SpeedPass Paves the Way Back to Running

Anne Halpern

Sometimes in life even the seemingly smallest decisions can evolve into incredibly gratifying and life-changing results.  This is what happened in the mid-1990s after I moved from Long Island into NYC.  

 

Upon moving to the city, I decided to join an up and coming running club – the NY Flyers – as a way to keep up with my fitness and to socialize.  That one small effort of filling out the application form, and sending it in the mail with my check for the nominal annual membership fee, launched the beginning of what became a wonderful and ongoing journey.  

 

I immediately started running with some neighborhood friends and kept up with them on the six mile loop of Central Park.  They were training for the NYC Marathon, so of course I took on the challenge, too – a challenge that felt intriguing yet daunting and completely unachievable. I loved it and quickly caught the marathon bug. 🥳

 

My Long Island friends were amazed and impressed that I took on the challene of running a marathon! Crossing the NYC Marathon finish line in 1995 was pure elation -- an experience that I credit to becoming a Flyer and receiving encouragement from my close NYF running friends and my other teammates, along with the guidance of former Flyers Head Coach Cliff Held.  

Finishing My First Marathon -- NYC Marathon 1996

 Reminiscing about those marathon days, it's amazing to see how much has changed.  GU or other sports gels were not yet on the market, and instead we gulped glucose tablets and gummy bears. With no wrist bands for tracking our splits – only markers – we wrote them up and down our forearms. While racing may have changed, running with my Flyer friends rooted me in my new home, NYC. 

 

My Girls
Liz Greco (Baer), Dorian Romer, Me,
Erin Stoeber (Mulvey),
Betty Margolin (Fuchs)

Over the next subsequent years, I ran a few marathons here and there, and also dabbled in completing a few triathlons.  Life was and remains good! Although my last marathon was in 2011, I continued to lace up my running shoes and stayed fit by training and racing other distances and also by attending NYF speedwork sessions.

 

NYRR Mini10K circa 1986 -- my first of 23
I was so nervous I didn't sleep the night before!

I am now returning to running after an 18 month hiatus. I knew what I needed to do. Start small and work back up with both distance and speed. I reminded myself of when I first started running in the mid-1990s. I set and achieved small goals that will establish the basis for working my way back. Easy for me to set goals, I'm a Capricorn!🌙

 

Thankfully, SpeedPass helped pave the way.  Coming back to running this summer after my hiatus, SpeedPass (or shall we call it "Motivation Mondays") provides me with everything I need to be this year's “comeback kid.”  The prescribed workouts are just what the doctor ordered!  Since it’s a small group, I've gotten to get to know my teammates better, which is – simply stated – so nice! 

 

The encouragement and instruction are invaluable at SpeedPass. I learn something new at each session from Coach Amy and Coach Jim such as improving my running mechanics and pacing myself more productively.  I started running stronger and faster in just a matter of weeks.  SpeedPass combined with strength training 3x per week is really doing the trick for my overall running performance!

 

Maybe One Day Coaches Amy & Jim
Will Take SpeedPass to the Beach! 🏖

Here are some of the details about the SpeedPass Program. Each of us receives two Quality Sessions per week. The first Quality Session is a coached group speed workout and the second is a long run or another speed workout, your choice!  Following a group warmup, we divide into smaller groups so we can run with others at a similar pace. 

SpeedPass Summer/Fall 2022

We meet up every Monday in Columbus Circle for our group speedwork. All workouts are published to each participant’s calendar, which provides our target goal paces based on the VDOT formula --VDOT measures current running ability -- developed by Jack Daniels, PhD.  Coaches Amy and Jim closely monitor how we're doing at each workout, and also online in the training app.   

Practices typically finish around 8 pm with some strength and mobility exercises. Amy and Jim are very accessible in between workouts so I can email them at any time with comments, questions or updates to my calendar.  Often they'll provide us input and feedback with their own comments and questions on our calendars, which helps us to feel held gently accountable, and very loved 💗💕

Working to Get Back to this Most Fit Version of  Me

So for those of you who want to get faster while enjoying the camaraderie and coaching SpeedPass has to offer, I strongly encourage you to give it a try next season!  I can't think of a better way to spend a weeknight. There’s nothing that beats schvitzing (or, in the winter, freezing) in Central Park, heading home with an endorphin smile on your face and then having the greatest night sleep ever. Join us!  Your journey awaits!🌄

-Anne Halpern

Read more...

Healthy Eating Cookbooks

Anne H

Hope you all are having a great summer and that your training is going well. It is just about at this time in your nutrition plans that you might be looking for something new to incorporate into your weekly meal plan. A new recipe or dish, or a new spice? With the efforts of always trying to keep everything “fresh,” this blog entry is focused on making you aware that there are a number of healthy eating cookbooks (and other ideas) to gather information to help add to your healthy eating repertoire.

I was at a friend's this summer and was envious of her recent purchase of a fantastic cookbook written by Sheryl Crow called If It Makes You Healthy. The book is inspired with healthy recipes co-written with Chef Chuck White. The pair met while Sheryl was battling breast cancer, which for her, was a wake-up call to eat better. Since then, Chuck has taught Sheryl how to cook seasonal foods that are locally grown, and vitamin-rich. Now, Sheryl and Chuck want to bring their nutritious, delicious creations from her kitchen into yours. As I perused this book, I found the variety of recipes to be very wide and the photographs (very important!) to be enticing and inviting. Simple recipes for great food from a great performer. You can’t lose!

Next on my list is The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook by Segersten and Malterre. This cookbook focuses on an in-depth view of whole foods (foods that are unprocessed and unrefined), and how to prepare them to maintain optimal health. Sections of the book speaks to food sensitivities, how to stock your whole food pantry, recipes for gluten free diets. It looks like this book would serve as a great reference guide as well as a guide to 200 healthy recipes.

The Athlete’s Plate by Adam Kelinson focuses on the endurance athlete and educates us on what type of fuels are best, and how to compose a quick fix for our voracious appetites. Adam, a three-time Ironman finisher, has some experience with endurance (I’d say!), and provides quick and easy recipes, as well and a comprehensive intro section on nutrition basics for the endurance athlete.

Magazine recipes are getting more traffic than I actually expected, so be sure to check these out when you read your copy of Runner's World, Health (Women’s Health, or Men’s Health), Self or Cooking Light. When surveying some of my healthy eating crew last week, most of the responses were targeted around gathering recipes from their very own favorite magazines. This is an excellent way to gather a variety of recipes, and experiment without committing to an entire cookbook. A nice idea is to purchase a nice blank notebook from Papayrus or Staples and paste or staple your favorite recipes in your very own cookbook. This way, you feel more comfortable writing notes in your very own recipe book.

And lastly.... there is an app for healthy eating recipes (but of course!)!! If you are a lover of your smartphone, then you might want to consider the Good Food Healthy Recipes app. I've seen it under an iphone advertisement for runners in the NY Times a number of times.

There are so many healthy eating cookbooks to talk about, that, if I wanted to, I’d be here all day writing this blog post during Hurricane Irene. My goal in this blog write-up is to inspire you to start collecting recipes, experimenting with them, and taking some time at the local bookstore to purchase a cookbook that fits you. I personally find that I typically need just a bit of guidance (what spice do I use, how do I cook this vegetable?), and once I have the general knowledge, I’m on my way. Believe me, not only will your friends be impressed, but you will impress yourself!

Good Luck and Healthy Eating!!!

This blog entry is dedicated to my Aunt Phyllis, who recently lost her battle with lymphoma.  Her inspiration for eating organic, healthful foods will always be heartfelt and a wonderful remembrance, as she had introduced me to many delicious, flavorful foods, grains, fruits and veggies.  Of course, we did need to visit Katz’s Deli on Houston Street now and then to binge a bit on a good pastrami sandwich -- who can resist that??

Anne H.

Read more...

Sizzling Summer Healthy Eating Tips

Anne H

Happy summer everyone! Hope you all enjoyed a fantastic July 4th holiday, running your favorite 5K, 10K or other Firecracker runs around the metro area. I’m a lover of this season, so I just can’t get enough of the all of the goodness that comes with it, especially, the bbq foods and the icy cold margaritas that we all feel we deserve after a long hot run.

Bring on the Burgers

I actually had a pretty good burger at a local spot last night, and come to think of it, I was not feeling a wee bit guilty about it at all. Whenever I decide to go for the sirloin, I’m always evaluating, “hummm, when was my last burger, or steak?” Not sure if you do the same, but I find it a little comical.

If you frequently eat burgers, and indulge in the toppings, a healthy switch on the bacon and cheddar would be to request a multi–grain bun, mushrooms (shrooms bolster immune health, as noted by Health Magazine). If you are a portabella lover, try some of those, as they have as many antioxidants as red peppers or carrots.

For the greens, try some arugula, and keep it to dark leafy greens, as leafy greens when broken down into phytochemicals may help prevent breast cancer. I typically stay away from cheese, (I know that is hard to do). When your meal comes to the table, you will have a very healthy burger choice, ready to be devoured!

Please Pass the Veggies

On to summer veggies! Broccoli, carrots, oh, we all know about our summer veggies, but lets try to see how we can make this a bit more interesting. A vegetable succotash as your veggie side dish makes a really nice way to enjoy a serving of vegetables, in a nice, fresh, crispy, summer way. Try the recipe, below, as a side dish to your fish or chicken dinners. You can make an entire container, and pick from it all week. Take it to lunch too for the office!

Summer Succotash Recipe

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium high. Add 1 cup frozen baby lima beans, thawed; ½ cup corn; and 1 pint grape tomatoes. Cook, tossing occasionally until tomatoes burst (about 3-4 minutes). Stir in 1 tablespoon grated parmesan and ½ cut fresh basil leaves, torn. Squeeze fresh lemon over the top and you are all set!

Corn on the Cob Deliciousness!

Try sprinkling your grilled corn on the cob with grated parmesan, you will fall in love.

Sorry for the short blog, but the summer is calling!

-Anne H.

Read more...

Shake It Up!

Anne H

I passed Jamba Juice on Lexington Avenue on a recent Saturday afternoon, and the line was practically out the door. Some customers came out of the store double fisted, and I thought, “hey! that juice must be something special.”  Oh, yeah, but I bet they haven’t tried a real fresh smoothie….the ones where the fresh strawberries are wreaking a magnificent springtime aroma, like the wonderful fruity aroma that slipped under my nose tonight right at the moment when a short gust of wind and I serendipitously met as I walked past the fruit vendor on my corner.  Seriously, it was a banana, strawberry and mango mix. Sweet!

One of the key core food groups as you know are fruits, and most common nutritional plans would suggest you have three servings of fruit a day, and a fruit smoothie would definitely count as at least one of the three.  If you do not like to “eat” fruit and enjoy juices more, then this works in your favor.  And, if you are interested in adding in some protein (for recovery or to build muscle), the shake works double duty for you.

Types of Drinks - when I’m in the mood, the first thing I think about is whether or not I’d like something very cold/frozen, or a healthful juice drink.  You can visit your local health food store for either one (see below).  Juicing is prepared in a juicing machine, while shakes are prepared in blenders.

When You Are Out –n- About (Health Food Store)

Juicing – You can select from your choice of healthy fruits and vegetables that you would like to have "juiced."  Did I mention to you that when I have a cold, I love a carrot-beet-ginger juice?  This is done with a juicer not a blender.

Shake/Smoothie – Select your fruit, and also mention if you would like your smoothie to be made with orange juice, skim milk, soy milk, or whatever you prefer.  You also can ask them to add a scoop of protein powder, too.  Be specific here (see discussion below).

Shaking It Up At Home

Most of us have a standard blender or hand blender.  If you have a juicer, you are lucky (and must live in a nice big NYC apt!).  If you don’t have a blender you can find a standard blender for a minimal price or you can even order one online at Amazon.com.   A hand blender works too, but it won’t crush the ice (this is very important).  So, if you are interested, set yourself up with the tools and you are on your way.

You can begin your shake with orange juice, skim milk, etc. and then add your favorite fruits.  A fellow Flyer mentioned to me that he buys frozen fruit and adds this to his shakes and it acts both as fresh fruit and ice at the same time.  I tried it and it is fab.  This is a great way to have fresh fruit available without it having to spoil if you are away for the weekend or a few days.  Add your fruit to your liquid, 3 or 4 ice cubes, a scoop of protein powder (optional) and mix on high for about 1-2 minutes.  Voila!  Snack attack mission completed.

I Don’t Know Anything About Protein Powders!

My very first experience with drinking protein after a long workout was about 10 years ago when I found that drinking vanilla soy milk helped my body to recover more effectively.  To try to give you a good understanding of the two types of protein powders available I’ll describe them below, but do want to suggest that you ‘test’ yourself to be sure that you enjoy the taste (so you can give other types a try and not give up) and that your body is agreeable to it and digesting it well.  There is one mention in an article that I read that stated that whey protein has a lot of cholesterol, so if you are on cholesterol medication, I would suggest you contact your doctor before you start a diet of whey protein shakes.

Whey Protein – is a mix of proteins isolated from whey, the liquid material created as a by-product of cheese that is manufactured from cow’s milk.  Most of the time whey protein is very easily digestible.  Whey protein is very similar to the protein in eggs and egg whites but without the fat. It is common that athletes use a combination of whey protein and egg whites in their diet.

Soy Protein – comes from soy beans and has similar quantities of protein to protein found in animals.  The FDA stated at 25 grams of soy protein in a daily diet can help reduce the likelihood of developing or advancing heart disease.  Soy protein also helps to reduce the possibility of developing osteoporosis, as well as other diseases indirectly related to hormonal issues such as breast cancer, prostate cancer and endometrial cancer. (Remember Edamame is soy bean so this is a great appetizer before your sushi dinner).

Here is a very interesting article that I found which I suggest you read to learn more about the differences between whey and soy proteins.  This will help you decide what is best for you:

And here are two sample recipes: Use these as your base and then start to make some new ones, mixing up the fruits and come up with your own favorite mixture.

Banana-Strawberry Fruit Smoothie
1 Banana
6 Strawberries (fresh or frozen)
1 ¼ cup water
A splash of skim milk
1 Tablespoon of Protein Powder (optional)
1 Teaspoon of Flax Oil (optional)
4 ice cubes

Tropical Fruit Shake
½ Mango
½ Banana
4 Strawberries (fresh or frozen)
1 ¼ cup water
1 Tablespoon of Protein Powder (optional)
1 Teaspoon of Flax Oil (optional)
6 ice cubes

Banana Orange Smoothie
1/2 cup of Orange Juice
½ Banana
6 Strawberries (fresh or frozen)
½ cup water
Splash of skim milk
1 Tablespoon of Protein Powder (optional)
1 Teaspoon of Flax Oil (optional)

For those interested in "shakin it up," good luck!  Let me know how it goes and feel free to post any additional suggestions in the comment box, below.  With local fruit vendors on your corner and strawberry season upon us, we’re in for a perfect smoothie season.

PS:  For those with an iPhone, I also read that there was an app for smoothie recipes, so check it out!

Anne H

Read more...

Fit Happens

What?  Who?  Me?  Yep.  Fit happens.  To you, me and everyone else who leads an active, athletic lifestyle. It’s a wonderful thing, agreed?  Feeling strong running up those subway stairs twice as fast as the average person.  Love it. Productive and energized, ready to take on the day in the office after a good morning workout.  Love it even more. I might wane on my exercise routine now and then, but I’ll never give it up.  Neva.

I find that what makes my running life interesting from one year to the next is taking on a new challenge each year.  My knowledge base, as it relates to training, continues to build as I strive towards achieving my new goal.  I’m curious about different training options, attentive to details, and try to reach further when I can.  Try not to stay inside the box.

So, we all learn a lot about running, cycling, triathlons and training because we are (for the most part) always in it and consistently picking up new tips. The growth rate on our knowledge is increasing! (Hopefully, the equity market will react this way pretty soon).

Now, let me take a survey.  Where do you think your knowledge base is on nutrition and healthy eating?  Well, we all know that our daily diet should always start with the basic core foods (fruits, veggies, healthy grains, etc).  And that we should eat three servings of fruits and veggies a day.  And then?  Humm….  The average person probably knows a little about a lot (I’m one of them).  But since we are fabulous and fit, it would be nice to see some upward growth in our knowledge base of the nutrition world. 

The chart below shows the gap of the average person’s knowledge of their training compared to the average person’s knowledge of Nutrition 101.

Now, if we wanted to gain some ground and start leveraging all of the information out on the Internet and the fantastic books in Barnes and Noble (or your favorite book store), your chart would then look like this!

Concluding that knowledge is power and that the more we know, then the more often we implement what we learn, the healthier and fit we will be.  Healthy eating will complement our training very well if done correctly.

Suggesting reading ideas: don’t skip the nutrition article in Runner’s World, Triathlete Magazine or your daily newspaper of choice; you might pick up something new.  Instead of signing onto Facebook, search for a healthy eating website and see what you can learn. (LOL, ok, I do this occasionally).  On the way home from the movies, pop into Barnes and Noble (they are open until 11 pm) and check out the cookbooks.  See what interests you.  I purchased The Athlete’s Plate by Adam Kelinson on the recommendation of a fellow NY Flyer.  Excellent book.  If you pick up one new piece of information, from a book or seminar you have attended (lots of nutrition seminars around town), then you are a winner!

Happy Spring Everyone!  We made it!

Anne H.

Read more...

Hawaii Healthy Eating!

Anne H.

I just arrived back from a wonderful trip to Hawaii. I don't know if you have ever had the glorious opportunity to visit this paradise, but not only did the air smell sweet, the land look lush, and the fruit taste luscious, the site of the volcanic landscape was just, well, s-p-e-c-t-a-c-u-l-a-r!

While I was on my trip, I made sure to indulge in my daily five,  That is, five servings of pineapple each day! The pineapple was so fresh, it was hard not to have it with every meal.  Living in NYC, I would typically purchase the pre-cut pineapple

The volcanic islands of our 50th state

chunks from the local market, because carving a pineapple was too much of a chore. Well, not anymore! I’ll be purchasing whole pineapples from now on and carving them up myself. Making the effort will be worth it, and will only remind me of the wonderful land of Hawaii.

Fresh fruit aplenty!

So, in the spirit of Hawaii and its great pineapples, I have made the new year’s resolution to try to incorporate more fruit into my diet. Some of us eat high protein, low carbs, low fat. I eat low fruit. That has to change. Also, now that we are in the winter months it is much harder to think about eating a fresh fruit salad. I’d rather eat a hearty turkey burger and mashed potatoes, or an open-face turkey sandwich as they are both warm and cozy foods.

Yummy fish tacos!

So, I am now thinking how I am going to incorporate more fruit into my diet. Any suggestions? Well, I’ve decided that I’ll be making a big batch of fruit salsa (i.e., a mango, pineapple salsa) to top on fresh fish when I can. It’s a fun side dish and is very flavorful.

Talking about fresh fish? Well, I had the best fish tacos on this side of the equator! A new item I’ll be adding to my own menu at home which I’ve just got to share with you. Slice a swordfish steak in strips, which would look something like the size of a long hot dog. Season and grill. Take a wrap, some spicy hot sauce, your fruit salsa, wrap and dig in. It’s a delicious way to enjoy a healthy piece of fish, and fun, too. It's a great meal for just sitting in front of the TV

Hau ‘oli Makahiki Hou! (Happy New Year in Hawaiian) - Anne H.

PS: Did you know the true way top pronounce Hawaii is "Hav-vaii"?

The beautiful Hawaiin landscape

Read more...

The Holiday’s Are Coming….Try Not To Be a Mesuganah!

Anne H.

First, congratulations to all fall marathoners, ultra-marathoners, triathletes, swimmer, cyclists and anyone who has completed any event this year. We have a few weeks before we close out 2010, and it is a perfect time to celebrate not only the wonderful holidays that are upon us but our achievements as well.

Now, who rewards themselves with their favorite food?! (I see all of those hands raised). I was just speaking with some friends Saturday while watching the Knickerbocker 60K, about how I buy a box of chocolate-covered Entenmann donuts whenever I run a marathon (ssshh...don’t tell anyone). But, I don’t do this unless I run a marathon. I am not worthy otherwise. I eat one a day, and savor them for a few days. Moderation...yum. Time to run another marathon, I think.

Mmmm... donuts!

With that being said, I would assume that there are a few others who may self-reward with food, and with the holidays coming, we don’t want to become a mesuganah (Yiddish slang for a kind, but crazy person) and overdo it since the ho-ho-holidays are happily jam packed with delicious, delectable, (although probably highly caloric) foods. Everything in moderation...enjoy yourself, just don’t overexert yourself at the holiday party at the office. If you can’t reach the last cocktail shrimp on the table, then it’s not meant to be. If you are at a holiday party and the same server approaches you five times with the same crab cake, then pass on the offering. Wait for the next server to stop by with something new. Variety is the spice of life right? Receive a box of Godiva chocolates from your colleague? Enjoy a few each day, and try your best not to down the entire box in one or two sittings. That is hard not to do, I know. (I really do know). Oh, one last thing about becoming mesuganah during the holidays. If you don’t really like the food at the party, don’t eat it.keep close to the fresh veggies and dip, which should do you no wrong.

Reach for healthy treats at the holiday party.

Even a tuna burger can make a great holiday meal!

The holidays are also a time when we want to let ourselves go, eat what we want, because, it’s FUN and actually feels good. I won’t disagree with that! Last night I was hankering for a burger (rare), but my healthy choice was a tuna burger, salad on the side (instead of fries). It was delicious. Wasabi, ginger, soy, just perfect. The funny thing was that the waitress did not hear me say “salad on the side” so the fries came anyway, so I had to taste a few to make sure they were fried just right.

Yay, chili!

Other healthy choices during the winter or holiday season is chili, however you like it. Beef, turkey, veggie, tofu chili, there are many different ways to enjoy a healthy and hearty chili. You will feel satisfied from a small bowl of chili and a salad, one slice of multigrain bread. Check out this link for a large variety of chili recipes!

Always keep grains in your diet.

Before I go, I wanted to send out a friendly reminder for y’all to remember to continue to incorporate healthy grains into your nutrition plan. You will continue to run throughout the winter months, and your body will continue to ask for proper carbs. Brown Rice, Quinoa, Kasha, etc. are nice choices. You can add pecans or dried cranberries which can make it very tasty. (CVS is now selling dried cranberries, go figure).

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Holidays to all! - Anne H.

Read more...

Keep The Faith

Anne H.

Maintenance. 

It’s all about maintenance. After a while, it gets tiring! We maintain our training efforts, we maintain our good nutrition, consistently try to grow in our careers, maintain our relationships with friends and family, and oh... after a while something may have to give! So, it would be nutrition, I’d say. It’s the easiest category that won’t talk back and you always feel that you can turn it back around in the right direction in a snap!

Where am I going with this? Life is stressful, and sometimes hard. Treating yourself to your favorite comfort food makes life full of pleasure for that moment, but doing this too often might not be such a fabulous idea. Having a bad day? Have that burger and fries. Get it over with but try not to overdo it. Over the last few weeks, I found myself at Shake Shack twice, and started to feel a possible addiction developing for those chocolate shakes. I had to make a pact with myself to hold back these urges otherwise all of my hard training and focus on nutrition during the summer months will just vanish.

Did you know?

Take it easy on the shakes!

When we are stressed, our bodies react in a very interesting way. A hormone, namely, cortisol, is released to help to fight the stress and provide energy. Cortisol releases stored sugar so your body can react quickly to the stress. High cortisol levels make us crave fats and carbs, which are the type of foods that feed the response to stress that cortisol provides. Unfortunately, these foods are not on the “top ten” list, so it is very hard to eat healthy when you are stressed. For me, I must have a lot of cortisol generating over the last few weeks, as this is a busy crunch time for me in the office. When I get home from work, instead of eating bad food, I try (very hard) to eat a few of the following items some friends of mine suggested to me.

• Yogurt: Stock up the refrigerator before you start your work week: this seems to be working! If I’m eating dinner at 10 pm, I feel much better about eating a healthy yogurt
• Eggs: Easy and simple to make, it’s a good protein to have when you’re tired and need something fast.
• Edemame: A great snack, healthy, low fat and satisfying.

Make healthy choices when it comes to snacking.

Overall, when life is very busy or stressful, always try to eat regular meals and healthy snacks, and add protein into your regular meals. Limit soda and coffee (now that’s hard for those of us spending most of the day at our desk, Ha!) and incorporate whole foods, munch on some fresh veggies and fruits.

If you have any other healthy low fat ideas, please let me know. I need to broaden my list!

Happy Fall, everyone, and good luck to all Fall marathoners! -Anne H.

Read more...

Healthy Breakfasts When You’re On the Go

“Oh, I never eat breakfast. No time”! As most of you know, breakfast is the most important meal of the day because it’s your initial fuel for your body. As you sleep, you are burning calories, so the moment you wake up you are already depleted and need to refuel.

Me, well, I’m a keen breakfast lover. Coupled with the fact that I enjoy the early morning, the quiet moments, beautiful sunrises and smell of brewing coffee, I’ve always enjoyed the practice of having breakfast. However, since we’re working (and working out) five out of the seven days of the week, its hard to maintain the schedule of having a healthy breakfast, and sometimes it’s easier to give in to the jelly donut when you’re buying your deliciously large Dunkin’ Donuts coffee.

Here’s a few ideas (of course some of them are my fav’s).

Oatmeal – even in the summer months this is a very fulfilling breakfast, few calories and extremely healthy. I buy the one minute Quaker Oats and it takes exactly that to make. Pour some oats in a bowl, and cover the oats with water (or milk if you prefer) but don’t douse it. Hit 60 seconds on the microwave and voila. Add nuts, raisins and your breakfast is prepared as you’re getting ready for work. Sometimes I even add a scoop of nut butter to it when I’m particularly hungry. Optional: add the granola mix from the recipe in this month’s newsletter.

Egg Soufflé – another quick prep and easy to make. Scramble two eggs (two egg whites or include the yolks), add a bit of milk, add a few cubes of cheese, and anything else you have handy. Put it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes (but keep an eye on it so it doesn’t cook over). This results in a fluffy egg soufflé and no mess to clean up.

Fruity Yogurt Smoothie – Blenderize! A few scoops of your favorite yogurt, (plain or vanilla), a bit of fruit juice, some fresh fruit (if you don’t have this you can add frozen fruit which is perfectly fine), a few ice cubes and you’re on your way to an energy booster filled with antioxidants and calcium. If you prefer, add a scoop of your favorite protein powder.

Hope you all enjoy these ideas, please share with us any other fast and healthy breakfasts! - Anne H.

Read more...

Healthy Eating: So Fresh!!!

When summer temperatures settle in during June and July, I find that I typically take a moment to reflect back on my childhood summer days, the sounds of lawn mowers humming, ice cream trucks ringing and the sound of my neighbor’s basketball beating the concrete driveway for hours on end. Another charming memory, is the annual vegetable garden I used to tend to with my dad. We grew tomatoes, cucumbers, boston lettuce, corn, carrots, radishes, chives, spices to name a few. Need a tomato? Head out to the garden. Chives on the baked potato? Head out to the garden again! The fresh scent of the garden will always stay with me. I’ll always remember how fast we created a fresh, flavorsome salad, in just minutes.

This month’s blog is about fresh summer vegetables and how you can try to prepare quick, tasty salads that will nourish us as we train through the summer months, which are nutritious and delicious. OK, you don’t live in a penthouse and have a vegetable garden? Try (if possible) to visit some of the local green markets in your neighborhood, to pick up farm fresh vegetables. You will (for sure) taste the difference as well as support local farmers. If you don’t live near Fairway which has fresh produce at reasonable prices, try some of these green markets.

Don’t let Greece’s fiscal issues stop you from eating delicious Greek Salads! These are the fastest, easiest salads to prepare. Within 10 minutes, you’ll be set. One cucumber, One tomato, one cup crumbled feta, drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper (any other spice). Cube the cucumber and tomato, the rest is self explanatory. To add protein, you can dip some pita with some hummus on the side. The food markets are selling different crumbled feta, some with garlic, spices, etc., so that really jazzes it up. Super hungry? Add in your favorite grain (1/2 cup), it will become a super Mediterranean salad.

Need more crunch? Romaine lettuce (the lettuce you typically get with Caesar salads), will satisfy that craving. Try adding a cup of chick peas, as many grape tomatoes as you like. Slice up a grilled chicken breast (easy to grill up or pick up at a local gourmet market), and in no time, you have a satisfying healthful meal. This sounds like a Caesar salad, but it’s missing the gooey dressing, croutons and adding in other nutrients.

My last salad suggestion: leafy greens, sliced pear, drizzled olive oil, crumbled feta and grilled chicken breast. Effortless and filled with nutrients and protein. Don’t forget your grains, have some on the side to be sure to get in the necessary carbs.

Back to my top ten list (quoted from “101 Healthiest Foods”), the world’s healthiest vegetables: Asparagus, the cabbage family (asian greens, broccoli, broccolini, Brussels sprouts, green & red cabbage), dark green leafy vegetables, bell & chili peppers, mushrooms, Onions (all within this family), parsley, peas and tomatoes. If you try to select at least three out of this list each time you prepare a salad, you’re on a good start.

My last point of view... salad dressing is overrated (unless it’s sesame dressing). All of the flavors from the fresh vegetables, with a drizzle of olive oil and some spices, will bring out the natural flavors of your salad. Try it. You will save yourself a lot of unnecessary fat calories, and will start to enjoy the flavors of your creation to a higher degree.

Until next time... have fun, enjoy summer pleasures (real low fat frozen yogurt has calcium!) - Anne H.

Read more...

Healthy Eating: Snacks

Snack Attack! What snack do you reach for most often? Salty chips? Sweets? Chocolate? I used to be a Chocolate Entenmann’s Donut gal, (TMI, I know) but now I’m a yogurt or nuts and raisins gal. In keeping with the theory of ‘fueling with high octane’, I wanted to address snacking in this month’s blog, because some of us probably snack and graze more often than eating a fully balanced meal. Whether we are working late, sitting at out desk, on the go and no time to catch a meal, or just pure lazy, snacking right can be an important element to maintaining your healthy nutritional intake.

It’s recommended that your snacks are in the range of 100 calories. Agreed, that would be hard to do accomplish, but not unachievable. Keep that in mind, there are still a lot of choices available. While I’m running around town, and I throw a yogurt into my bag (the Fage 0% Fat Free is great), or pick up a packet of nuts and raisins from the newsstand (they are not too bad!). Although these might be more than 100 calories, I know that the health benefits are superior then picking up the bag of pretzels or a Twix bar. Healthy snacking would be best if it had a component of protein too. Other choices: peanut butter and celery, hummus and carrots, edamame or natural fruit & nut bars, granola and of course, fresh fruit (or dried but without all of the sugar) is always a good choice. Edamame is a great source of soy protein, fiber and amino acids. It’s easy to make and can be found in most freezer sections of your local grocery store. Natural peanut butter is better than regular Skippy, but if you’re at least having peanut butter, it’s better than a bag of salty chips.

Healthy snacking takes just a small amount of planning too. Keep a container of nuts and raisins at your desk if you work long hours or stock the fridge at work with your favorite healthy snack. When traveling, try to pack some nutrition instead of eating at the airport fast food spots. (That is unless you are in Italy, when all food is fair game).

It’s also cool to create your own snacks. A friend of mine loves to make her own hummus in her food processor, and I just learned from another NY Flyer that her homemade black bean hummus is all the rage. Last week’s NY Times Dining section featured Bill Yosses, (the White House Pastry Chef) recipe for homemade fruit and oat bars, as Michele Obama is directing the White House chefs to create healthy meals and desserts. The recipe looks speedy and simple. I’ll include these recipes in the next newsletter.

If you’ve got to have that donut, then enjoy it and move on! Don’t fuss too much, as long as you can assess your current snacking behavior, and try to amend it to more healthier choices your efforts should have a positive effect. In general, if you think, “nuts, fruit, protein, fiber” you’re off to a good start.

And remember, “Eat Incredible to be Incredible”! (I heard this on an advertisement from the American Egg Board this morning, and loved it!) - Anne H.

Read more...