Staying Healthy Through the Stress

[iExcelAtMicrosoftPuns]

On 3/6/2014 at 11:46 AM, Katia_chan said:

You could share a curry recipe too...that would be awesome.

 

Last time I tried to make it I accidentally burned the curry powder and basically maced everybody in my kitchen. (remember what I said about being shit at cooking?)

 

Also, Des, once I find it I'll post a blog here that I was sent--healthy ways to cook.  Blackbean chocolate cake, avocado brownies... Not necessarily low calorie, but also not stuff that's awful for you.  And some of it sounds incredible.

 

Now, if you'll all excuse me, I just got invited out for wood-fire pizza.  Healthy, what?...

I like to toss sweet potatoes into my curry.

Perhaps I should turn my blog into a cooking for grad students blog.

[gk210]

On 3/6/2014 at 11:59 AM, BowTiesAreCool said:

I like to toss sweet potatoes into my curry.

Perhaps I should turn my blog into a cooking for grad students blog.

Yes please DO IT. I myself love being in the kitchen and am always on the lookout for recipes and I'm sure you can provide a ton of ideas!! I was cooking a lot more during my senior year of college when I lived off campus and had my own fully functional kitchen. I'd always browse through recipes online. I think that's something for grad students to be on the watch for when living on their own and trying to eat healthy and (relatively) on a budget. 

[collikl]

No seriously. When I was in my MA program, the only way I could motivate myself to blog about my research was to blog about food at the same time. So you'd get a recipe and some theory thrown in, haha.

 

I actually do have a food blog that I started this year to keep my spirits up while applying. If anyone wants the site, I'll PM it to you. It isn't written well or anything, but I just wanted to share recipes I've tried with my friends. 

[Nyctophile]

Well it's cool freezing up here so most of my recent food has been soups, stews, curries, etc.

BUT - stir-fry... seriously it's probably my favorite meal. Fresh veggies (broc, califlower, celery, carrots, bean sprouts, etc). Whatever meat is on sale (usually lean towards chicken or even meatless). 

It's really about proper prep technique more than anything. I'll PM you some deets later this evening if you'd like.

Of course a few days after that I spoil myself and make a small helping of chicken parmigiana.

 

Um...me too! I'm a competent cook and baker but for some reason I just can't get it together when stir frying. Underdone, burnt, or overcooked. It's shameful. Also, can you help with ideas for salad dressing? I'm trying to eat better but the store bought stuff is bad and I can't find a recipe I like and I'm sick of wasting ingredients.  I get bored with just a drizzle of balsamic and olive oil. Help please?

[Nyctophile]

Perhaps I should turn my blog into a cooking for grad students blog.

 

Um...do this. Do this NOW.

[Nyctophile]

Also, if you are addicted to desserts but healthy/vegan/gluten-free/raw is important to you, this page has a lot of good ideas.  https://www.facebook.com/damyhealth

[iExcelAtMicrosoftPuns]

Um...do this. Do this NOW.

This weekend.

I'll do my first "Flavors of Rhetoric" food post. Complete with pictures!!!!

[Nyctophile]

This weekend.

I'll do my first "Flavors of Rhetoric" food post. Complete with pictures!!!!

woo-hoo!! can't wait

[Horb]

Hi all! I'm jumpin' in on this. I totally gained weight during app season and am now pushing myself to drop some lbs (or just until I'm happy with mah weight/body). Any ideas on eating on a budget? I love most fruits and veggies, but I find them to be super expensive (and you know...college). Any thoughts?

[Kamisha]

Hi all! I'm jumpin' in on this. I totally gained weight during app season and am now pushing myself to drop some lbs (or just until I'm happy with mah weight/body). Any ideas on eating on a budget? I love most fruits and veggies, but I find them to be super expensive (and you know...college). Any thoughts?

 

Is Bountiful Baskets available in your area? It’s incredible--$40-$60 worth of produce for under $20 bucks (and only $10 more if you want certified organic everything). 

[Horb]

No it isn't I'll have to garden...

[Kamisha]

No it isn't I'll have to garden...

 

Have you read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver? It will make you want to garden. Seriously. 

[Nyctophile]

Have you read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver? It will make you want to garden. Seriously. 

barbara kingsolver is my spirit animal. 

[mmorrison]

My two cents on eating for weight loss/maintenance: if you can stomach an entire cinnamon dolce latte, you probably have a sugar problem. When I get to that point, I go off it entirely (including breads, caramelized veg, fruits, and pastas) for several weeks. After that, my taste buds return to normal and I loosen up on the restrictions. It becomes easy not to overdo my sugar intake, because I can't eat the over-sweetened stuff after breaking the cycle. Even commercial crackers taste like syrup (because they're too sweet; everyone in the focus group just has a sugar addiction!) I always start losing weight at that point, fairly slowly and steadily, and I don't end up putting weight back on until and unless I let the sugar intake creep back up to gross American levels.

Other things to remember: the human stomach is [read: should be] about the size of a fist. If you can finish a typical American restaurant portion of pasta, you have stretched your stomach and need to watch portion sizes. A typical bagel is about 5 adult servings of bread. That's too much of a glucose dump for a person with a normal activity level.

Don't skimp on protein and fat. Not because X low-carb diet or Y paleo diet is the answer, but because they feed your body and keep you satiated. Personally I think legumes are the beans (ok, that was terrible; it's late and I'm tired and punchy). Lentils, peas, beans, etc., are cheap and nutritious protein. Buy in bulk. Get in the habit of thinking a meal or two ahead so that longer prep/cook times are not a problem. Season your food well; embrace flavor instead of quantity and the 'comfort' factor of floury, starchy junk. Don't eat a lot of processed foods. Not because it's trendy to vilify "processing," but because they aren't the same foods as they used to be. When I was growing up, ketchup didn't contain HFCS, and alfredo sauce in a jar was actually alfredo sauce, not water and modified food starch with a little dash of cheese and cream. Food is getting gross. Don't settle for gross. If you're going to splurge, do it right, with real ingredients. Then you don't need to do it every other day, constantly in search of the elusive satisfaction that only comes from the real thing.

And finally, another salsa recipe:

1-2 Heirloom tomatoes (ugly is fine)
1 jalapeño (without seeds and membranes if you want it milder)
1/6 of a small red onion

1-2 garlic cloves

juice of 1 lime

pinch of salt

fresh cilantro (optional)

Buzz with a stick blender. YUM. When tomatoes are out of season, do yourself a favor and use a can (diced). Friends don't let friends eat fresh tomatoes in January. I like to make batch of this and dump it over a few chicken breasts in the crock pot. Cook on low for several hours and shred for tacos, burrito bowls, whatever. It's a favorite around here.

[Nyctophile]

 if you can stomach an entire cinnamon dolce latte, you probably have a sugar problem. 

totally agree with this. I never realized that my "sweet tooth" was basically a sugar addiction. i've been changing the way i eat and did a sugar detox when i first started. i dropped a pant size in two weeks (i'm also a larger person, so...). i was stunned when i tried regular peanut butter and it tasted like lard and sugar. when i had a sip of my bf's soda it felt like i was drinking floor cleaner. if you're having trouble dropping weight or feeling crappy in general i would definitely go with mmorrison's advice!

[despejado]

My two cents on eating for weight loss/maintenance: if you can stomach an entire cinnamon dolce latte, you probably have a sugar problem. When I get to that point, I go off it entirely (including breads, caramelized veg, fruits, and pastas) for several weeks. After that, my taste buds return to normal and I loosen up on the restrictions. It becomes easy not to overdo my sugar intake, because I can't eat the over-sweetened stuff after breaking the cycle. Even commercial crackers taste like syrup (because they're too sweet; everyone in the focus group just has a sugar addiction!) I always start losing weight at that point, fairly slowly and steadily, and I don't end up putting weight back on until and unless I let the sugar intake creep back up to gross American levels.

 

I agree this is probably true. I'm a decently small person (105 was alarming and uncomfortable to me the last time I was on a scale), so the three or four pounds I've gained recently really isn't a huge issue. I'm just a reactionary person, and my first instinct is "Holy shit! I better take these three pounds off before they turn into ten". I have found, however, that the amount of candy my parents keep around their house when I visit is not helpful, and my inability to resist this candy is indicative of a sugar addiction. I've scaled down to tall CDLs, and for the last three or four days, I haven't had one at all! 

 

I have learned to love (not a hard thing to do) sweet potato wedges, olive, oil, and cinnamon baked into soft and warm sweet potato wedges. It is so simple, but it is so genius. With asparagus and tilapia, its a very healthy dinner and it really doesn't take an obscene amount of time to put together. The most trouble I have is (being home for spring break), being dragged out to all the ridiculously fried and greasy joints my brothers want to go to. My little brother just got into college AND it's his birthday this month, so he's having a celebration lunch... at a taco joint that fries almost everything on their tacos. Of course.

 

Thank you guys, for all of the brilliant ideas and suggestions. My stretched stomach and I appreciate it very much

[mmorrison]

I agree this is probably true. I'm a decently small person (105 was alarming and uncomfortable to me the last time I was on a scale), so the three or four pounds I've gained recently really isn't a huge issue. I'm just a reactionary person, and my first instinct is "Holy shit! I better take these three pounds off before they turn into ten". I have found, however, that the amount of candy my parents keep around their house when I visit is not helpful, and my inability to resist this candy is indicative of a sugar addiction. I've scaled down to tall CDLs, and for the last three or four days, I haven't had one at all! 

 

I have learned to love (not a hard thing to do) sweet potato wedges, olive, oil, and cinnamon baked into soft and warm sweet potato wedges. It is so simple, but it is so genius. With asparagus and tilapia, its a very healthy dinner and it really doesn't take an obscene amount of time to put together. The most trouble I have is (being home for spring break), being dragged out to all the ridiculously fried and greasy joints my brothers want to go to. My little brother just got into college AND it's his birthday this month, so he's having a celebration lunch... at a taco joint that fries almost everything on their tacos. Of course.

 

Thank you guys, for all of the brilliant ideas and suggestions. My stretched stomach and I appreciate it very much

 

As a smaller person, you probably already know that people often will not be supportive of healthy diet changes in people who aren't obese: "you don't need to lose weight," etc. It's hard for people to understand (especially if they struggle with their own weight) that the scale isn't always the important thing; it's ok to not feel good even with a few extra pounds and want to remediate it. I just don't expect support anymore or ask people to help "keep me honest" with smart food choices. It makes it harder, but you can do it. Oh, another trick is to brush your teeth right after your last food of the day (instead of waiting until you head to bed). Late-night snacking is the worst, and if you've already brushed your teeth, you might be less likely to grab a treat that you don't need.

I usually drink plain lattes, but occasionally if I'm in the mood for a splurge, I'll get a toffee-nut latte with half the syrup. That might be a good way to wean yourself from that particular sugar trigger. My tough ones are mostly holiday-related, so once I run out of Nyakers gingersnaps, I'm usually good until the following Thanksgiving. ;-) Good luck!

[mmorrison]

totally agree with this. I never realized that my "sweet tooth" was basically a sugar addiction. i've been changing the way i eat and did a sugar detox when i first started. i dropped a pant size in two weeks (i'm also a larger person, so...). i was stunned when i tried regular peanut butter and it tasted like lard and sugar. when i had a sip of my bf's soda it felt like i was drinking floor cleaner. if you're having trouble dropping weight or feeling crappy in general i would definitely go with mmorrison's advice!

I know exactly what you mean about the floor-cleaner taste!

[despejado]

As a smaller person, you probably already know that people often will not be supportive of healthy diet changes in people who aren't obese: "you don't need to lose weight," etc. It's hard for people to understand (especially if they struggle with their own weight) that the scale isn't always the important thing; it's ok to not feel good even with a few extra pounds and want to remediate it. I just don't expect support anymore or ask people to help "keep me honest" with smart food choices. It makes it harder, but you can do it.

This! Yes. I always get told I don't need to lose weight, but with a small frame, the way my body feels changes significantly with only a few pounds gain or loss. Regardless, it's my decision to eat and feel how I want, not the decisions of anyone around me.

The half-syrup latte idea is so genius. I'm stealing it.

[iExcelAtMicrosoftPuns]

So. It is decided - there is a clear need for academic "health" food blog.

My post will be up by tomorrow!

With pics!

[Horb]

I'm in need to not eating potatoes all the time, regardless of their form (mashed vs baked vs roasted). I'm going to start working out and try to just eat lots of veggies and a little bit of chicken. Any idea on how healthy sushi is? I LOVE IT, and my school offers it nightly, but idk if it is as healthy as I think it is.

[despejado]

On 3/10/2014 at 12:55 PM, Horb said:

I'm in need to not eating potatoes all the time, regardless of their form (mashed vs baked vs roasted). I'm going to start working out and try to just eat lots of veggies and a little bit of chicken. Any idea on how healthy sushi is? I LOVE IT, and my school offers it nightly, but idk if it is as healthy as I think it is.

 

Sushi is GREAT, as long as you get it without the fried junk/spicy mayo.  I tend to stick to inside-out  rolls, which have avocado, crab, cucumber, and seaweed. They're delicious, low in calories, and excellently healthy.

 

Also, try switching to sweet potatoes, especially roasted. I mentioned the wedges I've been making somewhere above, and they're wonderful. Lots of vitamins, minerals, etc. 

[Horb]

What do you recommended for drinks? I obviously know water is great, but sometimes I want something flavorful. I love juices but they always tend to have a ton of sugar (which is probably what gives it that flavor). I do drink 1% milk too, so mainly that, water, and juice. I cancelled out soda, so I'm thinking if I restrict my diet to better food and reduce portion size I might be able to make my goal by june.

[despejado]

What do you recommended for drinks? I obviously know water is great, but sometimes I want something flavorful. I love juices but they always tend to have a ton of sugar (which is probably what gives it that flavor). I do drink 1% milk too, so mainly that, water, and juice. I cancelled out soda, so I'm thinking if I restrict my diet to better food and reduce portion size I might be able to make my goal by june.

 

Steaz Zero-Calorie Tea is great. It's naturally sweetened, so there are no sugar (g)s, and it's overall low in calories. There are peach, mango, citrus, pomegranate, half-tea/half-lemonade, etc, and they're all wonderful.

 

Also, just a regular, unsweetened tea (or tea with light amounts of honey) is a good alternative to soda/coffee.

[Kamisha]

What do you recommended for drinks? I obviously know water is great, but sometimes I want something flavorful. I love juices but they always tend to have a ton of sugar (which is probably what gives it that flavor). I do drink 1% milk too, so mainly that, water, and juice. I cancelled out soda, so I'm thinking if I restrict my diet to better food and reduce portion size I might be able to make my goal by june.

 

Make sure to avoid any and all drinks with aspartame. This is going to be most of your diet sodas, Crystal Light, etc.