Pics my dad takes

This post has been inspired by my amazing dad.

My father is and always has been, a dad-superhero. 

He is a wealth of knowledge about all things practical, and can talk you through a home repair over the phone, should the situation present itself.  He is always willing to help out, and he has a genuine thirst for knowledge and new experiences.  When I was a tween my dad signed up for ballet classes so we could bond about dance, and he stuck with it even after I quit.  If you need a piece of furniture built, a tree chopped down, solar panels installed, or if you are looking for general-to-specific information about all things train, Tom Diehl is your man.

**cue dramatic music**

Like all superdads, however, my dad does have a weakness that his foes could potentially take advantage of.  His Achilles heel?  He cannot resist taking (and posting) the worlds least flattering pictures of myself and other people that love him.  Below is a sampling of said photos for my humiliation and your enjoyment.

(For full comedic effect, click on pictures to enlarge.)

Here Emily and I are, on my porch at my housewarming party in October. 

We have both since decided to look into wigs and Botox.

Here Dan and I are (with Ben!) at Christmas.

I'm not sure why the gift of a glittery planner seems to have upset me. 

In this one, Dan and I went to see my mom and dad at a hotel bar near the airport when they were on their way to a fun vacation.  I thought it was safe to not wear makeup, but the explanation of "these weird poker chips get you free drinks at this shitty bar" needed to be documented.

 

...and below is my favorite series of pictures of all time.  Early in my relationship with Dan, we went to Bushkill Falls with my parents and my older brother.  Dan and I started to have a conversation which was causing us friction, so we fell back to deal with it and then catch up.  Little did we know our argument was being documented by my dad who was "testing out his telephoto lens."  

My favorite part about looking at these photos with Dan was the narrative:

Gretchen: "Wow, I have NEVER seen myself make that face before."

Dan: "Oh, that's interesting.  I wish I could say the same."

But just so you all know the score, this is the face Dan was making.  Win.

I'm going going, back back to Jersey, Jersey.

So I don't think the phrase "falling off the wagon" effectively expresses just how off-task I have been with my diet and exercise over the last month.  To extend the metaphor, I have fallen so hard off the wagon that my best bet was to dust myself off and catch a bus to another town... in New Jersey.
My husband and I settled on an adorable bungalow-style house in mid-August and moved the day after settlement.  Moving was followed by a brief period of unpacking boxes and rearranging rooms during times when we would normally be cooking, cleaning, or moving our bodies and getting fresh air.  During this time we allowed ourselves the customary pizza dinners, and indulged in hoagiefest on more than 3 occasions.  Then came a huge setback: My husband could no longer stand the sight of our last-renovated-in-the-1960s fart of a kitchen, and we headed down the path of home renovation.  Our friends didn't even get a chance to say goodbye before we were tearing down layers of wallpaper, chipping up linoleum floors, and fighting about design elements and budget limitations.  (To clarify, when we bought the house, we knew we didn't like the kitchen, but we thought we could at least get a couple of years out of it before we started ripping it apart.  No such luck.) Currently we have the fridge (working), stove (disconnected), and dishwasher (also disconnected... *sob*) in the dining room, so our eat-at-home options are extremely limited. 

Living in Collingswood, NJ (which is a dry town) comes with an amazing selection of delicious BYO style restaurants to choose from, but none of these options are especially cheap, especially when you're eating out for nearly every meal.  But we did find some amazing gems over the last few weeks:
1. Indiya: 612 Haddon Ave in Collingswood, NJ.  They have a $10 lunch buffet which includes some of their most fabulous entrees, including Chicken Makani, Palak Paneer, and a few others, naan, rice, and a couple of lovely desserts.  Don't feel cheated if you get the takeout version instead; it's a good deal more expensive, but you can get a couple of meals out of the quantity provided.  If I had my way, we would be eating Indiya every night, but alas, we are white people with white people digestive systems, and there is a set quantity of Indian food that our intestines can handle.
2. El Sitio: 729 Haddon Ave in Collingswood, NJ.  This place isn't cheap, but it is hands-down, my favorite restaurant that I have visited so far in Collingswood.  An Ecuadorian grille and cafe with tons of amazing options to choose from, empanadas, ceviche, patacons, and for you're less adventurous friend or family member who has come along for the ride: an excellent selection of artisanal burgers.  Nice.
3. The Bistro in Haddonfield NJ: Looking for a swankier downtown to browse after your meal?  Haddonfield has a charming main street with an old-fashioned feel, but it's packed with great eateries and upscale shopping.  The Bistro was one of our first dining experiences in the neighborhood, and one of my favorite dishes there is a "breakfast sundae" which contains scoops of thick greek yogurt, granola, honey, and fresh berries.
4. Bahama Breeze in the parking lot of the Cherry Hill Mall:  It killed me to write that.  I know, I know, it's the island equivalent of an Olive Garden, but HEAR ME OUT.  My first experience with a Bahama Breeze was at the King of Prussia Mall (apparently their favorite spot is in prestigious mall parking lots; not helping me with my hipster-hate gut-reaction), and I fell in love pretty instantly.  They had a humongous chandelier full of enameled metal parakeets!  How could it be bad?!  The food always tastes fresh and light.  My favorite is the Key West Fish Tacos (they are in the sandwiches section of the menu, in case you are reading this from a booth in Bahama Breeze, and are overwhelmed by the textbook-sized menu in front of you).  They are made with a lovely piece of seasoned Mahi-Mahi with avocado, and pico de gallo.  You can choose 2 or 3 tacos, and you can get (this is with any entree) A SIDE OF LEGIT FRUIT SALAD WITH A SCOOP OF HAAGEN DASZ MANGO SORBET ON TOP.  Legit fruit salad is a technical term used to describe fruit salad comprised of more than just assorted not-quite-ripe melons with an occasional marachino cherry.  In this case, it refers to one made up of pineapple, red grapes, and strawberries.  No foolies.  2 tacos with magical fruit salad for $7.49. 

Any other attempts at proper eating have been thwarted by places like Saladworks, who offer me delicious, healthy options at a reasonable price, and then supply me with a sample of their new gigantic cookie; Lemon White Chocolate Chip... assholes.

We have also been noshing on frozen bagels, eggo waffles, kind bars, clif bars, and bags of chips while my husband toils away at re-tiling the floor, reconstructing a wall, and installing the garbage disposal, and I bitch about all that bothersome sanding and painting I have to do!
Tonight I have just eaten a not-to-be-named brand of TV dinner aimed at people on a diet, and my beef potroast looked, smelled, and tasted (how consistent!) like really expensive dogfood. 

I'm just going to curl up in a corner and cry until my kitchen finishes itself out of pity.

The Gluten-free, Diary-free, Low-acid cleanse

Ok, I know it sounds absolutely miserable... and for the first 2 days it absolutely is, but the results are pretty amazing, so I think it is worth a try for most people.  The first time you do it, it is supposed to be 30 days, which is very difficult (because most approved foods require more prep time, and you can't really just pick something up if you're in a hurry), but a week works pretty well too and gets somewhat similar results.  Those results are more energy, a better functioning digestive system, a more even mood, and a general feeling of lightness.  It's great for people who have reactive digestive systems (acid reflux, bloatedness or other unpleasantness).

So here's the deets:
NO:
-red meat
-milk or milk based products such as cheese, yogurt or ice cream
-caffeine
-alcohol
-acidic fruits (tomatoes, oranges, grapefruit)
-wheat, corn, white rice or white potatoes
-sugar
-foods that contain trace amounts of mold (melons, peanuts)
-prepared foods (for the most part, if there are, like, 3 ingredients, and you can understand what they all are, it's ok)

YES:
-lots of low-acid fruits and vegetables (bananas, berries, cucumbers, carrots)
-approved grains and starches: brown rice (gross), buckwheat (pretty great), quinoa (you can make it taste like anything!!!), and sweet potatoes (perfect all by themselves)
-white meat and fish in moderation
-other sources of protein: beans, dense nuts (like almonds), tofu, eggs, avocado
-soy, rice, or almond milk, small amounts of honey as sweetener, herbal decaffeinated tea, extra virgin olive oil, herbs and spices, KIND bars, and small amounts of salt are ok.

When you are trying to adhere to this diet, you want to make sure that you are also trying to follow these guidelines, so you feel healthy and balanced at the end of the day:
1. drink lots of water, shoot for the 64 ounces a day that are recommended
2. chew your food more than you think you need to (I have found that, when I am super-excited about a meal, I tend to prepare my next forkful while I am still noshing on the first, causing me to chew less and rush through to get to that next amazing bite.  The result is, not realizing I am full until I am uncomfortably full).
3. try to eat 2 big leafy salads a day, as meals, or alongside of your entree portion of protein for dinner.  It's a tall order, but if you at least get one every day, and 2 some days, you're winning.
4. try to prepare most of your foods the day that you are eating them (refrigerating sometimes gives food time to form mold, which defeats the purpose.  This is one rule that I absolutely never follow when I am on this cleanse).

Obviously, everyone is different, but here is a little breakdown of my personal experience, because I want you to be prepared for the highs and lows:
days 1-2:  I am hungry, angry, and bitchy.  The combination of sugar and caffeine withdrawal plus my stomach thinking it really needs a bagel causes me to lash out at loved ones, cry, and go to bed early, complaining myself to sleep.  I have found that these symptoms are MUCH more tolerable if you manage to wean yourself off of coffee a few days prior to the rest of the diet.
days 3-4: I am starting to feel the positive effects of the diet, I am not more energetic, but I don't feel like I NEED coffee to get through the day.  Still moments of big cravings for things like donuts and bacon.
days 5-7: false feelings of hunger subside, I feel lighter and more energetic, with a greater sense of awareness, and my stomach loves me. 

In the days after the cleanse, you should introduce your vices back into your diet slowly (don't go on a meat-and-candy binge), but you might find that your body is more receptive to these foods now that it has had a little break, and you will probably find that your caffeine vices have less of a hold on you.

On positive associations with treats

Last week I was feeling grumpy and Dan was having a particularly rough day, and as we sat sulking on the couch, not talking and leaning away from one another, Dan asked, "Do you want to go get Capogiro?"  to which I replied, "OH MY GOD I LOVE YOU SO MUCH."
But still, I don't think it was until just now that I realized that I am a pseudo-emotional eater.  I don't think I tend to eat anytime I am sad, but psychologically, if I am stressed, sad, annoyed, or angry, and I am hungry, I tend to gravitate towards chocolate or other "treat-like" items.
I was just down in the break room at work, between classes, getting myself a cup of coffee and deciding which gross piece of junk I wanted from the candy machine in the break room.  I decided on a bag of 8 Famous Amos chocolate chip cookies (which, for the record, are typically fabulous, amazing, and delicious).  When I got back up to my classroom and started eating, I realized that there was something funny about this bag of cookies... they tasted burnt or stale, or chemical-y or something, just not entirely good... and as I ate the first 3, I knew I didn't like the way they tasted... but I kept eating them.  After the 4th cookie I realized that what I was doing could probably be considered addict behavior, and I stopped.  I thought, if I ordered a meal at a restaurant and it tasted "off" would I keep eating it? and the answer was a resounding NO, of course not!  who would eat something that they didn't like if they had a choice?!  So I threw the rest of the bag away.
While this is no huge diet victory, I consider it a little psychological victory.  If I can understand why I am eating what I am eating, and why so much, I can potentially fix it and find other things that feel like treats... you know, healthy things... like shopping sprees! 

...just kidding about the shopping, ;)

Kiya and James: Fitness Superstars

In 2009, Emily and I took the best vacation ever, to Amansala resort in Tulum, Mexico for a little something called "bikini bootcamp" (which is now located in Ibiza, Spain... a reason to go again?)
We were lucky enough to go during a really unpopular time.  It was the end of the season, and the weather had potential to be extremely hot.  That combined with a series of scary things happening to tourists near the Mexican border, and a plague of swine flu caused all of the other campers to bail on their reservations, leaving Emily and I alone with 3 personal trainers who also served as our personal tour guides for our 6 day stay.  6+ hours of physical activity a day, with fresh, fabulous food and gorgeous scenery.  It was absolutely amazing.

the staff at Bikini Bootcamp 2009: Carla, James, and Kiya (the 2 regular peeps in the front are Emily and myself)

The reason I am posting about it now is because I think our stay there was partially responsible for my attitudes about fitness today.  It was a physical, emotional, and personal challenge to focus on ourselves for that time, and to be separated from all of our technology and responsibilities.  I don't think I could thank the staff enough for their impact on me.

We spent the most time with Kiya and James (who are now married, Mazel Tov!), and I have followed them both on facebook since we got back.  I was very excited to see that Kiya was featured on the cover of Scottsdale Health in June (you can see here feature on the website here)!

I just wanted to spend this post giving a shout-out to Kiya and James for continuing to do such amazing things for the health and wellness of people and the planet.  You guys are fabulous!

Fish Tacos in Bell Pepper Boats

Fish Tacos in Bell Pepper Boats!

(feeds 2 adults) 

My first recipe post!

I came up with this when I wanted fish tacos bad, but I was feeling too lazy to go to the store, and we were out of tortillas... and also most of the other stuff you need to make tacos.

But what I DID have was this:

1. 2 tilapia fillets

2. 2 bell peppers (personally, I think the yellow ones are the tastiest)

3. 1 avocado

4. some sriracha (but salsa or taco sauce will also work)

5. plain, nonfat greek yogurt

I know, the yogurt sounds weird, but since I first tried the stuff I thought, I HAVE to use this as a sour cream substitute... because by itself, the stuff is foul.  Also, it gives you all the creaminess, none of the fat, and tons of protein!

So, in an ideal world where you purchase your groceries ahead of time, instead of staring blankly into your half-empty fridge, here's what you do:

1. Spray a baking dish with canola oil and put your tilapia filets in with a little salt, squeeze of lime, and a sprinking of chili powder.  Bake until its flaky and white ( I don't know, 10 mins at 410 degrees?)

2. Cut your bell peppers into the natural little boats they are made of.  Some peppers have 3 boats and others have 4.  I haven't seen ones with 5 boats, but I'm assuming it's lucky, so go play the lottery if you find one.

3. Smoosh a whole avocado in a separate little bowl to make sort-of-guacamole.

4. Stuff your peppers in this order: fish, then avocado smoosh, then sriracha (or salsa), then a dollop of greek yogurt.

Then you can eat them with a knife and fork like my civilized husband, or try desperately to cling to the notion that these are, in fact, tacos, insist it is possible to hold them and eat them, and in the process, get a ton of greek yogurt up your nose.  Your choice.

(It's nice to have a piece of fruit on the plate too, in case you made them on the spicy-side, or in the case that your +1 is a big wuss.)

Enjoy!

(Stats: Calories: 330, Protein: 33g, Fat: 16g, Dietary Fiber: 9g.  If you want to cut down the fat, use 1/4 avocado for each meal instead of 1/2.  That will bring the fat count down to 8.5g)

Welcome!

That's me playing "Segway Hero" at Emily's house.

Hi Everyone!
My name is Gretchen, and I am a self-proclaimed on-again off-again health nut. Like most weight-conscious Americans, I tend to oscillate between gorging myself and going hungry, or running 10 miles and getting winded on the stairs at work. I participate in the Broad Street Run in Philadelphia every year (for the last 4 years), and I tend not to run much in between. Last year, a rep from the gym where I have a membership called to ask where I had been in the last 3 months. You know, life happens.
The reason I wanted to start this blog is because... well, currently, I'm "on-again," but also, I'd love to share the things that I have learned, and that my body has enjoyed, over the last few years. I'm hoping writing about it will motivate me to keep it up, and maybe inspire some other peeps to join in. I'm going to post recipes, activities, and stories that inspire me.

So, thanks for stopping by! I'll be posting soon :)