I have to admit something. I am really sick of reading magazine articles, blog posts, and newsletters that want to advise me on how to "Have a Healthy Thanksgiving!!" Don't get me wrong, diet tips are great and when you are working hard to lose weight, they can be really supportive and inspiring. In fact, I truly believe that the key to weight loss is education. But, as an adult woman who is 100% in control over the things that I decide to consume, I find myself resenting the fact that the media (women's media in particular) won't even give us one day to enjoy ourselves, our family and the food that has become such an important tradition. Do I sound like I'm getting on my soapbox? Well, maybe I am. There is nothing wrong with spending one day cooking and eating whatever you want. There is nothing wrong with buying butter and cream and making your grandma's mashed potatoes by following the real recipe, with no low-cal substitutions. There's nothing wrong with eating real food, made with real ingredients. You do not have to bring healthy side dishes to your family's Thanksgiving dinner because you are afraid of getting fat. Do you want to have a healthy Thanksgiving? Then make the recipe that you drooled over on the Food Network. Spend the night before turkey day listening to your favorite radio station, drinking wine and cooking food that you can share with the people that you love. Show up at Thanksgiving and be thankful for your life and your friends and family. Eat an extra piece of pie and go to bed early, full and happy. Like I said earlier - you are in the driver's seat when it comes to your diet. You decide what you eat, when you eat it and how much you want to have. Eating what you want on Thursday is not going to make you fat. It's the decisions that you make everyday that really make a difference. So go forth and enjoy yourself and your holiday. Screw the media and the magazines that tell you what to eat - it's not their choice - it's yours. Have a Happy (and mentally healthy) Thanksgiving! - Katie
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Last evening in my nightly travels across the Internet (i.e. checking in on the blogs that I read, getting some updates from Facebook and looking for recipes), I stumbled across Dove's Movement for Self-Esteem. Basically it's Dove's campaign to educate young women about their value and self-worth. I'm a little bit of a social media junkie, so I really liked that they've launched a blog and have encouraged women to send them messages answering the question, "What Do You Wish You'd Known at 13?"
Thirteen. Do you remember being 13? It's such a strange age, and I have to be honest, sometimes when I'm walking home through Astoria Park on my way home from work - and I see the young girls sitting on park benches whispering to each other and tugging at their clothes self-consciously, there's a little part of me that wants to stroll over and tell them that life isn't what they think it is. They're 13, they have no frame of reference. So how does this fit into this blog (I know what you're thinking - more recipes, less talk)? Well, I think that a lot of our adulthood habits (eating habits included) grow from how we feel about ourselves when we're 13 (especially for girls). I also think that at 13, most of us decide how we feel about our bodies...and those feelings travel with us for the rest of our lives. Which is kind of weird - why would we trust a 13 year old's take on anything, let alone the way we feel about ourselves and our health? So, if I could walk over to those girls in the park - I would tell them: 1. He's not as important as you think he is (because seriously, when you're 13 there's ALWAYS a guy involved) 2. It doesn't matter what your friends think 3. Do the things that you want to do (join clubs, dance and sing, be in a book club), like I said, it doesn't matter what your friends think 4. At 13 you're not even half way to what you are going to become (so don't worry so much) 5. Your value is not tied to the way you look (when you're a grown up, people will love you for the person that you are) 6. Take care of yourself. Eating well and being physically active will make you feel better 7. Your parents aren't your enemies (when the chips are down, you'll always want to turn to them) 8. Always do what you know is right (and you know what's right) 9. Be kind to others 10. Be kind to yourself What am I trying to say? I'm saying that we've all come a long way from being 13. Let's remember how far we've come, how far we have to go and to remember that 'healthy-ish' is't just about the food that you put into your body, it's about the thoughts that you allow into your head. Don't worry - Jared hasn't left me yet. He's just been working really late this week (like, unreasonably late - midnight and beyond). This has its upside, and its downside. The upside: It's been a 'Say Yes to the Dress' and 'Real Housewives of Whatever' marathon over here. The downside: I have no one to cook for. I love cooking for Jared after a long day. I love being able to sit down together and have dinner (cheesy? yes, but it's true. Also we don't always 'sit down together' sometimes we watch tv...does that make it less cheesy?). To be honest with you, I don't like cooking for myself. To me, cooking is about sharing with the people that I love and care about. I cook because I like to feed people...and I love the feeling of sitting at a big table, eating, drinking and talking. Food is best when shared... in my opinion. Last year I read an amazing and thoughtful book on this very topic. Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant examines the eating habits and thought process of people who are hungry....and alone. I think that when we're by ourselves - the comforting aspect behind the food that we eat really comes through. I think that we make choices based on what is going to make us feel good, and there's nothing wrong (or unhealthy-ish) about that. When I'm alone, I usually turn to greek salad. Store bought or homemade it doesn't matter - as long as it's huge. I generally toss in some raw broccoli (gross? yes, it is - but who cares, it's MY dinner) and then completely overdress it in red wine vinegar (the feta cheese usually melts into it, turning it into a creamy salad dressing - and I swear to you, I love red wine vinegar so much I could probably drink it straight), add a tiny splash of olive oil and then I cover it in red pepper flakes. I eat it out of an enormous plastic bowl. It's not pretty folks, but it feels so right. Other times when I find myself hungry and alone - I turn to one of my favorite foods of all time. Sauteed spinach. I saute a pound (yes a pound, but it wilts) with about 4-5 cloves of garlic, good olive oil and (you guessed it) red pepper flakes. Sometimes I toss that with rice, sometimes I don't - whatever I'm in the mood for. I also love eating rice with with a handful of shredded reduced-fat cheese and fresh cracked black pepper. And I call myself a foodie. I'm curious - what do you eat when there's no one around? Why do you eat what you eat? Is there a recipe for it? Should I try making it and write about it here? Leave your thoughts in the comments or email me I'd be doing you a disservice if I didn't share a secret recipe that I use every single day to stay healthy-ish and feel awesome. The recipe is simple - a big glass of water and three vitamins. I know what you're thinking, "Hey Katie - stop trying to be a nutritionist and go back to re-posting other people's recipes." But this combination of vitamins has really made a difference in the way I feel everyday, so I want you to know about it. A few months back I was choking down a Woman's One-a-Day multi-vitamin every morning - and about 5 seconds after I took it - I'd feel incredibly awful....and then, I'd feel...nothing. Total waste of time - so I decided to do some reading on vitamins that really make a difference in how much energy I'd have, how I sleep at night, improve concentration and promote overall awesomeness (oh yeah and if my hair happened to get more shiny, so be it). So without further adieu, the results of my research (note: this is my obligatory reminder that I am not Dr. Safrey. I don't know the inner scientific workings of these vitamins, but I do know they work for me. I'm also not re-inventing the wheel here, turns out, many doctors recommend this combination of vitamins): 1. Multi-vitamin: For woman especially, we need to take a multi-vitamin everyday to supplement the foods that we're eating. Basically, most of us aren't getting enough of the good stuff and this vitamin helps round it out. Make sure you get one that doesn't contain too much iron. I look for something with a lot of vitamin C. Doctors also say to find on that has vitamins D and B, but read on for why vitamin B doesn't matter so much to me in a multi-vitamin. I'd steer clear of the One-a-Day brand - because apparently it has a reputation for making people not feel awesome after they take it. 2. Omega-3: If you take no other vitamin, take Omega-3. Take it twice a day (with meals - I do one with breakfast and one with dinner). This vitamin is a game-changer. Not only is it good for your heart, but it helps with stress and anxiety, makes your skin look great, and improves energy levels. Go get some Omega-3, and you can thank me in 2 weeks. 3. B-Complex: This is a vitamin that combines all the B vitamins into one super-pill. Vitamin B supports digestion, energy production and your nervous system. I take one of these a day - take it for two weeks, and again - the difference is noticeable. These vitamins falls into the Healthy-ish philosophy because I believe that when you feel good (physically and mentally) you make better choices about food and exercise. I take vitamins to set myself up for success - if I feel sluggish and tired, I'm more likely to reach for junk foods that won't help the situation. So my advice is to do whatever it takes to make yourself feel great everyday. PS....is all of this vitamin talk boring you? Well, tomorrow I'm teaming up with Jared and a mystery guest to review and rate light beers for you. Get amped! Have a great weekend - eat well and have fun! |