July 2017 – Kean Nutrition

“Actually, I’m a dietitian” and Avocado Toast

Mondaysss…Am I right? Happy National Avocado Day!

I wanted to verbal to NP_ Chi this morning, but I just couldn’t. One of my Instagram friends and a friend currently staying in Oak Park were going (and trying to get me to verbal). I wanted to go. I even packed my clothes and food. When my alarm went off, I just didn’t get out of bed. I didn’t feel like getting sandy this morning and I feared too much shoulder calisthenics (due to current injury). I opted to hit snooze…..ZZZZZZ

I could beat myself up for missing a workout and probably a really fun one at that. Sure, I missed my friends and a great workout, but I had to do what was right for me. Instead, I stayed home, stretched, enjoyed a cup of coffee, and went to work. (Side note, I did find out that there was a lot of shoulder exercises, so I think I made the right choice. hehe).

In the parking garage, I met a man in the elevator that was carrying a blender. Before, I even got to ask me about the blender. He started telling me about his morning. He had accidentally left his keys on the roof of his car, last night. I asked if he was tired. Hey- isn’t that us all sometimes- we all get tired, rundown, and leave things on the roof of our car (or some other absent-minded thing)? It’s important to take note when you’re tired and hopefully make changes. Sleep is important, y’all. It’s important, you know you know it. You don’t need me to explain it to you.

So what about that blender? I asked about the blender- apparently his workplace is having healthy challenge. I said, “Actually, I’m a dietitian.” Excitingly, he knew what an RD was and asked if I worked at the hospital nearby. We briefly changed business cards before parting ways to head off to work. (Hi, Chris! and nice to meet you).

I’m inspired that the nutrition field is changing and glad to know that people are taking charge of their health. So all in all, it was an inspiring Monday Morning!

Bonus- our office was having an avocado toast bar in celebration of National Avocado Day. I thoroughly enjoyed 2 pieces of avocado toast (as pictured).

Anyway, I think my point was that it’s important to be mindful. Be mindful, take mindful movements for you. (I often need the reminder).

P.s. My run will happen later as well as book club on an excellent book called Peak Performance by Brad Stulberg.

P.s.s. This is also for you people that thought I didn’t like avocado toast. I don’t not like, I’m just tired of seeing it all the time on IG and eating it myself a lot. (I need more variety in my diet). I love avocados! They contain healthy fats, fibers, potassium and other vitamins & minerals, but I probably won’t be eating any more avocado toast for a couple days. 🙂 #keepingitreal

Coffee Overdose

So about my birthday weekend 2017…..I may have overdosed on the coffee. I try to keep track of coffee/ caffeine intake, since I’m sensitive to it; but it’s tricky sometimes.

It was the perfect storm, lack of sleep, wanting caffeine for performance, and trying to stay awake. It started Friday morning. After November Project, I got some coffee at Panera Bread, then at the gym I got some coffee, coffee at work, and a frozen coffee bar at Trader Joe’s. I made it through Friday unscathed, but you can see that was a lot of coffee; upwards of 7 cups. Saturday- coffee before the 8k race, free dunkin coffee shots, 20oz large cold-brew on an empty stomach….and down for the count. My symptoms- elevated heart rate, dizziness, headache, and the caffeine shakes. My only option was to wait it out. Hydrating and eating well can help deal with the symptoms of too much caffeine, but only time will flush the caffeine from your body. Caffeine is metabolized by the liver, so you just have to give your liver time to work. I rested for the rest of Saturday and survived.

Don’t worry, I’m still drinking coffee. I just had to get back to my regular intake (2-3 cups a day). 1 cup in the mid-morning, 1 cup mid- afternoon, and another cups and/or caffeinated gels on the weekend.

Coffee has lots of health benefits. In normal amounts, its hydrating, can boost performance, and extend your lifespan. Coffee can boost performance, but be sure to try it out. Caffeine can cause nervousness and the jitters, especially if you aren’t use to it or sensitive. Usually 1-2 cups of coffee is sufficient to keep you alert and boost performance.

Tips to keep track of coffee/ caffeinated drinks:

Stick to schedule! Drink coffee at regular times i.e. 10am, before a workout, etc.
Sneakier foods- chocolate, tea, frozen coffee bars, etc. all have caffeine and need to included
COLD BREW- aka devil iced coffee. It’s great. My favorite, actually; however due to processing it does have more caffeine per cup than regular coffee. This varies per brand, so just be careful.

Here’s some information.

Smoothie Bowls

I’m passionate about smoothie bowls…and often their ridiculousness. Smoothie bowls seem and look so healthy, but often they are deceiving. I recently came back from a run and started ranting about smoothie bowls. Although to be fair, I often rant about many things after a run; something about the endorphins, I suppose.

Let’s talk about smoothie bowls…

Instagram famous, they are, those gorgeous smoothie bowls. They’re packed with health- Superfoods, Antioxidants, and Omega-3s! So, of course, they’re the ultimate health food, right? Errmmm….maybe not.

Pros– I love the crunchies (toppings- nuts, seeds, fruit, etc.) and the fact you EAT a smoothie bowl. Studies have shown that eating and chewing can help signal your brain that you’re full. So you’re more likely to listen to your body and know when it’s full. Satiety is important to know the right amount of food to eat.

Cons– Often smoothie bowls are very large portions with high calorie ingredients. Made with lots of fruit, granola, nuts & seeds, smoothie bowls can have lots of sugar and calories. While, fruit is good for you, overdoing it, isn’t good for you. I’ve seen smoothie bowls on menus with more calories than a meal! There often isn’t much protein, so it’s not a great choice for athletes or as a meal replacement. If you want a smoothie bowl to be a complete meal, make sure it has protein (look for dairy or plant based proteins).

Solutions:

Ask questions! Don’t be afraid to ask restaurants- what’s in your food and how they make it. I was recently a “secret shopper” at a cafe and the employee tried to explain to us, the base of their smoothie bowl. The base was banana, acai, and chaga tea. The acai smoothie bowl was served in a giant overflowing a container. I can only guess there was 2-3 bananas and lots of acai berries. If eating a banana by itself, I can usually only eat one; they’re very filling to me. Chaga tea is apparently medicinal mushroom tea, which seems a little over- hyped since there’s not much research on it (and also how much was really in the smoothie bowl).

Sharing! Large cafe acai smoothie bowls are be great for sharing between 2 people!

Make smoothie bowls at home! Pre-portion the ingredients and think about what you would normally eat. Would you normally eat 1 banana, 1 cup of yogurt, 1/2 a cup of berries, and some nuts? Then do that and make it a smoothie bowl. Make your smoothie bowl your own. Own it. Own your smoothie bowl.

Simple smoothie bowl recipe

1 cup of base (kefir, yogurt, milk, almond milk, etc.)
1/2-1 cup frozen berries, mangoes, pineapple, etc.
1/2-1 frozen banana
optional 1 single-serve packet of acai (trader joe’s)
Toppings- 1/4-1/2 cup granola, hemp seeds, chia seeds, etc.
Superfoods- experiment with 1 superfood at a time. Keep it simple is my motto. Goji berries, blue-green algae powder, kale, etc.

Also, check out these balanced smoothie bowl recipes.

Don’t fall into the hype of smoothie bowls! Many are hyped to be full of health, with an expensive price for frozen fruit. Instead, look for smoothie bowls with protein and properly portioned for you!

P.s. if you’re in Chicago, check out the Lifeway Kefir Shop. I’m thankfully to work for a company that supports health and doesn’t fall into the smoothie bowl hype. LKS’s smoothie bowls are all nutritionally-balanced with a few fruit servings, superfoods, and boast 20-37 grams of protein per bowl.

Accepting Myself

That Pink Shawl & White Tank Top

I remember the first time someone commented on my body. Middle school. We were in the hallway. I was wearing jeans, a white tank top, and a pink tie-up shawl. A boy (that I liked, of course, making the situation worse) called out to me. He told me that I shouldn’t be wearing the white tank top & pink shawl combo, because I was too fat. The boy and his friends laughed down the hallway; I quickly entered a classroom and tried to pretend it didn’t happen. But, of course, it did happen.

I never wore that pink shawl again. I had picked it out at my second favorite store (Aeropostale) and looked in the mirror numerous times. I thought it made me look good (and slimmer). My mother even confirmed it was a good outfit. It was difficult to explain to my mother, why I never wore the pink shawl again. It was tossed into the back of my closet and later donated to Goodwill. I just tried to claim that I didn’t like it anymore. I never shared the whole story. (Sorry, mom. I apparently wasn’t ready to talk about it).

I still recall this whole experience with a very clear memory. I know this about how it’s impacted future experiences. I still avoid white tops and shawls….which I may have just realized. Now, that I’m older (and wiser?), I have more a “f**k it attitude,” you can either accept me as I am or not. Which is exactly what I told the boy that asked why I didn’t have 6-pack. Because, I accept myself and body as it is, right now.

It’s interesting how it’s taken becoming a runner and yogi to accept my body. Research supports this; just 30 of minutes of exercise can change how you see yourself. 30 mins of exercise and you’ll feel stronger. Now, I am more focused on what I can do rather than how I look. My goals will always be focused on wanting to be stronger, run faster, be more flexible, etc., rather than just looking good. It’s important to be present and accept myself in this moment.

Lane 9 Project

I recently came across the Lane 9 Project, which really resonates with me. The Lane 9 Project is a community of active ladies and lady activists speaking out about women’s health, nutrition, fertility, and running. I support their mission and follow them on the social media. Being a part of Lane 9 makes me feel like I can talk about my own body image and health issues (look for more to come). Last month, we (Lane 9 in Chicago) had a meetup in coordination with the Sports Bra Squad Day Run. We ran, walked, and coffeed. We talked about body image, running, and nutrition.

P.s. I’ll be hosting another run and meetup in Chicago next weekend. If you’re in another area, check out the socials for other meetups. Also, sign up for their newsletter, it’s loads of fun! The memes are my favorite.