Austin Fitness Bucket List

^^ Lady Bird Lake Hike & Bike Trail. Image via American Forests

^^ Stand up paddle surfing in Lady Bird Lake. Image via meetup

Austin is quirky and fun city with a great music and nightlife, a bustling university, and best of all, an amazing local restaurant scene! That being said, nonstop tacos and barbeque can begin to take a toll on your health. But don’t fear- Austin is consistently rated one of the healthiest cities in America for a reason. Are you looking for something active to do in Austin? Here are some ideas to get your muscles moving:

• Go for a walk, jog, or bike ride around the 10 mile Lady Bird Lake Hike and Bike Trail, which winds through the middle of downtown and offers unmatched views of the city.
• Another great way to enjoy Lady Bird Lake is by renting a kayak going stand-up paddle surfing. See here for rental info.
• Pease Park trails and the beautiful surrounding neighborhoods are the perfect place to go for a jog, take a leisurely stroll, toss a frisbee, and gawk at lovely houses.
• Spend a day outdoors in one of the many natural springs. Barton Springs, McKinney Falls State Park, the Greenbelt, and Hamilton’s Pool are just a few that come to mind.
• Dance up a storm at Midnight Rodeo or the Broken Spoke.
• Explore the city on foot! From the University of Texas campus, to the Capitol Building, to the shops along South Congress, there is so much to see. Austin is also incredibly bike friendly.
• Drive out to Fredricksburg and go hiking or rock climbing at Enchanted Rock. Fredricksburg is also a great place to go peach picking in the summer.
• Work up a sweat by volunteering. The Green Corn Project builds organic gardens for those in need, and is one of my favorite volunteer groups in Austin.
• Give yoga a try! Black Swan Yoga has 4 different locations throughout the city, and offers classes (including hot yoga) for a minimum donation of $5. On a similar note, $10 yoga classes are offered on Wednesdays and Fridays at the Umlauf Sculpture Gardens.
• If traditional yoga isn’t Austin enough for you, try full moon yoga. Every month (during a full moon) free yoga and meditation classes are offered at a scenic outlook.
• Sign up for a race. From the Austin Marathon and Half Marathon, to the Capitol 10K, to the Chuys 5K fun run, there are always plenty ways to stay active. See here for a list of upcoming races.

^^ Yoga at the Umlauf. Image via Austin 360.

^^ Kayaking in Lady Bird Lake (view from the Congress Ave bridge, while waiting for the bats)

While the following activities won’t require quite as much exertion, these are still some excellent ways to check out the city and enjoy the outdoors:

• See the bats under the Congress Ave bridge.
• After climbing up the long, steep stairs at Mount Bonnell, you’ll be treated to the best view in the entire city.
• Although requiring a less tiring climb, the 360 overlook has splendid views as well.
• See the Peacocks and Mayfield Park and Preserve.
• Whether you go for an art exhibit, a wedding, or just to check it out, find an excuse to visit the beautiful Laguna Gloria.
• Go on a scavenger hunt of landmark Austin murals. Graffiti park is also worth checking out.
• Play a round of putt putt at Peter Pan Mini Golf.

^^Mount Bonnell

^^ 360 Overlook

Did I leave anything off of my list? How do you stay active in Austin, TX?

- Kelly

Which beverages are worth the buy

A colleague of mine recently told me that one of her clients spends hundreds of dollars a month on beverages. Just beverages! This is absolutely absurd to me, because the most important beverage to our health is practically free. Do you spend lots of money on beverages? Read on to find out where your dollars are best spent.

Soda and “fruit drinks”

We all know that soda is bad for our health, so this is the first and most obvious place to cut back. Soda is simply empty calories. Liquid candy that provides absolutely no health benefit. The same goes for “fruit drinks” such as fruit punch, lemondade, or Sunny Delight. While there may be some real fruit in these beverages (although oftentimes, not) the main ingredients are sugar and water.

Water

For anyone that argues that soda is cheaper than water, why are you paying for water in the first place? At home, invest in a water purifier or drink from the tap. When dining out, ask for tap water or a cup of water (not a bottle). When out and about, bring your own refillable water bottle and fill up at water fountains. We are lucky that public water is neither expensive nor largely dangerous in this country. In What to Eat, author Marion Nestle explains that “under current federal regulations, bottled waters do not have to be tested as rigorously as tap waters or disinfected to the same extent,” and that tap water and bottled water often comes from the same place anyway.

Juice

When cutting back on soda, some people use juice as a “healthier” way to satisfy their cravings for sweet beverages. While orange juice is a natural source of many vitamins and minerals, and definitely a step up from soda, it is still unnecessary. As trendy as they may be, even 100% juice, or “superfood” fruit and vegetable juice blends are not a necessary part of a healthy diet, and in fact, are less healthy than eating the fruits and vegetables themselves. By discarding the pulp and solids (the difference between juicing and making a smoothie), you are missing out on the fiber and some of the micronutrients. This is one reason that I am not a huge proponent of “juice fasts”. If you are looking to consume a diet high in fiber and antioxidants, don’t just sip nature’s sugar water; eat the whole fruit! Additionally, do not be fooled into thinking that juice is a low calorie or no calorie beverage. Many juices pack just as much sugar and calories per cup as soda.

Sports drinks

Many people buy sports drinks thinking that they are more hydrating than water and a necessary component of an athletic lifestyle. While sports drinks can definitely provide an advantage for long duration exercise, do not be fooled into thinking that sports drinks are necessary for the everyday fitness enthusiast. If you are exercising for 1 ½ to 3 hours, sports drinks can help improve endurance. After the first hour of exercise, aim for 100-250 calories per hour to keep your body going, mainly from carbohydrates (such as from sports drinks, but could also come from crackers, pretzels, or nutrition bars). Your body won’t rely on the sports drink until the end of your workout, so it is best to stick with water for the first 30-60 minutes. Sports drinks will also help to replenish any electrolytes lost in sweat (as will salty snacks, such as crackers). That being said, for most workouts less than 1 ½ hours, water is your best bet.

Milk

Milk is a beverage of considerable debate. It is the beverage with the highest amount of naturally occurring protein, and has a great combination of nutrients to help support growth and development. However, despite the importance of calcium and other minerals, one cannot ignore the fact that countries with the highest levels of dairy consumption also suffer from the highest levels of osteoporosis. Additionally, milk has been associated with increased risks of ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, and acne. Much more research is needed on the effects of dairy foods, and until these connections get clearer, here is what I suggest. Two cups a day for children and three cups a day for adults is the most that we need, and that number goes down if you consume other calcium rich foods such as yogurt or cottage cheese. Nonfat milk is an excellent source of lean protein and can definitely be included in a healthy diet, but remember that you can still be perfectly healthy and osteoporosis free without consuming dairy foods; you will just need to make sure to obtain calcium and riboflavin from plant foods such as broccoli, almonds, and legumes. Nowadays, there are many different milk substitutes on the market. While each has its advantages and disadvantages, remember that none have as much protein as cows milk, and that not all nondairy milks are fortified with the micronutrients found in milk. So read the labels carefully.

Tea and Coffee

Many adults like to start their morning with a cup of tea or coffee; a ritual so engrained in routine and productivity that it is unlikely to be discarded. If coffee or tea is a part of your routine, save money by preparing it at home, rather than buying elaborate coffee drinks at cafes or coffeeshops. Oftentimes, many offices also have complimentary tea or coffee, so take advantage of that if your place of work offers such benefits.

Alcohol

This is one a no brainer, but it’s still worth a mention. If you are looking to cut back on your food budget, don’t forget to look at your alcohol spending. Not only is alcohol considerably more expensive than other beverages, but it is also unnecessary for health.

When trying to cut back on unnecessary spending at the grocery store, the easiest place to start is with beverages. Somewhere along the way, Americans got accustomed to drinking their calories. Getting back to the basics and enjoying water with most meals is healthier for both you and your wallet. Additionally, drinking water with meals is shown to encourage healthier food choices. Cheers!

Images: 1 // 2 (purchase bottle here!) // 3//  4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8

-Kelly

 

 

Diet Friendly Airport Food

For many people, the summer months are an ideal time to jet off on a vacation. I am the type to arrive at the airport over 2 hours before my flight, which means that not only do I have a lot of time to kill, but also that I need to eat a meal or heavy snack before I board the plane. Luckily, in most major airports it IS possible to eat healthy while traveling. See below for some of my go-to airport foods from recent travels.

Bush Intercontinental Airport (Terminal E):

^^ IAH has a great variety of eateries and healthy selections, but above is quite a gem. I found an eatery in terminal E selling made-to-order tossed salads, with the option of organic lettuce! Salads are always a healthy choice, but stale grab and go salads aren’t always super tempting. With the made-to-order option, not only was I able to choose my favorite toppings, but I was also in control over how much dressing and other toppings were used. This salad (organic greens + chicken + mandarin oranges + onion + teeny tiny bit of feta + tiny bit of balsamic) was my pre-flight lunch.

^^ In flight snack: Kashi bar + water bottle (from one of the magazine shops)

Logan Airport (Terminal A):

^^ Pre flight power lunch: Small Wendy’s Chili & water bottle. The small chili has only 180 calories, with a whopping 4g fiber and 13g protein. As much as fast food creeps me out, this chili is a rather lean option. Plus, I’m always cold at airports, so warm meals are a welcome bonus.

^^ In flight snack: Fruit cup, water bottle, and Luna bar. Admittedly, the Luna Bar is something I packed from home. If you have a favorite bar or non-liquid snack, I recommend you do the same! There is no guarantee that the airport will have what you’re craving. The fruit cup was from Lucky’s to go (I picked around the cantaloupe and mostly just ate the strawberries and pineapple), and the water bottle was left over from lunch.

Other options:

^^ Nuts and dried fruit are healthy to snack on, and are usually pretty easy to find at the airport. Just remember that packages of this size often contain multiple servings. So feel free to share with your travel buddies, or seal it and keep it in your purse throughout your travels.

^^ Most airports tend to have a pretty good selection of bars, including Kind bars, Clif bars, and Kashi bars, just to name a few. These bars make a good on the go snack, just make sure to check the nutritional label before you purchase. If you are like me and have a specific preference (love Luna!), pack your own from home.

^^ Legal Seafoods in terminal A has a great selection of salads, fruit salads, and even shrimp cocktail. Healthy and delicious!

^^ Fresh, whole fruits are usually available in at least one location in most airport terminals. It’s not exactly farmers’ market quality, but it is still a healthy option to power you through your travels.

^^ Don’t forget to stay hydrated! Bringing an empty, reusable water bottle from home is the most eco-friendly option, but luckily, water bottles are abundant at most airports. My on flight pick when the drink cart rolls by? Hot tea!

What are your favorite airport snacks and meals? How do you stay healthy during traveling?

- Kelly

Gastronomy Course Spotlight: Understanding Food (Theory and Methodology)

Understanding Food: Theory and Methodology is intended to be the introductory course to the Gastronomy program. The purpose of the course is to introduce Gastronomy students to the landmark works that have influenced food studies, as well as learn the different methods that scholars use to study food. I took it my second semester in the program, because it filled up too quickly during my first semester.

Despite the course being called “Theory and Methodology,” it was much more heavy on theory (particularly social theory) and kind of skimped out on the methods. The class has a reputation for being tedious due to the heavy emphasis on social theorists such as Karl Marx and Pierre Bourdeiu, dense reading list, and rather intense writing component. Despite the dense articles, the books assigned for class (pictured above) were rather enjoyable.

Rachel Black, the director of the Gastronomy program, taught the course. Rachel has a reputation as being a tough grader, but her stories from living in France and Italy during her twenties won over our travel minded and curious class. Rachel stressed the interdisciplinary aspect of gastronomy, and I liked that each class was based on a different branch of food studies (anthropology, nutrition, geography, etc). As an added bonus, our class went to a guest lecture by Janet Poppendieck just one week after reading her book for our class.

This class had the greatest number of assignments I have encountered in the program thus far. We were assigned two short essays, a spotlight presentation, a midterm, a literature review, an outline, a final research paper, and a couple of homework assignments. Despite the tedious reputation of the course, I was pleased with what I learned. The topics covered in this course set a good foundation for the rest of my learning experience, and the required reading was both challenging and enriching. The authors we were introduced to are referenced time and time again in the food world, so it was good to get a handle on the different theories that food scholars draw upon.

Image via Rachel E. Black

- Kelly

Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica

After 9 seasons, The Office will come to an end next Thursday on NBC. Never has there been a better time to experiment with this sweet, red vegetable, so I rounded up 10 beet recipes from around the web. Serve any of these at your Office finale viewing party, and your guests will be delighted to have a taste of Shrute Farms!

1. Skipped Beet Cocktail from The Daily Meal

2. Beet Greens Smoothie from Inspired RD

3. Roasted Beet Hummus from Whole Living

4. Baked Beet Chips from Women’s Health

5. Roasted Beet Crostini from Rosemarried

6. Sweet Potato and Beet Hash from The Kitchen Paper

7. Beet, Onion, and Chive Flatbread from The Kitchen Paper

8. Beet, Arugula, and Goat Cheese Grilled Cheese from BS in the Kitchen

9. Beet and Raspberry Soft Serve from The Healthy Foodie

10. Chocolate Beet Cake from The Law Student’s Wife

Happy viewing!

- Kelly

Gastronomy Course Spotlight: US Food Policy and Culture

US Food Policy and Culture has been my absolute favorite course in the Gastronomy program, and I’m a little afraid that it can’t be topped. Topics that we covered in class included the Farm Bill, the National School Lunch Program, organics, GMOs, obesity, hunger, local foods, and so much more, all with a focus on U.S. Food Policy. I have always had an interest in these topics, but it was very valuable to learn the intricacies of how various branches of the government regulate them, as well as the role that private intuitions or non profit organizations play. As a Dietitian with a strong interest in US Food Policy, I was also extremely pleased that this course introduced me to a multitude of organizations working to make good food available to all.

Ellen Messer taught the course, and is the same instructor that I took Food Policy and Food Systems with last semester. It was structured similarly to her previous course, with biweekly short assignments, a commodity paper midterm, and a final. Dr. Messer’s passion for eliminating hunger came across in this course as well, but it hit much closer to home as we focused on the US rather than looking at food issues internationally.

I am a huge Marion Nestle fan, so I was excited that her Food Politics book was a major contributor to the course, in addition to a chapter from What to Eat. Another great resource was Dan Imhoff’s Food Fight, a great introduction to the Farm Bill. For those of you that would like to learn more about US Food Policy, I highly recommend starting with Marion Nestle’s book. But all of the books I read for the course were excellent, and you should read them all if you get the chance. Not pictured is The End of Food, by Paul Roberts, a book that was also recommended in Ellen Messer’s international course last semester.

Image via Tufts

- Kelly

May Flowers

April showers bring May flowers! Here is a round up of my favorite flower themed snacks from around the web. How have you been celebrating the arrival of spring?

Image via Lisa Storms

Image via we love being moms

Image via Crafty Moods

Image via Living Locurto

Image via Mirror Mirror

Image via Tastespotting

For more cute spring food ideas, see my Cute Spring Food Pinterest page. Also, see here for spring recipes. Happy May!

- Kelly

Real Beauty

My first year in Boston has been quite eventful so far. Thankfully, myself and my loved ones have been out of harm’s way, and I very much appreciate those that have reached out and expressed concern. The events that unfolded this week were tragic, and such circumstances are a great opportunity to reflect on real beauty. All over the city, people showed their real beauty by coming together and supporting one another. Despite all of the hardship, I am thankful to be surrounded by such loving neighbors and citizens, as well as such hard working law enforcement officers. #bostonstrong

If you haven’t seen the Dove Real Beauty Sketches that came out recently (see video below), you should definitely check it out. Thank you to Hitha, Sally & Molly for alerting me to this awesome video!

More real beauty…

Image via Body Love Wellness

Image via Pinterest (original source unknown)

For anyone looking to improve their relationship with food, mind, and body, I highly recommend Intuitive Eating. If you’re not game to go through the entire book, at least check out the 10 principles. These RDs are onto something life changing!

Image via Barnes and Noble

Up next on my reading list? A recommendation led me to Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters. I’m interested to learn more!

Image via Amazon

Lastly, I couldn’t mention real beauty without recommending this documentary film. America the Beautiful is an incredible film, and I can only imagine that the sequel is just as compelling.

Image via America the Beautiful

Thanks again to everyone that showed their real beauty and compassion this week in Boston! I’m lucky to have landed in such a caring community, and I’m excited to continue my New England adventures. #bostonstrong

- Kelly

The Link Between Hunger and Obesity

When most people imagine what hunger looks like, they imagine emaciated children with protruding bones and bare feet, likely to be found somewhere in war-torn Africa. But what if you saw a child that was overweight, or even obese. Could that child possibly be hungry? If they are obese, surely they are getting enough to eat, right?

This is one of the problems with identifying hunger in America. Although these problems appear to be contradictory, hunger and obesity are actually very closely related. How so? People experience hunger for many reasons, but almost all of them can be traced back to poverty. Some people simply cannot afford food, or have budgets so tight that they do not know where there next meal is coming from. When they do buy food, they are looking to fill themselves up. Junk foods are cheap, easy, and offer immediate gratification. This explains the paradox of why many people shopping at food pantries appear overweight, rather than emaciated.

In addition to financial access to food, some people lack physical and geographic access. While not incredibly common, a population of America’s poor lives trapped in what is known as a food desert. For these people, there is no accessible supermarket. Fresh produce (and often frozen produce) is out of the question. While canned vegetables, dried beans and whole grains may be available; many of America’s poor don’t know what to do with these foods, or how to combine them into a satisfying meal. Processed snack foods are cheap and have extremely long shelf lives, making them attractive choices to people that suffer from hunger or food insecurity. Simply put, empty calories are much easier to come by.

Looking for more information on this topic? I highly recommend A Place at the Table, the new documentary film that came out about a month or two ago. The film explores problems of poverty and food security across America, and gives excellent examples of how obesity and hunger are so closely related. Another resource regarding the paradox of hunger and obesity is the book Stuffed and Starved, by Raj Patel. I haven’t read it yet, but it is definitely on my list. Lastly, here is a USDA interactive map to find food deserts in America.

Images via Grist,  Magnolia Pictures

- Kelly

Janet Poppendieck on School Lunch

“We have made serving lunch to children in school really complicated and inconvenient.” – Janet Poppendieck

This week, scholar, activist, and sociology professor Janet Poppendieck visited BU for a lecture titled Universal Free School Meals: An Idea Whose Time Has Come. I am embarrassed to admit that when I first saw the advertisement for this lecture, I interpreted it to mean that Poppendieck thought that the time was up for school lunch, and that school lunch was perhaps a fruitless pursuit.

Thankfully, I read Poppendieck’s new book, Free For All: Fixing School Food in America, and quickly discovered that I was wrong.  Poppendieck’s central argument is that a universal free lunch would help to alleviate many of the ills associated with school food, and she gives well-researched examples of why this may be.

Admittedly, the book started off as a repetition of things that I already knew about the school lunch program. School food today is often frozen and prepackaged. Menu choices are often carnival foods such as fries and pizza. The history of the school lunch program as a commodity program has allowed it to become this way.

However, Poppendieck’s discussion of the problems with means testing and the tiered eligibility system in chapter 7 introduced a new wave of thought to me. Poppendieck argues that the 3-tiered system breeds resentment and cheating, and also creates problems that interfere with the purpose of the program. To this point, I knew that students in the reduced price category oftentimes do not have enough money to pay even the reduced price. However, I was surprised to learn that 21% of families with very low food insecurity (formerly known as food security with hunger) have incomes too high to qualify for free or reduced price lunches. This shocking statistic is surely the sign of a broken system.

Fruit & Veggie set up (typical of what I saw in Austin Independent School District)

While universal free lunch might sound fine and dandy, the biggest question I had was about how a multibillion-dollar program like that would get funded. Luckily, Poppendieck did address the financial issue. “There is no such thing as a free lunch, but how we pay for it is a social choice,” she said to the audience. While her book, written at the peak of the economic downturn, mostly focused on federal funding programs, Poppendeick’s lecture included evidence that states can also play an important role. She gave recent case studies of universal free programs in both Vermont and West Virginia, and also discussed the effects of recent legislation, such as the Community Eligibility Option under the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act.

Balanced salad from Cypress Fairbanks Independent School District

Poppendieck also emphasized the importance of integrating the lunch hour into the school day as a way to promote better health and a place to learn social skills and etiquette. “The cafeteria is our largest classroom,” Poppendieck said, quoting an educator from Vermont. Chapter 8 of Poppendeick’s book also gives several inspiring examples of schools that are using the lunch hour as a learning tool and a jumping off point for hands on education.

Oatmeal sundae bar in Provo

Whether or not you think that universal free is the right direction to go (I’m still on the fence about the whole funding issue), I highly recommend Janet Poppendieck’s book. It is a great summary of all of the factors affecting the school lunch program today, and gives an excellent history of how it came to be for those that are interested but don’t have much experience with the program. After being fortunate to converse with Poppendieck both before and after the lecture (and get my book signed!), I am now interested in reading her other two books: Sweet Charity? Emergency Food and the End of Entitlement and Breadlines Knee Deep in Wheat: Food Assistance in the Great Depression.

Images via UCPress, CSPI Pinterest Page

To learn more about the challenges facing the lunch program, as well as the progress that has been made, see my previous post about school lunch.

- Kelly