Friday, January 30, 2015

Get chippy with it (I’m really dating myself)



I wrote a Super Bowl (or super snack post) for Fitbit. If you’re curious about creative crudité, the world’s best guac or the secret to game day weight control (nobody, right?) check it out.

Today, I wanted to be a little more snack centric and talk chips.
Here are Foodtrainers' top 5 ways to “get chippy”

Popcorn gives you so much more snacking leeway than chips (3 cups versus 10-15 chips). Two favorites here are Kettle Brand Sriracha or Quinn’s new ”farm to bag” popcorn in coconut oil (kale and sea salt a runner up)


Carolyn and I were swooning over Seasnax Chompers when we tasted them at a fall trade show. Crunchy, salty and of course with that nutritious nori.


Foodtrainees love these ParsnipChips, we cannot wait for our Ranch “Dipperz” with broccoli and cauliflower to arrive. And don’t forget their Brussels Bytes.


And finally, I love a lime chip. Something about the flavor- does it for me every time. I bought these “for the kids” and this big kid really likes them. In New York, they’re on Fresh Direct. They’re organic and gluten free as well.
How do you like to get chippy? What about Will Smith, a fan? Loved him back in the Fresh Prince days, now?...

Monday, January 26, 2015

How Harper's Bazaar and Chloe's fashion director can improve your food day

There are certain magazine features I always enjoy. I’ve written about Us Weekly’sWhat’s inyour bag”? but also make sure to read Bazaar’s “My List” where a designer or fashion VIP lists what happens in a typical day. Different from the gum and mints in US Weekly’s purse feature, these days discussed in Bazaar are super snooty. There’s always a little something international “calls with the Paris team” or “preparing for fashion week in” (insert amazing city). For about 30 seconds I feel boring and inferior in comparison (we all compare) but I push through this and read on. I focus on the meals or non-meals  mentioned. I think I'd rather know mundane details about someone's day than something scandalous.

The most recent “List” featured Clare Waight Keller. I had never heard of Clare (fashion director at Chloe) before reading about her 24 hours. So Clare, she has been known to step on her dog when she first wakes up. Before you feel badly for the dog rest assured he gets blowouts. I’m not sure why I wanted to know more but I did. We must not assume children in Paris eat better, Clare's children (twins “and a little one called Harrison”) have pain au chocolat or a baguette with Nutella, or they might go for a peanut butter sandwich or cereal”. Back to Clare, her exercise includes walking her son (the one called Harrison) to school and “playing tennis in the woods on Saturdays.” She plays tennis in the woods “come rain, snow or anything” not sure if that makes her sound committed or silly (tennis in the snow?).

Clare doesn’t check email until 8am (no email in the kitchen) and follows fashion people “and a few surfers” on Instagram. Sure, I get the fashion/surfing connection…
I learn that they’re “launching” new fragrances at Chloe; I contemplate whether “launch” is a word I now hate but then I see something I really like love about Clare.
this circle is tough to read, happy to discover printed normally in the link/online
1:00 P.M. We're in France, so lunch is at one o'clock on the dot. Everybody vanishes and you cannot get a hold of anyone. Sometimes I eat with friends at a restaurant called Market, with colleagues in the office, or at my desk. I have something light, local, and organic—mostly salad.
Did you hear that? Everybody vanishes for lunch. They aren’t at their desk eating sad desk lunches or skipping THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY, they are having lunch or maybe “dunch” as I call it in Little Book of Thin (although a light, salad is not exactly dunch or the ideal lunch).
So, this week (regardless of the impending blizzard) focus on lunch. A solid lunch really sets you up for the rest of the day. As for the rest of Clare’s day? Even the most amazing blowout wouldn’t make it ok for you to step on me.
Why do you think we (I’m including you, I can’t be the only one) like reading about people’s day? Do you make lunch a priority? Do you read or watch anything that makes you feel your life is boring because you aren’t launching anything?

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Do you have metabol-envy?

Yesterday, I sat with a friend and she said if she could have one wish it would be to be able to eat whatever she wanted and not gain weight. I clarified “you mean instead of your family being healthy or world peace?” She said “well one wish or thing I could change about myself.” I think I believe that last part. The truth is,  I hear all about these friends, siblings or coworkers who can eat whatever they want.  I’ve sent the majority of session consoling clients over metabolic diversity (or injustice in their eyes).  “I have to work so hard at this” or “I am eating the salad while they are having fries” I’ve heard it all and have a few things to say about these “everything eaters”.

  • Oftentimes, they don’t always eat like this. Think of the celebrity with a giant burger or ice cream cone. Many people eat differently out versus at home or on weekends versus weekdays. And many don’t want to appear to watch what they are eating.

  • Chances are they will not be able to eat this way forever. When twenty-something clients tell me about their French toast ordering friends, I tell them to wait a few years.  Forty has a way of leveling the metabolic playing field. And know that’s it’s most difficult for people to watch their weight who have never had to think about it.
  • Everything eaters have arteries too. I worry about the insides of naturally thin people. I actually told my friend with the wish above that even if I could eat anything without gaining (and I can’t and never could) I would still drink green juice and eat wild salmon. Part of me likes it but part of me also likes how I feel and knowing I am taking care of my health (hello family history of heart disease).
  • At the end of the day, metabol-envy is just envy. There will always be someone who is taller, richer and more successful. Focusing on them really takes us away from our game.

If I have any form of envy it’s confidence envy. I would love (though maybe not since I turned 40) to be the person who parades around in a bathing suit or feels no need to cover up. My friend gave me some advice about this one. She said it’s all about practice. People who are super-comfortable on the beach aren’t generally on the beach a handful of days a year. So I'm off to plan a beach trip where I will watch what I'm eating. I have no problem being that person.

Do you have metabol-envy? Do you know an “everything eater”? If you could change one thing about yourself/your body what would it be?

Thursday, January 15, 2015

I whipped myself

You may have read about our Whipping Week we launched for the New Year. Clients have been "whipped" in our offices and via our Foodstalking program people are getting a virtual whipping in Chicago, Texas and Florida. See what happened when Carolyn (@onesmartbrownie) whipped herself.

For the most part, I am fine with my vices and believe you should love what you eat and drink. But after a little too much “love” over the holidays it was time to rein it in. I enjoy a challenge but have to admit I’m always hesitant to go super strict. After all, I am the girl who creates my own juice/soup cleanse rules (why would I live without coffee?).  But we launched our Whipping Week and I was ready to give it a try. And so I “whipped” myself.
If you’ve read our newsletter or blog posts, you know this entailed NO booze, NO grains, NO meat and NO dairy and limited fruit. Some people have a last supper before they start a new regime, I had to have a last “sipper”.  One flute of champagne with berries and I was ready for whipping.

And here you have a day in the life of Whipping.

Breakfast
Bulletproof-ish style coffee with a little almond milk and tsp coconut butter and blended.
 ½ cup serving of homemade chia . No fruit at breakfast was the hardest part for me, but this was all about keeping it simple.



Mid morning: Wakaya turmeric tea  


Lunch- making lunch the biggest meal of the day is a challenge for me but works best. Here is my lunch deconstructed (pink is salmon). It was more of a “dunch” or dinner for lunch as we like to call it.

Mid afternoon: our new obsession from FoodMatters, was honestly my favorite daily ritual. Bone broth (made from grassfed beef) is so warming and filling. This pic doesn’t so it justice but it’s flavored with herbs and spices and lots of ginger and is so delish.  Half a bottle and I was good to go until my (early bird) dinner.

Winner winner no chicken dinner. Dinner was basically veggie heaven, tons of vegetables, my favorite way to do this is with the spiralizer. I added a tbsp of olive oil and lots of garlic and a bit of miso too.


After dinner one of the first nights of Whipping Week I had a hot date which was now going to be hot tea (instead of a drink). I’m sure he was excited about this, nothing like mint tea to really set the mood. Luckily the man in question handled it very well and tea’d it up too. (+10 points for him).


Over a solid  Whipping days  and a whipping-ish, weekend,  I felt SO good and light My snacky tendencies and  carby/sweet extras  that had been sneaking in were nipped in the bud. Of all my workouts, I only had one less-than-stellar spin class the whole week which I blame on not drinking enough water versus whipping. So this week was really neither like 50 shades nor the hunger games, much to my delight.

Have you gotten whipped or tried our whipping tenants? Tell us how it’s going, what have been your favorite meals? Does this look difficult?

Monday, January 12, 2015

Top 5 Healthy Movie Theater snacks (if it were up to me)

As I sat through the worst half hour of movie previews yesterday, my mind wandered. My mind has a few favorite places it wanders to but this time it went to food. I thought about movie theatre food. While my kids will get something from time to time, either when I’m not there or when I choose to ignore everything I know, I don’t really think about it. For my book, I tackled sports arenas and airports and many places that trip people up with food choices. I contemplated the movies and ran the idea by a friend who said, “I think if people want to lose weight part of that means saying no from time to time.” I’m pretty sure her wording was a little meaner but it was a good point.  Just for kicks though (interrupted by my son saying, “who is that guy, I have never seen him before?” Sean Penn) I contemplated my dream movie concession stand.

I know some theatres have real food now but I’m not a fan. First, I am against anything in a theatre that smells. And let’s face it, it’s total darkness and the ultimate in mindless eating, you don’t need a full meal. I’m sticking with snacks and beverages.


  • Popcorn- movies and popcorn seem to make sense and Quinnpopcorn is amazing. The Foodtrainers’ theatre would have their popcorn popped in coconut oil even though my heart belongs to smoky cheddar. I just worry about the scent issue (I have a thing about smells).  Ignore the blue bowl, there would be tubs (recycled) but in normal sizes.


  • If you’re not a popcorn person but like some crunch, I’d try these Snip Chips. I’ve always loved parsnips and these come in fun flavors. 
  • Chocolate- of course there has to be a chocolate component. There are a ton of healthy chocolates but I don’t like the idea of a chocolate bar here. My movie chocolate needs to be more snacky. I’d have Sweet RiotChocolate covered cacao nibs. It’s ok to eat the whole tin.

  • Beverages- I’m sure it’s no surprise that there’s no soda happening if I’m making decisions. There are also no plastic water bottles either (something I’m almost as against as soda…almost). If you want those monster-sized cups I suppose we can have filtered water in them (and Strawesome straws). I’m really thinking kombucha. As much as I like a cocktail, I think I’d be asleep before the movie starts.

  • Since we’re talking sleep, we may as well have a coffee bar. Almond milk cappuccino or some bulletproof action?
And I can’t be the only one who contemplates the “cleaning” of the theatre. If you’re like me I’d spritz a little Clean Well (available for purchase before you take your seats).

In case you’re wondering we saw American Sniper. My son had a crepe and I had a Sin-o-bun from Juice press before we went to the theatre.

What’s your favorite movie snack if life had no rules? What would be served at your dream concession stand? Have you seen American Sniper? Did you watch the Golden Globes?

Thursday, January 8, 2015

One Size Fits Nobody

Earlier this week (or last week? it's all starting to blur) I was trolling twitter for interesting links.  Jane Pratt (xojane.com) listed a few topics she wanted her staff to write about. Well I’m not on her staff (but like their content) and clicked through to a One SizeFits All Buzz Feed video on You Tube.

I gather that One Size Fits All Stores are popping up all over. In this video, women of various shapes and sizes try on a few different garments. The obvious conclusion, that doesn’t even require watching this video, is that one size does not fit all. That’s not all that interesting to me but a few things about this 4-minute segment were.

First, while there may not be a universal size, there is a universal feeling when something doesn’t fit us. Whether it’s because of our height or our weight (or just because) when something doesn’t fit it doesn’t feel good. I'm not sure why we don't blame the clothing more but that would be logical and balanced. This video captures that feeling that we usually experience alone and shares it. Forget about not fitting, I’ve had moments of being physically trapped in dresses and had to contort in weird ways to free myself. Tell me I'm not alone.

Second, these women were awesome. I focused so much more on their comments and the ridiculousness of trying to fit one skirt to all these different bodies than I did on their actual bodies. I found this proof that awesomeness and humor trump weight and size.

And finally, something I live by, “the hoodie is the MVP”. Of all the clothing, the hoodie made everyone feel good (and look good). Well not everyone, the tall, skinny girl felt her torso was too long for the hoodie. But if there’s someone I’m not going to feel badly for it’s the tall and thin girl. Isn’t that fair?

What do you think of one-size fits all? Any dressing room disasters you want to share?  Do you love a hoodie?