Eat this, not that!

I recently browsed through what I think is a great new book regarding good food choices when you eat at Fast Food joints and stroll through the isles at the grocery store.

Eat this, not that! by David Zinczenko, editor in chief of Men's Health magazine, is a practical book that helps readers make better selections when it comes to food choices. The book is based on a popular column that appears in the magazine and is filled with nutritional information and suggestions. I think this USA Today article is a great review of the book.

I was very surprised to read some of the better choices we all should make when it comes to fast food restaurants. For example, if you car drives you through the big Yellow arches, aka McDonald's, it's better to eat a Quarter Pounder sandwich (no cheese) has 410 calories, vs. the Premium Grilled Chicken Club, which has 570 calories. Another smart choice I found surprising was it's better to eat a Ham, Egg and Cheese English Muffin sandwich from Dunkin' Donuts (310 calories) vs. a Multigrain Bagel with Light Cream Cheese (500 calories).

If this topic interests you, I'd definitely recommend checking out Eat this, not that!. I'd say it's worth purchasing b/c it would be a great reference book to through in our purse for grocery shopping trips or dinners out at the featured restaurants.

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On a side note: some have commented about the my most recent post (the Banana's Foster French Toast) being posted right after my new running/jogging training program. Believe me, I got a good laugh too, but hey, isn't most of why we exercise, to be able to indulge in sweets every now and then!?!?! Also, I am in Week 2 of the training for the Couch to 5k program, and it has gotten harder to stay motivated. Week 2 only adds on 30 seconds more of jogging, but I've found during Runs 1 and 2, I'm much more winded and feeling more tired versus when comparing it to those runs during Week 1. I'm pushing through though and am still excited about completing Week 2 this week!

Bananas Foster French Toast

If the title alone doesn't make you want to try this dish, then that can only mean a few things....

One, you don't like Bananas...

Two, you don't enjoy fabulously tasty breakfasts...

or Three, you know it's a Paula Deen recipe that is FULL of butter and sweet stuff!

This past weekend I visited my friends in West Virginia and we enjoyed this awesomely delicious recipe for dinner. Now I know it's a breakfast dish, but some days there's nothing better than breakfast at dinner time!

The "french toast" part is actually buttery croissants sliced in half, dipped in an egg, heavy cream & cinnamon mixture, then fried in a skillet. The topping is 100% maple syrup, dark corn syrup, brown sugar, pecans, and of course, butter! Bring that mixture to a boil, then add sliced bananas and simmer for a few minutes. Pour over french toast!

(Official Recipe from Food Network)

The Before Pic...

(The banana's did look a little funny, haha, they did get kinda mushy, so I think we cooked the sweet topping mixture just a little too long!)

The After Pic...

(Clearly the mushy banana's didn't effect the taste - YUM, YUM, YUM!)

Week 1 - C to 5k!

I've finished Week 1 of the Couch to 5K running program and I have to say:  So Far, So Good!  I'm really loving the pod casts I've downloaded that talk you through the running/walking intervals and it's nice to already have the music picked out and set to the jogging pace that follows the program.  

Week 1 consisted of 3 runs; each run has a 5 minute warm up & cool down, with intervals of 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking, keeping the heart rate up, but still exercising at a comfortable level.    

After run #1, I was certainly sweating like a mad woman and my face really turned bright red, in fact I think some people at the gym were giving me funny looks, of course I didn't realize how red I was until I went to the locker room and saw my "red as a tomato face"!  But I pushed on through the week and finished Week 1.  I feel great about the program and start Week 2 tomorrow.  

  

1st Goal of 2009

I've decided not to adopt the New Year's Resolution of losing weight. But I am hoping that some of my other goals I'm setting this year will in fact make shedding a few pounds a reality!

Goal # 1 = Start Running, or maybe jogging, is a better way to put it! My goal is to get my feet moving a little faster on the treadmill and attempt a 5k run in late March. I'm signing up for Cincinnati's annual Heart Mini Marathon, with the plan on running in the 5k race.

A 5k is equal to around 3 miles and I think it's a good distance to start with for my first organized run. I have heard from several people that this Heart Mini Run can be kind of tough, b/c the weather in Cincinnati in March is a little unpredictable, but I'm still going for it.

Friends have offered to become my running buddies, and as I get more comfortable I'll probably take them up on their offers. For now, I'm starting on the treadmill at the gym with a program I learned about called Couch to 5k. The program is a 12 week beginner's running schedule designed to get people up off the couch and running/jogging on a regular basis, with the goal of a 5k run at the end of the program.

Today is day 1, we'll see how it goes. I have found a great website that has audio podcasts that follow the program, so after work, I'm planning on lacing up my gym shoes, plugging in the iPod and hitting the treadmill for the first run. I'll keep you updated on my progress - Wish Me Luck!!

New Year's Resolution List...

I was browsing several of my "blogging friends" websites to see what topics they're covering as we start this new year of 2009. I came across this list on Udandi's blog...take a minute to browse it over if you're into New Year's Resolutions. For me, many of the things on the list really hit home and I'm planning on practicing them during 2009.

The list was heard on the Bob & Sheri show...

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Talk to God about what is going on in your life. Buy a lock if needed.
3. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, ‘My purpose is to ____ today. I am thankful for____’
4. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
5. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.
6. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
7. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
8. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.
9. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.
10. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
11. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
12. You are not so important that you have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
13. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
14. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
15. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
16. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: ‘In five years, will this matter?’
17. Forgive everyone for everything.
18. What other people think of you is none of your business.
19. GOD heals everything - but you have to ask Him.
20. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
21. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch!
22. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
23. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for ____. Today I accomplished ____.
24. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.
25. When you are feeling down, start listing your many blessings. You’ll be smiling before you know it.

Whether or not you're into these types of lists, I hope you've enjoyed a wonderful New Year's Eve and New Year's Day celebration. I know I'm looking forward to the many fabulous things ahead in 2009. Cheers to a Healthy and Happy New Year!