WIAW #29 Why Some Good Habits Can Be Bad

Too much of a good thing can definitely be bad.  Although it sounds like crazy talk, too much creamy and delicious peanut butter is grounds for an upset stomach and possibly worse. Same goes for exercise; an excessive amount can be and is detrimental to your body.

Some how, some way, we can find a special balance for healthy living, but how? Well, for me, it's a work in progress.  Having just been told to lay off the gluten and dairy has added an extra hurdle in my race to find a balance.  Not a big hurdle, mind you, since my diet consists mostly of fruits, veggies, legumes, nuts, fish, and lean meats. But it's an obstacle nonetheless.

Greek yogurt is the hardest thing to omit.  I could polish off a 32oz. container of Plain, Non-fat CHO in one sitting! Share? Unheard of! I've cut out organic skim milk and only use unsweetened almond milk and sometimes soy.  As for the Greek yogurt, my consumption is greatly reduced, but I still have some every so often.

This used to be a work week's worth supply....
*insert sad face*

My biggest issue now is the constant stomach/digestive issues I've been having. I thought it's all related to my gluten and/or dairy intolerance, but I still get pretty bad.  Sorry, Kelley, and anyone else around me!

Anxiety can be a major culprit of upset stomach issues and I think this is part of my problem too. I let work and life issues worry me way too much.  Why is that?  We have this life to live and I need to learn to just enjoy each moment without worrying about the past or future.  If you have any tips that don't include drugs or alcohol, please share.

Along with changing parts of my diet, I am trying to find a balance with exercise.  I feel I must workout everyday and the routine I'm following doesn't seem enough.  I find myself adding extra stuff before or after and constantly searching for more ways to get my heart going.  This, of course, compounds the stress and anxiety; one more thing for me to work on.

So, my habits that I thought were good in the past, have contributed to my gluten intolerance, me feeling burnt out physically and mentally, and having crazy digestive issues! How "good" is that?

What I ultimately want is to be able to have TIME to do everything.  I want to enjoy peaceful time with my wife, Kelley, just watching a movie and visiting with our families.  All while not being so concerned about what food to have or take along or how I will be able to fit in a workout.

Progress is being made, I think, and it seems to be a day to day thing I will deal with.  To the others out there, how do you tackle these issues in your life? Don't get me wrong, I'm not just some unhappy guy drudging through life, I do enjoy life and spending time with Kelley and others, but I need to MORE.

Good and bad habits aside, I think it's time for a little something we all know and enjoy....What I Ate Wednesday! Thank you, Jenn, for creating and hosting these awesome WIAW events! I've still been lacking in the picture taking department, so I'll post some new and some recycled photos.

Breakfast

Egg white omelette with bell peppers and goat cheese; Navitas Naturals Cocao powder infused coffee

Lunch

Green cabbage and spinach stir-fry with egg whites; green tea with stevia; Chocolate overnight oat crisps

Dinner

Cucumber and red pepper salad with sliced smoked turkey deli meat; Coconut protein granola; my own version of STUFT Mama's Coconut Cookie Dough Crumble. I made mine creamier and added more protein powder, peanut flour, pumpkin puree, unsweetened almond milk, and cottage cheese. So basically, it's not a crumble and the only thing similar is some coconut flour. But it inspired me!

So, things aren't so bad when you have good, healthy food and the comfort of a loving wife and family.  Luckily, I have all of those, so everything will be fine here.

How do you cope in times of stress and anxiety?

Any tips on relieving gastrointestinal distress?

Don't forget to enter my giveaway for Navitas Naturals Cacao and Lucuma Powder; it ends this Friday, 9/21!!

Happy WIAW, Have a Great Week!

WIAW #18 From Running to Lifting, Food Matters

Running created the foundation for my passion of cooking and eating all things healthy. After completing my first marathon with no regard to proper fueling, training, and recovery, I bought a book by Runner’s World called Performance Nutrition for Runners: How to Fuel Your Body for Stronger Workouts, Faster Recovery, and Your Best Race Times Ever. This book opened the door to the world of food and the way it affects our mind and body.

Each successive year I ran the same marathon with both better recovery and faster times. I eventually qualified for the Boston Marathon (twice) and ran it in 2009. The fact that I could see and feel my body change once I began preparing my own wholesome meals has turned me into the obsessive foodie I am today. Ask my Mom, Kelley, and others close to me; they’ll readily validate this judgment. 

Kelley and Me in Boston for the marathon

Even healthier cereals like Rice Chex or Heritage Bites have worked their way out of our pantry. I miss it every now and then, but Ezekiel 4:9 cereal or Arrowhead Mills Puffed Millet, Kamut, or Corn suit me just fine. And there’s always the numerous ways to make delicious overnight oats with pumpkin, whey protein, peanut butter/flour, and mashed banana to name a few.

After “running” a strict training program with little time off year after year, I became burned out on the monotony of running. Plus, I could tell my strength had diminished since I would hardly eat enough to support my 50 to 70 miles per week. To gain strength, you need resistance training and to eat more than you burn to assist muscle growth. This is referred to as "bulking" in the world of strength training.

Kelley and me after the San Antonio RnR Marathon. This was my PR at 2:53:17

I’m not good at “bulking” since it requires over 3k calories to support growth, but I’m trying my best. I know I could use it, or at least try, but since I was a fat kid up until high school, I have a fear of instantly ballooning up again. I'm getting better at eating more, but I will never try drinking a gallon of whole milk a day like the GOMAD diet used by many newbie lifters use to gain strength (as well as fat) fast. Craziness!


My current routine consists of either a 4 day upper/lower split or 3 day full body compound barbell movements. I focus on the squat, deadlift, bench press, overhead press, and bent row. I make sure to do sprints, short runs, biking, and walking each week. I have a fear of losing the endurance I built up from running, so I feel I must do some form of cardio. I also keep active by mowing the lawn with a reel mower twice a week, doing jumping jacks first thing in the morning, always taking the stairs, and even heavy punching bag work.

I enjoy my increase in strength, and know I still have a ways to go. Keeping active is the main thing, and doing something you enjoy keeps you coming back for more. Please make sure you value to importance of food quality for recovery and fuel and choose something you like doing; you’re body will thank you!

Was this post long enough for you?  How about we have a look at my eats. I’m going to just post the pics in chronological order to keep it shorter. Let me know if you like this or what you want to know more about. As always, I’d like to send a big thanks to Jenn at Peas and Crayons for hosting this ever-growing foodie event!


Happy WIAW and 4th of July!!






Breakfast

Homemade PB Protein Bread with homemade cherry chia protein jam....more than one slice was had.

No-cook peanut butter protein bars with puffed millet and corn.

Lunch

Tuna stuffed cremini mushrooms with mustard and cayenne make an awesome snack or salad topper!

Remake of my non-McGriddle I posted about the other day. Love the little honey with pepper!

Dinner

Cold Quinoa salad with beets and greens.

Homemade 3-pepper salsa. I didn't eat this whole thing, but it was the dressing on my big salad with steamed veggies and chicken. Forgot to take a picture...sorry.

Healthy Dessert that Doubles as 2nd Dinner

Overnight "Proats" with frozen blueberries, PB Crave CoCo Bananas, and CHO Greek yogurt

Green Protein Smoothie with spinach, pumpkin, and pineapple. Looks....green...but tastes great!!

Microwave Overnight Oat PB Muffin. The recipe (it's easy) is coming up soon!

140+ Ways Sugar Affects Our Health

Wow, weekends really come and go too fast! I have so much I want to do, mainly in the kitchen, but also with my car and around the house. The biggest thing I want to do is just spend more time with Kelley; I keep thinking I can finish the kitchen stuff on time, but it always gets so late by the time I’m done.


Is a lot of it necessary? No, but I make myself feel like it is and then try to take on too much at once. Do you ever fill your head with a lot of “to-do’s” and try to accomplish all of them without finishing the others? It’s just a lot of unnecessary stress.


But, on a positive note, I made some tasty baked overnight oats soaked in Zevia that Kelley really liked. I love when I can make something my dear wife loves! I bought a new baking pan to make baked doughnuts, and had several good batches using Zevia and pumpkin puree for these too. I know, exciting, huh? I will post about these wonderful Zevia treats in the near future…..stay tuned!

Today, I want to share an eye opening and exhaustive  list of 100+ ways sugar is affecting our health. This was an article posted several years ago, but the points remain mostly the same. Read through it and see if it helps sway your sweet tooth cravings if not just a little. Click here for the source link with citations.

1. Sugar can suppress your immune system

2. Sugar upsets the mineral relationships in the body

3. Sugar can cause juvenile delinquency in children

4. Sugar eaten during pregnancy and lactation can influence muscle force production in offspring, which can affect an individual’s ability to exercise

5. Sugar in soda, when consumed by children, results in the children drinking less milk

6. Sugar can elevate glucose and insulin responses and return them to fasting levels slower in oral contraceptive users

7. Sugar can increase reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can damage cells and tissues

8. Sugar can cause hyperactivity, anxiety, inability to concentrate and crankiness in children

9. Sugar can produce a significant rise in triglycerides

10. Sugar reduces the body’s ability to defend against bacterial infection

11. Sugar causes a decline in tissue elasticity and function – the more sugar you eat, the more elasticity and function you lose

12. Sugar reduces high-density lipoproteins (HDL)

13. Sugar can lead to chromium deficiency

14. Sugar can lead to ovarian cancer

15. Sugar can increase fasting levels of glucose

16. Sugar causes copper deficiency

17. Sugar interferes with the body’s absorption of calcium and magnesium

18. Sugar may make eyes more vulnerable to age-related macular degeneration

19. Sugar raises the level of neurotransmitters: dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine

20. Sugar can cause hypoglycemia

21. Sugar can lead to an acidic digestive tract

22. Sugar can cause a rapid rise of adrenaline levels in children

23. Sugar is frequently malabsorbed in patients with functional bowel disease

24. Sugar can cause premature aging

25. Sugar can lead to alcoholism

26. Sugar can cause tooth decay

27. Sugar can lead to obesity

28. Sugar increases the risk of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis

29. Sugar can cause gastric or duodenal ulcers

30. Sugar can cause arthritis

31. Sugar can cause learning disorders in school children

32. Sugar assists the uncontrolled growth of Candida Albicans (yeast infections)

33. Sugar can cause gallstones

34. Sugar can cause heart disease

35. Sugar can cause appendicitis

36. Sugar can cause hemorrhoids

37. Sugar can cause varicose veins

38. Sugar can lead to periodontal disease

39. Sugar can contribute to osteoporosis

40. Sugar contributes to saliva acidity

41. Sugar can cause a decrease in insulin sensitivity

42. Sugar can lower the amount of Vitamin E in the blood

43. Sugar can decrease the amount of growth hormones in the body

44. Sugar can increase cholesterol

45. Sugar increases advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which form when sugar binds non-enzymatically to protein

46. Sugar can interfere with the absorption of protein

47. Sugar causes food allergies

48. Sugar can contribute to diabetes

49. Sugar can cause toxemia during pregnancy

50. Sugar can lead to eczema in children

51. Sugar can cause cardiovascular disease

52. Sugar can impair the structure of DNA

53. Sugar can change the structure of protein

54. Sugar can make the skin wrinkle by changing the structure of collagen

55. Sugar can cause cataracts

56. Sugar can cause emphysema

57. Sugar can cause atherosclerosis

58. Sugar can promote an elevation of low-density lipoproteins (LDL)

59. Sugar can impair the physiological homeostasis of many systems in the body

60. Sugar lowers enzymes ability to function

61. Sugar intake is associated with the development of Parkinson’s disease

62. Sugar can increase the size of the liver by making the liver cells divide

63. Sugar can increase the amount of liver fat

64. Sugar can increase kidney size and produce pathological changes in the kidney

65. Sugar can damage the pancreas

66. Sugar can increase the body’s fluid retention

67. Sugar is the number one enemy of the bowel movement

68. Sugar can cause myopia (nearsightedness)

69. Sugar can compromise the lining of the capillaries

70. Sugar can make tendons more brittle

71. Sugar can cause headaches, including migraines

72. Sugar plays a role in pancreatic cancer in women

73. Sugar can adversely affect children’s grades in school

74. Sugar can cause depression

75. Sugar increases the risk of gastric cancer

76. Sugar can cause dyspepsia (indigestion)

77. Sugar can increase the risk of developing gout

78. Sugar can increase the levels of glucose in the blood much higher than complex carbohydrates in a glucose tolerance test can

79. Sugar reduces learning capacity

80. Sugar can cause two blood proteins – albumin and lipoproteins – to function less effectively, which may reduce the body’s ability to handle fat and cholesterol

81. Sugar can contribute to Alzheimer’s disease

82. Sugar can cause platelet adhesiveness, which causes blood clots

83. Sugar can cause hormonal imbalance – some hormones become underactive and others become overactive

84. Sugar can lead to the formation of kidney stones

85. Sugar can cause free radicals and oxidative stress

86. Sugar can lead to biliary tract cancer

87. Sugar increases the risk of pregnant adolescents delivering a small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infant

88. Sugar can lead to a substantial decrease the in the length of pregnancy among adolescents

89. Sugar slows food’s travel time through the gastrointestinal tract

90. Sugar increases the concentration of bile acids in stool and bacterial enzymes in the colon, which can modify bile to produce cancer-causing compounds and colon cancer

91. Sugar increases estradiol (the most potent form of naturally occurring estrogen) in men

92. Sugar combines with and destroys phosphatase, a digestive enzyme, which makes digestion more difficult

93. Sugar can be a risk factor for gallbladder cancer

94. Sugar is an addictive substance

95. Sugar can be intoxicating, similar to alcohol

96. Sugar can aggravate premenstrual syndrome (PMS)

97. Sugar can decrease emotional stability

98. Sugar promotes excessive food intake in obese people

99. Sugar can worsen the symptoms of children with attention deficit disorder (ADD)

100. Sugar can slow the ability of the adrenal glands to function

101. Sugar can cut off oxygen to the brain when given to people intravenously

102. Sugar is a risk factor for lung cancer

103. Sugar increases the risk of polio

104. Sugar can cause epileptic seizures

105. Sugar can increase systolic blood pressure (pressure when the heart is contracting)

106. Sugar can induce cell death

107. Sugar can increase the amount of food that you eat

108. Sugar can cause antisocial behavior in juvenile delinquents

109. Sugar can lead to prostate cancer

110. Sugar dehydrates newborns

111. Sugar can cause women to give birth to babies with low birth weight

112. Sugar is associated with a worse outcome of schizophrenia

113. Sugar can raise homocysteine levels in the bloodstream

114. Sugar increases the risk of breast cancer

115. Sugar is a risk factor in small intestine cancer

116. Sugar can cause laryngeal cancer

117. Sugar induces salt and water retention

118. Sugar can contribute to mild memory loss

119. Sugar water, when given to children shortly after birth, results in those children preferring sugar water to regular water throughout childhood

120. Sugar causes constipation

121. Sugar can cause brain decay in pre-diabetic and diabetic women

122. Sugar can increase the risk of stomach cancer

123. Sugar can cause metabolic syndrome

124. Sugar increases neural tube defects in embryos when it is consumed by pregnant women

125. Sugar can cause asthma

126. Sugar increases the chances of getting irritable bowl syndrome

127. Sugar can affect central reward systems

128. Sugar can cause cancer of the rectum

129. Sugar can cause endometrial cancer

130. Sugar can cause renal (kidney) cell cancer

131. Sugar can cause liver tumors

132. Sugar can increase inflammatory markers in the bloodstreams of overweight people

133. Sugar plays a role in the cause and the continuation of acne

134. Sugar can ruin the sex life of both men and women by turning off the gene that controls the sex hormones

135. Sugar can cause fatigue, moodiness, nervousness, and depression

136. Sugar can make many essential nutrients less available to cells

137. Sugar can increase uric acid in blood

138. Sugar can lead to higher C-peptide concentrations

139. Sugar causes inflammation

140. Sugar can cause diverticulitis, a small bulging sac pushing outward from the colon wall that is inflamed

141. Sugar can decrease testosterone production

142. Sugar impairs spatial memory

143. Sugar can cause cataracts

That’s a lot to read through, but I think you get the point….sugar is not good. Sure, it tastes good, and yes, I have foods with sugar just like the next guy; just keep things moderate and maintain a healthy lifestyle. I make sugar a treat and not something heavily consumed each dayPlus, I derive satisfaction from whole foods like veggies either raw or steamed, so I don’t feel like I’m holding myself back or anything.

I heard a mom talking about how her child learned about healthy food in school and he came home saying he has to throw away all of his foods with trans fats and other unhealthy ingredients. “Good, awesome, great!” you say? The freakin’ mom was complaining and talking about how she tried justifying the foods to her kid. Come on! Please support a healthy life for yourself and your young ones.

If you have a kid, do you help teach good nutrition or care only about convenience? I don’t like telling others how to raise their kids, but I urge everyone to educate themselves on this important subject…..it’s your life, after all!

Resolutions are for Anytime of the Year!!

New Year’s resolutions have become a major business for many fitness centers and “health” food producers and you can see/hear this advertised for the first 2 months of the year. I do not like setting resolutions; they usually involve too extreme of a change for individuals to stick with them. Plus, why does it have to be a new year? If you feel you need a change for health, do it ASAP…don’t wait!!

Have you made any resolutions for the new year? I promise, despite what I just said, I won’t judge. I’m even a little guilty in that I decided I want to work to get stronger this year, but that was decided before 2012 rolled around. Actually, this was right have the Las Vegas Marathon as I have been left feeling weak from just running.

Anyway, how are your resolutions (if any) coming along? I know it’s later than usual to speak on resolutions as most of the buzz if fading now, but I found a link with a great Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions I want to share.

Here is the top 10 list; this is great advice that we can all use to improve our health and overall life.

1. Avoid processed food - We talk about it constantly. The more processed food you consume, the more you’re asking your body to deal with foreign ingredients. Those ingredients, like MSG or sodium benzoate are things your body doesn’t need and may react to badly.

2. Commit to cooking at home more often - If you’re going to avoid processed foods, you’ll need to commit to preparing meals at home. Don’t forget that should include breakfast and lunch, as well as dinner. Many times, we can look at breakfast and lunch as “quick meals” that require convenient products that won’t disturb our set schedules.

3. Read the ingredient list on every product you purchase at the grocery store - There are some products, like canned beans or pickles for instance, that we can’t assume only contain the things we’d expect to find in them. Sadly that assumption isn’t always the case and the only way we can ensure avoiding those ingredients we really don’t want in our diets is to make a consistent habit of reading those lists.

4. Read the nutrition label, too - The basic nutrition information is important. We all need to understand how much fat, salt, sugar, and cholesterol exist in the serving size of any product we consume. We also need to understand what our daily intake of those things should be. So find out what’s right for your body and eat accordingly.

5. Eat your vegetables - and if you already eat them, eat more of them! Experiment with veggies you’ve never tried before. Try to make sure eating the same vegetables over and over doesn’t bore you – it’s easy to get into a veggie rut … especially if you have kids that will only eat two or three.

6. Eliminate something you already know isn’t healthy - Try to give up something for the New Year that you already know isn’t healthy for your body. Maybe you drink too much diet cola. Maybe your favorite cereal is really a sugar rush. Pick just one thing in your diet today that you know shouldn’t be there and commit to eliminating it in 2012.

7. Try to fit organic foods into your budget - Certified Organic Food is one of the best ways to know you’re avoiding things you want to keep out of your diet. While it can be pricey, there are food products you may be able to replace with organic versions that won’t destroy your budget.

8. Be careful of product names - It’s so easy for any of us to be fooled. “Natural”, “whole grain”, “smart” are just a few of the words on packaging that can have any of us reaching for them without realizing that for food it’s really not all in the name.

9. Question convenience - As we go forward into 2012, we’re all pressed for time. Life does seem to move faster now than it did before. Food marketing relies heavily on the concept of making our lives easier. Instant oatmeal, frozen scrambled eggs and bacon, rice and flavorings in a box with dehydrated vegetables. Do we really need to save time this much? The answer is different for everyone. Make sure you ask the question of yourself in the new year.

10. Remember you won’t be deprived - If you follow any of these tips, remind yourself that there’s a big world of food out there. As you remove the things you don’t want in your diet, you’ll most certainly find things to replace them with that are better for you and your family that you’ll actually enjoy even more than what you dismissed for its lack of health value.

To make these changes where you will be consistent, don’t try to take on too many at once. Maybe choose one or two of these ten and see how it goes. This doesn’t have to be for a resolution either, anytime of the year is a good time to start. Instead of a new year, make it “Starting next week I’ll…” if you need a starting point.

Number three and four on the list, read ingredients and labels on every product you buy is something I do repeatedly for every trip to the store. Although this means I usually shop alone (I don’t blame you, Kelley), it’s very good to know what you are actually eating. I cannot stand not knowing the ingredients that make up a product before consuming it. This ties into other items on the list; most manufactures care more on how their product tastes than its actual nutrition.


From this list, what, if anything, will you try to take on? Maybe you do all of these things…which one do you feel is most important?  Although food plays a major role in health, keeping active is also strongly encouraged.  Just aim to do anything that elevates your heart rate for 20 to 30 minutes a day if nothing else.  It doesn't have to be something you don't like; try walking, cleaning house, riding bike, playing with your kids outside, jump rope, use a push mower, anything!

Take the weekend to decide and hopefully you will find this useful to help you, your friends, and family to take on a healthier lifestyle while still enjoying real, tasty food.