Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Halloween Tips on Treats

As Halloween is very soon, and the time change to fall back is soon after, here comes the season of food and feasting on treats. Let’s tackle some wellness tips for the first fall food holiday – Halloween.

It does not matter whether you have kids to take through the neighborhood, a local party or other treat gathering event, or they come to your door, you must maintain the control. Here are some tips to help you with that.

Make a Plan: You must decide ahead of time what you are going to do on Halloween night. Are you taking the kids out? Or are you the designated greeter? Even better, turn off the porch light to have a quiet dinner and a movie. You may not be able to get away with the last one, so lets go to the next tip.

Don’t Buy Early: Do NOT buy your treats more than a week ahead. Even a few days prior is sufficient. I bought mine just two days before. (The candy company and the stores are banking on you buying way ahead, cause they just KNOW you will be back for more.) Purchase the treats for the kiddos, not for you, and avoid opening them prior to the big night. Even better buy treats you don’t even like. (Peanut butter taffy anyone?)

Rethink the Treat: Try something different. Ideas: fruit snacks, single-serve microwave popcorn, pretzels, cheese and cracker or peanut butter and cracker packages, packages of trail mix, sugar-free gum, single-serve packages of instant cocoa or cider, sticks of beef jerky, 100 calorie snack packs, rice krispie treats, granola bars, individual servings of dried fruit. Want something completely new and different to give-away? The PLAY-DOH Halloween Trick or Treat Bag (not candy but still edible – though it does contain wheat). It’s 20 cans for $4.00 so not too bad, and I would have loved to get this as a kid! http://www.hasbro.com/playdoh/default.cfm?page=products&product_id=20702

With Your Own Kids: Walk the kids, don’t drive them around the neighborhood; the exercise is good for both of you. Don’t take your kids candy and treats, and after five days get rid of anything that is left; if it is still there, then it really isn’t a favorite.

After it is over: It’s the season for the non-perishable food drives, so take your extra candy and donate it. Some of the children in the shelters or for the families, who can’t afford food, aren’t really able to get out there to trick-or-treat, so let them have the leftovers. You certainly don’t need it and your kids don’t either.

Follow these tips and you will safely get through the Halloween season and on your way to the next Fall Feasting Day...

Monday, October 20, 2008

Sharing a Personal Success

It is done! After training for almost 6 months, this past Sunday I accomplished one of my life goals: to complete a marathon before I was 40.

I ran the Duke City Marathon yesterday with the true goal of completing it, and a hopeful goal of completing it in under 4:30 hours.

I completed it in 4:28.02. Even with training for the last 6 months, it was tough the last 6 miles, just as everyone who has done this had promised. However, I think the worst part I was that my husband, who supported my through most of the race, had parked the truck about 1/3 mile away and I had to walk to it after running for 26.2 miles! Sometimes you feel that you can’t just do anymore, but you do.

A colleague of mine who has run many marathons, including Boston three times and Chicago last week in 3:10 said I looked much better than she did last week. That was nice of her. I feel pretty good today – just a little bit of soreness and glad to have a banister on the stairs at home.

Will there be another? Highly unlikely, but who knows? It was just something to check off the list.

See the full results here: https://www.runraceresults.com/secure/raceresults.cfm?id=rcls2008

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Nerves – cause for pain in the stomach, in the head and in the legs…

The day and days before the big day and I’m asked if I’m nervous… I didn’t think so, but three big things are happening.

I’ve been having difficult time eating. Not good, since I should have been loading up on carbs and calories for the last couples of days and especially today. I’ve dropped three pounds in the past few days, which may not seem like much, but this is from my morning weight.

I’ve been having my bout of migraines. I get migraines on a pretty regular basis, but now and then I get a batch of them over the course of three days and even with my meds they are only controlled but never completely go away. Today is day three. Hopefully today is the last day.

I had those terrible night leg cramps in my calves on Thursday night/Friday morning really bad in my left leg, and then one in my right leg about an hour later. They were so bad that today, a day and a half later I’m still sore in my left leg.

So, what can one do?

It is rarely that we dietitians do this, but we do say it: force yourself to eat. I’ve been eating on a schedule today. I’m not hungry, but I’m eating. I set my timer and eat something – high carb – every 3 hours. I had oatmeal for breakfast; yogurt and tortilla for early lunch; cheerios for late lunch; banana and peanut butter for snack; I’m having popcorn now, and making some gnocchi for dinner.

I stay hydrated and take my meds for my migraines and just pray that tomorrow I wake up fine.

Those leg cramps (ouch). Stay hydrated, water and Gatorade (at least this last couple of days), take a calcium supplement, stretch, and take an Advil to take away the pain.

Hopefully, all will go well, and the only pain will be from fatigue at the end, or near the end, tomorrow.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

One of My Life Goals - Being Checked Off on Sunday


One of my goals: Run a marathon before I'm 40.

Coming up on Sunday, October 19th, I will run my first marathon - the Duke City Marathon here in Albuquerque. The only goal that day: to finish (before 1:30 since I have a massage scheduled for 2 pm).

My very first race was a 5K at the Duke City events four years ago on October 24th - and it was excrutiating and exhilirating at the same time.


Since then, I have run six official 5K, three official 10K, the La Luz Trail Run twice, and three Half Marathons (all in Albuquerque).

Of course in training, I have run those distances many times and I improve my time most of the time.

I'll decide next week, or maybe later, if I will run another marathon, but for now... I'll be ok with sticking to the half marathons with most of the runners in the U.S.
Live by example.

Oh yes, and I just turned 39 two weeks ago...