Sharing 20 of YOUR Tips for Healthy Eating

I'm getting a slow start to 2019 with regard to health and fitness goals. And if you've read here for a while, you know that I often struggle with healthy eating (despite loving healthy food!). I get caught up in my hobby of baking and end up in a cycle of homemade sweets, bread, and -- now -- sourdough bread. I don't want to give up on baking entirely, but I do need to find a way to get back to healthier eating. Not so much for the number on the scale . . . but because I just feel so full and sluggish.

Here are the tips you guys sent me yesterday. My criteria was that I don't want to go all or nothing when it comes to food. I don't want to label foods "good" or "bad" . . . and I want to continue doing some of my baking. You guys delivered some great tips, and here are the 20 that were most shared.

Start the day with a huge glass of water

Resist eating sugar -- even fruit sugar -- at breakfast

Read the book Intuitive Eating

Eat way more protein

Skip alcohol for a while

Choose one meal to focus on and go from there

Only bake bread + desserts on weekends

Drink more water throughout the day, especially before meals

Prep meals on weekends for the whole week

Pack lunch the night before to resist daytime snacking

Stop buying all processed foods

Eat meals on smaller plates

Split lunch up to avoid crashing mid-afternoon

Fill half your dinner plate with vegetables

Roast a large pan of veggies and refrigerate for easy grabbing

Stop eating at 7PM and don't eat again till 7AM

Try sweet potatoes + other whole carbs vs. bread

Eat more healthy fats

Choose fruits that are lower glycemic (cherries, apples, etc.)

Even if it's hard, stick with it for 21 days to make a habit

THANK YOU for all your advice. 

If you, too, are struggling, I hope these tips are helpful to you. I'm sure many of you are in the same place I am . . . we KNOW what to do, it's just a matter of actually getting back into the rhythm. I'm going to check back with you all in 21 days to see how things are going. My main goal is to get in more protein, drink WAY more water, and fill most meals with vegetables. 

(But I also hope to expand my sourdough baking skills this month. I'll just try saving that activity for weekends only. Also: Image source.)

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Cold Turkey

Along with engaging in a regular yoga practice, I have some other hefty goals in the new year. I think many of us want to clean up our act with eating. I go in waves, and January 1st is a good excuse to get back on track -- at least for as long as I can.

So, I cut out packaged foods along with white bread, refined sugar, and other "bad" stuff. In the holiday season, I was enjoying many feasts on takeout pizzas (we have way too many great places close by!) followed by marathon cookie dessert sessions. I was drinking lots of beer and wine, too. Ultimately, I gained a few pounds and -- worse yet -- kept waking up feeling hung-over . . . even when I wasn't drinking.

Oh, and I had no energy. Blah. Not so good when you get up most days at 5AM to work. So, when the ball dropped, I put down my beer-cheese fondue and picked up a tall glass of water. I've been trying to drink between 80 and 100 ounces of water daily ever since, and it's made a tremendous difference in how I feel. I just feel . . . awake. I've totally stopped drinking alcohol as I infuse myself with hydration. This sounds intense, but I had seriously forgotten how to drink water and was using other beverages in its place. I estimate I was maybe only actively taking in 32 ounces a day.

With food, we've been cooking all our meals at home. Saving money, too! Again, I go in phases with all of this -- with my energy and enthusiasm. But I truly know cooking everything from scratch is ideal and not always achievable even with good planning. While I don't eat many packaged foods, random things come into the house (cookies, other treats) . . . so I've banished those for the time being (aside from some organic granola bars from Aldi for Ada's lunches).

I've been cooking out of the How Not to Die Cookbook by Michael Greger. This isn't a sponsored review or anything. I just want to mention it. Full disclosure is that I haven't read the book. I just happened to see the book at Barnes and Noble, leafed through it, and I realized we often have a lot of the ingredients in the recipes. Cauliflower, turmeric, miso paste, beans, greens, mushrooms, oats, etc. The plant-based recipes all use similar ingredients in different ways to make tasty things.

I also like the emphasis on not adding salt to recipes. I had gotten a little heavy-handed with my salt, so it's a good practice to lighten up.

My favorite recipes so far are:

• Summertime oatmeal (pg. 12)
• Cheesy kale crisps (pg. 42)
• Smoky roasted chickpeas (pg. 44)
• Black bean burgers (pg. 88)
• Braised tempeh & bok choy with ginger sauce (pg. 128)
• Mac and "cheese" (pg. 143)

These are just the recipes I've had time to make since getting the book less than two weeks ago. Again, they all make use of similar ingredients and spices, which I love. They're mostly easy and fast, too. I may look at the library to read the How Not to Die book. It's all about certain foods that are scientifically proven to prevent and reverse disease. As a health/medical writer, I truly believe in the power of food to heal our bodies.

It's easier in theory than practice sometimes, though.

Have any of you read this book?

Other books I've been cooking from or plan to soon:

• Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant -- one of my all-time favorites
• At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen
• The Oh She Glows Cookbook
• The Complete Tassajara Cookbook 

Sad to say, but it feels like I've gone into eating pretty much only whole foods cold turkey. Meaning, it's been tough. I should just be eating this way by default. It's been hard, but I think I'm finally turning a corner and really embracing it. I feel so much better. I just need to capture a clear mental picture of this feeling because it's so good. Clear-mind, energy, balance, etc.

What I've learned in the years of my cycles of eating is that bread is my gateway drug of choice. I LOVE BREAD. I love baking bread. But once I start doing too much of it, it's a crazy landslide back into cookies and other desserts. In no time, I'm basically eating M&Ms off the street. I'm continually searching to find better balance.

I'd love to hear what eating goals you have right now. I'm also trying to get in more protein. That's a tricky one for me, but I'm off to blend a protein green smoothie.

Happy Thursday!

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Chipotle + Lime Chickpea Salad

Just wanted to hop on here quickly to share my new favorite lunch! I often make chickpea salad sandwiches when hummus gets boring. This latest variation is a real keeper! Especially if you are as addicted to chipotle Vegenaise as I am. We put it on everything!

CHIPOTLE + LIME CHICKPEA SALAD

What you'll need . . .

• 1 (15-ounce) can of chickpeas, drained + rinsed
• 1/2 cup pickles, chopped into bits
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped into bits
• Handful fresh cilantro, minced
• 3 tablespoons chipotle Vegenaise
• 2 teaspoons time juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method . . .

• Mash the chickpea in a large bowl using a potato masher or a fork. The texture should resemble canned tuna or chicken.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until well combined. Season to taste.
• Then toast bread, top with spinach or other greens, and scoop out the salad.

It's so good!

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A Very Good Place to Start

When you read you begin with A-B-C. When you sing you begin with do-re-mi. And when you're making some changes -- physical and mental -- you begin with . . . breakfast. I think we all know that whether we're in crisis or not, starting the day with a healthy meal is a step in the right direction.

Let's get to it:

EASY BAKED OATMEAL

What you'll need . . .

• 1-1/2 cup rolled oats (Bob's Red Mill = gluten-free)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1-1/2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 3/4 cup plain coconut yogurt*
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons almond butter
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/2+ cup water (or almond milk, etc.)

* You can use whatever yogurt you have on hand. If you use Greek, you may want to experiment with adding more water so the resulting "dough" is scoopable/pourable.


Additions + Toppings:

• Blueberries
• Bananas
• Blackberries
• Sunflower seeds, brown sugar, walnuts, salt, extra almond butter

Method . . . 

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a baking dish with coconut oil (or canola, etc.) and set aside. I used a dish with two segmented parts to make two different kinds of baked oatmeal, but this isn't necessary.
2. Mix the oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and chia seeds together in a large bowl.
3. Then add in the yogurt, vanilla, almond butter, maple syrup, and water. As I mentioned above, the "dough" should be somewhat scoopable/pourable so it will cover all the fruit.
4. In your baking dish, lay a layer of fruit, a handful or so, like sliced bananas and blueberries. Then top with the oat mixture. 
5. Then add another handful of fruit and top with whatever you have on hand. I just tossed on what I mention in the ingredients. Just a pinch of salt and brown sugar did it for me, too.
6. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until lightly browned. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

What I enjoy most about this recipe is how adaptable it will be with whatever we have in the fridge. We picked up some local blueberries at the store the other day, which is why they're the highlight. However, I'm excited to try a fall variation teeming with fresh apples and nutmeg. Though we ate the majority of the dish (Ada included) fresh the first morning, it kept for breakfast today as well.

Yeah. It feels good to be back from vacation and cooking our meals from scratch. It's almost like I needed a hard break from my own kitchen to appreciate whole food again. It feels good in general to be back in our own space with lots of motivation and positive thoughts on my side. I'm ready for change and growth.

More soon. I hope you're all having a great morning! I very much appreciate your words of encouragement, comments, and emails.

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Newly Illustrated FOOD RULES -- Book Review

I'm a bit late to the game with reading Food Rules: An Eater's Manual, Michael Pollan's simple book about eating, well, simply. It's a quick read, providing a succinct, consistent message that eating -- food, in general, really -- doesn't have to be complicated. This latest edition of the book is especially neat.

Why? It's beautifully illustrated by the talented Maria Kalman.

If you, like me, haven't read the original Food Rules, you'll be interested to learn that this new edition has been expanded with 19 additional rules inspired by readers. Many of them are seemingly common sense. However, as a person who tries her best to eat whole foods as often as possible, even I found myself pausing to ponder a few.

One of my favorites? 45: Eat All the Junk Food You Want as Long as You Cook It Yourself.

We all know I have a sweet tooth. So, reading in black and white that there is room for indulgence in a whole foods, healthy diet is comforting. And here's something fun I did -- I read the entire book while trying to apply each rule to the McRib, McDonald's popular "pork" sandwich that features over 70 ingredients, most of them difficult to pronounce. I would go on, but the sandwich breaks too many of Pollan's rules to list in one blog post.

ABOUT


Michael Pollan is the author of five books: Second Nature, A Place of My Own, The Botany of Desire, which received the Borders Original Voices Award for the best nonfiction work of 2001 and was recognized as a best book of the year by the American Booksellers Association and Amazon, and the national bestsellers, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, and In Defense of Food.

A longtime contributing writer to The New York Times Magazine, Pollan is also the Knight Professor of Journalism at UC Berkeley. His writing on food and agriculture has won numerous awards, including the Reuters/World Conservation Union Global Award in Environmental Journalism, the James Beard Award, and the Genesis Award from the American Humane Association.


Maira Kalman is an illustrator, author, and designer. She is the author of The Principles of Uncertainty and she illustrated the bestselling edition of Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style. Ms. Kalman’s twelve children’s books include Max Makes a Million, Stay Up Late, Swami on Rye, and What Pete Ate. She also has designed fabric for Isaac Mizrahi, accessories for Kate Spade, sets for the Mark Morris Dance Company, and, with her late husband Tibor Kalman under the M&Co. label, clocks, umbrellas, and other accessories for the Museum of Modern Art. Ms. Kalman’s work is shown at the Julie Saul Gallery in Manhattan.

If you'd like to catch a glimpse of Kalman's gorgeous illustrations for Food Rules, SF Girl By Bay has a beautiful collage of them on her site.


Note: I received a copy of the newly illustrated Food Rules (released in November 2011) from the publisher, Penguin Press, through TLC Book Tours. You can check out the rest of the tour here.

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Healthy Living: Kati's Story

Kati writes:

As a kid, I hated gym. LOATHED it, might be a better word. It was actually the only class that I had less-than-stellar grades in (er, not to brag? but I don't think that's something to be proud of!!). Our gym classes were very running-centric, and I just couldn't do it. Last one in the mile, every time, and on the verge of passing out to boot. When I was 15, the elephant-on-my-chest feeling was finally diagnosed as asthma. I'm what you might call "bottom heavy," and I wished that I could find a sport that would use my tree-trunk legs but wouldn't aggravate my lungs (and knees, and ankles). I loved swimming, and wasn't half-bad at it, but sadly my school had no swim team.

My diet was also less-than-stellar. My mom is a great cook, but she was raising two kids on her own (and my brother is special-needs), so we were responsible for whatever we wanted for breakfast and lunch. One summer (and most of a school year) this meant that my lunches consisted of EZ Cheese, "buttery" crackers, Sour Cream and Onion potato chips, Oreos, and chocolate milk. All through high school, breakfast was a donut and a cup of hot cocoa or chai mix. I was a kid, I thought I could get away with it.

Then I went to college. Like many of the others who have shared their stories, I gained the Freshman 15+. I discovered that I compulsively stress-eat, and college brought plenty of stress. I thought becoming a vegetarian would solve all that. In practice, I was a "pasta-tarian" -- starch, starch, and some more starch to round things out. And, oh boy, the pints of ice cream for dinner.

One meal credit = one pint. I'd eat the whole thing.

My energy plummeted, and my moods swung like a pendulum. I remember coming home from class at 4PM some days, and sleeping through until 7AM the next day. My roommate couldn't even wake me up for dinner.


However, around this same time I was inspired to finally find a sport I'd enjoy. I had always admired athletic people, and desperately wanted to be one (my mom is quite athletic, also). On a total whim, I took my beater bike to a college-sponsored mountain bike race. It hurt. A lot. Both the cardio, and the crashing into things. But somehow, I loved it. I bought a new bike, and was hooked. But my race diet consisted of Fritos, M&Ms, and gas-station cappuccino. Not exactly performance-food.

I also signed up for an Outward Bound backpacking course, something I had wanted to do in high school but never had the guts (because I was the unathletic, dorky girl). It was amazing, and sparked a real love of the outdoors in general, and backcountry in particular.

Then, I studied abroad. I was miserable. I didn't speak the language as well as I thought I did, I had no friends, and I drowned my sorrows in 20-oz cafe mochas and jumbo slices of tres leches cake. Daily. Along with some super-sugared espresso and chocolate-covered cookies to get me through class. I came home 30 pounds heavier, ringing in at my all-time high of 160.

When I was home, I got a new job at an outdoor equipment outfitter and started teaching environmental education. My eco-minded co-workers brought to my attention the connections between what we eat, your health, and the environment, and I started thinking more about what I was putting in my body. What was it doing to me?! What was it doing to the environment?!?! It finally hit me that my horrible mood swings and low energy might be part of a vicious cycle. I felt miserable, I ate crap. I ate crap, I felt miserable. It just wasn't sustainable, least of all for my body.

I turned my obsessive stress-eating habits into something more productive. I figured, I loved thinking about food. Why not learn how to plan and cook meals with real food? Using mostly vegetarian cookbooks (food blogs are a more recent discovery for me!) I taught myself to make vegetable-centric meals from whole ingredients (confession: I usually add in some animal protein). Lucky me, I also found a guy that likes to invent healthy meals, though sometimes our definitions of "healthy" diverge ;)

In general, I've found that I can eat whatever I want, as long as I stay active and focus on making my main meals as veggie-centric as possible. I stopped weighing myself, but I feel good and my clothes generally fit, so I think I'm in a pretty healthy weight range. Granted, I have a deep love of cheese (we do, too, Kati!) and it is a frequent dinner guest. But I have significantly reduced my sugar-intake: instead of mochas, cocoa, or chai, I drink plain coffee with milk, no sugar. We'll have a piece or two of dark chocolate for dessert (not an entire 1-lb bar, like before). And breakfast is protein-packed eggs with any number of leafy greens and other plant matter. I actually can't stomach sweet stuff that early in the morning now. I guess I've re-programmed my palate!


Eating healthy and staying fit has almost eliminated my asthma symptoms (I still get allergy- and winter-induced asthma). I practice Vinyasa Yoga, which I find helps keep me centered. I do a Master's Swimming program. Last summer I trained for and finished a 100K mountain bike race, which hurt like heck -- but I loved it and plan to do it again! And in February, my mom and I climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro together.

I still have ups and downs, but I find that if I keep my food-focus on whole, healthy things, I can stay pretty balanced. When I'm balanced, my motivation to stay active is easier to maintain. And then in turn, my mood stays positive and it's easier to eat healthily! A new, positive cycle :)

Thanks for reading!

Kati

In need of some healthy fitspiration? While you're here, you can read more great stories like Kati's -- as well as submit your own healthy living story to be featured on our site!

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Healthy Living: Laura's Story

Laura writes:

Throughout my life I have always struggled with my weight. I can remember the first time I became aware of it, I was only 7 years old and I experienced bullying at school which led to low confidence and self-esteem throughout my teenage years. I did try to do something about it: I would exist on an apple a day to try and lose weight, but -- of course -- this didn’t work. I ended up binging on unhealthy food and eating in secret from my family and friends.

As I got older I tried weight loss clubs, joined gyms and tried various detox diets. Sometimes I did lose weight, but eventually I would fall back into old patterns and regain the weight, plus some more!


When I turned 26, I reached almost 15 stone (210 pounds). I knew I had to do something drastic. I was recently married and I could really see how much weight I'd gained when I looked at the photographs. I was so unhappy and didn't want to spend my life like this. I loved fashion, but never felt comfortable in my clothes and hated the way I looked. I read lots of nutrition and exercise books and decided that I would try and lose weight myself through healthy eating and physical activity. The more I read the more I realized that the best way to lose weight was to eat plenty of fresh "clean" foods and avoid processed foods.

When I realized how many chemicals and artificial ingredients had been in some of the foods I'd been eating, I was horrified! I cut back on heavily processed food (such as ready meals and Cup-a-Soups) and started to experiment with cooking more food myself, and better yet I really enjoyed it! Over the course of two years I managed to lose almost 5 stone (70 pounds).

It wasn't long after that I discovered healthy living blogs, I just couldn't get enough of them. I found them so inspiring that I decided to start my own blog to help me in maintaining my weight loss. I started to become even more experimental with my cooking after being inspired by recipes on blogs, especially the recipes on (never home)maker (Thanks, Laura!!!) . . . and I even started running!


I used to really worry that I would end up regaining the weight that I had lost just as I had so many times before, but then I realized that something had changed. My journey had no longer become about weight loss, it had become about health. A few weeks ago I made the decision to stop weighing myself all the time and to try and eat for health rather than worrying about the number on the scale. It has been wonderful!

My biggest achievement came just yesterday when I completed my first ever half marathon –- The iconic Great North Run in the UK. I entered the race after encouragement from other bloggers. I had never dreamt I would be able to run 13.1 miles. I had never been athletic at all. In fact, before this year, I couldn't even run for a bus! Completing the race was like the culmination of my healthy living journey and I couldn’t have been happier.

I'm now looking forward to where the future will take me. I've already signed up for a beginners yoga class and I'm thinking about what my next fitness challenge will be. I'm becoming more confident in my cooking skills, and I even tried baking my own bread for the first time. I'm so thankful that I discovered blogging and the healthy living bloggers community. I've learned so much, and get so much enjoyment through writing my blog, onwards and upwards to my next challenge!

Thanks for letting me share my story with you!

Laura (from Keeping Slim & Getting Stylish)

In need of some healthy fitspiration? While you're here, you can read more great stories like Laura's -- as well as submit your own healthy living story to be featured on our site!

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Healthy Living: Jen's Story

Jen writes:

Hi, Ashley and Stephen! I recently discovered your blog through Ashley's blog (Edible Perspective) and love your content, style, and recipes!!! (THANKS, JEN! WE'RE GLAD YOU FOUND US!) As a fairly new runner, I have especially loved the running info. I look forward to your posts every day! I wanted to share my healthy living story with you, so here goes!

I am a self-proclaimed foodie. For as long as I can remember, I have loved being in the kitchen, trying new recipes, watching cooking shows, and eating. I was never sporty or athletic whatsoever, but maintained an average weight throughout my high school years by having a generally busy lifestyle. When I went off to college, the weight began to creep on with a steady cafeteria diet of chicken patties, fries, pizza, and salad (iceberg, cheese, and ranch!). I not only gained the freshman 15 in the first year, but for every year after as well. In the months following my college graduation and gaining another 10-15 pounds through indulging in my own cooking and baking, I finally decided that I had to make a change in December 2008.

At this point, my weight was around 210 pounds. My self-esteem was non-existent, I never exercised, my activity level in general was low, and I just felt terrible physically, mentally, and emotionally.


I started by making very small changes in my diet and lifestyle. I ate more fruits and vegetables, cut down my fat intake, and ate the typical diet foods. I started doing a 12 minute aerobics video everyday. Slowly, but surely, I started seeing a change in the number on the scale. I bought Wii-fit, which still labeled me as obese, so my new goal was to get my BMI in the category of overweight instead of obese. I used my Wii-fit everyday, but I realized that I needed a higher level of activity to meet my goals. Still not athletic and uncoordinated, I decided to go out on a limb and try attending a group fitness class.

I attended my first Zumba (a Latin and International rhythms fitness class) class in May 2009 and was hooked. I started attending class as many times a week as I could and it seemed like the weight started melting off. My motivation increased even more and I began to research healthy eating. I also started eating clean, whole, real foods and eliminated white sugar, white flour, artificial sweeteners, and processed foods from my diet. With the addition of Zumba and cleaning up my diet I noticed a HUGE change in my energy levels and I began to thrive! Around this time everyone else began noticing huge changes in me as well.

In the fall of 2009, still on my weight loss journey, I decided I wanted to incorporate some new exercise in my routine. I began running a little bit at a time and really enjoyed the time it gave me to just think and clear my mind. Although it was difficult, I stuck with it and remember thinking that it felt like a huge accomplishment when I could run 4 miles in a row without stopping. I also started incorporating some of Jillian Michaels' circuit training DVDs into my routine.

With this small amount of weight training, I noticed my body begin to change and tone. I felt strong for the first time in my life. In November 2009 I became a certified Zumba instructor, something I never dreamed of doing a year prior. So much for not being athletic!!!! Around this time I also discovered food/healthy living blogs which was also life-changing for me. Although I am not a blogger myself, it was so refreshing to hear other people's stories so similar to mine. The recipes, tips, and stories I have found on blogs have been invaluable to my new lifestyle.


In early 2010, a year after beginning the changes in my life, I had lost 70 pounds. However, it wasn't really what I lost that was important, it was everything I had gained. I gained self-esteem, motivation, health, a new zest for life, the belief that I can do anything, and a new wardrobe to boot:)

Today I continue to thrive with my new healthy lifestyle and feel better than ever. I eat a mainly vegetarian diet, occasionally still eating fish and eggs. I love experimenting with new foods and seasonal fruits/vegetables, whole grains, and things like tofu and tempeh (which I had never even heard of a year ago!) are now staples in my diet. In June 2010, I completed my first race ever, a 5K, finishing in 2nd place in my age group! I completed my first 10K on August 1, 2010, and am training for my first half marathon which will take place on September 12th. I still go to Zumba multiple times a week and love it as much as ever! Lastly, I am still a foodie. I am just a foodie who is much more aware of what she puts in her body. In fact, I feel like the food I eat now is the best food I have ever eaten in my life!

Thank you for reading my story!

(Before pictures are from April 2009 and After picture is from June 2010.)

Jen Liston

In need of some healthy fitspiration? While you're here, you can read more great stories like Jen's -- as well as submit your own healthy living story to be featured on our site!

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