So Sunday I went to the Adidas health expo at their West Houston St. store – all in all, a pretty disappointing experience and clear waste of decent floor space…I mean do I seriously need ANOTHER New York Sports Club flyer promoting membership?! I was hoping to learn more about nutrition, working out and maybe namedrop The Fit Post a few times extra loudly (hey, a little shameless marketing never hurt anyone).  Although the expo was a bust, I did walk away with some free goodies including my fav – Pop Chips.

I’m not a big chip person – sure, I like the occasional Sour Cream and Onion Pringle…and don’t even get me started on a bag of Cooler Ranch Doritos…ok, I lied – I love chips.  However, for a semi healthier alternative, Pop Chips taste great and are all-natural (no preservatives, coloring, flavoring, hydrogenated oils or MSG) – plus, never fried or baked.  The Salt and Pepper flavor is my usual go-to but I’m sure a bag of Parmesan Garlic could get my attention.  They come in normal serving size…not super fat American needs to gorge on every last morsel of food serving size…and they’re sans grease so no messy fingers (i.e. easier to hide the evidence).

So be grateful that you were spared the clustered mess of the Adidas expo and got this useful Pop Chip tip in the comfort of your own home – from yours truly…The Fit Post (told you I would find a way to namedrop!)

Although it certainly doesn’t feel like it these days, summer is just around the corner (alright Al Gore, we finally believe you!).  What else is quickly approaching…? NYC Marathon training.  Heat, humidity and longer miles make for the worst possible combination…unless you’re someone that looks good working a heavy sweat (don’t count me as part of this population).  The best way for me to maintain my endurance sans dehydration is by using an electrolyte replacement drink.  There are a million out on the market these days so choose wisely – I try to avoid the ones high in sugar and artificial flavoring.

My favorite that I’ve found so far is the lemon-lime HEED powder (also available in strawberry, melon – disgusting, mandarin orange and plain).  So subtle in taste, this all-complex carbohydrate formula is free of citric acid – most sport drinks rely on simple sugar as the carb source, limiting the number of calories that can be efficiently sourced for energy.  The  powder includes a full-spectrum of minerals to buffer lactic acid and stabilize blood glucose levels.  Basically for me, this chemistry smorgasboard translates into being able to better maintain my min/mile pace while avoiding major leg cramps.  As if I would ignore all of my gluten free athletes, the formula is also gluten and MSG free, vegan friendly plus Kosher certified – Mazel Tov!

What do you miss most about college? For me, it was wearing workout clothes all day (god I love my spandex)…the unlimited meal plans…having six week long Christmas vacations…oh hell, even Taco Tuesday in the dining hall got me revved up (mystery meat anyone?!)

However, today’s Tuesday and I’m on my way to work to sit in my gray walled cubicle and will most likely be overpaying for a not-so-great lunch wrap from the deli downstairs.  Tonight, hopefully I’ll get to pay homage to my former glory days and make one of my new favorite recipes: Fiesta Chicken Tacos with Mango and Jicama Salad – super easy, full of protein and nutrients.

Ingredients

• Salad:
• 3/4  cup  (3-inch) julienne-cut peeled jicama
• 1/2  cup  sliced peeled ripe mango
• 1/4  cup  presliced red onion
• 1  tablespoon  fresh lime juice
• 1/2  teaspoon  sugar
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• Dash of black pepper
• Tacos:
• 1  tablespoon  olive oil, divided
• 1  pound  skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into thin strips
• 1/2  teaspoon  chili powder
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground cumin
• 1/8  teaspoon  ground chipotle chile pepper
• 1  cup  presliced red bell pepper
• 1  cup  presliced red onion
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 8  (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 1  cup  mixed salad greens

Preparation

1. To prepare salad, combine first 8 ingredients.

2. To prepare tacos, heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken evenly with chili powder, cumin, and chipotle pepper. Add chicken mixture to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Remove from pan.

3. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan. Add bell pepper and 1 cup onion; cook 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Return chicken mixture to pan; cook 2 minutes or until chicken is done. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt.

4. Heat tortillas according to package directions. Arrange 2 tablespoons mixed greens, about 1/3 cup chicken mixture, and about 2 tablespoons salad in each tortilla; fold over.

Calories: 320/ Fat:  6.4g (sat 1.1g,mono 3.2g,poly 1.3g)/ Protein: 30.4g/ Carbohydrate: 36.1g / Fiber: 5.8g

Cholesterol: 66mg / Iron: 2.2mg / Sodium: 471mg /Calcium: 129mg

Yesterday post morning run and afternoon yoga I felt like I had to close out the day with a healthy dinner.  I stopped by Maoz, a cheap/quick service (no, we’re not talking about your date last night) veggie bar.  Pick your poison – either wrap, salad or pita pocket and fill with as much as you want from their fresh offerings.  I stuffed a whole wheat pita with beets, cucumbers, tomatoes, chickpeas, lettuce and spicy green chili sauce ($4.50) – they also have falafal balls filled with vitamin rich legumes.  Originally from Amsterdam, Maoz is my new favorite place to get a quick healthy meal.

We won’t discuss the cup of dark hot chocolate I got from Max Brenner’s immediately following…

So a girl walks into a bar…no, this isn’t that same joke.

Actually, this girl is me and the bar is more of a sushi (phenomenal, might I add) restaurant – but you get the point.

…so at this restaurant slash bar I learn that the bartender’s day job (they all seem to have one) is actually running the East Coast ops for Give Your Sole, a non profit group committed to providing moderately used running sneakers to men, women and children.  It’s a great concept right? How many old pairs do you have lying around that you never use, but can’t bring yourself to throw away.  According to Give Your Sole, statistics show that only 1 in 100 shoes get recycled with the rest ending up in landfills.  This bartender, along with his Cali based buddy, founded the non profit as a way to distribute shoes among local charities and organizations using post race footwear donations.

Sure, be greedy with your Christian Louboutins – hoard them all you like…but give your sneaker soul and organize a donation via their website www.giveyoursole.com

As much as I am all about eating healthy and saving animals…blah blah blah, it can all get pretty boring very quickly.  This Szechuan-Style Tofu with Peanuts recipe by Cooking Light kicks the flavor into full gear and makes for a more interesting veggie dinner.  I added jalepenos for extra spice and used brown long grain rice instead of regular bleached white.  If you’re pressed for time, or too lazy to broil the tofu, you can definitely skip this step (it will just end up with a different consistency/texture).

• Start Time: 7:30 AM
• Temp: 53 degrees
• Finishers: 11,494
• Male Winner: Peter Kamais of Kenya in 59:53 (honestly, WHAT do these Kenyans eat?!)
• Female Winner: Mara Yamauchi of Great Britain in 1:09
• Number of Gatorade fuel cups I set up at 5:00 AM: 3,359 (roughly…)

Anyone who was in Manhattan this weekend will be able to relate to the absurdly nice weather we had – perfect for all things New York.  Best of all, this weather summoned the running gods to create the perfect Sunday race morning.

Having opted out of the NYC Half Marathon this year, I decided the best way to watch the race was as a volunteer for the mile 5 fuel station.  Not realizing that this was the most labor intensive post (note to self, sign up for the Course Marshal position next time), I came full force to 110th Street at 5:00 AM to set up tables among tables among tables…of cups – all filled with a heavy concentrate Gatorade/water formula.  Shortly after the starting gun runners sped by – everyone from the American record holder to a Biggest Loser contestant (remember this when you say you can’t run).  Less than two hours later, the race past our post like a tornado – leaving behind thousands of empty cups crushed across the north side of Central Park.  Feeling like a Gatorade drenched prisoner picking up trash on the side of a highway, sans criminal charges of course, I channeled my inner Mother Earth to help rake everything up.

Although I didn’t run this morning, spending the few hours on the other side of the starting line was a different kind of healthy living fulfillment – one we should all try once and a while.  As a spectator you experience the race in a different way and feel inspired by helping so many runners (yes, I occasionally use touchy feel-y words such as inspiring…I blame it on the weather).

Takeaways from today: say thank you to the volunteers during my race. think of that really old guy I saw jogging when I feel like I can’t push through the next mile. become a Kenyan…STAT!

I know I know…carb free this and carb free that – personally I don’t know why you would completely cut out one of the essential nutrition building blocks (carbohydrates = fuel).  Sure, it makes sense to eat everything in moderation (except chocolate, go big or go home I say) but wholesome pastas and grains are an important everyday staple.  Here is a Spicy Lemon Pasta recipe by Real Simple that I think is a great and easy dinner to whip together – I substituted regular spinach pasta in place of regular spaghetti.

Ingredients

• 1 pound spaghetti or fettuccine
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• zest and juice of 2 lemons
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan (optional)

I live for french fries – any kind really…giant steak fries/shoestring fries/greasy McDonald fries/hand cut rosemary fries/truffle oil and parm fries…you get the point.  As the writer of The Fit Post I hate to expose my one food weakness, oh who am I kidding…I have several.  But for every weakness there is a (semi) healthy alternative that will kill the craving without going overboard.

This week I would have chopped off my right arm in exchange for a giant pile of salt drenched french fries.  Given that my bathing suit along with almost complete nakedness on the beach is right around the corner, I decided to make my own version at home using baby red potatoes.  Incredibly simple to make and not nearly as caloric – just cut the spuds in halves or quarters and mix in a bowl with a small amount of good extra virgin olive oil, rosemary and thyme.  Spread everything over a piece of tin foil  on a baking sheet and cook in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes.  They should come out “fork tender” (oh god, I never thought I would say that) with the outside lightly crisped.

Are you feeling neglected…? Trust me, it’s not you…it’s ME.  I have no good excuses as to why we haven’t been in closer contact (other than lately I need about 20 extra hours in my day).  However, I do know that a busy schedule is the ultimate test to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, even for the most hardcore out there.  As our parents would put it, or at this point…our parent’s parents…I have certainly been “burning the candle at both ends” lately.  That doesn’t mean I have succumbed to microwaved hot pockets (although, I can’t resist when I’m in a 7-Eleven) – last week I grabbed 20 minutes at home to make Cooking Light’s Lentil Burgers with Tzatziki recipe.  Full of protein, fiber and folic acid, the lentils pack a serious pattie and make enough for lunchtime leftovers.  If you’re wanting to cut down on groceries you can easily leave out the sundried tomatoes and olives – keep the wheat germ in there for extra folic acid and serve over a bed of lettuce for fewer carbs.

Ingredients

Tzatziki:

• 1  cup  grated peeled English cucumber
• 1 1/2  cups  plain low-fat yogurt
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 2  garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/4  cup  chopped green onions
• 1  teaspoon  extra-virgin olive oil

Patties:

• 2  teaspoons  olive oil
• 1  cup  chopped onion
• 3/4  teaspoon  dried oregano
• 1/8  teaspoon  crushed red pepper
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2  cups  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 2/3  cup  dried lentils
• 1/4  cup  sun-dried tomato sprinkles
• 2/3  cup  (2 1/2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2  cup  grated carrot
• 1/3  cup  Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1/3  cup  toasted wheat germ
• 3  tablespoons  chopped pitted kalamata olives
• 1/4  cup  chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• Cooking spray
• 8  (1 1/2-ounce) whole wheat hamburger buns, toasted
• 12  arugula leaves
• 2  tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 3/4 pound)

Preparation

To prepare tzatziki, place cucumber on paper towels, and squeeze until barely moist. Place in a medium bowl. Spoon yogurt onto several layers of heavy-duty paper towels; spread to 1/2-inch thickness. Cover with additional paper towels, and let stand for 5 minutes. Scrape into bowl using a rubber spatula. Add the salt, crushed garlic, green onions, and extra-virgin olive oil; chill.

To prepare patties, heat 2 teaspoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes or until tender. Stir in oregano, red pepper, and garlic; cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in broth, lentils, and sun-dried tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes or until lentils are tender; drain. Cool.

Place lentil mixture, cheese, and the next 6 ingredients (cheese through black pepper) in a food processor; pulse until coarsely ground. Divide lentil mixture into 8 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add patties, and cook for 3 minutes. Turn patties over, and cook over medium heat 3 minutes. Spread 1 tablespoon tzatziki evenly on each bun top and bottom. Arrange the arugula, patties, and tomato slices over bottom halves of buns; top with remaining bun halves.

Note: You can freeze any uncooked lentil patties for up to 1 month: Separate the patties with wax paper, place in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag, remove excess air, seal, and freeze. Thaw in refrigerator before cooking.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 328 (27% from fat) / Fat: 9.8g (sat 3g,mono 4.5g,poly 1.4g) / Protein: 15.8g / Carbohydrate: 46.7g / Fiber: 9.2g / Cholesterol: 11mg / Iron: 4.5mg / Sodium: 891mg / Calcium: 250mg

I admit it… I’m what you would call a textbook yuppie.  I like making money. I send my dog to daycare…with other yuppie puppies.  I like the idea of ‘living green’ minus the inconvenience.  I overspend and undersave.  My wardrobe is my life.  I love Wholefoods.

Wholefoods, considered by my brother as the ultimate “yuppie playground,” is my favorite one stop shop for groceries and easy to make meals.  I know last week I mentioned my bootleg burrito dinner…thankfully pay day hit Monday so last night I popped into the oven two salmon filets ($18 total), topped with mango, orange slices and onion for flavor plus wrapped in smoky cedar.  This may sound/look impressive but honestly, the most I did was pick them out from the Wholefoods fresh fish case, take them home and cook at 350 for 17 minutes.  Add a side of whole grain rice with asparagus and you have a nutritious well balanced meal.

God bless you little mom and pop’s out there, but until you get a debit card machine and forget the ‘cash only’ sign…you’ll find me in Aisle Ten.

Some nights I would honestly offer up my left kidney to not have to cook dinner…when I’m feeling this anti-domestic and my bank account is in the single digits (yes, I’m in my mid twenties and this still happens to me) eating out isn’t an option.  Thankfully, for canned food + the microwave, I always have a no-cook/cheap/healthy meal ready to go.

The other night I “made” burritos using Amy’s Organic Refried Beans, a can of Goya Black Beans and brown rice (I’ll spare you with details on how my body reacted to this bean binge).  I pre-made the rice in a rice cooker and microwaved the beans (full of cholesterol-lowing fiber and loaded with antioxidants) in separate bowls – added a scoop of all three ingredients to a whole wheat tortilla wrap and tucked together to make a nutritious but also filling vegetarian burrito.  Next time I’ll save my pennies and add a protein like tofu or grilled chicken.

When I run outside these days it seems like (…and I know that this sounds paranoid) everyone is shaking their heads in disapproval – seriously, doormen, mothers, even the crazy man on the street looks at me like I’m stupid for going out.  Obviously the sub 20 degree weather makes it seem like I’m just asking to catch a cold, but Runners World recently published an article that made me feel a little more sane.

Although you shouldn’t take any publication as Gospel (except for The Fit Post, duh) I feel a little better after reading Runners World’s excerpt on how exercising in the cold weather actually STRENGTHENS your heart, quadriceps, lymphocytes and neutrophils (i.e. immune system).  These last two immune cells protect the body from infectious bacteria and viruses.  The University of South Carolina reports that people who exercise have 20% fewer colds than those that are sedentary.  However, and here is where the fine print comes in, strenuous workouts or heavy training 75 minutes or longer can potentially have the opposite effect (supposedly 90 minutes+ leads to a temporary downturn in immunity with carb stores dropping = the body’s system becomes vulnerable and exposed). 

This doesn’t mean that freezing temps make the best or worst running conditions – just take some caution when exercising in extreme bouts of weather and you may actually benefit from the results.  Have a carbohydrate rich drink before, during and after your run to slow the rise of stress hormones and reduce the risk of offsetting negative immune responses.  Experts believe fluids are the fastest delivery system for carbs so make sure to wash down any post run bagel or banana with some H2O.  Also, taper your training before a race to let your body repair any damaged muscle-tissue (your body will do this OVER fighting an infection if it has to choose between the two so you want to start race day on a full system).

Moral of the story: if you get to call in tomorrow for a snow day (please God, let this be me) boost your immune system with an outdoor run.

Ok, this weather encourages just about everything except working out and eating healthy (we wont get into specifics).  My biggest downfall during the colder months is that I love to bake…and yes, I only tell you about the organic flax seed preservative free muffins…but who are we kidding, there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about popping a tray of saturated fat rich Toll House cookie dough into the oven.

Last week I found a happy medium to put my sweet tooth in check without going overboard on the sugar – throwback to your middle school lunch box for a memory of those gooey Rice Krispie Treats.  With 153 calories, 3.3 grams of fat and 0 grams of sugar per 37 gram bar, these are a quick fix plus cheap to make.  I cut down the old school Kellogg recipe from 3 tablespoons butter to 2 (no one will notice the difference – they come out a little crunchier) and microwaved with one 10 oz package of marshmallows – rolled in 6 cups of Rice Krispies and flattened into a square non stick brownie pan.  1 recipe made 12 pretty large bars

I know I know, I have been MIA for the past few days.  Really, it’s not you…it’s me.  My life has been going in twenty different directions with new changes (apartment. job. puppy. birthday.) but it doesn’t mean that I haven’t been focused on staying healthy and lean…after all, the stores are already selling bathing suits so its time to lose this extra winter layer that has managed to camp out in all of the wrong places (read as “back fat”).

I recently discovered the newly opened Meze Grill for a lunch time quick fix.  Using Mediterranean inspired ingredients, this spot is super casual and made for either eating in or ordering out – either way you’ll have you’re food in a New York minute.  Meze Grill hand prepares all of their meats, falafels, pita sandwiches, rice platters and salads.  I love the falafels which are cooked in refined oil that’s cholesterol and trans-fat free, plus the well balanced portions (don’t even think about supersizing it here).

I went for a rice platter but swapped out the rice for bulgur wheat and added slow cooked braised lamb (don’t judge) with fresh veggie toppings.  They give you a choice of two sauces, which I got on the side for dipping – highly recommend the Tzatzki (yogurt and diced cucumbers) or the Garlic sauce (pureed garlic with lemon juice and olive oil). 

Best part is, I became a Facebook Fan (again, don’t judge) and received a coupon for a free sandwich (limited to the first 1,000 fans).

Last night after a mindless day at work…rushing home to walk our new puppy…cleaning up the apartment and paying the bills (wow, is this my life now?!) the thought of a cold run outside was far from my mind.   Thankfully, my running partner made sure to keep us on track (despite my best efforts to lure her with dinner and wine instead). 

In lieu of our normal route on the West Side Highway and sometimes through Central Park, we decided to completely overhaul our workout and run down the Bowery to the Manhattan Bridge…across to Brooklyn and then run back through Chinatown – roundtrip: 4.6 miles.  Aside from having to dodge tiny Asian women shuffling along on Canal Street, this was a great change in pace and routine.  Crossing the bridge was the best part because we had a phenomenal view to look at in both directions, plus the pedestrian path is separate from the train and car traffic so you feel completely safe (other than the fear of falling into the DIRTY Hudson River).  Most importantly, we switched up our routine to force our brain to work harder instead of passively predicting every next move. 

Next up: run down the West Side Highway and cross all three bridges, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg with finish line on the FDR Drive.  However, this will require a warm sunny morning and some serious post run brunch to keep me focused.

The first month working at our office is like a throwback to Freshman year of college…complete with the extra 15 or so pounds, too many late night drinks and long hours in front of a computer.  With all of the extra snacks and leftover pizza in our communal kitchen, it’s impossible to not look like the corporate blimp by third quarter.  Thankfully, we recently added containers of almonds to our cabinets (maybe this was HR’s doing to avoid the potential hike in health insurance?).  I finally broke into this practically untouched stash as a cookie alternative for mid morning or late afternoon pick-me-ups (yes, I would eat cookies in the morning).

Full of vitamin E, magnesium and manganese, almonds are an excellent source of fiber, copper phosphorous and fiboflavin.  Compared to all other nuts ounce for ounce, almonds have the most protein, fiber and calcium, among other nutrients and vitamins…basically, it’s the alpha nut.  Whole Natural Blue Diamond Almonds have 160 calories in 1 oz (plus 14 grams of fat, 0 mg of sodium, 210 mg of potassium, 6 grams of carbs, 3 grams of fiber, 1 gram of sugar and 6 grams of protein). 

Almonds and sunflower seeds are the top two whole food sources of naturally occurring vitamin E (an antioxidant that breaks down the destructive chains free radicals start).  The vitamin E contained in almonds is two times as potent as the synthetic kind found in supplements, further helping your body to defend itself against unstable molecules that can cause disease and contribute to aging (i.e. free radicals). 

I know at first glance almonds (and most nuts) scream fat but several researchers believe that they are an effective aid in controlling weight (this doesn’t mean go eat 5 cans of them).  With 125 of its 160 calories from fat, almonds supposedly help to satiate hunger and discourage the intake of other high-fat food binges.

It’s my policy to only post about things that I have personally tried/can’t live without – this blog isn’t meant to promote or push products nor is it designed to drive certain trends (although I do like to consider myself a bit of a trendsetter…that’s just my modest opinion).  However, every brief once and a while (read as RARELY) I take a break from being so self-absorbed and consider other people’s interests – today being one of these rare occasions.

I don’t cycle/spin/bike etc.  It hurts (and you know exactly where…) I have tried it exactly two times and wanted to hurl my bike seat…excuse me…my “saddle” at the instructor.  However, for those of you that like to work work work but never move move move forward, then I DO suggest you try SoulCycle.  I have never gone and am still pretty skeptical, but from the recent chatter, their innovative and holistic approach to cardio is refreshing…almost enough to peak my interest.  

SoulCycle, about as celeb saturated as Monkey Bar, keeps New Yorkers in tip top shape at their various studios (Upper West, Upper East, Tribeca, Scarsdale and summer classes at Bridgehampton’s The Barns At Butter Lane).  Unlike most standard spin classes, the candlelit studios house a more fluid practice in lieu of lots of hops/bouncing into jumps (i.e. the most obnoxious part of a cycle class).  incorporating hand weights, seat crunches and maybe even a few resistance bands, instructors promise a full body workout to maximize time and energy.  

The 45-60 minute classes cost $32/class (cycling shoes also available for $3 rental).  SoulCycle etiquette restricts the use of cell phones, Blackberries (including typing or texting) and…wait for it…wearing DIRTY LAUNDRY (reason enough for me to attend class).

Have a little soul and check it out…if you do, please report back so I know if it’s worth tackling attempt number 3 in the spin studio.

Fellow health foodie/new mom/fashion model extraordinaire recently asked me if she should avoid products containing the ingredient maltitol.  Not being completely certain as to the answer, I…I mean, The Fit Post…did some serious due diligence and found the following:

• Maltitol is a sugar alcohol, most commonly used in low carb or “sugar free” products
• Similar to regular sugar in look and taste, this ingredient is considered a carbohydrate with 2 to 3 calories per gram (vs. 4 calories per gram for regular sugar)
• Products that use maltitol can still be called “sugar free” – WARNING: maltitol syrup has a glycemic index of 52 (vs. table sugar which has a GI of 60) - not a drastic difference when you then compare the level of sweetness each provides (you’ll likely have to add more of the maltitol which translates into extra calories/carbs)
• In addition to maltitol (sometimes printed as Maltisorb® or Maltisweet®), other kinds of sugar alcohols include sorbitol, isomalt and xylitol
• WARNING: manufacturers can still write “sugar free” or “no sugar added” on packages even if any of the above ingredients, including maltitol, are included - the sugar alcohol count will be shown separately if either of these two labels are printed on the package
• If no sugar free claim is made on the product, the sugar alcohol will be included in the amount of carbohydrates on the label either in the total carbs or as a separate line item so read carefully!
• Don’t get too excited Betty Crocker because you won’t be able to use maltitol as a sugar substitute in home baking – it won’t react the same way as regular table sugar
• Many people claim that sugar alcohols are ok for diabetics due to the fact that they are not completely absorbed by the body – HOWEVER, the American Diabetes Association confirms that it is the total carbs consumed that make the largest difference to blood sugar levels and NOT the type consumed
• The biggest consumer complaint includes issues with intestinal gas, cramping and diarrhea (wow, can’t wait to try this stuff)
• Benefits include the fact that it does not promote tooth decay

In summary, from my limited knowledge of the ingredient, the driving benefit of maltitol is the fact that you can help prevent cavities…personally, I feel like if you invest in a toothbrush this isn’t too big of an issue so although you don’t need to necessarily avoid sugar alcohols, it’s probably not worth going out of your way to spend the premium it will likely cost you in finding these substitutes.

I LOVE Mexican food – beans, cheese, salsa…even a little sour cream - could there be a better combo?!  However, you start to add in the margaritas and maybe a few bowls of fresh guacamole and it’s all downhill from there.

This past week I tried to channel my inner fiesta and make a healthy alternative by  piling together a large bed of mixed greens in lieu of a flour tortilla shell (please bear with me and think with your creative hat on…) – tossed in cherry tomatoes, diced onions and a few black olives plus 85% lean 100% grass-fed beef (cooked using a low sodium taco seasoning packet).  A side of Amy’s Organic Refried Beans and voila (or should I say, ole?), I made an easy recipe filled with fresh greens and protein…all in 15 minutes (Rachel Ray, eat your heart out).

Football season (RIP New England Patriots) brings out some of the worst (for you)/best (to taste) food known to humankind.  Stuffed potato skins, pigs in a blanket and an XL bag of Ruffles dipped in creamy french onion dip oh my (…hello beer gut).

A solid alternative to the greasy bags of trans fatty chips is the aptly named line of snacks by Food Should Taste Good.  Not that I would recommend making these the main event at your next Superbowl party (unless you like to suck the fun out of things), I think that a bowl of the Multigrain tortilla chips would be a great addition to the buffet of saturated fats.  Made with flax, sunflower and sesame seeds, these are all natural and kosher, plus free of: gluten/lactose/sodium/preservatives/cholesterol/trans fat…the list goes on.  Food Should Taste Good keeps things simple and nutritious with only 140 calories and 1 gram of sugar in their Multigrain variety – they also have Jalapeno, Olive, Chocolate (yum), Sweet Potato, Buffalo, Lime, Potato and Chive, Cinnamon, Yellow Corn or The Works.  What I like best about these chips is that they have a great texture and strong nutty taste – hello game day touchdown.

I used to have an extreme HATRED for tomatoes…honestly, like a “do not even make me hold the ketchup bottle” kind of dislike.  For whatever reason they grew on me (the fresh buffalo mozzarella didn’t hurt to sweeten the deal).  Now, I surprisingly add them to a lot of meals.

This weekend my friends and I got together to cook a group dinner (hey, it’s the recession…)  The meal included Jamie Oliver’s Evolution Tomato Salad.  Slice cherry tomatoes into quarters, add 3/4 of a can of cannelloni beans, pieces of fresh basil, 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons of red wine vingar.  Mix with sea salt/black pepper to taste and voila! Jamie also adds black olives but we included fresh squeezes of lime to bring out more of a citrus taste.

This Saturday I ran a 5 mile race in Central Park in sub 20 degree weather (at the time it sounded like a good idea).  I couldn’t add enough layers of spandex to stop the wind from cutting through to my skin.   Even more ground breaking than the freezing cold was watching New Yorkers pack together (picture March of The Penguins style) before the start of the race to share warmth…wait, let me clarify – New Yorkers VOLUNTARILY exposed their VULNERABILITY and huddled up against complete STRANGERS – we were about ten seconds away from holding hands and singing Kumbaya.

Aside from the shared heat of my neighbors, I was grateful to have my neck gaiter to pull up over my face for extra warmth.  SUGOI’s MidZero Thermal Tube ($18) worked perfectly to wick the sweat away from my skin while I ran plus was light and stretchy enough to stay in place.   Considering that running brings its fair share of chafing problems (and all in the wrong places I might add), it was nice to have a soft fleece lining in the tube for extra comfort.  Some people were wearing more aggressive face masks (Ninja-esque) but I thought that having a neck gaiter was perfect for keeping warm but also not feeling too restricted or claustrophobic (there was one person wearing a SARS mask but that’s a whole other story…)

Thanks to the internet and Food Network we barely look at cookbooks anymore.  However, sometimes I eat with my eyes so to speak and become inspired via large glossy pictures. 

I wrote about my love for the ultra healthy but amazingly delicious Babycakes Bakery in my October 5 post (scroll down and look for a picture with large fluffy donuts).  Since trekking down to Broome street isn’t a realistic option for most, Babycakes thankfully offers a great cookbook for in home healthy-ness.  Already on my list of favorite presents to give, this book is filled with bold pictures that honestly make you smile when you flip through (although who wouldn’t when looking at cupcakes page after page) plus short bursts of information to intro readers to the natural, vegan and gluten free ingredients used. 

Get the book and bake it…don’t fake it.

So many people tell me that they “can’t” run.  Even people who don’t have legs find a way to log the distance (seriously, Google: Flex Foot Cheetah) so there must be a way to make it work for everyone.  One guy even voluntarily cut off his own foot to stop the pain that was getting in the way of his running (seriously, Google: Tom White Life & Limb).  Basically my point is, if the biggest obstacle keeping you from running is a bag of potato chips and a plush leather couch…seriously, then find another excuse. 

There are lots of basic intro training guides online but the ‘Couch-to-5K’ plan at http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml is a great manageable start, not to mention the name says it all.  This is more of a walking/jogging program to introduce people how to endure a 3 mile or 5K distance.  Focus on a gradual start to avoid injury and stick to this 20-30 min plan three times a week.

…besides, sitting on the couch was SO 2009.

When the boyfriend is sick what does any nice girl do…? Make him soup.  When the boyfriend is sick what does any nice girl (that doesn’t like to cook) do…? Buy him soup, obvi (short for ‘obviously’ for any of you Baby Boomers out there).

Yesterday I stopped by Local, an organic fair trade and shade grown coffee shop.  With four small tables, it’s more of a take out spot or place to go solo with a book (or Kindle) for the afternoon.  The menu is pretty well stocked for a mere coffee joint – their ‘early all day’ list includes a Farmers Market Egg White Sandwich on organic 7 grain or sourdough bread ($5.50), Local Made Granola with farmers market fruit/yogurt ($6.00) and Pukkolla rolled oats, ground bran, dried apricots and dates, apples, walnuts and almonds soaked in milk ($5.00).  All of their baked items are made fresh each morning using organic cane sugar, organic flour and farmer’s market eggs.  If you’re feeling ambitious, they have an extensive sandwich and salad list as well.

On a mission, I picked up a cup of the tomato and basil soup ($6.50) and a fresh baked corn muffin ($2.75).  Little did I know that I’d also be taking home an XL order of his cold…as I write this I’m home sick from work…waiting for someone to bring ME soup.

Why is it that when you go to cancel your gym membership you feel like you’re part of a messy breakup?! There is the usual back and forth of trying to get you to stay…will reduce the rate…next month free…bonus training sessions blah blah blah.  Then once they realize that your mind is set, out comes the hardball – suddenly there are cancellation fees…have to go to another location to sign the papers…need to wait for a manager.  I finally bit the bullet yesterday and called it off with the old ball n’ chain and instead, ran to the arms of a hot younger thing named YogaWorks.

YogaWorks recently opened a beautiful new SoHo studio and lured me into a contract with some of their year end promotions (this would be the honeymoon phase of the relationship cycle…). Purchase 10 months and get 3 months free or for those commitment phobics out there, $30 for two weeks of unlimited yoga.  The loft style (isn’t everything these days?)  space includes three large studios plus a private practice room.  With everything made of eco-friendly materials (bamboo, low-VOC finishes), common areas include free computers and internet (this doesn’t seem very yogi of them…), tea stations, saunas and cushioned waiting areas to occupy your time before class.  I took an Anusara class with Julie Dohrman and it was phenomenal.

I think this may be ‘the one.’

I admit, I’m what you would call a ‘label whore.’  Slap the words Prada into the back of any coat or handbag and I’m all there.  I know this isn’t how it’s supposed to be (actually, H&M occupies the majority of my closet) but it’s in my DNA to love beautifully made…correction, ITALIAN made…things.  In real life, the labels that I can afford, are chucked full of nutrients and high percent Daily Values (%DV) – but how are we supposed to decipher and read food labels and Nutrition Facts?

1. The first things to look for are the serving size and number of servings per package – consider how many servings you’re consuming in one sitting (i.e. portion control).
2. Most people say to check the calories next but I think the second best place to scan is the ingredients list.  Everything in the food will appear in decreasing order so its important to make sure that things that you’re trying to reduce or avoid are not one of the first three ingredients.*
3. Next look at the number of calories per serving (calories represent how much energy you’re getting from this specific food) – the FDA considers 40 calories to be low, 100 calories to be moderate and 400 calories or more to be high (based on a 2,000 calorie diet).  Also make sure to look at the number of calories from fat.
4. Do a quick scan of the percent Daily Values – a %DV of 5% or less is considered to be low and 20%+ is considered to be high.  This part of the label interprets the number of milligrams and grams all into the same scale for the day.
5. Make sure to also limit nutrients in the top half of the table (fats, cholesterol and sodium).  Look at the number of saturated and trans fats, nutrients health experts recommend keeping as low as possible.

*If you’re trying to avoid or reduce your sugar intake, make sure to watch out for what I consider sneaky sugar aliases in the ingredients list: high fructose corn syrup, palm oil, coconut oil, fruit juice concentrate, maltose, dextrose, sucrose, honey, and maple syrup

I hate to fly…no, I’m not someone who freaks at the thought of being a few thousand miles in the air and I don’t even mind ponying up the money for a ticket…my hatred for traveling the “friendly skies” stems from the lack of reliability of air travel (please bear with me while I get this rant off my chest).  I can’t stand the countless hours of delays…at best…or in many cases, cancelled flights and unhelpful booking agents (WHERE do they fine these people?!).  Thankfully, airport food has vastly improved in the past few years – making the 4 hour delay in JFK or any other major airport slighty bearable and not nearly as caloric. 

This past week during my Christmas travels, I stopped by Cibo Express Market in Terminal 5 (JetBlue’s Jetson-esque new terminal space).  Think of it as a mini airport Whole Foods, with an additional price hike to remind you that your other options include ChexMix from Hudson Newstand or two-day old rubbery pizza across the way.

Look for the blue CIBO sign to purchase all natural crackers, Greek yogurt, trail mix, Smart Water, fresh pressed juices, vegetarian and vegan sandwiches, protein bars and other corner store style gourmet treats.  The lines are fast and I love a mini Fage Total 0% yogurt with a handful of low sodium trail mix (ok, who am I kidding… toss in a Toblerone Swiss chocolate bar to complete my order).  Even better, I’ll add a can of tomato juice to help reduce swelling from lack of circulation while up in the air – that is if my plane ever takes off…

Anticipating a marathon weekend of Christmas eating and cheer (as if this isn’t what I have been doing for the past month), I decided to take today’s lunch as an opportunity to put something semi healthy and nourishing back into my system.  evol (I don’t know how to type the “e” backwards) offers amazing, super cheap, frozen burritos filled with natural ingredients.  Best of all, the cooking involves: 1.5 min microwave…flip…1.5 min microwave…eat.

The Shredded Beef Burrito ($2.99) rolls together tender shredded antibiotic-free spiced beef (watch Food Inc. and you’ll know why this is important), pinto beans, rice, Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses plus some house-made tomato and roasted corn salsa all in an enriched wheat flour tortilla.  26 grams of protein plus 11 grams of fiber, this all natural burrito was “discovered” by Bear Naked Granola’s CFO.  Created by Phil Anson, this one man burrito biz started in Colorado with Phil selling his homemade wraps to climbers in the Eldorado Canyon via personal cooler.  evol has grown (or you could say “evolved”) to include a list of burritos with varying ingredients such as tofu, free range chicken or house-made chorizo.

I have decided that when I “grow up” and host my own Christmas party (well, at that point Christmas will cease to exist and everything will just be called “Holiday” – ugh) I’m going to set the date for September…maybe even August.  Everything jammed into one month doesn’t seem to work anymore.  So much shopping, eating, drinking, socializing…it’s like Sex in the City on steroids – honestly, I need three months to celebrate ONE “HOLIDAY” season.

To keep my head from spinning (and to be able to pay next month’s rent) I make a lot of my xmas presents myself.  Baking can be time-consuming so I’ll mix in this Chocolate Trail Mix Bark to fatten out the package and cut down on a lot of kitchen hassle.  Truly not the healthiest recipe I have shared with you…but if it brings mental health and simplicity then consider it Fit Post APPROVED.

Ingredients

• Chocolate bricks to melt down or bags of chips (can be any combination you like but I think using a high quality dark chocolate is best)
• Bag of pre-made trail mix or an assortment of nuts and dried fruit (think shelled pistachios, almonds, walnuts, dried cranberries/cherries/apricots – I also put in broken candy cane pieces)

Melt down the chocolate either via stove top or microwave (microwave is faster/easier but be careful you don’t let it burn).  Place wax paper on a cookie sheet and smooth out a layer of the melted chocolate – you want it thick enough for the trail mix to have something to stick to but not so massive that it turns into a candy bar.  Sprinkle trail mix and dried fruit over the chocolate.  Let chill in the fridge or leave on the counter to cool at room temperature.  Cut into squares and peel off of the wax paper using a thin knife.

Back to back Holiday parties coupled with cold winter weather is a triple threat to my body: 1) overload of appetizer induced calories; 2) no time to exercise away the bloated feeling; 3) low immune system.  I’m left  sitting at work wishing…I take that back…PRAYING…for a pair of sweatpants with a nice stretched out elastic waistband.

Since I highly doubt my office would appreciate me wearing a plush pair of Champion sweats at the desk, I have to find my comfort and warmth in the form of food.  Today, I ventured into a deli slash market slash corner Bodega that happened to have a pop up soup stand (only in New York) – think ultra cheap ($5.50/4 cup container) for huge portions of miso broth with veggies (you can also add chicken or shrimp) and either udon or buckwheat soba noodles.  Almost all Asian restaurants or to-go stands carry the soup, although likely not in bucket size quantities.  Great comfort food plus added nutrients from the veggies and broth to hike back up my immune system…just in time for Holiday party number 6 of the week.

I can barely have a conversation about skiing accidents without bringing up Sonny Bono, Michael Kennedy or more recently, Natasha Richardson (who I think is better known for her cause of death than acting career).  Ski season is just upon us and of course this means major expenses…dropping money for new apres ski wear (Santa, I would really love a resort collection Bogner jacket) plus most likely a doctor bill here and there.  The New York Times published an article that highlighted a recent study completed by The British Journal of Sports Medicine regarding skiing injuries- read the full (dense) report online or continue this game of telephone and get a down and dirty point by point summary by yours truly.

• of the sample population of injured skiers, 57% were men
• average age: 40
• many injured while skiing slowly
• new ski equipment or old snow significantly increased risk of injury
• insobriety did not seem to be a factor (still finding this hard to believe…)
• recent studies suggest that 40 skiers on average die per ski season (even less for snowboarders)
• reduced injury stats due in part by improved binding release settings and “new” parabolic equipment(widespread hourglass-shaped skis)
• lower-leg injuries have drastically reduced although the number of sprained knees have increased (most likely due to people feeling too comfortable in the cushy hourglass shaped skis)
• ACL sprains are more common among skiers older than 30
• the recent increase in snowboarders has created additional obstacles for skiers to hit (duh)  
• helmets have reduced the total number of skiing-related head injuries by 30-50%, although helmets do not help in the case of a serious head injury

Experts suggest the following to reduce chances of injury:

• have a ski tech check your equipment, specifically the binding release (you do not want them to pop open too easily or too late)
• buy/rent boots that fit snuggly
• know your limits and do not become over-confident in new equipment, fresh powder and/or after ski lessons

 I say, when the late afternoon conditions get slushy and your legs are beat…catch a beer at the lodge and rest up for the next day.

I love the Holidays for probably exactly why many people dread them…the food!  Inspired and full of cheer (or maybe its more guilt and stress), people seem to cook up some of the best recipes during the month of December and do none other than…SHARE.  One of my favorite dishes actually stems from my ever-growing faux Jewish heritage (hey, I say fake it and embrace it).  God bless (do Jews say that?) whoever invented potato latkes!

I never considered buying anything other than conventional ingredients when stocking up for my fried/oil ridden “pancakes” (thankfully, they’re only around once a year), but food experts are now recommending that consumers purchase ORGANIC spuds.  Apparently, root vegetables absorb the soil’s herbicides, pesticides and fungicides plus are then sprayed with additional herbicides before harvesting…and a third time once they’re dug up.  The Farm Director (is this an actual job title?) of the Rodale Institute claims that potato farmers even have a separate plot where they grow their own root veggies sans chemicals.  Buy organic since washing the exterior won’t remove the chemicals that have already been absorbed into the flesh.

Boy do I love rice pilaf – so buttery and loaded with carbs…however, it just doesn’t sit on my body like it used to (i.e. turns into uncomfortable pockets of fat).  Thankfully, Kashi (of course, always to the rescue) has made a 7 Whole Grain and Sesame Pilaf to help curb rice cravings.  Unlike the old school recipe, these individually sealed pouches of rice have zero cholesterol, sodium or sugar.

1/2 cup cooked pilaf contains: 170 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 160 mg of potassium, 33 grams of carbs, 6 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein.  With about 12 servings per box, Kashi uses minimally processed raw whole oats, brown rice, rye hard red winter wheat, triticale, buckwheat, barley and sesame seeds.  Even better, one serving provides a recommended day’s worth of whole grains.

Now, if Kashi could just turn my love for raw cookie dough into something healthy…

I am all for the ethical treatment of animals but I’ll admit that I’m certainly not PETA’s next poster girl.  I love my leather boots and the bunny fur lining of the hood on my coat… hell, I can’t stop thinking about the cobra skin clutch I just found at the vintage market.  However, the movie ‘Food, Inc.’ certainly opened my eyes to a completely different perspective on the way that our food is treated, handled and processed – making me suddenly re-evaluate what I’m putting into my body.

whiter meat.  larger apples.  fatter cows – we assume that these things all make their way to our table because we have developed more sophisticated farming techniques…we rarely (or at least I never have) stopped to consider that these advances in science pump the chickens with so many hormones that they can’t walk from the weight of their own bodies, or that the apples are saturated in harmful pesticides – I never even realized that the cows are fed a 100% corn diet causing them to become vehicles of a deadly strand of e-coli, passing this onto (read as: killing) consumers.

‘Food, Inc.’, a documentary that would make Upton Sinclair blush with pride, investigates the evolution of farming to highlight the incredibly harmful effects our advances in science are costing the quality of OUR food, treatment of animals as well as the abuse, and what some would consider slavery, of farmers – mostly driven by the monopoly of massive corporations…which in turn is ultimately driven by our country’s demand and necessity for speed and growth (I’m guilty as charged).  Although I’ll still happily inhale a thick juicy steak every once and a while, the undercover footage from inside the chicken coops and slaughter houses will make me MUCH more likely to read labels (look for ‘grass fed’ or ‘free range’ etc.) and spend more time searching out local small-scale farmers.

Maybe bigger/greener/whiter/faster…is not always better?

I live in the land of pizza – every corner is the ORIGNAL Famous Ray’s (how is that even possible…haven’t these people heard of a Trademark?) or my personal favorite, Pizza 33.  As much as I love that amazingly thin greasy slice that lets you origami fold it into about twelve sections, my cholesterol and pear shape body can’t manage eating the greasy stuff every week. 

Living Right (sounds like the name of Oprah’s next book club reading) offers a great frozen alternative – available at Whole Foods among other places.  A 7 whole grain organic crust, wheat flour, oats, rye, barley, spelt and flax make up these mini cheese pizzas with organic tomatoes and spices.  Each pizza contains 240 calories, 3 grams of fiber, 4 grams of sugar and 11 grams of protein.  The best part is that you can make these in just a few minutes using the microwave – no cooking and no cleanup!

In an effort to repair a running injury, I’ve been working with a trainer for the past month (sorry everyone, this involves dipping into my Christmas Shopping Fund).  Aside from learning more about my tendons, muscles and bones than I have ever wanted to know, my trainer has me complete everything in sets of five…must be a magic number because I’ve noticed an incremental difference in my strength and flexibility.  FIVE sets of FIVE holding each rep for FIVE seconds (can’t tell you how sick I am of hearing that).  It doesn’t seem like a lot at first, but by the final set I’m dying.  The biggest change for me is holding each rep for the extra few seconds, causing me to focus instead of mindlessly going through the exercise as well as working longer at the point of resistance. 

Next time you hit the gym, instead of powering through the machines or free weights…embrace the power of FIVE (include a 20 second rest in between).

Healthy. Vegan. Vegetarian. Fresh. Natural. Organic: my head is ringing with dollar signs just writing out these words…unfortunately, fresh wholesome grub is often expensive and overpriced.

A friend just introduced me to Spring Street Natural for affordable healthy eating.  This SoHo…or is it considered NoLita…(non numbered streets still confuse me) neighborhood joint focuses on offering low-key whole natural foods that are minimally processed.  Inside it resembles more of an old school ale house rather than a hippie dippie spot for free-range chicken.  I had a hard time deciding between the Stuffed Acorn Squash Over Spinach ($15) or the South Western Grilled Organic Chicken Salad ($13.50).  In the end, the dried cranberries, roasted corn and tamari roasted almonds with crumbled gorgonzola sold me…South Western all the way.  By the way, the portions are HUGE (see above – I sub tofu for chicken) – get the dressing on the side so you have a better chance of salvaging leftover lettuce for the next day (not to mention you’ll use less).

This Halibut With Tuscan Bean and Endive recipe is so simple and incredibly healthy – ideal for December when every other night is packed with Holiday parties/high calorie cocktails/greasy finger foods (God, I love those pigs in a blanket).  You could most likely substitute any kind of fish if you’re not a halibut fan although this one is packed with protein, magnesium, potassium, B12 and B6, among many other nutrients and minerals.  I also HATE peppers and left them out but if you don’t mind the (horrible) taste then keep them in for the and extra flavor.

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 heads endive, quartered lengthwise
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup prepared roasted peppers, drained and roughly chopped
• 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 small sprig rosemary, chopped
• 4 6-ounce halibut fillets, with skin
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 handful fresh parsley, torn

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the endive quarters, sprinkle with sugar and cook, tossing a couple of times, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the red onion, peppers and garlic and cook until the endive is wilted, about 2 more minutes. Raise the heat to high, add the beans, broth and rosemary and continue cooking, mashing some of the beans with a spoon to thicken the sauce slightly, 2 to 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the halibut fillets with salt and pepper; place skin-side up in the pan and cook until golden, about 4 minutes. Turn and cook until firm but still translucent in the center, 4 more minutes.

Place the halibut fillets in 4 shallow bowls and spoon the beans and endive on top. Garnish with parsley.

I’m at the 57th Street Nike Town more often than I am at the grocery store…what can I say – clothes (athletic clothes especially) feed me more than any Aisle Six.  Embracing a more hip downtown vibe, Nike also occupies a store at 21 Mercer Street called… 21 Mercer (don’t over exert yourself Nike Creative Team).

21 Mercer is a stand-alone Nike Sportswear store that sporadically features local artists and athletic groups on their products as part of their in store one on one design/screen printing service.  Currently, NYC Bridge Runners are spinning tunes and helping to customize t-shirts/hoodies/sweats…you name it…with whatever you want screen printed on the product.  Not to be a narcissist (and I know this month it’s all about giving to OTHERS), but I’m eyeing a dark blue hoodie to print my best half marathon times on.

New York City Bridge Runners: Bio

“We are New York City Bridge Runners. We come from various walks of life, unified by our passion for the city and pushing our athletic, social, and creative boundaries. Since a handful of runners first organized under the Bridge Runners moniker in 2004, our collective has grown incrementally. From neighborhood entrepreneurs and 9-to-5ers to creative tastemakers and internationally recognized athletes, we are connected by the bridges like the Five Boroughs themselves. The key to our movement is awareness. Awareness of the moment in which we run. Awareness of one another as we challenge ourselves physically. And awareness of that which transpired before us in the places we explore. We are New York City Bridge Runners. Come Run With Us.”

I think everyone is already fully aware of my obsession with the Chia seed (see October 8 post) but let’s face it, this is too good to only talk about once.  Although they’re great to use in baking and smoothie recipes, the easiest way to get my fill is through Chia energy bars (chocolate flavored of course). 

Greens+ makes an Omega 3 Chia Energy Bar which is my absolute favorite pre-run snack (usually eat 45 minutes before heading out).  Omega 3 Chia fiber is said to slow the absorbtion of sugar into the bloodstream, binding it to toxins in the digestive system to eliminate as waste (sounds too good to be true…).  Regardless of what kind of magic Greens+ claims to put into their bars, I have to admit that I log my best (read as fastest and strongest) runs after my daily fill.  The Chia seed, absorbing ten times its weight in water, also helps to keep me well hydrated on longer runs.  One note of warning – check your teeth after eating a bar - the seeds stick to EVERYTHING…and you never know who  you’ll RUN into.

What to get the person that has everything (i.e. my mom)…?

Last year I locked up ’favorite child of the year’ spot (as if my brothers even thought they had a chance) when I gave my mom a personal one on one yoga session.  This was an ideal present because it introduced her to a new way of  stretching, lengthening and strengthening her body in a private and informal setting.  Now that yoga is the hot thing for both men and women, private instructors are easier to find than a Starbucks (although no free public bathrooms).  When it comes to my downward facing dogs, there isn’t anyone I would trust more than Jennifer Steele, fellow friend and yogi.  Jen worked with my mom to ensure that she got the five-star treatment for mind, body and soul.  Talk about the gift that keeps on giving…

Jennifer Steele

Jen Steele began teaching yoga at the University of Wisconsin Whitewater where she gained the respect and became friends with many of her students.  Upon graduating college Jen moved to New York to pursue her creative endeavors.  Jen quickly found herself at home working part-time for Yoga Works New York. 

Jen’s training foundation stems from her time in Wisconsin as well as her practice and study with handfuls of different teachers including Jenny Aurthur and Lisa Matkin.  Each class she teaches includes fluid motion with strong and technical instruction.  In January, Jen will begin her next teacher training thru Yoga Works, the 300 hour teacher training, a six month commitment.

I have to visit Dunkin’ Donuts every couple of months to pay homage to my New England roots (if you’re from Massachusetts you’ll appreciate this).  Normally, I try to keep it as damage free as possibly by ordering the Old Fashioned donut with a black ice coffee.  Last week when I was waiting in line (usually nonexistent in any New York DD) I took the time to read the nutrition facts on each donut bin – talk about wake up call…

The Old Fashioned’s plain brown exterior actually disguises 280 calories and 18 grams of fat – you could have a Strawberry Frosted for 230 calories and only 10 grams of fat (I say “only” because I’m thinking relative to DD land).  A Regular Glazed is 220 calories and 9 grams of fat vs. Jelly Filled which is 260 calories and 11 grams of fat.  A Sugar Raised is 190 calories and 9 grams of fat (with ironically, the least amount of sugar of all of the other donuts). 

This entire time I have been wasting Dunkin’ trips on the boring Old Fashioneds when I could have been just as worse off…or in some cases better off…having one of their amazing pillow-y soft frosted specialities.

Moral of the story: GO BIG OR GO HOME

If you want to see a good family fight, hand my mom a road map and put my dad in the driver’s seat…things will get ugly and most likely result in a few painful hours of tense road trip silence.  I’ve also inherited my mother’s inability (I like to think of it more of a disinterest) in reading maps.  The best part of living in and era with GPS systems and Google Earth is that you rarely need to resort to your own skills (I know I know…say it, this is typical Gen Y attitude). 

Map My Run (www.mapmyrun.com) is my favorite online resource to literally..map my runs.  Available also for swimmers and bikers (www.mapmyfitness.com), this site allows you to map out a course using Google maps to show mileage, terrain, elevation etc.  I love using it because I can map out my exact course by simply dragging my cursor across the screen – including areas that are not normal trails/roads/streets etc.  By creating a free user name and password you can also save an archive of your maps to either re-visit or share with other users.  If you’re feeling lazy or uninspired by your boring routine, type in your zip code and pull up other people’s favorite routes.

Not to be a Negative Nelly, but I’m already sick of Thanksgiving Turkey – less than 24hrs to carving up the bird and I’m planning its demise in leftover hell (well, some would consider it to be heaven). 

Considering this year my T-Day cook space will include a teeny tiny studio kitchen it’s probably best to keep the leftover recipes quick and easy.  Try ‘Real Simple’s’ Turkey, Dill and Orzo Soup for a healthier alternative to the creamier broths available in stores (add more veggies for greater punch).

Serves 4: Hands-On Time: 10m / Total Time: 25m

Simmer 2 cut-up carrots and ½ cup orzo in 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in 1½ cups shredded roasted turkey and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill. Cook until heated through.

This month in particular, New Yorkers seem eager to stock up on outdoor market fresh food for more of a communal and hands on eating environment – think massive hunks of Cornish bleu cheese with crisp slices of heirloom apples and figs in a tumbling heap across the table.  I’m guessing Whole Foods is doing a rain dance hoping for bad weather to inspire more indoor commercial shopping.   

My recent favorite hunting ground for a more interactive experience is the New Amsterdam Market at the South Street Seaport, inspired by Paris’ famed Les Halles.  Only open every few Sundays, I went yesterday to load up on nutritious and hearty staples…i.e. chat up the vendors for amazing free samples.  Although the whole ‘locavore’ trend is great for the environment/farmers etc. (read as blah blah blah), to me…buying regionally fresh food simply means a better taste and richer flavor plus you can find a wider variety of wholesome and natural items.  New Amsterdam differs from the Greenmarkets by not requiring vendors to be the sole growers of their food – this attracts a wide range of family purveyors who source their stock directly from farmers and producers (think the circle of life for locavore maniacs). 

The next and final appearance of  the New Amsterdam Market for the year will be December 20 form 11am – 4pm.  Go early with an empty stomach to sample your way through my favorite food stalls:

• Breezy Hill Orchard – hot fresh pressed cider
• Fleisher’s Grassfed & Organic Meats – 100% grass-fed beef nitrate/nitrate free hot dogs
• Sugar Maple Farms – rich maple syrup
• The Cellars at Jasper Hill – cheese to melt in your mouth
• Hudson Valley Farm – fresh chocolate milk that honestly made me want to hug a cow
• Eli’s Bread – loaves of hearty multi-grain
• Provisions Shop – lavender soap and Stonehouse olive oil (smelled SO good)
• Mama O’s Kimchee – spicy cabbage that will make your mama cry
• Port Clyde Fresh Catch – co-op lobsters, crabs and fish

I knew when I received my confirmation email for the Brooklyn Bridge Boot Camp that I was in for a tough morning:

“You are confirmed for the 9am Saturday 60 minute class.  Cheers, I look forward to KICKING YOUR BUTT!”

…and kick my butt (plus every other muscle) she did.  Ariane Hundt, Personal Trainer and Nutritionist, trains her clients military style (imagine workout Barbie with a German accent) across the Brooklyn Bridge and back – 2.2 miles of interval sprints, stair climbs, squats, plies, lunges and upper body exercises using resistance bands (my triceps and traps are killing me today!)  plus the structure of the bridge.  I barely got a second to enjoy the view and fresh air as Ariane yelled over the noise of the traffic to ‘make it shake’ (your legs that is) during our chair sits against the middle tower wall.

I doubt the original engineers of the Brooklyn Bridge anticipated that their 5,989 feet of suspension would be infested with spandex clad yuppies.  Having scaled back my exercise considerably in the past two months, I was definitely feeling the burn in the 60 minutes…but felt a little better seeing class regulars (even the men) also collapse after our repeated reps of push ups and firecracker jumping jacks.  What I loved about the class was that it was dynamic and interesting, keeping us on our toes (literally) as to what the next hellish exercise would be.  Ariane’s warm German accent (is that an oxymoron?) was encouraging and motivating yet still challenging enough to push me to my max.

I’ll definitely be going back to get my butt kicked…that is if I can ever stand back up again.

http://www.brooklynbridgebootcamp.com/

I try to tell myself that the reason I don’t go to the movies anymore is because of the absurdly overpriced tickets or that I can’t stand the 20 minutes of TV commercials PRE-previews (what happened to just playing cartoons by the way?!) …but in reality, I know my boycott of the big screen is because I can’t resist the amazingly buttery popcorn.  Although I knew an apple would clearly be a better pick than even a “small” tub of kernels, I never realized exactly how big the difference was until just recently. 

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (think the Jenny Craig of non-profits) released a report that claims a medium popcorn and soda combo at the average movie theatre has 1,610 calories and 60 grams of saturated fat – to put it into perspective, this equals a stick of butter which is basically three days worth of saturated fat.  For all of this, you could eat three McDonald’s quarter pounders.  Even worse is that these statistics are BEFORE you even add the butter.  According to this study, Regal Cinema is the worst when it comes to loading in the popcorn calories with AMC sliding in at a close second. 

Instead of butter (and don’t think this is just my Asian pride taking over) I like to drizzle on soy sauce to get a salty/sweet popcorn combo.  Some smaller boutique theatres also pop in non-hydrogenated canola oil or other healthier alternatives (for when you can’t sneak in a bottle of Kikkoman Soy Sauce).

I just hope they don’t release any info on Reese’s Pieces because then honestly, what is the point of going to the movies?!

I know that I’m not a celebrity or well endorsed pro athlete (…yet) but I still think that my iTunes workout playlist is worthy enough to post.  Please leave all judging aside, my brothers already tease me enough for how bad my taste is in music.  When it comes to running or even an at home yoga session, I need to have something fast, upbeat and even sometimes, a little angry…blasting at undeffening levels.  My favorites for this week’ workout (in no particular order) include:

1. Me Love by Sean Kingston
2. Sexy Chick by David Guetta - featuring Akon
3. Give it up to me by Shakira - featuring Timberland and Lil Wayne
4. I can Transform Ya by Chris Brown – featuring Lil Wayne
5. I love College by Asher Roth
6. Obsessed by Mariah Carey
7. Just Dance by Lady GaGa
8. Love Lockdown Remix by Kanye West and LMFAO
9. Replay by IYAZ
10. Bombs Over Bagdad by Outkast
11. Forever by Chris Brown
12. Vamos A La Playa by Miranda
13. Disturbia by Rihanna
14. Sexy Can I by Ray J
15. Breaking Inside by Shinedown
16. Love and Memories by O.A.R.
17. Boom Boom Pow by The Black Eyed Peas
18. Out Tonight by The Original Cast of RENT
19. She Wolf (spanish version) by Shakira
20. Empire State Of Mind by Jay Z – featuring Alicia Keyes

…Casey Kasem eat your heart out.

I love sushi – thankfully for my mercury levels, its expensive enough where I don’t eat it every single day.  Momoya is one of my favorite places to go for top grade sushi, not to mention it’s my go-to spot for pre-race day meals.  Most athletes wouldn’t even consider fish before a long run, but my best morning miles are the ones following a large sushi dinner (hope you’re taking notes Paula Radcliffe). 

At Momoya, I usually start with a bowl of steamed edamame ($5)  and a fresh Seaweed Salad ($6) – their Warm Mushroom Salad ($10) is also great, and I don’t normally like mushrooms.  As for the sushi, Momoya’s Fresh Spring Roll (shrimp, snow crab, avocado, tomato, red onion & cilantro $11) is a really nice clean finish.  All of their rolls can be wrapped in soybean paper (mamenori) instead of the traditional seaweed (nori) – considering that neither have major health pros/cons it’s mostly personal preference as to how you like it ‘wrapped.’  One substitution that is worth the swap is brown rice in place of white for additional fiber and nutrients.

A few more salmon and avocado rolls and they’ll be calling me to run in the 2012 Olympics…

On my list of ‘Things To Do’ in 2010 is the Snowshoe Challenge, organized by Peak Races (you may have heard of them from a little bike ride called the Tour de France or the Peak Death Race…host to ‘The 100 Toughest Races in the World”).   Normally, I don’t like to write posts about anything that I haven’t personally tried. loved. or can’t live without.  However, considering that this is something that requires a little planning, I thought it would be helpful to share info with everyone now…and if I survive…write about my experience in March once I complete the trek through the snow. 

Other than it’s a long distance race in snowshoes…here are the down and dirty facts:

• Date: March 6, 2010
• Location: Amee Farm in Pittsfield, VT (approximately 5hr from NYC)
• Trail: un-groomed snowmobile trails marked with ribbons
• Distance: either…Marathon (7,200 feet of elevation change), Half Marathon or 6 miler (10 hour time limit)…SNOWSHOES ONLY – NO SNEAKERS OR TRAIL SHOES
• Aid: one aid station on the course and one at start/finish (BYO fuel!)
• Equipment: snowshoes available to rent - sledding also open to participants on 1 mile downhill course
• Food: post race pasta dinner at Amee Farm included in entry fee
• Lodging: options include any of the local hotels as well as camp sites or you can drive in just for the day
• Entry Fee: $60.00 by Feb 1 or $75 there after
• Register: http://www.races.peak.com/snowshoe/

I’m going to need to start logging some serious hill intervals and get used to training in the cold weather…hope there are hot chocolate breaks!

If you haven’t noticed a theme, I’m a shrimp lover.  Providing low-fat and low-calorie protein, shrimp are dense in nutrients/vitamins including selenium and vitamin D and B12.  A four ounce serving offers 23.7 grams of protein and only 112 calories (plus less than a gram of fat).  However, many people avoid shrimp due to its high cholesterol content (even though its the good kind – i.e. HDL).

Since I’m never sure when I’m eating at home or going out, I keep a bag of frozen shrimp on hand for a last minute meal – defrost by running in a strainer under cold water (you don’t want warm because it will cook them - normal tap water will thaw them out within a few minutes).  This Food Network (another theme you’ll notice) Shrimp and Snow Pea Salad recipe is a great easy dish.

Ingredients

• 12 ounces snow peas
• 1 1/4 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 6 radishes, thinly sliced into half-moons
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Bring a large saucepan of water with a steamer basket to a boil. Put the snow peas in the basket, cover and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the basket and transfer the snow peas to a bowl of ice water to cool. Drain and pat dry.

Add the shrimp directly to the saucepan of water and return to a boil; cook for 2 minutes. Drain, then plunge the shrimp into a bowl of ice water to cool. Drain and pat dry. Slice each shrimp in half lengthwise. Cut the snow peas diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces, discarding the ends. In a large bowl, toss the shrimp, snow peas, radishes and scallions.

In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, both oils, the ginger and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Toss with the salad right before serving; top with sesame seeds.

Per serving: Calories 280; Fat 13 g (Sat. 1 g; Mono. 4 g; Poly. 3.5 g); Cholesterol 215 mg; Sodium 510 mg; Carbohydrate 7 g; Fiber 3 g; Protein 32 g

If you’re a ‘Fan’ of The Fit Post on our new Facebook page, then a) welcome to the best Facebook experience of your life (exaggeration) and b) you’re already familiar with our new logo.  If you’re not a fan then stop wasting time and click ‘become a fan’ on The Fit Post page.  Regardless of your Facebook literacy, let me tell you more about our new logo and how I found the genius talent to design it (no exaggeration).

Talk about six degrees of separation… about a year ago when I first got the bug to start an informal healthy living site, I began speaking with (more like stalked) Christine Koh, founder of http://bostonmamas.com/.  Christine introduced me to Zach Magoon as a potential resource to get my creative juices flowing.  Fast forward to October 2009 when Zach and I officially started working together to develop The Fit Post brand.  A flurry of emails and just a few phone calls later and…ta-da!  Zach stylishly translated my commitment to healthy living and eating into digitally graphic art.  Once I shared my new logo with my friends and family (let’s be honest, I practically showed it off to the guy bagging my groceries) I realized my good friend and former college roommate worked with Zach in a previous life – hello full circle! See below for this design genius’ bio and link to his work page.  The logo will appear on our new site which I can’t wait to introduce you to December 21…talk about a happy holiday!

Zach Magoon:

Zach Magoon is a freelance art director, photographer and designer based in Portland, ME. Most days he can be found slinging pixels for web, print, or identity work in his studio. He is an avid mountain bike and cyclocross racer who is sponsored by Bikeman.com but also enjoys mountaineering, Nordic and telemark skiing and cooking up fine healthy meals at the end of the day. His only weakness, baked goods.

http://www.zmagoon.com/zmagoondesign/Zmagoon.html

Would anyone like to start the meal with a salad or appetizer?

I’m like a deer in the headlights with this question, especially when I’m the first person to order.  Internally I weigh my odds as to who else, if anyone, will want a pre-meal dish… what is the risk that the rest of table will have to sit and watch while I shovel food into my mouth?  Alternatively, if I don’t order then I’m the one having to play with my napkin and avoid awkward food envy.  When i’m hungry, my go-to decision is to order a salad. 

I love any combination of food with my bed of mixed greens, however, I never understood the fascination with the chicken caesar salad.  Of course, this is a better choice than the fried calamari or loaded potato skins, but when stacked against other green options it’s actually one of the worst salads to pick.  According to the authors of ‘Eat This Not That’, an average dinner portion of the classic chicken caesar has 900 calories and 60 grams of fat.  This isn’t a surprise considering it’s made up of layers of shaved parmesan cheese and dressed (usually “drenched” is the right word) with creamy dressing…not to mention stacks of croutons.  The same portion of grilled chicken over mixed greens is 400 calories and 20 grams of fat.

However, if you’re like a few people I know and can’t let go of the Caesar, ask for the dressing on the side and skip the croutons.  I lightly dip (don’t think of this as a dunk contest) every few fork fulls, ending up with about 3/4 of the dressing leftover at the end in the side dish…and not hanging off as arm fat 3 months down the road.

A gray and hazy morning, filled with an incessant drizzle of rain…made even worse by a bluster of wind every now and then – all in all the City doing its best to ruin my mom’s fresh new cut from Bumble and Bumble.  In town visiting for the weekend, I needed a warm place close by to take her for brunch.  Thank god for Le Pain Quotidien (pronounced luh paN koh-ti-dyaN) and its 19 locations in Manhattan – another in Westchester but that’s too far of a trek for a bread basket.

French for ‘daily bread,’ Le Pain Quotidien first cropped up in Brussels and then made its way (thankfully) to the States.  With a low-key West Coast vibe, each ‘seat yourself’ location includes a long communal table as well as individual areas for anti-social seating (i.e. for my mom and I).  The flooring and furniture include reclaimed wood and recycled Gypsum, lit with energy-efficient lamps.  Even the corn-based disposable cups and spoons are made from potato starch to degrade completely within a week or two.   As much as I try to channel my inner Captain Planet to enjoy the restaurant’s ‘Green’ features… I really just come for the food.

The menu promotes simple, nourishing food.  I got the Organic Red Quinoa Basil Pesto Salad with an order of Farro Cranberry Porridge and Walnuts.  My mom filled up on her nutrients with a double order of the Seaweed Miso Dressing Salad and Avocado and Tomato Organic Egg Omelette.  We each received a side basket of bread made with only organic stone ground flour, salt and water – kneaded by hand (total order: $40).  If I were to come back later in the day, the Asparagus and Parm Bruschetta sounds amazing not to mention it would be hard to pass by their Organic wine list and patisserie of desserts.

First chocolate…now healthy eats – who’s ready to move to Brussels?!

Pinkberry was SO 2007!  I feel like more and more frozen yogurt places are popping up across the city…does anyone eat real food anymore? I know that my last blog post talking about mittens and gloves got you thinking ‘Winter’ but despite the season, 16 Handles is a worthy stop to grab a healthy dessert alternative.

With literally 16 flavors ‘on tap’ and an insanely large toppings bar, this East Village spot is by far my favorite compared to all of the other faux yogurt-lands.  These fro-yo’s are non-fat and Kosher certified, made fresh in the store without using artificial powdered mixes.  Get your probiotics, calcium, live/active cultures, protein and vitamins in each swirl.  Perfect for control freaks (i.e. ME), everything is do-it-yourself – plus you pay by the weight so you only have to buy what you feel like eating. 

16 Handles also offers non-dairy sorbet and flavors with no added sugar.  I like mixing Mango flavor with Green Tea Tart and adding fresh fruit and carob chips.

Despite Monday’s random hit of 70 degree weather (Al Gore, you may be on to something)…temperatures are starting to drop which ultimately saps motivation to run outside.  Like most things in life, my interest of course peaks when there are new clothes or gear to focus on!

Think convertible top minus the red mustang – the Saucony Ulti-Mitt ($38) uses super light material to provide extra protection over the hand from wind, rain and cold while still allowing for you to detatch part of the “mitt” and fold up under a hidden pocket by the wrist…leaving your hands free in the DryLete glove beneath.  I like this feature because it’s impossible to fumble for anything with a hand in a mitten plus the thumb and forefinger have a separate slit that folds over to expose the pad of the finger for more dexterity.  The glove…errr..mitt…also has a LED light attached for when you’re running in the dark (these days, i.e. 4pm)

Between Twitter, Digg, Kirtsy, Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace BlogHer and every other forum designed to connect with friends and business contacts…it’s virtually (pun intended) impossible to keep it all straight.  So many places to update my real-time status (who knew people cared that I just ate a turkey sandwich) and post comments to someone else’s writing.  To find out more ways I could keep YOU  in the loop with The Fit Post via online and social media, I attended the New York  ’Hands On Small Business’ workshop, hosted by Microsoft Office Live and Kirtsy. 

If you’re an entrepreneur or someone interested in starting your own business, I highly recommend finding one of these small – FREE – hands on sessions (available in select locations across US and Canada).  Aside from meeting other small business owners (well, some now considered huge business owners), I gained practical advice on how to navigate the slew of online resources. 

At this particular event, we were lucky enough to have one of Kirtsy’s founders, Laura Mayes, sit in on the workshop to provide tangible feedback on the Microsoft Office Live platform and what kinds of  things she wished she had done when she first started the site.  Other existing bloggers, site developers, iphone app creators and children story writers shared info on what works and doesn’t work for them.  I like to consider myself fairly tech savvy, but these two hours helped me to think conceptually how I can leverage social media to share my ideas with more readers…without having to read one of those embarrassing ‘Online Networking For Dummies’ books. 

Participants at this event (www.handsonsmallbusiness.com):

• Laura Mayes: www.kirtsy.com
• Mariah Bruehl: www.playfulearning.com
• Carol Cain: www.nycitymama.com
• Esther Chen: @estheche
• Danielle Maveal: www.daniellexo.etsy.com
• Lara Paul: lara@ikidny.com

I have a love/hate relationship with Whole Foods.  Aside from it having overpriced mediocre produce, it does offer the most efficient one stop shop grocery experience when it comes to buying both generic and brand label healthy finds – I guess I can’t bite the hand that feeds me…literally.

Despite the few perks of Whole Foods, I sometimes just wish we had a Wegmans or Super Stop and Shop (shout out to my days in the suburbs).  When I’m motivated to break out of my rut, I head to the next best thing – Westside Market.  Incredibly clean (bonus for an NYC market), everything from the breads to fruits and veggies are fresh and well stocked.  If your cholesterol can handle it, they also have a ridiculous speciality and imported cheese section (eat sparingly).  In my experience, Westside Market offers the full spectrum of organic items without gratuitously inflating prices. 

Well, I guess I have officially entered soccer mom status now that I’ve written about my favorite grocery stores!

Hi, my name is Maggie…and I’m a chocoholic.

I love chocolate  – could most likely give up anything and everything BUT chocolate (well, except for my perfect copy of the Hermes Birkin bag).  Thankfully, Pure Dark doesn’t believe in over processing and only offers rich natural artisanal dark chocolate flush with antioxidants  (naturally found in cocoa powder).  A Willy Wonka dream come true, this neighborhood spot stocks the shelves with a variety of products – including my favorite, the Woodland Bark – pure dark slabs studded with cranberries, blueberries, roasted walnuts and bitter nibs ($19 per 7 oz bag).  Each piece is so rich that you really only need a small bite to get your sugar fix…well, in my case a few bites.

Meat heaven at the Corner Bistro and Jane’s Tavern plus the waterfall of chocolate from Li-Lac and the Chocolate Bar make the corner of 4th St. and 8th Ave an unlikely place for a vegetarian cafe – ‘sNice makes it happen in full West Village style. 

I normally stop through for a green tea but decided to camp out this past weekend for a full-blown breakfast.  The chalkboard menu is filled with sandwiches (mostly vegan, many using seitan or tempeh), vegan marshmallow loaded hot chocolate and organic fair trade coffee.  Embracing my inner hippie, I ordered the Vegan Steel Cut Oatmeal ($4.50) and the Tofu Scrambled Wrap ($4.50) – both really delicious and satisfied my need for some saturday am comfort food.  If it had been a few hours later, I would have definitely gone head first for the Quinoa Salad with corn, black beans and tortilla strips or the Brie Pear & Arugula sandwich with raspberry mustard ($8.75/each).

‘sNice offers tons of seating (really out of the ordinary for a downtown cafe) plus books and board games to keep customers entertained.  I somehow felt a little naked without a yoga mat strapped to my shoulder or possibly sneakers made of recycled rubber, but it was still a great meal.

I get it – it’s been a long week.  You’re psyched to get the weekend started and the happy hour menu is overflowing with appealing options – Pomegranate Margarita, Lemongrass Mohito or a nice cold Magic Hat #9.  I try to enjoy the night without calorie counting, but still take into consideration how quickly drinks add up to avoid unraveling my hard work (don’t worry, this isn’t a mini D.A.R.E class on substance abuse).

As if the drinks weren’t bad enough, alcohol lowers blood sugar levels – this sends signals to the brain that you’re hungry (GREAT, I don’t think anyone needs anymore reminders to eat) – hence the 2am food stop for pizza and fries.  Making matters worse, a small portion of the alcohol you consume is converted into fat (just wait, this get’s better).  The liver turns the rest into acetate which is released into the bloodstream, replacing fat as a source of fuel (i.e. the body stops burning fat and is forced to store the excessive/unburned amount – read as: BEER GUT).

Picking the lesser of the two evils, I go for either gin, wine or light beer (actually a better choice than most of the heavily sugared cocktails out there).  To avoid the massive amounts of sugar and calories packed in tonic or juice mixers, I combine gin with club soda. 

average calories/drink:

• Beer (regular): 150
• Beer (light): 110
• Lager: 180
• 1 ounce of gin/rum/vodka/whisky/tequila: 65 (keep in mind there are 2-5 oz in one regular mixed drink plus whatever mixers are included)
• Red Wine: 70
• White Wine: 65-75
• Champagne: 126
• Martini: up to 800 including syrups and 2-5 oz of liquor
• Margarita: average of 400/regular margarita - add more if it’s a speciality cocktail
• Gin/Tonic: 171

Fast food nation nutrition is an easy way of life in health conscious cities like New York.  My favorite spots for a quick non-greasy bite include Better Burger, Energy Kitchen and THE PUMP. 

Better Burger: their meat and poultry are antibiotic, hormone and nitrate free; all burgers and dogs are made from 100% meat, poultry or fish – no fillers; fries are organic, air-baked and have 2/3 less fat than regular french fries; Better Burger uses non-hydrogenated/trans-fat free butter substitutes or reduced fat vegan mayo – my order: Veggie Burger ($5.99) and Better Fries ($2.75) – this is the best spot to get the McDonald’s experience sans late afternoon heartburn

Energy Kitchen: nothing on the menu is over 500 calories; everything is grilled, baked or steamed and never fried; Energy Kitchen serves both bison and ostrich instead of beef (bison is leaner with fewer calories, fat and cholesterol than beef / ostrich is also extremely lean but high in protein and iron with fewer calories and fat than both beef and bison) – my order: Chicken Stir-Fry Wrap ($7.99) – love Energy Kitchen for post long workout meals because their filling and packed with recovery fuel

THE PUMP: everything cooked sans butter, cream or mayo and nothing is fried; uses only whole, unprocessed ingredients and throws in salt as sparingly as possible; serious body builders will feel right at home; my order: Quarter Mile Protein Shake ($5.50) and small PUMP Salad ($4.15) – good lunch time meal at work

My pancakes NEVER turn out looking like the silver dollar beauties in those Bisquick commercials – they usually come out as a mutilated version of a melted snowman.  It’s when I have to flip them that everything falls apart…literally.  This morning, the heavens parted and birds chirped as I finally got an entire batch of perfect looking pancakes – using Purely Elizabeth’s ‘Perfect Pancake Mix’ ($8.49/mix).

Literally, perfect in every sense of the word, this mix is free of sugar, dairy, wheat and gluten and loaded with all natural and organic ingredients (millet flour, teff flour, buckwheat flour, flax, hemp and chia seeds).  I love that Elizabeth combines nutritious food with delicious baking.  My breakfast alone this morning contained B vitamins, fiber, protein, calcium and omega-3 fatty acids plus grains low in carbohydrates.  Vegans can substitute ground flaxseed, bananas or apple sauce in place of the one egg that the recipe calls for.  The thing that I noticed with this product in particular is that it still gave a nice fluffy pancake versus other grain filled mixes which come out fairly dense. 

I can’t wait to try the Ultimate Cacao Muffin Mix and the Blueberry Maple Muffin Mix – both available online at www.purelyelizabeth.com

I know everyone loves Rachel Ray but personally, I find her annoying.  All of that pep and 30-Minute Meal business get’s to me!  However, I can’t deny that she does sometimes offer easy and healthy recipes – this one in particular is delicious and very simple to make (add extra wasabi for more kick and include snap peas to balance out the texture of the tuna with some crunch).

• 1 ahi tuna steak, 6 ounces
• 2 teaspoons five-spice powder, available on spice aisle
• 1 teaspoon grill seasoning, such as Montreal Steak Seasoning, or salt and coarse pepper
• Cooking spray or vegetable oil, for brushing the grill pan
• 5 ounces, half a sack, mixed prewashed baby salad greens
• 2 radishes, sliced
• 1/4 European cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon wasabi paste
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons -virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Coat your steak with a combination of five-spice powder and grill seasoning or salt and pepper. Heat a grill pan or griddle over high heat. Spray grill surface or wipe with a thin layer of oil. Add tuna steak to the hot cooking surface and sear tuna 2 minutes on each side. Remove tuna from heat.

Combine greens, radishes and cucumber in a bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk wasabi, vinegar and soy sauce. Whisk in oil to combine dressing. Drizzle dressing over your salad and toss to coat evenly. Slice tuna on an angle and arrange on the salad.

Although some days I truly feel like a cow (thank you long weekend of no working out), I would never consider a pile of grass as an afternoon pick me up.  However, despite my efforts to move away from the bovine world, I’m starting to get really into wheatgrass shots to cleanse my system and bring in extra enzymes. 

Available at most juice bars, wheatgrass is 70% chlorophyll (first product of light and the basis of all plant life) and high in oxygen – helping the brain and body tissue to function at optimal levels.  Chlorophyll, a natural anti-bacterial, rebuilds the bloodstream and when grown in organic dirt, absorbs 92 of the known 102 minerals from the soil.  All of this combined makes wheatgrass a superior detoxifying agent, purifying the liver and colon (TMI) as well as removing heavy metals form the body.  Many people gargle with wheatgrass juice to soothe a sore throat, or use as a means to reduce high blood pressure and enhance the capillaries. 

Instead of making daily trips to Jamba Juice or a local smoothie bar for my hit of wheatgrass, I buy packages of frozen ‘wheatgrass cubes’ at Whole Foods.  They take a minute to defrost using warm water and are a lot easier to store at home – I know this is one shot my mom will approve of.

I’m not sure how much you abused the Halloween candy bowl this past weekend but I know that I certainly took advantage of about ten too many Kit Kats.  Thus begins the Year End Fat Fest…Thanksgiving dinner, Thanksgiving leftovers…this all leads into Holiday chocolates, party appetizers, treats, Winter themed cocktails (do we really need ANOTHER candy cane martini?!) – tis the season to not over over indulge – I say ‘over’ twice because I know that realistically we’ll tap into the chocolate Santas/Dreidels- take you’re pick – at least a few times).

I’m going to take advantage of the calm before the storm and put into action a few healthy habits so that they’re well in place once my favorite chocolate advent calendar is ready for some attention (see above for my demolition of last year’s…)

1. At least 30 minutes of physical activity/day (ex: walk home instead of the subway)
2. At least 60 minutes of rigorous exercise 4 times/week (ex: running/weight training)
3. More yoga and pilates! (plus take 5 minutes to stretch before bed)
4. Stairs over elevator/escalator whenever possible
5. No cheep pre-packaged candy/cookies – saving my treats and sweets for homemade desserts, fresh-baked items and other things that I can’t live without
6. One to two raw vegetables with every lunch and dinner

These are simple ways I can make sure that I enter 2010 feeling like I have the upper hand.  Why wait until the first of the year to make a ‘resolution’ – try to make a plan BEFORE the damage is done.

This past Thursday, Colorado and Wyoming were hit with a massive snow storm (please visualize me pointing to a green-screen map for complete Channel 9 weatherman style reporting).  With three feet of fresh powder, this was the heaviest October snowfall the Denver area had experienced in the past decade.  If you’re like my dad and I, news like this immediately makes you think of ski season.  Although it’s early (well clearly not THAT early), I’m dying to hit the slopes to burn some massive calories, build solid leg muscles plus get time for a few fabulous apres ski pictures…Sundance style.

This picture is from January 2009 in the back bowls of Deer Valley with my dad – thank you iPhone camera.  My favorite mountains include: Heavenly (absurd amounts of powder), Whistler (worth the trek to get there), Vail (beautiful but expensive ski village) and Deer Valley (best mountain food and amenities).  If you can’t make it out West, East Coast skiing is not such a bad option if you know how to ice skate.  New York offers buses from Paragon Sports in Union Square (check online for schedules) to various local mountains each weekend with discounted lift ticket packages.  If you’re coming from another area, ask local ski shops for info on group rates/public transportation to get to the mountains.  I’m shooting for a couple day trips plus a long weekend with friends in Vermont or Maine…Dad, if you’re reading this, feel free to send me an invite to your upcoming Breckenridge trip!

Regardless of where I end up going for the season, I’ll take the time now to start conditioning my body for the cardiovascular and muscular workout it will get on the mountain.  

• Quads: seated leg extension machine or leg press
• Calves: calf raises on a machine or step using barbell across shoulders
• Inner/Outer Thighs: cable adductor and abductor
• Hamstrings: curl machines
• Glutes and Hip Flexors: cable pull using foot strap just above the ankle joint

Despite the earthy, we’re for the people kind of mentality of the general yoga community…they have certainly made it EXPENSIVE to practice – especially in Manhattan.  On average a single class is $22-30 which doesn’t even cover the cost of mat rental.  A monthly pass to a yoga studio runs about $100-140 depending on the package, plus at least a two month commitment.  Just like everyone else, I gravitate towards all things expensive and exclusive – but sometimes you have to find other (cheaper) alternatives to save a few dollars.

If you can get past the absurd one piece fiery red body suit (imagine a Christmas Onesy on an adult…except in lycra form) Total Yoga Flow Series is actually a great DVD set to use for at home practice.  Available on Amazon ($9.99 each), Total Yoga ranges in intensity and experience level.  I like to repeat the same DVD several times so that I become familiar with the program and can avoid having to lift my head up to see what the instructor is doing (which is also dangerous for your neck). 

Definitely attend live yoga classes to get the most of your practice and to have actual one on one help from the instructor.  However, try a DVD once a while to avoid having to sell your left kidney for a few downward dogs.

What you’re looking at isn’t gluten free – Vegan friendly – Certified Organic – nothing. nada. zip.  These are down and dirty cupcakes from Billy’s Bakery.  Why post them on a “healthy living and eating” site…? Because sometimes, the way to achieve optimum health is through balance and allocated time for indulging/relaxing (or at least that’s how I try to rationalize it).  Besides, no one wants to be so neurotic that they’re prone to snapping at the site of a sugar cube.

If you are going to fall off the wagon (which you should every now and then), do so by picking a place like Billy’s that uses only the highest-quality ingredients (real butter, whole eggs and fresh fruit/nuts) – think old-fashioned Grandma’s kitchen style (well, my Grandma was more of the ordering in type of girl).  Billy’s rocks the bakery sans preservatives, making sure that your splurge is really worth it.

When I’m itching for my sugar fix, I make my way downtown for their cupcakes ($2.25), Hello Dollies ($3.25) and…here’s the one that I owe 30 Hail Mary’s to the diet gods for eating…the mini Caramel Pecan Cheesecake ($4.50).  I’m not a big Red Velvet fan but my friends die for the Billy’s version as well as the Banana Cake (cakes available per slice/full 9 or 10 inch sizes).

Super Magic Fingers sounds either like a run down car wash or happy ending massage parlor.  Well it IS a place to get a massage, just not the kind you’re thinking of (get your mind out of the gutter). 

I found the name of this underground hot spot when I asked my colleague his pre-race ritual leading up to the marathon (NYC Marathon on November 1).  He said he never hits the starting line without a 60 minute ($48) massage at Super Magic Fingers to work out last-minute tight muscles.  Aside from the incredible rate, this is a former Ironman sharing his pre-race secrets with me.  He can tell me that eating lead paint chips will make me a faster runner and I’ll probably do it. 

Without hesitation, I went yesterday evening and was VERY happy with the results.  Trust me, the $48 does not go towards any of the parlor’s interior decorating.  It is an incredibly bare space with very little fanfare, although the staff are courteous and pleasant.  Rooms are separated by curtains and you can hear noise every now and then from the neighboring “room.”  Once you get situated they set a (loud) alarm for the requested time and go immediately to work, vigorously massaging in the Tui Na style (rigorous hands on body work that treats muscles, joints and flow of life energy/Chi using their forearms and elbows).  By the end you’ll feel like a bowl of pudding.

Super Magic Fingers: 173 West 81st Street/open 10:30am-10pm

During the Summer, I’m focused on staying hydrated and healthy.  As soon as the cooler months hit my mind wanders to cashmere scarves and weekend ski trips…not re-fueling with boring H2O.  However, it’s important to stay hydrated even when you don’t actively sweat as much or feel the summer heat.

The amount of water each person should guzzle down depends on a few factors: health, activity level and surrounding climate.  Instead of getting scientific, I try to use the 8 x8 rule: eight 8-ounce glasses of water/day (although this leads to A LOT of time in the bathroom for me).  Also, when you have a headache or are feeling hungry, try to drink at least half a bottle of water before reaching for the Tylenol or something to eat.  Many times, this is just your body’s way of telling you that you’re dehydrated and symptoms will clear within the next 15-20 minutes.

Keep in mind that some food and drinks can replenish and hydrate your body as well (think water dense fruit, not beer).  Additionally, be careful (especially during endurance races or while playing sports) that you don’t drink too much water – very rare in healthy adults but a possible condition called hyponatremia (essentially drowning your kidneys). 

God bless the George Foreman Grill.  I know, this is probably something that I should have tossed out with my Extra Long Twin bed sheets and mini fridge post college but it’s too easy to use – I highly doubt that I’ll ever give it up.  Last night I used the grill to make Bobby Flay’s Grilled Shrimp in Lettuce Leaves With Serrano Mint Sauce (that’s a mouth full…literally).  Don’t be scared off by how long the recipe seems – it takes no more than 15 minutes for prep time plus an additional 2-3 to grill the shrimp.  I doubled the serranno pepper for extra kick. 

Ingredients

• 1 pound large shrimp (about 36), peeled and deveined
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 12 leaves green curly leaf lettuce
• Serrano-Mint Sauce, recipe follows
• Chili oil, for drizzling, optional
• Fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

Preheat the grill to medium-high. In a large bowl, toss shrimp in oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until just cooked through. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp, or they will be tough and rubbery. Remove from the grill.

Place about 3 shrimp in each lettuce leaf. Drizzle with the Serrano-Mint Sauce and with a little chili oil, if desired. Sprinkle with a few cilantro leaves. Roll up the lettuce leaves, and eat immediately.

Serrano-Mint Sauce

• 1 cup tightly packed mint leaves, plus more for garnish
• 2 serrano chiles, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• Salt

Place all ingredients, except for salt, in a blender. Pulse until smooth. Season, to taste.

The smell of a warm turkey pot pie with a nice flakey crust gives me goosebumps… not raw beets and eggplant puree.  However, I stopped drinking my Haterade (yes, I said Haterade) and took a trip last year to Pure Food & Wine to explore the world of raw cooking (is that an oxymoron?).

Pure, located at 54 Irving Place, is a raw vegan restaurant where nothing is heated above 118 degrees to preserve vitamins, minerals and enzymes.   Listed five years in a row by Forbes magazine as one of their ”All Star New York Eateries,”  you barely notice that the food is untouched by the heat of an oven or stove top.  With a 100% plant-based menu, you won’t find any processed ingredients including tofu, tempeh or seitan.  I love the Asparagus Sushi Rolls with Mirin Soaked Forest mushrooms ($16) and Thai Coconut Noodles in Galangal Red Coconut Curry ($24).  The wine and cocktail menu rounds out the entire experience, made with fresh-pressed organic juices and agave nectar, like the Purple Rain ($15) which has fresh raspberries, blueberries, yuzu and sake.

Although the plates are small and prices high, the quality of the ingredients and cooking experience behind the stove…err…blender…leave you feeling well satisfied and practically refreshed.

Monday mornings – UGH! Breakfast, the most important meal to eat, is even more essential on these days because it sets the tone for a healthy week.  Simply put, a boring bowl of milk and cereal won’t cut it.  To amp up you pre week energy find something a) filling, b) interesting and c) easy to make.

In my desk drawer I keep a package of granola and a jar of peanut butter for a quick breakfast or late afternoon snack.  Mix 1/3 cup of granola with one to two tablespoons of peanut butter in a bowl – roll around so that the peanut butter separates and thoroughly coats the granola.  You’ll essentially be creating a deconstructed granola bar sans fatty/sugary chocolate bits or honey drizzle normally included in store-bought bars.  Eat with a piece of fruit for added nutrients and a bottle of water to start your day well hydrated.

This may not seem like a lot, but the protein (12 grams) and fiber (5 grams) from the peanut butter and granola will keep you feeling full well into the late morning.  I keep an inexpensive measuring cup in the actual bag of granola so that I can easily measure out my portions (I find that I almost double the size when I have to guess).  Just make sure that when you buy the granola you read the labels because the majority of the bags out there are not as good for you as they seem – find something low in calories, fat and sugar but high in fiber and protein (words like “honey coated” or “maple flavor” often tip the scales) – I like Chappaqua Crunch Original.  For the peanut butter, find something made WITHOUT hydrogenated oils and with 0 grams of trans fat.

Despite what most would argue…I’m a cheep date.  Give me half a cup of coffee and my hands will shake for the rest of the day.  One Mountain Dew in the afternoon leave me awake and restless until 3am.  That’s why I love Roobios tea for its taste, health benefits and the fact that its caffeine free.

Roobios tea (pronounced roy-boss) is from the Roobios bush in the Cedarberg region of South Africa.  Low in tannins, this tea is naturally sweet and tastes great without having to add any sugar or artificial sweetener.  Roobios contains many flavonoids (plant nutrients), free-radical fighting antioxidants (protect cells) and is considered to be up to 50 times more effective in antioxidants than those found in Green tea (although both are excellent sources of antioxidants).  Sans oxalic acid, Roobios can be enjoyed by those prone to kidney stones and is also frequently used to sooth the body’s reaction to allergy, rashes, acne and stomach pains.

Roobios Tea is also known by the following names: Red Tea, Redbush Tea, Bush Tea, Mountain Tea, Long Life Tea or Herbal Allergy Tea and can be found in any major grocery store, health market and some corner Bodegas.

Muffin Top (noun): the overhanging fat on a person’s waist resembling the top of a muffin or a cupcake; result of pants being too tight, stomach being too big or all of the above.

pictured above: Starbucks Classic Blueberry Muffin (470 calories/32 grams of sugar)

New York City requires by law that any restaurant with 15 or more chains must display the calorie count on boards, menus and food tags.  For those of you not living in the city, congratulations – you’re left to live in complete and ignorant bliss, able to enjoy a Grande Pumpkin Spice Frappucino (470 calories/60 grams sugar/13 grams fat) and a Cinnamon Chip Scone (540 calories/32 grams sugar/29 grams fat) on your way to work…thinking its just a little Friday morning treat.

WAKE UP CALL.  I always assumed that the crumble top muffins at Starbucks were packed with calories.  However, until NYC started posting their nutritional info in plain black and white I never knew just how horrible they were (back in the day, I couldn’t say no to their ultra dense coffee cakes).  One of their seasonal drinks, the Venti Banana Coconut Frappucino, has 730 calories (170 more calories than a McDonald’s Big Mac).  What is even more shocking is that The Center for Science in the Public Interest equates drinking one large Frappucino with consuming two McDonalds Quarter Pounders.

I don’t mean to pick on Starbucks (although, they’re an easy target) because they also offer great morning pick me ups like the Tall Caffe Americano (10 calories/0 grams fat).  My point is, is that the glass case of bakery items may look appealing but can potentially carry triple the amount of calories than you would normally expect.  Read labels and consider the actual “cost” – is the muffin worth having a muffin top?

This weekend make an easy well balanced meal full of nutrients to fuel you for early morning workouts and late night parties: pasta with asparagus, broccoli and garlic shrimp.  Shrimp in any dish will add low-fat/low-calorie protein, selenium, vitamin D and B12, iron plus omega-3 fatty acids. 

Here’s a rough sketch of the recipe I used (i.e. I watched my boyfriend make for me) but it is in general a very flexible dish that can include as much or as little of each ingredient depending on your preference.

On the side, boil water and cook pasta.  Add oil to a pan and set at medium/low heat.  Once it gets hot, add diced pieces of garlic and let simmer in the oil without letting the garlic turn brown.  Add cut asparagus followed by the shrimp (clean and shell first) 2 minutes later.  Stir around so everything is well mixed – add a shake of basil, oregano, parsley, onion powder and garlic powder.  Continuously mixing, add in red pepper flakes and about 5 dashes of Tabasco (spice it up!) - you should be able to see a significant sprinkle of the red pepper flakes.  Let everything heat for another minute before tossing in cooked pasta (make sure to make it a bit more al dente than you normally would like it) into the pan with the other ingredients and stir well.  Let cook for another minute and serve.

On Tuesday I channeled my inner scientist and attended Daniel Lieberman’s lecture on The Biology of Marathon Running. 

Lieberman, Professor of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University, provided an informal hour-long discussion on how our bodies are BUILT for long distance running.  Anatomical features allow us to compete for limited resources using speed and endurance, even under extreme environmental conditions that would quickly exhaust and/or kill most other mammals.  I know that in present-day this doesn’t seem as relevant…we can stand in line at Shake Shack (ugh, sometimes for 45+ minutes) to order a burger instead of having to run down wild beasts in the Serengeti.  However, our Human ancestors didn’t have such a convenient lifestyle and therefore adapted for survival.  As a result, we now possess the following traits which ultimately make us natural and more efficient long distance runners:

• The springy ligaments in our legs and feet (Achilles tendon, IT band and arch of foot for example) allow us to store and then release energy on each down/up step – other mammals either have shorter, more poorly developed variations of these tendons or none at all.
• Things such as our big butts (the junk in the trunk), a narrow waist and mobile torso help to stabilize us while we’re running on two feet (vs. other mammals who need 4).
• Humans are sans fur (well, I know some people where I would argue that this doesn’t apply) with widely dispersed sweat glands to regulate our temperature, even in extreme heats – notice dogs need to pant heavily to sweat. 

Essentially, we are an efficient machine equipped for long distance running.  Although things like asphalt and pavement change the equation a bit in terms of what kind of impact running has on our body, we’re still a top performer in the endurance category.  A cheetah will certainly out sprint us, but if we were to race the fast cat in a 26.2 mile marathon or 100 mile ultra…she’d eat our dust.

Each month it seems like there’s a new trend to fight fat and stay healthy…this month’s pomegranate juice is next month’s acai berries.  Not that I’m pretending that I don’t religiously follow these (sometimes superficial) trends in the health and wellness sphere, but once and a while you need to kick it old school to get exactly what you’re looking for.

Grapefruits are an excellent source of vitamin c and fiber, among other nutrients.  They are best in season from winter to early spring (hence, why Grandma and Grandpa always ship them North for Christmas presents) and are one of the top ranked fruit juices in terms of antioxidant activity.  Grapefruit is most commonly associated with lowering cholesterol levels, especially the red kind, as well as significantly increasing the production and activity of liver detoxification enzymes (think flushing out cancer causing toxins).  This citrus is also said to increase the absorption of certain drugs.

One reason why I try to fill my grapefruit quota is for its tremendous fiber content when compared to its “peers” (one whole grapefruit/12 grams fiber vs. an orange/7 grams, apple/5 grams and a banana/4 grams).  HOWEVER, you must eat the walls that separate the actual segments to get the full 12 grams of fiber (i.e. grapefruit juice does not pack as much fiber as you would think).  I’m not encouraging the Grapefruit Diet (please tell me you haven’t been suckered into this one already), but definitely take advantage of the coming season and incorporate this fruit into your breakfast or  afternoon pick me up snack.

Sure, running is great for the exercise and feel good endorphins…but how about the gadgets?! Thankfully with this sport, the overall cost of participating is much less expensive than being a ski bunny at Vail.  However, there are definitely a few things worth splurging for - i.e. the Garmin Forerunner 405 watch ($349.99 with HR monitor).

The Forerunner 405 (there is a newer model that I haven’t tried yet) is a GPS enabled sport watch that tracks your training, wirelessly syncs data to your computer and lets you run with a virtual partner.  This watch is a serious gadget…actually ‘gadget’ doesn’t begin to justify it…this watch is a serious piece of EQUIPMENT that monitors your time, distance, pace, calories as well as heart rate (when worn with the HR monitor).  If you’re competitive, and most likely you are if you’re a runner, you can race against a virtual partner, your previous logged training runs or even another Garmin Forerunner user (I know, this last one is for the major geeks).

Compared to old school running watches, the Forerunner is sleek and much more manageable in size.  My one complaint, and something I have heard from just about every user, is that when it gets really wet the watch starts to erradicly change screens and settings (be careful you heavy sweaters). 

It’s definitely a lot of extra gear to tote around (HR strap, watch, power cord for charging), but it has made me a much more ‘conscious’ runner (read as ‘efficient’)  Sometimes it’s great to just go out for a run and not think about splits and distance, but after a really hard run it’s helpful to look back at my performance stats plus what kinds of hills I tackled or where I slowed down.  Expensive…yes. Worth it…hell yeah. 

*also has bike mode if you are a triathlete or cycalist

GustOrganics has quite the resume:

• First and only certified organic restaurant in New York.
• World’s first certified restaurant using 100% organic ingredients.
• First and only USDA certified organic bar on the planet.
• Recognized as a ‘Green Restaurant’ by the Green Restaurant Association
• 100% organic restaurant and bar open 365 days a year (just in case you’re itching for a wheat grass shot Christmas morning)

You can find these stellar credentials in a rustic open air setting at 519 Avenue of the Americas, cooking up a full latin inspired menu for breakfast/brunch/lunch/dinner.  During my most recent visit, I tried the Pear Strawberry & Pine Nut Salad ($8.95) but had serious food envy for the Grilled Organic Empanadas ($4) and Spinach Risotto ($17) that were at the table next to me.

If you have a little health tot, GustOrganics also offers an Organic baby menu with items served either finely chopped or  fully processed in a blender.  I know I have all of my teeth but the Tenderloin Beef Puree with Zucchini, Carrot and Bay Leaf looked worth putting on a bib for ($8.95)

Two words: FETTUCCINE ALFREDO. 

Amazing.  I can’t get enough.  I know, it’s text book heart attack meal but it’s sooooo good.  I never mind a little butter (well, ok…in this case it’s half a stick) but it’s the cream in the alfredo sauce that usually makes me cringe. 

Mario Batali thankfully offers a delicious (and I would like to add, incredibly easy) recipe that cuts out the cream.  He suggests using egg fettuccine but I like to substitute whole wheat pasta whenever possible as well as split the recipe in half to reduce portion size (my boyfriend hates me for this).  This dish is surprisingly light in texture and taste and makes for a splurge dish that won’t send you over the edge.  Add broccoli or asparagus for color and additional nutrients.

• 1/2 pound whole wheat fettuccine
• 1/4 cup butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Salt and pepper

Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons salt. Cook the fettuccine in the boiling water according to the package directions, until tender yet al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving the pasta water, and place in a large, heated bowl.

Add the diced butter and grated cheese and toss with tongs or other utensil until the butter and cheese have melted, adding a splash or two of the pasta cooking water to keep the mixture from getting too “tight”. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve immediately.

Supposedly, one bagel is equal to five slices of bread (what cruel person took the time to figure this out?!).  However, sometimes you need a good kick of carbs to replace the energy sources your body depletes during an intense exercise. 

Muscle glycogen recovery replenishes muscles with carbohydrate glucose (glycogen).  It’s best to consume carbohydrates within 30 minutes after exercise as this is when you’re body best synthesizes the carbs into useful glycogen – even waiting as much as two hours reduces efficacy.  Combine protein with the carb source for better muscle/cell recovery plus break post workout meals into small portions that you can eat in intervals to avoid overwhelming your system (i.e. don’t pig out in one sitting).

My ideal snack after a 12 mile run is half a bagel with unsweetened soy nut peanut butter (soy pb has higher protein/less fat and sugar) with a piece of fruit.  If it’s post race or a more aggressive training run, I’ll eat a small portion of pasta with some kind of chicken mixed in about 45 minutes after the bagel.

I’m a visual learner – I like graphs and charts…color coded tabs etc.  In essence, it all has to look good for my brain to willingly digest the information (I admit, this also applies to my general life). 

When it comes to learning about what kinds of food I’m putting into my body, I rely on sites like  ”>NutrionData to lead the (good looking) way.  NutritionData, produced by subsidiary of Conde Nast (www.nutritiondata.com), is a great resource to get quick food facts in an easy to read format.  Each page clearly organizes the full Nutrition Facts into a Nutritional Target Map, Caloric Ratio Pyramid, Nutrient Balance Score as well as offers loads of other technical information if you want to fully embrace you inner geek.

Get your facts straight, like how good an ear of corn really is for you (lots of sugar)…just don’t stray too far because we’ll miss you at The Fit Post!

I’m not a huge fan of yogurt - quite frankly, anything that comes from a swollen cow udder scares me (although I can make an exception for a good brick of cheese).  With that being said, I would prefer not to have osteoporosis when I get older so I know that now is the time to pack in the calcium.

The one kind of yogurt I don’t mind, is Fage Total 0% Greek Yogurt.  Compared to regular non fat plain yogurt, going Greek includes less sugar, carbohydrates and lactose.  Thanks to the straining process, Greek yogurt is also unbelievably rich (think dessert rich) with a smooth dense texture and higher concentration of protein (avg. of 20 grams/cup vs. 13 grams in American style yogurt) all making you feel full longer. 

I have tried a few different kinds but Fage has it down pat with the best taste and most positive nutritional value – plus you can use it for cooking (substitute for sour cream or creme fraiche etc).  I’ll eat it my Fage with fresh blueberries and a quarter cup of granola for a substantial afternoon snack.

I admit, I rarely venture North of 21st Street unless it’s for work or a run in Central Park…and even then, I feel like I need my passport (I’m being dramatic).  However, I’ll make a trip to the Upper East Side any day for a chance to eat at one of NYC’s greatest health spots.

Candle Cafe, located at 1307 Third Avenue , serves seasonal organic vegan cuisine with a focus on sustainability, eco-friendly practices and compassion for animals (menu also includes a large range of gluten free items).  Although my go-to is the Ginger Miso Stir-Fry ($15), I can see the Tuscan Lasagna made with grilled zucchini and tofu basil ricotta ($16) as the perfect cold weather dish.

Don’t think that you’ll be stuck slugging down H2O with your tofu.  Candle Cafe also offers fresh blended smoothies, mixed green veggie juices, natural sodas (think Maine Root Ginger Brew) and organic wines/beers.

This recipe takes only 20 minutes to prep and is ideal Fall comfort food…or apparently in this case, winter comfort food.  With this amount of butter, it certainly isn’t the healthiest but definitely worth the splurge.

• 5 pounds McIntosh or Macoun apples
• Grated zest of 1 orange
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeeze lemon juice
• 1/4 cup agave nectar or 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

For the topping:

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup oatmeal
• 1/2 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
• 1 bag of walnuts – chopped coarsely
• 3/4 cup of cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Peel, core, and cut the apples into large wedges. Combine the apples with the zests, juices, sugar, and spices. Pour into the baking dish.

To make the topping, combine ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is the size of peas. Scatter evenly over the apples.

Place the crisp on a sheet pan and bake for 1 hour until the top is brown and the apples are bubbly.  Serve warm.

Why do beets get such a bad rep? I can’t say that I have ever craved a fresh beet salad or willingly picked a raw sliced beet over a piece of cheesecake (who would?!)… but I’m starting to warm up to their earthy taste and appreciate all of their healthy properties.

Unless you’re a die hard beet fan, the best way to get this red veggie down the hatch is by adding distraction through other ingredients – in this case, heirloom tomatoes and freshly shaved pecorino cheese with flecks of black truffles.  Although you can boil, sautee or even steam beets, eat them raw to best preserve their health benefits (low in fat, high in folic acid, potassium and fiber, plus loaded with antioxidants linked to preventing heart disease, cancer and some birth defects).

If you decide to cook the beets, wash, remove the stems and let boil for approximately 20-30 minutes depending on their size.  Drain the water and (using rubber gloves) gently peel off the skin with your fingers. The green leafy tops you removed earlier can be chopped and cooked like spinach, offering beta-carotene, folic acid, chlorophyll, potassium, vitamin C and iron.

New Yorkers live for brunch – it’s pre-coded into our DNA to see brunch as the ultimate meal – it’s all of our favorite things packed into one event: trendy restaurant, overpriced menu, extensive cocktail list.  However, sometimes I want to pull on some sweatpants and just make something myself at home.

Natures Path Organic FlaxPlus Multigrain Pancake Mix (you would think they could come up with a shorter name) is an easy way to make a whole grain breakfast packed with omega-3 rich flaxseeds ($6.79 per 26 0z. bag).  This weekend, I added blueberries to the batter for added antioxidants and switched to a non-stick pan to avoid having to use butter.  Despite the words “light” and “fluffy” on their packaging, these turn into pretty dense patties (eat two or three and you’ll be stuffed).

An entire holiday that revolves around snack size candy bars seems pretty ideal to me.  I know, I know…Halloween is about MORE than just Mini Snickers but for me…let’s face it, I celebrate for the sugar rush.  This year I’m trying to shed a slightly healthier focus on October 31st by befriending Mr. Jack (‘O Lantern) for some added nutritional value.

Pumpkin seeds are a great source of minerals including magnesium (92% of your daily value in 1/2 cup)  zinc, iron and copper as well as protein (78% of your daily value) and vitamin K.  The seeds are most commonly associated with promoting overall prostate health (men, eat up!), protecting against osteoporosis and acting as a natural anti-inflammatory.  I use them to add texture and color to whole wheat cookies, muffins and breads or eat solo with a little salt.

I hate to be an infomercial (moment of silence for Billy Mays/Oxy Clean Founder) but Ziplock’s Zip’n Steam bags ($4.50/box) are worth a few minutes of air time.

Each disposable bag comes with pre-printed directions on the front and will steam any kind of veggie just using the natural moisture of the food plus a couple minute hit from the microwave (they claim you can use them to cook chicken and fish as well… but even I’m not that lazy).  I normally use them at home when I want to avoid heavy cleanup, or take them to work with me to get some lunchtime broccoli or asparagus in.  I wouldn’t recommend whipping them out to make Thanksgiving side dishes, but it’s an easy alternative when you’re not in the cooking mode.

I’m not a book worm by any stretch of the word (I can hear my brothers making fun of me right now) but I do come across a few good reads every couple of…decades…that I can’t put down – one being, Born To Run.

Born To Run is an incredible book that explores the culture of running, the endurance of the Tarahumara Tribe as well as the sanity/insanity behind ultra marathon training (or in the Tarahumara’s case, running 100+ miles following an all night drink fest).  Christopher McDougall, author and former journalist, also debates the architecture of the human foot and why we potentially would be better off running/walking sans sneakers.  Even if you don’t run, or particularly like to read sport’s books (me), this is a quick and interesting read.  It’s a story, a sociology lesson and an anatomy class all in one.

You’ll be hooked.  You won’t want it to end.  And by the last chapter, you’re going to want to be eating salads for breakfast and thinking orthotic inserts are the devil (read the book, you’ll know what I’m talking about).

My friend has a strong allergy towards gluten/wheat products.  Making dinner plans with her is always challenging and usually results in sushi or steak.  Trust me, I love both but sometimes I just want to do a nose dive into a bread basket.  Thankfully she found a gluten free PIZZA and PASTA (two words missing from her vocabulary) restaurant in the West Village.

Risotteria at 270 Bleecker Street is a gluten free mosh pit of bread sticks, pastas, pizzas, paninis complete with a full line of celiac friendly baked goods.  The menu is split in half, offering FOGFE (Friends of Gluten Free Eaters…ok, I made that one up obviously) options using standard ingredients.  To gain the full experience, I indulged in a GF soppressata, mozzarella and arugula panini ($13) -when in Rome…

Best of all for my friend who a) doesn’t cook and b) lives on the other side of the city, took home frozen pasta and pizza dough to save for easy gluten free meals later in the week.  I’ll definitely go back, with or without her.

When I go to the gym after work, I have to actively force myself to not run on autopilot.  It’s so easy to fall into a routine and forget to be creative with new machines and equipment (not to mention I feel like an idiot when I’m using something completely wrong for the first time).  However, there is a huge pay off to mixing things up and not letting your body be able to predict every next move. 

The bosu ball is a great prop for the gym because it’s versatile enough for an all body workout plus portable (walk it to another part of the floor to get away from the crowds…or that heavily sweating guy who thinks its OK to workout in a crop top).  I have a hard time building out my lower ab muscles and sculpting definition in my arms (which I’m paranoid look like limp string beans), but push ups and planks on the bosu (flipped with the bubble side down) really help to work my entire core and upper body at once.

Alternatively, you can work on your balance and stability while activating your quadriceps (think tight thighs) and glutes by doing squats on the platform of the flat side.  This may sound nerdy, but go online to their website and look at different kinds of exercises for additional ideas.

Happy birthday to you…happy birthday to you…happy birthday to youuuuu…happy (2 week) birthday to NYC Fit Post!

I know it’s a little premature to be pulling out the cake and celebrating just 14 days of being able to read some of the top stories on healthy living and eating, but I’ll find any excuse to celebrate a birthday (just wait until mine rolls around, you won’t be able to miss it).  Since its inception on October 1, NYC Fit Post has received an average of 153 readers per weekday! 

We’re now up and running on Twitter (@thefitpost) plus have a direct email to receive suggestions and comments (maggie@thefitpost.com).  In the next few weeks, I’ll be adding basic features to the site to include a drop down menu for blog topics plus other additions for easier reading and sorting.  Thank you for contributing to the increasing success of this site and I hope that you’ll continue to share the link with your friends and family – they won’t want to miss out!

-M

Cooking dinner is my least favorite part of the day…or at least I would think it would be if I actually did any of the cooking. Thankfully, my boyfriend is a phenomenal cook and can make just about any dish.  I try to be his sous chef but somehow he never needs (read as ‘wants’) my help?!  Last night “we” made this salmon and lentil recipe pulled from the internet.  The entire meal (minus the pit stop at Billy’s Bakery for dessert) was rich in nutrients and flavor.  Fiber rich lentils help to lower cholesterol, manage blood sugar, provide tons of minerals and are very low in fat/calories.  With the salmon adding protein and omega-3 essential fatty acids (health promoting fat), and an additional vitamin boost from the swiss chard, this was the complete meal.  Allow for plenty of prep time and approximately 35 minutes to actually cook – end result: 4 stars. 

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 2 leeks, white and light-green parts only, halved lengthwise and chopped
• 2 carrots, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/2 pound (1 1/4 cups) French brown or green lentils
• 1 bunch Swiss chard
• 3 6-ounce center-cut skinless salmon fillets
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon honey (swap for Agave Nectar)
• Juice of 1 lemon

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and carrots and cook until tender, 5 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Increase the heat to high; add 4 cups water, the cinnamon stick and lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-high, cover and simmer until tender, 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove the Swiss chard stems; reserve 3 leaves and chop the rest. Place the whole leaves over the lentils, cover and wilt, 1 minute. Remove the chard and cover the lentils. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and wrap a wilted chard leaf around each fillet.

Reserve about 1 cup lentils for Warm Beet and Lentil Salad. Stir the honey and lemon juice into the remaining lentils and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the chopped chard. Place the wrapped salmon on top of the lentils, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over medium-high heat until the fish is just cooked through, 6 minutes.

Remove the salmon and cut into pieces. (If the lentils are dry, add a splash of water.) Divide lentils among bowls and top with salmon.

I figured after 24 years of ignoring my Asian roots I would finally pay homage to my inner Korean and make a few trips to K-Town.  Of course, the BBQ hole in the walls are fantastic (who knew my heritage was so delicious) but the one place that I can’t wait to go back to is HanGawi at 12 East 32nd Street. 

HanGawi, a Vegetarian Korean restaurant, embodies the principles of Um and Yang – Korean version of the yin and yang (I admit, I didn’t know this until reading their website).  The menu balances these two forces by combing green vegetables and fruits (the um foods) with roots, radishes, carrots and potatoes (the yang foods).  The flavors are rich but not overly doused in sauce, producing creative items like Kabocha Pumpkin Pancakes with Mung beans ($11), Spicy Kimchi Mushroom Pancakes ($12) and Watercress Tofu Dumplings ($9).  There is a separate menu using all organic ingredients for the die hard foodies.  Believing a nutritious meal requires thoughtful consideration to both the food and space, the HanGawi vegetarian sanctuary is dimly lit and beautifully decorated with dark wood and artifacts.  Although, I hope you’re nimble –  even I felt a little clumsy trying to lower myself onto the floor cushions without knocking over my neighbor’s silken tofu.  The entire experience was more relaxing than being in 10 minute Savasana (yoga “corpse” pose).

I love football season for the dollar draft specials (well more like $4 in NY), Sunday afternoon parties and of course…platters of food.  I’m a sucker for the pigs in a blanket and hot wings but sometimes need something lighter to balance out the grease.  My favorite alternative, Food Network’s Avocado and Corn Salsa, is definitely geared more towards summer but is an easy thing to make in the fall considering the ingredients are easy to get at any time of year.  This salsa is probably not something you’re going to find at Brother Jimmy’s (don’t bothering trying, they’ll laugh at you) but it’s an easy snack to make if you’re hosting game day at your house.  The next time I make it I may try to add to tacos or a turkey wrap. 

• 3/4 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 1/2 cup quartered grape tomatoes
• 1 medium avocado, diced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Toss avocados, tomatoes, corn, cilantro, lime juice and salt in a medium bowl.  Makes 8 servings, 1/4 cup each.

Proteins, derived from the Greek word meaning ‘of first importance’, are the basic building blocks of life.  Whey beats out soy and egg proteins in reducing appetite and voluntary eating (no more mindlessly stuffing your face).  Athletes use whey to increase muscle mass and speed up body fat loss while resistance training.  Personally, I have found that it has been the best source for tissue recovery and helping to reduce post-exercise soreness (you know, that kind when you sit down in your chair and can’t stand back up…)

My favorite Designer Whey is the Original Chocolate: 18 grams protein/2 grams fat/ 100 calories/2 grams sugar.  I’ll mix one level scoop with water, stir and have for breakfast with a piece of whole fruit and multi grain toast.  This also makes a great (and portable) post workout meal supplement.  For the past few months I have experienced leaner muscle, a stronger body and a more convenient post exercise fuel – is there any other whey to go?

I have never been known to be a light packer.  Trips to Europe…weekends in Boston – whatever the occasion, IT ALL comes with me.  I feel like I need to have options and variety (I would never have made a good Girl Scout).  This of course creates a dilemma when I go running.  Between my house keys, subway card, extra cash for a water, ipod, Gu-gel, chapstick, hair elastic…bobby pins (you never know who you’ll bump into!) there never seems to be enough pockets.  SpiBelt ($19.95) - a gift from the running gods – finally helps to solve the problem by making an expandable pouch (think The Jetson’s re-take of the fanny pack) to stretch around whatever you’re carrying.  Therefore, if you’re a minimalist and only have one or two things, it will maintain it’s small flat shape.  If you’re like me and have the entire 3rd floor of Nike Town with you, then it will expand to a larger size.  Best of all, the belt sits tightly on the hips and doesn’t bounce or move unlike the others I have tried that migrate to my armpits by mile 2.

The Fall in New York is beautiful, but I’m already getting sick of pumpkin spiced coffee and heavily decorated Halloween displays – over it (I know, bad attitude to have this early in the season).  With summer treats like Van Leeuwen’s Ice Cream, how could you not want it to be 80 and sunny all year long?!

Benjamin Van Leeuwen, a 24-year old ex Good Humor truck driver, sells his homemade ice cream from a buttery yellow postal service truck around the city (check his website for seasonal truck locations).  Using local, hormone and antibiotic free milk and cream (no stabilizers or preservatives), the all organic ice cream envelopes unique and exotic ingredients  to enrich old school flavors – Tahitian beans aged in vodka oak barrels anyone?   Excluding the use of condensed milk, corn syrup or any other kind of artificial sugar, coloring or thickener, the scoops of ice cream are pure in taste and light in texture.  Even the toppings are homemade and organic to complete the experience.  Van Leeuwen also makes sure to reduce his carbon footprint (and yours) by using sugar cane and corn husks for his biodegradable cups, napkins, spoons and straws.  As if this 24-year old entrepreneur wasn’t doing enough, he contributes one percent of his profits towards the protection of the Congo Mountain Gorilla.  So go ahead…eat some Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, you’ll feel like you did a good thing for the environment, your body…and the gorillas!

My favorite is a combination of the hazelnut (made from Piedmont Hazelnuts processed in a facility in Italy that uses the hazelnut shells to generate electricity) with two scoops of strawberry (containing actual pieces of fresh berries).

Blossom Restaurant at 187 Ninth Avenue is the ideal place for fresh organic and vegan food sans the earthy dirty taste.  Personally, my body doesn’t work well under the restrictions of one specific diet – I’m not a ‘one size fits all’ kind of girl.  Instead, I try to make an effort to choose healthier alternatives whenever possible (except for dessert…that’s an entirely different ballgame).  Not a vegetarian or a vegan, I still appreciate Blossom’s commitment to providing a meat and dairy free menu.  Blossom offers several protein substitutes, including seitan, tofu, and tempeh.  Set in a warmly lit townhouse, the dishes are enriched with strong flavors and textures.  I love the  Feijoadinha with Smokey Tempeh ($18) which is a twist on the Brazilian national stew of smokey roasted tempeh, black beans, chayote sqaush and sweet potatoes in a light orange-lime broth.  The Phyllo Roulade ($18) of french lentils and root vegetables served with swiss chard and a carrot-cream sauce is also amazing (and I usually HATE carrots).

Seitan: High in protein (twice as much as tofu and 40% more than two medium eggs), Seitan is made from wheat but looks, tastes and feels more like a meat product.  This raw wheat gluten is higher in calories than its other soy counterparts but contains no saturated fat or cholesterol.

Tempeh: A complete protein food that contains all of the essential amino acids, Tempeh is made up of fermented cooked soybeans and is firm in texture with a subtle nutty mushroom flavor.   This meat substitute contains isoflavones which are most commonly associated with stronger bones and a reduced risk of coronary heart disease.  The fermentation process coupled with the fact that tempeh retains the whole soy bean, contribute to this foods higher protein, diety fiber and vitamin content compared to tofu. 

Seitan (4 oz) = 20.3 grams protein/114 calories/2.1 grams fat

Tempeh (4 oz) = 20 grams protein/ 216 calories/ 12 grams fat

Firm Tofu (4 oz) = 10.1 grams protein/94 calories/5 grams fat

85% Lean Ground Beef (4 oz) = 21 grams protein/240 calories/17 grams fat

*Recommended daily intake of protein is 56 grams for most men and 46 grams for most women

Farmers markets used to be an ideal way to get fresh produce at a reasonable price…New York and other cities have turned these open air shopping spots into trendy and often expensive alternatives to Whole Foods.   The Farmers Market in Union Square, although offering stall after stall of all organic and natural fruits/veggies/flowers, is now incredibly crowded and expensive!  Hand picking carrots and zucchini on a Saturday afternoon has become a stressful Times Square cluster like activity where you pay a premium to dig through produce crates on 14th street.  I admit, I am easily suckered into this mini slice of rural adventure…I don’t mind the extra few cents to feel like I’m doing something good for the environment via “fair trade” but sometimes (most of the time) I walk away feeling ripped off that my apple was $1.50 and the all natural loaf of banana bread was double what I would pay at the grocery store.

This Saturday I went to the Fulton Street Farmers Market where I enjoyed a much smaller, but more reasonably priced, sample of natural and organic produce (sans crowd).  Less commercialized, the dozen or so vendors sold cheese, wine, veggies, flowers and baked goods.  This block of stalls were well priced and easy to navigate with plenty of options.  I picked up a bundle of fresh beets, brick of pecorino cheese and loaf of rye bread – hopefully, I’ll make a beet salad over a bed of spinach this week.  For things that are best imported I’ll have to still go to Whole Foods (at this time of year, this will include berries and other fruits) but in the meantime, I can benefit from a small Farmers Market for local seasonable items.  In the long run, I can buy higher quality as well as lower priced goods which will enrich both my diet as well as the local farming economy.  Be flexible in what you want to bring home, but also have some general idea of what you’re looking for so you don’t get carried away with the “campy” feeling of buying from a local market.

Ok, get your giggles out now…go ahead, say it…FART FART FART FART FART FART.  Better? I know,  fartlek sounds amusing and on a Friday especially, it’s hard to say the word without smirking.  However, fartleks have nothing to do with last night’s bean burrito…rather, it’s a Swedish word meaning “speed play” and refers to a kind of conditioning that varies exercise intensity.  A less precise form of interval training, fartleks are meant to put aerobic sand anaerobic systems (read below for more info) under stress using short and frequent bursts of exercise that increase your heart rate.  Not being able to think of an appropriate picture for this post, I chose one of Usain Bolt (per usual, several strides ahead of his opponents looking pretty confident…rightfully so), considering that he represents speed and dynamism.  You don’t need to be a three-time Olympic gold medalist to benefit from fartlek training.  The beauty of this kind of conditioning is that it is highly flexible (great for walkers, runners, cyclists, football players etc) and only involves increasing varying levels of endurance and speed (can be done across any kind of terrain/elevation/distance).

Example of a Fartlek: Jog for 60 seconds/hard run 30 seconds/jog 30 seconds/sprint 10 seconds/walk 30 seconds – repeat for 20-30 minutes

Benefits of combining aerobic (when body uses oxygen to create energy) and anaerobic exercise (when body creates energy without oxygen) activity:  anaerobic exercise is thought to burn more calories than aerobic on a 5 to 1 basis with aerobic exercising burning 25% muscle/75% fat vs. anaerobic burning 100% fat.  Examples of aerobic exercise include dancing, jogging etc. while anaerobic activities require weight resistence like lifting dumbbells or hill sprints.  The aerobic process of exercising the cardiovascular and circulatory system coupled with anaerobic work of building lean muscle make fartleks a much better workout than they sound.

I like salads, but can be easily underwhelmed when they’re a boring pile of limp lettuce with a few carrots and tomatoes thrown in at sub par effort.  I know, my standards are a little high…you’re thinking, it’s just a salad?!  But there are SO many EASY ways to jazz up your romaine that I can’t help but to expect more.  Depending on the season, adding crisp endive, walnuts, tart green apples, pine nuts, grapefruit wedges, mango, edamame…anything to enhance the color and texture of the dish will make getting your veggie intake that much easier.  However, one thing that I never before considered adding was Jicama.

This root looks like a turnip but has the crispy water dense properties of something closer to a water chestnut.  White in color and mildly sweet in taste, Jicama can be peeled and then sliced to add to any salad or dish (think stir fries, curries, stews, salads, tacos, sandwich wraps, salsa) or eaten raw with fresh lime squeezed on top – for me, it’s perfect for mindless snacking at work.  The ideal time to buy Jicama is between the months of October and May…so get shopping!

Nutritional Highlights for 1 Cup of Raw Jicama
46 Calories
0.86g Protein
10.6g Carbohydrates
0.11g Fat
5.8g Fiber
24mg Vitamin C

I’m an avid fan of attractive athletic apparel.  Mostly, I can’t seem to get myself out of my favorite capri length running tights (I admit, I have a ridiculous stock in black and grey) and take every opportunity to wear them…whether it is on my way to go running, after running or during the weekends when I’m doing things that have nothing to do with running.  In college, it was virtually what my friends and I lived in.  For whatever reason, guys seem more inclined to change immediately following the gym, while girls like to advertise their 30 minutes on the elliptical with a little stretch fabric.  To me, my running tights make me look fit and healthy plus suck everything in like a vacuum.  It’s so much easier to throw them on and head out the door than meticulously plan out an outfit.  Don’t mistake this bond with spandex for a lack of interest in my appearance – I love getting dressed to the nines at night, but during the day, even my favorite party dress can’t compete with a pair of running tights.

lululemon, Vancouver based athletic apparel company, recognizes this niche market and combines high performance material with attractive product design to create a commited brand following.  Originally targeting yogis, the company has expanded to consider cyclists, dancers runners and other athletes.  Their stores offer various free yoga/pilates/spin/running classes (check their websites) including summer yoga in Bryant Park (see picture).  The incredibly perky sales staff (sometimes a little too hyper) are always helpful in finding sizes or explaining the various styles. Men rave about their WDW Boxer Briefs ($24) while I’m in love with their Wunder Under Reversible Pants ($88).  The free alterations (semi) help take the sting out of their steep prices.

Whether you’re a spandex groupie, or just someone who likes to look pulled together post gym, after you wear your first piece from lululemon you’re likely to be joining the cult…I mean culture.

As quickly as handbags are changing on 5th Avenue…or CEO’s changing on Wall Street, health trends cycle through alpha super foods by the minute.  Now taking the place of Flax Seeds, the Chia Seed includes 30% Omega 3 oil (linked to providing protection against cardiovascular disease, arthritis and depression) and 40% Omega 6 oil (associated with promoting healthy skin, hair and nails ), both working at their optimal levels when combined together.  Most important for athletes, the Chia Seed is highly hydrophilic, meaning that it absorbs large amounts of water…in this case, over 10 times its weight in water.  Easily digestible, you won’t need to grind or blend the seed unlike last season’s Flax (which passes right through if eaten whole).  Their subtle taste and texture make Chia Seeds a great ingredient for cooking or baking.  I just found a recipe for Chia muffins which I’m going to try to mix with a whole wheat banana bread recipe.  Alternatively, you can add to smoothies, protein shakes, pudding, salad dressings or anything else that needs an extra punch.  Aside from all of its other positive attributes, Chia Seeds are attractive to athletes and hikers (originally favored by the ancient Aztec warriors) thanks to their energy increasing properties, enhancing stamina and endurance.  Get a bag of seeds, be creative – and find you’re inner chia!

Anyone training for a triathlon…how about an Ironman? If so, head to Levain’s Bakery at 167 West 74th Street.  Looking, smelling and of course TASTING the 1/2 pound cookies on the Upper West Side (second location in East Hampton) feels like everything but training for a triathlon.  However, the founders of Levain’s created the rich hunks of chocolate and butter half baked goodness during Ironman training.  After finding the perfect recipe for a serious calorie bomb, they quit their jobs (in banking and fashion) and opened their first location. Ensuring the freshest goods, the bakery donates all of the day’s unsold items to charity for a clean start the next morning.   I wouldn’t recommend replacing your powerbars and Gu gels for Levain’s signature Chocolate Chip Walnut 6oz cookie, but it is definitely a good idea to find some balance and enjoy the sweet side of working out!

My favorite Levain’s cookie: Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip ($4)

Grapefruit Lollipops. Kimchi Doughnuts. Jalapeno Hush Puppies.  These are a few things Amanda Cohen (Angelica’s Kitchen alum) dreams up in her kitchen at Dirt Candy located at 430 East 9th Street.  Committed to providing beautiful healthy treats using ingredients found literally in the dirt (half of the dry items are from Organic vendors), Cohen offers a small but impeccable menu of fresh healthy meals (everything on the menu can be made vegan on request).  I can’t wait to go back to try the asparagus paella ($19) and zucchini ginger cake ($12).  Just watch out, the bill can quickly add up…but I guess that’s the price you pay for good dirt!

I believe that you need to look good to feel good/feel good to look good.  That’s why, I surprised myself when I immediately gravitated towards the absolutely HIDEOUS, Vibram Five Fingers (I know what you’re going to say, the name sounds more like a sex toy than athletic shoe).  Vibram (creater of high performance rubber soles) launched their Five Finger line of products which essentially are rubber soled gloves…for your feet.  Initially intended for yacht racing, Barefoot Ted (google him to find more info) introduced this “shoe” as a way to simulate barefoot running in rough and unpredictable terrain (think urban streets and thorn covered mountain trails).   Other Vibram members use their V5′s for pilates, swimming, hiking, rock climbing plus a slew of other fitness related activities.  Now with a month under my belt in my new V5′s ($85/pair), I’m able to maintain greater speed over longer distances and have increased the strength of my lower calves and foot muscles.  However, the sudden spike in speed and mileage has certainly caused some tendonitis in my achilles so be careful when first starting…slow and steady wins the race.

I fully admit, I agreed to go apple picking solely for the purpose of getting my hands on those ridiculously good cider donuts sold only at the orchards.  One subway ride plus a Metro North train followed by an hour car ride come to find out that the swarms of screaming sticky children had eaten all of the donuts!!! Composing myself with a few internal reminders that they’re just kids and it would be inappropriate for me to throw my legs out, slam down screaming and wailing (circa little me 1988), I focused on the task at hand: picking loads of apples.

58 apples later, I have decided to make something that will be easily portable for an on-the-go snack but also filling to maintain energy.  What better way to recycle the rest of my loot than by making Carrot Apple Oat Bran Muffins.  I’m not a huge fan of carrots but this recipe I found online is subtle in veggie taste but allows for the orange to add color and texture.  If you’re wanting to give the muffins an extra punch, add wheat germ or flax seed. Make an effort to bake (or buy for that matter) smaller muffins considering that normally this snack is dense with calories and other ingredients that are ok for you in MODERATION.

• 2 ½ cups oat bran (uncooked)
• ¼ cup chopped nuts
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• dash of salt
• 2 egg whites
• ¾ cup skim milk
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 carrot
• 1 apple (or in my case a few since I need to get rid of them)

Heat oven to 425° F.  Combine all ingredients, mix well.  Shave carrot into a pile of shavings and then dice so you are left with fine short ribbons.  Dice one green apple with the skins on it into small cubes and add to mixture.  Fill prepared muffin cups until almost full.  Bake approximately 10-12 minutes until slightly crispy on the top. Yields 24 muffins.

Tasty Bite is an ideal way for me to “make” an easy and inexpensive meal either in my studio kitchen or at the office.  Available in a variety of flavors and cuisines, the packages require no cooking (magical phrase) plus can be stored at room temperature outside of a refrigerator until opening.  My favorite is the Sprouts Curry & Basmati Rice ($3.69 at Whole Foods), pre packaged vegetarian, kosher, gluten-free pouch of curry plus rice with no preservatives or MSG added.  One box contains 363 calories, 1g of  fat, 12g fiber, 14g of protein and only 4g of sugar.  Fresh health food and whole meals definitely shouldn’t be passed over for this 2 minute microwave dish but for those times when you’re a) on a budget, b) have limited space to cook, c) wanting a healthy instant option or d) all of the above (in my case) then Tasty Bite will certainly make it happen.  I often skip the rice and add extra firm plain tofu to increase the protein content (if you heat it all together, the tofu takes on the taste of the curry and blends together as one cohesive meal).   Depending on your appetite, heat the entire box up and save half in a Tupperware for later in the week.

Before I get into how phenomenal BabyCakes NYC is, we should first walk through a brief glossary of terms…

Kosher: a term that refers to something (not just food products) having followed all of the Jewish legal guidelines

Parve: food products that do not contain or have not come into contact with any meat or dairy

Vegan: a diet and lifestyle that excludes the use of animal products (meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy, honey, fur, leather, wool, gelatin etc) in food, clothing or any other use

Gluten: storage proteins that exist, conjoined with starch, in some grass-related grains such as wheat, rye and barley

Agave Nectar: a carbohydrate rich substance with a low glycemic index, thought to protect against health risks often associated with artificial sweeteners, (also from the same Agave plant from which tequila is made, however, sans blurry intoxicated effect)

Glycemic Index: a ranking of carbohydrates according to their effect on our blood glucose levels, with the high GI carbs being the ones that cause our glucose and insulin levels to spike drastically (not as good for you)

Spelt: an ancient grain closely related to common wheat and is made up of 57.9% carbohydrates, 17% proteins, 3% fats plus a moderate amount of gluten (compared to wheat, this translates into 15-20% more proteins, higher in complex carbs and includes enzymes to assist in glucose and insulin secretion)

BabyCakes NYC: certified Kosher, parve and vegan bakery that offers all-natural, organic and refined sugar free alternatives for dessert

Located at 248 Broome Street (and soon to come Los Angeles shop), this bakery actually makes you feel healthy just by reading their ingredients lists.  Substituting rice flour, garbanzo/fava bean mix or spelt in place of standard bleached flour, the founders of BabyCakes NYC find creative ways to work around various food allergies, dietary restrictions and mainstream products that put your health at risk.  Canola and cold pressed virgin coconut oil represent fat to help ensure that the decadent apple pies or stacks of fluffy donuts preserve their “dessert” integrity.  I bought an agave sweetened spelt chocolate birthday cake for my mom in July and have sent many gluten-free friends down for their loaves of various breads, cookies, brownies and cupcakes.  Best of all, their staff welcomes questions and helps to educate customers about the benefits of each ingredient…that is, for those who aren’t as lucky as you to have received this glossary cheat sheet.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Pyramid recommends 3-5 servings of vegetables a day.  For most, including myself, this seems like a pretty intimidating number! One way I get my daily dose is by being creative and disguising veggies as something more interesting (although, I don’t think my Cranberry Rhubarb cookies count…). 

Liquteria on 11th and 2nd offers an entire farm of liquid produce via pressed juice extraction.  With the aid of hydraulic pressure, vitamins, minerals and enzymes are separated from the pulp making for a 4 day shelf life (refrigerator necessary).  Many juices can be loaded with sugar, sodium and unnecessary calories.  Liquteria freshly bottles nutrient rich juices like All Greens (kale, spinach, romaine, parsley, celery and cucumber), Beets Me (carrot, beet, apple, pear, lemon and ginger), or spicier options such as The Killer XX (green apples, double service of ginger, cayenne and Immunity Now – a Liquteria potion to jump start your immune system).  Although I find that the best way to preserve the integrity of the vegetable is by eating raw whole snacks, pressed juices make a convenient on-the-go option and an easy way to chug down part of the 3-5 serving quota.   This small LES shop also offers healthy quick bites (think tofu dogs and avocado wraps) plus smoothies and a few organic breakfast treats.  Juices run anywhere from $5.50 to $7.50 per bottle – a reasonable price to pay to avoid the hassle of grocery shopping and messy veggie clean up.

My favorite fresh pressed juices:

All Greens With Apple (apple, lemon, ginger kale, spinach, romaine, parsley and celery)

Grasshopper (apple, pear, pineapple, wheatgrass and mint)

Roayal Flush (pineapple, pear, ginger, aloe vera and Liver Kidney Lymph Detox)

You could put me on ‘The Biggest Loser’ and I still wouldn’t give up my cookies – to me, they are well worth a few extra crunches.  However, it’s easy to transform a buttery dense baked good into something not quite so bad for you.  With cookies in particular, I like to substitute whole wheat flour in place of regular bleached flour and a dried fruit instead of chocolate chips (or in addition to).  In this case, I wanted to experiment even further by adding chunks of rhubarb to create a sweet vs. tart showdown using the classic Nestle Toll House cookie recipe.  Just be careful when adding, or eating for that matter, dried fruit as it packs a lot of sugar that can quickly add up.

• 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 3 large stalks of Rhubarb
• ¾ cup of cranberries

Preheat oven to 375° F. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

105 degrees. 40% humidity. 26 postures. 90 minutes.  one ridiculously tough workout.

I find that people have either a LOVE or HATE reaction towards Bikram Yoga.  Personally, I can’t imagine life without yoga…and yoga without Bikram.  New York offers several studios but my favorite is Bikram Yoga NYC (locations UES, UWS, Midtown and Flatiron).  Aside from having great instructors, the studios are extremely clean and well maintained (VERY important when you’re pouring sweat in a cramped room with sometimes as many as 50 other students).  For the LOVERS of Bikram, Bikram Yoga NYC encourages students to participate in the ’30 Day Challenge’ which requires 30 consecutive days of practice. 

Followers of this practice of yoga believe that the heat and humidity act to detox the body, thin the blood to clear the circulatory system and increase heart rate.  The 26 postures force your body to simultaneous stretch, balance and create pressure…and then quickly release to allow the blood rush through veins and arteries.  If this all sounds a little too bloody for you, don’t worry, these are the positive effects that you don’t even realize during the 90 minutes – you’re mostly focused on how to not slip off your mat or how phenominal you need to make your abs  in time to come to the next Bikram class sans shirt like the real yogis (I’m still working on this one).

My absolute go-to snack of the month is Mestemacher Fitness Bread toasted with all natural crunchy peanut butter… (and here’s the key part) topped off with fresh apple slices.  Conveniently pre-sliced and vacuum packaged, the all natural/whole grain bread packs a slew of healthy (and filling) ingredients including rye and oat kernels plus wheat germ.  Wheat germ, for those of you that aren’t familiar with its benefits, is very high in protein and contains more potassium and iron than any other food source.  Great for maintaining energy levels, it is also a source for vitamins A, B1 and B3.  With the additional protein of the peanut butter plus locking in a serving of fruit with the apple, this snack is ideal for the  mid morning to stave off lunchtime hunger or even in the afternoon to prevent that desire to stuff your face when you get home from work.

Mestemacher has managed to create a delicious tasting bread without forfeiting the health benefits in each slice: 120 calories/1g fat/24g carb/6g fiber/1g sugar/4g protein.

Paragon Sports is a great place to find anything and everything…as long as you know exactly what you want and have the luxury of time.  The lines and crowds (especially from September – January) are absurd coupled with the fact that trying to find a staff member to help is worse than a blindfolded Where’s Waldo search.   The frustration of clawing through a mini Times Square just to pick up a new pair of yoga pants or couple pairs of running socks is not worth it.  This is why, my favorite one stop shop for athletic gear is JackRabbit in Union Square (they have two other locations, one on the UES and the other in Brooklyn).

Founded in 2003, the small boutique style store focuses on providing superior performance wear and products with outstanding customer service.  Their staff is knowledgeable and committed to educating customers.  JackRabbit concentrates on supplying running and triathlon gear but they also have things for yoga and general fitness use.   Don’t let its small storefront trick you, the Union Square location is packed with everything including gels, electrolyte powder, fuel belts, glide sticks, watches and athletic apparel.  Not sure which sneakers to get? JackRabbit’s high-speed video camera will record your gait while you run on one of their treadmills.  After a thorough analysis of your stride, a staff member will help find the perfect shoe to meet your athletic needs – in this case, one size does not fit all.

When it comes to my eating habits, I am definitely someone who has a split personality.  90% of the time I gravitate towards an ultra healthy plate – low sodium/calorie/sugar with a focus on finding things high in protein and antioxidants.  However, when it comes to any kind of homemade treat all of the rules go out the window…especially when I’m doing the baking! I found this recipe online and have made it for several people as Holiday gifts.  This is a healthy/sweet recipe that (for now) curbs my two personalities from going to either extreme!

• 2 cups rolled oats (not instant)
• 1 cup peanuts or toasted almonds
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup toasted sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup coconut (can be either sweetened or unsweetened)
• 1/4 cup toasted wheat germ 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup dried fruit (dried apricots, craisins and dried apple are all delicious choices)
• 1/4 cup cooking oil (not olive)
• 1/2 cup honey or agave nectar

Mix the oat, nuts and grains in a large bowl.  Measure oil into the measuring cup and swirl it around before pouring into bowl. Then measure out the honey in the same, unwashed cup. The oil will help the honey exit the cup.  Toss everything together until evenly coated and then pour out into a baking pan. I use a large roasting pan, as it keeps everything contained. A cookie sheet with a lip also works, but you have to stir it slightly more carefully if you use that. Bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes, turning it with a spatula every ten minutes or so. You want everyt