Fajita Friday

Brown bag show and tell . . .fun game to play with elementary-school kids!

Dinner at the rents-- shrimp fajita salad. Followed by a lovely walk and dare I say-- sans rain! Hooray!

Can't wait for the Sister to come visit :)

Lots to Update!

Rewind to Wednesday and the end-of-season GOTR party . . .

Here are some race shirt pics:

The girls signed the back :)

I baked a blueberry muffin cake for the GOTR end of season party. It was bittersweet to end such a fun season, but I am looking forward to being Head Coach next season :)

After the party, I stopped by the library to return some magazines and by the time I got back to my car, the skies had opened and a torrential downpour was in progress. I sat in my car until it passed (more because I do not trust others driving in the rain, not my own fantastic driving skills, haha). I wanted something quick for dinner and remembered that I picked up a new (to me) product, Applegate Farm's uncured hot dogs. I sauteed 2 on the stove (we do not have a grill, unfortunately) and served them in lettuce wraps with ketchup, mustard, and one of my fav condiments-- saurkraut!! They were amazing. A little crispy on the outside and the perfect balance of flavor (not too salty or smokey). The nutrition stats are fantastic as well with only 40 calories per link, 3.5g fat, 0g carbs, and 5g protein. No antibiotics. I am a fan and will definitely be making these again (perfect for summer bbques)!

Today was devoted to cleaning and chores. It was way overdue. So I used my new toy, er vacuum cleaner, and got to work!

It is so light weight (the last vacuum we had kept knocking me over and was too big to shlep up and down the stairs). This one is perfect for all of our townhouse levels. The brand is "Shark" and it certainly attacks all of the dirt, hair, and crumbs the two of us accumulate.

Laundry was done and clean sheets + bed made= promise of a great night's sleep!!

Cooking (while I am in my domestic mode, and all) included my take on chicken cacchitore (however you spell it):

I baked off skinless, boneless chicken breasts with garlic powder and dried italian seasoning blend. Diced it up and added it to organic marinara sauce and leftover sauteed veggies (mushrooms, broccoli, onions, and zucchini). Then I made those whole wheat rotini for Director Doc's portion and served mine over sauteed spinach. I also added some shredded mozzarella on top. Yum!!

Race Day

Well the race is over, but the endorphin high of running next to an energetic 10-year-old among 7000 neon-green clad runners lingers. It was a fabulous morning filled with team spirit, photo sessions galore, and weather that could not have been better (despite the promise of rain, per weather.com)! It was bitter sweet to be running a race that marks the culmination of weeks of track practices. Everyone finished; therefore, everyone succeeded. Now there is only one thing left to do . . . eat homemade overnight museli:

and rub warm therapy Sombra (great timing as it arrived at my front door yesterday!) all over my tired legs (I ran 8 miles prior to the race and walked 4 miles as a "cool down" later in the afternoon. Totally normal, right?).

Overnight Museli

serves 1 hungry runner

1/2 cup raw oats (not instant)

1/4 cup mix of dried blueberries and dried apples

1/4 cup shaved almonds

1/4 cup brown rice flakes

1 cup vanilla almond milk

Put all ingredients in a bowl and place in fridge overnight. Enjoy :)

Happy to Help

I have mentioned my Head Coaching position for GOTR at a local elementary school. This weekend is the big 5-K race at GMU so today's practice was the "practice 5-K." It was a blast seeing the girls SO excited for the main event and sporting their bright, lime green shirts and neon pink laces (which also doubled as hair ties) during the session. I really love volunteering and feeling like I am helping to shape these young girls (3rd, 4th, and 5th graders). The GOTR program doesn't just have the girls run laps, but it also teaches important lessons like how to deal with bullies and peer pressure as well as ways to live a healthy lifestyle and time management. All of these topics can be extrapolated to any age and stage of life. I even learn new strategies and enjoy observing the girls' reactions to various scenarios. My favorite part of each practice is at the end when we all put our hands in a circle and shout "girls on the run is so much fun!" There is something really special about a group of young girls of different grades, socioeconomic backgrounds, and varying ethnicities bonding together over the mutual enjoyment for running and just being girls!

Tips for Race Day:

Rest up. As the race draws close, it's normal to get caught up in wanting to run or walk more miles to make sure

you can finish. But doing so can leave you tired and unable to perform at your best in the race. Get plenty of rest

during race week. You'll show up ready to rumble race morning.

Plan ahead. Read through the race day information and familiarize yourself with the race course. Put on your

race day outfit, bib number, socks and shoes the night before the race and then put it out on a chair for the morning

so you won't forget anything. Planning ahead and laying things out will make for a very pleasant journey to the

race start line.

Rise and shine. Plan to arrive at the race site at least one hour before the event. This will give you time to find

the starting area, check in and use the bathroom before the race begins. Eat a light breakfast (toast and jam,

banana) two hours before the start of the race. Topping off your fuel tank will give you power to run the race.

Have faith in your preparation. We all experience a little nervousness before the race. In fact, nervousness can

help you perform better because it teaches us to respect the race distance and prevents us from doing anything

silly the night before (staying up all night for a girls sleep over for example). : Have faith in your training, it will carry

you through to the finish line.

Ignore the Race Gremlin. It's easy to be lured by the Race Gremlin to try something new (spicy food, new shoes,

running more miles) right before the race because of nervousness but doing so can create problems on race day.

Stick with what you've learned and practiced and avoid that Gremlin when it taps on your shoulder…

Think tortoise and hare. Remember who won the famous running challenge between the tortoise and hare?

That's right, the tortoise out-witted and beat the hare because she paced herself from the beginning of the race.

It is easy to get caught up in the excitement of the race and take off too quickly. Remember, she who runs

comfortably early in the race, finishes strong and with a smile on her face. Run at a pace where you can talk and

hold a conversation for the first half of the race and you'll know you'll have plenty of energy left for the finish line,

not to mention a really cute photo too!

Be grateful. It takes a lot of volunteers to make a race happen and it's always nice to thank them while you're

out on the course. It not only makes them feel appreciated for their investment of time, you'll earn some good

karma along the way as well.

Think your way through the race. The distance can seem a little scary standing at the start line, especially if

this is your first race. Running is as much a mental sport as it is physical, and a solid mental plan will help you

think your way through to the finish. Break the distance up into smaller pieces, rather than thinking about the finish

at the start, focus on reaching the first mile, or a location along the route. Before you know it, you'll be running

across the finish line!

Celebrate good times. Have fun and enjoy yourself on race day. You've trained all season and race day is all

about celebrating your successful season. Finishing is winning, no matter how long it takes to reach the finish line.

Meal Planning

Tonight, I planned ahead. Director Doc and I have been trying to establish a food budget and proper meal planning strategies for the week so we are not running to the grocery store daily. I took the initiative to make a list, shop for food on the list (no "it's on sale, I'll buy 10 of them" items), and [my fav part] cook the food and store it in cute snapware containers for plenty of reheatable lunch/dinner options for the week. I also took the time to wash and portion out produce, snack items (I make my own rice cake and pb and apple butter sandwiches as well as trail mix), and general organizing of the pantry, fridge, and freezer. I'll let you know how this experiment pans out in a week!

Fajita turkey burgers made with red peppers, onions, chili powder, garlic powder, and ground turkey breast. A large batch of broccoli, organic chix breasts, bamboo shoots, and water chestnuts in a low sodium ginger soy sauce (this was also tonight's dinner, yum!). The leftovers are all stacked below and ready for the fridge :)

May is Celiac Disease Awareness Month

TIPS FOR LIVING GLUTEN FREELY

Successful living

A GLUTEN-FREE DIET

With these helpful hints, you’ll know what foods contain gluten and know what to avoid.

It is important to learn about the gluten-free diet since it is the only treatment for celiac disease.

Knowing What to Look For: Reading Labels

The best way to know if a product is gluten free is to read the ingredients label. To determine if a product contains gluten, there are five main words you need to know:

• Wheat, Barley, Rye, Malt and Oats

Looking for these key five words will help you identify products that contain gluten. You need to check labels often. Ingredients can change over time, so checking the ingredients label every time is the most accurate way to identify what is in a food or beverage product. After you have read the label and have determined that the product does not contain these obvious sources of gluten, you may always contact the manufacturer to confirm. Studies suggest that pure oats that are not mixed with wheat, barley, or rye consumed in moderation can be tolerated by most people with celiac disease. Check with your health care provider to find out if this is right for you.

Healthful Gluten-Free Eating

Many foods are naturally free of gluten, unless it was added in manufacturing. People who follow a gluten free diet can enjoy a variety of foods, including:

• Plain beef, pork and lamb
• Plain fish and shellfish
• Plain chicken and turkey
• Plain fruits
• Plain vegetables
• Plain beans
• Eggs
• Milk
• Rice, Wild Rice
• Quinoa
• Lentils
• Corn
• Potatoes
• Soy
• Nuts and seeds
• Flax

Frequently Overlooked Foods that May Contain Gluten

• Broth
• Candy
• Coating mixes
• Croutons
• Imitation bacon
• Imitation seafood
• Marinades
• Processed meats
• Sauces and gravies
• Seasoning
• Soy sauce
• Thickeners
• Vegetarian meat substitutes

You should discuss with your healthcare provider about being tested for celiac disease prior to beginning a gluten-free diet. It is very difficult to get a true diagnosis once you have removed gluten from your diet. Knowing if you have celiac disease or not is important for long-term management of your health and could impact whether or not your family members should consider being screened as this is a genetic disease.

Spring Cleansing

Detox Diets: A New Kind of Spring Cleansing

Spring cleaning often begins with our closets. We organize and reorganize in hopes of downsizing our wardrobe temporarily before restocking with fresh styles and colors. Some individuals have taken this concept to a whole new level of spring cleansing, targeting their pantries, and more specifically their guts, for detoxification. The literal definition of detox is the “removing of a harmful substance (as a poison or toxin) or the effect of such.” Generally, a detox diet is said to be a dietary regimen involving a change of consumption habits in an attempt to remove toxins from the body, with proponents claiming benefits ranging from improved health, energy, and digestion to decreased inflammation and weight loss. But can the promises of detoxing or fasting lead the public into dangerous nutritional terrain?

Although detox diets have little scientific evidence supporting their efficacy, fasting has been around for ages. Most commonly used among religious ritual (such as Lent, Ramadan, Yom Kippur), the Chinese have used fasting as a part of preventive healthcare. But detoxing in the United States has taken on a more varied meaning, with detoxing signifying anything from a three-day juice fast to a 10-day meal plan consisting of cayenne pepper, maple syrup, and salt water as staples.

The Master Cleanse, also known as the Lemonade Diet, has been around since the ‘70s. Yet it has recently been made popular by Beyoncé Knowles, who attributes her near 20-pound weight loss to this plan. For a minimum of 10 days, followers adhere to a strict diet of a lemon juice, maple syrup, water, and cayenne pepper concoction, drinking salt water and laxative tea as well. Side effects such as cravings, tiredness, irritability, hot bowel movements, and headaches are common but often shrugged off as symptoms of the body’s detoxification process. Although some proponents say they feel lighter and “cleaner” and have more energy after detoxing, Christine Gerbstadt, MD, RD, CSSD, CDE, a spokesperson for the ADA has stated, “these diets range in nature from being both ineffective and extremely dangerous to just ineffective.” Long-term detox done without the consultation of a healthcare professional can cause serious, life-threatening electrolyte imbalances. The body needs to be detoxed if you are exposed to radioactivity or heavy metal or poisons, not food. Eating a healthy, balanced diet based upon variety and moderation such as less saturated fat, sodium, and simple sugars and more plant-based [foods] is the best way to stay healthy.

Although many people may feel free to decide on their own whether detoxing is the right choice for them, there are certain people for whom detoxing or fasting can be downright dangerous. People with diabetes, low blood sugar, eating disorders, children, teens, pregnant women, and older adults are among those who should avoid these diets. If you are taking diabetes medications, you may put yourself in danger of too low blood glucose levels by cutting out food groups but continuing to take your medication. You should never alter your diabetic medications or make drastic changes in your diet without consulting your doctor or dietitian. Medications must be balanced with the food you eat. Pregnant women, children, and teens need enough calories and protein every day for proper growth and development. Older adults have unique nutrition needs that are sometimes difficult to meet, even on an unrestricted diet.

Because the research on detox dieting is lacking, its benefits are unknown at best. If fasting or modified fasting is done in the proper manner and under the supervision of a healthcare professional, it may be beneficial. Anecdotal accounts of people who have experienced everything from being able to break addictive cycles to people who have been occupationally poisoned with some type of toxic chemical emulate some of the potential benefits of detox. A three- to five-day detox diet plan is not likely to lead to problems and may even help motivate someone to make dietary changes in a healthier direction, such as eating more fruits and vegetables. This is not a long-term solution to a weight problem nor is it considered disease prevention. The use of herbal laxatives, enemas, syrup and saltwater solutions should be avoided, as these are not proven methods to remove toxins from the body. Instead, gradually increase fiber and water intake and perhaps try some probiotic yogurt drinks for improving intestinal health.

Keep in mind that fasting itself is not particularly good for weight loss. It’s what you do after the fast or after the cleanse period that ends up affecting your overall body weight. It’s only going to really benefit you if you follow it with healthy eating afterwards. Many professionals concur that detoxing has no place in nutrition care. A better message would be to eat a healthy meal plan based upon variety and moderation as a means to keep the body healthy.