Nutrition Fitness Life

I love pancakes! I used to have pancake eating contests with my brother as a kid. I’m not beating family members in pancake gorging fests these days (Thankfully!). In fact, I’m looking for an alternative to the usual white-floured, butter and maple flavored syrup-topped pancake.

See, as you may know, I’ve got a bad sugar addiction, and I’m working on weaning myself off the stuff - for good! I’m also of the opinion that food can taste just as good, and even better, without sugar - including pancakes! So, I’m on a mission to find a healthier pancake recipe that will produce delicious pancakes without encouraging my sugar addiction. I recently tried these two:

Protein Pancakes

You may see these on the menu for bodybuilders, sometimes with added protein powder. These pancakes are made with oats and lots of eggs. Feel free to use only egg whites, whole eggs, an egg substitute, or reduce the amount of eggs and add a little bit of milk to thin out the batter. And, as you may have already deduced, these pancakes are going to have a noticeable egg taste. It’s not unpleasant, but do keep in mind these pancakes are definitely not of the Aunt Jamima variety!

• 1/2 Cup Old Fashioned Oats (not instant)
• 4 egg whites*
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Dash of cinnamon (optional)

Combine oats, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon (if using). Beat eggs lightly in separate bowl. Add eggs to oats. Mix together. Add 1/4 C of pancake mixture to hot griddle or pan sprayed with nonstick cooking oil. Cook about 3 minutes on medium heat.** Then flip and cook the other side.

*(OR) egg substitute to equal 4 egg whites (OR) 2 whole eggs (OR) 2 egg whites and a splash of milk (OR) any combination of these. Feel free to experiment

**Cooking time really depends on how high the heat is (Don’t make it too high!) and how “done” you want your pancakes to be. Your best bet is to watch the pancake closely as it cooks. Lift a small portion with a pancake turner to see if it’s a light brown color. If so, it’s ready to be flipped!

Whole Wheat Pancakes

Higher in fiber and nutrients, these pancakes will stick-to-your-ribs but not to your hips (watch your portions, though)! You can actually use any whole grain flour, from oat, to spelt, to brown rice… whatever you like best.

I found these pancakes surprisingly tasty! The flax meal and touch of oil add a nutty, buttery flavor. I just put a little bit of a heart-healthy butter spread on top, and my pancake longings were fully satisfied!

• 1 egg (or 2 egg whites) lightly beaten
• 1/8 Cup canola oil
• 1 ¼ Cup low-fat buttermilk*
• 1 Cup whole wheat flour
• 1 Tbs flax meal (you can use flax seeds if more convenient)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Dash cinnamon (optional)

Combine flour, flax meal, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon (if using). In a separate bowl, mix eggs with oil and buttermilk. Turn on stove/griddle to medium heat. Now add wet ingredients to dry and mix until combined.

Using a measuring cup, pour 1/4 cup batter onto the pan and cook over medium to medium-high heat.** Brown lightly on both sides, turning once. The pancake will set, poof up a little, and start showing tiny bubbles when it’s ready to be flipped. After some practice, you’ll “just know” when it’s ready.

*If you don’t have buttermilk, here’s a good substitute: add 1 Tbs vinegar to a liquid measuring cup. Add milk so that the final measurement comes out to 1 ¼ cup. OR, if you don’t have vinegar, no worries; just use milk.

**Flick some water on the griddle or pan (whichever you are using). If the water “dances” on the pan, it’s ready. If the water droplets jump off the pan and sizzle loudly, the heat is up too high!

Toppings

(Always optional, but always fun):

• Heart-healthy butter spread
• Natural Peanut Butter
• Cashew Butter
• Fruit! (Strawberries are excellent!)
• Natural applesauce and walnuts
• Yogurt
• Plain yogurt mixed with no-sugar granola and mashed, ripe bananas
• Ricotta cheese, almond slices, and chopped, dried apricots
• Pumpkin puree mixed with pumpkin pie spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves)
• 100% maple syrup (If you’re not sensitive to sugar)

I realized I had forgotten my usual water/cranberry juice concoction when I got to work today. (”Aw, nuts”, I thought.)  I also feel like I’m fighting off a bug (Just lovely, especially when I have singing performances this weekend and the next!) 

I was really in the mood for fruit juice,so off I went to the snack shop in search of said fruit juice and a bottle of water. 

I picked a bottle that said 100% cranberry juice and checked the ingredients.  I sighed as I read high fructose corn syrup as the second ingredient and replaced the bottle back to its refrigerated shelf.  I inspected other fruit juices.  Some were listed as “immune defense” or “metabolism booster.”  Others were called “smart,” “clear,” “lite,” or “energy.”

Every one had either sugar, sucralose, aspartame, or high fructose corn syrup listed as an ingredient. It was rather disheartening.  All I wanted was just plain, fruit juice, nothing else. Is that too much to ask for?  Apparentely, it was!  

The only fruit drink that lacked these ingredients was a single bottle of orange juice with a thick layer of sediment at the bottom.  I opted to decline.  I ended up choosing a bottle of Dansani water, which I do like.  In the end, the water is probably better for me anyway.  

Good reminders to self: Bringing food (and drinks, in this case) is healthier than buying at work.  It always helps if I don’t forget to actually do this! 

A friend of mine griped the other day about not losing weight despite exercising 4-5 times a week and eating healthier. She acknowledged a loss of inches, but associates success with dropping numbers on the scale.

This is just one of the reasons why I dislike scales and don’t even own one. For those of you who are discouraged and ready to give up your exercising and eating clean efforts simply because you’re not getting lighter, pleeeease don’t!!!!

When someone says, “I’ve lost weight,” what does that mean, really? Is that weight water? Fat? Muscle?

We don’t want to lose muscle weight. Muscle is what burns most calories and boosts your metabolism. Muscle is what gives you that toned and cut look – Exhibit A: MizFit’s arms. Muscles like those don’t magically grow from Twinkie consumption.

Muscle is also heavier, yet denser, than fat. This means muscle takes up less space (yay) but weighs more (potentially discouraging).

A better determination of your progress would be a body fat composition analysis. Many gyms offer this test with skin calipers. Some medical centers or universities offer more accurate (and extensive and pricey) methods through dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) or hydrostatic weighing.

More conveniently, get out the tape measure and measure yourself.  Keep a record of your progress. Losing inches can mean a leaner body despite the scale refusing to budge.

Also, how are your clothes fitting? Are they feeling loose these days?  That’s a real easy way to gauge your fat blasting progress.

And speaking of feeling, how do you feel? Do you feel leaner, more energetic? Can you exercise longer, go faster, life heavier? If yes, you’re getting fitter, and that’s nothing to get discouraged about! So, even  if those pesky numbers on the scale aren’t dropping like you expect, keep exercising, keep working on your eating habits, and don’t ever give up!

Photo credit: pontuse

Who gets tight, sore muscles in the back of your neck and shoulders? Raise your hands!

I do. I get tight knots embedded deep within my muscles that give masseuses a run for their money! (Well, I am paying them, so they better not run until after the massage!)

I do love massages, but they can be expensive! I don’t want to shell out money for that sort of thing every month.

Massage chairs are a bit pricey too. I only try them in those funky, gadget stores.

Hubby is an alternative to the day spa. Think of how much money would be saved by my husband giving me neck and shoulder massages? As it is, giving (or getting) massages just isn’t his thing; go figure. Nix the husband masseuse option.

I’ve tried using a tennis ball on different trigger points in my back. I lie on the floor and position the ball right where the knot is located, and then I just sink into it. That yields one of those “good pain” sensations. Unfortunately I haven’t found the trick to getting those knots deep within my shoulders or even the back of my neck. I need a device that will push straight down into my shoulders - besides my own fingers. (Your hands and fingers get sore after being contorted into a position that will allow them to push really hard on tight shoulder knots.)

Enter the Shiatsu bar I found at Amazon called the Body Back Buddy. (That’s fun to say.) I don’t own one, but I did put it on my Wish List. Why not? It looks awkward, yet promising, and I’m willing to give it try. I might frighten people if I take it to work, though.

Also, I recently read that a weak trapezius muscle could be the culprit to neck strain. The trapezius muscle runs roughly from the bottom of your neck down to the middle of your back. It fans across the shoulders too. And if you sit at a computer all day, that causes even greater risk of developing those muscle knots. Strengthening your back, namely the trapezius, can help diminish those knots.

I also believe proper posture is pivotal to minimizing muscle soreness, as well. Slouching puts extra strain on the back, shoulder, and neck.

So, I’m going to pay extra attention to my posture while sitting at the computer, and I shall seek out exercises to strengthen my trapezius. I still really like the looks of that Shiatsu bar, though!

Time I share some link love! And what an exceptional week to do so. I read some great posts that may have you rethinking a few of your daily habits.

Workout mommy wrote two informative posts about the controversial chemical found in many water bottles and canned foods. Bisphenol-A (BPA) can leak out of the plastic and into your food/drink. (Nice!) BPA is associated with an increased risk for breast and prostate cancers, fertility difficulties, and behavioral problems in children when exposed in the womb. (Even better!)
Personally, I am tossing my used (and reused and reused) plastic water bottle in favor of a less toxic vessel!

While you’re tossing your BPA-laced plastic bottles into the recycling bin, you may want to get rid of those packets of Splenda too. JoLynn at The Fit Shack wrote an eye-opening post on how Splenda is not a healthy and safe sweetener as those commercials make it out to be. Hey, folks in Splendaville! You’re eating a chlorinated chemical! Mmmm… please pass the mustard gas.

Hey, it’s Friday, so let’s end on a positive note here. I want to share the triumphs of Cindy, from Go Workout Mom, and Melanie from, Life is a Marathon, both of whom completed the Country Music ½ Marathon this past weekend. Awesome job, ladies! You know I live vicariously through you, right?

Have a relaxing, yet active, weekend, everyone!

Photo credits: Nbauer, ukapala

My breakfast:

Red pepper and onion finely chopped, cooked in a pan. 3-ish eggs (1 ½ w/yolks, 2 just whites) scrambled. Freshly ground pepper and low-fat shredded cheese added for good measure. After it’s cooked just right, the scrambled eggs are placed on top of homemade bread (made from portions of wheat, oat, and brown rice flours).

It was absolutely delicious and filling! No visions of sweets danced in my head, let alone food, for the rest of the morning. A definite breakfast success today! I feel pretty good.

Photo credit: Ms. Needing to Improve Short Distance Focus

If you’re a sugar sensitive individual, you’re more prone to becoming addicted to the white stuff (sugar and refined foods). If you know you’re physically dependent on sugar and you truly want to end the addiction, there is hope.

I’m reading Potatoes, Not Prozac, and in it, seven steps to breaking free from sugar addiction are outlined.  Today I’m going to talk about the first one: Eating breakfast.

The best breakfast for a sugar sensitive individual includes 4 parts:

1. Eat breakfast with an adequate amount of protein for you.
2. Eat breakfast with a complex carbohydrate.
3. Eat breakfast right after waking.
4. Eat breakfast every day.

Eat an adequate amount of protein

An easy way to figure out how much you would need for breakfast is to divide your weight in half; 1/3rd of that value is the amount you would eat for breakfast.  Or, you can simply divide your weight by 6. So, if you weigh 130 lbs, you would need approx. 22 gms of protein at breakfast.

Very active folks and pregnant women may need a little more protein. However, the book does not recommended to go beyond 42 gms of protein, even if you weigh more than 250 lbs.

 Other sources on recommended daily amountsuse 0.8 - 1.8 gms of protein per kg of body weight per day.  The calculations in Potatoes, Not Prozac fall within this range. 

Eat a complex carbohydrate

Along with protein, complex carbohydrates also help keep blood sugar levels steady and hunger at bay. Plus, complex carbs provides more nutrients and fiber than the refined stuff. Complex carbohydrates include:

• Oats
• Whole wheat
• Brown rice
• Rye
• Quinoa
• Spelt
• Amaranth
• Barley
• Other whole grains

You can turn these into oatmeal, granola, cereal, bread, toast, pancakes, French toast, tortillas, and a bunch of other dishes!

Eat breakfast right after you wake up

Why is this important? It will help prevent a blood sugar crash.  You need fuel for your body soon after waking from not eating for 6+ hours.  Eating breaks that mini fast (that’s why it’s called break-fast).  If you skip breakfast or wait a few hours to eat, your blood sugar will drop. And this sets you up for a binge. 

Eat breakfast every day

This one seems like common sense, but applying it can be tough.  Skipping breakfast or eating one without quality protein doesn’t benefit sugar sensitive persons.  Their blood and brain chemistry will become unsteady. Plus, having breakfast every single day creates a habit that, in time, will become easier and easier to follow until it’s second nature. And I like that.  I’m not a morning person, so my sleepy self prefers not having to think too much about breakfast.

More than just eating 

This first step to healing a sugar addiction is more than just eating breakfast.  You will need to figure out things like, much you weigh, how much protein is in different foods, how much protein works best for you, what complex carbs you like and the amount that works best for you, and planning your schedule to include breakfast soon after getting out of bed.  In effect, you need to get to know your body and what works best for you.  Sometimes this can be a challenge, but it is a part of healing an addiction and working towards better health.

My progress

I’ve been eating a healthier breakfast since I made that my goal back in January, but I have room to improve.  I need to add a bit more protein, and I still have the occasional weekend pancakes with syrup.  But I have to say that I do notice a difference!  When eating a healthy breakfast I feel more energetic, and I’m satisfied until lunchtime. I tend to feel stuffed and sleepy after pancake indulgences, which makes me appreciate having protein at breakfast even more!

I’ve talked about the possibility of being addicted to sugar and more of the specifics on how sugar acts like a drug in some individuals. This post will cover the solution to kicking the sugar addiction, according to the book, Potatoes, Not Prozac.

I think the following best sums up a sugar addict’s solution to beating the sugar demons:

The solution is almost deceptively simple: if you eat the right foods at the right times, you can keep your serotonin and beta-endorphin at their optimal levels… Eating the right food is the ideal way to keep your brain chemicals in balance all the time (Potatoes, Not Prozac, p.88).

Those right kinds of foods recommended are proteins, complex carbohydrates, and vegetables. Each reduces blood sugar spikes, keeps you feeling full and satisfied longer, gives the body important nutrients and fiber, and aides in healing and bringing serotonin and beta-endorphin to steady levels.

Seven steps are presented in this book to wean you off sugar gently and adopt healthier habits:

1. Eat breakfast with protein and a complex carb every day.
2. Keep a food journal of what you eat and how you feel.
3. Eat lunch and dinner with protein.
4. Take recommended vitamins and have a potato before bed.
5. Change from “white foods” to “brown foods.”
6. Reduce or eliminate sugars.
7. Come alive.

A typical characteristic of sugar sensitive persons is that they are sometimes impulsive or impatient. We want to be free of sugar NOW so we go off sugar “cold turkey” but end up feeling miserable, binging on sweets, and then being worse off than we were before! Dr. DesMaisons recommends working on each step one at a time before moving to the next in order to stabilize our blood and brain chemistry. Apparently there is more to healing a sugar addiction than simply cutting out all sugars on day one.

There is a whole process for healing addictive behavior embedded in the steps. Healing addition is key. The change of food heals your biochemistry and the process heals your behavior (Potatoes, Not Prozac, p. 94).

I am not going to attempt to explain each step in a single post; that would take too long! I’d like to summarize them as I work through them. Yep, I’ve decided to give this program a try. It looks sensible, the foods are healthy, and the recommendations don’t appear off the wall. (Although I am curious about that potato before bed recommendation!)

I also like that there are no specific menus I have to follow. The beauty of this program is that I can choose what I want to eat and how much. If I want turkey instead of eggs as my protein, so be it. If I want whole wheat bread instead of oats, that’s cool too. I think having the freedom to choose what to eat also helps with learning new and healthier behaviors and making them long lasting habits.

In the next “Adventures in Healing Sugar Addiction,” I’ll talk about step 1, breakfast.

Photo credit: jhounshell

I like Carrie Underwood. I think she has clear and powerful voice. She also seems to conduct herself in a decent manner. Yet, this seemingly sweet, country girl from Oklahoma is not immune to the pressures that Hollywood, and society in general, place on the importance of looking thin and beautiful.

Something just didn’t sit right with me when I read this article from People which touches upon Carrie’s thoughts about her appearance and using sweets as a means of comfort. The full article about Carrie Underwood is featured in this month’s issue of InStyle.

In my opinion, her focus on analyzing her body and needing to stay thin seems to be playing games with an obsession and even an eating disorder. And eating disorders never play nicely. Emotional eating may be a problem for her as she speaks about turning to ice cream when experiencing sadness and hurt.

Now, I don’t think there is anything wrong with thinking about improving one’s body and counting calories. In fact, I believe this can be very helpful to losing weight and improving health. However, I believe it turns into a problem when thoughts about such things become obsessions. Obsessions interfere with simply living and enjoying life. Obsessions about body weight and calories open doors to other problems, like eating disorders.

Riches, fame, talent, and beauty do not exempt one from the pressures to stay thin (and may even encourage it), whether those pressures are external (coming from others/society) or internal (created in your mind). I bet Carrie is feeling these pressures, and her celebrity status most likely intensifies them.

Here’s some food for thought: Does Carrie’s simply being a woman in the spotlight increase her pressure to remain thin? Will beauty according to Hollywood standards help her earn more money than by her talents alone? Does this apply to women in other professions? And what about the guys? Do they have it easier with appearance expectations?

I appreciate all your comments on my previous post about sugar addiction. This topic has really got me thinking! I’d like to explore it further.

If truth be told, I never considered sugar a drug, but much of my reading suggests that sugar is capable of acting like a potent drug in certain individuals. Sugar seems to act on the same receptors in the brain that alcohol and drugs like morphine or heroin do. That gets my attention!

The Society of Neuroscience claims drugs, such as morphine, and sugar act on the same pleasure receptors in the brain which makes certain individuals want more of the substance.

Another study reported the association between sugar withdrawal and opioid dependence. In the study, rats were fed lots of sugar. Then they were given an opioid blocking medication, and, wouldn’t you know, the rats started demonstrating withdrawal symptoms, suggesting similarities between the affects opiates and sugar have on the brain.

This study described a greater consumption of sugar after completely avoiding it temporarily, thus pointing to possible sugar dependence.

The book I’m reading now, Potatoes, Not Prozac, explains that two brain chemicals, serotonin and beta-endorphin, tend to be lower in sugar sensitive individuals. These two chemicals can influence your mood and energy levels. They make us feel mellow, content, and even help block pain (Think of a “runner’s high). Having low levels of these chemicals results in feeling scattered, emotional, depressed, acting impulsively, and cravings sweets or refined carbs.

Eating sugar increases the release of these brain chemicals, but the effect this has in a sugar sensitive person can be dramatic. Sugar can make the sugar sensitive person feel giddy, confident, lively, talkative, and other symptoms similar to having too many alcoholic drinks!

When the brain becomes dependent on sugar, it wants (and needs) more in order to get those great feelings. The more sugar we eat, the more we want! It becomes a vicious cycle.

Eating sugar also spikes an insulin response; blood sugar levels sore and then eventually crash. Unstable blood sugar levels leave us irritable, moody, lethargic, and craving more sweets. And eating more sweets just exacerbates the unstable blood sugar levels– another vicious cycle.

The solution for sugar addiction, according to Potatoes, Not Prozac, is to raise serotonin and beta-endorphin in a healthier manner and steady blood sugar levels, all the while slowly weaning yourself off sugar.

The goal is steadiness - in mind, body, and emotions. This may be a slow process, but by doing it slowly, you give your body a chance to heal gently instead of shocking your system and dealing with terrible withdraw symptoms.

I can’t look at sugar or artificial sweeteners as innocent additions to foods anymore.  For some individuals, sugar truly is a drug that affects their health and prevents them from living life to the fullest.

Do you think you might be a sugar sensitive person, even addicted to sugar?  Or can you have a take-it-or-leave attitude with regards to it?

Photo credit: jefras