May 31, 2010
Summer is here and unlike your local gym, we don’t hike up the air conditioning at the studio. If you’re finding it more difficult to stay on your mat this summer, pick up a Yogitoes Skidless. Skidless is the same size as a traditional yoga mat that has nubs on one side that grip your mat to create a towel like layer that helps to keep your feet and hands from slipping during sweater vinyasa practices and warmer months. This is a must for me when I’m taking a class, no matter the season. I’ve had my skidless for a couple of years now. It’s easy to clean, just throw in the wash using warm water and toss in your dryer.
We have the groovy collection and blue skidless at the studio now. Pick up yours today!
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April 25, 2010
I must confess I did make a few oops on this program. To clear my conscious I must blog…
Wonton chips – We went for sushi one night and I tried this amazing “salsa” with tuna, avocados, and tomatoes. Their chips were made of wonton and I accidentally had about 3 chips before I realized what I was inhaling. Not even a minute later, I had a reaction. My face felt bloated and my eyes got puffy. This literally was my first bite of gluten 10 days into the program. I had forgotten my wheat- free soy sauce so opted for none at all therefore it couldn’t have been from the added sodium.
Xtreme Sour Punch Straws –Now this isn’t even real food which upsets me. I’ve said this before my sweet tooth is my nemesis and Kayla was in the car eating these sour fruit straws. I began to salivate, asked for a bite and then looked at the ingredients (which by the way I couldn’t even pronounce). There in black bold letters Made with Wheat. Aaah!! If I wasn’t driving I would have spit it out, but instead, swallowed with a mouthful of guilt.
Mystery Sauce – There was another time I devoured a piece from a delicious maki roll at a party. I must confess I wasn’t sure what was in the brown sauce. I know Asian foods are often made with oyster, soy, or teriyaki sauce - likely not the wheat-free version.
Garden Veggie Chips – Quantity wise, this was my biggest oops of all. I read a list on the back of the package that said made with potato, tomato, spinach and pure sunflower oil, and only 135 calories a bag. After the second day and my second bag of Veggie Chips I read under ingredients (duh that’s where I should have looked to begin with) Wheat Starch. I think I had started to get lazy looking at the list of ingredients all the time. Oye!!
Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds and Raisins – There was much debate among participants on whether or not dark chocolate had some dairy and caffeine in it. We learned dark chocolate was better than milk chocolate and found articles that said chocolate only has minimal traces of caffeine. We agreed that dark chocolate would be ‘okay’ though not recommended. Just this past week my sweet tooth was really bad and I mixed myself a small bag of dark chocolate almonds and raisins at Whole Foods. Can I just tell you this was the first time I had chocolate since Easter. I don’t really regret this. I’m sure I could have gone without, but my gosh it was good!
There you have it, my big oops.
Claudine
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April 24, 2010
At last Monday’s meeting we discussed the expense in eating organic, fresher, higher quality whole foods. Yes, I agree that this way of eating can be more expensive (think Whole Foods or as I joke Whole Paycheck), but in my opinion, with a good balance, it’s worth it. It comes down to the decision on where you choose to spend your money. While I have been spending more on groceries that are gluten and dairy-free, the trade off is that my cart isn’t as full as it used to be with less-expensive “filler” foods that have more preservatives, high fructose corn syrup and fat. I’m skipping the inner isles at the grocery store and spending much more of my time shopping the perimeter. When I can, I spend a little more on organic fish. While wild fish isn’t always practical, I can choose farm raised fish that is chemical free sans hormones or antibiotics. In regards to purchasing organic fruits and vegetables here’s my little rule of thumb; I buy organic if the fruit or vegetable is highly porous, like strawberries or fruits where you consume the skin such as grapes, but have no problem not buying organic bananas or avocadoes.
Yesterday, I took my first trip to Costco since starting the program. While picking up a few bulk items I was pleasantly surprised on how many ogranic labels I found including safe foods on the program. I cannot tell you how excited I was to see Organic Quinoa at Costco! This is my new favorite gluten-free grain. I’ve been making this in my rice cooker. It’s been one of the best finds since starting this program, quick and easy to cook, high in protein and very tasty! Here are also a few other goodies I picked up:
Cashew Clusters with Almonds and Pumpkin Seeds $7.99
Gluten-Free Teriyaki Marinade (think summer bbq’s) $5.49
Organic Quinoa 4lb (regular grocery store 12 oz is $4.59!!) $10.49
Organic Eggs 18count $3.99
Organic Spinach 1lb $3.99
Our last meeting is this coming Monday. We’re doing a potluck dinner of our favorite dishes/food finds during the 21-days. I have enough quinoa to feed an army and will be bringing in my warm quinoa salad.
Claudine
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