Eat Better America
	Before I jump on the elliptical, I want to share a site that was brought to my attention recently. General Mills, makers of Fiber One cereal (which is very yummy, but be careful if you are prone to *ahem* gas), has launched a campaign called Eat Better America. I was skeptical at first because I wondered what a large corporation would gain from encouraging people to eat healthy, then I read the Eat Healthy America newsletter and realized that while General Mills is of course promoting its products, it's also offering really good tips on eating healthy and getting fit. I was impressed by the recipes and the nutritional tips, and I especially love the coupons. $1 off 8th Continent Soy Milk is what reeled me in. I'm pretty hard-core when it comes to rejecting processed foods, and General Mills is a company that produces several kinds. I believe the bane of the American diet right now is 100-calorie packs. They are usually full of empty calories, high in sugar and sodium, and of no real nutritional value, but I also understand that we all need a little something to get us through a sugar or salt craving (pretzels frequently call my name, as do animal crackers, so please don't think I'm perfect in my eating). Why I'm so down on 100-calorie packs is that most people can't stop at one or they eat one every day, and these are calories that could be better spent on a few almonds, maybe an orange, some prunes, something more healthy. Having said that, I still encourage folks to check out the General Mills website http://eatbetteramerica.com/fiber. They'll send you a free sample pouch of Fiber One cereal - which is a good healthy thing - and you'll be signed up for their newsletter. Our food life is full of choices and there's no one right way of eating. You'll sift through a lot of information as you learn what's right for you, just always remember that YOU get to decide what goes in your body. That alone is most empowering.

Omega-3
	Now that I'm mostly a vegetarian (I say mostly because I still get a hankerin' for fish once in a while), my goal is to take in necessary omega-3 nutrients without taking fish oil tablets (which my doctor says makes her burp fish all day) or eating salmon or other fatty fish. Enter flaxseed. Dr. Sears (the baby doctor) and Dr. Oz recommend 2T of ground flaxseed daily or 1T of flaxseed oil. There are 120 calories and 13.6 grams of fat in 1T of flaxseed oil and 120 calories, 8.2 grams of fat AND almost 7 grams of fiber in 2T of ground flaxseed. Because the purest way to eat any food is raw and not in oil form, I'm choosing to eat the ground flaxseeds. (To read Dr. Sear's article on the importance of flax by clicking here.) Now choosing ground flaxseed and eating flaxseed are two different things, I've discovered. I bought whole seeds at our local health food store and I keep them in my refrigerator (you should also store the oil in the refrigerator, too). I grind them up in a small coffee grinder. Yesterday I added 1T to my morning omelet and today I added 1T to a bowl of Shredded Wheat 'n Bran (not so sure my intestines will be real happy with me later for that decision). I won't be adding it to my omelet again I'm pretty sure. It sucked any and all moisture from the omelet and left it tasting like tree bark. The cereal, though, was a good accompaniment to the flaxseed, and when I combined it with soy milk, it was pretty tasty.  I've started slow - 1T a day for now until I find other ways to consume it. Some people put it in their yogurt so I'll try that tomorrow. If any of you have suggestions, please email me at lynnbering@verizon.net.

Eating After a Workout
	Something I’ve been doing lately to get in more protein during the day is I prepare extra portions of fish, if that’s what’s for dinner, the night before. This can apply to chicken, turkey and lean beef as well if you eat meat. For instance, I like poached tilapia. Instead of making a single serving at night, I’ll make two or three servings. Lightly coat a fry pan with Pam, put the fish in the pan, add enough lemon or lime juice to coat the bottom and perhaps add a little fat-free vegetable or chicken broth. Sprinkle the fish with tarragon, garlic powder and pepper. Feel free to experiment with spices. Add a few grape or cherry tomatoes, cover with foil and simmer for 5-10 minutes until the fish is flakey. Measure out a 3- to 4-ounce portion for your meal and save the rest for a quick after-workout protein boost. It’s important to eat protein after a workout because it repairs and rebuilds muscle, so I zap a few ounces in the microwave and enjoy a 1 to 2-ounce power snack. I do the same thing with ahi tuna, mahi mahi and other types of fish. If you want to use chicken, turkey or lean beef, be sure you cook it in its purest form without breading or cheese. Just spices. I use jerk seasonings or tarragon when I cook chicken for my husband. Pam a fry pan and cook on low until both sides are browned and the chicken is no longer pink in the center. Again, cook enough so you have a 1- to 2-ounce protein snack after a workout. Another excellent power snack after a workout is a small container of yogurt with a tablespoon of walnuts or almonds mixed in or just eat the yogurt by itself. I know several fitness professionals who recommend goat whey protein shakes after a workout. I’ve not tried these yet, but I will soon and report back. Small amounts of fish or yogurt and of course egg-whites omelets work well for me right now. Carbohydrates are also important after a workout. Simple carbs in the form of fruit or juice give the body energy to avoid an after-workout crash. I prefer a few prunes (cherry essence prunes by Sunsweet are fabulous), a slice of pineapple, some berries, or half a small banana. Again, small portions are best. Here’s an excellent article the explains simple carbs much better than I can: http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/nutrition/a/aa081403.htm.

What and How I Eat
	I’m not quite a vegetarian, but I eat a mostly vegetarian diet. Here’s what a typical food day looks like for me.   Breakfast: I've changed the way I eat before the gym. I used to eat fruit and protein an hour before working out, but I did some research and talked to some friends who work out and I found that it's best to not have simple carbs before exercise. Better to have a little whole grains and protein, if anything. Now I eat an ounce of fish or other protein and a whole grain cracker, nothing more than 100 calories and less than 1-2 grams of fat. I've really noticed a difference in how my body burns energy as I work out and afterwards.  On most days that I work out I like to eat a 3-eggwhite omelet using real egg whites, a cup of wilted spinach (usually takes about three cups of fresh to get one cup wilted), half-cup of sautéed mushrooms (I like to throw in minced garlic and minced onions to the sauté), and sometimes a few grape tomatoes. I add 1 ounce of reduced fat cheese, too, like feta or Swiss. For a carb I’ll eat Wasa crackers or some other whole grain crackers with at least 4 grams of fiber. I usually eat them with reduced-fat peanut butter, organic fruit spread or hummus.  On days I don’t work out or if I’m working out later in the day, I eat ¾ cup of bran flakes or Shredded Wheat 'n Bran early and then eat an omelet later.   Lunch: When I have a salad, I always use at least 4 cups of fresh veggies, at least one ounce of reduced-fat cheese and some kind of crunchy, like crushed melba toast or homemade croutons or maybe a few slivered almonds. I like either light balsamic or light ranch dressing. When I have a sandwich, I use some kind of whole wheat wrap or pita and fill it with tuna or salmon, or sometimes I just do cheese or a Boca burger. I’m a reduced-fat Miracle Whip freak, so I use that and mustard. Lots of tomatoes and lettuce.   I eat a lot of soup (vegetable, lentil, bean, veggie chili), even in the summertime. I make big batches on the weekends and freeze it in individual containers. Leftovers from the night before work well for lunch, too.   Dinner: Fish, fish and more fish, usually. I also like bean-based meals, too. I try to stay as vegetarian as I can.  I also like whole wheat couscous or brown rice. At every dinner I have a carb and a protein and at least one non-starch vegetable. I like to roast a lot of veggies, or I’ll steam them.   Snacks: I eat chocolate every day. I love mint patties or some kind of hard candy. Not much, just what constitutes a Weight Watcher point (the equivalent of two to three Hershey Kisses), but enough to satisfy that chocolate need. I also eat fruit and crackers and cheese and popcorn as snacks. I only drink water and iced tea and wine. I don’t like soda or flavored powders. I stopped eating rice cakes and any processed snack food (cookies, muffins, crap like that) because they had major battles with my intestines. I make my own granola, low-fat cookies and muffins and banana bread. That way I know exactly what’s in it. I also don’t eat any frozen dinners or other types of processed foods. Very little nutritional value in that stuff, not to mention the high sodium.     Trader Joe’s is my favorite food store. Because I live 70 miles from the nearest one, I stock up on the following: Light string cheese, organic beets that are already steamed and ready to eat, uncured turkey bacon, horseradish hummus, light parmesan ranch salad dressing, any and all veggies, sliced mangos, whole grain crackers, mini rye toasts, frozen mahi mahi and ahi tuna and cod, reduced-sodium turkey breast lunch meat, and reduced-fat cheeses.   Let’s see, I cook with olive oil and light butter. I take a multi-vitamin (One-A-Day for women) every day as well as niacin for my metabolism. That’s about it.   Oh, and I just say no to fast food, except if I absolutely must eat fast food when I travel and I don’t have my cooler packed, I’ll get a Subway veggie six-inch with no cheese. McDonalds and Wendy’s “salads” are a joke. Nothing turns me off faster than iceburg lettuce. Yuck! I also pack my own veggies and dressing and bring them to sit-down restaurants. Why eat something that compromises your diet just because a restaurant doesn’t carry the right veggies or salad dressings?   It’s your body. Feed it well.