College Food Survival Tips: No More 15 if You're Eating Clean

As our beloved intern Joanna leaves us for Mass General we asked for her help with our Foodtrainees heading off or back to college.

Eating healthy and sticking to your Foodtraining can be tough in college.  Trust me, I’ve been there.  I often found myself snacking on chips and even finishing boxes of cereal convincing myself they would help me through all-nighters.  College students are always looking for something easy, fast, and convenient. Who wants to spend time thinking about what to cook when you have hours of studying (or partying) ahead of you?

Having recent first hand experience, I helped Lauren and Carolyn compile the

Top 5 Nutrition Mistakes College (and some grads) Students Make

Late for Class, Breakfast Skippage
Most college students would choose sleep over breakfast. Plus, there are no parents lecturing reminding you eating is important.  Skipping breakfast leads to overeating later so even if it’s 11am, have something. Vigilant Eats Superfoods Cereal is high in fiber and protein to keep you full through those morning classes.  All you need to do is add hot or cold water. This is the perfect on-the-go or sit-in classroom breakfast it even comes with a spoon. If utensils are too much effort, try Orgain ready to drink shakes or Zing bars. Starbucks has Kind bars, as long as you steer clear of the “yogurt” or chocolate flavors they are fine and we know you will not skip your coffee.

Study Snacks
Most snacks are brimming with carbs, carbs tend to make you sleepy. Why then do we think snacks help us stay awake? If a snack is on hand every time you study then, for the sake of your weight, we hope you’re not the studious type. If it’s been over four hours since your last meal, strategic school snacks are blueberries or sunflower seeds. Anthocyanins in blueberries as well as thiamin in sunflower seeds can improve memory and cognition.

Energy Drinks
On the flipside of snackiness is forgetting to eat. It’s easy to forget when you’re pounding Red Bull or any of its equally unhealthy counterparts. Foodtrainers' college students swear by Brain On a supplement for attention and alertness that seems to work magic even if you’re coming off a rough night out. And if you’re looking for an energy drink, we suggest something all natural such as EBoost.

Late Night Bites (or Binges)
It’s 2 or 3am, you’ve been out partying and pizza seems like the obvious nightcap. For any of you reading this and telling yourself that will not be you, feel free to #TIDEI (tweet it don’t eat it) to us afterhours and we’ll be super impressed. Waking up bloated and hungover with a vague recollection of eating something greasy is a harsh reality check. Have a designated late night bite. Pick 1 thing:  popcorn, kale chips or crackers and hummus and have it waiting for you. Be prepared, those nights will happen much to your parents’ chagrin.

Dorm Potato
Perhaps your school has a sprawling campus or maybe buildings are in a more urban setting. Whatever the case may be, you’ll most likely find yourself walking to class. Though it may seem like you’re doing a lot, this isn’t exercise. Your daily walking may burn off your fro-yo (which could be college mistake #6) or a drink. So you need to exercise. There are great workout DVDs from Physique57 or Tracy Anderson and websites such as Yoga Download but we love the FitKit Dorm. Whether it’s in-room exercise or gym-based try to get into a workout routine within 2 weeks of getting to school. Exercise is one of the best things for physical and mental health and is a really good way to meet cute guys. Just sayin.

We've put together a College Survival Bundle that can be shipped to campuses nationwide.

What were your biggest food mistakes in college? Did you gain weight? Please share your lowest college dietary moment.

I'm A Camper and a Biker

"A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving"

-Lao Tzu (should've listened to the quote on the Amika travel blow dryer box)

I promise not to turn this into a travel blog but I thought I’d at least let you know how I fared in the wilderness. So many of you were so supportive with my lame and inflated fears. Well, maybe they were just misdirected. What I’ve learned about fear is that Murphy’s Law is inaccurate. It’s not necessarily that what you fear will happen will but that what will happen may be way worse than what you feared. Let me explain.

I have never, despite a close call at Eagle airport in Colorado, missed a flight. Just to be safe, we arrived two hours early for our flight to Chicago where we intended to connect to Jackson Hole. After an ambiguous gate change, when we were about to board the flight at the new gate we were told, “this is another Chicago flight, your flight left.” To make a long story short, we spent the night in Denver (actually Aurora, creepy), flew to Jackson Hole in the morning where our bags spent the night and took a taxi up to Yellowstone (3 hours) to meet our trip.

Wait, it gets worse. Remember my over preparation? Somewhere between Jackson Hole and Yellowstone, Marc checked our bags. He had packed an extra bag but never informed me so when I counted our bags, I assumed we had everything. All our supplies? They were in a suitcase that never left NY. I am sure our taxi driver will be talking about a crazy lady from NYC for many years to come. We sorted out to have bag FedExed to our campsite. Remind me to “like” FedEx on Facebook or send a thank you note.

My “reward” for all of this rushing and arranging was that we met our group in time for lunch in Yellowstone just as everyone was getting fitted with their bikes. Yellowstone doesn’t have a bike path per se so we were instructed to stay all the way to the side and watch out for RVs and bison. As the late family, there was no way I could completely express my biking fears though I did hop in the van and start the ride after the “biggest hill of the week.” Did I mention we were at 10,000 feet elevation?

When you’re tense or worried, you zero in on what can go wrong. As we started to bike, I realized why we were there and I almost crashed my bike taking in the view. Yellowstone, aside from wildlife, is best distinguished for its thermal features (can you name the 4 types of thermal features?). We rode past hot springs and geysers and finished at Old Faithful.

Do we really need to see this?

According to this photo it's not that special, in person it is. 

After waiting and waiting for Old Faithful to do its thing, we were shuttled to our campground. Many of you wished me wine while camping. Along with our tent assignments, there was hors d’oeurvres and wine greeting us. Cheers. 

I will not lie, the first night in the tent, without our pillows, in the missing bag, I was awake listening to the noise from other campsites and convinced myself I was not cut out for camping but that quickly changed. 

Day 2 was a hiking day around “Grand Canyon” of Yellowstone. It was breathtaking.

 After lunch, the kids were swiped up for their own activity and the adults hiked on. 

We were rewarded with showers at our second campsite, clean showers no less. It’s amazing what can turn into a treat when you’re stripped of luxuries.

camping legs, I'll save the chipped tooth story for another day

 Our bag arrived and surprisingly the only thing I had missed was our inflatable pillows (sweatshirts don’t cut it) and toothbrushes. I slept like a baby.

We kayaked on the third day and enjoyed a delicious Mexican dinner at night. For many of the days, we packed our lunches from a spread the camp crew presented us. They were great about gluten (three of the women were gluten free) but without bread my lunch was often some tuna or turkey with avocado or a slice of cheese and some veggies. This would seem small-ish at home but we were eating regularly and it was really satisfying. The only food "tools" I ended up using were my probiotics and some mornings cocochia,also contains probtioics, over fruit (stay tuned for a future post on probitoics and weight). Though some complained, I lost a couple while away.

The next day was “OYO” or our on your own time. We bid farewell to Yellowstone and arranged fishing on Jackson Lake in the Tetons or “the ladies of the lake” as our fisherman guide Phil called them. With the wildfires in Idaho the view was hazy and the fishing had been affected (the fire kills the bugs and the fish eat them).

Nonetheless, our boys pulled in enough lake trout for all of our new friends at the campsite to taste.

After an hour of nothing and many great stories from our captain Phil...lake trout

For a trip full of “highlights” stopping our bike ride in the Tetons for a herd of bison may have topped the list. We had to stay back and wait as 1000 bison crossed the road (hopefully not to get to “lunch” on the other side).

bison jam

After lunch we finished the 25-mile route in Jackson Hole. We somehow ended up at the Cowboy Bar where our time was limited. I had never suggested a tequila shot as a post-exercise beverage and I don’t think I will start to any time soon.

We were all sad for the week to end. Andrea, in a blog comment before I departed, articulated things so well "I like the contrast camping provides to my "normal life." I like appreciating all the little conveniences again and also realizing that I don't need certain things." We were outside all day, every day. We were with families from all over the country with 13 combined children who never complained. There’s nothing like ending the day around a campfire although I have enjoyed crawling into my bed. In a nerdy way I feel sort of proud of myself. Mission enjoyed.

I know many of you mentioned you’re not the tenting type, would you ever try it? Your kids would love…Have you been to any of the National Parks? Do you have any sports-related fears biking or skiing etc. you want to face?

Oh and the 4 types of thermal features are geysers, hot springs, mudpots and fumaroles (if you’re on Jeopardy you’ll thank me).

Gone Camping

There I am unibrow, frizz and all.

In my head, I am the type of girl who camps. After all, I love travel and the outdoors. I did Semester at Sea in college and some of my best memories are sleeping out on the deck at night in a sleeping bag or exploring a new country with a small backpack and not much else. Today we’re on our way to Yellowstone National Park we’re we will be camping for the next week but I’m thinking I’m not really the camping type, maybe I’ve changed. And I realize I'm not off on a solo expedition to Antarctica, so why the nerves?

It’s not the food, the outfitter we’re going with is known to have delicious meals. I feel comfortable navigating most food situations and I informed them I’m wheatless and that will not be a problem. I’ll also have some EBoost, wild salmon jerky Hail Merry, Cocochia, Bars (Pure and Zing) with us for hikes and bike rides.

So what is it, you may be wondering that’s making me apprehensive?

First, I know how to ride a bike but I am not someone who grew up riding a bike to friend’s houses. I have a bike I purchased this summer to brush up and I’ve been on it a bit but not on roads with major hills and possibly cars. I’m fine skiing and running and hiking for hours but the biking thing is throwing me off. Let’s hope it’s “just like riding a bike”.

Second, as natural and wholesome as the food I cook and select is I’m really not au naturel in general. The hair isn’t wash and go, more like blow dry and flat iron. Even though I don’t wear a lot of make up, other than when exercising, I don’t really go without it. And I’m tight with my magnifying mirror. Can one tweeze in a tent?

While we travel a fair amount, I’ve come to realize I replicate my comfort zone in most places. I’ve found juice shops in Europe (hard but they’re there) and organic food in New Orleans. As you may know, I have a collection of coolers for transporting food and a jar of strong, fair trade ground coffee comes to most hotel rooms. This trip I will not be able to seek things out, it is what it is coffee and all.

My favorite antidote to trepidation is neurotically over-preparing so that’s what I’ve done. I have travel sized everything (unscented because bugs like scents). I have dry shampoo, every version of a wipe including one from MD Skincare that “cleanses, tones and moisturizes”. I have Zyflammend nighttime to help me sleep (another fear, tent sleeping), I have a backup phone battery and a solar powered charger thingy despite the lack of cell service. Plus bug stuff, altitude stuff, cut stuff. And because 10 trips to Patagonia and Eastern Mountain Sports didn’t completely calm me, I googled. I googled camping hair and “tying a bandana” (never can get it right), if only there was an online camping therapy site, I would’ve signed up.

So why did I plan this trip I’m clearly not cut out for? Because part of me thought it sounded beyond amazing and though time has passed since my outdoorsy days, I haven’t changed all that much. I recall wearing wedge sneakers as I trekked through the Blue Mountains in India way back when. I couldn't resist these, campfire chic.
Do you like to camp? Any advice? Anything you've done lately you were nervous about? 
I'll post in a week (no computer in the tent) and have lots of fun posts coming in September.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. My mother saw and said "who needs to look nice?"

Five Last Minute Tips to Look Better in a Bathing Suit

Jada may love Will she loves Jada more.

As I mentioned in the water post, Marc and I were away, in Turks and Caicos, for a few days.  I could tell you about the sailing we did (I was reading Gone Girl which I wouldn’t suggest for a romantic getaway) or how excited I was that the local restaurant we went to noted gluten free on the menu or even the best crab salad I’ve ever had.

I would choose this over a bikini any day

However, two other things continue to stand out in my mind. On our first afternoon at the beach, just after we arrived, I saw an Italian family standing by the water. You couldn’t help but notice them. First the mother (50ish) was taking photos of her two 20-something daughters. The daughters posed like they were in the SI swimsuit issue; the bikini-ed mother posed as she clicked away. Then papa comes to take pictures of his annoying gorgeous family. Marc, watching this whole photo shoot with me said, “I should ask if they want me to take a picture of the four of them.” I told him I’d kill him if he gave them any more attention, we laughed.

We soon took a little sailboat out. As we were hopping in the boat, two women were getting out of another. These women were at least 15 years older than me. They weren’t physically perfect like the Italians. They had lumps and bumps but were seemingly unaware.  I am always drawn to this question of body confidence. See, I am of another persuasion. I love a good cover up (and love to cover up), when I’m on the beach in a bathing suit, I’m aware I’m basically naked and I’m happiest under an umbrella with a good book (kindle people, it’s hard to read kindles on the beach) taking it all in. There will be no attention-grabbing Slayton photo shoots. I would bet I’m not alone and if you need a little beach day encouragement here are some ideas:

Run- I like a good sweat before a beach day. Most of the time I go for an hour-long run. Part of me likes to move before planting myself in a lounge chair. More than anything, it feels good before sporting a swimsuit.

Tan and lube- I tweeted  “nothing like a BB (before bikini) workout” and a fellow nutritionist said “yes and a spray tan too”.  It’s true; tanning is a great camouflager and does make you look slimmer.  I worry about the safety of spray tans. There are organic options (there’s a place called O’live organic in NYC) but I stick to self-tanner. Look for a paraben free self tanner. I love Chocolate Sun.  As much as I love my Coola mineral sunscreen, I don’t love the white matte finish it leaves on my skin. I follow it up with a little oil.

Drink- while I’m sure a shot of tequila would eradicate any swimsuit hesitancy, I’m not a day drinker. Instead, Eboost and Pukka detox tea are my pre-beach beverages. Did you know that teabags don’t need hot water? Any water works. I was so thrilled the hotel gym had Eboost.

Pursue Potassium- we’re early beach goers, we get to the beach before it gets crowded and generally leave to do other things around lunchtime. Each morning away we’d pass people chowing down at the outdoor restaurant. Who can eat a buffet breakfast and then slip into a swimsuit? Oh yes, the Italians or the sailing ladies. Why not?  If you’re two-piece terrified, potassium is your pal. Potassium in your diet decreases sodium levels. Less sodium? Less puffy. Some ideas:

Eggs and Asparagus

Goat Yogurt (Coach Farms makes, easier to digest than dairy)

Fruits such as cantaloupe, citrus and my favorite avocado.

And let’s not forget the potassium power of coconut water.

Practice- my numero uno beach tip of all time was to change into a swimsuit when you get home from work for a week before a beach vacation. Clients loved this and emailed that they were making dinner, working on the computer and cleaning the house in their bikinis. Seriously though, part of the whole bathing suit thing if you didn’t grow up on the beach is just comfort. It’s also important to try on suits before you leave for a trip. What worked last summer, for various reasons, may not be doing you any favors this year. You don’t want your cup (or your “saucer” for that matter) to “runneth” over.  And a stretched out too-loose get-up isn’t helping your cause. And our causes, no matter how big or how small, need help.
Are you more like the Italians or a cover upper? What do you do to psyche yourself up for the beach? Any last minute tricks? Have you read Gone Girl or anything else good?

And the winner of the Mountain Valley Spring water is Nancy, congratulations.

Camp Visiting Day: Salmon, Gatorade and Dirt

Proud parents who just might kill you if you touched these shopping bags

My boys have been away for a month. I realize sleep away camp is a fairly Northeastern phenomenon. I have friends who don’t live here or didn’t grow up going away to camp who think it’s strange. I could make the case for how great camp is, to be in beautiful surroundings, doing sports all day long, making livelong friends etc. but let’s face it is strange. For two weeks, Facebook has been abuzz with photos of parents and child at the mid-summer visiting day. In these photos, there are smiling faces and happy families but there’s another part of visiting day and that’s the overhyped one-day chance to see your children that feels somewhere between New Years Eve and prison visitation (not that I know what that’s like).

Dying to ambush parents and see what's in coolers and suitcases, can you imagine?

People ask me all the time if I let my kids have junk. My general philosophy is that I don’t bring things into the house with questionable ingredients but that we have chips, ice cream just quality versions. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder but three weeks without my boys led my heart and the rest of me to Dylan’s Candy Bar. Typically, at a place like Dylan’s, I would look for the best options chocolate most likely or something non-neon. I wasn’t myself though, I was operating under the influence of parental guilt and anxiety and so I bought one child gummy sharks, the other gummy bears and it didn’t’ stop there I threw in a blue Yankee lollipop and stopped for chips on the way home. I can make myself feel better or give you some context and say, in their own way, all parents go nuts but I was willing to break every food rule in the state I was in.

Then there’s the question of camp food. Days before I saw my boys the New York Times ran a story about camp food. Camps, according to them, aren’t serving spaghetti and hamburgers but “cuisine”.  When we arrived, my son was excited to show me the camp’s farm. I was impressed, he told me when he’s hungry he can stop at the farm on the way to his bunk and have a snack like this.

The warm and fuzzy feeling didn’t last, at lunch (salmon and veggies but I was told that they never had that) I spotted something. 

So much for cuisine

My older son was quick to tell me he has only had it two or three times. It’s a pity, he was such a nice nose I’m so sad that’s it’s going to be growing…I may have been away from them for a few weeks but I know when I am being lied to.

As a parent, another of the many strange things about camp is the whole issue of self care. I thought we were good parents, instilling important habits in our children but one of my boys was a mess. Marc said, “I think he’s wearing the same clothes he had on the bus up to camp.” At home, I would’ve been horrified but on this day of rule breaking I ignored it completely. No showers or clean clothes? No problem.

Who says adult females are the only ones with shoe fetishes?

What do you see here? I see roller hockey equipment on a 90 degree day, contemplate what's growing in it, say nothing

So I’m sorry if you expected smiling pictures of my family. If you’re a Facebook friend maybe I’ll post one. I know we took a few. I just find parents waiting at the gate to see their children with suitcases of food, McDonalds shakes (one mom clutched these like it was a family heirloom) and the strangeness of this so much more interesting.

seven hours later, off they go, coolers empty

Did you go away to camp? What kinds of things did your parents bring when they visited? What did you bring this year? What emotions make you break your food rules?
Thank you so much for the amazing response to the Harmless Harvest post, the winner of the giveaway is Amber. We will contact you shortly.

One Year

Jennifer Lee Photography

If you knew that you would die today

If you saw the face of God and Love

Would you change?

Would you change?

Tracy Chapman

A year ago I was at work seeing clients, doing all that mundane/ just another day stuff when an email took my breath away. Jen had passed. Despite knowing she was so ill for so long, I was speechless. I sat staring at a photo of her on my screen and studied her smile but couldn’t smile. Two days later, I kneeled next to a friend and stared at another screen broadcasting Jen's memorial. You see there wasn’t room left in the main area of the funeral chapel. I wrote a post trying to make some sense of things, vowing to carry on more Jen-like.

Am I fearless?

Jen's platform was fearlessness and she embodied it. In May, I was running in a race. Iit didn’t go well and knew I could do better. After discussing how things went with a running coach I work with,  it seemed that as fatigue set in, I grew concerned. As my body started to ache, I pulled back. He corrected me and said that part of racing was noting the pain and pushing through it. For him, he assumed that the last half of any race wouldn’t be fun. I have a Scott Jurek shirt that says, “pain only hurts” it reminds me of this. This isn’t about masochism but noting the challenge and persisting anyway. Work in progress.

Am I enjoying the silliness?

Jen was the first person to spot my name in In Style, Life and Style or any other magazine. We joked she was my PR person. Jen was silly; if you didn’t know her you can see it in her videos. On Wednesday, her best friend organized a movie night. A bunch of us went to see Magic Mike. The movie was terrible, except for some eye candy, but after some crazy rain and hail, it seemed to honor Jen. I can be serious at times. I am a natural over thinker, silly is important. Silly is a pain reliever.

Am I supporting Cycle?

Cycle for Survival was Jen’s baby. It was just so fitting that Jen’s journey wasn’t just about Jen. It seems every week we hear of someone we know being diagnosed with some sort of cancer or having some sort of surgery or treatment. Monday, on my way to work, with Jen’s “anniversary” looming I received another email; the dates for Cycle 2013 were announced. Many members of our Foodtrainers team emailed immediately “I’m in”. Last year, we did a dance video for every thousand dollars we raised, what will we do this year?

I don’t know if it’s possible to live each day as if it was your last. I know I need reminders. I need reminders to see beyond myself and my stressors, I need reminders to be fearless (or less fearful) and I need reminders to be silly. It would be so much easier if my teacher was still here. 

Do you? Where do you find yourself fearful? Are you more inclined naturally to be silly or serious? If you knew that you would die today, would you change?

Harmless Harvest Coconut Water, Believe the Hype and Giveaway

I apologize if I’ve been somewhat inconsistent with my blog posts. I’ve been busy reapplying my natural deodorant, which I now do in plain sight like some would chapstick (only I don’t put it on my mouth, not yet anyway). I’ve also been spending time on another project that may or may not be my book proposal.I’m grateful writing has kept me primarily inside during this heat wave. I started a list of other things that make me happy when it’s hot as hell out.

Beastly Weather Gratitude Journal

• I’m grateful for my tennis ball sized ice cubes.

I should note I’m also grateful for my jalapeno cocktail at Peels where I first learned of these cubes and for my friend Meg, a know-it-all in the best sense of the word, who was with us and sent me a link to the MOMA shop the next day.

• I’m grateful for being female and for the multitude of sleeveless options we have, many of which are work appropriate. I realize I cannot go for a run shirtless and I should say I’m grateful to the men who wisely choose to retain theirs.
• I’m grateful for the chocolate mint sorbet at ABC Kitchen, I may have said I’m not a dessert person, more salty than sweet…I may have lied.
• I’m grateful for tartare and all its relatives ceviche, sashimi etc. Nothing is better in the summer and my vote goes to the tuna crudo at Mermaid Inn.
• I’m grateful for cucumbers not only because they’re “cool” but also for the abundant juice you get from them. Anyone who has put a bunch of kale in a juicer knows what I mean.

• If there’s one thing, other than sleep away camp, I’m most grateful for this summer it’s Harmless Harvest’s Coconut Water. This coconut water is raw and organic. Most importantly it’s insanely delicious. If you’ve tasted other brands and think you don’t like coconut water, I vote for a retrial. This is different. We have a whole shelf of them at work, I stockpile them at home, add some to smoothies, green juices and rice water. Heck (did I say heck, interesting), I would bathe in it but it’s a little pricey. While I’ve tried, young coconuts and I don’t play well together and I’m grateful that I don’t need to wrestle with them anymore.

You’re going to be grateful too, you know why? Harmless Harvest is giving away ONE CASE of their liquid heaven and t-shirts to one of our lucky readers.

To be eligible, leave a comment telling us why you like or want to try Harmless Harvest

OR retweet this post and include “@Foodtrainers @HarmlessHarvest #giveaway

OR tag @Foodtrainers on Facebook and spread the word about this post.
You have until Sunday July 22nd to enter, winner will be announced Monday July 23rd. 

What’s on your hot weather gratitude list?

Check out our "Drinks Around the Clock" July Newsletter for other refreshing ideas.