New Healthy Eating Plate

General consensus when the USDA switched from the pyramid to the plate in suggesting what Americans should be eating was that it was an easier to understand image. The previous rainbow pyramid with the figure walking up the side to represent being active didn't exactly inspire anyone. However, I thought that the new plate image didn't go quite far enough in suggesting healthy eating options. Luckily, I wasn't the only one who had that thought! Harvard School of Public Health has unveiled their Healthy Eating Plate to make it even more clear what healthy choices people should be making when they sit down to dinner:

Copyright © 2011, Harvard University. For more information about The Healthy Eating Plate, please see The Nutrition Source, Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, www.thenutritionsource.org, and Harvard Health Publications, health.harvard.edu

What do you think? Will the change from "protein" to "healthy protein" along with suggestions of what those proteins should be help people eat healthier, more balanced meals? Will the fact that potatoes and french fries don't count as a vegetable scare people away at first glance? I'm curious to see what, if any, affect this new healthy plate will have. I know I've got my fingers crossed that healthier meals will result!

The $5 Challenge: Part I

A couple of weeks ago someone posted on facebook about the $5 Challenge sponsored by Slow Food USA. Here is the challenge, from the website:

THE CHALLENGE: This September 17, you're invited to take back the 'value meal' by getting together with family, friends and neighbors for a slow food meal that costs no more than $5 per person. Cook a meal with family and friends, have a potluck, or find a local event.

WHY: Because slow food shouldn't have to cost more than fast food. If you know how to cook, then teach others. If you want to learn, this is your chance. Together, we're sending a message that too many people live in communities where it's harder to buy fruit than Froot Loops. Everybody should be able to eat fresh, healthy food every day.

I completely agree with this theory - that fresh food should not cost more than processed foods. [Sidenote: we had an interesting conversation in one of my classes the other day about the fact that while processed foods might be cheaper to purchase in a store, they actually end up costing more due to the price of health care (because the foods might contribute towards chronic illnesses such as diabetes) as well as the cost to the environment. But more on that some other time.] So, I decided to host a small dinner party with the idea that I would make sure that each serving costs only $5; partly because I really enjoy cooking when there is a challenge attached and partly because I just like hosting get-togethers!

As I considered what to make for the dinner, some obvious options came to mind: pasta is extremely inexpensive, as are many frozen vegetables and dry beans. However, it's still summer (barely) and the farmer's markets are still in full swing so I decided to go there for inspiration. I overheard someone say the other day "I can't afford to shop at farmer's markets." I can see that - sometimes produce can be pricey when it hasn't been flown in from another country (which is crazy, but again, more on that some other day). Since I was on a budget, I decided to just go, purchase whatever seemed in season (at a farmer's market you can often tell what is most in season by what is cheapest), and figure it out from there. Here is what I purchased today, for a total of $15...

4 ears of corn, 2 giant eggplant, 4 pounds of potatoes, 4 onions, a bunch of carrots, and a bunch of beets

Check back next week to see what I ended up making with this bounty (your guess is as good as mine at this point)! And consider this challenge as you cook dinner on Saturday night. Even if you don't sign up through the challenge website, it's good to think about the fact that a $5 meal doesn't have to come in a box or takeout container.

Functional Frozen Foods

I had the wonderful opportunity a little while ago to spend a week with my grandparents in North Carolina. My grandfather injured his back and is on bed rest, so I figured I'd go down and see if I could help out at all. Of course most of what I was offering to do was cook and shop, two things that I thoroughly enjoy doing under almost any circumstance!

It can be hard to know exactly what to do when offering help in a situation like that, so when I got there I analyzed the situation. My grandfather was the one who usually did the grocery shopping, so I knew that fresh produce wasn't something that was coming in regularly. I also found that my grandmother, in having to deal with constant phone calls to doctors, nurses, pharmacies and such, was not always able to find the time to prepare a balanced meal for herself.

Apple muffins made with whole wheat flour and pumpkin puree

My plan of action: fill the freezer with delicious, nutritious food. I flipped through The Everything Freezer Meals Cookbook (Everything Series), which it just so happens I edited when I worked at Adams Media. There are lots of great recipes in the book that you can freeze and then pop into the oven to cook for a family. However, I knew that what I needed was recipes that I could freeze in single serving sizes and that would reheat easily (no cooking necessary besides thawing or reheating) so I focused on those recipes that were easily adaptable. I also made sure to sit down and talk with my grandmother before making any of the recipes to make sure that it was something that she would enjoy. Of course this isn't always an option if you're bringing food to help someone you don't know that well, but checking ahead of time for food allergies, or making something that does not contain most of the major allergens (nuts, fish, milk) can be a good idea.

Most recipes can translate to single serving sizes and freezing. Make sure to write on the outside of the frozen bag/container what is in it, the main ingredients, the date that it was prepared, and how it should be thawed or reheated. That way if someone other than the original recipient of the food is preparing it, they can know whether or not they can eat it (if they have allergies) and how to serve it.

Making someone food in a time of need is a great way to help. Giving someone frozen food is a good way to ensure that your help will last longer than a day or two. And making sure that what you give them is healthy is the best way of all to help - because stressful situations can be harmful to the immune system, making sure that the food you bring has fruits and/or veggies can be extra beneficial!

Eating = Love?

There are very few websites that I check regularly, but Hungry For Change is one of them. A recent post got me thinking. The article, called The Recipe for Love? Similar Eating Habits, is about vegetarian (or vegan, or "veg-curious") speed dating in Berkeley, California.

Ok, so obviously if you have the same eating habits it can make things easier in a relationship - not having to cook two different things each night or make concessions for one person or the other when meal planning. And, presumably, if you're both vegetarian or vegan you both care a lot about either your health or the environment or animal cruelty (you get the picture).

But I think the recipe for love may go even beyond that, to eating preferences. I've been on a slew of dates recently where the topic of food has come up in the getting-to-know-you conversation. One guy said he can't handle spicy food. Which makes me think of all of the amazing heat-fueled dishes we'll never share. Another greatly dislikes cilantro. Which makes me imagine eating salsa and gazpacho and pesto - alone. The real kicker though, came when someone told me that he doesn't like Thai food (or other Asian cuisines). Is it wrong that Thai food is so much a part of my life that I decided right then and there that we had no future together?

In introductory nutrition classes you learn that a person's eating habits are based on social, religious, cultural, environmental, economic, and political factors. So really it's no surprise that, if what you like to eat stems from all of those factors, you'd be drawn to someone who likes to eat what you like to eat. Which is why I think maybe the next advent of speed dating should be based on food preferences instead of eating habits. I'd definitely go to a speed dating event at my local favorite Thai restaurant. Heck, I'd probably be there anyway, digging into a steaming bowl of spicy, cilantro-laden deliciousness.

Guest Post! Dynamic Stretches for your Adductors

Your adductors are the muscles in the groin area of your legs that are tight in most people.  Groin pulls are a common injury that can result from a tight muscle and insufficient preparation for activity.

Two stretches that will improve the length in your adductors and prepare the tissue for exercise are the kneeling adductor mobilization and the lateral lunge.  To make a dynamic stretching routine pick (1) ankle mobility stretch, (1) hamstring stretch, and (1) adductor stretch.

Kneeling Adductor Mobilitization – perform 12 times each side

You will feel this stretch in the groin area of the straightened leg.  For a deep stretch, rock back as far as possible.

Lateral Lunge – perform 8 times each side

Keep your toes pointed straight and push your butt back as far as possible in this stretch.  Hold the down position for 2 seconds and then switch to the other side.

-Chris

Chris works at the Boston Sports Club in Westborough, MA as a personal trainer where he helps clients with goals ranging from weight loss to athletic performance.  He graduated from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst in May 2010 with a BS in Kinesiology.  Chris is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).  In the fall of 2010, he completed his internship in the Rehabilitative Services department at the Fallon Clinic in Worcester, MA.  During his senior year, Chris worked as a Manager and Personal Trainer at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst Residential Wellness Centers.

How Do You Meet the Moment?

Full disclosure: I work for Clif Bar. I also love the products, and the company. They're all about staying true to who they are (as in, not selling out to a big corporation), treating the environment well, giving back to the community, and of course, making delicious, nutritious bars. So, I'm obviously a huge fan of something they've got going right now called Meet the Moment. The idea behind this campaign is for people to share how they "meet the moment" by uploading a photo and adding text to it in order to inspire others. And, as if that wasn't already pretty cool, they donate $5 to your selected charity when you upload your first photo. So, what are you waiting for? Share your Meet the Moment here.

Need inspiration? Here's mine (might look familiar!):

Guest Post! Dynamic Stretching for the Hamstrings

Get off your butt and stretch your hamstrings!  When we are seated, our hamstrings are stuck in a shortened position, which leads to a great tightness in the back of our legs.  You might even be so tight that the closest to touching your toes is just past your kneecaps.

Well, what have you been doing about it?

Your hamstrings are responsible for flexing your knee and extending your hip.  If they are so tight that you cannot come close to touching your toes, chances are you are also a poor runner.  Tight hamstrings significantly shorten the length of your running stride.

Use dynamic stretches to get some length in those hamstrings!

My two favorite dynamic stretches for the hamstrings are the inchworm and squat-to-stand.  Pick one of the ankle mobility stretches and then pick one of the following stretches for your hamstrings.

Inchworm – perform 5 times

In the inchworm you get the added benefit of a calf stretch and you are working your abdominals too when you reach out your arms.  The stretch starts with your feet together and you reaching down to touch your toes.  Walk your hands out slowly as far as you can while keeping your feet flat for as long as possible.  Once your arms are fully extended, slowly inch your feet back to your hands, and get your heels on the ground as soon as possible.

Squat-to-Stand – perform 6 times

This stretch is great for stretching the hamstrings and for improving hip mobility.  Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart and toes pointed slightly outward.  Curl your toes up and reach your hands under your toes, keeping your knees straight.  Then, sit down into the stretch and get your butt as close to the ground as you can.  Keep your arms inside your legs and push your knees outward with your elbows so you get a stretch in your adductors (groin).  Keep your head up with good posture and do not shrug your shoulders…relax them!

-Chris

Chris works at the Boston Sports Club in Westborough, MA as a personal trainer where he helps clients with goals ranging from weight loss to athletic performance.  He graduated from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst in May 2010 with a BS in Kinesiology.  Chris is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).  In the fall of 2010, he completed his internship in the Rehabilitative Services department at the Fallon Clinic in Worcester, MA.  During his senior year, Chris worked as a Manager and Personal Trainer at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst Residential Wellness Centers.