Apples are pretty expensive here…and so is the lettuce. How am I supposed to survive living in this city? More importantly, eating in this city?
It has been about 3 weeks since I packed my bags and left beautiful California. The transition to New York was tough at first. Everything seemed to take longer…from going to the grocery store to traveling 1 mile on the subway. But I think I’ve done a pretty good job acclimating to my surroundings. Here is how I tackled some of my “health” obstacles.
Eating: It is very tempting to eat out all the time, especially with delicious and convenient restaurants nearby. Here are some tips for tackling the food environment:
- Try to have less than 3 meals (lunch included!) out/week to save money and limit portion sizes
- Buy fresh fruit and vegetables for a quick snack
- Make extra portions for dinner & refrigerate the left-overs for an easy meal the next day
Activity: There are no more outdoor pools and my tan is slowly fading. Here are some tips for staying fit:
- Schedule a work-out and make it a priority
- Grab a friend for company
- 5-6 days/week of some form of physical activity - jogging, gardening, swimming, cycling, etc.
Goals:
- Stay within 5 lbs of my normal weight
- Look and feel good
- Reduce stress
Lauren
September 22nd, 2007
Have you heard the new ads on TV about a new weight loss drug? Have you wondered what was so special about this one compared to countless others? I have. So here is some information I found on the new Alli.
According to Dr. Joanne Manson, Alli is an over-the-counter version of a prescription drug called Orlistat. It works by blocking the absorption of some of the fat you eat. People who ate a low-fat diet and took Alli lost about 50% more weight than those who only cut calories. BUT, Manson states, that she would ONLY recommend Alli to obese patients who have struggled for years to lose weight and have a condition like diabetes.
Side effects: Diarrhea and even anal leakage. And they can worsen if you didn’t follow the low-fat diet.
Take-home point: Alli is NOT a substitute for smart eating and exercise - you still need to do both or you’ll likely gain weight after going off of it. But if your doctor thinks medication is necessary, then it might be worth a try.
Lauren
July 20th, 2007
Two things I love about summer - fresh-picked fruit and sunshine. The outdoors are amazing. Take some time to enjoy the fresh air. My sister started to go on walks after dinner to help digest her meal. My brother takes bike rides in Marin. I’ve switched from running to swimming in preparation for the Trans Tahoe Relay in 2 weeks AND I’ve improved my diet!
Breakfast: I’ve dropped the sugary granola cereal in the morning for Barbara’s Multigrain Shredded Spoonfuls. It’s delicious with 1% milk and topped with some fresh blueberries and strawberries. Other ideas: A slice of whole wheat bread with non-hydrogenated peanut butter. I like Trader Joe’s Organic Peanut Butter…you keep it in the fridge and it doesn’t get chunky! If I’m running late, I’ll grab a pear or banana and a small snack for later.
Snacks: I’ve started buying Cliff Bar’s new line of Z Bar’s for kids (you can find them at Trader Joe’s or Target). It is a great snack right before I work out and only packs 130 calories per bar. Other ideas: Peanut butter and apple slices, carrots, or roasted almonds.
Lunch: I typically make a sandwich. I like whole wheat pita with turkey and salsa, chicken breast sandwiches with tomatoes and lettuce, or an all-vegetarian sandwich with avocado and sprouts. I also include a small fruit and some tortilla chips on the side. 
Dinner: FISH, FISH, FISH. I started buying Marinated Ahi Tuna or Mahi Mahi from Trader Joe’s and baking one fillet and freezing the other. I eat it over a bed of lettuce and tomatoes or with cous cous and a side of broccoli and tomato salad. I try not to eat fish more than 3X week. So the other nights I have chicken or I make an all-vegetarian meal.
Treats: 1% vanilla yogurt with sliced banana, oats, and raisins. For a quick chocolate fix, I break off 2 small squares of dark, dark chocolate. I also like all-fruit popsicles.
The results: In the last 2-3 weeks, I’ve dropped 4 pounds. Yes, it’s true. Maybe it’s the extra water…maybe it was increasing my exercise by a significiant amount or MAYBE it was combining a healthier diet WITH activity. Either way, I’m trying to cut the calories from alcohol and refined sugars and increase nutrient-rich foods. AND…I’m sleeping better.
Lauren
July 10th, 2007
Running is my therapy. It is my time to let go. I take in the scenery and relieve all the stress in my body.
The other day I ran on Lake Street in San Francisco and I was admiring all the houses with huge bay windows. On my run, I thought that I would love to someday own such a beautiful house with a gorgeous view of the bay. I also thought if that is something that I truly want, that I MUST stay fit.
Why? Because at some point in my life, I want to have kids. I want to be able to really appreciate the life I have built for myself and those around me. I DO NOT want to be in bad health. I DO NOT want to rely on medication. I DO want to be active. I DO want to set a good example. I DO want to see my family and those around me grow old. THIS is my motivation for running or exercising in general.
Thirty mintues of exercise per day is not difficult to fit in your daily routine. If you make an effort to set aside time towards yourself and your body, the benefits will be far greater than a nice slim figure. I truely believe this.
Lauren’s Weekly Exercise Plan:
Monday: 30 minute run
Tuesday: 40 minute run (with sprints)
Wednesday: 30 minute cycle or 45 minute swim
Thursday: 40 minute run
Friday: 30 minute run or 1 hour swim
Saturday: 30 minute run or 1 hour swim
Sunday: rest
What is your plan?
Lauren
June 29th, 2007
It’s been about 3 weeks since I wrote, “Am I FAT?” I got many comments about the entry…mainly from people who can sympathize with the feeling (and I know there are many out there).
In the past few weeks, I have transformed myself. I stopped trying to find excuses for not exercising and started a new program. I run about 3-4x week, cycle 1-2x week, and swim 2x week. I try to get AT LEAST 30 minutes of high intensity exercise in per day with 1-2 days of rest a week.
But what about the weight? It really hasn’t changed that much. I realize my muscles are adapting to the new forms of exercise and I’m most likely burning away some fat and building lean muscle (which is great!). I eat about the same diet, but recently I’ve been craving more carbohydrates and sweets. I’m learning to LISTEN to my hunger cues instead of just feeding it when I’m bored, anxious, or stressed. I drink WATER instead of juice. One cup of coffee in the morning. Breakfast everyday.
My ultimate goal: To shed my belly fat and to have a healthy body image. What are some of your own?
Lauren
June 18th, 2007
I take my hand and pinch my stomach. I grab a good handful of skin or fat. My first
thoughts: “Is this fat? Am I fat?”
This is the never ending question that we ask ourselves, “Am I fat?” Why is it that some people place their fat in their hips and others in their butts or legs? Why does my fat go to my stomach? I can blame genetics OR I can actually do something about it.
For the past month I have taken a break from swimming. I focused on finishing up college well by putting all my extra time into studying and physical thearpy. Now, I’ve lost my muscle mass (since you pretty much start losing muscle after 2 days of exercise!) and I’m out of shape.
This sucks. I weighed myself the other day and I weigh roughly the same that I did when I was swimming, but I know it’s more fat and less muscle (which weighs more). The problem is that I see gaining fat as an indication of poor health. I worry that my arteries are getting clogged and that my HDL (good cholesterol) is going down. I think heart disease, cancer, and stroke. Call me a hypochondriac…but I have this absolute fear of dying from a debilitating disease.
So my goals: This summer when I’m living in San Francisco I’ve decided to adopt NEW forms of exercise. I’m opening the doors to running and cycling (with caution of protecting my knee of course). I want to stay active and BE FIT as much as possible. I want to EAT lots and lots of vegetables and fruits. I want this summer to revitalize my body and soul in preparation for graduate school in the fall.
We’ll see how it goes…
Lauren
May 30th, 2007
Annie wrote on May 12, 2007:
“For elite athletes, injuries can be so discouraging. There is such a fine balance because in training for any sport, you want to train hard to be the best you can be on competition day. Also, if you don’t train hard enough, you risk injury by competing harder than your body is use to, therefore overextending yourself.
My son is a gymnast. As you can imagine, there are many aches and pains that go along with that. Gymnastics used to be more seasonal. Nationals is in May and after that, you used to have the summer and fall to heal up because training was less intense. Or, you just suck it up until Nationals is done and deal with your injuries.
Nowadays, the summer can be filled with Training Camps if you’ve had the priviledge of being invited to (you work hard at these to impress the Junior and Senior National coaches - which also means you train hard to prepare) . You also learn new skills, which often results in falls and are risk of injury.
When my son complains of pain, I have to evaluate each situation. I remind him that he knows his body the best and he needs to learn when to medicate, when to ice, when to heat and when to rest. It is very important if you have kids, to ensure the dialogue is open and that they know you’ll always do what’s the best for them.
My question to you Lauren, is if there are foods that help with healing injuries? What foods best work for skin abrasions? Is more Vitamin E recommended? What works best for inflammatory injuries? I understand that there is no magic food but I am constantly trying to discover foods that help the body rather than taking supplements.
Any thoughts or comments are greatly appreciated.
PS - good luck with your rehabilitation and good for you for getting out of the pool. It’s being smart, not giving up!”
Great comment, Annie. You are right. Having Robert be the judge of his level of pain will be the best for his physical and mental growth. In terms of foods that would be good for healing injuries…it depends on what type.
Healing injuries: Well it depends on what type of injury it is…certain traumas (including burns) and sepsis (infections) require major increases in protein and overall energy intake. But if you are looking at minor injuries, then I would stick with a higher protein diet, with an emphasis on fruits and vegetables and adequate fluids. As of yet, I haven’t heard of any specific form of nutrition treatment for minor injuries.
Skin abrasions: Abrasians are skin injuries that occur from falling on a hard surface. Again, I haven’t heard of any specific form onf nutrition treatment, most likely increasing protein and supplementing with vitamins and minerals.
Inflammation: It also depends on what part of the body is inflammed. If it’s internal, then it requires different treatment than if it was external. I’m assuming you mean inflammation of muscles, and in that case, I do not know.
What I do know is that too much vitamin E CAN be harmful if you take too much. Check out this site for more helpful information on specific vitamins: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamins.html
All in all, it’s a difficult journey for athletes, especially when injury is involved. Being able to really understand your body and know when enough is enough, will be the best prevention for further risk of injuries. Staying hydrated and eating a healthy diet may also improve performance both in the gym and classroom.
Lauren
May 12th, 2007
Cassie wrote on April 5th, 2007:
“So Lauren…David and I were arguing as usual and we wanted to know: What is more nutritious cabbage or lettuce? I always thought that since cabbage is a lighter green, it is less nutritious.”
According to NutritionData.com:
100 grams of green lettuce contains: 15 calories, 3g carbs, 1g of fiber & 1g protein
100 grams of cabbage contains: 25 calories, 6g carbs, 3g of fiber & 1g protein
I would have to say both are great green leafy vegetables because they each have their own benefits. Green lettuce is high in vitamin A and cabbage is high in vitamin C. It also depends on if you cook it or eat it raw. Either way, they’re both nutritious, healthy options…so indulge and eat both!
Lauren Au
April 5th, 2007
Becky wrote on March 14, 2007:
“I wake up around 8am and don’t eat my breakfast until round 10:30am. I’m not hungry when I wake up, but I know that breakfast is important so I make sure I eat it. Should I try eating breakfast earlier or is it okay that I eat it later in the morning? Will eating breakfast earlier/later effect my metabolism?”
Great question, Becky. Let me try to break it down.
According to Columbia University’s Health Services, your brain runs on glucose, which is the fuel you need to think, walk, talk, and carry on any daily activity. Let’s imagine that the last time you ate something at night is at 10 or 11 PM (not optimal, just an example). The following day, you don’t eat breakfast but wait until about 10:30-11am or so to eat — that means you’ve gone twelve or thirteen hours with nothing in your system!
Your brain will be deprived of all the nutrients it needs to function and your body will have to work extra hard to breakdown any stored carbohydrate or turn fat or protein into a usable form for your brain to function. Eating breakfast has been proven to improve concentration, problem solving ability, mental performance, memory, and mood! Thus, you will be at a disadvantage if your co-workers, teammates, or classmates have eaten breakfast and you’ve gone without. On average, they will think faster and clearer, have better recall, and be closer in meeting their daily vitamin and minerals values than you. 
But wait! If I don’t eat breakfast, then won’t I shed some pounds?
NO. Skipping meals often leads to overeating later in the day. Becoming really hungery later in the day is not good and can often lead to a lack of control and distorted satiety signals. This can result in taking in more calories than if one had an appropriate breakfast.
My recommendation: Take an extra ten minutes in the morning to sit down and have a bowl of cereal, oatmeal, or piece of toast. If you can’t afford the time, then eat on the way to work or pack an easy snack that you can eat immediately once you get to work. Breakfast in the morning will be better for your mind and body, especially since work and school may be hectic and you might not have a chance to munch while on the job.
Hope that helps!
Lauren
March 14th, 2007
My knee hurts a lot (which explains why I’m writing this entry with my knee propped up on a couch). It’s been hurting for two years off and on and now the pain is coming back. It began when I did a triathlon in September of 2005. I trained, but not enough. I hurt my right knee during the running section of the race and it never fully recovered despite months of physical therapy.
So during practice today, when my knee started to hurt again, I decided to get out before it got worse. Later it occured to me that so many athletes, let alone people have this problem of asking or not asking themselves, “When is enough, enough?” I started thinking about people around me. Some people work out too much…sometimes 3 times/day, they get injured, continue to work out, get injured, the cycle goes on and on. The same thing applies for dieting…people restrict themselves of certain foods, binge eat, get frustrated, stop, and then the cycle repeats itself.
So I regress back to my question of, “When is enough, enough?” I think everyone’s ides of what is “enough” is different. Being aware of YOUR body and knowing the proper food and activity it needs is so important in maintaining good health. Some people’s bodies don’t breakdown as easily and other’s do. Mine just happened sooner than I would have liked.
My solution is to see a sports medical doctor or someone who specializes in working with athletes…a little more money, but well worth it in the long run. Everyone is different…so find out what works best for you.
Here’s to recovery!
Lauren Au
Update: Today, I was diagnosed with Patellofemoral Syndrome (aka overuse injury of the knee). The doctor told me that I have media plica caused from extra tissue around my knee from birth that has become inflamed as well as a fat pad irritation!
Treatment: PT with focus on strengthening my core and quad muscles.
March 12th, 2007
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