Dragon boat racing has a long and interesting history, if you’re curious, learn more here: http://bit.ly/coP2w7

Over 30 teams will compete on ornately decorated dragon boats propelled by 20 members: 18 paddlers, 1 drummer, and 1 flag catcher. I’m one of the 18 paddlers.

My husband and I were introduced to dragon boat racing by one of his former co-workers. This will be our 3rd year as members of the “Dragon Pirates”; here’s YouTube footage from one of our 2007 races (the team participates in several throughout the day, moving on or not based on wins/losses) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uu8VUdS-5U.

This year I’m proud to be a sponsor of the team through my company, NutriFit, Inc. We’ll display the company logo and website on the back of our shirts, and the team doesn’t know it yet, but I’m leading some warm up drills before we hit the boats. Paddling full throttle the length of the race without warming and loosening up could be a recipe for disaster - and we can’t win with injured pirates!

Upper body, particularly shoulders, chest and back, and core strength are the driving forces that propel us along the race route. Women naturally lack significant upper body strength, but a consistent strength training routine of shoulder presses, lateral and front delt lifts, bent over rows, and lat pull downs are good exercises for creating a strong base to build greater strength from. I’ve upped my routine over the last couple of weeks, adding in some rotational work and rotator cuff exercises.

Combine strength training, teamwork, a will to win, a strong drum cadence, lots of fluid and plenty of energy bars http://bit.ly/9xbJfF (which I’d best get to baking), and we’re set.

If you’re in the Chicago area, come cheer us on! Supporting literacy by racing up and down the Chicago river with a dragon-headed boat full of friends is a fun way to help bring attention and awareness to a cause that’s near to my heart. The ability to read opens minds, possibilities, and windows of opportunity - can you even imagine if you couldn’t?

Fast forward through what in October 2010 will be 20 years of married life, and he maintains the status quo. Although I would say he’s taken it up a notch. Before we were married, and during the early years of our married life he ran, biked, and worked out at the health club - like lots of people. But this Saturday he will compete in his 8th triathalon, the Evergreen Lake Triathlon in Normal, IL http://bit.ly/90pQl7 - which is not like lots of people!

Although I’m a personal trainer and run my own private personal training and fitness studio, I don’t train my husband; but I am in charge of feeding him - my other professional specialty! How do I keep him fueled, healthy, and ready to compete? Two words; real food. And plenty of it.

With the exception of the GU and electrolyte drink he uses on the bike, I don’t feed him special supplemental foods, protein drinks, or gimmicky sport specific items. I cook and we eat foods that most everyone has in their pantry. The exception that I take with our food is that I go for “nutrient-density” for the calorie buck. In other words, empty calorie foods don’t really make either one of us feel very good (and who needs that?), but it’s not to say we’re living on sprouts and water, for heaven’s sake. 

I prepare whole wheat pasta, a variety of rices, from brown to jasmine to basmati to wild, high fiber, low sugar cereals - with a strong leaning toward oatmeal (not flavored and not in a packet), high fiber, whole wheat breads, English muffins and pita, heart healthy spreads and oils, organic non-fat milk, yogurt, and kefir, dried beans of all sorts, from black to garbanzo to butter, and lentils of red and brown, salmon, shrimp, and scallops, tofu, tempeh, and eggs, a wide variety of nuts, and a steady intake of 70% dark chocolate. Not to mention that there is near panic when our enormous fresh fruit bowl is close to empty and the veggie bins in the fridge are looking lonely - there’s fruit and/or a vegetable at every meal.

I love to bake, and my repertoire consists of whole grain fruit and nut cookies and fruit-based desserts like crumbles, crisps and cobblers. See, that doesn’t sound like punishment does it?

One final note; no one eats a perfect diet, not even in the home of a dietitian! But making healthy, nutritious food a priority, eating to fuel your life and your sport, and home-cooked vs. restaurant food helps balance out those occasional trips for a summer after-dinner ice cream. . .DQ anyone?

But any hope I had that this restaurant might follow the true tradition of Italian food was lost when I read this description of one particular dish on their menu, “Sausage, meatballs, pepper and mushrooms in a rich marinara over penne pasta and baked with mozzarella and parmesan cheese. You eat it all and receive a Free _____ Tee Shirt!” Seriously?! Come on, there isn’t a restaurant in the entire country of Italy that would offer someone a free tee shirt in exchange for hedonistic gluttony.

I’ve intentionally removed the restaurant’s name, as my goal is not to bash the place. But even if it were, I somehow doubt it would matter much; the place was packed with diners who appeared completely nonplussed at the sheer volume of food they gleefully gobbled off groaning plates.

Here’s the crazy part. One of the diners in my party (yes, a family member for heaven’s sake) ordered that exact dish. In their defense (this person shall remain nameless), the “orderer” was not expecting what showed up and they most certainly didn’t come anywhere close to “eating it all”.

Now, considering my profession, some people who dine at the same table as me get a little “confessional” about their meal choices. I always remind them that I’m not the food police, and please, how fun is it for me to be labeled that unfairly?? Well, the same held true in this situation. Really, what would I even say?  

But I did take a photo - and warned my fellow diner that they’d never know where the pic might show up! And here it is, albeit a little blurry, for your viewing pleasure.

Afterward, what remained was packed up and taken home to serve as a meal for two the following evening. And even after THAT there was enough left that it could be packed into a freezer container for later - yikes! Thoughts?

Maybe if people knew that cabbage is truly delectable when prepared well, little cabbage patches would spring up all over the country. Especially now that it’s spring planting season, cabbage plants are a perfect garden addition to consider.

I cooked up a batch of sauteed green cabbage and sliced onion just last night. I always prepare it in my huge cast iron skillet - love the even heat and the way the food gets gorgeously brown.

Maybe if people knew just how powerfully nutritious cabbage is, they’d rush right out, snatch a couple of heads from the produce department and start shredding, sauteeing, mixing with dressings, and devouring the stuff with wild abandonment.

My friend David Grotto, RD notes in his fabulous book, “101 Foods That Could Save Your Life!” http://www.101foodsthatcouldsaveyourlife.answerstv.com/AnswersTV/index.aspx that that cabbage, as a member of the crucifer family is rich in phytochemicals called glucosinolates, indole-3-carbinole, isothiocyanates, and sulforaphane, which may protect against cancer. Cooking reduces these helpful compounds somewhat, but hey - if it’s cook it or don’t eat it, by all means, fire up the stove and try my method!

Cut the cabbage in half lengthwise and cut out the tough center core. Thinly slice the cored cabbage. Peel a large onion, cut it in half lengthwise and thinly slice it. Heat the cast iron skillet, drizzle in olive or canola oil and add the two sliced vegetables. Give them a stir to coat with the oil, then sprinkle in freshly ground black pepper, salt, and about a teaspoon of sugar (yes, sugar). The sugar nudges along the carmelization process, it’s sort of like the secret ingredient. Mix it all together, let it cook for about 15-20 minutes stirring every 3 minutes or so, until everything begins to get brown, carmelized, and soft.

I serve this as a side dish with everything from pizza to veggie burgers (actually, I like it ON my veggie burger) or piled into warm corn tortillas with a bit of melted cheese for a delectable veggie taco - yum.

Cabbage and onion before cooking

Cabbage and Onion AFTER Cooking

National Nutrition WEEK became a month-long observance in 1980 - long before I earned my registered dietitian title. I think that observing the power and importance of good nutrition for an entire month is not a bad idea at all. In fact, nutrition has become such an important and hot topic that every month, practically every DAY, brings new conversation and scientific findings.

The 2010 theme is “Nutrition From The Ground Up”. Of course that makes me think about fruits and vegetables that will soon be planted in the ground (it being practically spring and all) and the return of farmer’s markets (this being Chicago we are forced to take a haitus).

It also makes me think about nutrition as a foundation for health. Now if that doesn’t sound like a true dietitian I don’t know what does. All joking aside, feeding your body healthy, nutritious food is one of the best ways to take care of yourself. If you don’t do it - who else will?

So why not use the month of March to take stock of your nutritional habits; identify one or two that could use some healthy attention to make them better and “spring” into action to do just that.

Happy Nutrition Month!

I adore it. The same way that some people crave a good steak, I crave tempeh - go figure. Its taste profile is based in umami (more about that in another blog entry, but suffice it to say it’s the opposite of a sweet tooth).

If you eat a vegetarian or vegan diet, tempeh is your “go to” meat substitute; it’s whole soy, with 10 grams of protein, 4.5 grams of fiber, and significant amounts of calcium and iron per 4 ounce serving.

I like to slice a cake of tempeh horizontally into 1/2 inch pieces, pop them into a hot cast iron skillet with a bit of olive oil and black pepper, and cook until both sides are brown and crispy. I find that 1/2 cup of water mixed with 1 tablespoon of low-sodium soy sauce poured into the pan just as it begins to dry out (tempeh tends to absorb the oil) lends just the right level of flavor. Let the tempeh sit and bubble away in the water/soy sauce bath until all of the liquid evaporates; then let the tempeh cook a few minutes longer until it’s deliciously browned; if you can wait.

Serve on toasted whole grain bread (homemade if you can swing it), smothered in a mix of sauteed onions, mushrooms, and cabbage. Melt low-fat cheddar on the bread as you toast it, then smear on Dijon mustard and a touch of horseradish before piling on the veggies and tempeh (thanks to Deborah Madison for the inspiration).

I don’t make New Year resolutions, but my GOAL for 2010 is to blog on a regular basis; no less than twice per month. There. I’ve said it out loud, so it will definitely happen, right? Enjoy my 2010 kickoff blog, and a happy, healthy, delicious 2010 to all!

MUSCLE UP SMOOTHIE:

1 cup reduced-fat chocolate milk (can use soy milk)

1 banana, sliced (freeze it for an extra-creamy drink)

1 tablespoon natural peanut butter

In a blender, puree all ingredients until smooth and creamy. Serve immediately. Calories 330, Protein 13 g, Carbohydrate 52 g, Fat 8 g.

SOYLICIOUS FRUIT SMOOTHIE

2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate (yep, scoop it right out of the container)

1/2 cup frozen strawberries, unsweetened

1 cup vanilla soy milk

In a blender, puree all ingredients until smooth and creamy. Serve immediately.

Calories 182, Protein 6 g, Carbohydrate 31 g, Fat 3.5 g

IMMUNITY BOOSTER SMOOTHIE

1 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt

1/2 cup frozen blueberries

1 tablespoon wheat germ

1/2 cup ice

In a blender, puree all ingredients until smooth and creamy. Serve immediately.

Calories 221, Protein 10 g, Carbohydrates 42 g, Fat 1.4 g

A recent Wall Street Journal article http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704252004574455331050172834.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_MIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsSecond caught my attention because of this; “marathons are increasingly the exercise equivalent of crash diets”. That makes perfect sense to me. How many people do you know that have jumped into an exercise program rigorously and religiously in pursuit of a race (or not), maintained that activity for a short period of time, then completely fizzled out, never to don a running, walking or sport shoe again?

Exercise must be sustainable. It must be enjoyable. It must feel good, on some level. To confer optimal benefits, it must be consistent - week in and week out. If you go after exercise with an all or nothing approach, pouring your heart and soul into training and working out only to come to a screeching halt once you’ve crossed the finish line (or run into a scheduling conflict), please do your body a favor and find that happy medium. It may be a challenge at first, but over time you’ll find that doing a little bit each and every week is more beneficial than going on an exercise “crash diet” guaranteed not to last.

This is a quick, absolutely “no cooking required” (unless you consider microwaving cooking) cookie recipe.  I got lucky; I totally guessed on the measurements, but they turned out really well. Hope you enjoy them!

Cocoa Peanut Butter No-Bakes

1/2 cup oatmeal (quick cooking or old-fashioned)

1/4 cup natural peanut butter

1/4 cup shredded coconut

2 tablespoons cocoa

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Put all of the ingredients into a medium glass bowl.

2. Microwave on high for 15 seconds. Remove the bowl and stir the contents. If the peanut butter is still sticky, not melted, put it back into the microwave for 5-10 seconds more.

3. Mix well, until all of the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. Let the mixture cool briefly until you can handle it comfortably, but don’t let it cool completely. Use a teaspoon to scoop out the “dough”. Press, squeeze, and mold the dough back and forth between your palms to form 1 inch balls.

4. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the cookies on the baking sheet and stash it in the freezer for 30 minutes (or several hours if you can wait that long).

5. Store the cookies in the freezer in a zip lock plastic bag. Makes 10 - 12 cookies, but you can double the recipe and make a larger batch.

There are a couple of reasons why I haven’t seen it. First, I really don’t watch much television. If I decide to watch something, the Food Network always wins. Second, I’m a nutrition therapist/dietitian and a personal trainer. Especially after a long day counseling eating disorder, weight management, and emotional eating clients, I need to flip that switch off. Watching The Biggest Loser at the end of a counseling day is like a judge coming home and tuning in Court TV (or trutv as it’s now known).

But I don’t live under a rock, and I do pride myself on my grasp and unique mental filing system of the pop culture-related information I have stored away (some of which is completely useless but stays firmly entrenched in my brain, regardless).

So, I get what the show is about. I know that there is a very serious personal trainer named Jillian Michaels in charge of the participants’ physical condition. I know (from the commercial snippets I occasionally catch) that people cry on the show. A lot. I know (from reading People magazine at the hair salon) that previous contestants have a strong tendency to regain some (or all) of the weight they’ve lost (People magazine occasionally profiles them). I know the food they’re fed, the exercises they perform, and the entire process of the show is contained, controlled, and managed while the contestant’s real life is put on hold.

I consider myself extremely well-versed in the area of weight loss - I don’t like to use the word “expert” because that means I know everything, and clearly, I don’t. I served as a reviewer for the American Dietetic Association’s position paper on weight management. I attend regular workshops and seminars on weight management and obesity. I read the research. I talk to other weight management experts. I can connect the dots surrounding the emotional component of excess weight or an emotional eating issue - my graduate work in health psychology consistently focused on those topics. I also know that a large majority of people who lose weight DO regain it. While it’s not inevitable, maintaining the loss requires focus, discipline, and yes, work.

All of that being said, I’d like to share what one of my weight loss clients repeatedly tells me. First, a little background. She set out to create her own personal Biggest Loser environment, without putting her life on hold. She juggles an extremely stressful, full-time job and realized that she would need a team. She found me, as well as her personal trainer through a referral from a friend. With her “team” in place, she jumped right in.

She and I are  working through the reasons behind her overeating, how the “junk” that she carries from childhood and early adolescent experiences prompts her to use food as a band-aid, soother, or reward instead of fuel, and she’s learning how to manage uncomfortable feelings while regaining the power of choice and intention. She’s lost 10 pounds, and on a regular basis says, “This is what you won’t learn on The Biggest Loser, but THIS is what we need.” She’s well on her way to becoming a biggest loser, and she’s making it happen in real life.