I didn’t write it, but I shelved the idea, thinking I might use it later.

Then I studied holistic nutrition, and it occurred to me that exploring the actual content of the dinner – ie, the food – would be fascinating.

Then Michael Pollan came out with Omnivore’s Dilemna, which has a similar premise. Now if I write “Dinner” it will look derivative. Michael, seriously, I thought of it a while ago!

And I think the concept is incredibly relevant. So many of us who have embraced, or who are in the process of embracing, a healthier lifestyle, had to take a serious departure from our family’s approach to food. I grew up in a vegetarian household – and by that I mean hardcore vegetarian, as in only dairy products were consumed. No eggs, no fish, and certainly no chicken or meat. Food was discussed often and extensively, but it was present in the house mainly in the form of (vegetarian) takeout, candy, frozen yogurt and processed foods like cereal and granola bars. I don’t write this to point the finger at my parents, but rather to explain the nutritional landscape of the house I originated in, and why food then became such an important force in my life. The way I ate growing up didn’t support me. If I wanted to feel healthy – emotionally and physically – I had to learn how to nourish myself.

I also want to honor the fact that as adults, our decision to take our health into our own hands is  an incredibly powerful and important decision. It shows we value ourselves and we’re willing to put the time into self-care. To me, one of the cornerstones of being an adult is taking responsibility. Finding time to exercise, to shop for fresh, nourishing foods and to cook them from scratch (or relative scratch) is empowering. It’s saying “I’m not relying on someone else – some company that just wants to make a profit, or some restaurant that doesn’t care about me – to throw something together, package it, and drop it on my table. I’m taking matters into my own hands, and I’m going to do what it takes to keep myself well and vital”. And isn’t this what it’s all about? Giving yourself what you need?

• A Precarious Strand in the Web of Life. A recently released survey indicates an epidemic of colony collapse disorder: last winter, over 1/3 of commercially managed honeybee colonies failed to survive. The likely culprit? Pesticides. This has enormous repercussions. Beside the fact that bees are gorgeous and powerful creatures, they also happen to pollinate most of our (non-GMO) crops. Per the article, as much as 1 of every 3 bites of food we eat comes from food pollinated by insects. These little black and gold critters are key to our global food security. Please support organics and protest the use of toxins in our food!
• Well, Not If You Can’t Digest Gluten…A position advertised as the “best job in the world” is available. Now, hang on a sec. What do you think of when you imagine the best job in the world? I imagine Anthony Bourdain’s job hosting No Reservations. Other people may prefer Manager of the Red Sox, or massage therapist at a resort in Mexico. Well, this best job involves tasting beer in London. But it doesn’t pay! Tasting lots of beer and not getting paid for it…that sounds like what most British people do anyway.
• I Love Rocky Road. So put another dime in the jukebox, baby. Check out this list of the top songs about food from the 1980s and 1990s.

After what I think was a day and a half of maintenance on the server, 9 weight loss is up and running again.

A couple of updates:

Check out my Food For Thought blog post, “How To Tell If It’s An Eating Disorder”, up later today at Natural Home Magazine.

Tune in to La Vida Low Carb’s podcast on Monday – I’m being interviewed!

Annndd….9 weight loss is not out of the woods quite yet. We still need to increase traffic. So spread the word, please, about our mission to spread the gospel of holistic weight loss!

I love that show.

Somewhere along the way I missed a few episodes: specifically, the ones in which Jane Krakowski’s character, Jenna Maroney, gains weight after a summer spent eating pizza. While the writers for her show want to use her weight to make fat jokes, Tina Fey’s character is adamant that this won’t change the roles Jenna plays. But after a disastrous disco roller skating sketch where Jenna lands in a sprawl on the floor, she stares up at her live audience and utters the only phrase she can think of to save her: “Me want FOOOOD!”

The audience collapses in laughter. Jenna glows in delight. Soon Jack Donaghy is giving her high-fives in the hallway. People are selling shirts with her caricature on the streets of New York. Jenna loves attention. She decides to remain fat so that she’ll continue to be loved.

I thought this was an interesting concept. Here were some of my reflections:

• The show addressed the issue of gender inequality in the entertainment industry (with regards to weight) to an extent. Liz Lemon announces she wants to take a stand, demonstrating that fat people (women in particular) don’t need to play “fat roles”, or roles that center around their weight.
• That said, there are a couple of overweight male writers on the show. Over the course of 30 Rock they’ve been mocked for several things, but never their extra poundage. When Jenna gains weight, one of these writers suggests fat jokes (such as the above referenced “me want food”, and even mentions that Jenna can play a “fat Hillary Clinton”. It would have been easy for either Liz or Jenna to fire a quick snarky comment his way. But they don’t.
• That said, do we really want equal opportunity mockery?
• I loved the unexpected twist that Jenna received so much positive attention for her weight gain, rather than disgust.
• However, why does extra weight mean that she ends up as just another caricature?
• Yes, I’m overthinking this. I know it’s a comedy. But it’s hard not to notice that the three main women on this show – Liz, Jenna, and Cerie -  are all slim and beautiful (although Tina Fey’s beauty is downplayed) while the male characters range from funny looking to creepy looking to plump to thin to handsome.

Did you see these episodes? What were your thoughts?

Clearly, Seth is able to “have just one”. Others are not so lucky.

When you overstimulate your brain pleasure centers, your brain adapts by being less responsive, requiring ever more stimulation to achieve positive effects. This is one of the mechanisms of addiction.

What came to your mind when I said “addiction”? Was it drugs? Alcohol? Gambling? Perhaps it hasn’t occurred to you that food can be addictive. A new study shows that it is. Rats fed junk food quickly developed the compulsion to overeat, even when their buffet was paired with electric shocks. When researchers removed their preferred snacks and replaced them with a nutritious diet, the rats refused to eat. In short:

“…[T]he development of obesity coincides with a progressively deteriorating chemical balance in reward brain circuitries. As these pleasure centers in the brain become less and less responsive, rats quickly develop compulsive overeating habits, consuming larger quantities of high-calorie, high-fat foods until they become obese. The very same changes occur in the brains of rats that overconsume cocaine or heroin…”

This rat may have been indulging in more than “The Occasional Donut”.

Bottom line? Everyone’s body reacts differently. You’ll know if you’re one of those fortunate folks who can have a Krispy Kreme once a month – or if the mere scent of Dunkin’ Donuts turns you into a raving, drooling, crackhead. For those of us who fall under the second category, the above study offers validation. It’s not just a matter of willpower, although that’s an important factor. It’s a matter of biochemistry. Seth, enjoy a jelly-filled for me. Oh, and a Boston Creme. And a plain with chocolate frosting and sprinkles. And a cruller, while you’re at it.

There were a couple of remarkable things about this hike. First: 45 mph winds, which almost prevented us from going. Good thing my boyfriend encouraged us to “just get up into the trees”. Second: hummingbirds. Two. Swooping and dive-bombing each other, their wings blurring with their frenetic motion.

Ah, who am I kidding. This hike was not that exciting. We’ll have to make up for it on Memorial Day.

If you’re in the NYC area and seek an intuitive, yet challenging personal trainer, hit her up at johanna.thomsen@gmail.com.

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When most people hear the word “exercise,” they think of gyms, treadmills, stairmasters, running, and machines.  These options appeal to some of us.  There are people who really value the role of their gym in their fitness routine, and for whom long runs clear the head and keep their bodies in peak physical form.

Then there are the rest of us.  Even as a fitness professional, I joke that I am a non-practicing member of my gym.  I pay monthly, but don’t attend, so I may even be a patron at this point.  I don’t enjoy the machine circuit, and although I know it to be true, I think that the “runner’s high” passed me by, and all I feel is the “runner’s why…am I doing this to myself.”  Maybe you, too, feel that the popular views of what it means to exercise either hurt your body, are not enjoyable to you, or are part of a routine that you find yourself unable to sustain.

Stephanie talks a lot about how your physical and emotional makeup factor in to how you eat and care for yourself.  Those same factors also determine how you exercise best. It may take some trial and error, and a lot of patience, but there is a form of motion and resistance out there that will feel great and bring with it enormous health benefits as a bonus!

Each of us is shaped differently, both inside and out.  We all carry different injuries – physical and emotional – that need to be honored in our search for the right fitness outlet.  

• If music makes you want to move, consider finding a dance class at a local studio.  If you want to really feel the ground and connect in with something inside of you that longs to shake and jump when you hear drums, try African Dance.  If you like structure and routine, building upon skills, and are looking to increase your flexibility, a beginner’s ballet class might be the ticket.  If you want to enjoy your curves, and learn to really isolate different muscle groups, I’d recommend belly dancing. 
• Do you just want to be outside whenever possible?  How about hiking or biking?  Both of these can be done at whatever level feels good to start, and then you can see where it takes you. 
• Are you a water person?  Is there a pool that you could join or a body of water nearby suitable for swimming? 
• Do you enjoy exercising as part of a group?  There are countless classes out there targeted towards group fitness.  Try spinning, strength & cardio, Zumba, or aerobics. 
• If you’re looking to clear your mind while you strengthen and tone, there are several different styles and schools of yoga.  Talk to some studios are hear what they have to offer, and then try out a few techniques to find the one that matches you best. 
• Do you want to do something in your home?  Start with a set of light hand weights and a jump rope.  With these simple and easy-to-store items, you can give yourself a challenging and rewarding workout. 
• And then there’s walking.  Just get outside, warm yourself up at a comfortable pace, and then pick up your stride as you take in the fresh air and everything around you.  The greatest thing about walking – you can do it anywhere!   

Baby and Johnny really liked exercising.

While my suggestions are based on very general guidelines, it is important that you speak with your healthcare professional before starting any new fitness routine, specifically if you have pre-existing health challenges.  Additionally, I highly urge each of you to really listen to your inner voice and your body, and to ease into whatever you try slowly, testing your limits gently and with great care.  If one thing doesn’t resonate but you think you could try again – try.  It may grow on you as you move through the initial frustration stage of trying something new.  If you know immediately that’s it’s not for you, that’s okay too.  There will be something else that you’ll come upon and you’ll know when it feels right.  The key is sustainability – finding out what you can keep as a steady practice without a sense of dread, or shame-based motivation.  Once you find that one thing – or a combination of things – that fits into your life and bring you joy and release, you have found what moves you.

30% raw. Protein sourced from brown rice, yellow pea, and hemp. 100% of your RDA of all of your vitamins and minerals…plus Omega 3, probiotic, maca and chlorophyll. Sweetened with Stevia.

What’s not to love?

VEGA Whole Food Health Optimizer is a nutritionally-dense on-the-go meal, which is good for me, cause I’m usually on-the-go. And it’s tasty, which is rare for such a healthy product. I like to blend the Berry flavor with coconut milk and add raw cacao for a choco-berry smoothie.

2. Natural Home Magazine.

Healthy home and living tips, gorgeous layout, amazing writers.  You can’t beat the giveaways…anyone want a motorcycle? Puts my measly Energy Bar contests to shame. And it doesn’t hurt that I am now blogging there weekly at Food for Thought.

3. Edible Front Range Magazine.

Edible Communities is a magazine network with branches all over the country. These publications cover the local food scene, from interesting restaurants to gardening practices to ranches and farms. And they’re free. Here in the Boulder – Denver – C-Springs area we’ve got Edible Front Range. Check out “Praise the Lard”, my article in the Spring edition of EFR.

4. Eating Fat to Burn Fat.

If my statement confuses you, read this incredible book:

This book is a great primer on why saturated fat is not only necessary, it’s CRUCIAL for optimal health…and weight loss.