tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80242994264098624732024-03-13T14:14:26.005-07:00JLB NutritionReal nutrition information-free of trends and quackery. Sports nutrition, weight loss, allergies, nutrition for families, and whatever else I think is interesting and newsworthy!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024299426409862473.post-23542728417251504922015-07-11T16:22:00.000-07:002015-07-11T16:32:49.985-07:00PERMANENT WEIGHT LOSS 101: LESSON 1-ASSESS AND PREPARE<h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>PER</b></span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">MANENT WEIGHT LOSS 101:</b></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Any successful business has a business plan which consists of concrete (yet realistic) goals to aim for and assess periodically. Going about weight loss is serious business, yet too many of us go about our diet and exercise goals without a plan of action. This is one of the main reasons why long term success eludes many people.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This series aims to help you achieve your goals once and for all. We will cover the following in 4 Lessons: </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">LESSON 1: ASSESS AND PREPARE</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">LESSON 2: CREATE A PLAN</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">LESSON 3: TRACKING</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">LESSON 4: BEHAVIOR</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">LESSON 1: ASSESS AND PREPARE</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Too many people are arbitrary and unrealistic about choosing a goal weight which sets us up for failure and disappointment.</span></h3>
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<ol>
<li><u style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">DETERMINE A REALISTIC GOAL WEIGHT FOR YOU </u></li>
<li><u style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">IDENTIFY BARRIERS</u></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before you set a number it is very important to think about the following things:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-IDxny03e2aovg9fw_DRfIJEvw7W41x4cp12XcL2BTtednhOCEpR1LSOmAcA3SwoBTPnVm880HLw0Om_MDuNqZg21_wS4syMMzhdFQpQBRXUwfc_184wmcSWFg74ypMh6ZinHFkKQmX4/s1600/thinking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-IDxny03e2aovg9fw_DRfIJEvw7W41x4cp12XcL2BTtednhOCEpR1LSOmAcA3SwoBTPnVm880HLw0Om_MDuNqZg21_wS4syMMzhdFQpQBRXUwfc_184wmcSWFg74ypMh6ZinHFkKQmX4/s400/thinking.jpg" width="390" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Weight History: </span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What is my lowest adult weight? How did I achieve that weight? How long was I
able to maintain that weight? How
difficult was it to achieve/maintain that weight? <br /><b>The goal is to find a healthy
weight that you feel good at, but one that allows for you to live in your
reality, not on a reality TV show.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reality:</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How much am I willing to manipulate my diet to
weigh less? How much time am I able to devote to exercise, shopping and
preparing my own food right now? Am I willing to CHANGE-permanently since this
is not a temporary diet plan? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mindset: </span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Am I ready to do this? What are the barriers I may
encounter and how will I overcome those? MAKE A LIST OF WHAT WILL BE
CHALLENGING TO YOU AND BRAINSTORM IDEAS ON HOW TO HANDLE THEM.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Example: </b>I don’t have time to go to a gym or exercise right now. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Solution 1:</b> Find ways of incorporating more activity into
your day-to-day life (walking anywhere you can, using stairs, biking to work,
exercising with your kids, making the most of weekends, trying early morning
workouts)<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Solution 2:</b> If I can’t be as active as I want to be right
now, I will have to be more focused on eating well to accomplish my goa</i>ls. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Support System: </span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Are my family, spouse, friends, co-workers
supportive of my goals? Identify any persons who may (either deliberately or
unintentionally) sabotage my goals. Create
a plan to address or avoid situations which may not be supportive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Example:</b> I go to the beach every weekend with my in-laws and
the food they serve is not healthy.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Solution:</b> Shop for healthy foods and bring them with you.
Offer to cook for them. Be open about your goals to eat better and try to be
contagious. Try to be more diligent about your food goals on weekdays since you
know weekends will be more difficult. Use exercise to balance the extra
calories-rent a bike and ride the board walk or go on a daily walk or run on the
beach. </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Timing: </span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While it is never too soon or too late to start
eating well and exercising-you may need to adjust your goals to be more
realistic if there are circumstances or events which may make weight loss more
challenging (vacations, holidays, family visits, moving, new job, new baby,
etc). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Example:</b> You want to lose weight before you go on vacation
next month. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Solution:</b> In the next post you will learn to calculate the realistic
amount of weight you can lose in a month. <u>DO </u>try to get some momentum with eating well before you go. With those
things “in place” it is easier to maintain weight during travel. It is
difficult to start a new routine of eating better or exercise on vacation. Most
people will do well to set a goal to maintain weight during vacation time. Keep
in mind you will likely come back “bloated” from eating the different foods and
weigh a few pounds more. The water weight should dissipate in a few days as you
resume your normal hydration and eating habits.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">NEXT UP.....</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
LESSON 2: CREATE A PLAN</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024299426409862473.post-47044408940034818932015-07-01T07:13:00.001-07:002015-07-01T07:14:17.555-07:00Grilled Poblano, Corn, and black bean salad<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHDfLeb0xiKUr_vBUqt7mYpJM2lEJVNT6Dcqj63QUNdeXAGQbc3wrw5jxniTtieT5Dm3ec-ii3Ovxgrv08QkNHRS57KyK_RM81PcJu866ms1rm9c4wQ_Cbg4T3T-5vT0osaDsrhdCrI7Y/s640/blogger-image--1372627708.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHDfLeb0xiKUr_vBUqt7mYpJM2lEJVNT6Dcqj63QUNdeXAGQbc3wrw5jxniTtieT5Dm3ec-ii3Ovxgrv08QkNHRS57KyK_RM81PcJu866ms1rm9c4wQ_Cbg4T3T-5vT0osaDsrhdCrI7Y/s640/blogger-image--1372627708.jpg"></a></div>6 servings </div><div><br></div>INGREDIENTS <div><br></div><div>2 ears corn (husks removed)</div><div>4 scallions</div><div>1 red or orange bell pepper </div><div>1 poblano pepper</div><div>1 avocado, diced </div><div>1 can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed </div><div>2 TBS Olive oil </div><div>1/2 cup cilantro, chopped</div><div>3 TBS fresh lime juice </div><div>1 tsp cumin </div><div>Salt and fresh ground pepper</div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">INSTRUCTIONS </span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">Preheat and oil grill to high heat </font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">Brush corn with a TBS of oil and Grill 10 min, turning until cooked with grill marks, cut kernels off </font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">Grill peppers 4-5 min turning until skin is charred, peel and course chop </font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">Grill onions a few minutes until softened and dice</font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">Mix grilled vegetables with beans, cilantro, and diced avocado </font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">Mix Remaining TBS of oil, lime juice, and cumin and toss the salad </font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">Season with salt and pepper to taste</font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">NUTRITION</font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">Cal 167</font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">Fat 10 g</font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">Sat fat 1.4 g</font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">Mono fat 6.7 g</font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">Protein 4.6 g</font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">Carbs 18 g</font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">Fiber 6 g</font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">Cholesterol 0</font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">Iron 1.4 mg</font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">Sodium 75 mg</font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">Calcium 38 mg </font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTPVkok2uOwPy585kXst_ptapBqxRpSuTsk8cdSrcuMlMK3K-2OfCbDvB4iFvN1BTnZRc8UECH6Yxfge2ES25mV5Anmwitai1MsAowA1L8vZOifvxXDgkwPKSEXq1PDUKdtnJQC0h951E/s640/blogger-image--1817678047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTPVkok2uOwPy585kXst_ptapBqxRpSuTsk8cdSrcuMlMK3K-2OfCbDvB4iFvN1BTnZRc8UECH6Yxfge2ES25mV5Anmwitai1MsAowA1L8vZOifvxXDgkwPKSEXq1PDUKdtnJQC0h951E/s640/blogger-image--1817678047.jpg"></a></div><br></font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">Credit: Recipe </font><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Adapted from Cooking light </span></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><br></font></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024299426409862473.post-34323232820276531452014-12-04T12:04:00.004-08:002014-12-04T12:05:53.290-08:007 TIPS FOR SMART EATING DURING THE HOLIDAYS<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.38in;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: x-large;">Tips for the Whole Season</span></span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEX7OAYrmInDPm0Nz-rl4IoROya1a7pcI1qAYXBBVUus6GI8Mw8VgKcLNHNo9lwPg0_xaXPmHVTT4q8tWT6fgJbqoAaF1O64FSnRSlWBElW5oqR6dBkE049ARsW4efnLLnYeycNYVlTL0/s1600/Picture4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEX7OAYrmInDPm0Nz-rl4IoROya1a7pcI1qAYXBBVUus6GI8Mw8VgKcLNHNo9lwPg0_xaXPmHVTT4q8tWT6fgJbqoAaF1O64FSnRSlWBElW5oqR6dBkE049ARsW4efnLLnYeycNYVlTL0/s1600/Picture4.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.38in;">TIP 1: BE PICKY!</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-indent: -0.38in;">Pick
</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-indent: -0.38in;">ONLY
your </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-indent: -0.38in;">favorite</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-indent: -0.38in;">
holiday </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-indent: -0.38in;">treats</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-indent: -0.38in;">Use
</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-indent: -0.38in;">portion
control </span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-indent: -0.38in;">Skip</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-indent: -0.38in;">
the </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-indent: -0.38in;">stuff
you can live without</span></h4>
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<i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.38in;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">SELF CHECK QUESTIONS: </span></i></h4>
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<i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-indent: -0.38in;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">"Do I really really love this or should I save my indulgence for another treat/time?"</span></i></h4>
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<i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-indent: -0.38in;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">"Is this an indulgence I can eat anytime outside the holidays?"</span></i></h4>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.38in;"><br /></span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.38in;">TIP 2 FOR PETE'S SAKE GET SOME </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.38in;">Exercise! WHY?</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-indent: -0.38in;">Relieves
</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-indent: -0.38in;">“holiday stress” </span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-indent: -0.38in;">H</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-indent: -0.38in;">elps </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-indent: -0.38in;">burn
</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-indent: -0.38in;">off </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-indent: -0.38in;">those
extra </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-indent: -0.38in;">calories</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-indent: -0.38in;">Careful!! k</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-indent: -0.38in;">eep
goals realistic during holidays when you have less time and don't beat yourself up about doing a little less.</span></h4>
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<i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.38in;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">SELF CHECK QUESTION<span style="font-weight: normal;">: "How can I modify my workouts to make the most of the limited time I have?"</span></span></i></h4>
<h2 style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0.38in; margin-top: 7.68pt; text-indent: -0.38in; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.38in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Damage
Control for Parties</span></span></h2>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpDdcry5S57iA9v-uVF6c2VeBUf4YZMUZcImW3wtkbWoOnEUKoj1NFYABN4MunOkT49AbUQ3CMdPVWplQK3slRs2BwVOOHYrYIehCPPEymzfvISsNsmhXl0MJFm9VdOhJ65LLLkKZ3rsM/s1600/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpDdcry5S57iA9v-uVF6c2VeBUf4YZMUZcImW3wtkbWoOnEUKoj1NFYABN4MunOkT49AbUQ3CMdPVWplQK3slRs2BwVOOHYrYIehCPPEymzfvISsNsmhXl0MJFm9VdOhJ65LLLkKZ3rsM/s1600/Picture1.jpg" height="289" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.38in;">TIP 3: Eat!</b></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: 0in;">Do not skip meals the day of a holiday party to “save up” you will end up bingeing at the party..</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: 0in;">Instead</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: 0in;">, </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: 0in;">eat
smaller meals prior </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: 0in;">to leave a little room for those
extra calories you will be eating during the party.</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.38in;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>TIP 4:<span style="color: #002060;"> </span>Alcohol
Counts (sorry...)</b></span></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUiUS_5Zuv9QAghOCGAnvtWvXn8B4dRcOS9OEQoBBkrSAFHCQSF_646cuzYP03hbyV8-GMO_Y40c7kwtO7pEKtAkzxZ4DvfNksT1XzCVqKiLjT78vSQgLKyM4rkPf8VTKNh_lwI27FSTE/s1600/Picture2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUiUS_5Zuv9QAghOCGAnvtWvXn8B4dRcOS9OEQoBBkrSAFHCQSF_646cuzYP03hbyV8-GMO_Y40c7kwtO7pEKtAkzxZ4DvfNksT1XzCVqKiLjT78vSQgLKyM4rkPf8VTKNh_lwI27FSTE/s1600/Picture2.jpg" height="320" width="224" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: 0in;">One drink = 100-175 calories. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: 0in;">Mixed drinks and cocktails may have </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-style: italic; text-indent: 0in;">several hundred </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: 0in;">more calories from the sugary
mixers and the cream liqueurs they contain.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: 0in;">And here's the deal...egg nog IS dessert, okay?</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
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</div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 7.68pt; text-indent: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><b>STRATEGY:</b> Try alternating an alcoholic </i></span></div>
<div style="display: inline !important;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><i style="text-indent: 0in;">drink with water or some no-cal beverage so you always have a cup in your hand and don't feel awkward or get handed another full glass of something.</i></i></span></div>
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<br />
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 7.68pt; text-indent: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i></i></span></div>
<div style="display: inline !important;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><i style="text-indent: 0in;"><br /></i></i></span></div>
<br />
<div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 7.68pt; text-indent: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.38in;">TIP 5: It’s
a Party! Try using your mouth more for TALKING than for chewing</b></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.38in;">Enjoy
the party by socializing rather than bingeing at the buffet table.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.38in;">Station
yourself away from the food if you have a hard time not nibbling the whole
time.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.38in;">TIP 6: Find
the good stuff</b><br />
<br />
<ul><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1nHxcmnp_FMp308b8Qtv_2kmUP3-YXC7lFfgF_RcgVxj5QTP0QEkqdXaN2vD0lHQK-BO7eQAjvg12E26jBB_5ofZU4Q37eLA3akNIJ6VJwGP6CAHEwuz3G5vJDqNzmG2HpznJfQi2yQs/s1600/Picture3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1nHxcmnp_FMp308b8Qtv_2kmUP3-YXC7lFfgF_RcgVxj5QTP0QEkqdXaN2vD0lHQK-BO7eQAjvg12E26jBB_5ofZU4Q37eLA3akNIJ6VJwGP6CAHEwuz3G5vJDqNzmG2HpznJfQi2yQs/s1600/Picture3.png" height="320" width="213" /></a>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.38in;">Opt
for </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.38in;">low calorie </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.38in;">options</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.38in;">These
will help fill you up with the </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.38in;">fiber
and water </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.38in;">they contain leaving less room for the unhealthy options.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>LOOK FOR: </b>crudites, fruits, green salads, roasted vegetables, bean dip</span></span><br />
<div style="text-indent: -36.4799995422363px;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">L</span></div>
<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">TIP 7: Be a "healthy" party host</b><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-indent: -0.38in;">Now, before you call me crazy and imagine the family mutiny when you serve up your first "Tofurkey"...relax. I mean serve some</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-indent: -0.38in;"> healthy side dishes this year to create balance on the menu. Steamed veggies are a fresh taste next to that juicy steak and Martha Stewart's ridiculously good mac-n-cheese.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.38in;"><span style="font-weight: normal; text-indent: -0.38in;">While I am not a fan of low fat stuff in general-using </span><span style="font-weight: normal; text-indent: -0.38in;">reduced fat </span><span style="font-weight: normal; text-indent: -0.38in;">ingredients in dips & sauces </span><span style="font-weight: normal; text-indent: -0.38in;">(where </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-indent: -0.38in;">it won’t affect flavor) can offer a big reduction in calories</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-indent: -0.38in;">Serve
water and unsweetened tea instead of sugary drinks-let the sugar come from the desserts!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-weight: normal; text-indent: -0.38in;">Plan some activities to make it fun and not all about eating.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024299426409862473.post-55336481180561250552014-01-28T05:13:00.000-08:002014-01-28T06:44:25.653-08:00Good for you? Bet you America makes a CHIP out of it!<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We Americans have a special love for anything in "chip form" and seemingly a similar disdain for healthy foods- even though we all know we should be eating them. Thankfully, the food manufacturers love to solve all of our nutrition woes, which is of course why we are all so fit and trim around here.</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nowadays, if you can name a healthy food that you couldn't pay many Americans to eat in its actual <i>natural</i> form (soy, legumes (AKA beans), kale and other dark leafy greens, quinoa, etc.) I will bet you a dollar that you can buy it as a CHIP. The only problem is that the dollar will probably only buy you about one of those healthy chips, since only rich people would consider paying $4-7 for 4-8 ounces of something called "Farmer Ted's Organic Sour Cream and Onion Flavored Kale and Amaranth Chips" or whatever.
</span><br>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I saw this in my local store last night so I am going to pick on this one, but I think you can pick up any of these products and make a similar comparison.</span></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwPNyhf2tYxJg2oVDdKKeq4r_0SrfPm2H1lRm41R2IwL6SYnJ7-ZEFCMaucoOBR-8OWVfxvKg80oo5gC4JC3XFSy9J42Q2b5uO6jcKqq-wW7qtX7qh_sjNcZSPAC1n9he7eu2oqSpt9Lg/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwPNyhf2tYxJg2oVDdKKeq4r_0SrfPm2H1lRm41R2IwL6SYnJ7-ZEFCMaucoOBR-8OWVfxvKg80oo5gC4JC3XFSy9J42Q2b5uO6jcKqq-wW7qtX7qh_sjNcZSPAC1n9he7eu2oqSpt9Lg/s1600/photo+1.JPG" height="293" width="320"></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Get your whole grains in a chip, right?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h2>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #ffd966; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">DIPPIN' CHIPS SUPER GRAINS </span></div>
<span style="color: #ffd966; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><div style="text-align: center;">
"QUINOA, AMARANTH, BLACK SESAME" VARIETY</div>
</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let's break it down...</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">COST COMPARISON</span></b></div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>DIPPIN' CHIPS 5 OUNCE BAG</b> (fyi it looks HUGE with all the air in there) = $3.99 </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That's about $.80/ounce wich may sound cheap but maybe when you think about it as <b><span style="color: red;">$12.77 per pound</span></b> you might change your mind (last time I checked you could buy Filet Mignon for less than that, and aren't plant-based grains supposed to be so much cheaper?).</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinjQ6mueKvbnxgy9ooOc8q84KkLXHAwNV_Y4k3uhC7Q81kJP6F3oJGya05fR1_wpxRNhk_AvadAvss-PtZ9PLz_EUeW6H990L91C8c99mV0Nq-oMmq0cUupTPRvH1NQXzEUhnoRGxGMr0/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinjQ6mueKvbnxgy9ooOc8q84KkLXHAwNV_Y4k3uhC7Q81kJP6F3oJGya05fR1_wpxRNhk_AvadAvss-PtZ9PLz_EUeW6H990L91C8c99mV0Nq-oMmq0cUupTPRvH1NQXzEUhnoRGxGMr0/s1600/photo+4.JPG" height="95" title="" width="200"></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">$12.77 per pound</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For a "healthy" chip:regular chip comparison, one can purchase a 10 ounce bag of Tostitos Whole Grain or regular variety corn chips for $3.28 (according to walmart.com) That's .33 cents per ounce or $5.24 per pound.
</span><br>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br></b></span></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><b>NUTRITION COMPARISON</b></b></span></span></div>
<br>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1 oz serving of Dippin' Chips</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Calories: 150</span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fat: 8 grams</span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sodium: 120 mg</span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fiber: 2 grams </span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First two ingredients (the most prevalent)</span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">White corn, vegetable oil</span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last three ingredients (least prevalent)</span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Amaranth, quinoa, teff</span></div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYyFJUitFlVpPDdiRhvjiRoPPay4gMB2XqgK4gyFsgbRu2rWnziWpuBr5AS1c8KaCx-0kEsZAj0EsYWhLZGl0Nr6_piRQuhtgBDLEQ7stFp-l0bRVxzuILcrNjMioD6SMcLUSxJLAO25g/s640/blogger-image-1287998168.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYyFJUitFlVpPDdiRhvjiRoPPay4gMB2XqgK4gyFsgbRu2rWnziWpuBr5AS1c8KaCx-0kEsZAj0EsYWhLZGl0Nr6_piRQuhtgBDLEQ7stFp-l0bRVxzuILcrNjMioD6SMcLUSxJLAO25g/s400/blogger-image-1287998168.jpg" width="250"></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nutritionally, alas still a chip.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZMDQuinTVpSKWTJYBccwPeW1UwIJKVEWgZIUOmT1AavQ1FeHQyxynJ4KEanDH8s7St0OIWTVFYkl9ZgeV6llO1A7vl0GTqq-PQ2err6GQlLK-Lqf_a7Q-dvGMdc5SuK_aK-r3Y4aNPY/s640/blogger-image-155281710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZMDQuinTVpSKWTJYBccwPeW1UwIJKVEWgZIUOmT1AavQ1FeHQyxynJ4KEanDH8s7St0OIWTVFYkl9ZgeV6llO1A7vl0GTqq-PQ2err6GQlLK-Lqf_a7Q-dvGMdc5SuK_aK-r3Y4aNPY/s200/blogger-image-155281710.jpg" width="200"></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First ingredient...good ol' corn.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br></span></b>
<b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b></span><br>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 oz serving of Tostitos Multigrain Scoops:</span></b></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Calories: 140</span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fat: 7 grams</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sodium: 110 mg</span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fiber: 2 grams </span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First ingredients: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Corn, vegetable oil </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMuPBtijCgDmBkf9BkXfbqkvAr-XANvFzWN1sn_GrP51Ybm8Ku6OH4zeEcdu4DkAwKU5dFBoV0hdmW3Ho97QMT4J99wCses1eupQ_1UUFUj6sSP_DqC59DfkVtbC3RhyphenhyphenGCO-Qxe7dPPBY/s640/blogger-image--115740641.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMuPBtijCgDmBkf9BkXfbqkvAr-XANvFzWN1sn_GrP51Ybm8Ku6OH4zeEcdu4DkAwKU5dFBoV0hdmW3Ho97QMT4J99wCses1eupQ_1UUFUj6sSP_DqC59DfkVtbC3RhyphenhyphenGCO-Qxe7dPPBY/s640/blogger-image--115740641.jpg"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remarkable how much like Dippin' Chips these are....</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hey, I like a chip as much as the next American, and this Super Bowl weekend we will eat more chips and salsa than on any other of the year. However, if you want to eat quinoa and kale, please go get some and make it and eat it and be healthy-because they ARE healthy foods. But when they come in a bag, I say let's call a chip "a chip"? </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024299426409862473.post-88522887018577546202013-01-23T15:48:00.001-08:002013-01-23T16:06:52.363-08:00Healthy Pozole de la Gringa<h4>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikHnphjiNTCz9al4lm6ZO4MU6j5HaHlNPx3ALT6_PfKCB9MRtkw6zCwrGmbCJ2Jn72HjDDtw4cwMq2ie9vRUwJD6j2JrV-FAgsWZ7FIPe8pp2fccujN-hhCbXIGnhiUgRO6yUBsJ2rOOo/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikHnphjiNTCz9al4lm6ZO4MU6j5HaHlNPx3ALT6_PfKCB9MRtkw6zCwrGmbCJ2Jn72HjDDtw4cwMq2ie9vRUwJD6j2JrV-FAgsWZ7FIPe8pp2fccujN-hhCbXIGnhiUgRO6yUBsJ2rOOo/s320/photo+2.JPG" width="320" /></a>
It is COOOOOLD!!! We need soups and stews in these parts to keep us warm. Check out my <a href="http://jlb-nutrition.blogspot.com/2012/10/magic-soup-recipe-i-love-this-soup_25.html" target="_blank">Magic Soup</a> for another idea. <br />
<br />
This one is my gringa version of Pozole, which we call Hominy in Ingles (the same stuff they make grits out of...).</h4>
<h4>
I make this when I have a few cups of chicken left on a roasted chicken that I want to use up. Strip the meat, make the broth for this soup and then you add a few other things and you have a fabulous warm winter meal.</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUPq3amE4kBT8Gg5DkleIm9A1kdHZFho7HpAGLGP-NxTrIG02ZBIQPgt-HXNWj59Cz2VK5s0qMHBMsmNNXujuwa68z5QHoGNkJ-VXVAzMqeGwAMyTbPeaEmjT-H0dI8FZDQd08WA1Oo1w/s1600/pozole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUPq3amE4kBT8Gg5DkleIm9A1kdHZFho7HpAGLGP-NxTrIG02ZBIQPgt-HXNWj59Cz2VK5s0qMHBMsmNNXujuwa68z5QHoGNkJ-VXVAzMqeGwAMyTbPeaEmjT-H0dI8FZDQd08WA1Oo1w/s320/pozole.jpg" width="230" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>6 grams fiber<br />200 calories<br />17 grams protein<br />Good source of Iron and Vit C<br />Delicious--can't go wrong!</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Recipe</b><br />
<br />
<br />
1 TBS Olive Oil<br />
1 cup Onion, fine chopped<br />
2 cloves garlic (minced) or about 1.5 tsp of jarred minced garlic<br />
1 TBS Chili Powder<br />
1 15.5 oz can of Plum Tomatoes<br />
1 15.5 oz can White Hominy, drained and rinsed<br />
4 cups Chicken Broth (low sodium or homemade)<br />
1 1/2 tsp dried Oregano<br />
1 15.5 oz can Black Beans (Low Sodium), drained and rinsed<br />
1 cup frozen corn kernels<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
2-3 cups fully cooked Chicken (no skin), coursely chopped<br />
1/2 cup Fresh Cilantro, fine chopped<br />
Juice of 1 medium lime (about 2 tablespoons)<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5C_uBy6yIdDdpQKiXYxggTkNSyHD6UEC-PptmS1b0h14ZwzmLGTtj9x3tFSxqyodxW3FCU5LgHrxXKidAu_f3rYaOA95PzcrSAaUFL6Xs5YP1Z0GEvp_fAxf28Yhe7a6CEGvd12JNXeY/s640/blogger-image-41488913.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5C_uBy6yIdDdpQKiXYxggTkNSyHD6UEC-PptmS1b0h14ZwzmLGTtj9x3tFSxqyodxW3FCU5LgHrxXKidAu_f3rYaOA95PzcrSAaUFL6Xs5YP1Z0GEvp_fAxf28Yhe7a6CEGvd12JNXeY/s320/blogger-image-41488913.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">this is what you are looking for at the store...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC1RjM27LiF-5OZojQereq7O9jSAv3dsiyfwsxkfnVzdmgB_bQwvJa9oaKIdqbVew7wdWPB4pY5wmv068p8ETAB9I0Gr8mK0OZ9_gDBK_NFPtXW0Za2sdXcyE2ri-ji93ALbbcBXUKP3M/s640/blogger-image-2046878804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC1RjM27LiF-5OZojQereq7O9jSAv3dsiyfwsxkfnVzdmgB_bQwvJa9oaKIdqbVew7wdWPB4pY5wmv068p8ETAB9I0Gr8mK0OZ9_gDBK_NFPtXW0Za2sdXcyE2ri-ji93ALbbcBXUKP3M/s400/blogger-image-2046878804.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">in progress...<br />
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<b></b>
<b>INSTRUCTIONS</b><br />
<br />
Heat stock pot or dutch oven with 1 tbs of olive oil<br />
Cook onions over medium high heat until soft (a few minutes)<br />
Add chili powder and garlic and cook for 30 seconds<br />
Add broth, tomatoes, hominy, beans, corn, oregano<br />
Bring to boil and turn down to simmer 15 minutes<br />
Add chicken and warm through about a minute<br />
Add lime and cilantro right before serving<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFz7hzgshqND5L4hx5FS-zmTpajx48HU7sZGgiFgMKcWQbl_zvxpXQqJdTAUQmDPiUlw3gQhoL7ZKSNc0cn6ad2DWZUddebh-RlLq_3lceTDUZVtgy_KgUvwLkq0B_Baz1dQgAbK2JN3I/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFz7hzgshqND5L4hx5FS-zmTpajx48HU7sZGgiFgMKcWQbl_zvxpXQqJdTAUQmDPiUlw3gQhoL7ZKSNc0cn6ad2DWZUddebh-RlLq_3lceTDUZVtgy_KgUvwLkq0B_Baz1dQgAbK2JN3I/s400/photo+1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">30 minutes and dinner is served!</td></tr>
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SERVE!!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024299426409862473.post-15165888924643500682012-10-25T18:14:00.001-07:002012-10-25T18:26:56.143-07:00Magic Soup Revealed<br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Magic Soup Recipe!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love this soup. My kids love this soup. Everybody loves this soup.
This soup is good for you. </span></strong><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I make this with my leftover roasted chicken-I use the carcass to make the broth and the left </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">over pickins off the carcass for the chicken in the soup</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Make it soon...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
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<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ucK7MllQN-NJbC57n4v9LxH4UyhEW82htY9AE2BcQG6PM_6fBfk5Cqb8py9CL2cv4TbUwcJbCJAdkKvjRYEei-Lvg55o46G-Dq36hJtgvhDj4BihJ73jAD_IJGPHYC9nHNVqiw5aBvk/s1600/magicsoup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Soup Pic" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ucK7MllQN-NJbC57n4v9LxH4UyhEW82htY9AE2BcQG6PM_6fBfk5Cqb8py9CL2cv4TbUwcJbCJAdkKvjRYEei-Lvg55o46G-Dq36hJtgvhDj4BihJ73jAD_IJGPHYC9nHNVqiw5aBvk/s320/magicsoup.jpg" title="Magic Soup Rocks" width="320" /></a><b>Ingredients</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5 cups Chicken Broth (preferably homemade but if not, low
sodium)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
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1 medium Onion, Chopped (about 3/4 cup)</div>
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4-5 carrots, sliced 1/4" thick</div>
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4-5 Celery Stalks, chopped 1/4" thick</div>
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2 medium Parsnips, Sliced (about 2 cups)</div>
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1 medium Butternut Squash peeled and cubed</div>
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8 oz chicken meat, diced</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 Baby Bok Choy, quartered</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/4 cup Fresh Parsley, chopped fine</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
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1/4 tsp Kosher Salt (optional)</div>
Fresh Ground Black Pepper (to taste)<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9tdO0_vFKPQQwpxPf4mar5ZJTd4dG6PsoSE_tjYFU9j_kefgmva2dVrjAfFeV4F10wGxgjGvSrhytNxBGGUYqzf4Kyng-VwzSI0pP6ClvOqmxdGnVEH03CvSpyqRdkVnzANqEMtQQoXI/s1600/magic-soup-label.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9tdO0_vFKPQQwpxPf4mar5ZJTd4dG6PsoSE_tjYFU9j_kefgmva2dVrjAfFeV4F10wGxgjGvSrhytNxBGGUYqzf4Kyng-VwzSI0pP6ClvOqmxdGnVEH03CvSpyqRdkVnzANqEMtQQoXI/s320/magic-soup-label.jpg" width="255" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Check out the awesome Nutrition!</b><br />
<b><br /></b><b>4 grams of fiber</b><br />
<b>11 grams of lean protein</b><br />
<b>over twice your Vitamin A</b><br />
<b>2/3 of your day's worth of Vitamin C </b><br />
<b>and that Bok Choy packs 10% of your calcium!</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-size: x-small;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<b>Instructions</b><br />
<br />Chop and Prep All Ingredients.<br />
Heat Broth in large dutch oven or pot.<br />
Add onion, carrots, celery, parsnips. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.<br />
Add butternut squash. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes more.<br />
Add chicken, bok choy, salt and pepper. Simmer until bok choy softens, about 5 minutes.<br />
Serve and sprinkle with fresh parsley (don't skip the parsley part-trust me it's worth it)<br />
<br />
<b>FOR KIDS</b> YOU CAN ADD COOKED PASTA AND WATCH THEM EAT IT UP (Admittedly you might not want to not serve them the bok choy parts unless you chop it smaller it is scary for the young ones and somewhat fibrous)<br />
<span style="color: lime;"><br /></span>
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</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024299426409862473.post-36508405055990539982012-08-03T12:16:00.001-07:002012-08-03T17:55:11.921-07:00THE PROS AND CONS OF JUICINGLike fashion trends, diet trends recycle themselves every so often. Juicing is back en vogue and is touted not only as a great way to lose weight quickly and feel fabulous, but as a cure to <a href="http://www.drfostersessentials.com/store/juicing.php#incurable" target="_blank">incurable diseases</a>. There are juice "fasts", "cleanses", "detoxes", "diets"...they're everywhere. So what's the real deal with this juice stuff? First, please beware of ANY diet or supplement which states it can cure a serious or life threatening disease, obviously if juicing could consistently do that then the disease would no longer exist. That said, I completely understand anyone with a serious condition trying everything they can to manage or cure the condition. <br />
<h2>
<a href="http://www.healthy-juicer.info/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Commercial-Juicer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.healthy-juicer.info/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Commercial-Juicer.jpg" width="305" /></a><br />
So to juice or not to juice that is the question...</h2>
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As with all things diet there are pros and cons. Let's go through them so you can make the call for yourself.<br />
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<h3>
<span style="color: lime;">PRO</span></h3>
<u>MORE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES!</u><br />
<br />
Putting a wide array of fruits and vegetables that you may not otherwise eat into a glass is obviously a pro and would provide concentrated vitamins and minerals probably better absorbed than in a supplement. I get stoked about anything that gets people to incorporate more plants into their diet.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="color: red;">CON</span></h3>
<u>MORE CALORIES!</u><br />
<br />
While it is difficult to consume too many calories from whole fruits and vegetables, when we condense them into a juice glass and add that to our normal solid diet we are essentially adding unnecessary calories to our diet (unless you are underweight this is not ideal). Even these calories from your new healthy juice habit can make you gain unwanted fat. Calories, indeed are still calories.<br />
<br />
For example this <a href="http://caloriecount.about.com/beet-carrot-apple-ginger-juice-recipe-r401512" target="_blank">beet, carrot, apple, ginger juice</a> (which tastes fabulous by the way!) delivers 169 calories, more than that glass of wine you'd probably rather drink, more than a serving of greek yogurt or a handful of almonds. It also has almost 29 grams of natural sugar-about 7 teaspoons!<br />
Those extra daily calories may have you gaining over 17 pounds in a year!<br />
<br />
You may think you will eat less food naturally but unfortunately we actually have found that humans eat <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22258267" target="_blank">just as much</a>, if not more when they consume liquid calories before or during a meal.<br />
<br />
If you are set on juicing keep this in mind: generally speaking, fruits have more natural sugar and therefore more calories than vegetables so to keep calories in check when juicing use mostly vegetables (beets and carrots are an exception since they are also high in sugars). Celery is particularly low in calories/sugar and could be added to juice to "dilute" the calories.<br />
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<h3>
<span style="color: red;">CON</span></h3>
<u>TOO LITTLE CALORIES?</u><br />
<u><br />
</u><br />
On the other side of that spectrum if you take part in a juice fast or cleanse where all you are drinking is liquid juice, often the calories (and likely protein) are not substantial enough to sustain your metabolism or keep you from wanting to carjack the pizza delivery guy after a few days. Yes, you'll live to tell about it if you make it through but what will you have gained? An empty colon, low glycogen stores, and a great story about how miserable you were without chewing for a week. By the way, most of the weight you lost is water and unfortunately it will come back--quickly--when you start consuming an adequate diet again so don't get depressed about it-it's not your fault.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhybM8UfG9H9rFyXApj1eKltE_A394QPKEUIcotNC6SQGAcqqIKkiMMoTInGay4Qno3H3VtNBBiWdtzAOIycgAOUaGThWE4H1uK54WHJ31LLZ7TZEGwilo_2kx4RL1TcvsuF02OAKEDTDc/s1600/MP900386431%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhybM8UfG9H9rFyXApj1eKltE_A394QPKEUIcotNC6SQGAcqqIKkiMMoTInGay4Qno3H3VtNBBiWdtzAOIycgAOUaGThWE4H1uK54WHJ31LLZ7TZEGwilo_2kx4RL1TcvsuF02OAKEDTDc/s200/MP900386431%5B1%5D.jpg" width="143" /></a><br />
<h3>
<span style="color: lime;">PRO</span></h3>
<u>NO JUNK PLEASE</u><br />
<br />
A juice fast, like any other very restrictive diet, not only provides structure (I am all about having a PLAN!) but by default it eliminates a lot of garbage in the diet which can't be bad. But, just perhaps it's not the juice that is making you feel so wonderful but the fact that you aren't eating crap while chugging coffee by day and wine by night? It's a possibility, yes?<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="color: red;">CON</span></h3>
<br />
<div>
<u>FIBER PLEASE!</u></div>
<div>
<u><br />
</u></div>
<div>
Some juicers extract all the pulp/solid elements of the produce and leave only the water, sugar, and <i>some </i>nutrients. The fiber and other nutrients are discarded. I do not recommend any juicer that doesn't completely utilize the produce you put in it. But even if you have a juicer that includes the whole fruit or vegetable, do understand that the way your body will process these nutrients is quite different than if you eat these items intact.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Juicing is essentially "predigesting" these foods, in other words the juicer is doing the job that your mouth, teeth, and stomach would have done had you eaten the food. Because this "liquid" food is ready for your small intestine (where we absorb most all our nutrition) and contains virtually no protein or fat (unless you put nuts, seeds, or protein powders in it) it leaves your stomach faster. This means these juices will come with a very high glycemic index. (Learn about how the glycemic index is used manage weight and diabetes <a href="http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/Articles/Nutrition-And-Meal-Planning/glycemic_index_update/" target="_blank">HERE</a>). Thus, those on low-carb diets or with diabetes or metabolic syndrome would be advised to lay off the juice, even the vegetable juices.</div>
<div>
<br />
<h3>
<span style="color: lime;">PRO</span></h3>
</div>
<div>
<u>I NEED A QUICK FIX!</u></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I think even most juice advocates would agree that one cannot live on juice alone in the long term. But sometimes we need something to get us out of that slump and into that healthy lifestyle we are always dreaming we will have someday when we don't have work, or kids, or stress, or bills....</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Juice fasts offer a plan. They don't require thinking, they eliminate all the stuff we tend to overeat (bread, meat, etc) so we don't have to do the hardest thing ever-eat those things in MODERATION. So if doing a fast will help you kick the habit and gradually add back HEALTHY foods in moderation when it ends I suggest you stop reading this blog and get your butt to the market (okay...maybe finish reading if you want to be nice.)</div>
<div>
<br />
<h3>
<span style="color: red;">CON</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ftCa-JOi-bBuot1mz392uFL8rzicGZuk3Dwmd7UdXIO0rdmWNHcCAWKB6JiCPqTjuyIUibFZGRM8IePkt5DZ7WSqld2f91psM5MXZO8KiuzFTzbhk6rdczK3nEwvirpGqRdG8SRFq-g/s1600/MP900321081%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ftCa-JOi-bBuot1mz392uFL8rzicGZuk3Dwmd7UdXIO0rdmWNHcCAWKB6JiCPqTjuyIUibFZGRM8IePkt5DZ7WSqld2f91psM5MXZO8KiuzFTzbhk6rdczK3nEwvirpGqRdG8SRFq-g/s200/MP900321081%5B1%5D.jpg" width="200" /></a><u>CONCENTRATED VITAMINS...AND PESTICIDES-YUM!</u></div>
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It makes obvious sense to only use homegrown and/or certified organic produce to make your juice. By using conventionally grown produce you will be getting wonderfully concentrated pesticide and herbicide residues to fuel your body. Unfortunately this is not always accessible or affordable for many people so I would advise against juicing if this is not possible. There is a much lower ingestion of these potentially harmful chemicals when we consume the whole fruit or vegetable simply because we would eat smaller portions.</div>
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YAY OR NAY?</h2>
So, it's your call, but I think the main thing is balance-fresh juice can add produce and nutrients to your diet, but it can add unwanted calories, insulin spikes, and chemicals if you're not careful. Juice fasts are very extreme and not physioligically necessary, but if one can help you get that healthy eating ball rolling then go for it, thankfully the human body is resilient enough to live through even the craziest diets for a stretch.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024299426409862473.post-38366256134515872852012-07-30T13:52:00.004-07:002012-07-30T17:03:50.177-07:00WHO IS MY NUTRITIONIST?<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It may come as a surprise to you that in most states my six year old could print business cards, have a website built and start his career as a "nutritionist". It would be completely legal and most people would not know the difference between him and an educated and licensed nutrition professional by looking at his "credentials".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">IT'S ALL IN A NAME</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many states regulate who can call themselves "dietitians", but most do not regulate the use of the title "nutritionist" See </span><a href="http://www.cdrnet.org/certifications/licensure/index.cfm" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">HERE</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> for your state's rule. What is the difference you say? Well the fact is there really isn't one and that's the problem.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) states "<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333;">States with certification laws limit the use of particular titles (eg, dietitian or nutritionist) to persons meeting predetermined requirements; </span><b><span style="color: red;">however, persons not certified can still practice</span></b><span style="color: #333333;">." <i>In other words, anyone can be a nutritionist. </i></span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;">Why?! I have no idea. But until the laws change BEWARE from whom you take nutrition advice.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;">SO LOOK FOR LETTERS, RIGHT?</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You would think so! Just Google "certified nutritionist" and you can score some of your very own "letters" in a few short months for as little as a few hundred dollars. My favorite is the </span><a href="http://www.integrativenutrition.com/go/career/what-is-integrative-nutrition" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Institute for Integrative Nutrition</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">which churns out their Certified Holistic Nutritionists (</span>CHN<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">) in 12 months of online coursework-but..wait for it...they give them the certification 6 months into the program! Their website boasts </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Many of our students earn back their tuition even before graduation!" Can you imagine if law schools or medical schools let their students practice unsupervised before their students were even done with school?! This clearly shows that this "institute" is out to make money, not train qualified nutrition experts. </span></span><br />
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To be fair, some of the holistic, alternative nutrition theories are under-explored in traditional nutrition education. I do think it is important for traditionally trained dietitians (and doctors!) to learn about CAM (complimentary alternative medicine) to give complete care. But don't these holistic people need to also take anatomy and physiology, biochemistry, medical nutrition therapy, food microbiology, food science, and all the other core science knowledge to properly treat clients? I think so...</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">HARD-EARNED LETTERS: "RD"</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To become a Registered Dietitian you must complete the following:</span></h4>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1) A four-year undergraduate degree with </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">45 credits approved nutrition coursework at nationally accredited university </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3) 1200 hours supervised practice Dietetic Internship </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4) Board Exam </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5) Continuing education credits to maintain licensure</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To find a<i> bona fide</i>, licensed nutrition professional in your area go to <a href="http://www.eatright.org/programs/rdfinder/" target="_blank">The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly American Dietetics Association)</a> Only Registered Dietitians (RD) and others who may also have higher level degrees like myself are allowed to register on the AND/ADA site. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024299426409862473.post-82881598095090636052011-09-02T09:03:00.000-07:002011-09-02T15:21:50.652-07:0010 Non-Drug Ways to Lower Your Cholesterol<strong>Doctor tell you you need to go on a statin or other cholesterol lowering drug and have concerns about side effects and being on a prescription drug for the rest of your life? While the following is not quite as easy as taking a pill every day, the health benefits of following these ten tips will far exceed just lowering your cholesterol and getting your doctor off your case. Heck, you might even FEEL GOOD too.............</strong> <br />
<ol><li><u><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>LOSE WEIGHT IF YOU NEED TO</strong></span></u> 5-10 lbs (even if you have more to lose) will result in a lowering of both cholesterol and blood pressure and increase your sensitivity to insulin (reducing risk of diabetes and helping manage existing diabetes).</li>
<li><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong><u>EXERCISE</u></strong></span><span style="color: black;"> (independent of weight loss) will help decrease total cholesterol and increase "good" HDL cholesterol. Cardiovascular exercise (swimming, running, cycling, dancing, walking, elliptical machine, aerobic/cardio classes) are more important for cholesterol than resistance training and flexibility (which both have other benefits so keep doing those too!)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong><u>STOP SMOKING IF YOU STILL DO SUCH A STUPID THING</u></strong></span><span style="color: black;"> It isn't brain surgery that smoking creates a world of health problems, and increasing cholesterol and "bad" LDL cholesterol is one of them. Need a more vain reason? Smoking increases belly fat, believe it or not so one way to a flatter stomach is to give up the cancer sticks.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong><u>EAT SOLUBLE ("viscous") FIBER</u></strong> </span><span style="color: black;">Beans, whole grain oats, barley, nuts, vegetables, and fruits have lots of soluble fiber. Wheat does not, but still choose whole wheat bread as it has other health benefits aside from lowering cholesterol. Oatmeal for breakfast, a daily snack containing nuts (see #8 for the best cholesterol lowering choice) and a serving of legumes (beans) can have a huge cholesterol lowering effect-especially when combined with #5and #6. Psyllium (in products like Metamucil) also has a cholesterol lowering effect as well as helping bowel regularity.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong><u>REMOVE ARTIFICIAL TRANS FAT</u></strong></span><span style="color: black;"> This is old news at this point to anyone who knows a little about nutrition, but manufacturers have gotten wise and found a way to put so-called "trivial amounts" of trans fat in our packaged food. Thus, one must still look out for "hydrogentated" oils (the type of oil does not matter) in the ingredients to avoid these trivial amounts. Amounts less than .5 grams do not have to be labeled (it will still say "Trans Fat 0 grams"!)-which just like "trivial" amounts of money-over time adds up to big numbers!</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong><u>REDUCE SATURATED FAT</u></strong></span><span style="color: black;"> Animal fat (with the exeption of fish) delivers the most saturated fat to the American diet. Red meat, poultry (skin, dark meat), pork, and dairy (not Skim) have saturated fat. It's still okay to eat these things but smaller portions are in order. Keep in mind also that dairy has naturally occuring trans fat, which is another reason to choose low-fat dairy produts like cheese, yogurt, milk, and ice cream. Or if that's too much to ask, eat them less frequently in small portions. Coconuts also have "sat fat" but probably do not have a negative effect on our cholesterol as a "vegetarian" saturated fat. Aim for <20 grams Saturated Fat per day or 15 grams if you are at high risk for cardiovascular disease or already have it.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong><u>EAT LESS DIETARY CHOLESTEROL </u></strong></span><span style="color: black;">Why is this not at the TOP of the list? Because the other things are more effective. Truth is-if you do #5 and #6, this one will take care of itself since sat fat and cholesterol come in the same foods (unless you eat a lot of eggs and shellfish-these contain little sat fat but lots of cholesterol). Dietary cholesterol has less an affect on your blood cholesterol than most people think, but keep it to less than 300 mg/day or 200 mg/day if you are at high risk for cardiovascular disease or already have it.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong><u>EAT MORE OMEGA-3 FATS</u></strong></span><span style="color: black;"> cold water fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel) are full of them and by far the best source-try to eat them 2x per week-researchers think this is enough to have a benefit. For fish haters and vegetarians, SOY, WALNUTS, and CANOLA OIL are great sources from the plant world. Soy may make your nose scrunch, but there are so many soy products out there now there is undoubtedly one you can stomach, and dare I say "enjoy". Almonds, although tasty and a great source of healthier unsaturated fat and fiber, are not a good source of Omega-3 fats.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong><u>EAT MORE MONOUNSATURATED FATS</u></strong></span><span style="color: black;"> Foods with this type of fat have a beneficial effect on "good" HDL cholesterol and is found in avocados (bring on the guac!), olive, and canola oil (which is also a source of omega-3). REMEMBER, all fats (even healthy ones) have 9 calories per gram which makes it easy to go over your daily energy (calorie) needs if you are eating a lot of fat. That means that you can gain weight which will make you cholesterol go UP! Aim for approximately 60 grams of total fat (saturated and unsaturated) per day too keep your calories in check.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong><u>TRY A MARGARINE WITH PLANT STEROLS </u></strong></span><span style="color: black;">Eating Benecol, or another brand of margarine fortified with "plant sterols" (these foods are commonly referred to as "nutriceuticals"), is a safe way to help reduce serum cholesterol. These have been scientifically proven to lower cholesterol (albeit more modestly than statin drugs, which is why you should also do #1-9 to maximize your chances). These are "taken" like drugs, in that there is a specific "dose" at specific frequencies (1-2 tablespoons per day, for example). But unlike drugs these are natural plant chemicals and have no known side effects, besides lowering your cholesterol! They are also cheaper than drugs so if you don't have a great prescription program and use spreads anyway, they are certainly worth the slightly extra cost to standard margarines.</span></li>
</ol>How long does it take? Not long. In a few short months you can significantly lower your cholesterol with the above methods. Bad news is that as soon as you stop doing these things is that it will go back up. Good news is, your liver won't have to metabolize a drug for the rest of your life.<br />
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I recommend getting a "baseline" from your physician and following up with another test 3 months after you are consistently doing the 10 tips (and have had time to lose weight if necessary). Why so soon? Because then you will keep doing it! It is very easy to forget why you are taking the trouble to change your diet and lifestyle without any direct feedback, and if cholesterol lowering is you goal, you'll need a blood test to get the feedback. Don't wait a year for your annual physical to come around again or let's face it, you may have reverted back to your old lifefstyle by then!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024299426409862473.post-14039630848779181762011-08-17T16:49:00.000-07:002011-08-21T06:45:37.387-07:00Leadville Traill 100 MTB Race 2011<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W9ziJ92-ywM/Tko_l9gJ9tI/AAAAAAAAB78/QRdJANJNQSQ/s1600/IMG_9949.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" qaa="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W9ziJ92-ywM/Tko_l9gJ9tI/AAAAAAAAB78/QRdJANJNQSQ/s320/IMG_9949.JPG" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s over. I “finished” but not officially. I rode 103.5 miles on my mountain bike in just over 13 hours over 12,500 feet of elevation gain (and loss) at no lower than 9,200 feet and all the way up to 12,600 ft. Yesterday I went to hell and back, wishing for hours it would be over—even being disappointed that I didn’t miss that last 9 hour cutoff at Pipeline aid station at 73 miles because that meant I had to keep going. Knowing even before then that my 12 hour buckle earning time was out of reach, and I would have to ride hard for FOUR hours-not three-to make the 13 hour “consolation” finish to get a time in the books and a finisher’s medal. Four Hours. No f’in way, and let’s see-when should 30 miles take somebody four hours to ride? In Leadville, that’s where. Let me start at the beginning…</span></div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This all started on a cold day in December when something brought me to the Leadville Trail 100MTB website and made me enter the lottery to get in. Having read about Leadville for years, I knew it was something I had to do last summer after seeing the documentary film of Lance’s win in 2009. I had heard the lottery was not really “a lottery” and it takes several years of trying to get in. At 40 years old (at the time) I figured I had better start trying so that maybe next year I would get in for 2012. At the end of February 2011 they announce the lottery “winners” (You’ve won a chance to suffer your ASS off for up to 12 hours for the bargain price of $275!!!). Well, I have never won anything in my life and bam, I got in. My lucky day.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Trouble is I had never mentioned this to my husband or anyone else for that matter, because let’s remember, there was NO WAY I was getting in on my first try. Also my credit card (which they took in December and charge automatically in February if you get in) had expired. I got in, but they didn’t even have my money. I could get out of this scot-free. I almost didn’t even tell Erik (I had told him after last year’s Ironman, “No long stuff next year. Promise.”) I truly thought I was being honest, so I don’t consider it a lie-again let’s remember I wasn’t going to get in this year.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"> <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I sat on it for a day before I told anyone. Let’s rewind to FEBRUARY in NJ-under feet of ice and snow all winter. Had I been riding? Nope. Not since July really. Had a busy fall and a frigid winter. I have 5.5 months to go from zero to LT100 fit? Tall order. Do I want to suffer again for 12 hours like last year’s Ironman? I thought I wanted a year of easy short stuff? Erik’s going to kill me. Can my 15 year old MTB do that course? Am I even physically capable of finishing this-every year about 20-30% of people DNF? Back and forth, back and forth. </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I decided to tell Erik and leave it up to him. After two days of going through all the pros and cons and reservations and issues and this and that, my husband told me, “Do it. I don’t want to put out your fire.” So I started training that day. </span></div><h1 style="margin: 24pt 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: Cambria; font-size: large;">Wednesday, 3 days OUT</span></h1><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"> <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We are leaving today. So many things going on in my mind and last two nights it’s been hard to get to sleep-which anyone who knows me will know is a true rarity! July was a genuinely challenged month with a vomitous virus that rotated through the family for 10 days straight and had me being nurse-maid to my 4 and 5 year old boys and 41 year old husband, rather than MTB’er extraordinaire. I got it a little but fared okay with it. So, two attempts at a “big volume week” were faltered due to both my cumulative fatigue and having family priorities. Today I sit here sick—yes, another virus has worked its way through the family and found its way into my body at the worst time possible. I have sinus pain, lethargy, and a sore throat. Will I recover by Saturday at 6:30 AM? </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And forget my rhinovirus, what of the legs? The legs that don’t seem to be able to recover from anything I do anymore. The legs that have knots the size of large hail stones in them. The legs that have felt dead for weeks no matter what I do. They are coming around after a massage and a week and a half of tapering, but this is not where they should be three days out. Honestly I am not sure why, like I said my training has been less than ideal, and I have taken the hint and tried to rest. So in my mind, there isn’t much to be tired from. But they are somehow tired. This week they have been coming around a little each day and I am hopeful that I will have my full strength back by Saturday. I know that in the past when I have had a great taper, the week before the race I have to hold back on every ride because I feel like a racehorse in the starting gate bucking to start running—that is not the case this week. I am going on short, hesitant rides afraid to do any fraction of damage to my muscle fibers-hoping that short easy rides with a few brief bouts of high intensity will keep my legs from getting flat but allow my muscles to focus 100% on recovery.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then there is the question of endurance: my longest rides this year were an early season May MTB race of 52 miles which took 6:50 in the mud (and relative flat) of Stewart State Forest, and the Whiteface Leadville qualifier which was 57 miles with as much elevation gain as Leadville (sans altitude) which took 5:58. I have many shorter, more intense rides under my belt and have tried to climb as many hills as I can find in the Bergen County vicinity, but I have not been in the saddle for more than 6:50 at a stretch (and that was almost 3 months ago). One day a few weeks ago I climbed the local “Boat Basin” hill, a 1.3 mile climb which averages a moderate 7%, TEN TIMES to try to simulate climbing Mt. Columbine, an 10 mile climb in the LT100 which takes riders like me 2 ½ hours to ascend. I did these repeats on dead legs after a 4:30 day of riding which included Bear Mountain. Is it enough? Am I fast enough to cover the 103.5 miles at that kind of altitude in under 12 hours? Can I even ride 12 hours, almost doubling my longest ride? I have no idea. I think so. I tell myself I know so, but how can I know-I don’t know anyone personally who has done this race-so I have no personal stories or direct comparisons of my fitness compared to theirs. Can I ride just about half as fast as Lance Armstrong who finished in 6:30 in 2010? Lance averaged 15+ mph. I have to average 8.7. Sounds doable on paper. I have never seen the course other then the DVD and some video that’s out there-I will not be able to pre-ride the course since I will get into town only 48 hours prior. Will I get altitude sickness? Even if I don’t get sick, how much slower will I be at that elevation than at sea level? Will I acclimate even a little in 2 days? Everyone is different when it comes to this so there is no way to tell what my body will do.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This entire thing is the unknown. On one hand-it’s terribly exciting, on another-a frightful prospect to embark on this epic ride with so little knowledge of what it’s going to take and if I possess it. I always knew I would finish each Ironman I have done, even the first one. This is the first race I have ever done where finishing is NOT a given.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The only thing I have to possibly rely on is my experience with Ironman and other endurance races. I am a tortoise, the Energizer bunny-I always have been-I can keep going and going-but I am not naturally fast (fast I have to work for). I have to believe that my natural endurance will serve me in the second half of the race when I will be out there longer than I have ever been on a bicycle (8.5 hours is my record, on the road, last Spring</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">). I have to believe that my training, which lacked any truly epic rides, but included a tremendous focus on becoming strong enough to climb these mountains well without blowing up-will have me making the cut-offs and coming down that finish line prior to 6:30 PM. I am a stronger rider than I have been in years. I am a better mountain biker than I have ever been. I have to believe that I deserve to be out there on one of the toughest courses in the sport and that I will arrive home with a cool silver belt buckle to award my mettle. If I earn that buckle, it’s in huge part creditable to my unbelievably supportive husband, who puts up with the craziness of my quest to do things that most people can’t. I love you, Erik. And if I don’t finish, Ryder says, “It’s okay, Mommy.” But Ryder tells me he really really wants me to finish. So I guess I have no choice.</span></div><h1 style="margin: 24pt 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: Cambria; font-size: large;">Thursday 48 hours to go</span></h1><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We arrived at Denver International Airport at 11PM and I drove with virtual toothpicks holding my eyes open until 3AM eastern time to arrive at the condo in Copper Mountain. Erik said it was good training for the race, I have to agree. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">RACE CHECK-IN in Leadville. Wait in line. Talk to competitors. General consensus was:</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Everyone had been there acclimating for a week- some 10 days to two weeks. I had been there 8 hours.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Everyone had pre-ridden the key parts of the course including Columbine (10 mile climb up to 12,600 ft) and St. Kevin’s. Some rode up Columbine twice. I had not nor would see any part of the course prior to Saturday.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">With my persistent congestion, travel fatigue, dead legs, lack of acclimation and course knowledge, I actually pondered whether starting the race was a smart idea. A short ride around Leadville had me gasping for air on any small incline at a snail’s pace. What was I thinking???? I tried to keep negative thoughts from my head but it was almost impossible. On a positive, I was staying very hydrated with lots of water with electrolytes added. I was trying to control what I could control, and that was one thing I could certainly do. There was no excuse to be dehydrated.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Back to the condo. NAP. Dinner prepared by my unbelievable husband. Back to bed shortly after. Woke the next morning. Heart rate 58 BPM, about 8 beats higher than my sea level norm. Felt more rested but after breakfast could have gone back to sleep.. Walking around my breath felt less labored (until I walked uphill or stairs) and my legs felt a little stronger than the day before. Back to Leadville for the race meeting we went. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><h1 style="margin: 24pt 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: Cambria; font-size: large;">RACE MEETING <24 hours to go</span></h1><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What a meeting! Having seen both documentaries, seeing the people from the films milling around the room was surreal. Rebecca Rusch, Dave Weins, Ken (the race founder) and his wife, and all the “regular” people profiled in the films-I was there in that famous gym about to be a part of history it felt. The speeches were inspiring and my confidence grew. Among some great quotes were, “When the Navy Seals quit, YOU can quit.” (a team of Seals raced this year). And the classic Ken quote which we all had to repeat, “I commit, I won’t quit,” and “You are better than you think you are.” One thing that struck me about this race meeting was the camaraderie among the racers, both seasoned and first timers. As a long time triathlete this was something I haven’t experienced since the mid to late 90’s when I first entered the fledgling sport. It has since been tainted by money, marketing, branding, mounds of unnecessary gear, and “me monster” over-competitive age-groupers who take it all and themselves way too seriously. Here in Leadville, it was different. People were friendly, open, and helpful. Even the fast people. I felt welcome here. Today I felt a sense of hope, I was going to show up in the morning and do my best, I can do this thing!</span></div><h1 style="margin: 24pt 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: Cambria; font-size: large;">RACE MORNING</span></h1><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Got to bed pretty well considering. Up at 4AM to eat. Yogurt, ½ banana, small amount of coffee. Then I almost threw up and got horrific stomach cramps. Nerves? I dunno, but I took two Pepto pills to get rid of it and it worked by the time I left Copper in the dark to venture to the start. Started in the back of the pack-first timers were corralled last and, trying not to start too aggressively, I even lined up close to the back of my corral. This was my first mistake of the day. It was chilly, low 40’s, but I thought it would be stupid to overdress for a few miles of cold before the first climb so I wore only arm warmers in addition to my normal bike shorts and jersey.</span></div><h1 style="margin: 24pt 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: Cambria; font-size: large;">GO!!!</span></h1><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The shot gun fired and we didn’t move an inch for over a minute. I joked, “This is easy!” and my corral buddies laughed. We slowly rolled passed the start line, which evidently took me 2 min 15 seconds according to the timing results. Downhill on the roads for three miles, with several almost dead stops due to the congestion had my teeth chattering and hands and toes completely numb. I didn’t worry about the slow start-everyone says this can’t ruin your race-but perhaps these pundits who said this don’t count on every minute to make the cut-off. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Finally we hit some dirt and again, soft pedaling for miles with the masses all the way to the first climb, St. Kevin’s. It was easy. The only hard part was being behind hundreds of people for whom it was not easy. I am lucky I have been getting better at my track stand because I was able to clean the climb without putting my foot down hovering behind people walking their bikes ALREADY! I told myself this was fine, I had a long day ahead and going extra slow on this climb would keep me honest. Well maybe it did, but maybe this was the second place (after starting so far back in my corral) that I could have gained a minute or two which, in the end, would have made the difference. Good thing is that I could feel my hands and toes again by the time I got to the top.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The next major climb is Sugar Loaf-also nothing major—it’s early in the race—it’s just a long gradual 4 miles or so. Here I could enjoy the scenery as we climbed higher and could see all the beauty below. I was with many riders and was not worried about the pace, but here lies mistake #3-I should have been. I had no idea that my goal time was already in danger, so I just kept spinning up the hill trying to enjoy the ride and the view.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next up, Powerline descent. The infamous downhill where there are always crashes and mechanicals. This was by far the most fun part of the race-almost 4 miles down hill on what I consider “real” mountain biking terrain-not wimpy fire road. I passed a few hundred people taking the hard lines to get by. I couldn’t believe how slow people were going, maxing out their breaks, hesitating on every bump and rock. These were not mountain bikers I thought to myself. Whiz whiz down the hill, smiling all the way down (and trying not to think of having to come back up 6 hours from now).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">You hit the road and get in a paceline for a few miles until the 28 mile Pipeline aid station-my goal was to get there in 2:35 or so. I arrived at 2:55, twenty minutes behind the goal. “Wow,” I thought, “I really took it too easy at the beginning.” I had trusted that since I was still in a mass of riders I was fine. I was still optimistic that 12 hours was in the realm of possibilities but it was already looking like a long shot. I didn’t even stop for food even though I was running low because I didn’t want to lose any more time and I figured it was only an hour until the next aid station, where Erik would be waiting. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Onward to the first official cutoff: 40 miles at Twin Lakes where I would see Erik before climbing Mt. Columbine. Get there in 4 hours or your day is over. Onward and somewhat upward I went out of Pipeline aid station. The last few miles before Twin Lakes is a nice stretch of single track-non-technical switchbacks on California-like sandy dirt. I ended up in a conga-line of 12 less-than-able mountain bikers taking their time down a mile or two of the little singletrack in the whole course. Problem is none of them would allow any of the faster riders to pass. At this point I got MAD. We were very close to not making the four hour cut and if getting caught behind people who are STR (“scared to ride”) was going to cause me to not make Twin Lakes on time, I was going to blow my top. Well, even behind the roadies, I made it with 6 ½ minutes to spare and there was my knight in shining armor with my full bladder and more food! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">At this point I was pretty certain I was not going to buckle. I have looked at the splits. No one who doesn’t make it to Twin Lakes in 3:40 or less does. But there was no point on dwelling on this, I actually wanted to see this Columbine monster and get up it, however long it took. At this point, I saw the leaders coming down-flying down-they are 20 miles in front of me already—must be nice I thought! So up and up I go, trying to conserve knowing it would take me 2:35 to get to the top if I was going to get back on pace to buckle. Many people were walking, some were stopped with their heads down on the handlebars. I felt strong enough to keep riding. My goal was to make it to the tree line where I knew all but the best riders had to hike-a-bike most of the rest of the way. I did it…I rode up to where the trees were thinning and the road ramped up and got very rocky and got off—that’s almost 8 miles-I have never gone uphill for 8 miles, ever, and that was cool. I walked almost the last 2 miles while the air got thinner and thinner and the sun got hotter and hotter. I got a headache during that time and had a hard time pushing the bike more than 1.5 mph or I would gasp for air. That two miles took me an hour but seemed like three. I felt a great deal of despair to be so close to the top for so long and to see so many descending before me. I got to the top of Columbine in 6 hours and 48 minutes, a 30-40 minutes slower than my goal. I rested a brief spell while they rationed the few ounces of liquid they had left for us-yes-they ran out of WATER! I drank some chicken soup, ate a few pieces of watermelon, thought about peeing but opted to wait (no time to spare and no cover or port-o-potty in sight), and started my descent. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It took 40 minutes to go down what it took almost three hours to ascend. Believe it or not, this is TIRING! I have old school rim brakes and my hands were completely numb from the constant breaking but somehow still functioning. I took the chance to shake them out on flatter sections and hoped my triceps and back would hold up under the constant contraction. I couldn’t believe my legs took me all the way up what I was now seeing on the way down. Was feeling pretty good about myself even though my goals were out the window, and I knew I would make the 8 hour Twin Lakes cut off without difficulty. At 7:37 I rolled through Twin Lakes and saw Erik again. I said, “I can’t believe I climbed that [expletive] mountain.” He lubed my dusty chain and gave me what was left of my gels and clif shot blocks, gave me a full bladder of water and sent me on my way. I was feeling positive about now, the race was more than half way over I made up a little time on the Columbine descent and it was still possible to finish in mid 12’s which at that point I would have to live with. Back the way I came onward to the Pipeline Aid station, where I told Erik to meet me since it was not 100% I would make it there before the 9 hour mark if I couldn’t keep riding strong. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This stretch is not hard but does involve a decent gain in elevation over a 12 mile stretch. It took me 1:15 minutes to get to Pipeline and I cruised through at 8:53:56—6 minutes shy of the cut off. I will be honest that I didn’t want to make that cut off-I wanted it to be over. Even small climbs were starting to be taxing and require huge effort. Making it all the way back to Leadville seemed like it was not in the realm of possibility that day. All I had to do was slow down and I wouldn’t make it under 9 and I could stop. “Just slow down,” the devil on my shoulder said, “just a little, and you’ll be in a nice truck home in a few minutes.” My defiant legs wouldn’t listen to the voice and kept pedaling as fast as they could go. I told Erik at the aid station that I wanted to stop. He told me, “No, you can’t stop. Now get going.” I got going.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Out of Pipeline is that nice flat stretch of road-I was looking forward to that except that I now had company-a lovely headwind. I was practically alone-no one to draft behind-I was on my own with this wind. I tried to laugh at the situation but it was a machinated effort and I really didn’t find it funny. In the distance I can see this mountain off the left side of the road with powerline towers sticking up out of the trees going up all the way to the top. That’s it. That’s the POWERLINE, all..the..way..up…there. That’s where I am headed. Hmmm. As they say about this climb, “You just gotta get it done”.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So off the road and onto the Powerline I went. 78 miles and 9 ½ hours into my ride I had to go up almost 4 miles of mostly unrideable trail. It was 1 hour and 20 minutes of hell. I was not sure where it ended—remember I don’t know the course and even descending it earlier had become a blur in my mind. I tried to ride when I could-but mostly it was pointless-not worth the time and energy to get back on only to ride a few feet and have to get back off. When I walked I tried to walk “with purpose” but here there were spots I had to pause-for the first time in the race-I had to stop for seconds-had to pull it together mentally and give my legs a chance to be still. I won’t call it a “rest” because it didn’t help them feel better-they just had to stop moving-just be still for a few moments before I called on them again. I am not much of a cry-baby, but I did feel the urge to cry at a few points. The hardest part was almost at the top, I saw not one-but two-ATV race vehicles assisting other riders. All I had to do was get on and get a ride home. “It could be over right now,” the devil on my shoulder said. “Just get on.” I trudged by, trying to feel triumphant that the other riders quit and I had not. I made it to the top and was rewarded with another triceps, hand and back numbing descent down Sugar Loaf which threatened to end my race if I couldn’t stay focused enough to ride it safely, pick the right lines and keep my eyes in focus. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I made it safely onto the last major climb-it was road so it should be easy enough, right? A four mile climb, 11:15 and 87 miles into the race (for those who know it-this climb was very comparable to Bear Mountain-1/2 mile shorter, similar grade). It almost broke me. I can’t believe a road almost broke me, but it did. I didn’t remember it being a 4 mile descent outbound, I had no idea. It just never ended, just kept going and going and the few riders who were left out there didn’t know where it ended either. I was miserable and barely pedaling, but what choice did I have at that point? I can ride Bear Mtn. easily in under 30 minutes (on a road bike), this shorter climb took me 43 minutes, I was toast. My eyes kept closing and I would almost nod off only to jerk my head up and squint my eyes back into focus (my drive from the Denver airport had served me well!). By the time I crested it and started descending my GPS read 12 hours, I imagined the last finisher crossing the line, and felt sad it wasn’t me. I had failed. I was 11 miles from the finish (the last part of the course is different and extends the race distance to 103.5 miles). I had to average 11 mph to get home in 13 hours. I knew the last 3.5 miles was uphill, yay.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was back almost where I started at 6:30 this morning-St. Kevin’s which seemed like days ago! Down down down trying to enjoy the last descent of the day without having a sloppy crash. Trying to keep my chin up that 13 hours was in reach, I could still get a medal and a time. A few riders would pass or ride with me, we tried to keep up the morale and push each other to the finish. I was honestly riding as hard as I could, as slow as I seemed to be going. At one point about 3 miles from home I actually had an “out of body” experience of sorts. For a moment I was not on my bike, rather I was with Erik at the finish..it was so REAL. A blink of an eye later I was staring at my handlebars, at the picture of the boys smiling at me, right where I had been all along. I was freaked out and a bit scared at what might happen in those last few miles but I kept riding still thinking that 13 hours was possible if I kept going. As I turned on the last stretch of road to the finish I knew it was not going to happen. Unlike last year in Idaho at the Ironman, where I somehow eked out what it took to come in under 13 while having a terrible race, this year it was not going to happen. I rode up that hill with the red carpet in sight-happy to see that the clock was still ticking and there were still people there-and Erik was whistling his loudest which I could hear over all of it. I crossed the line in 13:05:13, which means my official chip time would have been 13:02:28, less than three minutes shy of a time. 62:58 off the buckle. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">How did I feel? Not quite coherent, but pissed at the same time, beyond exhausted and at that point I was pretty complacent about my time. I didn’t care, I was finally finished. As I crossed the line, the guy handed me a medal. I knew technically I shouldn’t have gotten one. I almost didn’t take it, but then I did. I did do the entire distance and cross the finish line, against incredible mental and physical cues not to, and I figured I deserved a medal to commemorate it. The first thing I said to Erik was, “Get this thing away from me,” trying to uncouple myself with the bike that I had been grafted to for 13+ hours. The bike that never failed me by the way-not a flat tire or broken spoke. Only once dropped my chain and it was likely my fault for being in the wrong gear at the wrong time. To that I owe my husband and brother-in-law much gratitude-for building new wheels, replacing both derailleurs, stem, cables, saddle, seat post, brake pads, chain and putting so much effort into making sure it was me, not the bike that would be the cause of missing my mark. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I would also like to thank my gastrointestinal system, for stomaching a gel or clif shot block each half hour, and multiple electrolyte pills without complaint, even if the caffeine combined with the race had me up past midnight with a heart rate of 80 BPM unable to sleep. I fell off my nutrition schedule at the end but otherwise, I don’t feel like nutrition or hydration played a major role in my failure to keep up the pace.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What’s next? Will I go back? Nothing is ever 100%, but I would have to say yes. This race is extremely hard-this was absolutely the hardest thing I have ever attempted-perhaps trumping natural childbirth (although I think that is getting longer and longer ago that my memory may be fading). BUT, it is so utterly doable. Looking back to my preparation: I started from practically ZERO 5.5 months ago, lost valuable training time along the way-especially in the key month of July, my training lacked any long rides, I had no idea of how to gauge if I was actually ready or what to do to GET ready, and of course did not arrive early to acclimate. I was congested (and I think now I have bronchitis) and my legs were not 100%. And in terms of the race itself: I started in the back and was overly casual the first stretch of the race. None of these are meant to be "excuses", just things I will do better next time (at least the ones I can control).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">All endurance events are raced better by experienced competitors-having done this race once I am quite sure I could complete the race in 12 hours knowing what I know now. I think 2013 sounds like a good year...</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Stats:</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Total Finishers </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1169 finish sub 12 hours/1606 (27%DNF)</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1279 finish sub 13 hours/1606 starters (20% DNF)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Women's Stats</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">104/197 finish sub 12 hours (47% DNF)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">127/197 finish sub 13 hours (35% DNF)</span></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My official splits (sans finish time, since I didn’t officially get one)</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://www.milliseconds.com/participants/detail/806451225"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">http://www.milliseconds.com/participants/detail/806451225</span></a></div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My garmin file (proving that I did finish</span><span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">) It lost power right before I rode onto the red carpet so I am missing the last 30 seconds or so...</span></div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/106869989"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Calibri;">http://connect.garmin.com/activity/106869989</span></a></div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Official race photos:</span></div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://www.zazoosh.com/photos/469042927"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.zazoosh.com/photos/469042927</span></a></div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Picasa Album</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/BalayJulie/Leadville?authuser=0&feat=directlink"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">https://picasaweb.google.com/BalayJulie/Leadville?authuser=0&feat=directlink</span></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uvGkfWvhge0/TkpAPnYU03I/AAAAAAAAB9I/64VyQhcthZQ/s1600/IMG_9962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" qaa="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uvGkfWvhge0/TkpAPnYU03I/AAAAAAAAB9I/64VyQhcthZQ/s320/IMG_9962.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If a picture is worth a thousand words, you probably could have skipped the blog. This pretty much tells the story.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1