Just when you think there is "no sugar added"...

A few weeks ago, I decided I would drink the highly recommended recovery drink of chocolate milk after my workouts. So, I bought Nesquick, "No Sugar Added" to mix with my milk as an alternative to the more expensive whey protein that can be mixed with milk or water. So it dawned on me today: what IS Nesquick sweetened with if there is no sugar added? The ingredients do not list any sort of sweetener that I am familiar with, so if it had not said so in parenthesis, then I would not have know that ACESULFAME POTASSIUM was a non-nutritive sweetener.

Here's what stood out to me when I read about it on Wikipedia, read more about it: "Acesulfame K has been shown to stimulate dose-dependent insulin secretion in rats, though no hyperglycemia was observed.[8]"

Basically, ACE K is like sugar, in that it leaves you feeling like you want or need more: it makes you dependent. It is not the sugar that you are dependent on, it is the insulin that your body produces when you eat sugar that your body wants. So, is "No Sugar Added" any better for you? You skip those calories, but not the domino effect of eating more than you need to eat, or eventually eating the sugar laden foods that you have tried to avoid. When it comes down to it, we have to accept the side effects of what we choose to eat. Chocolate milk every day was causing me to gain weight. I can't have chocolate milk without having the effects of sugar. Darn it.

Food as Fuel

Yesterday, I made granola and had to have some! So, for the first time in a long time, I did not have a Zone proportioned breakfast. My norm is eggs and fruit and some half and half in my coffee. And, I don't measure it every morning, I just know know out of habit. So, I ate granola with skim milk, which contain carbohydrates and protein. Fats were provided by the half and half in my coffee. Not Zone balanced, but not terrible. The granola was made with whole oats, pumpkin seeds, coconut oil, and agave (cactus honey- a bit lower on the glycemic index than honey). I felt pretty good and was able to go a long time without eating. I had a bowl of tuna late in the day (mostly because I stayed out running errands all afternoon). I normally try to eat 5 smaller meals during the day.

Although I did not eat balanced Zone meals yesterday, I still had adequate energy. I think this may be because I did not exercise. On days when I work out, I need more fuel. I need to eat 1-2 hours prior to the workout so that I can not only have energy when I start my workout, but also persevere to the end and be able to have explosive movements when necessary. Then, I need to eat a post workout snack or meal in order to help my body recover and build muscle. I know this to be true, not just from what I have read or been told, but also because I feel it and see it. It is a subject I intend to learn more about.

I am enjoying "training" for the Memphis Faction Games. I think the journey is more of the point than the actual games will be. It is interesting to experiment with food in relation to what I need it to do for me. Food is taking on a new role for me. Instead of eating for fun or because I feel hungry, I have a game plan to eat what I know I need and not what I feel like having. Our bodies are really amazing and can be trained according to how we fuel it.

Today, I completed 30 kipping pullups! I can not do more than 3 in a row. When I started out today (after having rowed 1000m and completed 50 thrusters), I could do 2 at a time. Then only one at a time. As my arms fatigued and my hands got worn, I found that to swing out more allowed me to complete 2 at a time instead of one. I became more efficient. This was very exciting for me! To be so tired, but to be able to figure out how to do something better at the same time is a great feeling!



So what did I eat today?
Eggs and strawberries and coffee + half and half for breakfast,
tuna with mayo and a half of a tomato cup up in it and sauteed squash for lunch, and 2 sugar covered pecans,
1/2 a peanut butter and strawberry fruit spread sandwich and coffee with half and half,
WORKED OUT WITH "JACKIE" (the name of the workout that included 1000m row, 50 thrusters with 45#, and 30 pull ups),
and grilled chicken wrap with lettuce. mayo, mustard, and mozzarella cheese for dinner.

Some days I eat Paleo (meat, fruits and veggies, nuts and seeds), other days I eat Zone (portioned amounts of food), other days I eat Paleo Zone (portioned amounts of Paleo foods), and then days like today, I just try to be reasonable. Pick one and stick to it, you say? That is easier said than done- for me anyway. I find that they are all helpful and all have their place. In an ideal world with no temptations, I think Paleo Zone is the way to go.

Today is my third day to work out. Tomorrow will be a day of rest. Crossfit says that 3 days on and one day off of working out is ideal. This is how I am training for the Faction Games. And then, once a week, I am working out twice in one day since this will be the case in Memphis.

I love nothing more than to enjoy food for fun, but it is also fun to see how food can help me achieve my goals. I can easily become a slave to my favorite foods and not exhibit portion control. Anticipating how a food will make me feel physically, mentally, and hormonally has helped me to make better choices as I continue to exercise and train.

Summer CSA

Community Supported Agriculture



I have had fun with this so far and would recommend trying it at least once. When you sign up with a farm (I am with Rocky Glade Farm), you get a box of their veggies once a week for about 2 and 1/2 months. It comes to about $25 a box. You do not get to choose what you are getting, and this is the major drawback, especially when you mostly eat broccoli and spinach, as we do. But, this has been fun because I have had fresh garlic and onion to cook with all the time (I don't bother on a regular basis). I've had great big red tomatoes with basil! Fresh squash and zucchini. Yesterday, I had two types of cabbage and made slaw for the first time. Sometimes, I get stuff that I don't care for so much, like turnips or beets. BUT, if forces me to revisit some veggies that I started ignoring because I can't stand to waste anything! CSA. Try it sometime. Split one with a friend. I am. It will help our local economy and get quality food into your kitchen. You may decide it is not worth your investment, OR you may love a different way of shopping!

Also, the Stones River Market is a great way to buy local farm food via internet and pick it up at the same location every week.

Faction or Failure?

Learning tends to happen out of necessity. For example, I have 3 kids who have to eat, so I MUST learn how to cook for them. From here, I learn how to manage my time in order to cook faster and healthier. I started out making chicken pot pies and waffles every week for Evan and I when we were first married, and now 12 years and 3 kids later, I have cleaned up my act to bit a bit healthier! I thought that I just had the "genes" to cook well, but soon discovered that it took practice. I will always be practicing...

So on that note, I have signed up for a Crossfit competition called "The Faction Games" in Memphis that will take place in 2 months. Will I be diligent with healthy eating in order to perform better then? I hope so. I have made it necessary to eat well if I want to perform well. This is a bit like buying the dress before you can wear it. That never really seems to be a good idea, so this may not either, but I do have a bit more on the line- my pride!

My plan is to eat 5X 2 block meals a day, drink water, take my fish oil (2 at each meal), and focus on increasing my strength at the Box. I may need to change my blocks to 3-1-3-1-3 . We will see... I want to get some body weight off, but eat at the same time! I think that push ups would be more feasible if I were carrying less body weight.

I really don't like to lock myself in to weight loss goals because it can become consuming. However, I think that with a short term goal (The Faction Games), it is necessary and will be gratifying when all is said and done. As with learning an instrument, or anything that involves technique to perform well, if you perfect each part, the whole will fall in to place. This is my concept as I train for the games...I can't fail if I try my best, right?

Fish Oil

While Evan takes his fish oil religiously, I am off and on with it just as I am the Zone! I have decided that the reason behind my fickleness must be because I don't really understand why it is good for me and what it is doing in my body. So, I have done a little research to send you in the right direction if you are in the same boat as I. Please add to the understanding of this topic if you can!

If you are interested in
1.loosing body fat
2.increasing good HDL cholesterol
3.lower triglycerides (bad cholestrol)
4.lower blood pressure- reducing risk of blood clots
5.reducing silent inflammation
6.reducing the risk of Alheimers or Parkinsons disease
7.reducing carbohydrate cravings

then read on about Fish Oil and the benefits of Omega 3's! (the following articles are taken from the Official Zone Website)

Fish oil Plus Exercise May Banish Body Fat

Anti-Aging in a Bottle

Understanding and Rating Fish Oil


Another motivating reason to be consistent is that your cravings for carbs will diminish when you have the right level of good fats. This means that if I take my fish oil, then my sugar, and specifically, chocolate cravings will subside!

Fish oil reduces carb cravings

Just in case you read the above article about reducing carb cravings and have wondered about the Atkins diet, I have done the it before, and found that it was a good way to loose weight initially, and then it actually adds back in healthy carbs (ie fruits and veggies). I personally believe that it gained undue criticism when actually it is a great way to kick start weightloss and teach people how to eat well. It promotes protein, fats, and heathy carbs. I do not recall how it differs from the Zone except that the Zone does not work in stages and the Zone measures portion sizes.

The following link is a great tool to figure out how much fish oil you need to take:

Fish Oil Calculator

With GNC's Triple Strength brand, I need 12 capsules a day. With the grocery store's Sundown brand, I need 36 a day! Quality does matter! They now have fish oil that is bottled so that you pour it in a spoon. It is even lemon flavored! This seems ideal- less processed.

So, start taking fish oil everyday. It sounds like your body will thank you!

Oatmeal: "Fast" Food Breakfast made at Home!

Oatmeal is a great food in that it is healthful and comforting. At times, I try to stay away from all grains because I feel better when I do, i.e. no bloating, better energy. So, with oatmeal, you don't need much for fuel. You'll get full fast. However, it serves as a base for a fast breakfast. And since in order to be faster (regular oats really aren't that much longer to cook), I have used instant oats rather than cooking regular or steel cut oats on the stovetop. This is a compromise in nutrition, but it still beats eating cereal! Try this recipe:

One package of instant oats cooked with less water than you'd prefer, for one minute.
Add 1/4ish cup vanilla Greek yogurt (high in protein)
dash of salt
bit of butter
pecans to your desire

Now you've got protein (if you can eat dairy), fat from pecans and butter, and carbs from oats. It would be easy to go over on fats, so watch out when you add the butter and pecans. The "Vanilla" yogurt gives just enough sweetness without adding honey or sugar or being too bland. Pecans add wonderful flavor and tecture. The butter adds to the creaminess and flavor, but could be eliminated. This can easily be a 2 block breakfast when using the prepackaged oatmeal.

Want to Quit Sugar?

I have been trying to kick the sugar addiction for a while now. I just ran across this link that I think will be helpful. Mostly I am sad that it busted me on my coffee crutch. It says that caffeine disrupts blood sugar levels and is not a good substitute for sugar cravings. Then it lists two supplements to take to help with moods swings during the adjustment. I found that my mood was quit different and lacking that "good" feeling all week as I stayed away from sweets. I read in "Sugar Shock" that our bodies will have stronger sugar/bad carb cravings when we don't have enough healthy fats in our system (Omega 3's and 6's). So, this is incentive to take my fish oil on a regular basis. As far as giving up my coffee, I am going to have to gear up for that one. I think I will make sure I am in a good routine with the fish oil, then have the natural supplements on hand, all the while staying away from sugar, and then I will drop the coffee last. I was fed a wonderful meal tonight, that I couldn't turn down. Does anyone else suffer from not wanting to hurt someone's feelings when they hand you a bowl of homemade goodness? So for almost 7 days, I went with mostly no sugar (had some honey on Sunday, though) and began to feel a bit gloomy, all the while knowing that a good sugar fix would help. Now I will start again and hope that I can go for two weeks. If your like me, you have to learn to say no in a way you feel comfortable and confident about. Today, it was not even a mind struggle, it was the people pleaser in me. So, I will be interested to see how I feel tomorrow. I did notice that after my good southern meal tonight, I felt a pick me up like I had not felt all week. Earlier today, I felt lightheaded and then felt much better after I ate my lunch. Who going to argue that food is not a drug of sort?