National Running Day!



Image from: http://www.gmrunningprograms.com/


As many of you recall, I completed a half-marathon in November 2011.  Set a goal, got off the couch and made it happen.  It was like my personal couch-to-13.1 miles program.  It was an amazing accomplishment and I'm so proud of myself for doing it.  Since then, I haven't given a second thought about doing another one.  Yes, it was great, but I feel like I did it, so I don't need to do it again... until this last week or so.  I got to talking about my previous experience a bit and I realized that I need another goal and why not do it again!!  I'm working on a few things and planning to register for a couple events near the end of the year.

Since it is National Running Day, I thought I would share a few different event options for you that might get you into running/jogging/walking.  This worked for me (registering for an event and training for it), and got me motivated.  I still walk regularly (at least 3-4 miles per week) and I'm looking forward to building my mileage again to train for some events!

Side note:  I'm a walker.  I don't run.  I don't like running.  I have no desire to run.  I will, however, walk.  I very much enjoy it and did walk the entire 13.1 miles of the aforementioned half-marathon.  I'd love to do a post with some training suggestions/programs that I've used/looked into/researched but we all know how flaky I am about posting (sorry!) but here is one for walkers that I just came across today.  Looks to be a great resource!  http://www.marathonwalking.com/

Charity Walks:  These are great!  There are tons and tons all over the country that are available all year round.  Usually these walks are 3-5 miles, but I've seen some that are 10 or 30 - 60 miles over several days.  An wonderful way to get yourself in shape while you train, possibly raise money for a good cause, and have a great time! 
Example:  American Cancer Society Making Strides Breast Cancer Walk events - There are tons more!  Check with the charity of your choice or search online.  I'm looking to participate in a local charity event that is 3 days / 30 miles total in September.

5K or 10K races:  Once you are ready to get a little more distance or a little more speed, check local running groups / sports shops for 5K (3.1 miles) or 10K (6.2 miles) races.  Many cities have races like this around holidays or festivals.  You can usually get a t-shirt and sometimes a medal too (you know I love free stuff!)
Check out the Runner's World Race Finder (lists all types of races!)

Half and Full Marathons:  A half-marathon will cost you 13.1 miles of your life.. double that to 26.2 for the full.  Guess what?  It's not that horrible.  There are tons of races available all over the country for marathoners.  They usually have entertainment along the course and some fun event to celebrate at the end!  I found this a great way to train.  13 miles might seem like a lot, but it's so easily doable - walking or running!  Do watch out for time limits when you enter these events.  Know your pace per mile and understand what pace you have to keep to stay on the course.  Most that I have seen are 4 hours for the half and 7 hours for the full.  That means you need to keep an 18:30 minute mile for the half and 16 mins for the full.  You can do that!!
Example:  Rock 'N Roll Marathon Series (this is the race I did last year in Savannah - sign up today to save $20!).   Haven't decided if I will do this one again or if I will do the Lady's Speedstick Half that some friends are also doing.  Also, use the Runner's World Race finder listed above to find events.

Obstacle Course Races:  Need some stuff to get in your way while you run?  Try an obstacle race!  These races usually combine a 5K with various obstacles along the way.  Obstacles are usually designed based on military training and could be a challenge.  Full of dirt, mud and fun, seems like an awesome time.  I've been thinking about trying one of these, but don't have the guts (yet!!). 
Example:  Tough Mudder  Oh and there are ones with zombies too!

Triathlons:  Need more than just a run?  Want to swim and bike too?  You are ready for a triathlon.  With various distances, the triathlon includes a swim, cycle and run portion of the race.  Some are in open water near a lake, river or ocean and some are held at a pool.  These take lots of training but looks like lots of fun (I've spectated / volunteered a few, but haven't done one myself). 
Search online for triathlons here:  TriFind

So find a race and get registered and start training!  There are tons of options online for training programs.  There are APPS for that too!  Check out a local running group.  Oh and above all... get GOOD SHOES!  Find a store that will fit you and purchase good shoes.  It is totally worth investing $80-$100 for shoes that will support you and help you not get hurt!  Don't slack on that part.  GOOD SHOES!

Friday Five

I'm going to try something new this Friday that hopefully I'll be able to stick with each week (no promises, but I'll try!).  I read a lot of articles every week about tons of topics like fitness and food and sustainability and technology and whatever else I might come across in a week.  I always want to share this info with everyone, but it's not usually a whole-post sort of thing.  So why not combine them together, right?  Here is the first installment of the Friday Five.

Five Packaged Foods You Never Need to Buy Again - A great article that I came across actually last week and I made stock last week too!  These are five items (soup, stock, hummus, canned beans, and cereal) that are super easy to make at home so that you will save a few dollars and lots of nutritional benefits (like less to no chemicals!).  It's a great starter list for anyone that is interested in more homemade options (like me)!

Save Vegetable Scraps for Stock  - In conjunction with making homemade stock last week, I did a little more digging and research.  I came across this post that has a great list of veggies and how to save scraps in the freezer.  I actually went out and bought brand new veggies to make stock, but now that I learned this method, there for sure is a freezer bag in my freezer!

Olympian Natalie Coughlin on food: Eat healthfully, but enjoy it - So happy to find this article, and super excited that it features Natalie Coughlin.  This is my take on eating in a nutshell.  Am I working hard at eating right and healthy?  Yes.  Do I splurge sometimes and get 'bad' foods?  Yes.  I'm not going to restrict myself so much that I'm miserable, but I'm sure paying attention to what goes in my body always. Lots of good foods... always!

Cage free vs. pasture raised - A quick article that talks about eggs.  We've covered these options before and I really like the 'pasture raised' option.  Oh.. and the pictures are awesome.

The 5-Step Plan to Success after Failing - I've recently discovered the Nerd Fitness website and it's really cool.  To me, it seems like real info, with a bit of humor, but not bullshit.  Straight-up, here is how it is.  They have a large community base too so it might be something you will be further interested.  This article is awesome.  Everyone fails and everyone needs a pick-me-up.  These are great tips on how to get back on track and succeed.

More Apps!



Image Source: The Next Web


In a sort of mind reading (or blog reading) move, The Next Web published an article that goes hand in hand with my previous post!  Ohh, I'm a trend setter apparently.

Sacarsm aside, the article from the Next Web covers 10 fitness apps that will reshape your workout and shares some really great apps.  They've got LoseIt and Nike Training Club and a bunch more that I'm excited to check out.  Do make sure before you pay for any of these apps, that you look at the images in iTunes and read the reviews.  It appears some aren't as awesome as they may initially seem (in some people's opinions). 

I'd love to hear your feedback on any of these apps if you have tried or when you do try them.

My App Arsenal

So, it's been a while, huh?  Hope everyone made it through all the holidays and is back on track for an awesome 2012!  To get started this year, here's a little fun post that I hope you find useful.

I am absolutely addicted to my iPhone and I've been using it to my advantage as much as possible for my fitness and health goals.  Below are a handful of apps that I highly recommend and use regularly.  My main app that keeps me on track is Lose It!  Great for logging food, weight and exercise.  Most of these are free (or has limited free versions and upgraded pay versions) and many may also be available on Android (I know Lose It! is!!).

The first four apps listed below are my absolutely must haves!  I use then all regularly and they have really helped me through my journey over the last nine months.  The others, while I don't use regularly, are also amazing and helpful for various things.



Nike Training Club - FREE
http://www.nike.com/nikewomen/features/ntc?locale=en_US
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/nike-training-club/id301521403?mt=8
Nike Training Club is a training app that gives you your own personal trainer, anytime, anywhere. Get lean, toned and strong with over 60 custom-built workouts featuring audio guidance and on-demand instruction from a Nike Professional Trainer while you earn NTC rewards like Lea Michele's exclusive workout.


Fooducate - FREE
http://www.fooducate.com/blog/
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fooducate/id398436747?mt=8
Scan and choose healthy groceries. Over 200,000 unique UPCs! As featured in USAToday, NYTimes, WSJ, Lifehacker, Gizmodo and on ABC, FOX, NBC and more...  Do you want your family to eat better food? Are you confused by ingredient lists, nutrition labels, health claims, and marketing hype?  Get Fooducte and hurry to the supermarket.





Lose It! - FREE
http://www.loseit.com/

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lose-it/id297368629
Succeed at weight loss with Lose It! Set goals and establish a daily calorie budget that enables you to meet them. Stay on track each day by recording your food and exercise and staying within your budget. The average active Lose It! user has lost more than 12lbs and more than 85% of our active users have lost weight. Lose It! is completely free- get started losing weight with Lose It! today!

   





Nike+ GPS - $1.99
http://nikerunning.nike.com/nikeos/p/nikeplus/en_US/what_is_nike_plus
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/nike-gps/id387771637
Map your runs, track your progress and get the motivation you need to go even further. Hear mid-run cheers every time your friends like or comment on your run status, or outrun them in a game of Nike+ Tag.







MyFitnessPal - FREE
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/calorie-counter-diet-tracker/id341232718
Lose weight with MyFitnessPal, the fastest and easiest to use calorie counter. With the largest food database of any calorie counter (over 1,000,000 foods), and amazingly fast food and exercise entry, we’ll help you take those extra pounds off! There is no better diet app – period.


 

GoodGuide - FREE
http://www.goodguide.com/

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/goodguide/id294447660
The GoodGuide app helps you find safe, healthy, and sustainable products while you shop. You can browse, search or simply scan a barcode to see detailed ratings for health, environment and social responsibility for more than 70,000 products and companies. GoodGuide provides this information about personal care, household chemical, toy, food and paper products for free on your iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.


Snack App - FREE
http://www.everydayhealth.com/the-snack-app.aspx

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-snack-app/id394651834
The Snack App sorts hundreds of snacks by calorie counts – 50, 100, or 200 – and by type of craving: salty, sweet, crunchy, cheesy, creamy, and more. Just tell the app what you want, and you’ll get a list of tasty snack ideas, complete with caloric and nutritional information. Feeling guilty after your snack? The Snack App also gives you simple ways to burn the calories you just consumed.



Restaurant Nutrition - FREE
http://www.healthyandfitcommunities.com/iphone-application/restaurant-nutrition
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/restaurant-nutrition/id285180322

The Restaurant Nutrition application allows a user to easily view nutritional information about restaurant menus and track what they have eaten




Whole Foods Recipes - FREE
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/iphone/
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/whole-foods-market-recipes/id320029256
Looking for healthy and delicious food? Search Whole Foods Market Recipes for recipes featuring the finest natural and organic foods. You can search recipes by ingredients and dietary preferences such as gluten-free, low fat, and vegetarian/vegan. Every Whole Foods Market recipe includes nutritional information and cooking instructions. You can also enter up to 3 items you have on hand to find recipes using those ingredients.




I've also recently started using the iMapMyFitness, Non-GMO, and Ab Workouts (all three FREE!!).  I'm already logging exercise in Lose It so not sure if I will stick to iMapMyFitness too but I am loving the Ab Workouts app! It's simple and you can for sure feel it working!

What other apps do you use?  Any suggestions?

Is Junk Food Really Cheaper?

If you read nothing else that I've ever posted, please take time to this article by Mark Bittman at New York Times:  Is Junk Food Really Cheaper?  Really, I beg you.. read the article.. change your life.  This isn't about not eating meat, or just eating fish, or any fancy diets.  This is about eating real food AND saving yourself money.   It's so simple.  No tricks, no gimmicks, no lies.. real food, that is inexpensive and better for you than anything handed out a window to your car.

I know many of you won't take the time to read this, so if nothing else, review the below (info)graphic.  The following graphic is also included in this article. I came across this graphic today on a post from Ellen Jaffe Jones (author of Eat Vegan on $4.00 a Day: A Game Plan for the Budget Conscious Cook) and I'm so glad that she shared it. 

click to enlarge

Also, as a reminder, feel free to come over and follow me on Google+.  I've been continuing to share quick tips, resources and other articles that you might find interesting over there.  I'll been sharing other random things from real life.  Stop by.. say hi... after you read the article!!

Ecolabel Index

As I continue to educate myself and research food labels, I came across the Ecolabel Index website.  It's super helpful in identifying labels on not just food but all sorts of products.  As of the date of this post, the Ecolabel Index has 432 labels in 217 countries and 25 industry sectors.  Food, computers, fabrics and other various types items are all covered.  The search function works great and the descriptions of each label are not only in plain wording but they also offer a link to the organization / label's website.  So if you find a label on a product and you aren't sure what it means (if anything!), check out the Ecolabel index for more info.

The Downside of Learning

I keep reading and learning and educating myself and reading and watching and listening and trying to understand all that is available about food and what is going into our bodies with each bit.
It's been amazingly eye opening, but I'm learning that there is a downside to all of this learning.  Fortunately, I think it is a good downside.

I've got my brain wrapped around most of the produce issues (still working out changes in my purchasing habits but getting there) and I've cut out all meat so no issues there.  So we move onto the next big thing.  The one that I've held onto through the last eight months of life changing... fish.

I've mentioned this lightly over the last few weeks or so, but I think it might have to go.  Found this article at Sustainable Sushi that was enlightening and made me want to learn more.  So it might happen.... sigh... then I'll for sure have to think up a new name for this site.

Let's talk about Eggs

image credit: Cooking Light

As a pescetarian, I sometimes think of myself as a swimming lacto-ovo vegetarian.  I'm still eating fish, eggs and diary so I've been trying to continue to educate myself on these animal based products.  While at the grocer a few weeks ago, I spent a lot of time in the egg department.  There are so many options!  Cage Free, Vegetarian, Organic.... on and on!  I couldn't sort out what they all meant.  I knew that 'cage-free' was pretty good... so I thought.  I ended up choosing the standard, store-brand, grade A, large eggs.  I really didn't know any better, or worse, so I stuck with what I always buy. 




Coincidentally, in a recent purging day where I sorted through past issues of magazines and kept only what I needed/wanted, I came across a full article in Cooking Light (July 2009) magazine that explains the egg labels.  I was so excited!  We've touched on the food label subject a little bit previously, but I was so glad to find something more regarding eggs.  Below is a brief description and reference for various labels you might find on egg cartons.






Here's the breakdown of what I think are the good ones:



USDA Organic - Meets the USDA's standards for Organic foods - birds must be cage free with outdoor access, no antibiotics given to birds or in food and must have vegetarian diet. (more info here: http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/nop)





Certified Humane Raised & Handled - This non-profit organization is audited by the USDA and endorsed by many animal welfare groups.  Requires independent verification of proper treatment of animals. (more info here: http://www.certifiedhumane.org/)




Animal Welfare Approved - program audits and certifies family farms that utilize high-welfare methods of farming, on pasture or range.  This program is applicable to smaller egg producers so it may not be that prevalent in the local big box grocery, but look for it at farmers markets and specialty groceries (more info here: http://www.animalwelfareapproved.org/)





Here are some 'certifications' that do not, in my opinion, seem to hold much clout:

The ones we have covered before and a few other labels that are thrown out there are:
Cruelty free
Environmentally friendly
Nature’s friend
No chemicals
Vegetarian fed
Natural
Naturally Raised
No Hormones
No Antibiotics

And a couple others that you (and I) might think are awesome, but are not.
United Egg Producers Certified - According to NYU, this certification is gained by nearly 80% of all egg producers.  It only means that the caged hens are allowed water and food.  I don't think that is saying a whole lot.


Cage Free - Chickens must be out of cages with continuous access to food and water, but they may not be allowed outdoors.  This one is pretty much meaningless, too.

There are several more articles available from the July 2009 issue of Cooking Light about eggs including how to save on purchasing eggs (which, again, in my opinion, might compromise the health / ethical goals of using the able labels) and several reasons to use eggs and what they do as well as a bunch of recipes.

Article: Eat less meat

A 1942 National Livestock and Meat Board ad.  Image: Brian Bennett

A quick post just to share a recent article I enjoyed at over at Grist.

Safe, organic food too expensive? Eat less meat

Michele Simon hits on a number of excellent points regarding who food, especially meat, is big business in the US.  She also offers her opinions and restates, as we are learning more and more each day, that we there is a continued overabundance of meat in the average American diet.


Here are a couple quote highlights:

"Turns out this standard American diet of bacon and eggs for breakfast, followed by a cheeseburger for lunch and steak for dinner, has resulted in an epidemic of health problems like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, just to name a few."

 "Of course, there's no guarantee that even if meat becomes too expensive, Americans will automatically switch over to fresh vegetables and whole grains, which remain hard to find in too many areas of the country. It's entirely possible that people will just eat more Doritos and Chips Ahoy instead, which, sadly, are much more readily available. "

Let's talk about.... what?!!?

Here's a quickie for you (yes, yes, pun intended!)
I came across this post and just had to share:  Vegetarians Enjoy Oral Sex More
The post has this fun, and seemingly very true quote:

While eating a vegetarian diet is good for the planet (carbon footprint reduction) and great for you (health and it is cheaper), this could very well be the sexiest.

There is also a lot of other info and resources regarding carbon footprints and further benefits of vegetarianism.  Enjoy!

Long Weekend Stock-up

For some reason I didn't realize until about noon today that this upcoming Monday is a holiday in the US, which means most businesses, including my job, are closed... YES!  Free day off!  I decided quickly that I'm going to take the extra time on this three day weekend and do a little cooking and baking stock-up and try out some recipes I've had on my radar for a while.

My lovely great-aunt gifted me a copy of the The Moosewood Restaurant Cooking for Health: More Than 200 New Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes for Delicious and Nutrient-Rich Dishes a while back.  I've found that it contains a couple pretty good sounding recipes for homemade veggie burgers that are freezable.  We've been sort of hooked on MorningStar Farms and I'm hoping to find a homemade alternative. Going to start with Spinach-Tofu burgers and see how it goes.

I also am going to try another one of Camilla's awesome snack bar recipes.  The Clif bars worked out so well that I can't wait to try black bean power bars too.

We've been on a big Greek-kick lately (when I say we, I mainly mean me; I cook it and Dan eats it).  Earlier this week I tried some new Greek Style Veggie burgers using couscous and made my own tzatziki sauce (with a bit of inspiration from Stephanie) (more on both of these later, I hope, when I make them again), so building from that theme, I'm also going to try to tackle pita bread (Cooking Light recipe) and hummus (recipe from a friend).


Lastly, I made some bean and bell pepper fajitas last week.. those have been requested to make and encore appearance on our menu this weekend.  Hope to have a full post on this awesome, quick, easy and so tasty recipe for you as well. 


I'm thinking I want to make some kind of vegan baked-good... like a cupcake.. anyone have a good recipe for a simple vegan cupcake with frosting?  We'll see if I get that far.

Food Labels

image source

The area that we live has several different options for grocery stores, but mostly big box stores such as Publix and Kroger.  We also have Food Lion, Sam's Club, Wal-Mart and Harris Teeter and are lucky to have a Fresh Market, although it is about 25 miles away (but close to my office).  I wish every day that we had a Whole Foods or Trader Joe's option in the area (Hilton Head Island, SC in case you wondered), but we do not and it does not appear that we will be graced with either any time soon.  Therefore, I have been forced to research and review as much as possible before I buy products.  Don't get me wrong, I know that I can find good, real food at the available stores in my area AND I know that every item at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's is not the perfect specimen of health food, but they would make it a lot easier. 

This brings me to the conundrum of food labels and the questions: What do all those labels mean?!?!  With the big box grocery stores that give me 37 different options for ketchup and 14 different kinds of eggs, how do I know which is the right choice for me?  When I'm looking for food that is good for my body and the environment how does one decipher between all the different claims.  Do I need organic or cage free or natural or grass-fed or Fair Trade or Salmon-Safe or certified something something?  With so many labels, a little research is for sure needed.  Are all these labels true?  Who is certifying these labels?  What are the standards? Do I need to pay extra for that?  My trips to the grocery store have become more like research missions than actually shopping.

Fortunately, I came across a great list from Grist that gives a quick-and-dirty run-down of what is important and what you can ignore.  Here's what they have to say:

These labels can't be used without independent verification: 

• USDA Organic
• Fair Trade 
• Rainforest Alliance
• Food Alliance
• Demeter Biodynamic
• Salmon-Safe
• Bird Friendly
• Certified Humane Raised and Handled
• FishWise 
• Non-GMO Project Verified
• Healthy Grown Potatoes

These should be taken with a grain of salt -- they may mean something, but they don't have to:

• Raised Without Antibiotics
• Natural
• Free Range
• Grass Fed 
• Nutri Clean Residue Free Certification
• Marine Stewardship Council

These can be used by anybody at any time and are therefore basically meaningless:

• Cruelty free
• Cage free
• Environmentally friendly
• Nature’s friend
• No chemicals
• Vegetarian fed

Grist's list is based on the full article by the Audubon Magazine that is available here.  They have advised that "[t]here’s a reason for all this green branding. Since 2003 U.S. organic food sales have more than doubled, to roughly $25 billion. The booming demand for organic foods is making greenwashing more tempting—and more lucrative—than ever before."  The Audubon article provides an explanation and description for each of the labels or (so-called) certifications listed above.

And in case you need a few more references there is a great post at Treehugger and one more from Eat Drink Better.  Take an extra 15 minutes this week, before you go shopping, and review.  Maybe even print out the list above for reference.  Not only do you want to be educated on what the truth is and what you are putting in your body, but you want to make sure you aren't paying for a BS sticker that doesn't mean anything.

Non-GMO Project

"The Non-GMO Project is a non-profit organization, created by leaders representing all sectors of the organic and natural products industry in the U.S. and Canada, to offer consumers a consistent non-GMO choice for organic and natural products that are produced without genetic engineering or recombinant DNA technologies."

Looking for real food that is not genetically modified?  Yes, in fact, there is an app for that.

source: www.nongmoproject.org

Check out the other information and resources at the Non-GMO Project's website too!  Product lists, store/shopping recommendations, history, health facts and tons more about locating food that is NOT genetically modified. 

Wow... it's kind of sad that we have to spend all this time and effort looking for real food, when we would never have this problem if we hadn't effed it up in the first place.....

Resources from the Humane Society

The internet is filled what all the information one could ever need.  Obviously, I've used it at great lengths to review information and data regarding pescetarian, vegetarian, vegan and other 'flexitarian' foods, facts and information.  I was pretty surprised, although I'm not sure why I was surprised, at the full suite of information available at The Humane Society's website regarding living meat free.

Interestingly enough, the information from Humane Society also touches on a lot of the myths that we reviewed previously.  Topics such as variety (spice up your meat-free life), flexible options (you can be a flexitarian), health (protein, calcium, and vitamins.. oh my!), desserts (Crispy Peanut Butter Treats by Alicia Silverstone!) and more are covered.  Here's a great quote from one of the articles:

"[It] doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing proposition. Whether your primary incentive is helping the environment, improving animal welfare, or addressing health concerns, you can take a significant first step by becoming a flexitarian. The term blends “flexible” and “vegetarian” to describe those who take a part-time approach to avoiding meat."

 
Also, and this is my favorite part, they offer a weekly email that will deliver to you every Friday which provides a meat-free recipe that you can prepare for Meatless Monday!  All the information that is provided on the Humane Society's website is also available in a convenient downloaded PDF information packet or the provide an option to request it via mail as well.

Myths About Vegetarians & Vegetarian Food

Earlier this week I ran across an awesome guest blog post by Daniel Koontz over at the Fooducate Blog.  While Daniel's post, Eight Myths About Vegetarians & Vegetarian Food, provides some amazing information that you might want to check out, I wanted to offer you my take on the myths based on the last 7 months of my meat-free life. 

Myth #1: You can’t get enough protein eating vegetarian food.
This has been a very large concern of mine since I have cut meat out of my diet.  Come to find it, it's not hard to get protein at all.  There are tons of non-meat foods such as grains, legumes (beans), nuts, vegetables and even fruits!  I also recently began using a new food logging program (app) that provides me with fat, protein and carb levels and I've been in good ranges over the last several weeks.


Myth #2: There isn’t enough fat in a vegetarian diet.
As mentioned above, according to my food logging program, I'm getting all the right amounts of fats, proteins and carbohydrates in my meat free diet.   Additionally, if you really want, you can eat all sorts of non-meat foods that are loaded with fat like ice cream, prepared foods, cheeses, snacks and other stuff.  Since I've been also targeting weight loss via my vegetarian journey, I'm more than happy to skip the fats.


Myth #3: Vegetarianism has to be all or nothing.
I've clearly proved this as I've self-proclaimed myself as a pescetarian, essentially a vegetarian that eats fish.  Also, as you have read over the last several months, I've had a little nibble of meat here and there.  A good way to start on a vegetarian diet is to try a few days a week, or even just a few meals.  (check out Meatless Monday!)  I am leaning more and more towards meat-free completely, but I'm still swishing the idea around. 


Myth #4: Vegetarian diets are limited and boring.
No even close to true!  I've cooked more exciting, fun and new dishes over the last several months than I have in ages!  Previously, I'd been stuck with a handful of dishes that I would make each week for Dan and I.  Now, its always something new.  I've even got a Thai Curry dish planned out for dinner tonight that uses coconut milk, tofu, noodles, broccoli and all sorts of spices and excitement!!  (I will admit that I haven't been cooking meals as much as I should but this is mainly due to our schedules.  Sometimes like two ships passing in the early evening, it's hard to plan weeknight meals together...  but really that has nothing to do with vegetarianism).  You've also seen all sorts of dishes that I've posted here so you know it is not meat loaf or spaghetti night at my house.


Myth #5: You can’t eat junk food on a vegetarian diet.
Uh, really?  The only junk food that I've had to say no to complete is beef jerky.  Chips, popcorn, candy, cookies... on and on.. all vegetarian!


Myth #6: Vegetarian food never fills me up.
This evening for dinner I cooked up a veggie burger and put that on a flat-bread with a slice of cheese, some mustard, mayo and ketchup, some sauteed onions, a couple hamburger dill pickle chips and a handful of romaine lettuce.  Not only was it amazing but I was super full at the end (and this only took me about 10 minutes to make).  Also, veggies are a super filler and because they are low in fat and calories (in comparison to meats), you can eat a TON without worrying too much about your intake.  Drinking lots of water helps, too.


Myth #7: Vegetarian culture is too weird. And I don’t want to wear tie-dye.
The only culture changes I've made this year, I think, are for the better.  I'm conscious of what I'm putting into my body.  I'm trying to take care of myself and get fit.  I'm educating myself on what is in food and where it comes from and I'm trying to look at the bigger picture of my impact on the enviorment, my community and all sorts of other good things.   And no, no tie-die and no big changes.


Myth #8: Vegetarians are freakish militants intent on banning all meat.
Not at all!  We'll I'm not anyway.  I can't really be a militant when the man I love and lives with me is a meat-eater.  Vegetarianism and pescetarianism wasn't for him, so he's gone back to eating meat and that's OK with me (but I'm working on ensuring that it is good meat only).  Don't get me wrong, I've been sharing my journey for months now and that is because it's working for me.  I haven't felt this good in years and I enjoy being able to educate people on what I've learned and discovered about myself and I do hope that some of the things I say or type might help someone else too.  Maybe even you?


**Check out more info from Daniel Koontz at his website: Casual Kitchen "a food blog focused on food philosophy, money-saving ideas and easy and inexpensive recipes."**

Could you live without animal products for a month.... or longer?

Over the last several months, I've often wondered this for myself.  Could I cut out all animal products from my diet and be vegan?  I've already ditched the pork, beef, chicken and other meats, with the exception of seafood (which honestly might be on it's way out the door too).  We've switch to soy milk (but still use regular half-half) and I'm buying more and more organic produce (while not animals, it makes me feel better).

But what about everything else?  Eggs, cheese, fish (omg.. including sushi!), butter, canned beans (see below), baked goods and more non-apparent animal proteins and by-products such as gelatin (please tell me that you do know what gelatin is made from, right?  if not, learn.) and honey.  Further?  Some vitamins, medicines, soaps and tons of other everyday items contain animal by-products.




Stephanie over at the Coexist Cafe just completed her own vegan  month long journey.  She was on a full out animal-free diet for 31 days.  She challenged herself and did amazing.  Check out her series of posts on her blog.  I'm not only super proud of her and her willpower but I am very inspired!




I'm leaning more and more towards this path.  Why?  I'm not sure yet.  I'm still working out my feelings on the topic and know that I would have a lot of work ahead of me if I was to make the vegan switch. Shit, I haven't even been able to be fully pescetarian, let alone vegetarian, so I have no idea what has gotten into me!

One thing that I learned this weekend and that I have mentioned previously is that besides research and knowledge and understanding, I've overlooked the basics a handful of times.  READ THE LABELS.  I ran into another failure on this front over this past weekend. 

Chicken and Pig and Fat... OH MY!!!

This one really got to me.  I know in the last 7 months I have had a bit here and there of meat but this was like a big, fat slap-in-the-face fail on my part.  It's not like the ingredients are in another language or that they are hidden by-products.  Nope... straight up animals.  I would expect that in all that I have learned this year that the last thing I would do is assume that a can of beans was vegetarian.  Stupid.  If I plan on moving toward full vegetarianism or especially veganism, I need to be seriously conscious all the time.  The icing on the cake... I still ate some of the dish that included these beans; yes, after I read the label.  I feel guilty.  Again, not sure why and still working that out, but unprepared for veg*n is an understatement.

Facts from Food, Inc.

As a follow-up from yesterday's post regarding the profound documentary film, Food, Inc., I wanted to share the following list of facts that was published in the film's press kit.  I know many will not have the opportunity to view it, so there is lot of info here that is directly from the film.  

• In the 1970s, the top five beef packers controlled about 25% of the market. Today, the top four control more than 80% of the market.
• In the 1970s, there were thousands of slaughterhouses producing the majority of beef sold. Today, we have only 13.
• In 1998, the USDA implemented microbial testing for salmonella and E.coli 0157h7 so that if a plant repeatedly failed these tests, the USDA could shut down the plant. After being taken to court by the meat and poultry associations, the USDA no longer has that power.
• In 1972, the FDA conducted 50,000 food safety inspections. In 2006, the FDA conducted only 9,164.
• During the Bush administration, the head of the FDA was the former executive VP of the National Food Processors Association.
• During the Bush administration, the chief of staff at the USDA was the former chief lobbyist for the beef industry in Washington.
• Prior to renaming itself an agribusiness company, Monsanto was a chemical company that produced, among other things, DDT and Agent Orange.
• In 1996 when it introduced Round-Up Ready Soybeans, Monsanto controlled only 2% of the U.S. soybean market. Now, over 90% of soybeans in the U.S. contain Monsanto’s patented gene.
• Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas was an attorney at Monsanto from 1976 to 1979. After his appointment to the Supreme Court, Justice Thomas wrote the majority opinion in a case that helped Monsanto enforce its seed patents.
• The average chicken farmer invests over $500,000 and makes only $18,000 a year.
• 32,000 hogs a day are killed in Smithfield Hog Processing Plant in Tar Heel, N.C, which is the largest slaughterhouse in the world.
• The average American eats over 200 lbs. of meat a year.
• 30% of the land in the U.S. is used for planting corn.
• The modern supermarket now has, on average, 47,000 products, the majority of which is being produced by only a handful of food companies.
• 70% of processed foods have some genetically modified ingredient.
• SB63 Consumer Right to Know measure requiring all food derived from cloned animals to be labeled as such passed the California state legislature before being vetoed in 2007 by Governor Schwarzenegger, who said that he couldn’t sign a bill that pre-empted federal law.
• Corn products include: ketchup, cheese, Twinkies, batteries, peanut butter, Cheez-Its, salad dressings, Coke, jelly, Sweet & Low, syrup, juice, Kool-Aid, charcoal, diapers, Motrin, meat and fast food.
• Corn, which is the main ingredient in animal feed, is also used as a food additive. Those products commonly include: Cellulose, Xylitol, Maltodextrin, Ethylene, Gluten, Fibersol-2, Citrus Cloud Emulsion, Inosital, Fructose, Calcium Stearate, Saccharin, Sucrose, Sorbital, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Citric Acid, Di-glycerides, Semolina, Sorbic Acid, Alpha Tocopherol, Ethyl Lactate, Polydextrose, Xantham Gum, White Vinegar, Ethel Acetate, Fumaric Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Baking Powder, Zein, Vanilla Extract, Margarine, and Starch.
• 1 in 3 Americans born after 2000 will contract early onset diabetes; Among minorities, the rate will be 1 in 2.
• E. coli and Salmonella outbreaks have become more frequent in America, whether it be from spinach or jalapenos. In 2007, there were 73,000 people sickened from the E. coli virus.
• Organics is the fastest growing food segment, increasing 20% annually.

Here's one more resource for you... I love lists!

 (click image to enlarge)

Where is the real food?

“You look at the labels and you see farmer this, farmer that. It’s really just
three or four companies that are controlling the meat. We’ve never had
food companies this big and this powerful in our history.”
– Eric Schlosser, author of “Fast Food Nation.”

 
As we enter August, I've come to realize how much I have not missed eating meat throughout the first seven months of 2011.  As many of you know, I started a journey this year with my husband (at his urging and suggestion) to adopt a pescetarian diet.  This diet is an octo-lavo vegetarian diet with the addition of fish, crustaceans and shell fish - in other words - I don't eat things with legs or wings (but technically crustaceans have legs).  My husband, Dan, made it through January and decided that this form of eating was not for him.  He has since gone back to a full carnivore diet while I've continued on the pescetarian path.

Then April came around and I decided that since I was being conscious about what I was putting into my body already, I might as well take it step further and work on getting healthy overall.  I've since been following a generally strict caloric in-take, while sticking with pescetarianism, as well as targeting at least three work-outs per week.  It's been a struggle and I'm not perfect but I've lost over 20 lbs, down three pants sizes, feel amazing and actually have registered for a half-marathon coming up in November.  I've got a long way to go to be as healthy as I would like, but this year has really been life-changing thus far.

So why am I providing you with the most recent updates on my journey?  Well, as I have changed my life, I've also tried to take the time and educate myself about food and fitness.  From books to magazines to blogs to social networking... I'm utilizing several resources to gain knowledge and learn about what I'm putting in my body.  During a conversation last week with a friend (who has recently adopted a vegan diet in order to naturally combat Type 2 diabetes) the documentary film, Food, Inc. came up.  While I had heard of this film previously, I had never actually seen it.  My friend had mentioned the a few topics that were covered in the film and I decided that I must see it.  That same night (Wednesday of last week), I watched the film (thank you Netflix Instant Queue!).

image source

"Food, Inc. exposes America's industrialized food system and its effect on our environment, health, economy and workers' rights."  It is truly and eye opener.  Now, I wouldn't say that I had previously been ignorant to some of the things that happen in the American Food Industry, but I was for sure not versed in it (nor would I say now that I am fully versed either).  This documentary provides insight into chicken and beef farming, the over- and misuse of corn, industry and government cooperative corruption, waste and pollution, human rights and several other topics.

After seeing chickens that are so pumped with hormones that their legs can not develop fast enough to carry their over-sized bodies; war-ready soybeans; cows that are forced to stand knee-high and deeper in their own waste; vegetables grown in manure that is full of bacteria and chemicals, and so many other horrible sights, the main thing that I took away from this film is that I did not want to go back to eating animals.... ever... and while I can't make that promise, I can guarantee that if I do, it will be different.

As much as an animal lover as I am, the treatment of the animals (also very tough to see) was not what hit me the hardest.  The major cord of mine that was struck is that the animals that we are eating are not real animals.  They are pumped up and full of junk and genetically modified and just not real.  It's amazing science that we can make chickens with double the breast size in half the time or cows that constantly lactate, but we are doing that with hormones that are then being passed into the food we consume and then into our bodies.  Sounds yummy, doesn't it?  This film changed me and I just don't want to do it any more.  I want real food.  This goes for pretty much all food.  Produce, meats, dairy, eggs, fruits.. all of it.. I want real, natural food.  No chemicals, no hormones, no genetically modified (aka mutilated!!) organisms (GMO).  None.

So that is what I'm going to do.. continue to change and grow and learn and improve me.  I want to find local and real food sources and eat real food.  Is it going to be easy? No way.  Will I fail along the way?  Hell yes.  Will it be worth it?  I sure as shit think so.  And of course I will be keeping you updated.  I haven't set any deadlines or end-all goals, but this will be an on going project.  The next step in a life transformation.  Oh and Dan too.  I'm just as concerned about what is going into his body as mine.

If you get a chance, check out Food, Inc.  There are several different topics covered so I think each of us would take away something different, or maybe even nothing at all, and I would love to hear your views and opinions as well. 


(More information available at Hungry for Change and  TakePart

Lunch Gear Give-Away

The folks over at Vegetarian Times are offering a drawing for some pretty nifty pack-your-own-lunch items.
Prize package includes:

1. Built NY’s Spicy Relish lunch tote ($30)
2. Kids Konserve Food Kozy sandwich sleeves ($23/set of 5)
3. Black + Blum Lunch Pot. ($22)
4. LunchBots Duo ($17.99)
5. To-Go Ware bamboo utensil set ($12.95).
Total prize value: $105.94.

The entry form is available here.
Swing over to their site for your chance to win!


ps.  I'm just sharing this because I love free stuff!  I have no affiliation to Vegetarian Times at all... just wanted to throw that out there!  Good luck!

Follow me...

...if you want.
I've been posting some quick articles and info over at my Google+ feed and decided that I should invite my readers (I think I have readers) to follow me.  Blog feed is published there but I've also been using this as a quick way to share info that I find around the web that may not be something I post about here.  As mentioned, things like articles, blog posts, random thoughts and other stuff.

So feel free to add me and +1 your little hearts out!  Profile link is here.