The Single Worst Food for Your Weight

It was the summer of ‘93; I had a thrilling job at The Lobster Roll (aka Lunch).  Despite my lovely attire of a uniform t-shirt and khaki shorts, I was seeing someone. He told me he noticed that I was friendly with one of the cooks (approx. weight 425). His theory was that if I was friends with the large guy, I must be nice. Well, I knew it wasn’t the outfit. I was 19 and leaving to go abroad in September. He was 27, an artist, in Montauk for the summer to surf and paint. When surfer met my parents, before we went out one night, I don't even think he said hello. The point of my story is that this was fun but ill fated. Even at 19, when you know nothing, I knew this was a waste. A waste with an old fashioned Chevy Malibu convertible that was fun to ride around in. I was reminded of this when I contemplated one of my favorite foods.

One of my favorite foods isn't something I should eat. Considering I am practical by nature, it doesn't make sense that I dally in it. When we met with Dr Oz last month, he mentioned this food as the single worst food you can eat when it comes to weight. This wasn’t the conclusion of one small study but from the Nurses Health Study and Health Professionals Follow up study. Over 120,000 doctors and nurses, not obese at the start, were monitored every 4 years for 12 to 20 years. So what was the sad news? Fries,  alone contributed to 3-4 pounds every four years and were correlated with the most weight gain for a single food. No small fry.

Knowing something and hearing it from someone else are very different. I had read this study, even blogged about it (a different part of it) but hadn’t heard the word “worst.”  I rarely order fries but they make their way to the table piggybacking with grilled chesses and chicken sandwiches and other foods my children eat. I literally take a silent no French fry vow before the fries arrive to remind myself. For me, it’s easier not to start as one, especially when they’re crispy, can lead to too many. About once a month, I let myself reach over. So fries are still in my life but limited and as an alternative I bake spicy sweet potato fries at home. In relationships, I left silly choices in my teens. In 1998,  the human equivalent of dark chocolate: fun, interesting and good for me.

Are you a fry lover? How often do you eat them? Did you know fries were “the worst”? What’s the worst uniform you’ve had to wear for a job?

Do We Know if Kelly Clarkson is Proud in Her Own Skin?

Curvy and Proud? Or just curvy?

We have The New York Times delivered on the weekends. Sure, we could use the Ipad or Kindle but the Sunday paper needs to be the real, paper, deal.  Growing up, my parents slept late on Sundays (in retrospect that sounds impossible) and I remember going to the front door and grabbing the thick newspaper.  Before you think I was an impressively intellectual child sitting down with the New York Times, I’ll have you know I read and still do read the Style section first. A couple of weekends ago an article in Sunday Styles on Kelly Clarkson and its title “A Pop Star Proud in Her Own Skin” caught my eye. The article profiles the singer, discussing her persona, new album and recent VH1 unplugged performance that premieres this Friday, November 18th.

In the piece Kelly is portrayed as relatable and not afraid to speak her mind. I have a few Kelly Clarkson songs on running playlists but no not know that much about her.  She has released a new album called Stronger.  I watched the video for one track "Mr. Know it All". Kelly sings in front of a wall covered in headlines about her weight, image and sexual orientation. At one point Kelly also appears to scan blog comments about her (uh oh).  At the end she makes a hole in this wall, destroying the criticism and leaving it behind. The Times quotes another song “if you’re thin/Poor little walking disease/If you’re not/They’re all screaming obese.” From this I gather Kelly isn’t ignoring the growing elephant in the room, she’s talking about issues in in an honest, somewhat rebellious manner.

However, is she comfortable or “fed” up? They said Jennifer Hudson “comfortable” then she lost weight. Do they expect those who gain weight to be publically sad or embarrassed and if they’re not we assume they are content?  The article says Taylor swift isn’t the girl next door because she’s blonde and tall but Kelly is the girl next-door “for any woman to own her body size at an average woman’s weight is amazing”.  Perhaps this requires further research but just because Kelly is average-sized what constitutes “owning” your weight? Or does Kelly's average weight simply help others own theirs? Later in the article Kelly is quoted joking about spanx and her “giant” backside. Self-deprecating comments don’t lead me to believe she is proud, annoyed and open maybe. Talking back doesn’t mean you embrace your back fat.

Do you think outspoken implies confidence or body confidence? And self-deprecating comments, when you talk about your weight, are you “owning” it? Are you a Kelly Clarkson fan?

10 Reasons I'll Never Be Vegan

Thank you so much to all of you who took the time to express yourself and your feelings about Michelle Obama’s Shake Shack visit.  I was reading and replying to your comments as we made our way up to the Berkshires for the weekend.  We went to see my boys who are at sleep away camp there. Saturday after visiting the boys, we went to friends in the area for dinner.  My friend S. and her friends who were there all leaned a little (or a lot) in the healthy direction and it wasn’t long before food and nutrition came up.

One of the women mentioned that she had experimented with veganism for a few months after reading The China Study.  I have to say that this book and Earthlings have a fairly high conversion rate for people considering going vegan.  I don’t eat a lot of animal protein and the bulk of my intake is fruits and vegetables. I’ve even done vegan cleanses and feel fantastic when I do. However, for me there are some foods I couldn’t part with or am not willing to give up. 

Eggs

Eggs are one of my favorite foods. I get my eggs from a company called New York Milk. This morning I had poached omega 3 eggs over artichoke hearts at a lovely restaurant called Haven. I love making frittatas and often make them in mini muffin trays to for a few days. A weird dinner I often make is scrambled eggs with peas and pesto.

Sushi

I love sushi. I love hand rolls, maki rolls and sashimi. I love uni and tobiko and octopus. I don’t want cucumber rolls or veggie hand rolls. I often seek out brown rice sushi but I’m hearing more about quinoa sushi too, have you tried them?

Cheese

When I think of food indulgences I think of cheese. If I have a choice between a cheese course and dessert, cheese wins. I have a few friends who feel as strongly (no pun intended) about cheese as I do and wonder if this is the basis of our friendship. I don’t keep a lot of cheese around but usually have a crumbled feta or this outstanding lavender goat’s cheese I get at the Union Square Farmer’s market.

Lamb Chops

I don’t crave steak, I used to love a good burger and use Hardwick’s grass-fed beef for meatloaf and burgers at home but my burger cravings aren’t that intense. If I had to pick one meat meal to have here and there it would be lamb chops. I make lamb chops for my kids as my mother did for me growing up. I use rosemary, garlic and olive oil grill them and then finish them in the oven. My mom used to call the crunchy part on the bone the “candy” and I’d have to agree with her. I realize I just repulsed any vegan reading this post.

Poached Salmon

Another favorite dinner is poached wild salmon. If you’re not a salmon lover there’s something about chilling the salmon that makes it much more mild. I poach in lemon, white wine, water and bay leaves and chill it a few hours before eating. It’s fantastic summer meal and great for lunch the next day too.

Ronnybrook and Siggis

Many mornings I have a splash of almond breeze in my coffee. Here and there I use Ronnybrook half and half and it’s so delicious. Siggi’s makes delicious dairy too. I love their skyr and also the probiotic shots.

Zoe Tuna

I have written about Zoe so many times, I now see it in all my friend’s pantries. It also makes a great hostess gift for friends who will not think you’ve lost it giving them tuna, maybe throw in your favorite olive oil just in case. Zoe is a staple item in my lunch routine. Half a jar with avocado and your favorite greens and life is good (unless you’re vegan).

Soy

In addition to foods I can’t live without there are foods I’m not wild about. I am not a huge soy fan. I don’t like to eat anything with TVP. While not all vegetarians and vegans and soyholics, without soy, a vegan diet is a little more difficult.

Vanity

As we talked about veganism and our personal pros and cons, the woman I was talking to admitted she felt she ate more while vegan. “It was so hard to satiate myself, I ended up gaining weight.” I can’t lie; I find eggs and fish very satisfying. While there are more important factors when deciding whether or not to be vegan,  I fear I too would overeat and “pork up” on a vegan diet. This was not the first I've heard about the weight gain and veganism.

After Friday’s post, many commenters felt strongly that any food plan should include treats. In writing this I see each of these foods treats in their own way. You’ll let me know if you agree.

Have you ever considered going vegan? Any animal foods you couldn’t give up? If you are vegan, any foods you miss? Any books or movies that changed the way you eat?

Have you lost your freshman 15?

Thigh (not mine) post freshman year

Exciting news, we have a new Foodtrainer. Her name is Carolyn Brown. She’s a Tulane grad and has taught nutrition at the NYC Greenmarkets, she’s a blogger and a dodge ball player, smart and snarky. She’s running our 4-week “Summer School Course” for students and grads of all ages. I asked Carolyn to blog about that clichéd Freshman 15 and whether we tend to lose it or keep it as a collegiate souvenir. I’ll let her take it from here:

I’ve never liked talking about the freshman 15 – maybe because for me, it was more like 20. I’m seriously grateful it was in the pre-Facebook era. But as a freshman 15 alum I know that the freedom college offers (not unlike loosey goosey summer eating Lauren wrote about) may be great for your social life but the lack of structure can lead to a lasting “hangover” as in hanging over your pants. It isn’t always immediate; it can show up a little later as the sophomore surplus, the junior jiggle, or even the post-college pudge.  

All joking aside, the problem isn’t so much the weight gained (assuming you’re still around a healthy weight). Research shows that women tend to lose most of it with time. The real issues are why it was gained in the first place and the eating patterns that may be repeated for years to come.

Some reasons for the freshman weight gain aren’t surprising buffet style dining halls replace mom’s well-balanced meals, high school sports no longer provide built in activity and then there’s the drinking. And when you drink more, you eat more – and make less intelligent choices. Would you really need the cheese fries, onion rings and mozzarella stick trio sober? It’s not all a lack of self-control though, so give yourself  (or maybe your college-aged children) a break. In your late teens growth slows down—and so does ones metabolism. Add in inconsistent sleep and associated hormonal changes that affect hunger and fullness. And alcohol it’s is a depressant and in this way influences eating.

For many, college is the first time they gain a noticeable amount of weight and it’s also their first foray into dietland.  College girls resort to dangerous methods to lose weight. It’s now a far cry from Weight Watchers. Extra popular before Cabo-bound spring breaks are starving, binging/purging, obsessive exercise and the use of “appetite suppressants”: cigarettes, Adderall, laxatives and diet pills. Eek.

But there are healthy ways to lose that stubborn freshman 15 even if it’s stuck around long enough to make it to a few reunions. Exercise is crucial. Yawn, I know, but there are actually ways to make it less of a chore. Lazy friends rub off, so try seeking out active friends who will drag you to a spin or dance class. Peer pressure can be positive and works at all ages. Another great way to get moving is to join your city’s “social sports” leagues. Teams are based on skill level and age (and are usually co-ed, wink wink).You don’t want your exercise merely burning off the booze, your total drinks for the week needs to be a single digit and I suggest at least 3 “dry” days. Treats (pizza we’re talking to you) should be no more than once or twice a week.

My freshman 20 came off slowly. Leaving the dorms for a house with a kitchen helped. Also I took Intro to Nutrition class learned low calorie doesn’t necessarily mean healthy and completely changed my relationship with food. This led me to a Foodtrainers-bound career path sans post-college pudge.

Are you a freshman 15 alum? When did you lose the weight? Was college the first time you dieted? Any scary weight loss regimes to share? Do you feel friends affect your eating or exercise?

How to avoid blowing up (like a balloon) on Thanksgiving

It’s Thanksgiving morning and here I am at the computer (what can I say? I’m thankful for technology). I am due for my Foodtrainers’ 31st Grade Reading Journal entry in which, like my second grader, I write about the book I am currently reading. I could take the easy way out and say “no homework” it’s a holiday but I’m taking the easy way out, in another way. Instead of writing about the book I’m reading “Eating Animals” which is just not appropriate on turkey day, I’m going to tell you about one of the best articles I’ve read in a long time.

In “Food, Kin and Tension at Thanksgiving” (in this Tuesday’s NYT) Tara Parker-Pope perfectly captures how challenged family relationships find their way into our food. Parker-Pope writes “the combination of food and family often brings out longstanding tensions, criticism and battles for control.” I have been discussing these concepts with Foodtraininers’ clients this week and last. Many clients, on a typical day, make good food choices and work to keep themselves healthy but are thrown off today. And it’s not the allure of stuffing or pumpkin pie.

At Thanksgiving, many are confronted with what I refer to as the family food pusher. This person takes great pleasure in seeing other people eat what they cooked, or even dishes they had nothing to do with. The food pusher is the enemy for someone trying to lose weight. Parker-Pope quotes an eating disorders specialist who had a patient “whose mother scolded her for not eating her homemade cookies…as a result, the daughter relented and took a cookie. But when she then reached for a second, her mother scolded her again.” This time, the mother was upset with the daughter needed a second cookie.

Many of these comments, no matter how hurtful, are not surprises. My husband often asks me “if this happens every year, why don’t you change your expectations?” Easier said than done but, as you make your way to the Thanksgiving table today, mentally prepare yourself. Who is it that can make you uncomfortable? In what way to they express themselves? Is there anyone else in the family you can recruit as an ally? And what might you say as if someone comments on your weight or your eating or your children’s eating? Make a game plan for your eating so that your anxiety doesn’t lead you straight into the cheese plate. And try to exercise this morning. Remember, as one of my clients said “my sister may not be my friend but stuffing isn’t either!”

Read the full article at: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/24/health/24well.html?_r=1

Any fun Thanksgiving food stories to share?