Reverse Psychology?

People are always amazed when they see our kids, Zach, 2 and Lauren, 9 months, devouring their vegetables. (What they don't know is that our kids devour everything we put in front of them - see picture below.) But this topic always leads us into talking about the psychology of eating. Ever notice that if you take something away from your kid - they obsess over it until you give in or lock yourself in the bathroom to get away from the tantrum. (Okay, maybe that's just at our house.)


Anyhow, it sometimes seems that we are counterproductive in our attempts at dieting. We take everything we love to eat away and expect success. Even the most disciplined of people have a weak moment now and then. So what is the best psychology in terms of dieting? And better yet, what is the best method to make certain foods not so appealing?

A former coworker of mine, told me about this "Aversion" Program that she worked for in Alaska. She was hired to help people get over food and cigarette addictions using a form of aversion therapy. The process was as follows: Clients were instructed to sit in front of a mirror. They would then consume the addictive substance in large quantity. While they were eating, smoking, etc., her job was to verbally abuse them. She told them how disgusting, lazy, fat, etc. they looked. (Yes, they actually paid money for this!) Clients would watch themselves in the mirror and then repeat these mantras about how gross they looked. Talk about an awful job, especially for a sweet lady. I guess jobs in Alaska were hard to come by. Obviously I don't recommend this type of therapy to anyone, but I'm sure it had it's share of success and horror stories.

What I have discovered over the years and via my training in wellness promotion, is that behavior modification comes in various forms. There is no "one size fits all" answer. But, here's what I found to work most often.

1. Make a Plan: Write it down, post it on facebook, tell the world about it. Writing it will make it tangible, expressing it makes it real. I remember our planning days before taking our big bike trip. Once we made the official announcement to our family and friends, there was absolutely no turning back.

2. Set Measureable, Realistic Goals: You can make your goals small at first, but make sure they are measurable. Some examples: Run a mile in 9 minutes by the end of August, Lose 2 pounds a month, Eat no more than 100 g of carb a day for 6 out of 7 days a week. For our bike trip, we planned out each day's mileage and set some deadlines for arriving at certain destinations. This was a great system for motivating us on those cold, foggy mornings.

3. Rewards : For each measurable goal that you set - create a reward for its completion. Rewards can be in any form but make it something really worthwhile to you. Some examples: A new workout outfit, a day off from the exercise/diet routine, a massage.

4. Public Ending: Sign up for a 5K, Triathalon or other race, go on a beach vacation or plan a family or classmate reunion. Making a public appearance with your new physique will be the best long-term motivator. Other people will be watching and you want to complete the race, or look great in your clothes or swimsuit.

Cravings attack - I need to rethink my blog title. Maybe... Life With A Bite (of Pie)

Life without pie sucks...rationality is settling in like the morning fog. I now realize I may not be able to sever all ties with pie. It has been over a week of the new low-carb diet and the sugar cravings are slowly creeping in like an impending flood. At a birthday party on Saturday, I was able to gracefully hold back as I watched Zach devour a slice of gooey frosting laden cake. However, today I found myself about to rip lollipops out of the hands of babes. All those seemingly cute kiddos at the pediatrician's office were taunting me with their sweet, fruity smelling suckers. Even Zach felt my pain as he asked the nurse, "One for Mommy, too?"

So the question on my mind today is "What is better a strict, zero-tolerance diet plan or a diet that allows us the err's of being human?"

The dietitian in me says "Moderation, everything is good for you in moderation." But, my nature says that if I allow myself a lollipop today, then tomorrow it will be a bag of skittles and then an ice cream cone, and then I may just eat a whole pie! (You know the old saying... give Bev and inch and she'll take a pie.)

I find this theory to be true with exercise as well. The mind can easily talk the body into lax compliance. The brain says "Let's just take this one day off, your tired, you worked hard, you deserve a break." And viola - you are only working out "when you feel like it". And who really ever "feels" like working out - not me.

But, on the other hand, is life without pie really worth living? The most common reaction line I would get from my diet counseling days was "If I have to give up ____ you might as well just shoot me now." (Insert your favorite: pie, cookies, candy, bacon, butter, BEER, etc.) So if I can find a way to squeeze a beer into my low-carb diet, maybe there is a way to squeeze in a sweet now and then.

Let's take a look at the nutrition data (based on small portions):

Slice of Strawberry Pie (my personal favorite): 32 g carb

Slice of Cheesecake: 32 g carb

Jelly Belly's (about 30): 31 g carb

One Scoop Vanilla Ice Cream: 32 g carb

Okay, I'm noticing a trend here... my favorite desserts all have about 30 grams of sugar - same as a small (8 ounce) glass of orange juice. Wow, I thought I'd really be breaking the bank with a slice of pie here and there, but actually it's not that bad. In fact, I could make a slice of pie a reality once in a while, especially if I trade it for a beer or two. YUM!

My pre-40th birthday P90X Transformation

Marc, my husband, is starting up another round of P90X. I thought in honor of him, I would try to inspire those considering a new workout regime by publishing my results. I finished P90X just days before my 40th birthday. I was really happy with my results and still feel as though it was an accomplishment of a lifetime. I treated P90x like I treated our cross-country bike ride, with a "I can't give up as I'll regret it for the rest of my life attitude." It's a good attitude to have toward those things that don't bring you immediate joy.

If you don't know the P90X program by now, then you must live under a rock - what's wrong with you? Just kidding! You really have to be a fitness buff or lover of infomercials to know about the plan. P90X is an at-home workout program by trainer Tony Horton. It's a series of weight training, aerobic and yoga workouts on DVD and it comes with a meal plan. The bonus is that you can do it all with just a set of resistance bands. We did it using our "Total Trainer" and a few dumb bells.

What makes P90X different from any other home workout? Well, its HARD - I mean really kick your butt hard. And it's different - every day you do something completely different than the day before. You have a weekly routine but that changes up monthly as well. At first I would just stare at the TV in amazement. That's the beauty of this workout. It keeps you constantly challenged and interested with the new routines.

Okay, (gulp) now to share some pictures.

My before picture (March 1, 2013):




This was 5-months post pregnancy - 130 lbs (Size 6-8)

I was out of shape. The last three months of pregnancy with Lauren, I was on a modified bed rest program meaning basically sit in a chair all day. After her birth, I was exhausted from lack of sleep and trying manage a toddler and newborn with a 20+ hour a week job. When I was ready to get back in shape, I couldn't run more than 1 mile without rest. My biking was pathetic as well. I hadn't ridden more than 4 or 5 times in the two years since our bike trip. (Having 2 kids within 19 months will do that to a person.) It was fair to say that I was in the worst shape that I have been in for my adult life.

So how does a full time mom and business woman get into shape? A home workout program was a must for me. The fitness center daycare does not accept kids under 6 months old and truthfully I didn't want to afford the $100+ a month bill. I made the P90X commitment.

I took my before pictures and I decided that everyday at 12 noon (no exceptions) I would "press play" on the DVD. If the kids weren't cooperating with naptime, well they got a front row seat to mommy's workout. I definitely wasn't perfect for all those 90 days and I didn't follow the diet plan or drink the recommended shakes. In fact, somedays I just grabbed my workout sheet and did as many exercises as I could in between corralling the kids. And yes somedays I just couldn't muster the energy to workout. But I kept going back the next day. (I did cut back on sweets and took a Royal Jelly Supplement to help with the fatigue of working out. )

30 days later:





I was frustrated after 30 days. I was ungodly sore for the first 2-3 weeks and working so hard. I thought for sure I would have lost at least 5 lbs. My scale wasn't budging. I thought about quitting... if it wasn't for the workout sheets, I probably would have. I started P90X to get in shape and the workout sheets didn't lie. I could see my progress. At first I couldn't do ONE regular push-up and now after 30 days I could do FOUR or FIVE! That's a 400% improvement. And I did start to see a bit of improvement in my muscle tone. (That is why they stress for you to document your workouts on the sheets, take body measurements and take the pictures!) Believe me you will rely on those things to get you through the rough times.


60 days later:





I was so glad I stuck it though it. After 60 days, my weight is down to 124 lbs and I'm starting to see a lot more muscle definition. I am so much stronger, too. Lifting a 40 lb. bag of dog food is fairly easy now. And I can run! I went out for a run and completed 2.5 miles without stopping.
At 60 day mark, the workouts are also getting easier. I can keep up with the videos and sometimes muscle through the breaks to complete the video early or add more reps to my workout.


90 days later - 117 lbs (Size 2):






Here I am after 90 days of P90X. I weigh 118 lbs and need all new clothing. I'm so happy with the results. I have to admit I was hesitant to lift all those weights and do all those push-ups and pull-ups. I thought I was going to bulk up and never lose any weight. I'm know confidently in the best shape of my life. I can run 3 miles at a 8 min/mile pace and biking is the best its been for me in a long time.

Thanks for letting me share my results - let me know if I've inspired you to join the P90X revolution. No matter what your ability you should give it 90 days. You'll be so happy with the results - I guarantee it. You can find out more at beachbody.com

Recipe: Slow Cooker Cabbage Rolls

I love Cabbage Rolls...probably due to my Bohemian/German heritage. When eating a low-carb diet, it's often hard to find dinner ideas that aren't just a slab of meat and a side of veggies. This is a good alternative.



I made these for dinner tonight and they are easy, inexpensive and low-carb. My three favorite characteristics of a good meal, aside from tasting awesome. Tips: Find the largest head of cabbage at the store and discard the top couple layers of leaves. Then carefully remove the next 12 leaves - they need to be the size of two hands cupped together for a good sized roll. Save the rest of the cabbage for coleslaw or slice and saute in butter for a noodle-esque type side dish (very delicious!)

INGREDIENTS:

12 leaves cabbage
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup cooked white rice
1/4 cup minced onion
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 pound ground beef
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

DIRECTIONS:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Boil cabbage leaves 3 minutes; drain.

2. In large bowl, mix, rice, egg, onion, garlic, ground meat, salt, and pepper. Place about 1/4 cup of meat mixture in center of each cabbage leaf, and roll up, tucking in ends. Place rolls in slow cooker.

3. In a small bowl, mix together tomato sauce, brown sugar, mustard, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over cabbage rolls.

4. Cover, and cook on Low 6-7 hours.

Nutrition Information (2 rolls)
240 calories and 12 g carb

Low-Carb Snacking On the Go

On Thursdays I do a marathon shopping trip. I hit about 14 stores within 5-6 hours time. It's a grind and yes... it IS work (I'm not a shopaholic). Anyhow, I typically skip lunch due to time constraints (not recommended.) So at about 1 PM, I am ready to raid any vending machine I can find. Of course vending machines prey on us hungry, low-blood sugar types with their plethora of sugary options. Potato chips, cookies, candy bars, licorice (my weakness)and sodas seem to be the only offerings I can find.

What's a girl to do? I buy the only low-carb option in the machine - a not so healthy Slim-Jim type sausage snack. Next time, I'll be better prepared. So what are some good options for On the Go Low Carb Snacks? Here's my list:

1. CHEESE - 0 g Carbs.
String Cheese is an easy one and usually easy to find and most convenience stores. Or just grab some slices from home to go.

2. NUTS - 6-10 g Carbs.
Nuts don't require refrigeration so they are a logical choice for backpackers and shopping marathoners like myself. Just watch the intake amount. Nuts also pack a punch in the calorie department.

3. VEGGIE CHIPS (Dehydrated) 18 g Carbs
Maybe you've seen these at healthfood stores? They are sold in the bulk section at Sprouts, Whole Foods, etc. They rank a bit higher in the carb department so don't eat more than a 1/2 cup or so.

4. PORK RINDS - 0 g Carbs
Not exactly my favorite snack but loads of people like them. They are fairly low calorie and packable.

5. BEEF JERKY - 2 g Carbs
Expensive but tasty. You can make your own if you own a dehydrator but I like the store bought kind better.

6. TUNA SALAD ON CUCUMBER SLICES - 2 g Carbs
Make your own or buy the little cans of pre-made tuna salad. Cucumbers travel well and don't need refrigeration if you plan to eat them within 4 hours or so. If you make your own tuna salad - it must be refrigerated.

7. EDAMAME - 15 g Carbs
I can remember eating fresh soybeans right out of the fields behind our house as a kid - and now, they are a trendy treat. Buy the frozen kind and let them thaw while you are on the go. Don't forget a bit of salt (if you like them that way.)

8. RAW VEGGIES AND DIP - 5-10 g Carbs
This is an easy treat to find at most grocery or convenience stores, but you will overpay. Make them at home and just pick up a little packet of dressing for dip while you are on the road.

9. HARD BOILED EGG - 0 g Carbs
An old-fashioned, inexpensive and easily portable snack. Peel at home as it can get messy on the road. An added plus - eggs are so cheap - this is a 15 cent snack at the most. Again bring some salt and pepper packets for optimal enjoyment. Or try egg salad on cucumbers instead of the tuna salad.

10. PLAIN FULL FAT GREEK YOGURT OR FULL FAT COTTAGE CHEESE - 4 g Carbs
Okay, I lumped these two together as I wanted a top ten list. These are both easily portable snacks (must be refrigerated or on ice) and they are easy to find at most grocery stores for a grab and go snack. Always buy the full fat versions as the others typically have thickeners (carbs) added to enhance the texture and taste. Avoid the flavored yogurts as this adds 20+ grams of sugar to your snack.

Sugar, sugar --- everywhere sugar!!

As a dietitian, I've actually never been one to pay much attention to food labels. Sounds crazy, but basically I already know what's in most foods. It's kind of a fun game in our house... Marc will ask me - how many calories, or how much protein is in an egg or slice of cheese and I can rattle it off like clockwork. However this new "low-carb" diet that we are now following has renewed my interest in reading labels, mainly carb content. And wouldn't you know it, I was wrong! I thought for sure my "natural chicken sausage" would be pristine and have 0 carbs. But I guess I'm out of the loop lately as wouldn't you know it, corn syrup was the 3rd ingredient in my sausage. Since when are they adding sugar to sausage? I need to investigate...

What I found is an absolute gluttony of sugar in our foods today. Every processed food item out there is laden with sugar. And I find it quite ingenious how manufacturers avoid listing sugar as the FIRST ingredient on their food labels. Here's the secret: if they add a variety of sugars, namely corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, invert sugar, brown sugar, molasses, honey, cane syrup etc, they can break up the types of sugar ingredients to avoid having just one as the main ingredient. Try it out - look at your favorite cereal, bread, or the image below. You may notice "whole grain blah-blah-blah" as the first ingredient and then eight types of sugar to follow. If they just used one type of sugar - well it would be the first thing listed.

Even the popular food chain restaurants like Applebee's, Chili's, Red Lobster etc. are finding that people's tastes are prone to sugar. Therefore they are adding more and more sugar to their sauces, entrees, and sides. You can't even avoid it going out for what you think is a "chef-prepared" meal. Sugar tastes good and it sells.

The original eye-opener for me in the 'sugar crisis' was actually very early in my dietetics career. Back in 1996, I started out as a kitchen manager/dietitian for the Kenosha County School District in Wisconsin. I was hired to re-vamp the school breakfast and lunch menus to comply with new government standards and oversee meal production. The federal government officials, with all their wisdom, had imposed a new regulation on school lunches - 30% or less calories from fat. Sounds great in theory - nobody wants our kids consuming so much fat.

Well, in practice, it's not so straight forward. In manipulating the menus, I quickly discovered that the only way to adjust meals to meet the new standards was to add canned fruits in heavy syrup and/or sugary jello to every meal. The only way to follow guidelines and stick within our food budget was to add more sugar to the menu. The carbs offset the fat calories and low and behold we had menus that fit the new guidelines! Does that sound like a healthy fix? Absolutely not, I was totally disheartened by this. As a fresh out of college, bound to save the world, dietitian, this was the first of many " sigh" moments for me.

Beer & Health

As a LOVER of beer (we have two beers on tap at our house), the issue of beer and health is an important one. And when my sister-in-law, Angela, said "I'd love to follow a low-carb diet, but I like beer too much." I immediately thought - why not beer?

In the low-carb diet world, beer has stigma of being "high in carbs". I'm really not sure why - unless you are the type to drink a 6 pack a night. Let's do the math... The average can/bottle of beer has 150 calories and 12 grams of carbohyrade. (Light beer - 100 calories / 6 grams carb) Sounds indulgent? Not really...a half-cup of green beans has 14 grams of carbs, a slice of bread - 36 grams! Omit one large slice of bread from your diet and viola - you can now more than justify a couple beers! Furthermore, alcohol metabolism is similar to that of fat. Beware though, your body can only metabolize so much at a time - that is why its dangerous to drink too much. Potent carcinogens float around un-metabolized and can do damage to your liver and pancreas.

There is a lot of research out there supporting moderate beer (or wine) drinking for overall health - especially heart health and preventing certain types of cancer. Of course more than 15 drinks a week is NOT healthy! But having up to 2 drinks a day can actually increase your longevity compared to those that have little or no drinks. I was surprised at that data. Just goes to show how the media can warp our health perceptions. Seems to me that we live in a culture where it's okay to take prescription drugs for anxiety, relaxation, high blood pressure, etc. Perhaps we all just need to have a drink or two instead!

"Researchers think that a few beers a day can also stave off Alzheimer’s and can reduce your risk of stroke. In 2005, a study was done of 11,000 older women, and those who had one beer a day had better mental function than those who didn’t. In fact, they decreased their risk of mental decline by as much as 20 percent. The Harvard School of Public Health also did a study that showed that a few beers a day might reduce the risk of stroke by thinning the blood and preventing blood clots from traveling to the brain."

Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/6-health-benefits-of-drinking-beer.html#ixzz2ZLaohLfr

Research aside - I always like to consider common sense. Beer and wine have been around since the beginning of time. In fact, back in the old days, water was unsafe to drink. Fermenting it into beer made it safe to drink. Data shows that overall alcohol consumption is down in the USA since its high back in the 1960's and 70's. Are we healthier now than back then? I don't think so... When I was a kid, I can remember all my relatives imbibing on a few drinks at every get together. My sweet old grandfather loved Manhattan's and would have one before dinner almost everytime I saw him. He lived well into his late 80's with only a few health issues toward the end of life.

Cheers!

Once upon a time...

Once upon a time eating pie was daily delight, along with lots of other junk foods. Of course all those sweets were tempered with a healthy dose of biking - 80+ miles a day to be exact. I burned over 5000 calories a day and ate about 3500 calories. Did I lose weight? No, I actually gained about 5 lbs in two months of biking. Why? Was it muscle mass, metabolism rut, hormonal imbalance? (In reality it was a surprise pregancy!) Anyhow, as a dietitian, I preach weight loss by that age old equation of calories burned vs. calories consumed. But I've found through experience that the equation does NOT always produce results. So what gives...is it our hormones, muscle mass, sluggish metabolism, fats, carbs, protein? Media and marketing specialists would like for us to believe it's any and all of these variants. So, how do we make sense of it all?

That is the age old question in our house. Marc, my husband, and I have a 10 year ongoing conversation about the latest and greatest in nutrition and exercise research. What can I say, we are both exercise fanatics, nutrition gurus and have the RD and L.AC credentials to match. We try all the latest supplements, diet suggestions and exercise routines. None of the fads have lasting power, in fact we always resort back to basics with good old fashioned home cooked staples like BACON and EGGS.

However, our latest research has lead us to believe that not all calories are equal. Sugars (in all forms - fruit, grains, simple or complex carbs) appear to be rising into medical researchers' radar screens. My latest theory is that sugar is the leading cause of inflammatory disease, obesity, heart problems, cancer , diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and a whole list of other chronic ailments. I'm not alone in my thinking but I think the American Dietetic Association would consider this thinking a bit off the grid. Remember, we were all taught in health class that carbs are good- the base of the food pyramid, 6-11 servings a day, - does this ring a bell? So now people are cutting back on fat, increasing their carbs and guess what - gaining weight!

So, here we go... The Leveque's are trying out a diet that is centered around meat, dairy and vegetables with a few fruits. (Sort of a hybrid of Atkins, the Paleo Diet and The Zone Diet.) Tonight I made this Low-Carb dinner recipe from Williams and Sonoma. It was really good and surprisingly I am still feeling full after 4 hours.

Thai Chicken Salad

Shredded chicken, diced avocado and shredded greens are dressed with the flavors of Southeast Asia to make a light main-course salad for the outdoor table. Fish sauce, a salty seasoning, is sold in Asian markets. For a festive presentation, omit the diced avocado from the salad and spoon the salad into 4 avocado halves.
Ingredients:
2 chicken breast halves, each 1/2 lb.
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 small head green cabbage
1/2 small head iceberg lettuce
1/2 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
3 Tbs. fish sauce
1/3 tsp. Asian sesame oil
2 tsp. sugar
2 Tbs. seeded and minced serrano chili
1 small avocado, pitted, peeled and finely diced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Directions:
Preheat an oven to 350°F.

Place the chicken breast halves, skin side up, on a rack in a small roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until the juices no longer run pink when the chicken is pierced to the bone with a knife, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Remove and discard the skin. Remove the chicken from the bone and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.

Place the cabbage half on a cutting board and, using a large knife, slice across the cut side into the thinnest possible shreds. Measure out 2 cups; reserve any left over for another use. Cut and measure the lettuce in the same way. Set aside.

In a bowl, stir together the vinegar, fish sauce, sesame oil and sugar. Add the chicken and stir to coat with the dressing. Add the cabbage, lettuce and chili and toss to combine. Add the diced avocado and gently turn the salad to distribute evenly.

Divide the salad among 4 individual bowls or plates. Sprinkle with the cilantro and serve.
Serves 4.