So long, farewell...

As it turns out, I had pretty much zero internet access in France. The family I stayed with unfortunately had too slow of a connection to blog and the same was the case in the schools I visited. I must admit, though, it was a bit refreshing to be cut off from the US and forced to focus completely on all things French for a while. 

Long story short... I had an amazing time and am looking forward to returning on future research endeavors. Heck, I'd return in a snap without a research agenda... the people I met were that cool. The trip included several visits to schools and their cafeterias, interviews with people holding jobs related to food, nutrition, and/or health (ie nurses, chefs, farmers...), trips to Versailles and Paris, many market excursions, and a visit to Van Gogh's house, tomb, and place of inspiration for many of his paintings. I was most impressed by the keen attention the French paid to preparing and eating fresh, seasonal food. Altogether, I feel like I came away with many life-changing insights and experiences. 

In other news, I've actually decided to abandon this blog and switch to a tumblr. It's a bit easier to manage and I generally see myself using it more than this (once a week would be an improvement)!! The blog will be of a similar purpose as this one... with some random stuff thrown in as I feel so inclined. Check it out! www.thenutritionator.tumblr.com

3 months later...

As promised, I'm back! In my defense, I never said when exactly I'd be back, so that makes three months later completely legit.

It's a bummer that I let the blog go by the wayside these past couple months, but it was pretty much necessary. I did NOT anticipate my work load being so difficult to manage. In one class, I had to write a "life story" that was basically a series of meaningful snapshots from my life, answers to questions about the deep stuff (my identity, beliefs, etc.), and a commentary on all of it! The whole thing was 50 pages in the end!! Good prep for the senior thesis, I suppose. Anyway, once that was combined with exams, an independent research project, quizzes, papers, and the like, it was (sadly) time to give the blog the boot for a while.

But now it's back!! And not a moment too soon!!! Cool things are happening! I will share:

1) I am leaving for France in less than two weeks. My school's town has had this ongoing "sister city" relationship with one of the cities in France, Noisy-le-roi. Many of our French TAs have come from Noisy (say Neuh-wa-zee) and students have gone back and forth between Noisy and here for the past ten years. Noisy is about 15 miles west of Paris and 4 miles northwest of Versailles. While I'm there, I'll be staying with a host family and doing an internship in a junior high school with its culinary/nutrition course track. Other activities will be kind of spontaneous-- lots of tours, walking, and eating good food! Mostly, I'm really interested to see the different attitudes toward eating between French and American people. It seems that the French look at food with more pleasure and ritual than Americans, and I'm excited to be immersed in a culture that fosters a love-love relationship with food rather than a love-hate. You can be SURE I will be making an effort to maintain the blog while I'm there. 

2) I was recently appointed to my school's Food Commission, which is basically a forum between our cafeteria's staff and students interested in making improvements in the dining hall. I'm also heading up a communications project for the cafeteria. I will be making a weekly e-newsletter with nutrition articles, spotlight food items, recipes that can be made in the cafeteria, interviews with staff, etc. This is 100% up my alley and I cannot wait to get started!

3) Finals are over and summer is here at last!!

4) I'm 20 now! My birthday was on Monday... which means no more blaming the dumb things I do on being a being a teenager. Sigh. Feels good though-- all mature-like. 

As for today's eats, I'll be brief (and without pictures-- I apologize. I didn't know I was doing this today). For breakfast, I just had an apple because I slept until 10:30 after making a Coldstone run at 3 AM to celebrate the end of finals last night!! Lunch was a turkey, swiss, lettuce, tomato, and cucumber sandwich on yummy whole wheat bread, some watermelon, and some steamed broccoli. For a snack I had half an avocado (sooooo gooooood) and a few almonds. Dinner was comfort food at its best: an Amy's Mexican casserole bowl, with a little more avocado and some Pom pomegranate-mango juice. Those healthy fats kept me full for a long time today- score!

Domestic goddesses

Whew! I apologize for going MIA for a little bit there. The second half of last week was a killer! I only just finished the second week of classes, and already I've had a few exams and projects. Guess that's what happens once you're past the Gen Eds. I have actually been keeping track of my food intake for a Sports Nutrition project, but I'm not going to share. Too long. 

I will share about the sports nutrition project though because it's sweet! For a grade, I get to keep track of everything I consume (including drinks) and every calorie I expend through movement and normal body functioning and compare my numbers with the numbers I should have as an active 19-year-old female of my stature. I have to keep track of literally EVERYTHING... quantities of vitamins, minerals, carbs, fat, protein, etc. This is a dietician wannabe's dream!! (Not that I know for sure I want to be an RD, but it's one of the possibilities!!)

Enough about that and on to the eats plus (surprise!!) a few pics! I remembered :)

Breakfast was 1 packet Quaker cinnamon flavored weight control instant oatmeal. There is nothing like filling your stomach with warm, filling oats first thing in the morning during the winter. Nothing. I also had about a cup of Bolthouse Farms' Green Goodness smoothie. Sounds gross, looks gross- appearance is somewhat akin to that of pond scum. Tastes divine. 

This baby is a nutritional powerhouse. Somehow Bolthouse managed to cover up the taste of pureed spinach and algae with dragonfruit, kiwi, and other tropical delights. 

For a snack I had a small Gala apple with about a TBSP of dark chocolate blended PB. 

Lunch was Amy's Brown Rice and Veggie bowl and a Yoplait Light Thick N Creamy peach yogurt.

Before dinner, I snacked on 2 dried peach slices and for dinner my roomie and I made a spinach, asparagus, and parmesan frittata using a recipe from Fitness magazine. 

We felt like such domestic goddesses. Even though we lit a paper towel on fire in the cooking process. It all worked out in the end; the frittata tasted good! We had it with some vanilla soymilk and butternut squash on the side. It beat eating in the dining hall, that's for sure ;)

I'll be back again. No telling when... the blog is at the mercy of my schedule. I hope to at least shoot for one or two posts a week to start. Thanks for reading!

I'm baaaack

One mini 1.5 day hiatus later, I am here to blog once again. I know I skipped dinner last night, but it wasn't the best dinner anyway. I had this Ramen-esque Miso soup and veggie deal and it tasted alright but looked pretty bizarre before it was cooked. The tofu, seaweed, and veggies came dehydrated in a tiny packet. They grew in the microwave though, kind of like those little foamy creatures you place in water and watch grow overnight. I have a few more varieties of this stuff, so I'm sure I'll have one again and actually provide a picture. Maybe my first one. The soup warmed my tummy and soul and provided me with 48% of my daily sodium need at the same time! That percentage would probably make anyone in their right mind run to another aisle at the grocery store, but I felt compelled to try it out because my sodium need is sky-high. Long story short, I have a knack for fainting (in a myriad of situations: being stressed, getting blood drawn, talking about graphic injuries, etc.) and after many efforts to find out the cause, I just recently learned it's because I have abnormally low blood pressure. This means that in situations where BP falls normally, mine does not have the room to fall and I go down. 

The only problem with it this sodium bit that consuming an excessive amount each day makes me so darn thirsty! Last night was no exception, and I was kind of bored with straight up water but didn't have anything else, so I tried to quench my thirst with random snacks: dried fruit, Vitamuffin, PB, etc. Not the best idea, I know. Actually, it wasn't even a remotely good idea because duh, Jessie... thirst can't be quenched with food. Oh well. Live and learn. I felt kinda guilty about it (sometimes I can be an emotional eater and I think last night's snackiness was also due to anxiety related to my course load this semester) but, to steal a line from Hairspray, "yesterday is history and it's never comin' back." Right on, Queen Latifa. Right on.

That being said, let's talk about today!! For breakfast, I enjoyed one of my all-time favorite cafeteria breakfasts: whole wheat toast dipped in cottage cheese. Sounds weird, but the textures and flavors together rock my world. Every. Time. I also had a side of grapes. Looking back later in the morning, I realized that breakfast was kinda small, so I made up for it with my pre-workout snack: 1 McIntosh apple and a packet of Quaker maple and brown sug. oatmeal. Good thing, too... my workout today was a bear! I did 60 minutes on the treadmill and gradually increased my speed every 8-10ish minutes until I reached 7 mph... which is a lot for me, especially to sustain. I've had asthma since grade school and at one time, I couldn't run 1 mile without wheezing. Exercise really is the best cure. 

For lunch I had a little less than 1 cup of leftover tomato soup and a biiiiig salad with all sorts of goodies: spinach, hardboiled egg, chickpeas, cucumbers, tomatoes, cantaloupe, feta, and some fat free honey mustard. It was a very beautiful salad. I do wish I photographed it but I keep forgetting!!! I should write it on my forehead or something.

This is an obnoxiously long post. Wow. Dessert from lunch: 1 melt-in-your-mouth frosted sugar cookie. Dinner: Slim' pickins: a pita filled with hummus, turkey, tomato, and swiss. 1 cup veggie soup... I'm diggin the soups lately. Plus 1 cup skim milk.

The end.

Feeding the addiction

I am typing this as I sip on yet another cup of Mate Vana. I think I might be hooked... because I feel incomplete without a cup a day. Best Christmas present ever from my boyfriend's family: 4 kinds of tea plus cute little canisters, a "Perfect Teamaker" that is prob. the most convenient thing I've ever owned, and some rock cane sugar to sweeten! Actually, it was second best only to his: a beaaauuutiful aqua colored, dip-dyed looking tea set. My first one! Hi darlin :)

This is going to be quick because the to-do list keeps growing but I just want to maintain the blog even if the posts are short!

Brekkie today was 1 packet Quaker weight control maple and brown sugar oatmeal. I'm not dieting or anything, but I tried this out because the product claimed to be very "satiating." With 7 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber, those Quaker folks weren't lying! It held me over very nicely for a 45 minute interval workout on the treadmill. Along with an apple for crunch.

When I got back, I refueled with a slice of Ezekiel bread and some Dark Chocolate Dreams PB from Peanut Butter & Co. All I can say is wow. This company will sure get my business again. Tastes like Reeses but with no cholesterol, 170 cal/2 TBSP, and therefore, no guilt!! (Not that my favorite candy usually makes me feel guilty... only when I overindulge on occasions like Halloween... and the weeks after that we have leftovers ;) )The Ezekiel bread was kinda meh, only because I like the English muffins 10x better.

For lunch, I had a healthy version of hot pockets with Kashi's Chicken Rustico frozen sandwich. It contained chicken, spinach, red peppers, mushrooms, and a savory sauce and tasted absolutely perfect with a cup of Campbell's Healthy Harvest tomato and basil soup. What a pair. I'm a sucker for soup and sandwich combos and this one did not disappoint.

Here's a pic of the sandwich, though not one I took: 

You should buy it.

Later, a friend asked me if I wanted to grab lunch. I already had (obviously), so I just had half a no bake cookie and sipped some mint tea. No bake cookies are one of my school's fortes. The lunch selection, on the other hand, missed the mark a little: breaded chicken filet, onion rings, tuna melt, french fries, and pizza. At any rate, it was quite refreshing to enjoy a leisurely afternoon tea and crumpet... er... cookie without rushing.

Time to tackle that list! Back later (maybe with original pictures! We'll see how brave I'm feelin') Stay warm! I know I will-- we have an illegal space heater. (Shh... no one from school reads this to my knowledge!!) 

On the run

Good evening blogosphere =)

As promised, I am recapping on my eats for snacks and dinner. Before I went to the fitness center, I snacked on a crunchy Kashi pumpkin seed flax bar. It was pretty tasty and definitely fueled my body to do some serious stairclimbing and running, all while reading Self Magazine.

I only recently got into this mag (I'm a hardcore Shape devotee) but I gotta say that I was quite impressed with this month's issue! A good chunk of it was devoted to making peace with your body (regardless of whether you passed up that cookie at lunch or devoured it... and a second). It addressed the need to eat well and exercise to be healthy, not to wear a size 2. Or 4. Or whatever. Sizes vary from store to store anyway. Self also had a section where a few women shared their secrets to self-appreciation that worked better than any diet gimmick to help them lose weight and maintain the loss. The Piece de Resistance, though, was definitely the cover star: Jenna Fischer of The Office. The feature zeroed in on several challenges that Self posed of Jenna and her journey in tackling them. Filled with her class-act deadpan humor and practical, realistic insights, this article was a gem.

After working out, I was in a bit of a time crunch to get cleaned up and ready for a couple meetings tonight: one for Kappa Kappa Psi, the honorary band fraternity, and the other for Alpha Phi Omega, the service fraternity. I looked in our fridge and the first thing that caught my eye was some Healthy Harvest Campbells chicken and vegetable soup that's been in my dorm room for far too long. I heated that up in a tupperware and drank it at my meeting (a little tricky with the chicken). I also had a Gala apple and a Yoplait Light Thick and Creamy yogurt. Although the combination of the adjectives "light," "thick," and "creamy" seem a little peculiar. It does have high fructose corn syrup in it... but supposedly HFCS isn't the devil sweetener it's made out to be. I don't know how I feel about that yet. At any rate, I try not to think too much of it because I sort of treat it as a dessert and it really does make my mouth happy. Unlike the soup, which did not sit well with my stomach at all, but perhaps that was because I ate it on the run. More like on the really brisk walk. Either way, bad idea.

Well, I think that will do it for tonight. I bid you adieu. 

Getting the hang of it?

Hello!

Less than one week later and here is another post... that counts as an improvement, no?

I am happy to report that week one of classes is officially OVER! It was exhausting as an all-nighter (though I didn't have one) and not even a full week long with MLK Day. Perhaps the three 8 AMs had something do do with it. Anyhow, here's the lineup:

Research Design and Analysis I

Bio 195 lecture and lab

Psychology of Personality

Public Policy Analysis

Sports Nutrition

Symphonic Band

The verdict? Hard work so far, but the kind that leaves you feeling fulfilled and accomplished. The highlights of this semester will include designing my own survey project, learning whether or not I can deal with the sciences enough to pursue a career in dietetics, getting an internship, comparing my current food intake with what it should be for my personal needs by logging every morsel of food I eat and movement I make for a few days, and figuring myself out by doing a semester-long identity journal that will be shared with my psych teacher, a resident therapist at the local hospital. 

Because I should be doing my homework right now, I'm going to get right to it and log my food today. No pictures yet, mainly because I forgot, but also because it's nerve-racking to take pictures of your food in front of people. How do you get over that? Make like Nike and just do it, I suppose. That might have been the cheesiest thing I've ever said. Wow.

Moving on, for breakfast I had about a cup of Fiber one and finished off the Silk vanilla soymilk (maybe 3/4 of a cup? it was milky cereal). I also had a cup of my fav. Bolthouse Farms Berry Boost smoothie. Lunch was a scrumtrilescent salad made of spring mix, walnuts, avocado, some dried fruit, and balsamic viniagrette (was it really necessary to put in that second "i"?) with some vegetarian chili and, of course, a cup of Mate Vana herbal tea. I hope I finish the canister so I can try a new kind soon. So good.

Dinner and snack(s) forthcoming!

No real post yet... just gush about tea

I love how my last post ended with "Can't wait to blog again!" and it is now almost a month later. And this isn't even going to be a real post. It's just going to be for the purpose of saying how much I adore Teavana tea. Teavana uses all loose tea combined with tasty little bits of things that range from tropical (papaya, coconut, passionfruit) to spicy (cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, beetroot) to decadent (ahem. cocoa and hazelnut?! I'm in Heaven!) Not to mention the teas offer a variety of health benefits including slowing absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream, reducing the risk of various diseases, firing up the ol' metabolism, helping the skin and hair, and many many more. 

Loose tea is where it's at. Tea bags can't hold a candle to the tantalizing flavors and superb quality of the loose teas Teavana carries. 

Check it out, newbies and tean connoisseurs alike: http://www.teavana.com

You won't be disappointed.

First post of the year and ever!

I'm writing my first post from week 4/5.5 of my winter break at HOME!!! It might seem a bit ironic that this blog is all about facing the challenge of eating healthfully at college and I'm writing this first post on break, but... I have my reasons. 1) I have time! I feel like it's a good idea to get into the swing of blogging without lotsa homework, papers, and exams while I have the chance! And 2) It's the dreaded second wind of the holidays at my house... as in... New Year's resolutions have been made, but there's still splurg-y leftovers staring me in the face every time I open the fridge! Not to mention the Ghiradelli chocolates we got as a Christmas present. It's probably MORE of a challenge for me to eat healthfully during this time than at school during a regular time.

That being said, here's just a skosh more information about the blog. My goal is for it to be a realistic example of eating for pleasure AND for health in a place where free pizza abounds, references for portion sizes are almost nonexistent, greasy, fried food is a "normal" main course, desserts are available at least three times a day in unlimited quantities, and food is eaten on the run, in front of the TV, during a late night study session, or else skipped altogether when other priorities take over. Altogether, I envision this blog to be a poster child for one of my fav. principles: everything in moderation. I will be the first to admit that I looooove just about anything sugary. I'm a sucker for flourless chocolate cake, a variety of pies, ice cream... the list goes on. I don't, however, particularly crave McDonald's Big Macs... or McDonald's anything, for that matter. (Albion is a small town, but we do have a McDonald's that is open 24 hours. I've never been). So... I might indulge at Coldstone from time to time but I skip midnight McDonald's runs. I'm constantly trying to figure out compensations like that so that I can cut out the foods I know I won't miss and make room for occasional splurges on the ones it would be difficult to live without. 

The one challenge you will not see me deal with on this blog is how to balance drinking with living healthfully because I don't drink. When I'm of age (in two years), however, I might become a wine connoisseur of sorts because I'm a Parisian at heart. My reasoning for abstinence is basically that I am a total control freak and I never want to experience the loss of control that can come with being drunk, I absolutely detest throwing up, and I think that school is difficult enough without the influence of alchohol. I also have unhealthfully low blood pressure that makes me a frequent fainter (try that for alliteration), and alchohol is known to lower your BP. I try my best not to judge people I know who drink, and am generally too chill to preach about it unless it's a serious problem that might endanger a person's health. Sometimes it's tough to refrain from drinking when a lot of people you know do it, but I think it'll be worth it in the long run. Plus... it spares me from consuming a bunch of empty calories and gives me a little wiggle room for Mint Oreo Pie Day in the caf :-P

Without further ado, here are today's eats:

Pictures forthcoming, but today my camera is out of juice!

Breakfast: 1 Iced Oatmeal Raisin Luna bar and 8 oz Bolthouse Farms Berry Boost smoothie These smoothies are fantastic!! Even though I prefer "sit down" breakfasts, they're a great options for times you're in a hurry. I was in a hurry today because I wanted to get to the gym before the lunch hour crowd took all the good machines.

Lunch: Yellowfin tuna salad in a Kangaroo brand whole grain pita pocket, 1 pickle spear, and fruit salad (blueberries, raspberries, pineapple, and grapes). The tuna salad was from Whole Foods and it is delish. Expensive, but worth it every now and then.

Snack 1: 3/4 cup Honey Nut Cheerios with skim milk

Snack 2: Handful raw carrots and sugar snap peas before dinner

Dinner: Whole wheat basil and mozzarella ravioli, 1 slice garlic bread, 1 cup skim milk

And after dinner... 1.5 cups of Rooibos Tropica tea from Teavana with a sample packet of Truvia I got in the mail. Mmm.

Can't wait to blog again!