Hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving break! I did, but now it's back to work for me. Lots of work to do this month and so very little time.....I will literally not be at home any weekend out of this month (I'm counting next weekend as "away" since I'll be at a conference here in Philly), and I have a feeling I'll be scrambling all month!
The winners of the Lea & Perrins giveaway were Ashley and Emily. Congrats, girls! I'll have your coupons to you right away.
Speaking of Lea & Perrins, they are having a contest right now called "Shine at Dinnertime." The contest features videos of recipes that use Worcestershire sauce. There are some great ideas, and since Worcestershire sauce is so great on savory dishes, this is the best time of year to The submissions have already closed, but the voting is on right now - so check it out! If you head on over there, go to their main page to print out a $1 off coupon too. Gotta love a good deal :)
I'll have more in a few days, with some thoughts on working out in the winter, my wish list for this holiday season, and another product review. For now, though, I've gotta get back to work!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Beef and Barley Soup and a Giveaway
It may be almost Thanksgiving, but it certainly doesn't feel like it here in Philly. The weather has been warm this week, and today was even flip flop weather. I know I'm headed back home tomorrow, though, and into the tundra - in MN it's well below freezing already. We do have a lot of our food planned because of Thanksgiving, but if we need something extra to warm us up, I'll be making this soup.
It may not be a "Thanksgiving food," but beef and barley soup is a classic, hearty winter food. There's something about it - maybe the beef, maybe the vegetables, maybe just the smell - that warms us from the inside out. And it's pretty simple to make - I mean, sure, you CAN buy it in a can, but why do that when you can make it fresher and make your house smell warm and happy at the same time?
One of my favorite things to do is collect recipes from friends. I am building quite the collection by now, what with family, high school and college friends, and grad school buddies. This recipe is one of my new favorites, and it comes from Ashley, my friend and labmate whose wedding I will be in next fall. Next time you need something to warm your soul, try this recipe!
Beef and Barley Soup
from Ashley
5 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
2 small onions, chopped
plenty of chopped sage, thyme and any other fresh stew herbs that are available
6 carrots, peeled and chopped (I used baby carrots)
6 turnips, peeled and chopped
2 lbs stew beef, cut into 1 inch chunks (I used ground beef)
4 cups beef stock, 4 cups water
4 tomatoes, boiled, peeled, seeded, and chopped (I used cherry tomatoes)
2 cups barley
salt and pepper to taste
around 2 tsp Worchestershire sauce
In a large stock pot or dutch oven or stew pot, melt a few pats of butter and some olive oil over medium heat.
Add the garlic and onions, cook for about 5 minutes until they are translucent.
Add the chopped herbs and stir together.
Add the stew meat and allow to brown on all sides. Try not to overcrowd the pot.
This is where I like to add the Worchestershire, just for a little extra flavor.
Add the carrots and turnips, stire occasionally for another 5 minutes.
Add the stock and water and the tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Allow to simmer for 1 to 1½ hours, add the barley and continue simmering until the barley is fully cooked.
Remove from heat, serve with crusty bread and butter.
The end result? Delicious.
So, you may have noticed that the recipe calls for something unorthodox: Worcestershire sauce. It may be difficult to pronounce, but it's amazing stuff. Somehow, it makes meat taste more......meaty. Everything tastes a little more savory with it - and I can't say enough about what it does for this soup. I have to thank Lea and Perrins, who gave me a coupon for a free bottle for review. Of course, my reviews are always my own opinion, and I love this sauce. The sauce made the soup, that's for sure!
The kind folks at Lea and Perrins have also given me two more coupons to give away to readers. If you would like to win, leave a comment saying "I want to win!" I will pick winners at the end of the week.
Happy Thanksgiving to all - make sure to savor the time with loved ones!
It may not be a "Thanksgiving food," but beef and barley soup is a classic, hearty winter food. There's something about it - maybe the beef, maybe the vegetables, maybe just the smell - that warms us from the inside out. And it's pretty simple to make - I mean, sure, you CAN buy it in a can, but why do that when you can make it fresher and make your house smell warm and happy at the same time?
One of my favorite things to do is collect recipes from friends. I am building quite the collection by now, what with family, high school and college friends, and grad school buddies. This recipe is one of my new favorites, and it comes from Ashley, my friend and labmate whose wedding I will be in next fall. Next time you need something to warm your soul, try this recipe!
Beef and Barley Soup
from Ashley
5 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
2 small onions, chopped
plenty of chopped sage, thyme and any other fresh stew herbs that are available
6 carrots, peeled and chopped (I used baby carrots)
6 turnips, peeled and chopped
2 lbs stew beef, cut into 1 inch chunks (I used ground beef)
4 cups beef stock, 4 cups water
4 tomatoes, boiled, peeled, seeded, and chopped (I used cherry tomatoes)
2 cups barley
salt and pepper to taste
around 2 tsp Worchestershire sauce
In a large stock pot or dutch oven or stew pot, melt a few pats of butter and some olive oil over medium heat.
Add the garlic and onions, cook for about 5 minutes until they are translucent.
Add the chopped herbs and stir together.
Add the stew meat and allow to brown on all sides. Try not to overcrowd the pot.
This is where I like to add the Worchestershire, just for a little extra flavor.
Add the carrots and turnips, stire occasionally for another 5 minutes.
Add the stock and water and the tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Allow to simmer for 1 to 1½ hours, add the barley and continue simmering until the barley is fully cooked.
Remove from heat, serve with crusty bread and butter.
The end result? Delicious.
So, you may have noticed that the recipe calls for something unorthodox: Worcestershire sauce. It may be difficult to pronounce, but it's amazing stuff. Somehow, it makes meat taste more......meaty. Everything tastes a little more savory with it - and I can't say enough about what it does for this soup. I have to thank Lea and Perrins, who gave me a coupon for a free bottle for review. Of course, my reviews are always my own opinion, and I love this sauce. The sauce made the soup, that's for sure!
The kind folks at Lea and Perrins have also given me two more coupons to give away to readers. If you would like to win, leave a comment saying "I want to win!" I will pick winners at the end of the week.
Happy Thanksgiving to all - make sure to savor the time with loved ones!
Great news!
Some good news: I just had a thesis committee meeting on Monday, and I have permission to write my thesis! That means that I will be finishing up by May 22 at the latest - but I'm shooting for late April, if things go well.
After more than four years of graduate work, it is almost surreal to be thinking of finishing my thesis. I'm so excited! Now I can actually plan ahead to moving in with the boyfriend and finally being a real (non-long-distance) family.
I really do have a lot to be thankful for this year - I mean, I finished a half marathon with a new PR and got permission to write my thesis, all in two days! There is a lot of work left to do, but it's finally coming together :)
After more than four years of graduate work, it is almost surreal to be thinking of finishing my thesis. I'm so excited! Now I can actually plan ahead to moving in with the boyfriend and finally being a real (non-long-distance) family.
I really do have a lot to be thankful for this year - I mean, I finished a half marathon with a new PR and got permission to write my thesis, all in two days! There is a lot of work left to do, but it's finally coming together :)
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Another Half Marathon, and A New PR
The last half marathon of the year is finished, and I'm so happy!
This morning, I got up way before dawn to run the Philadelphia Half Marathon, which was held at the same time as the Philadelphia Marathon. The best part of the race is that it started at the art museum, which is only a little over a mile from home for me - this meant I only had to get up at 5:20 for the 7am start time. I got dressed pretty quickly and had my typical pre-race breakfast, some coffee and a piece of toast with peanut butter. I learned my lesson from the last half and skipped the milk in my coffee, which made a huge difference!
The start of the race was a chilly one - 40 degrees with a windchill of 37. Everyone was bundled up in their ridiculous outfits, mostly items from Goodwill meant to be thrown to the side at the start. I had bought a fleece from Gap Outlet for that same purpose - it was only $12, and I figured if it weighed me down, I would throw it to the side and not worry about it. Here's me in my pre-race ensemble:
As you can tell, the sun was just coming up! The darkness certainly didn't help with the confusion surrounding the race corrals - I did see a colored flag a bit later, but they were really not very visible. All of the corrals were mixed up in my area, but I knew if I just lined up not far from the back, I'd be ok. What started as a frustrating part of the race actually turned out very well for me - I somehow ended up starting with the corral before mine, which is what I'd wanted to do from the start. Last race, I started with my assigned corral and ended up dodging people who were walking the whole thing, or running it all at a pace slower than my running pace. Since I do a walk/run method, my running pace is actually faster than my average pace, which means I run at the speed of an earlier corral. The early start meant less waiting and meant I could start a bit faster than I wanted, instead of slower, which meant a lot in the end. With a high five from Mayor Nutter, I was off!
I started out with 0.8 miles at an 11:30/mi pace, which I knew I couldn't keep up. Although it's best to keep a steady pace the whole time, starting out a bit fast worked well for me before, and it worked again this time. My first 2 miles were under 13:00/mi, and my first 7 were under 14:00. It was at this point I started to get a bit tired, and walked a little more. There was a hill at mile 9 that was absolutely soul-crushing, and I started to doubt myself - I knew I could finish, but I didn't know if I could make my goal of under 3:00. I just tried to walk fast when I took my walking breaks, and kept on going.
It was at mile 10.0 that I realized - I could do this! I had 3.1 miles to go, and 45 minutes left before 3:00, which meant I just needed to keep up a pace of a little under 15:00/mi. None of my miles had been over 15:00, and I knew I could keep up the pace I was at. I made sure to walk as fast as possible, trying to stay under 15:00 even when I was walking. Although I'd been sticking to my Camelbak up until then, at mile 11 I had a vanilla Gu and a glass of water from the aid station, which was amazing.
Finally, I reached the point where the marathoners split off from the half marathoners. I saw many people coming in from their marathons - which was a bit disheartening, since they'd literally run twice as fast as me. But I knew the finish was close, and there were people lining the roads, cheering. I picked up the pace and finished my last 0.29 miles (I ended up running a little over due to going around people, etc.) at an 11:45/mi pace. I came in at 2:58:16 unofficial Garmin time - I will know my official time in a few days!
One medal and one mylar blanket later (along with my fleece, which I kept), and I was a happy camper!
I am really very happy about this finish - I did much better than I expected to, given the amount of time I've had to train lately and the amount of stress I'm under. I didn't do as many long runs as I'd wanted, and I cut a few runs short, so I expected to finish somewhere between my other two times (3:02 and 3:15). Everything came together today, and I put all of my stress and frustration into the run. A new PR is great, and I'm so proud of finishing three half marathons this year!
This winter, I'm going to take a break from distance running to focus on strength training and getting more toned. I've lost a few pounds running this year, and have definitely gotten in better shape, but I really want to improve my strength and get some muscle tone in my abs and arms. My legs have gotten SO much better - I just need the rest of my body to catch up!
Now I'm off to finish up an experiment before my committee meeting tomorrow - wish me luck! Coming soon are posts on a few product reviews I've done (plus a giveaway!) and some holiday food, but that's it for tonight. Enjoy the rest of this gorgeous Sunday!
This morning, I got up way before dawn to run the Philadelphia Half Marathon, which was held at the same time as the Philadelphia Marathon. The best part of the race is that it started at the art museum, which is only a little over a mile from home for me - this meant I only had to get up at 5:20 for the 7am start time. I got dressed pretty quickly and had my typical pre-race breakfast, some coffee and a piece of toast with peanut butter. I learned my lesson from the last half and skipped the milk in my coffee, which made a huge difference!
The start of the race was a chilly one - 40 degrees with a windchill of 37. Everyone was bundled up in their ridiculous outfits, mostly items from Goodwill meant to be thrown to the side at the start. I had bought a fleece from Gap Outlet for that same purpose - it was only $12, and I figured if it weighed me down, I would throw it to the side and not worry about it. Here's me in my pre-race ensemble:
As you can tell, the sun was just coming up! The darkness certainly didn't help with the confusion surrounding the race corrals - I did see a colored flag a bit later, but they were really not very visible. All of the corrals were mixed up in my area, but I knew if I just lined up not far from the back, I'd be ok. What started as a frustrating part of the race actually turned out very well for me - I somehow ended up starting with the corral before mine, which is what I'd wanted to do from the start. Last race, I started with my assigned corral and ended up dodging people who were walking the whole thing, or running it all at a pace slower than my running pace. Since I do a walk/run method, my running pace is actually faster than my average pace, which means I run at the speed of an earlier corral. The early start meant less waiting and meant I could start a bit faster than I wanted, instead of slower, which meant a lot in the end. With a high five from Mayor Nutter, I was off!
I started out with 0.8 miles at an 11:30/mi pace, which I knew I couldn't keep up. Although it's best to keep a steady pace the whole time, starting out a bit fast worked well for me before, and it worked again this time. My first 2 miles were under 13:00/mi, and my first 7 were under 14:00. It was at this point I started to get a bit tired, and walked a little more. There was a hill at mile 9 that was absolutely soul-crushing, and I started to doubt myself - I knew I could finish, but I didn't know if I could make my goal of under 3:00. I just tried to walk fast when I took my walking breaks, and kept on going.
It was at mile 10.0 that I realized - I could do this! I had 3.1 miles to go, and 45 minutes left before 3:00, which meant I just needed to keep up a pace of a little under 15:00/mi. None of my miles had been over 15:00, and I knew I could keep up the pace I was at. I made sure to walk as fast as possible, trying to stay under 15:00 even when I was walking. Although I'd been sticking to my Camelbak up until then, at mile 11 I had a vanilla Gu and a glass of water from the aid station, which was amazing.
Finally, I reached the point where the marathoners split off from the half marathoners. I saw many people coming in from their marathons - which was a bit disheartening, since they'd literally run twice as fast as me. But I knew the finish was close, and there were people lining the roads, cheering. I picked up the pace and finished my last 0.29 miles (I ended up running a little over due to going around people, etc.) at an 11:45/mi pace. I came in at 2:58:16 unofficial Garmin time - I will know my official time in a few days!
One medal and one mylar blanket later (along with my fleece, which I kept), and I was a happy camper!
I am really very happy about this finish - I did much better than I expected to, given the amount of time I've had to train lately and the amount of stress I'm under. I didn't do as many long runs as I'd wanted, and I cut a few runs short, so I expected to finish somewhere between my other two times (3:02 and 3:15). Everything came together today, and I put all of my stress and frustration into the run. A new PR is great, and I'm so proud of finishing three half marathons this year!
This winter, I'm going to take a break from distance running to focus on strength training and getting more toned. I've lost a few pounds running this year, and have definitely gotten in better shape, but I really want to improve my strength and get some muscle tone in my abs and arms. My legs have gotten SO much better - I just need the rest of my body to catch up!
Now I'm off to finish up an experiment before my committee meeting tomorrow - wish me luck! Coming soon are posts on a few product reviews I've done (plus a giveaway!) and some holiday food, but that's it for tonight. Enjoy the rest of this gorgeous Sunday!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Favorite Fall (CSA) Recipes
Finally, fall is here! The leaves are changing colors and it's noticably brisk during my morning runs. I've been really enjoying my runs lately, and have been feeling much better about running than I was during my last half marathon - but we'll save that for another post. Today, I'm here to talk about food - yummy, sweet and savory, heart-warming fall food.
Fall is without a doubt my favorite season. I have always been a bit of a nerd (go figure), so fall meant back-to-school time and all the excitement that came with it. The shiny new shoes and new fall clothes, brand new pencils and binders and books.....it still makes me happy to walk through the "back-to-school" stuff at Target (which is now out in mid-July?!?) and bask in the anticipation, even though my school days are over. But aside from all that, fall meant more warm, hearty meals - soups, meatloaf, even the cookies and candy of the holidays. And my favorite of all - pumpkin.
There's something about pumpkin that just warms your heart. It's sweet but can be savory, it reminds us of Halloween and Thanksgiving at the same time - and any food that can be carved for amusement and also eaten in zillions of ways has definitely earned its place as a favorite.
But lately, my status as a member of a CSA has been creating quite the challenge for good old pumpkin. I have yet to receive anything pumpkin related in my CSA boxes, which means that I have less time for making pumpkin-themed goodies, and more demand for recipes with other fall vegetables. Overall, this is a good thing - believe me, I will always make room for pumpkin lattes and other baked goods, but I could use to branch out once in a while.
I have been using the internet for most of my recipes lately, mostly because I'm simply too busy right now to get too creative on my own. Of course I'll modify recipes, and throw in a little of whatever veggie is languishing in the fridge - but I don't have time to think things through and create something all my own. Which is ok - because there are lots of good recipes out there! Some of my favorites include:
Breakfast
Sweet Potato Pancake from Healthy Tipping Point - I modify this one by using pumpkin instead of sweet potato - I rarely have time to make any sort of sweet potato mash in the morning. I've also added instant coffee to make a "Pumpkin-Spice Latte Pancake."
Oat Bran - I add something new each season, or as new fruit comes into season. This summer was all peaches and blueberries with maple almond butter, and now this fall is fresh CSA apples with either honey peanut butter or maple almond butter.
Egg and cheese sandwich - No recipe required for this one! I ordered some free-range eggs from the CSA (I'm sure you could pick them up at Whole Foods or TJs), and at least once a week I enjoy an egg, omelette-style, with cheddar on a sandwich thin. Yum! Not so much a seasonal favorite - but definitely a hearty breakfast to warm you up.
Lunch/Dinner
Roasted Turnips - I just had these last night, and they were tender, juicy, and slightly sweet. Not bitter at all - probably my favorite dish with turnips in it, ever.
Roasted Kohlrabi - These little vegetables look like tiny alien babies - I wasn't exactly sure what to do with them. The recipe is super simple - just some olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and parmesan - but it does wonders. I now can actually say that I love kohlrabi! If you haven't tried it yet, you should.
Mark Bittman's Autumn Millet Bake (from 101 Cookbooks) - This is a great way to put together a bunch of autumn vegetables in the same dish. Super easy (although a bit time-consuming), and definitely very versatile.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes - This one is terrific as a side dish, or even as dessert. I'd imagine that they might even be good with cinnamon ice cream!
Baked Goodies
Pumpkin Scones - These are a must-have for fall, and a close match for my favorite Starbucks scones. My favorite part is that these are a little lighter than Starbucks' but just as tasty.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies - I didn't follow this specific recipe, but it looks like a pretty decent one. I can't say I've gotten these to come out exactly cookie-like - ever - but they are always delicious, and despite the strangeness of the pumpkin, they're always gone in a matter of minutes at work.
Starbucks Chocolate Cinnamon Bread - I've made this at least once per fall since I first saw it at Starbucks. I don't think they have it in stores anymore, but it's so tasty. The cinnamon adds a bit of intriguing flavor, and keeps it in the "warming" fall flavor category.
For anyone who's recently been plunged into the fall temperatures, or just encountered their first kohlrabi at a CSA or farmers' market - I say embrace it! Fall is about warmth, family, and feeling at home - make sure it's full of fun food choices as well.
Fall is without a doubt my favorite season. I have always been a bit of a nerd (go figure), so fall meant back-to-school time and all the excitement that came with it. The shiny new shoes and new fall clothes, brand new pencils and binders and books.....it still makes me happy to walk through the "back-to-school" stuff at Target (which is now out in mid-July?!?) and bask in the anticipation, even though my school days are over. But aside from all that, fall meant more warm, hearty meals - soups, meatloaf, even the cookies and candy of the holidays. And my favorite of all - pumpkin.
There's something about pumpkin that just warms your heart. It's sweet but can be savory, it reminds us of Halloween and Thanksgiving at the same time - and any food that can be carved for amusement and also eaten in zillions of ways has definitely earned its place as a favorite.
But lately, my status as a member of a CSA has been creating quite the challenge for good old pumpkin. I have yet to receive anything pumpkin related in my CSA boxes, which means that I have less time for making pumpkin-themed goodies, and more demand for recipes with other fall vegetables. Overall, this is a good thing - believe me, I will always make room for pumpkin lattes and other baked goods, but I could use to branch out once in a while.
I have been using the internet for most of my recipes lately, mostly because I'm simply too busy right now to get too creative on my own. Of course I'll modify recipes, and throw in a little of whatever veggie is languishing in the fridge - but I don't have time to think things through and create something all my own. Which is ok - because there are lots of good recipes out there! Some of my favorites include:
Breakfast
Sweet Potato Pancake from Healthy Tipping Point - I modify this one by using pumpkin instead of sweet potato - I rarely have time to make any sort of sweet potato mash in the morning. I've also added instant coffee to make a "Pumpkin-Spice Latte Pancake."
Oat Bran - I add something new each season, or as new fruit comes into season. This summer was all peaches and blueberries with maple almond butter, and now this fall is fresh CSA apples with either honey peanut butter or maple almond butter.
Egg and cheese sandwich - No recipe required for this one! I ordered some free-range eggs from the CSA (I'm sure you could pick them up at Whole Foods or TJs), and at least once a week I enjoy an egg, omelette-style, with cheddar on a sandwich thin. Yum! Not so much a seasonal favorite - but definitely a hearty breakfast to warm you up.
Lunch/Dinner
Roasted Turnips - I just had these last night, and they were tender, juicy, and slightly sweet. Not bitter at all - probably my favorite dish with turnips in it, ever.
Roasted Kohlrabi - These little vegetables look like tiny alien babies - I wasn't exactly sure what to do with them. The recipe is super simple - just some olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and parmesan - but it does wonders. I now can actually say that I love kohlrabi! If you haven't tried it yet, you should.
Mark Bittman's Autumn Millet Bake (from 101 Cookbooks) - This is a great way to put together a bunch of autumn vegetables in the same dish. Super easy (although a bit time-consuming), and definitely very versatile.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes - This one is terrific as a side dish, or even as dessert. I'd imagine that they might even be good with cinnamon ice cream!
Baked Goodies
Pumpkin Scones - These are a must-have for fall, and a close match for my favorite Starbucks scones. My favorite part is that these are a little lighter than Starbucks' but just as tasty.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies - I didn't follow this specific recipe, but it looks like a pretty decent one. I can't say I've gotten these to come out exactly cookie-like - ever - but they are always delicious, and despite the strangeness of the pumpkin, they're always gone in a matter of minutes at work.
Starbucks Chocolate Cinnamon Bread - I've made this at least once per fall since I first saw it at Starbucks. I don't think they have it in stores anymore, but it's so tasty. The cinnamon adds a bit of intriguing flavor, and keeps it in the "warming" fall flavor category.
For anyone who's recently been plunged into the fall temperatures, or just encountered their first kohlrabi at a CSA or farmers' market - I say embrace it! Fall is about warmth, family, and feeling at home - make sure it's full of fun food choices as well.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
How reading "healthy living" blogs has changed MY life
In the past few days, the "healthy living" blog world has exploded. A recent article by Marie Claire magazine, which seems to have taken an extreme opinion of the blogs in question, has incited quite the controversy. An article on Jezebel sums it up pretty well (and includes links to the article and the bloggers' responses), so I won't get into it too much, but: The article takes to task the creators of several popular blogs, whom the author calls the "Big Six," saying that instead of promoting healthy food and exercise habits, they often encourage people to exercise too much, eat too little, and employ eating-disordered habits to keep themselves too thin.
Now, I have been reading most of these blogs for almost two years, and have to say that I haven't seen (or noticed?) too many of the things that the article mentions, at least not to the extreme that is suggested by the article. I do agree with Rachel from Hollaback Health, though, when she says that perhaps we don't notice these behaviors on the blogs we read because we consider the bloggers to be friends - it's a little too close for us to be seeing clearly. I think it's obvious that some changes are in order, and we all need to be a little more careful about what we say and how we say it. Certain types of discussions about weight and food can potentially be damaging to readers with emerging or existing eating disorders. Even though the responsibility is in the reader's hands when something is out there, we need to keep in mind that what we do and say does, ultimately, have consequences for our readers.
Moving on from the controversy, though: I feel that something left out of the article entirely was the perspective of the many, many readers whose lives have been changed for the better by reading these blogs. I am one of those people, and I think my story was lost along the way when the story of these blogs was written, perhaps in favor of controversy and magazine sales.
Let's look at it this way: the majority of Americans at this point are overweight or obese. This means that instead of it being one unhealthy person surrounded by people with healthier habits, most people in this country are eating too much, exercising too little, and caring WAY too little about their health. In our society now, the "norm" is the inactive person. This means that people like me, who got a bad start at healthy living but are trying to improve, do not necessarily have a support system or safety net at home. The person who likes to run 5Ks on weekends, or will eat millet and butternut squash for dinner, is often doing these things alone because their friends don't understand the desire to be healthy, or have any desire to exercise together. The "healthy living" blog community provides a space for people like us to find others who will support and inspire us along our journey.
Here, for your enjoyment, is my story, the perspective that was nowhere to be found in Marie Claire, which I feel is much more common than those who learn harmful behaviors from the blogs in question:
Growing up, I was always a "chubby," but happy, kid. I can't recall a time after I was at all self-aware that I was not aware of being larger than most of my classmates and friends. At first, it was ok - I was a bit taller than everyone else, too, and I didn't worry too much. I think the self-consciousness came with puberty, when other people grew taller than me but I was still the "chubby" kid. It didn't help that at school we had to wear these shirts at gym that had the actual size of the shirt written in huge letters on the outside - I think that was supposed to help the laundry people and the people handing out the shirts to us, but I distinctly remember trying to cover up my shirt for several years of gym class. Not a good way to get kids to participate in gym, huh?
Throughout my childhood, I never really learned healthy habits. When I came home from school, my grandma, who had the best of intentions but liked to spoil her granddaughter, would give me anything I wanted for a snack - even a taco from Taco Bell or fries from McDonalds. I rode horses, but didn't do any other physical activity outside gym at school - I was never encouraged to, since I was a smart kid and was supposed to be working hard on my homework. I was never teased too much at school for my size - although I never really ran with the "cool kids," either. But I definitely didn't like being the size I was, and I remember being super excited when I lost about 20 pounds during the year I played lacrosse during high school. Since I hadn't really learned to connect how I ate or exercised with my weight, though, I promptly gained all the weight back when lacrosse season ended and I didn't pick up any other sports. I even stopped riding horses around that time in high school, and began to gain even more weight. Sure, I was still growing a little since I was a teenager - but I was getting much larger. College came then, too, bringing more than the "freshman 15." Over the 4 years between sophomore year of high school and sophomore year of college, I gained a total of 50 pounds, with my max being at 235 pounds.
My moment of realization came when I looked at pictures taken of me at the end of sophomore year of college. I had been out with friends for a celebratory dinner, and dressed up nice. We had a blast, and I am smiling in all of the pictures. Happy and dressed up - I should look my best, right? When I looked at these pictures, I wanted to cry - I was bigger than I had ever been, and I didn't feel happy in my own skin anymore when I really saw how I looked. I knew something had to change.
The summer between sophomore year and junior year, I joined a gym. I had nothing to do that summer, aside from studying for the LSAT (funny, since I'm a PhD student now). I devoted 1-2 hours each day to the gym and found ways to eat healthier. I remember being scared at the gym at first - I felt like everyone was watching me, and I didn't even know how to work the elliptical machine. I took it slow, though, building up time on the machines and weights as I went, and eventually joined the classes, taking a liking to the yoga and dance classes. During that summer, I lost 20 pounds, and during the next year and a half, I lost 15 more, for a total of 35 pounds.
I still didn't have a support system, though. Whenever I was tired or stressed, I still ate too much - and as I was getting busier and busier with schoolwork going into graduate school, I had less and less time for exercise. My priorities were shifting away from my health, and I started to become less healthy again. I only gained back a little over 10 pounds, but the change in my lifestyle was having other effects. I couldn't cope well with anxiety and was starting to feel like a failure in grad school, despite the fact that I was right on track with my progress.
And then I stumbled upon "healthy living" blogs. I was looking for a recipe, and through links I ended up reading through several of the blogs that were mentioned in the Marie Claire article. Of course, a few years ago, they weren't as big as they are now - but I found them very interesting. I never really paid too much attention to the "what I ate all day" posts, but I definitely started to branch out with what I ate and try some healthier choices (more veggies, whole grains) because of the recipes they posted. But it was their love of exercise - really, of activity - that was most inspiring to me.
I didn't think I could ever become a runner, but I saw how these girls had started off slow with running and become "real" runners with time - and I was inspired to do the same. I started with Couch-to-5K, which was recommended by several "healthy living" blogs (I remember Caitlin mentioning it many times, but I'm sure that I saw it elsewhere too). After a few months of that, I completed my first 5K in the spring of 2009 - I did it run/walk, but I finished it. Over the next year, I kept at it - slowly, sometimes with breaks - and stayed at around 2 or 3 mile runs most of the time. I found that I really loved running, and that doing some sort of physical activity helped me cope with stress and made me much more even-keel during the day. I felt like I had control over my life again.
Finally, this January, I saw a promotion for the 13.1 Marathon half-marathon series, which had a race in Boston that benefited the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation. I know a few people with Crohn's or colitis, and as an immunology student, I know how little we actually know about what causes IBD and related diseases. I know we need more money for research - and I wanted to do something about it. I couldn't raise a lot of money - everyone I know is in graduate or law school, or just out of school - but in January of this year, I committed to running the half marathon at the end of June. Having read about training plans in several of the blogs I follow, I knew how to create a plan and stick to it. The knowledge that other people out there were doing the same thing - and some tips and tricks from the blog community - helped me gain the confidence I needed to train for the half marathon and complete it. During my spring of training, I also completed a 5K race, running the whole thing and coming in with a PR, and finished the 10-mile Broad Street Run - both of which I'm very proud of.
I have now completed two half marathons this year, and I am training for another in November. I have lost a few pounds, but am still not back to my lowest weight from college - and although this is disappointing, I know that I am eating to fuel my training, and that this is what my body needs right now. As I wrote in my running recap this summer, I plan on backing off running for a bit after this last race - I would like to concentrate on strength training and eating better, which I can only do if I have the time and hunger level of someone who's not training for a long-distance event. I'll stick with shorter distances for a while, and while I write my thesis this winter I will hopefully be getting stronger and losing a bit of weight. I know that my current weight isn't yet in the healthy range - and I'm focusing on getting to a happier weight - but I'm also more concerned with feeling stronger, leaner, and faster, not necessarily the number on the scale.
I am forever grateful to the blog community for providing the support, inspiration, and advice that I could only get from a community of like-minded people. I know that sometimes we need to watch how we approach certain subjects, and that some people can take well-meaning advice to the extreme, but I think more people's stories are like my own, and that overall the community is a positive influence.
If anyone has any other perspectives or anything at all to say, I encourage comments - I think the community has a lot to discuss right now!
Now, I have been reading most of these blogs for almost two years, and have to say that I haven't seen (or noticed?) too many of the things that the article mentions, at least not to the extreme that is suggested by the article. I do agree with Rachel from Hollaback Health, though, when she says that perhaps we don't notice these behaviors on the blogs we read because we consider the bloggers to be friends - it's a little too close for us to be seeing clearly. I think it's obvious that some changes are in order, and we all need to be a little more careful about what we say and how we say it. Certain types of discussions about weight and food can potentially be damaging to readers with emerging or existing eating disorders. Even though the responsibility is in the reader's hands when something is out there, we need to keep in mind that what we do and say does, ultimately, have consequences for our readers.
Moving on from the controversy, though: I feel that something left out of the article entirely was the perspective of the many, many readers whose lives have been changed for the better by reading these blogs. I am one of those people, and I think my story was lost along the way when the story of these blogs was written, perhaps in favor of controversy and magazine sales.
Let's look at it this way: the majority of Americans at this point are overweight or obese. This means that instead of it being one unhealthy person surrounded by people with healthier habits, most people in this country are eating too much, exercising too little, and caring WAY too little about their health. In our society now, the "norm" is the inactive person. This means that people like me, who got a bad start at healthy living but are trying to improve, do not necessarily have a support system or safety net at home. The person who likes to run 5Ks on weekends, or will eat millet and butternut squash for dinner, is often doing these things alone because their friends don't understand the desire to be healthy, or have any desire to exercise together. The "healthy living" blog community provides a space for people like us to find others who will support and inspire us along our journey.
Here, for your enjoyment, is my story, the perspective that was nowhere to be found in Marie Claire, which I feel is much more common than those who learn harmful behaviors from the blogs in question:
Growing up, I was always a "chubby," but happy, kid. I can't recall a time after I was at all self-aware that I was not aware of being larger than most of my classmates and friends. At first, it was ok - I was a bit taller than everyone else, too, and I didn't worry too much. I think the self-consciousness came with puberty, when other people grew taller than me but I was still the "chubby" kid. It didn't help that at school we had to wear these shirts at gym that had the actual size of the shirt written in huge letters on the outside - I think that was supposed to help the laundry people and the people handing out the shirts to us, but I distinctly remember trying to cover up my shirt for several years of gym class. Not a good way to get kids to participate in gym, huh?
Throughout my childhood, I never really learned healthy habits. When I came home from school, my grandma, who had the best of intentions but liked to spoil her granddaughter, would give me anything I wanted for a snack - even a taco from Taco Bell or fries from McDonalds. I rode horses, but didn't do any other physical activity outside gym at school - I was never encouraged to, since I was a smart kid and was supposed to be working hard on my homework. I was never teased too much at school for my size - although I never really ran with the "cool kids," either. But I definitely didn't like being the size I was, and I remember being super excited when I lost about 20 pounds during the year I played lacrosse during high school. Since I hadn't really learned to connect how I ate or exercised with my weight, though, I promptly gained all the weight back when lacrosse season ended and I didn't pick up any other sports. I even stopped riding horses around that time in high school, and began to gain even more weight. Sure, I was still growing a little since I was a teenager - but I was getting much larger. College came then, too, bringing more than the "freshman 15." Over the 4 years between sophomore year of high school and sophomore year of college, I gained a total of 50 pounds, with my max being at 235 pounds.
My moment of realization came when I looked at pictures taken of me at the end of sophomore year of college. I had been out with friends for a celebratory dinner, and dressed up nice. We had a blast, and I am smiling in all of the pictures. Happy and dressed up - I should look my best, right? When I looked at these pictures, I wanted to cry - I was bigger than I had ever been, and I didn't feel happy in my own skin anymore when I really saw how I looked. I knew something had to change.
The summer between sophomore year and junior year, I joined a gym. I had nothing to do that summer, aside from studying for the LSAT (funny, since I'm a PhD student now). I devoted 1-2 hours each day to the gym and found ways to eat healthier. I remember being scared at the gym at first - I felt like everyone was watching me, and I didn't even know how to work the elliptical machine. I took it slow, though, building up time on the machines and weights as I went, and eventually joined the classes, taking a liking to the yoga and dance classes. During that summer, I lost 20 pounds, and during the next year and a half, I lost 15 more, for a total of 35 pounds.
And then I stumbled upon "healthy living" blogs. I was looking for a recipe, and through links I ended up reading through several of the blogs that were mentioned in the Marie Claire article. Of course, a few years ago, they weren't as big as they are now - but I found them very interesting. I never really paid too much attention to the "what I ate all day" posts, but I definitely started to branch out with what I ate and try some healthier choices (more veggies, whole grains) because of the recipes they posted. But it was their love of exercise - really, of activity - that was most inspiring to me.
I didn't think I could ever become a runner, but I saw how these girls had started off slow with running and become "real" runners with time - and I was inspired to do the same. I started with Couch-to-5K, which was recommended by several "healthy living" blogs (I remember Caitlin mentioning it many times, but I'm sure that I saw it elsewhere too). After a few months of that, I completed my first 5K in the spring of 2009 - I did it run/walk, but I finished it. Over the next year, I kept at it - slowly, sometimes with breaks - and stayed at around 2 or 3 mile runs most of the time. I found that I really loved running, and that doing some sort of physical activity helped me cope with stress and made me much more even-keel during the day. I felt like I had control over my life again.
Finally, this January, I saw a promotion for the 13.1 Marathon half-marathon series, which had a race in Boston that benefited the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation. I know a few people with Crohn's or colitis, and as an immunology student, I know how little we actually know about what causes IBD and related diseases. I know we need more money for research - and I wanted to do something about it. I couldn't raise a lot of money - everyone I know is in graduate or law school, or just out of school - but in January of this year, I committed to running the half marathon at the end of June. Having read about training plans in several of the blogs I follow, I knew how to create a plan and stick to it. The knowledge that other people out there were doing the same thing - and some tips and tricks from the blog community - helped me gain the confidence I needed to train for the half marathon and complete it. During my spring of training, I also completed a 5K race, running the whole thing and coming in with a PR, and finished the 10-mile Broad Street Run - both of which I'm very proud of.
I am forever grateful to the blog community for providing the support, inspiration, and advice that I could only get from a community of like-minded people. I know that sometimes we need to watch how we approach certain subjects, and that some people can take well-meaning advice to the extreme, but I think more people's stories are like my own, and that overall the community is a positive influence.
If anyone has any other perspectives or anything at all to say, I encourage comments - I think the community has a lot to discuss right now!
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Four Things
1. After a few months of interviews, deliberating, and thinking about what I want to do in the distant future, I have secured a postdoc position for late next spring! I'm not at liberty to discuss where exactly I'll be - but I will be moving back to the Boston area. I'll finally get the chance to move in with my (currently long-distance) boyfriend, and this whole five-year waiting game will be over. Yay!
2. Negotiating (if you can call it that) for a postdoc position is a lot like meeting a boy that you like a lot: At first, you do a little investigating to make sure he'll be good for you, and then you have to tell him you like him. You don't want to jump right in to things and tell him you love him and want to have dozens of babies with him - so you play hard-to-get and make it seem like you're not that interested, until finally one of you has to make a move so that you can start dating. The whole process is convoluted, silly, and awkward - but it works, I guess?
3. I am headed abroad in a few weeks for a short trip, and I'm in full-on planning and saving mode. I managed to get my plane ticket using miles, but train fare, food, and sightseeing won't be cheap! I'm trying to keep grocery spending to a minimum this month - as in, $40 instead of the usual $200. This goal isn't as ridiculous as it sounds - since I signed up for the CSA, I will get loads of produce. All I have to do is stick to vegetarian meals and have a lot of roasted veggies and soup. If all else fails, I'll hit up the freezer - it's packed with leftovers from the summer of CSA food!
4. This month and next will be very, very hectic. Along with this trip, I've got some extreme lab work to do, and a committee meeting coming up right before Thanksgiving. I've got to get everything together by then so I can get permission to write my thesis, which is essential if I want to start my postdoc in the spring - no pressure, right?
That's it for now!
2. Negotiating (if you can call it that) for a postdoc position is a lot like meeting a boy that you like a lot: At first, you do a little investigating to make sure he'll be good for you, and then you have to tell him you like him. You don't want to jump right in to things and tell him you love him and want to have dozens of babies with him - so you play hard-to-get and make it seem like you're not that interested, until finally one of you has to make a move so that you can start dating. The whole process is convoluted, silly, and awkward - but it works, I guess?
3. I am headed abroad in a few weeks for a short trip, and I'm in full-on planning and saving mode. I managed to get my plane ticket using miles, but train fare, food, and sightseeing won't be cheap! I'm trying to keep grocery spending to a minimum this month - as in, $40 instead of the usual $200. This goal isn't as ridiculous as it sounds - since I signed up for the CSA, I will get loads of produce. All I have to do is stick to vegetarian meals and have a lot of roasted veggies and soup. If all else fails, I'll hit up the freezer - it's packed with leftovers from the summer of CSA food!
4. This month and next will be very, very hectic. Along with this trip, I've got some extreme lab work to do, and a committee meeting coming up right before Thanksgiving. I've got to get everything together by then so I can get permission to write my thesis, which is essential if I want to start my postdoc in the spring - no pressure, right?
That's it for now!
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