These are a few of my favorite things...

I can't believe November is already here! 2010 has flown by... it's strange to think that just a year ago, I was preparing for my parents and sisters to join me for a mini-Thanksgiving feast in my Dallas apartment.

                                                             
I'm generally not a big fan of Thanksgiving, but I'm looking forward to it more this year since I'll be able to spend it at home and see more of my wonderful extended family!

Wondering why I'm not a big fan of Thanksgiving? I know, it's very Chandler Bing of me, and it throws a lot of people off. It just seems to me that the true meaning of Thanksgiving is completely overshadowed and forgotten, and instead it turns into a day focused only on food - a day of overindulgence when we in fact encourage people to eat as much as they possibly can until they're stuffed to the point of discomfort. As a dietitian wanting balance in life and with food after many years of struggling, the Thanksgiving attitude is frustrating and seems to go against everything I'm striving for. Granted, I know it's just one day, and I know I'm probably being irrational, but that's my soap box.

That being said, I'm trying to adjust my attitude and re-focus the day back to it's original intent: Giving Thanks. I noticed one of my friends has been regularly updating her Facebook status to list a different thing she is thankful for each day in November. I did the same thing last year, but only for a week. There are clearly more than seven things I am thankful for in life, so this year I decided to do a whole blog post on the topic. I am grateful to be blessed with a life in which I can freely enjoy my favorite things... Here's a list of some of those favorite things - things that make me happy and make me grateful to live the life that I do!

• My awesome family
• My crazy pets - Phoenix, Farrah and Macy
• My favorite foods - hummus, ice cream, apples, and chocolate
• My favorite drinks - Diet Dr. Pepper, sangria, Bud Light, and hot chocolate

• All my amazing travels - I've been to 31 states, 6 foreign countries, 2 other continents, and I can't WAIT to see more of the world!
• St. Louis - everything about it, especially Busch Stadium, Forest Park, the Arch, and SLU's campus
• Saint Louis University and all of the incredible friends I made there
• Cardinal baseball... and Ranger baseball too :)
• Musicals - especially Les Miserables, my fave :)
• Zoos & zoo animals - love the giraffes and elephants!
• The colors and crisp weather of fall
• The fresh-start feeling of spring
• Real Christmas trees
• Thunderstorms
• Lightning bugs & butterflies
• Starry nights - in the country, where I can actually see the stars!!
• Mass on Christmas Eve and Easter Vigil
• Costumes and theme parties
• The combination of mint & chocolate
• Baking - just made two cakes this morning! Happy birthday Grandma!
• My favorite TV shows - FRIENDS, The Office, House, and Jeopardy  :)
• Classic movies - especially Casablanca, and anything with Audrey Hepburn
• Working out - running, spinning, and zumba especially
• Good books - a few of my favorites are To Kill a Mockingbird and Gone with the Wind
• Inspirational quotes
• And last but certainly not least.....
• My incredible group of best friends who never cease to amaze & inspire me, though we're scattered literally all over the world... I love & miss you all!!!

I encourage you to remember the reason for the season, and make your own list. What things make you happy? What are you good at? What are you thankful for this year? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment box below! (PS, I'm thankful for all of you who took the time to read this)  :)

Fighting Fat Talk

Monday started National FAT TALK FREE WEEK. Started by Delta Delta Delta sorority, this amazing campaign is a much-needed one in today's society. I'm going to share lots of links in this post. I hope you'll take the time to view them and really think about them.

I was introduced to Fat Talk Free Week last year during my rotation at The Elisa Project in Dallas. This year, knowing it was coming, I have followed more closely. It has been interesting to follow the responses and comments on different articles out there in the blogosphere. While many, like mine, have been incredibly positive, there has been a fair share of negative feedback as well.

Examples:

"Yet another attempt by the psycho-babble crowd to further erode the strength of our country. Get a trophy just for showing up? Check. Don't keep score because it might hurt somebody's feeling? Check. Send a hoard of counselors to schools every time there is a mildly disturbing event? Done. Now...let's make sure our obese kids don't get their precious self-esteem hurt by actually telling them they're too fat. We need a country full of happy diabetics and cheery heart-attack victims."

"They should ask more does this make my but look bigger because not asking is how we became such an obese nation!"

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2025345,00.html#ixzz12qkrU1xm

(Don't worry! I created an account to reply to those ignorant comments.)

I think this is a beautiful week. As a dietitian who has had my own share of eating struggles, I know how
crippling "fat talk" can be. I watch my clients experience it frequently. I have experienced it. There were times I missed outings with friends, deleted pictures with wonderful memories, and held myself back from fun and exciting experiences.. all because I felt so uncomfortable in my own skin.. even when average or underweight. This is no way to live life!

As you can see, this campaign is not about embracing or ignoring obesity at all. Instead, it is promoting self-love and self-acceptance... and health. But we must remember that health doesn't necessarily mean being a size 0, or having a six-pack, or whatever the case may be. Health means feeding your body nutritious foods, participating in whatever type of physical activity you enjoy (see my previous post), and knowing when to hold back and when to indulge. Health means taking care of yourself... getting enough sleep, taking long hot showers or bubblebaths, reading books, listening to music, shopping, going out to eat, spending time with your friends and family. Health, in my opinion, is about showing your body how much you love it.

So, ladies, stop comparing yourself to all those air-brushed models. They're not real anyway.

Stop comparing yourself to your coworkers.. that girl in your sorority.. the woman next to you in the gym.. your sister, your mom, your best friend. You are a beautiful child of God. You are unique, and you are wonderful. There could never be a more beautiful you. Remind yourself that everyday. Let's end Fat Talk once and for all!!

Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.

The quote above, from Edward Stanley, is rather blunt. But it's true. As a dietitian, I can preach all day about the benefits of healthy eating. However, that's just part of the equation. Without physical activity, even the most meticulous dieter is missing a huge piece of the "overall health and well-being" puzzle. But, without extending our days to 36 hours instead of 24, how do we fit in time for exercise in our already crazy-busy lives?

In college, it was easy to maintain a workout regimen. With random blocks of downtime throughout the day, plus a "free" (ie, already paid in your "miscellaneous student fee" section of the tuition bill) membership to the student rec center, there was no real excuse not to workout. I almost always worked out six to seven days a week. In the spring and fall, I would run outside, following the same worn path hundreds and hundreds of SLU students have followed from campus to Forest Park and back.

In the winter, I would hop on the elliptical or TreadClimber and power it out while catching up on my celebrity gossip in the most recent People magazine, or occasionally flipping through notes, half-heartedly attempting to study. On pretty afternoons, I would roam around campus with a friend. During my 90-minute break between nutrition classes, I would bolt over to Tower Grove Park and explore. One semester I enrolled in a yoga class. Sometimes, if the weather wasn't cooperating but I wasn't feeling the gym, I would pop in my Billy Blanks Tae-Bo tape (yes, tape... as in VHS... I'm that old, and it is too...) and jump around in my dorm room or apartment - hoping my downstairs neighbors weren't home to suffer through that!

Having a fulltime job has added a bit more of an obstacle to the workout routine. Luckily for me, however, I live in a small town and have no social life, so it hasn't been as big of a deal. ;) So far I've avoided breaking down and joining a gym. I spent the beginning of the summer waiting for dusk before heading outside, trying to beat the heat, to walk or ride my bike, or on more rare occasions jog a few miles. I almost always had my sister or mom join me - the buddy system is always a good idea for working out, as it keeps you more motivated and more entertained. Afterwards I would sometimes go on YouTube for toning exercises for the abs and derriere. (8-Minute Abs and 8-Minute Buns are suuuper corny, but also great! Free, quick, easy, and effective. Trust me, you'll feel it after the first time!)

As my mom and sister got busier with volleyball season, my buddy system stopped working out so well. And one can only walk/ride down the same boring country roads so many times before going insane. So in July, a friend finally convinced me to try out one of her spinning classes. All I'd ever heard about spinning was that it was a great workout, but super intense. I was terrified! I made my sister go along with me (again with the buddy system) and ended up loving it!

I also recently started Zumba classes, which really work up a sweat and are so fun! I mean, how can you not feel great when shimmying, shaking, and rolling your hips to Shakira?! Taking organized, scheduled fitness classes is not something I had ever really tried before, but it really holds you accountable, guides your workout, pushes you harder than you may push yourself alone, and is a lot more fun -- those hours fly by! I keep my workout routine interesting and well-balanced by alternating spinning, zumba, and either biking or running on my own. (I ran a lot in college, and really miss it, so I'm trying to get back into it. I'm hoping my beautiful brand new Asics will help keep me motivated!! But I'll save my running commentary for another post!)

The thing that has impressed me most about joining fitness classes is the diversity of my classmates. My spin and zumba classes are filled with all ages, shapes, and sizes. We have young women, mothers, a few token men, empty nesters, retirees.. thin, curvy, short, tall.. who have all found at least one hour out of their week to devote to themselves and their health. We don't spend the hour comparing ourselves to one another; instead, we all go at our own pace and take joy (and, admittedly, some pain) in moving our bodies. For that hour, we are doing something completely selfish - we are taking an entire hour just for us, showing our bodies how much we LOVE them by letting them move! Our bodies were made to move - how else do you explain the intricate system of joints, tendons, ligaments, muscles? It is in the movement, through the sweat, beyond the pain, that we begin to reenergize not just our body, but our mind and spirit too. We can begin to make peace with our bodies and love them for what they can do, for how they can move.

I challenge you, if you're not already an exerciser, to consider starting. The benefits of exercize nearly always outweight the risks and costs. Aside from the obvious physical benefits of burning calories and toning muscles, there are tons of mental/spiritual benefits as well. Henry David Thoreau said, "Methinks the moment my legs began to move, my thoughts began to flow." Exercising is a time to burn some stress, clear your mind, brainstorm, pray, mourn, rejoice... it is a time just for you - whatever you make of it.

Whether you walk, run, bike, rollerblade, swim, hike, row, watch exercise clips on YouTube or FitTV, check out workout DVDs from the library, join a sports team, join a gym, enroll in a fitness class... whether you work out once a week or every day... the bottom line is just to MOVE. Your mind and body will thank you.

The healthcare provider in me must make a disclaimer: This is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a physician before starting any new exercise program.  Also, these pictures are from Google Images and are not my own.

If family were a fruit, it would be an orange.

"If family were fruit, it would be an orange... a circle of sections, held together but separable - each segment distinct." --Letty Cottin Pogrebin--

I just stumbled across this quote the other day, and at first I thought it was sort of strange. But upon reading it a few more times, I realized how true it is, and how it really sums up a family. As with any family, mine is made up of many unique personalities, each individual quite distinct. Yet somehow, these diverse qualities seem to mesh and fit together in a strangely perfect way - just as orange segments fit together to make a round orange. While differences have the definite potential to create conflict, they also promote growth and enrichment. There is something to learn and something to gain from each member of a family, and I feel so blessed to come from the family I do.

We recently took a long weekend getaway together, and I think that trip is what got me reflecting on all of this so much. Our vacation activities were a perfect mix of all of us together. While I think all of us enjoyed each stop, there were things that were geared more toward some of us than others. This is a perfect example of how our differences serve to enrich each others' lives.

My younger sister Jana is a right-brained thinker, while the rest of us in the family are dominantly left-brainers. The left brain is logical, sequential, rational, and objective, while the right brain is random, intuitive, and subjective. It is easy to see why conflict easily arises, as we don't always perceive things the same or see eye-to-eye. However, when I am able to get past the differences, Jana offers a new way of thinking, an interesting way of looking at things. Her interests lie in theater, music, art, literature.... and birds of prey. Though we have somewhat different tastes, we find some common ground in our love of musicals. To pass time in the car during our road trip, I'd pull up a song on my iPod and make everyone guess which musical it was from as quickly as they could. Jana dominated. Also on our vacation, we visited the Guthrie Theater and saw A Streetcar Named Desire, which Jana loved.

Sara, my youngest sister, is often the peacemaker. She has an easy-going spirit and a wicked sense of humor. Her interest in fashion has led to her ability to pick out clothes that will look good on anyone, and when I get her seal of approval, I know I must look okay. She enjoyed shopping Nicolett Mall in downtown Minneapolis, as well as our stop at the Mall of America, where she found a sassy prom dress on super-sale. (Bargain-hunting is a trait we all picked up from Mom.) Sara is also athletic, so when I need a workout buddy, she's my go-to girl, and provides quiet encouragement that motivates me to push a little harder. On our trip, we raced the stairs at the capitol building, ran the bases at The Field of Dreams, and worked off some of our vacation-calories on treadmills next to each other at the hotel. Sometimes I think Sara is wise beyond her years, and often more mature than me. She provides a voice of reason when I'm being completely irrational, and a calm steadiness when I'm feeling especially spastic and chaotic. She can also be very goofy though, and we had a great time acting out statues and artwork everywhere we stopped on vacation.

I love being in the city, so staying in downtown Minneapolis and getting to walk many places we went was right up my alley. Since my mom is a home ec teacher and I am a dietitian, we were both excited to tour the Mill City Museum, a former Gold Medal Flour mill/factory. Dad and I love baseball, and we are fans of the movie Field of Dreams, so stopping at the filming site in Dyersville, Iowa, was a lot of fun. Like most families, we love a good meal, and enjoyed everything from creamy ice cream (14% butterfat... Ugh. My arteries hurt just thinking about it. But soo good!) to the most amazing burger I've ever tasted (Jamaican jerk bison burger + sweet potato fries at Hell's Kitchen = OMG good.) We can all appreciate the beauty of art and architecture, landscape and history, so we enjoyed our stops at the capitol buildings in Des Moines and St. Paul; Cathedral of St. Paul; Basilica of St. Francis Xavier in Dyersville, IA; & Surf Ballroom and the lake in Clear Lake, IA.

My parents are diverse in their interests, and by exposing us to so many different experiences, (as on this trip and the many family vacations that came before) they have helped us to discover our passions. They provide support and encouragement to my sisters and me as we pursue those interests. It is because of my parents that, at the age of 23, I have: learned to play 2 musical instruments; read countless books; baked an absurd amount of cookies; logged many, many miles on bike and on foot; lived independently in the heart of 2 different big cities; seen 24 professional theater productions; traveled to 30 states, 6 foreign countries, and 2 other continents; and so much more. I may be strongly biased, but I think my family has got to be one of the best out there, and I am beyond blessed to be a part of it. We balance each other out, and fit together like puzzle pieces. Yes, I am convinced -- if family were fruit, it would definitely be an orange.

Culture Shock in Your Own Backyard..

One day last week, I left work and headed straight for the tanning bed. (Yes, I occasionally tan. Yes, I know it's probably not good for me. But we all have our vices, and this is one of mine. Let's face it, I'm not getting much natural sun these days between working full-time and it raining every other day!) Anyway, I walked into the salon where I tan, and the owner says to me, "So Laura, I hear you had grilled pizzas at your house for dinner last night. How did they turn out?" Now granted I've known Theresa for years, but I hadn't seen her in a week, and certainly had not called her to discuss my dinner plans. I'm sure she didn't think anything of it, just making small talk, and of course I answered and we had a nice chat about the pizza-grilling-process... but in my head I'm thinking, WOW! People two towns over know what I had for dinner last night, and who came over to eat it. Welcome back to small-town life.

Moving to St. Louis for undergrad was somewhat of a culture shock, and moving to Dallas last year was even moreso. Instead of a bumpy two-lane road populated by slow-moving tractors, I had to get used to driving in traffic with 4 lanes going each direction, with cars weaving in and out of lanes at 70mph. Rather than running into at least two people I was related to every time I left the house, I saw new faces of employees and students I didn't recognize at work and school every single day. When I went grocery shopping, I never ran into anybody I knew, and no one cared what I put into my cart. When out in the city, I was just another face in the crowd.

I'm not saying that I want to be just another face in the crowd necessarily... it's just what had become ordinary and comfortable to me, especially while in Dallas. Just as there is a comfort in seeing a familiar smiling face, there is also something strangely comfortable to me in knowing that it doesn't really matter what you wear, or where you're from, or what's happened in your past, or anything like that, because the people you see today don't know, probably don't care, and you may never run into them again.

Though it's a bit of reverse culture shock being back home, I can of course list hundreds of things that are great about being from a small town. There are a lot of things I have been enjoying since moving home that I had really missed... I love seeing millions of stars at night. I enjoy riding my bike down country roads, singing out loud, with only sparkling fireflies and graceful white-tailed deer as my audience. I like that winning a scholarship or landing a great new job is newsworthy, and will likely get your name and picture in the local newspaper. I take pride that the entire community comes together to visit and support a local church over homemade ice cream. I appreciate that the outdoor soundtrack each night consists of cicadas, coyotes, and crickets, rather than sirens and street traffic.

There are also hundreds of things I miss about living in a city. I loved being able to walk to Target from my Dallas apartment. I enjoyed having hundreds of restaurants to choose from, specializing in every kind of cuisine you can imagine. I treasured Forest Park in St. Louis, where I could run a different course every day of the week and still probably not see the entirety of the park. I adored having the Fox Theater just down the block from me at SLU, so I could go to several Broadway-quality productions a year. I am grateful to have met so many unique people with such diversity: color, race, religion, culture, beliefs, and more. I get excited about the seemingly endless possibilities and opportunities living in a city provides.

I am grateful to be able to have a balance of both these extremes in my life. Having lived in both settings has really shaped who I am today. There are things I have learned that I wouldn't have if I had stayed in a small town my whole life, or if I had only lived in the city. To be happiest, I need both in my life. I spent the past weekend in St. Louis, and loved every second of it. However, when I stay in a city too long, I get homesick for quiet Paloma. Although I hope to one day move back to St. Louis, a piece of my heart will always remain in small-town Illinois. Keeping both in my life keeps my heart and soul well-balanced.

It's a party in the USA

About a week ago, my family celebrated our annual reunion on Father's Day. It was a beautiful day, despite the heat, and we all had a great time. I come from a big family (my dad is the youngest of 9), so it's always fun to get everyone together and catch up. Since my cousins are older, they are all starting families of their own, and let me tell you... they have some sassy and incredibly entertaining little kids!

While all of us "old" twenty- and thirty-somethings sat in the shade letting our too-full bellies digest, a bunch of the little ones were riled up, climbing on the playground and playing ball in the park. (How is it that kids seem so unaffected by this hot, humid weather?) It was fun to watch how entertained the kids could be with such simple activities -- going down 4-foot slides, burying twigs under pebbles, throwing around a playground ball. Aiden entertained us by breaking every rule: throwing rocks, pouring his juice box out all over the playground and himself, climbing too-high ladders for such a small boy. Adison reminded me a lot of myself: the sassy older sister who wanted to be involved in (and preferably in charge of) everything and who loved to perform! We were laughing hysterically at her renditions of "Single Ladies" and "Party in the USA," which she sang with incredible accuracy for a 4-year old, while simultaneously doing spins and shaking her little hips.

As we big kids watched, we couldn't help reminiscing on how much fun we'd had doing similar things when we were younger. We were amused by how high the jungle gym had seemed then, as we realized now that it's no more than 6 feet at the tallest point. We laughed about how we had regularly dressed up in costumes and put on performances on the park's outdoor stage.

Our "shows" ranged from our own renditions of Disney classics, to choregraphed dances to Spice Girls songs. They poked fun at me for how my somewhat egotistic, bossy ways had come through even in early childhood -- like the time we did a skit of "Pocahontas," and I demanded to play Pocahontas, while my cousins and sisters played all of the other characters... and, obviously, I made them change costumes for each role, while I just paraded around like the star of the show I was.

When is it that we lose the uninhibited freedom of childhood? I think we could all gain a lot from getting in touch with our "inner kid!" I learned a lot from hanging out with my little cousins this weekend, and none of them were over the age of 9. Brady is quite the little baseball star, and he was eager to show us how far he could hit the ball. Self-confidence like that is very healthy. We need to know what we're good at, and use those strengths toward something productive and helpful. When some of the other kids started throwing a ball around, Lucas immediately wanted to jump in and be part of the group. He had trouble catching the ball at first, but he kept his head up, kept trying, and got lots better as the game progressed. Lucas demonstrated the courage to step up and get involved, even if it's something new or something that isn't one of your strengths. He also showed that practice pays off, and though at first you may not succeed, try try again! Adison had the brightest smile and some sweet dance moves, and showed how laughter and a carefree attitude makes everything more fun.

I think we'd all be a little more balanced, and a lot happier, if we acted more like these kids. It's easier than you'd think to incorporate this into everyday life... Reconnect with things that bring you simple joy. One of my favorite snacks will forever be chocolate Teddy Grahams, and they're even more fun when you save them from "drowning" in your milk. Workouts can be more fun by letting loose and being more carefree; more of a performer, if you will. My sister and I turn on music and dance like crazy people all over the house, or we hop on our bikes and ride down country roads belting songs as loud as we can. (She tells me this increases lung capacity too...?) Bring your inner-kid into your social life too: I spent this past Easter with some friends at the circus! I also hosted a Cinco de Mayo party where we all took some swings at a pinata and danced the Macarena in my living room.


Channel your inner-kid. Know what you're good at, be confident in it, and use it toward something great! Challenge yourself to try new things - whether that be eating a new vegetable, trying a new workout class or sports league, taking on a new craft project, joining a new club.. and do it with the uninhibited spirit of a little kid. Perform a little more. Dance a lot more. Laugh all the time. Stop wishing you could be as carefree as a kid again... and just do it!

Yes, I am a dietitian. And yes, I love cookies!

Hi everyone! Welcome to my very first post on my very first blog. I hope my posts will provide you with many tips and insights of how to balance your life!

Yes, I am a dietitian, but as far as dietitians go, I'd say I'm pretty liberal! (But as far as politics go, well... let's just stick to nutrition..) Of course I believe in eating healthfully and leading an active lifestyle, but I prefer to focus on finding balance - which, trust me, is no easy thing to do! In my life, balance means vegetables, jogging, and working hard... but also ice cream, lazy days on the couch, and playing hard too! Throughout this blog, I plan to provide nutrition tips, fun ideas for physical activity, delicious new recipes, and ways to pamper yourself to show your body and life how much you LOVE them!

I'd like to start by sharing with you a few recent real-life examples of balance from my own life. Two weeks ago, I was lying on the beach in sunny Hawaii. I was blessed to be able to travel to the islands after my internship graduation to visit a college friend. Sunshine + ocean + friends = 1 amazing week!


Traveling is an important part of my life. I find that I am reenergized and that my love for the world is renewed each time I venture somewhere new. I am a spiritual person, and being in nature is where I feel most connected to God. Sitting on the beach in Hawaii, soaking in the beauty, I felt God's presence all around me, which is very refreshing.

I kept my days well-balanced by hiking through the rain forest and to the peaks of volcanic craters in the morning, and then relaxing on the beach with a great book in the afternoon.











I also laughed, a lot, while hanging out with my friend Erin, and laughing happens to be my favorite ab exercise. ;) I treated my tastebuds to lots of new experiences by trying all kinds of island foods, from kalua pig and raw ahi tuna, to fresh pineapple and haupia (a coconut custard).


And, of course, you can't visit a tropical place without partaking in some tropical drinks, but to maintain balance, I stuck with just one big sugary drink, and filled in the rest of the week with a light beer or wine here or there. It's all about balance and moderation!

As this post's title also indicates, I love cookies! I really have a huge sweet tooth, and that is an area where I don't always succeed as I strive for balance. Any of my family and friends can vouch for me when I say I love to bake. One year, I even gave up baking for Lent, and it was a long 40 days! For the past several days, I have had a strong urge to bake cookies, and I finally gave in last night. I have tried many times to create "healthy" cookie recipes, and am generally not very successful. Fat-free, whole-grain cookies are, not surprisingly, not going to cut it when you're craving something chewy and sweet. I finally decided when you want a cookie, you want a cookie! But the dietitian in me continues to find ways to tweak the recipes to make them at least a bit healthier. Last night's recipe was actually relatively successful, and while I am by no means promoting this as a nutritious recipe, I thought I'd share it with you. Enjoy!

Laura's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 - 3/4 sticks margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 whole egg + 1 egg white
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup M&M's

Cream margarine and sugars together. Add eggs, baking powder, salt, and vanilla. Mix in flours and oatmeal until well-blended. Add chocolates last. Bake in 350-degree oven for 10 minutes, until golden brown.

Have a happy, well-balanced day!
Laura