Food Loves and Hate

Many children go through food phases that contain certain foods they absolutely love and those they absolutely hate. But through the years are taste buds change and those food loves become food hates and vice versa. Here are a few of mine:



Food Loves now Food Hates
Vienna Sausages
Spaghetti O's

Snow Caps
Macaroni and Cheese


Food Hates now Food Loves
Sweet Potatoes
Cream cheese
Cheesecake
Oatmeal
Squash
Zucchini

Keeping My Fork

Whenever at a dinner party or church function the person always cleaning the table says, " you can keep your fork," signifying that something is coming, the sweetness of life. No matter how bad life can get or how down you feel, one must always keep their fork. You never know what could be coming next.

Hope does not prevent me from expecting the worst because the worst is what the hopeful are prepared for.

In any arena where you are concerned about failure, the single most destructive thing you can do is nothing. One single step of action can be extremely powerful in robbing failure of it's power.

This is your life, you cannot get out of it, so get into it.

I do not know those of you reading this, do not know where you are, what you are feeling but I want to let you know, never throw your fork away!

Thank you so much to John Ortberg, author of If you want to walk on water then have to get out of the boat.

Food Raves

If you ever get the chance to eat at Seasons 52, I suggest you not pass it up. It is a restaurant that prides itself on using fresh ingredients to make perfect portion sizes. Every entree or item on the menu is less than 500 calories. A big sell item on the menu is that flat bread appetizer with seasonal flavors. I got the plum tomato and mozzarella cheese that was the perfect blend of every ingredient while also being very light and fluffy. For my entree I tried the veggie plate that contained many different veggies in small portion sizes of about 3 bites each that included: roasted red pepper topped with cranberry wheat tabbouleh, squash, carrots, broccoli, tofu with caramelized onions, grilled corn, and grilled tomatoes. My grandmother got the pork tenderloin with polenta that I also sampled and it was delicious. To go along with the theme of perfect portions, Season's 52 is also known for their shot class desserts that all contain less than 300 calories each. My Rocky Road and Tiramisu were the perfect amount of sweetness to end my meal.

My next meal adventure for my taste buds took place at a small French cafe near where I live in Roswell, GA. Roswell Pastis has the feel of a French country style as it is tucked away in the quaint shops of historic Roswell, GA. The small but adequate menu selections are sure to satisfy your European taste buds without the jet lag. I highly recommend the pizza di jour, a pizza of the day that is a perfect blend of light toppings and cheese with a personal size portion. My pizza was topped with roasted red peppers, olives, and goat cheese. The salmon sandwich with homemade crisp and rustic potato chips is a great sandwich for lunch.


On another food note, the above food porn picture is a favorite pre-workout breakfast of mine. Today I enjoyed a honey wheat bagel topped with my chocolate pumpkin puree, banana dipped in peanut butter, COFFEE!! As you noticed the peanut butter is in a tablespoon measurement. Don't be afraid to measure out portions. It is a great way to indulge yourself but keep your portions in check.

I had a great workout today that began with a easy 4 mile run on the treadmill at my local gym then went to a spin class with a new instructor. My spin class was amazing because she gave so many tips about proper positioning and relaxation while riding. I able to visualize my ride and enjoy the class so much more.

Weird Food Combinations

Everyone is different, especially their taste buds. After coming across a few discussions in other blogs about this topic, I decided to pay a little tribute to the many different food taste combinations and quirks.

Strange Food Combinations

• carrots and cucumbers dipped in mustard
• ketchup over my pancakes
• coleslaw on a hot dog
  string cheese inside hot chocolate
• toasted english muffin with butter, corn syrup, and cottage cheese on top
• pickles dipped in ketchup
• graham crackers dipped in orange juice
• hot peas in cold applesauce
• cayenne and pineapple
• jelly & egg sandwiches
• ketchup & mac & cheese
• ketchup on mashed potatoes
• egg whites and yellow rice for breakfast
• french fries dipped in their chocolate shake
• pb & banana sandwiches dipped in chili.
• spaghetti sandwiches
• sharp cheddar, chocolate, and dates together

My personal food tastes are: cottage cheese with oatmeal, ketchup over eggs, carrots dipped in mustard, cottage cheese topped with pepper, potato chips in peanut butter and jelly sandwich, peanut butter and pumpkin sandwich.

My Food Quirks - not weird, but are in my routine of how I prefer to eat certain food items

• Pulling all the toppings off a pizza, eating them separately, then eating the crust
• Pie crust is my favorite so I always eat the filling first then eat the crust last
• I do not like to have my food touch, each item is clearly separated from one another
• My sandwiches are cut on a horizontal line, not diagonal
• I pull my sandwiches apart piece by piece to eat them
• Cupcakes bottom must always be eaten before cupcake top

Work Day

Today is a 12-hour shift at the hospital for me and to be honest, I am not looking forward to it. The past couple of sleepless nights have made me tired and drained. Breakfast seems to always perk me up in the morning even when I am getting up at 4:30am.

Healthy Tip: most of you have heard that, "breakfast is the most important meal of the day." Well, it really is because it can set the foundation for your energy level and food intake for the rest of the day. I know that when I eat a solid breakfast of carbs, protein, and moderate amount of fat then I am set to go for a few hours. But when my breakfast choice was not substantial enough then I find myself raiding my pantry soon after, especially if I have done a workout. Many people who are in a rush in the morning tend to skip breakfast but then chow down and over eat on a big meal later. Better to spread those calories out through the day to keep your energy level of and hunger subsided. My trick is to eat about every three hours, depending on the meal/snack size it may be two or four hours. This trick can "trick" you mind into thinking it is taking in more calories and keep your hunger at bay.

Quick Morning meals:

• cereal topped with low-fat yogurt and fruit
• energy bar, piece of fruit (my favorites are Cliff, Luna, Z-bars)
• toast with peanut butter, piece of fruit

Have a nice day everyone!

Today I had my annual check-up with the doctor, which was so much fun. Note to self: Don't let your iron levels get that low ever again. I have known for a while that my iron levels were on the low side, nothing scary but low enough that I cannot give blood. Low iron levels have been seen in many marathon runners which is what I attributed mine to as well since I do have a high weekly mileage, an average of 35 mpw. I attempted to combat this problem by changing my diet and eating more iron-fortified foods such as cereals and more red meat. Apparently that was not enough, my iron level has drop again so I must now begin taking a supplement twice a day along with my multi-vitamin.

Anemia- Iron deficiency

Anemia is a condition where red blood cells are not providing adequate oxygen to body tissues. Iron deficiency anemia is a decrease in the number of red cells in the blood caused by too little iron. Iron is an essential component of hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying pigment in the blood. Without it, the blood cannot carry oxygen effectively -- and oxygen is needed for the normal functioning of every cell in the body. Approximately 20% of women, 50% of pregnant women, and 3% of men are iron deficient.

High-risk groups include:
Women of child-bearing age who have blood loss through menstruation
Pregnant or lactating women who have an increased requirement for iron
Infants, children, and adolescents in rapid growth phases
People with a poor dietary intake of iron

Symptoms
Pale skin color
Fatigue
Irritability
Weakness
Shortness of breath
Sore tongue
Brittle nails
Unusual food cravings (called pica)
Decreased appetite (especially in children)
Headache - frontal
Blue tinge to sclerae (whites of eyes)

Treatment
Oral iron supplements are available (ferrous sulfate). The best absorption of iron is on an empty stomach, but many people are unable to tolerate this and may need to take it with food. Milk and antacids may interfere with absorption of iron and should not be taken at the same time as iron supplements. Vitamin C can increase absorption and is essential in the production of hemoglobin.
Iron-rich foods include raisins, meats (liver is the highest source), fish, poultry, eggs (yolk), legumes (peas and beans), and whole grain bread.

Information is courtesy of Medline Plus, a service of the National Institute of Health
http://medlineplus.gov/

Quotes of the Day

"The cave is where you meet God, He will be the light in your darkness, doing His best work in you and then leading you out of the cave to show you the great things He has done." -- personal insight of mine as I was reading a book by John Ortberg, If You Want To Walk On Water, You've Got To Get Out Of The Boat.

"Strength, hard work, and determination are beautiful. Not rib cages and hip bones." -- Lemonbrella, member of Runners World Discussion Board

I had a great workout today, 6 miles on the treadmill then 40 minutes on the elliptical to cross-train. I wanted to run outside but the on/off rain kept me inside another day. Tuesday is my next day off and a long run at my favorite park is on my mind. But, 70% chance of rain may change that plan.

Healthy Tip: variety in your workouts is a great way to increase your fitness level. After a period of doing the same thing over and over, your body is going to recognize and adapt to that skill. Interchange a few workouts each week to keep your muscles in a guessing game, making them adapt to new routines. Variety in your workouts will also keep you guessing. Don't allow yourself to get bored, challenge yourself to help spark your interest.

Current Food Obsessions

Healthy Diet/Eating tip: Never make any food off limits. Trust me, the second you make it off limits, the more you want it. Eat what you crave just watch your portions. Two forbidden foods to those looking to shed pounds are peanut butter and ice cream. I know because I made these foods off limits in my 100lbs weight loss journey. It took me a long time to allow certain foods, such as these back into my diet. Since I began my obsessions with anything Edy's Ice Cream or peanut butter, guess what..... I have not gained a pound, in fact, they helped me to lose my last 10 pounds and gain some more energy to do the things I love. Simple body physics, you body needs fat to burn fat. So Enjoy!

New Desk

My new desk area that I have wanted since I moved to Atlanta. I miss having a desk, I guess that is the nerd in me. Just a little motivation to begin my studies for the GRE and then graduate school. The dining room picture is of the bookcase the was located in my new "office" area. The kitchen shot is to show off my new handing apron, a new decorating idea I have seen a lot lately. I love seeing my diploma over my desk because it is a remember of all the hard work I have put in to get where I am today.

Yummy Snack

I have always felt that creativity was not one of the spiritual gifts that God gave me but I seem to be getting more daring with my food creations.

Healthy Tip: oatmeal is a great food because it's cheap, low in sodium, full of fiber=fuller longer, and the combinations of mix-ins are endless.

Fave Mix-ins are pumpkin, almonds, coco, and any Kashi cereal.

New Blog Direction

So after 2 months of no posting I have decided to take this blog into some sort of direction. A direction that I am sending my entire life. A course of action with a purpose of being the healthiest and happiest person I can be. I have been viewing a lot of other blogs for some inspiration. Will see how this goes but it's basically going to be about me, my life, the ups/downs, good/bad that God sends my way as He transforms me continually in accordance with His good, pleasing, perfect will.

I have notice on many other blogs an interest in posting different pictures of current meals or food obessions (The pic above was a post run meal of Lean Cuisine pepperoni pizza, carrots with roasted red pepper hummus, 1c. of corn/peas). I decided to join in own this passion since healthy eating and exercise have become such a huge part of my life . As it would have to be since I have held my 100lb weight loss for 2 years now. WOW! See Above.

Posts of the future will include more foodie pictures, healthy eating and dieting tips, workout session results. Now I am off for a reading session in bed before lights outs. Currently reading James Patterson, whom I have taken a liking too. By the way for visitors of the site, I am a early to bed/riser that comes from bad sleeping genes and being a nurse. Oh how I love the sound of my alarm at 5am. So here goes nothing!