy options if you need an extra meal. You can't keep yourself away from all parties, alcohol and unhealthy foods forever, so fortify yourself with small meals every 3 hours and lots of water so you don't have an energy crash/dehydration craving when the menu comes around or the party platters come out. This is one situation where the best defense is a good offense. Just like trip planning, every day is a planning opportunity. Plan your small meals, plan your snacks, plan your strategy for avoiding bad food when you know it will be around, and you can kiss those hangovers goodbye! And remember, when they ask if you're sure you don't want any, just say NO!

Create your own finish line, and GO!

This weekend found me in an interesting situation. My uber-fit husband was riding the MS150 from Houston to Austin. Traditionally, this is a 2 day, 150 mile bike ride from Houston to La Grange, and La Grange to Austin to benefit the Multiple Sclerosis Society. It is a wonderful cause and I urge everyone to get involved with fighting this debilitating disease. This year mother nature decided not to play nice however, and torrential rains canceled day 1. It became a 75 mile ride from La Grange to Austin (in 15-20 mph headwinds, God bless those riders!). I rode last year, but due to knee injuries and a training routine for an upcoming half marathon I opted out of the gauntlet this time. So I went as a cheering squad/support van/chauffeur. This meant that I drove out to La Grange Saturday night once it was official that day 2 was still on (about 2.5 hours), woke up early to get hubby to the start, then dropped down to San Marcos (2.5 hours) for some of the best outlet shopping in the country (go ahead and google it, I'll wait for you to stop drooling...), then down to Austin (1 hour) to wait at the finish line (2 hours of getting burned in the hot hot Austin sun), snap that perfect shot of hubby as he crossed, and then right back home (another 3.5 hours). One might think with all this driving and standing around it's a disaster for any health oriented goals- The sitting, the crappy fast food and gas station food, the excuses to just let yourself go. But it doesn't have to be that way. ANY trip can be a destination on the skinny globe! Don't believe me? Let me show ya...
Remember my favorite old saying, "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail?" Oh so true on a road trip! Hours in the car can easily turn into a quick stop on the road with either bad gas station treats or fast food indiscretions. But it doesn't have to be that way. I loaded the car up with bottled water, apples, protein bars, nuts and beef jerky and I was an unstoppable tank rolling down the road. Yes, stops for gas and bathroom breaks are inevitable, but when you just ate a protein bar and some fruit an hour ago those gas station candy bars look a LOT less alluring (especially when you realize you've been sitting on your rump for two straight hours and you KNOW you don't need those empty calories!). I made sure to fill up on a healthy breakfast just like hubby (though watching my portions VERY carefully, after all, I wasn't the one riding 75 miles so I certainly didn't need to eat like I was!). Next opportunity for a skinny globe adventure....the outlet mall! If you've never been to San Marcos, I feel sorry for you. It's so beautiful it just about brings me to tears. It's actually TWO outlet malls (Prime and Tanger) side by side. They have a trolley that can take you from one side to the other if you get tired, no foolies, it's that big! So can you think of a better place to get in a power walk? Wearing comfortable shoes I roamed the sidewalks and the stores for 2.5 hours. 5550 steps later I emerged 400 calories and $200 lighter. My only "sin", a tall skinny sugar free carmel latte to combat the sleepies that had crept in from such an early morning. A protein bar and orange on the go and I was ready for my next adventure, downtown Austin. Arriving earlier than expected, and with hubby battling serious winds pushing his speed down, I had quite a while to roam around this historic capital. First touring and taking pictures of the capital building (quite a stunning sight!)-pictures to follow, then roaming through the crowds of the MS150 festivities, I managed roughly another 5000 steps.
You may ask, where is the finish line? The truth is, there were many of them. Each time I attended an event, I made a fitness goal before I started. I planned my food options and calorie limits, I decided to walk around the entire outlet mall before starting my shopping, I focused on getting myself around Austin and parking far enough away from the events that I'd have a good city hike ahead of me, and all while enjoying myself thoroughly! Did I have the 5000 calorie burn that my hubby did, of course not. But under my situation, rather than slide back or even settle for even, I forged ahead to find my own ways to make a gain. I took a trip and planted it squarely on the skinny globe. Skinny traveler isn't a title, it's a state of mind.
Next time....Food hangovers

How to wear sunscreen and still feel the burn

Ah, Clearwater. Home of white powdery sand, dolphins folicking in the surf, and loads of bars and restarants enticing you with fatty fried foods and sugary drinks. Today I face many of the same challenges as I did in Jacksonville, but I'm not complaining. There are MUCH worse ways to spend a weekend than touring Florida's beaches. And this time I know the drill. Suncreen on, shoes off, hello gorgeous beaches! I'm ready for another 400-500 calories to melt off of me in the hot summer sun. As for nutrition, I am treated by my in-laws to an amazing lunch at Columbia's, right on the bay. I'm convinced that sitting by the ocean watching dolphins swim by aids in digestion. So here I sit with page after page of menu layed out before me, and a waiter telling me EVERYTHING they offer is amazing. What's a girl to do? Well, I confess, I ordered a mojito. How can you go to an authentic gormet Cuban eaterie and not try the country's signature drink? Moderation, and a lot of extra steps in my day, will be needed to undue this sin. Sadly I am dissapointed in the drink. They use quite a bit of club soda in it, which I am not used to (I'll have to check but I do NOT think club soda is authentic Cuban!). I suppose that helps with the moderation aspect. Take heart, there are loads of fresh healthy options on even the richest and creamiset of menus. We start with a family style giant salad (served 5 people a very generous portion) of salad with swiss and turkey. Onto some white bean soup (great to fill up on fiber and liquids and slow your stomach's hunger down so your brain can catch up-it takes 20 minutes for your stomach to signal the brain that it is full, so slow and steady really does win the race!). By the time I get to my entree, grilled snapper with sun-dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts, my tummy is well on its way to calling it quits, and I can push some of the food away from me, and easily just say no to dessert. We stroll away (rather than roll away) from the restarant sated, happy and healthy. A long walk on the edge of the sea to burn those calories and soothe the soul, and we're ready for our return to reality. As we prepare to fly home the next day, we have several hours to kill before we need to leave for the airport. To some this may be the time for some net surfing or tv zone out, but for us this is a precious opportunity to get our heart rates up before we sit stagnant on a plane for hours. While my husband goes on a bike ride with his father, my mother-in-law and I strap on our running shoes and go for a jog. This time we're headed to a nature preserve with a giant sink hole. Each decent into the sink hole nets you 900 stairs, while you're surrounded by trees, flowers, butterflies, turtles and waterfalls. For all of you gym rats who cling to your treadmills and free weights (I'm admittedly one of you most of the time) I urge you to suncreen up and hit the trails. Communing with nature gives you a natural rush and appreciation for what you're doing for yourself unlike any read-out on a cardio machine or trendy music video playing on 800 tvs could ever provide. And the great thing about getting in a pre-flight workout is that the mentality doesn't quit on you. After rushing to wait yet again for another flight, we get another opportunity to take an extra 30 minute walk through the terminals and shops. This time a small turkey sandwich greets us as our inflight meal. I suggest you avoid the dangers of the chips and mini-twix that accompany it by offering them to the other passengers. You would have thought I was offering free Jimmy Choo! They were gone in about 5 seconds. Another complimentary water and dose of Emergen-C and we were home sweet home. The trip may be over, but along with my heart I left about 1500 calories in Florida, which my hips are oh-so-happy about. I believe the key to a healthy vacation is to think of each trip as an opportunity to get yourself WELL. Without the stress of work and every day life driving your energy down and ramping up bad-for-you stress cravings, you should rebuild your body along with your soul. Instead of coming back weighed down and guilty about your time off, you'll be lighter, leaner, more energized, and ready to take yourself to the next level.

Next time...how to create your own finish line

No bummin' on this beach!

Ah, the long weekend trip. What could be more relaxing than Easter on a beach in Florida? The problem is, while rest is essential for repairing the body from hard workouts, all that sitting around on planes, driving, and loafing on the beach just doesn't cut it when it comes to a fit lifestyle! Not to mention the unhealthy options served on beach menus. But don't worry, you don't have to take the tropics off your bucket list after all. There is a way to experience the travel and the beaches the healthy way. We started this trip out in the usual way, waiting for a plane to arrive. Don't you love all that rushing to wait? You get up super early to hurry to the check in, then you wait in a nice long line and go through ticketing and security. Then you rush to your terminal so you can sit and wait for 45 minutes before boarding. aha, 45 minutes, in a huge airport with tons of corridors, shops and people watching you say? This is our first opportunity to get ourselves a little calorie burn for the day. Comfortable shoes are a must, because we're going walking! When you're about to sit on a plane for 3 hours, a 30 minute walk isn't an extravagance, it's a necessity! I must tell you, there is something very soothing about walking around an airport when you're not hustling to get to your gate. The world actually slows down. You see everyone around you (and there are few places better for people watching than an airport!). Once we board the plane the test of wills kicks in. Stuck in tiny seats on a tiny plane for 3 hours with my magazines and my headphones. I'd recline my seat and sleep if I could (and after getting up at 4am to rush to the airport I sorely need it) but who can sleep at an 85 degree angle? So there I sit, boredom hunger creeping in. The quick breakfast I ate in the car is wearing off, but I come prepared. Instead of the low nutrition pretzels they hand me, I decline and whip out a protein bar and an Emergen-C to put in my complimentary water to help fight off the germs of the other 125 passengers.
Once we arrive and stretch out the stiffness, it's time to get some real food. We head to Barbara Jean's seafood on the river. Seafood restaurants are so tricky to navigate because even the well intentioned can be diverted by the alluring smells of fish fry. Barbara Jean's happens to specialize in lump crab cakes and creamy shecrab soup. Beach food is notoriously bad for you but it doesn't have to be. Fresh grilled seafood and veggies are not only super lean and nutritious, they're a tasty local fare that's just as much a treat as their fried evil twins. I opt for fresh grilled shrimp with a twist of lemon, and double vegetables (which they season VERY well). I am satisfied and without the heavy gut and guilt that comes along with "vacation food".
Onto the beach. The beach isn't just for bums anymore! Instead of sitting around like a beached whale waiting for the tide to come in, we whip off our shoes and start strolling. Gorgeous views, cool ocean breeze, sand between your toes, why would you ever want to stop??? A 1.5 hour walk on the beach (sunscreen please!) can easily equal a 400-500 calorie burn and you're not even suffering (who would have thought fitness could be fun!?!). I know I know, it's not your die hard, all out, sprint till you pass out cardio session, but this is about having a healthy life regardless of your surroundings. And if you're not with your in-laws making it a family affair, nobody said you couldn't strap on your running shoes and do sprints in the surf. The point is to get your body moving, wherever you are. And I can't think of a more serene place to break a sweat than the edge of the ocean!
Next time....Tampa: How to wear sunscreen and still feel the burn.

I Am Not An Animal!

Have you ever watched a nature show? I've been watching Planet Earth lately and it is so fascinating to watch the animals behave. If you watch long enough you start to see a pattern emerge....every single animal spends its day sleeping, procreating, eating, and searching for more things to eat. In the wild, food is not always bountiful and there is competition for resources. Biologically, creatures great and small are driven to find nutrition. They'll attack each other for it, even kill their own kind if they fear their resources are being threatened by outsiders. I believe these natural instincts are buried deep within us as well. Our ancestors had to hunt and gather and had to deal with great famines and sparse resources. These instincts have manifested themselves not only in our body's unfortunate response to weight loss (slowing down metabolism in anticipation of a famine) but also in our behaviors as well. How many times a day do you think about food? Go beyond emotional eating, beyond boredom snacking with your head stuck in the refrigerator. How many times have you been on a road trip and seemed desperate to figure out where lunch would come from, even when you just had a big breakfast? When you're on a vacation, how many of your stories involve the places you've eaten and the new foods you've tried? Local cuisine certainly has its place in experiencing a new culture, but why is it that we plan what we're going to do AROUND food? My husband and I realized that we have had "food goals" rather than experience goals while on vacation. We'll eat here, try these drinks, this soup, that dip, etc. Past trips have been focused not on the large group of old friends we'll visit that we seen only a few times a year, but how much we'll all drink out on the boat. Why is it that the views we'll take in walking on the beach or the new memories we'll make with old friends seem second to the most base of our desires-when can we eat and how much? Couple this with the standard vacation eating mentality "I'm on vacation, this doesn't count" or "I've earned a break, i deserve a little naughty food." and you've got a recipe for disaster. We have evolved far beyond the locust swarming the fields for a meal before moving on to the next feast, and we should behave as such. A little planning can do much to sate this primitive urge. Take protein bars, bottled water, nuts, beef jerky, a cooler with fruit, yogurt, lunch meat and bread for sandwiches, you can have ample food available to you wherever you are if you think a step ahead. Bend your thinking to what can you DO with your time rather than what can you EAT. Food will always be there. Keep your body and mind in check and you'll experience more (and eat more interesting food) than you'd ever expect. Remember just because YOU are on vacation doesn't mean your metabolism is. Whatever sins you accumulate on your free time will stay with you when you return to reality. Keep your metabolism, and your subconscious primitive urges, in check by staying on your healthy food schedule-small meals every 3-4 hours of clean, minimally processed foods. Then when it is time to eat, seek out the best local fare and enjoy the healthiest of what they have to offer. It may not be the tastiest item on the menu (who doesn't want fried seafood and french fries at the beach) but a fresh caught grilled snapper and fresh steamed veggies are a treat AND kind to your body. A small deviation for the local specialty that's not so clean certainly isn't the end all, in moderation. But remember nothing should be a license to go crazy and eat everything without thinking you'll have to answer for it. We don't have hibernation or fallow seasons coming around the corner, our food supply will be there day after day, same as always. And if the urge comes over you, remember that God blessed us with a far superior brain to his other creatures, one capable of controlling those urges instead of giving into them whenever and wherever they hit us. With the proper planning and a little self control, you can enjoy any event without any regrets. Should that primitive urge rise within you, just remember, you are not an animal!