This is the worst thing that could have happened to me, I thought, after the doc took one look at my knee and confirmed that I would need surgery to reconstruct my torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). A nasty fall on the racquet ball court put me out of action for a few weeks, and an MRI said knee surgery was required. Three months later, the fitness routine I had put together boosted my fitness level and improved my stamina while allowing me total use of my knee again. There seems to be some fitness found in therapy.

I certainly didn’t think my injury was serious enough to merit a surgery, not when there was no swelling and just the minimum amount of pain. I nursed my injured knee with ice and rest for the first few weeks but the MRI proved surgery would be required.

Muscles and Tendons of the Knee

There are two groups of muscles at the knee and four ligaments. The four quadriceps muscles on the front of the thigh work to straighten the knee from a bent position while the hamstring muscles, which run along the back of the thigh from the hip to just below the knee, help to bend the knee.

The quadriceps tendon connects the quadriceps muscle to the patella providing the power to straighten the knee.

Four ligaments connect the femur and tibia and give the joint strength and stability including the medial collateral ligament (MCL), the lateral collateral ligament (LCL), the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) and the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), in the center of the knee, which limits rotation and the forward movement of the tibia. The ACL is the one I tore.

So there I was, being wheeled into the operating room with a lot of trepidation.

You’ll be back on court in three months, promised the doc, but only if you’re willing to go through three weeks of intense rehab and three months of physiotherapy to get your legs strong again.

In the minutes following the surgery, I doubted this statement as all I felt was excruciating pain and my groggy mind wondered if I would ever set foot on the ground again, leave alone on the racquetball court. For someone like me who’s an avid racquetball player and has always been active, the enforced period of rest combined with intense amounts of pain was too much to take.

The weeks following the surgery moved slowly; sitting, standing, walking and even lying down were uncomfortable because of the brace on my knee. The rehab started immediately; in spite of the pain, I pushed on, simply because I was driven by the need to get rid of my crutches at the earliest. It was a long three weeks indeed, but finally the day came when I was able to stand on my own two legs, shaky though they were.

And then came the part that made me change my mind about the entire episode – I was sent to the gym to start working out on the stationary bike and the treadmill. I was set to do squats and leg lifts with weights. Muscles that had atrophied these past two months woke up screaming in pain. I added swimming to my grueling workout schedule; at one point, I was spending almost 4 hours a day on building up the strength in my legs.

My Rehab Program In a Nutshell

• Stationary bike and treadmill
• Squats and leg lifts
• Swimming

The driving factor was the response from my bad knee – the more I worked it, the more flexible it became. My nightmares of hopping around on one leg forever slowly gave way to day dreams of the next racquet ball tournament I was going to play.

In three months’ time, I was fitter than I had ever been before - I had unwittingly followed a work out schedule that not only helped me regain full use of my knee, it had also boosted my fitness and stamina to levels I had never reached before. My racquet ball game had never been better and I had never moved this fast on court.

I’ve changed my mind - my torn ACL is the best thing that could have happened to me.

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Restaurant Selection

The first and most important thing to me when dining out is restaurant selection. Whether or not you will be successful at eating healthy while out on the town is dependent on what restaurant you pick and the choices they offer.

Look Over The Menu Online

In this age of internet it is so easy and extremely helpful to go online and do some research before making any reservations. I look for reviews of local restaurants in local health conscious publications and on online restaurant databases. Even Facebook has a review application you can join and see what others recommend at home and abroad.

Look the Menu Over For Options

Okay, so you’ve found some local restaurant’s web sites - now what you say? Look through the menu at the options presented.

• Look for vegetarian options or substitutions? Some places will offer tofu or seitan (wheat gluten made to look and taste like meat, sort of) options in place of meat.
• Be cautious of things on the menu that is either deep fried, swimming in butter or cream sauce, or loaded up on simple carbs like pasta and bread. Stay away from ALL of the above!
• Look for dishes that have loads of vegetables, salads with no cheese or meat, grilled fish or even sushi choices.

Ask About Substitutions

Once I’ve picked a few choices, I discuss with Rob and we make a reservation. If I’m still not sure about a place, I’ll ask if they allow me to make substitutions - things like, can I have more vegetables instead of the baked potato and sour cream. We personally like to patronize independently owned and operated restaurants rather than the big chains. We find them more quaint, and usually far more accommodating to dietary requests. Once we find a place we like - we usually go back often.

At the restaurant here are some things to avoid and to choose:

Things To Avoid

• anything deep fried
• anything with a cream sauce including white creamy soups. Even things like carrot soup or butternut squash soup often have things like heavy cream (heavy on the fat!) in them - if in doubt don’t be afraid to ask what’s in it. If you’re too embarassed tell them you have a dairy allergy. They’ll tell you for sure cause they don’t want your lips to puff up and sue them if they don’t tell you and you have a reaction. My cousin does it all the time with shrimp - she tells the staff she’s allergic, which can be pretty serious - in reality she just doesn’t like them.
• dishes heavy on the meat content, low on the veggie content. Make sure if you do have meat you choose a lean chicken or fish dish - and the plate still have more veggies on it than meat. Not a 16 oz. steak and one little potato.
• cheese anything, ask them to hold it if they put it on top
• Sour cream or any dip that has it in it - ask if you think there might be. If you really want to eat it, just put it right on your hips and your arteries. Think again - your body will thank you!
• pasta
• bread and things heavy on the bread content like a giant sandwichy thing
• coffee - but if you must have it, skip the cream and sugar
• alcohol - but if you must, choose a glass of wine or limit to one drink with NO pop
• dessert of any kind, even fruit (fruit is best eaten on an empty stomach, if eaten after a meal it can ferment and cause upset or other issues) If you think you might want dessert to finish - get an appetizer instead, or have a salad and a main or share both with your dining partner
• POP!!!
• Putting salt on anything - use pepper

Good choices

• hummus and vegetables to dip in it, or pita bread
• Asian restaurants - they often have lots of tofu or veggie dishes to choose from
• Salad - hold the cheese and the croutons - ask for a vinaigrette and if they don’t have one, ask for 1/2 a lime and just squeeze that on and use it as dressing. Remember to skip the creamy dressings.
• Stir fries are usually good choices, get brown rice on the side if it’s an option (or white rice if that’s the only choice)
• Grilled fish or chicken breast
• A Veggie burger - hold the cheese, mayo and bun. Ask for a nice mustard on it and lots of veggies like lettuce, onion, tomatoes, sprouts if they got ‘em, etc.
• Bean dishes like curried chick peas, or a black bean chili - hold the cheese and sour cream (getting the idea here?!)
• Lentil loaf
• Vegetable soup
• Sharing a large plate if you aren’t that hungry. Or share two appetizers and try more things.
• Stuffed peppers

Getting some ideas?

Ask For What You Want

Like I said, don’t be afraid to ask what’s in things, or how they are prepared. You’re paying for it after all, why not get what you want, how you want it. I’m sure you’ve seen the scene in the movie “When Harry Met Sally” right? The one where she orders and asks for this on the side if this, but not if that, etc, etc. Harry thinks she’s being difficult and she just says “Well, I like it how I like it” and that was that. Go Sally, you rock girlfriend! Of course she did go on to act out the famous fake orgasm during dessert too. Gotta love it!

Just to give you all some ideas, here are the web sites of some of our favorite restaurants in Edmonton. We frequent all of these places and rotate between them depending on our mood. Find some in your area you like and stick with them. If friends ask you out to dinner - suggest they try a new place and come to one of your choices. Show them how good eatin’ is done!

Matahari Asian Fusion
Tropika Malaysian Restaurant
Padmanadi Vegetarian Restaurant
***Blue Plate Diner*** - our current fave! (104st just north of Jasper Ave)
4th and Vine Wine Bar and Bistro

Eating healthy while dining out can be as simple as doing some online research of the restaurant’s menu and making a good choice before you even leave the house. Then, make nice with the staff, ask about substitutions, and avoid non-nutritious foods. Healthy eating while dining out isn’t a chore - it’s simply a matter of perspective.

Until next time - be well and be happy!

Subscribe to my recipes by email: Make sure you get my recipes emailed to you every weekend by subscribing to my recipe email service. Every weekend, one new whole food recipe posted for you to enjoy and then comment on.

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• How To Eat Healthy Traveling - Part One
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• Quick tip : Have healthy snacks on standby when you drink coffee

Travel Food

First thing I do is stock up on things I can take with me, non-perishables. Things like: trail mix, dried fruit (make sure to get non-sulphured, non-radiated brands), raw nuts, power bars (I eat only Sunrider ones), herbal teas (again Sunrider), etc. Be careful if going over the border - you have to make sure they are all in the original, sealed packages. If any are opened they could be confiscated. You can’t take fresh fruit and veggies over a border either - but you can take it with you to eat on the plane - just dump any in the trash before you hit customs.

Airplanes have very poor food choices, so it’s important to have healthy snacks like raw almonds better suited to support your health. Depending on the length of the flight, you might consider a nutritional shake as well.

Stocking Up After Arriving

Once I get where I’m going, depending on my accommodation situation, I usually hit the grocery store first - looking for an organic one nearby. If I’m in a hotel, I order a small fridge for my room and gladly pay the extra fee if they charge one for it. Last one I got was $20 a day - but is worth it to me for my health. If I’m at a “bread and breakfast” or Homestay situation, I make sure there are kitchen facilities before I book it. So my healthy travel eating starts when I am making my travel arrangements - way in advance of actually getting there. Planning ahead is key.

I also bring a good veggie rinse with me so I can wash my produce well, especially if I can’t get organic. Sunrider manufactures a fantastic fruit and vegetable rinse that I’ve used for years.

I usually make a list for groceries that looks like this:

• organic granola or oatmeal
• almond or soy milk (preferably almond)
• fresh fruit, enough for the week or period I’m there. Things like bananas, apples, apricots, oranges that are easily eaten without a knife. I also get kiwi fruits, berries and ones that go well in smoothies.
• fresh bunch of spinach
• a bag of baby carrots and/or snap peas
• hummus if I can find it
• large jugs of bottled water, distilled preferably
• a bottle of organic pure apple juice
• salad stuffs or mixed greens
• limes (for salads)
• either a small bottle of olive oil or Braggs or both (depending on length of stay and kitchen facilities)
• veggies I can easily cook if I have a kitchen (sweet potatoes, carrots, kale, chard, peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini (or in NZ as they call it there, a courgette), mushrooms)
• avocados
• hemp hearts if they have them
• raw pumpkin seeds if they got those
• raw nuts like almonds, brazil or walnuts
• organic eggs if having cooking facilities
• brown rice

A Sample Healthy Day While Traveling

Breakfast

Each morning I make my own breakfast which would consist of oatmeal and eggs if I can cook - fruit (eating the fruit 30 first, then digesting for 30 minutes before eating granola) and granola with almond milk. Herbal tea and water.

I then make a green smoothie of 2-3 fresh fruits, 1/3 an avocado, hemp hearts, handful of spinach, 1 cup almond milk, a few raw almonds - fill blender to top with purified water. I sweeten it with a few drops of Stevia if need be. I take a jug with me that holds 32 oz (900ml) and I fill that with smoothie and take with me for morning snack time, or sipping on during the day. I also take a power bar with me and some carrots.

Lunch

Lunch is usually on the go or out, so next week I’ll talk about eating out at restaurants and how to read menus and make good choices.

Dinner

If dinner is in and I have a kitchen, I’ll steam some veggies, make some rice and eat them with just Braggs on them. I snack on veggies or maybe some rye crackers and hummus in the evening and have more water and herbal tea.

So when asked the question “How to eat healthy when traveling”, I find the best answer is to plan ahead. Ask questions about where you are staying and make choices on the location based on the facilities available. Be willing to pay a little more to get a fridge or kitchenette so you can do some food storage and preparation - even if it’s only breakfast.

Worst case scenario - if you’ve got no kitchen or fridge - fill up the bathroom sink with ice every night, and again in the morning and put your food in there if it needs to be kept cold. Leave a note so the cleaning ladies don’t drain it. Tell them - sink drained = no tip! They’ll get the hint.

Next week, I’ll continue the series on how to eat healthy while traveling.

Until then - be well and be happy!

Subscribe to my recipes by email: Make sure you get my recipes emailed to you every weekend by subscribing to my recipe email service. Every weekend, one new whole food recipe posted for you to enjoy and then comment on.

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Related Articles at Former Fat Guy Blog:

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If you aren’t familiar with dark green vegetables make this your first try and you’ll be amazed how much energy and nutrition these leafy plants pack! For more info on them, read Rob’s article about the Top 10 Foods.

Dark Leafy Greens with Figs, Pine Nuts and Garlic

2 bunches of your favorite greens (collards, Swiss chard, kale, bok choy, gai lan) destemmed and chopped
2 Tbsp coconut oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup cup coarsely chopped fresh or dried figs
1/4 pine nuts
Celtic sea salt and pepper

Steam the greens in a steamer or in a pan with a small amount of water. Drain well and set aside.

Heat oil in a pan to medium. Add garlic and cook for about a minute. Mmmmm, I love the smell of cooking garlic! Add the figs and pine nuts and cook until the nuts are lightly toasted. Stir continuously so they do not get burned on one side. Stir in the steamed greens and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Heat through or until all veggies are tender. Serves 4.

Subscribe to my recipes by email: Make sure you get my recipes emailed to you every weekend by subscribing to my recipe email service. Every weekend, one new whole food recipe posted for you to enjoy and then comment on.

Dark Leafy Greens with Figs, Pine Nuts and Garlic Recipe Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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Indian Spiced Lentil Burgers

3 Tbsp coconut oil
1/2 cup mince onion
1 cup cooked brown or green lentils, well drained
1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato (bake or steam it, boiling loses too many nutrients and makes it to moist)
1/2 cup finely chopped raw, unsalted cashews
2/3 cup spelt or kamut flakes, ground
1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
2 tsp curry powder, or more to taste
1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp turmeric

Optional for servinge: Indian flatbread or pitas, and a fruit chutney.

Optional - add more or less spice to taste; add one minced serano chili pepper; try fresh cilantro instead of parsley. If you come up with a great variation let us know!

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a frying pan, saute onion until softened and clear (about 5 minutes). Transfer to a food processor and add the lentils, sweet potato, cashews, spelt flakes, parsley, spices and salt. Process until well blended.

Shape mixture into small balls and flatten into patties. It should make about 8. Heat remaining oil in pan over medium heat. Cook patties until browned on both sides - about 5 minutes each side.

To serve, you can eat them just as the are with a little red pepper spread, hummus, or a fruit chutney of your choice. Or cut them into thin slices and roll up in a flatbread with some lettuce, tomatoe and avocado for a great wrap. Eat them hot when you make them, and take a wrap for lunch the next day - they taste great cold too and you don’t need to worry about keeping them cold at work like you do a meat sandwich. That is our version of a healthy sandwich for lunch.

Subscribe to my recipes by email: Make sure you get my recipes emailed to you every weekend by subscribing to my recipe email service. Every weekend, one new whole food recipe posted for you to enjoy and then comment on.

Indian Spiced Lentil Burgers Recipe Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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I’m on a journey towards a healthy lifestyle filled with vibrancy and vitality. Most recently, I have made the decision and committed to a gym membership after serious contemplating. Exercise was the missing piece to my puzzle.

Significant changes over the last several months in my eating and lifestyle choices have been made but until now I was not mentally ready to join a gym.

The year was 1981 and Olivia Newton John zoomed to the top of the music charts with her song, Let’s Get Physical which inspired everyone to join a gym, sign up for gym class and wear spandex. Me, I was in Grade nine and (mandatory) gym class later ended ended for me in 1985. Not to mention, Participation.

Folks, it’s now 2008!

During my recent tours of various fitness facilities, the following are the top considerations I had to make before signing my contract

10 Things to Consider When Choosing A Gym

1 Atmosphere You’re going to spend a good portion of your time and money here so make sure it feels right to you. When a friend and I started looking for a gym I felt incredibly intimidated by one such gym with the amount of grunting, groaning and amount of posturing that went on in front of some of the mirrors. Make sure you get good vibes and feel comfortable the moment you walk into the door. Think of it this way, why would you spend your time or money going somewhere that you don’t enjoy? If you don’t consider this, your money will be wasted.

2 People A gym is like any other business, it’s there to make money. No matter how good the product is, it’s the people that can make or break a business. What is their interaction with others when you check out the gym(s) to make your choice? Are there many staff around when you need to ask questions? Can you connect with them or are they unapproachable? Do they have the qualifications? I actually interviewed the manager of the gym we chose and discovered she had been with this company for 25 years! She showed passion, enthusiasm and genuine interest in us when we met.

3 Cost What is your budget for exercise? We all want the most for our dollar but it shouldn’t be the driving force for you when it comes to deciding which gym you will choose. Ask lots of questions: Can I use this gym anywhere it is located in the city or is it this gym only? What is the cost of a drop in fee? What is the cost of a personal trainer? Am I being charged a membership fee as well as a monthly fee? What are my different options regarding price and/or payment? Ask for a complimentary pass to try out the gym before you make your final decision and I am sure that no one will say no. Shop around if price is one of the things preventing you from joining a gym or health club. One way you could save money is if your employer is offered discounts for their employees.

4 Location Did you choose where you live because of the location? Ask yourself where your doctor, dentist, grocery store, school or bank are located? Most likely, nearby. If it’s inconvenient getting to the gym, it’s going to be easy to start using it as an excuse not to go. I knew that if I chose a gym that was hard to get to that I wouldn’t go. So, I chose a gym that is a fifteen minute walk from my home which I use as my warm up.

5 Hours When do you plan to workout? Do the hours of the gym meet your needs? Take note of gyms with limited hours which might include evenings and weekends. I’m not a 9-5 person so I had to make sure that they had extended hours in the evening and were open on weekends. If their schedule doesn’t work with yours, you’ll soon have an excuse for not using your membership.

6 Maintenance Take a look at the equipment to ensure it runs smoothly and everything you think you will need to workout with is readily available. What is the quality of the equipment and is it current equipment? Is it regularly maintained? Is it clean? Is there enough space between you and others working out? You don’t want to lose your personal space.

7 Co-Ed or Not Everyone reacts to others differently, and exercising should be done in a place where you feel comfortable. As a woman, I enjoy exercising in a same sex gym and since I’m a beginner, I don’t want to exercise where I might feel embarrassed or intimidated. The choice is yours.

8 Change rooms. Locker rooms. Are they clean? Do they offer facilities that you will use? IE , showers, sauna, lockers. After making it to the gym, I realized I didn’t bring along a lock so for twenty five cents I could rent a locker complete with key to keep my personal items safe.

9 Classes. Where are your interests? What classes do they offer? If you are a beginner are they offering more intermediate or advanced classes that aren’t at your skill level? Are classes included in your membership or additional? Are classes offered when you are available to take them?

10 Contract Many gyms require a yearly contract as well as a monthly fee. What happens if you are unable to use your membership due to illness or injury? Does the contract protect you or the company? There are many things to consider so make sure to read the contract in full before you sign on the dotted line especially the fine print that can be quickly overlooked.

Today is only the beginning.

I accomplished what I had set out to do and instead of falling asleep on the couch at 9:00 PM I find myself alert and energized well into the early morning hours.

Tax Deductible Gym Memberships

My challenge to you this week is to act now and make gym memberships tax deductible in Canada!

According to Dave Hardy, President of the Fitness Industry Council of Canada, “The financial incentive offered by a federal adult fitness tax credit will encourage nearly one million more Canadians to get active and healthier,” said Hardy. “These healthier Canadians will need less health care and miss less work due to illness.”

Extending the program to include adults is not only good for the personal health of Canadians but also the financial health of the country. We urge the government to act quickly on this important initiative.

When Canadians were polled in 1997, more than three in five Canadians supported the idea of expanding the existing federal Children’s Fitness Tax Credit to include all Canadians over the age of sixteen.

Contact your local MP and Minister of Finance through the following link and make your voice be heard!

For details, read more about the Adult Fitness Tax Credit

Have a great week!

–Christina

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We found this recipe in Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s “Eat Right America - Food Scoring Guide”. You can find it on the Eat Right America web site.

Chicken Dijon Marinade

4 boneless, skinless organic free range chicken breasts (2)
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice (or bottled if you don’t have limes) (4 Tbsp)
4 cloves garlice, minced (2)
1/4 cup vegan Worcestershire sauce (2 Tbsp)
3 Tbsp dijon mustard (4 tsp)

I have doubled this recipe cause 2 chicken breasts doesn’t go very far in our house. If it’s just you and you want to make a single, I’ve put the single portion amounts in brackets at the end of each line.

Mix all ingredients together, whisk to blend in mustard. Trim all visible fat from the chicken breasts. Set aside 1/2 the marinade for later and pour the rest over the chicken. Marinate for at least an hour - overnight was even better, but make sure it’s in the fridge. ALWAYS marinate your meat in the fridge! Doing this on the counter is dangerous as you can create salmonella which is deadly.

Broil on low or grill for about 7 minutes per side or until thoroughly cooked through and meat is no longer pink.

Serve with the reserved marinate on top as a sauce.

Note from Fuhrman: “this is not a high-nutrient recipe, but it is much better than fried chicken, and it is a step in a healthier direction”. If you are not familiar with high nutrient foods - you can start learning by reading Rob post on the Top 10 Super Foods.

Here’s both last week’s and this week’s recipes cooking together. Enjoy the summer!

Subscribe to my recipes by email: Make sure you get my recipes emailed to you every weekend by subscribing to my recipe email service. Every weekend, one new whole food recipe posted for you to enjoy and then comment on.

Chicken Dijon Marinade Recipe Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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Garlic Herb Marinated Vegetables

3 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup Braggs seasoning
1/4 cup organic, extra virgin olive oil
1/4 Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar
1/8 tsp celtic sea salt
2 Tbsp fresh tarragon leaves, minced
2 Tbsp fresh basil leaves, minced
1 Tbsp fresh (fill in herb of your choice here) minced

Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl, whisk to blend. Add herbs and stir.

Refrigerate until ready to use, but make sure you use it the same day you make it so the herbs are still fresh. I had planned on soaking the veggies in it for about an hour while I was also marinating some chicken (come back next week for that recipe) but it turned out the chicken was still partly frozen so I left them both in the fridge overnight.

Well, I can tell you that was a happy accident cause the vegetables soaked up the sauce and were so tasty, I wouldn’t do it any other way now.

You can use just about any vegetables but some work better than others for grilling. I recommend: bell peppers (any color but red are so tasty and grill superbly), zucchini, mushrooms (button, crimini or portabello), onions (I had some little pearl onions and I put them on whole, or you can make big chunks of a regular one and use them), asparagus, eggplant, etc. I tried carrots but they took too long to cook compared to the others and we still a bit crunchy - I’d suggest either cutting them small or omitting the carrots.

This is how they looked on the grill.

Doesn’t that make you want to fire up the Barbie! So go on - off you go! Enjoy this weeks Garlic Herb Marinated Vegetables and we’ll be back on the grill next week.

Subscribe to my recipes by email: Make sure you get my recipes emailed to you every weekend by subscribing to my recipe email service. Every weekend, one new whole food recipe posted for you to enjoy and then comment on.

Garlic Herb Marinated Vegetables Recipe Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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Related Articles at Former Fat Guy Blog:

• Recipe: Chicken Dijon Marinade
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• Recipe: Red Curry Vegetables With Chicken
• Recipe: Roasted Root Vegetables With Orange Spice Sauce
• Recipe: Steamed Kale With Chicken

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Jim “Smitty” Smith is a strength coach and cofounder of the Diesel Crew. Jim dedicates himself to studying, developing and enhancing athletic performance through the utilization of conventional and non-conventional training protocols, including; powerlifting, weightlifting, strongman, odd-objects, Russian kettlebells and grip strength methodologies. This distinctive and comprehensive approach has helped athletes of all skills levels attain their goals and “Achieve Beyond Potential.” Jim is an active student of strength athletics and is always seeking new ways to innovate and provide a unique perspective for gaining muscle, rehabbing injuries, improving performance and building better athletics. Jim is a contributor to Mens Health magazine.

Get Smitty’s free report on Combat Core Exercise!

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YouTube DirektLink

A previous video shows Dan John teaching Olympic Lifts

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Roasted Root Vegetables With Orange Spice Sauce

Ingredients
4 cups golden beets, sliced (or use red ones if you can’t find golden ones)
2 cups parsnips, sliced
4 carrots, sliced

Orange Spice Sauce

2 1/2 Tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice
2 Tbsp maple syrup
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp paprika
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp fresh gingeroot, grated
2 Tbsp Braggs seasoning

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all sauce ingredients together in a jar, shake well and set aside.

Wash all veggies well (leave the peals on as most of the nutrients in root vegetables are in the peals), slice them and put into a 13×9x2″ casserole or baking dish. Pour the sauce over the veggies and toss until they are coated. Bake uncovered for 45-55 minutes or until the vegetables are tender but not mushy.

Stir a few times while roasting to make sure they stay coated with the sauce. They will suck most of it up and taste delicious!

Serves 6-8 as a side dish.

Serve with Red Lentil Dahl and Marrakech couscous, as shown in the photo, or choose a big plate full of steamed greens and a lean chicken breast.

Subscribe to my recipes by email: Make sure you get my recipes emailed to you every weekend by subscribing to my recipe email service. Every weekend, one new whole food recipe posted for you to enjoy and then comment on.

Roasted Root Vegetables with Orange Spice Sauce Recipe Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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via the Fight Geek

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Dan shows us how to lift Olympic style in this 33 minute video. Great stuff!

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Being low on the glycemic index, beans not only provide fiber to your diet, but also have very little, if any, impact on blood sugar.

Not All Protein Is Created Equal

Ounce for ounce, black beans provide the same amount of protein as ground beef, but have no saturated fat, no cholesterol and provide 9 grams of fiber. As well, 4 ounces of black beans are almost one third the calories as ground beef.

We love this delicious red bean cake recipe (aka burgers) that uses kidney beans. Darlene explained how the mayo clinic advises women eat 21 to 25 grams of fiber a day while men should be getting 30 to 38 grams daily. What’s staggering is that the average North American only gets 12 to 15 grams of fiber per day. Make this recipe and increase your fiber consumption. Your colon will love you for it!

When it comes to three basic categories of nourishment - protein, fiber and anti-oxidant related substances - few foods have as solid a nutritional profile as black beans. Containing 15 grams of both protein and fiber per cup, omega 3 fatty acids and antioxidants, this black bean soup recipe should become a staple in your meal planning.

Darlene explains that you can sprout the beans before cooking them to reduce the amount of farting. Soak the beans overnight, then spread them out on a damp cloth for another 12 hours. When they have the slightest little bit of sprout forming, all the available sugar has been used up and they’re ready to cook. Sprouting them should reduce the cook time as well.

The Gold and Black Bean salad recipe is truly wonderful and should be in your fridge all summer long.

We made this stew during the winter, but feel that it’s great at any time. Yes, that’s my hand in the photo.

They’re great as the main portion of a healthy wrap (spelt wrap spread with a little hummus, the black bean burger, mixed greens, avocado and a spray of braggs), so they’re great to make if you know you’re going to be working away from home, traveling or camping. These are absolutely the best veggie burger I’ve eaten yet.

Thanks for letting me post this week’s recipe links while Darlene is away. She’ll be back next week with another fantastic whole food recipe for your collection.

Subscribe to my recipes by email: Make sure you get my recipes emailed to you every weekend by subscribing to my recipe email service. Every weekend, one new whole food recipe posted for you to enjoy and then comment on.

Recipe Photo Credits: Her View Photography

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• Recipe: Gold and Black Bean Salad
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Weight Loss Tips

1 Focus your training on the largest muscle groups:
The largest muscle groups of the body are the legs, back and chest. By working the largest muscle groups, primarily, you end up putting a larger demand on your body for energy and nutrition. Then a larger demand on your body for repair of that muscle tissue. You burn fat twice, first when you’re actually training and secondly when your body is busy rebuilding the muscles.

Arms (tricep and bicep) are smaller muscles, and where training certainly makes them look good and allows you to work harder on pushing and pulling movements, they don’t burn as much fat as the larger muscles.

As my trainer says, even if you don’t specifically train arms, they still get worked when you’re doing chest and back movements.

Chest – Bench press, Incline bench press, decline bench press, flies, pushups etc
Back – Bent over row, one arm dumbbell row, pull downs, pull ups, chins, seated rows
Legs – Squat, hack squat, leg press, lunges

So for maximum fat loss, create workout routines for the largest muscle groups.

2 Work as many muscle groups as possible in each training session:
Stimulate as much muscle fiber as possible in each training session. Bodybuilders often train one body part per workout such as chest one day, back one day, legs on another, finishing with shoulders and arms on the last day.

By training one body part per day, they focus their intensity on that one part which stimulates growth.

For fat loss purposes, working the legs, back and chest all on the same day, during an intense 20 minute or 45 minute workout, more muscle fibers are stimulated resulting in a greater “after burn”. More stimulation, more fat lost.

Turbulence Training is a great example of doing short intervals using body weight exercises designed to build strength while burning fat at the same time. Craig Ballantyne describes more about the Turbulence Training program in a recent interview.

If you want to burn maximum amount of fat while building muscle, exercise your entire body, the largest muscle groups, during each workout.

3 Get as much work done in your workout as possible:
In weight loss tip number 2, I suggested training the entire body during each workout to stimulate as much muscle fiber as possible in each workout. Well what about doing as much stimulation as possible in the same amount of time? If you increase the amount of work performed during the same amount of time, you exert more energy and can build more fat burning muscle.

Traditionally, a workout where you worked the entire body in one session, might go like this:

Chest Workout

Bench press – 3 sets of 10 reps with 60 seconds rest between sets
Dumbbell flies – 3 sets of 10 reps with 60 seconds between sets

Back Workout

Lat pulldowns – 3 sets of 10 reps with 60 seconds between sets
One arm dumbbell rows – 3 sets of 10 reps with 60 seconds between sets

Leg Workout

Squats – 3 sets of 10 reps with 90 seconds between sets
Lunges – 3 sets of 10 reps with 60 seconds between sets

To summarize, you do two exercises per body part – lift, rest, repeat

To get more work done in the same amount of time, I would suggest doing supersets. A superset is working two exercises back to back.

One superset might be a bench press followed immediately with dumbbell flies, then the rest time. This is a superset using the same muscle group, but you could also superset muscle groups that are not related, or oppose one another. An example would be to do the bench press followed immediately with lat pulldowns, or seated rows followed by dumbbell flies.

If you’ve never done this before, there are a number of things you might experience.

1. You might not have the energy to complete 10 reps of each exercise
2. You might have to lower the weights of one or both exercises in order to complete them
3. You may become more sore the next day because your body is being stimulated in ways it’s not used to
4. you burn more fat and build more muscle

By doing supersets, you’re simply doing more work in the given time as well as stimulating your body in new ways. New stimulation is good for growth as well as breaking workout boredom.

It should be noted that to properly utilize supersets for the purpose of getting more work done during your time in the gym, you have to be diligent about the clock. Taking time to chat with your gym friends or spend too much time between sets doesn’t help.

During any exercise for fat loss phase, supersets should be utilized as much as possible.

There is a big difference between bodybuilding and fat loss. If you want to get in shape, begin exercising, find a good personal trainer and become a regular at the gym or at least workout in your home. If you want to make the best use of your time though and want to burn as much fat as possible in as little time as possible, I would recommend the tips above. Focus on the largest muscle groups, work your entire body during each workout stimulating as much muscle fiber as possible and make efficient use of your time by supersetting your exercises.

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Gamble into the wee hours of the morning, wander in a alcoholic haze, belly up to an over indulgent buffet or shop until your credit cards are maxed out. Las Vegas is a temptress. Be prepared to take a chance and gamble. The choice is yours. These are the choices I made.

Pre Trip Apprehension

For me, I knew that when I traveled to Las Vegas that I would be tempted by my old dietary demons once again: sugar, sweets, junk food, overeating and not to mention irregular eating. It was with this realization that before departure I suffered a great deal of apprehension and stress about going on this trip. After committing to this trip, I decided that nothing would prevent me from attend my brother’s wedding or missing these experiences.

Everything in Las Vegas is big, bold and boisterous! It begins the moment you enter the McCarran Airport and are confronted the moment you step off the plane with greetings of the obligatory sounds coming from the slot machines, colorful decor, lights, huge billboards selling everything from five star shows to porn. A true sensory overload.

Finding Healthy Food in Las Vegas

Vegas is world renowned for it cheap buffets and most North Americans love to get as big of bang as they can for their buck. The plates are big as are the portion sizes. I cringed at the selections available. Vegetables in many cases were boiled beyond recognition, usually canned variety and watery. A staple in the buffet was cheese. Cheese sauce, sliced cheese, grated cheese and cheese sauces. For the first time, I saw things like grits and empanadas wrapped in corn stalks. Tacos, fried chicken, lasagna, ham, roast beef, Chinese food, Mexican food, several type of potatoes were the features. I’m not a desert eater but for the first time, I saw a buffet of deserts including carrot cake, donuts, cookies, turnovers, cream puffs, and other sweets. Unlimited soft drinks, food and desserts for the masses.

I even saw a deep fried Oreo for $1.00 on Freemont Street!

Found a Buffet With Vegetables and Fruit

I was giddy with delight when I was able to find a buffet that had fresh veggies and fruit. The buffet included steamed crab legs, shrimp, fresh fish and lean meats. I steered clear from sodas, sauces, salad dressings, condiments, deep fried foods and ate a small portion of dessert. I noticed that throughout the hotels, airports, and smaller stores that healthy eating options were available however limited. This included apples, bananas, boiled eggs, bottled water, soy milk, health foods and unsalted nuts. I realize that some of these option are processed but were a better alternative to the fast food that seemed to be everywhere in the form of pretzels, ice cream, mixed drinks, candy and I even saw a deep fried Oreo for $1.00 on Freemont Street!

Craving Healthy Food

I learned early in that my body now craved healthy food and I also experienced problems with my digestion when I ate too much or the unhealthy foods. I mentally rehearsed before I took this trip and as a promise to myself, I would experience and taste without going crazy or regretting it all later. When I ate well and listened to my body I had an enormous amount of energy compared to some of my traveling companions who indulged in the variety of foods. Eight months ago, you would have seen me at the hotel room resting but now I was up until the wee hours of the morning with energy to spare. I know that if I hadn’t eaten well or taken better care of myself like I have been, I wouldn’t have been able to participate in this holiday and attend my brother’s wedding.

Water

Unaccustomed to weather like this and temperatures like this ( I live in Canada and the week before we left we had a snowfall!) I was reminded by my body that I needed hydration and that water was a must. Throughout my travels in the city I made sure I had water with me and stayed away from sugary drinks. I would like to plead that I didn’t drink alcohol but I did have a glass of wine to toast the bride and groom . Yes, and then there was the 32 ounces of Margarita marketed by Coyote Ugly as the “Ugly Stick.” I was a tourist and I allowed myself this indulgence. Was I perfect with my eating and did I stay on plan 100% of the time? No.

My goal was to maintain my weight

 

My goal was to maintain my weight and I was not going to deny myself but I would not go crazy, food wise. I tapped into my personal comfort zone.

Lots of Walking

If you travel to Las Vegas, bring a comfortable pair of walking shoes. I had researched the streets, buildings, and places to see but what I did not realize was that to get anywhere on the strip or surrounding areas means lots of walking, hailing a cab or taking the local transit. Everything isn’t as close as it seems. I guarantee that you will burn off many of the calories you’ve consumed once you start walking. However, it doesn’t take a mathematician to figure out that some of the input must be decreased by the output.

My Favorite Places in Las Vegas

Some of my favorite places were Freemont Street, the Bellagio Water Fountains, Caesar’s Palace, Mandalay Bay, shopping at the Premium Outlet Mall, and the Las Vegas Strip. There are many places I would like to see which include tourist spots as well as those more off the beaten track. Where else can you travel to see France, Italy, and USA or travel to the top of the Effiel Tower to see a city of lights?

The city itself is truly amazing and comes alive at night as a glittering jewel guaranteed to bedazzle the most cynical of heart. The fluorescent sign age, gold gilded buildings, amazing architecture, the palm trees, desert landscape, dancing fountains, original restaurants, and the bluest of skies was simply mesmerizing to me. I could sit and people watch for days.

Everyone should visit Las Vegas once. If you haven’t, I highly recommend it! You’ll be glad you did! It was a holiday I will never forget with no regrets and ..see myself returning to Vegas again.

I’m quite happy now back at home and about to dig into my salad with fresh spring greens, tomatoes, cukes, hemp seeds, red onions sprinkled with my homemade salad dressing. Oh, how I missed thee! There is something satisfying and comforting about knowing what is on my plate and to know that I have made the choice when it comes to what I consume.

My challenge to you this week: Plan a holiday. Travel outside of your comfort zone!

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Beans are a great source of dietary fiber and have no fat or cholesterol - unless you add that to them. You can eat as much of them as you want. As you start adding more bean into your diet, you may have a flatulence issue but that will settle down as your body gets used to getting the much needed fiber you may be missing now. Be patient - or sprout them a bit before cooking - that will help with the gas issues. To do that - soak them overnight, spread them out on a damp cloth for another 12 hours. Once they have just the tiniest little sprout on them they are ready to cook. This step isn’t necessary but will help if gas is a concern.

Recipe: Gold and Black Bean Salad

3 cups cooked black beans, drained
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels, cooked and cooled
1 small yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 package of cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2 shallots minced
2 Tbsp lime juice
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne (or more if you like it zippy like we do)
2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Tbsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp mince fresh cilantro

In a large bowl combine the beans, corn and peppers, set aside. In a small bowl combine the shallots, lime juice, spices, oil and vinegar. Whisk until blended.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Taste and adjust seasonings to your preferences - I added more cayenne. Sprinkle cilantro over the top and serve.

Serves 4-6, I doubled it as I do most things and it turned out great.

The combination of flavors in the salad reminded us of a sort of salsa. Play with different kinds of beans, add in other peppers, try omitting the corn, etc. I can see us using this one a lot, enjoy - we did!

Subscribe to my recipes by email: Make sure you get my recipes emailed to you every weekend by subscribing to my recipe email service. Every weekend, one new whole food recipe posted for you to enjoy and then comment on.

Gold and Black Bean Salad Recipe Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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If you’ve ever eaten as a real authentic Mexican restaurant, you’ve probably seen something with “mole” sauce on the menu. I’ve got one book that says mole is a Spanish word meaning “mashed together” but I know it to mean (my own personal definition) - “very tasty, spicy Mexican sauce with dark chocolate in it!” How’s that for highly technical?!

I came across this recipe for chili mole in Extra Vegan Za and just about flipped. I LOVE mole sauce!!! This Vegetable Chocolate Chili Mole is one of the best chilis I’ve ever made. We spiced it up by adding a whole habanero pepper (one of the hottest you can get) because I can’t make anything too hot for Rob’s tastes. If you haven’t ever used one - handle with gloves, throw out the seeds, and use about 1/3 of the pepper to start. You can always add more later, but if you make it unbearably hot you won’t enjoy the subtleness of the mole - or have any feeling left in your mouth.

Vegetable Chocolate Chili Mole

3 Tbsp sesame oil
1 onion diced
6 cloves garlic, diced
2 bay leaves
1 tsp each thyme, ground cumin and basil
1/2 tsp each cinnamon and chili flakes (or more if you like hot)
1/8 tsp ground allspice
2 Tbsp chili powder (or to taste)
Several dashes of fresh ground black pepper
1 Tbsp course sea salt
1/2 cup vegan dark organic chocolate chips or chunks
1.5 cups each carrots and celery chopped
1 each green, red and yellow peppers - seeded and chopped
6 cups of cooked beans (use your favorites and mix them up: chickpeas, black beans, and pintos are what I used)
1 28oz can of diced tomatoes (or 4 cups of fresh chopped tomatoes)
1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)

Heat oil in a large pot, add onions, garlic and sea salt. Cook until onions are translucent. Stir in the chocolate until it is melted. Add all vegetables (carrots, celery, peppers) and beans and saute for 5-10 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and corn, reduce heat to simmer. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Serve with a spelt pita or over brown rice. Serves 6-8 unless you double it like we did and eat it for a whole week!

Subscribe to my recipes by email: Make sure you get my recipes emailed to you every weekend by subscribing to my recipe email service. Every weekend, one new whole food recipe posted for you to enjoy and then comment on.

Vegetable Chocolate Chili Mole Recipe Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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If you haven’t used or bought miso before, you can find it in your local grocery store in the Asian section. Once it is opened you need to refrigerate it, and never, NEVER boil it! Miso contains live enzymes because it is fermented soy beans or rice (depending on the variety you choose) and if you heat it to a boil you will kill all the enzymes and healthy “stuff” in it. I won’t get too technical, but miso has lots of health benefits including B12 and zinc. When you choose a miso, make sure it does not have MSG in it. Read Rob’s article on the Dangers of Hidden MSG to find out more on that.

Miso Lemon Tahini Sauce

1/3 cup tahini
1 Tbsp light miso
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp Braggs
1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 cup water (distilled if you have it)

This one is so easy you’ll fall over. Place all ingredients in a bowl. Stir with a spoon until smooth and creamy. Add more water if you want to use it as a sauce on vegetables like in the photo.

That’s it folks!

We’ve put this sauce on steamed vegetables as seen above and on salad. See what else you can come up with to put it on. Also seen in the recipe photo is our Red Lentil Dahl and Red Cabbage with Balsamic Vinegar.

Subscribe to my recipes by email: Make sure you get my recipes emailed to you every weekend by subscribing to my recipe email service. Every weekend, one new whole food recipe posted for you to enjoy and then comment on.

Miso Lemon Tahini Sauce Recipe Photo Credit: Her View Photography

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I’m surprised but I will admit that Facebook actually taught me something about myself today. I learned something from one of their ”applications”. It came through “Social Me” (from what I can figure out is a dating opportunity for the singletons out there). I have a friend who actually met someone through this applications.

I found this video which sums up the type of impact Facebook is having on many people, have a look.

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Now, let me explain how this Social Me application works.

Facebook Application Social Me

Social Me is an application or as described, an “interactive and addictive game” where your photo(s) from your Facebook profile is posted and people can characterize what they see in the picture, and even send a message to the person you are interested. Some of the choices are pretty, nice, sexy smile, nerdy, hot, kissable lips, etc. The reason I chose to have this application was because I’m literally plagued by email requests from my Facebook friends to use the applications so they can access the results of their profile pictures and I wanted to support them. You know who you who you are!

Even though I am not looking for someone, I was curious enough to see what the application revealed. Anyone who would tell you otherwise wouldn’t be telling the truth. Today I decided to scroll through and see how the public sees me. I was waiting for the word fat to come up on the panel. Instead I saw words like pretty, nice, happy, smart, pretty eyes and even the word nerd.

I then thought about how I perceived myself and how others perceived me. Something as simple as wearing a pair of glasses, used to improve your eyesight, immediately sent out the connection to others the characteristics of nerd or smart. People had preconceived notions of what I was like (the characterization of nerd) and even I had decided how I perceive myself.

Part of any body transformation involves changes within your psyche and I consider this to be a part of my continuing journey.

One characteristic of who you are isn’t your entire being! As an overweight woman I openly admit that this is something I battle with at least weekly because there is a mental shift happening inside of me and I am battling with what |I believe to be the old me. Why do we discount our entire person because of our opportunity(s). We are always so quick to highlight what we believe are the negative about our physical bodies. This might explain how the sales of cellulite creams, wrinkle creams and plastic surgery has become the norm in today’s society.

My journey is not an easy one and as Rob reminded me the other day, I have a long way to go. I recently spoke to him about my frustration about not losing weight fast enough even though my body has been visibly changing and I am the healthiest I have been in my adult life! I then began to compare myself to the others on his program who were having amazing results and releasing pounds of fat. Darlene reminded me that I was doing a dis service to myself by comparing my body to others. My body is exclusive to myself and I am not a duplicate of anyone.

Weight loss and exercise for me is not about a hard body. For me it is about healthy and being comfortable in my body. People choose to lose weight and/or exercise for different reasons. I can only speak for myself.

Look in the mirror and tell me what you see? Do you quickly point to what you perceive as less then perfect skin, weight, teeth, wrinkles, age spots or are you happy enough to proclaim what you do love about yourself?

My challenge: My challenge to you this week is to post as a reply to this blog what you are happiest about when you look into the mirror. Remember, the word BUT cannot be included in your reply. I love my… but…

I look forward to your replies. Have a great week~!

** As a side note, I tagged all the profiles I read as having a nice hairstyle. My apologies to all of those who are bald. Its my sense of humour!

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Here are 10 quick ways to reduce the amount of garbage that