Frozen Yogurt Versus Ice Cream

Pinkberry, heralded by the LA Times as "the taste that launched 1,000 parking tickets," is a frozen yogurt chain that started in West Hollywood less than five years ago. Ever since living in LA, I've realized that frozen yogurt really is a part of the culture here. While some don't enjoy the tangy, fresh yogurt flavor, Pinkberry, and now the increasingly popular Yogurtland, has an almost cult-like following. And I'm a part of it. I thought about Pinkberry every single day I was in Boston (I just researched, and it's only available in California, New York, and Kuwait (???). I even tried some Mango Berry thing once, but it just didn't compare. I really can't get enough of it, despite its $5 price tag for a medium with three toppings.

Many claim that it's super healthy; it even has the National Yogurt Association's Seal of Approval. Still, though, the second ingredient after non-fat milk is sugar...let's not kid ourselves here.

But just look at it! It's such a beautiful concoction and you can't beat the fresh ingredients.

Yesterday Conor and I went out with some of his college friends. After a delicious tuna burger, everyone wanted something sweet. We went to a popular LA place by the name of Milk--great treats, HORRIBLE customer service. I ordered a brownie sundae (again, still working on my choices). And I kid you not, all I really wanted was some frozen yogurt! Of course, I still ate the brownie sundae, but I truly would have preferred the frozen yogurt. And no, I am not making this up. It just tastes light and natural, and I never feel weighed down and heavy after eating it. Frozen yogurt also makes me feel satisfied, but without that heavy I-ate-too-much-sugar feeling. For all of you skeptics out there, I really encourage you to try replacing the ice cream with frozen yogurt for a while. You just might get hooked.

So from now on, I really am going to eliminate ice cream from my life. I don't know if I can completely eliminate sugar just yet, but the ice cream can go. From here on out, no more ice cream. I'll take my Pinkberry instead.

My Boyfriend's Back...

And so am I! I know, I know. After a major blogging hiatus, I am feeling quite guilty and actually just had a long conversation with Conor (the bf, see above) about what I'm actually trying to accomplish with this blog. But let's backtrack.

Conor arrived in LA on August 28th. While I by no means blame my blogging hiatus and slight detour from my clean eating philosophy on him, I have to admit that I never seem to eat quite as well when I'm around him. Now that we're living together (which, after almost a year of long distance, is beyond wonderful and feels oh so good), I realize that I need to sit down and think about why this happens.

This is an especially peculiar puzzle, because Conor has really done very little to derail my clean eating. Not a big eater himself, Conor eats healthy foods, likes to cook meals from scratch, has a mildly adventurous palate (we ate tempeh the other day), and doesn't demand dessert at the end of each meal. He's even one of those impossible to understand people who claim to "forget to eat lunch" or "aren't hungry for a cookie." I used to think those people didn't exist, but let me tell you--they do.

Despite Conor being a perfectly suitable clean eating companion, I find that I simply like to eat tasty things with him. We go out to eat sushi and what sounds like the perfect after-dinner detour? Why, yogurt land, of course! Or, after a day of unpacking, what do we want to do? Go get cake and ice cream from the market! What would cap off a perfect Labor Day hike in Malibu? A pumpkin spice creme from Starbucks! And who wants to just drink tea at the tea room? You simply must order lemon cake to go with it! Now, I realize that listing all of these things makes me sound like a total hog, but it's the truth! Granted, this happened over many consecutive days, and all the while I kept saying to myself, "oh my...I need to blog about this."

But really, why does this happen? How can I go from completely not wanting sugar to wanting it when he's around? Does anyone else have this problem?

Then that's another thing. Is this even considered a problem? Or isn't life all about enjoying things in moderation? In any case, having Conor here has certainly made me re-evaluate my nutritional goals. I DO want to cut back on sugar and I DO truly believe in the clean eating philosophy. But maybe it's just one step at a time? We'll see. I need some time to think, and in the meantime I'll keep blogging about my minor accomplishments (like the fact that I'm snacking on strawberries right now instead of chocolate).

Oh! Speaking of which, it has been almost a MONTH since my last diet coke. So that's good. At least I've eliminated that.

The Reality of Fruit

In my last post, I talked about portion control. Now that I've really started paying attention, it's not easy! Granted, I do find this plan a lot easier to follow than other diets I've done in the past, mainly because it doesn't require as much measuring. It was always such a pain to be measuring out a measly half cup of carrots; therefore, I do like that eating clean relies more on "eyeballing it" and handfuls.

HOWEVER, as you can see in the picture above, not a whole lot of fruit fits in a handful! And I always wonder if my handfuls are the same as Tosca's....see how my fingers are spread out to accommodate a couple of extra berries? I also sort of have two layers--I'm not sure what she would have to say about that. But even if my handfuls are larger than they should be, that's still only eight strawberries!

I've realized that perhaps I've eaten a little too much fruit in the past. Not only were my portions larger than they probably should be, but also I was never careful about pairing fruit, which is a simple carbohydrate after all, with a complex carbohydrate and protein. This past week I've realized that it's important to do this, as it really helps slow down digestion and doesn't cause that good 'ol spike in blood sugar (like the one you get from candy).

I should also say that even though this plan calls for six servings of carbohydrates from fruits and non-starchy vegetables, it's preferable if the majority come from the vegetables, ie spinach, broccoli, asparagus, green peans, peas, etc. While I like the vegetables well enough, I just like fruit so much better! Today for example, I've had five servings of fruit and only one serving of vegetables. Oops...this is something I need to work on.

Aside from controlling my fruit portions, eating clean hasn't been terribly difficult with the exception of eating out and socializing (more on that tomorrow). I find that clean food really keeps me full and satisfied. It's also been very reasonable economically. 10 days ago I bought $138 in groceries from Trader Joe's, but my freezer is still stocked with chicken, salmon, and other clean protein options. I also have a large supply of quinoa, brown rice and egg whites on hand. I haven't had to go to the grocery store since with the exception of the farmer's market, where I spent approximately $15 yesterday on fresh produce.

So overall, I would say I'm a fan of this clean eating. I'm trying to stay away from the scale and to focus purely on how I feel, but I think I'll weigh myself on Friday to see what has been happening on the front. As much as I hate to admit it, numbers on the scale rarely lie...

Portion Control Made "Easy"

Like any nutrition plan, portion control is key with Clean Eating. As much as I would absolutely love to believe the people who say "eat whatever you want as long as it's good food," there is something to be said for the "calories in can't exceed calories out" mantra. While it's true that the quality of one's calories does count and that one shouldn't simply eat 1,200 calories a day of donuts and fast food, I know that at least my body doesn't respond well when I'm eating more than 1,800 calories a day--even if I only consume good, clean food. Unfortunately, this means that one really shouldn't eat more than 2 tablespoons of natural nut butters a day, no matter how good they are for the body. Same goes for olive oil and fruit. Sigh.

So here's the breakdown of Tosca's portion sizes that I've been trying to follow ever since stopping the detox.

• 5-6 Servings of LEAN PROTEIN. One serving can be any of the following options: 1 cup low-fat soy, almond, hemp, rice or lactose-free milk, cottage cheese, kefir, yogurt cheese, plain, fat-free, sugar-free yogurt; 1 small handful of raw, unsalted nuts, 2 tablespoons of all-natural nut butters; 1 palm-sized portion of animal meats; 1-2 scoops of good-quality, sugar-and chemical-free protein powder (does anyone know of any good ones? I'm not sure about the one I'm using). Finally, beans or tofu, important for vegetarians, also fall into this category; however, I'm not sure what the portion size is. I'm guessing the palm of your hand, though.

• 6 Servings of COMPLEX CARBOYDRATES FROM FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. This includes 1 cupped handful or piece of fruit or 2 cupped handfuls of non-starchy vegetables

• 2-4 Servings of COMPLEX CARBOYDRATES FROM WHOLE GRAINS AND STARCHY CARBOYHDRATES. One serving can be 1 small handful of high-protein, sugar-free cold cereals, such as muesli and granola; 1 handful of cooked cereal (this translates to ½ cup dry); 1 piece of whole-grain bread or seven-inch wrap; 1 handful of quinoa (also can be counted as protein since it's a "complete" food), barley, brown-rice, buckewheat, couscous, or whole-grain pasta; 1 handful-sized serving of sweet potato, yam, banana, corn, carrots, squash, kidney beans, lentils, soybeans, etc.

• Sweeteners, such as honey, agave nectar, stevia, sucanet, and rapadura sugar (have NO clue what those last three are) should be used in moderation while any artificial sugars should be avoided completely.

• Healthy fats and oils, particularly olive, pumpkinseed and flaxseed should also be used in moderation

• Juice, commercial salad dressings and sauces, and anything fried or processed should be completely out of the picture

Killing for a Chemical Lift

For one of the first times since I started this non-chemical existence, I am currently fighting a serious craving for a Diet Coke. Well, I've been partial to Coke Zero ever since it hit the market, but anything would do at this point. It all started when I was having lunch at one of my favorite Greek restaurants. Nothing washes hummus and spinach and feta down like a diet soda (or a beer, but I've already had my beer of the week). That was hours ago, and I still want one. The long list of chemicals on the can is holding me back, though. As are the articles I've read calling it "Diet Crack," and the scientists who say it only makes the brain crave more sugar.

Mmmmm. Still....chemicals and all, I keep fantasizing. I can practically feel the cold can. You know how it sweats a little when it's out of the fridge and it's hot outside? I wonder if it would taste as good as I'm imagining. And I can tell you, this purified water from the Brita just isn't the same, no matter what the purists say.

I'm going to a beach concert tonight and we're going to stop at Trader Joe's to get some food for a picnic. I guess some Pellegrino will have to do, but oh how I would kill for a Coke Zero. This is harder than I thought it would be.

Tosca's Eat-Clean Principles

• Eat 5 or 6 small meals every day (I only eat 5….I’m never hungry for six)

• Eat every 2 to 3 hours (this has been a bit tricky. I had to adjust my portion sizes at first, because I wasn’t hungry after only 3 hours)

• Combine lean protein and complex carbs at every meal

• Consume adequate healthy fats each day

• Drink at least 8 cups of water each day

• Never miss a meal, especially breakfast

• Carry a cooler loaded with Eat-Clean foods to get through the day (this is important…granted, I don’t carry a cooler, but I have a fairly large purse. I brought almonds and a pear to Julie and Julia yesterday)

• Avoid all over-processed, refined foods, especially white flour and sugar

• Avoid chemicals, preservatives, and artificial sugar (This is still hard for me...I really miss my Coke Zero)

• Avoid saturated and trans fats

• Avoid sugar-loaded colas and juices

• Consume adequate healthy fats (EFAs) each day

• Avoid alcohol—another form of sugar (I anticipate that this will be difficult as well)

• Avoid all calorie-dense foods that contain little or no nutritional value

• Depend on fresh fruits and vegetables for fiber, vitamins, and enzymes

• Stick to proper portion sizes—give up the super-sizing

As you can see, it’s all quite logical. Also, for my gluten-free friends out there, this plan is practically made for you!

Tomorrow I'll be discussing portion sizes and the exact breakdown of what one eats at each meal...

*This information is taken from The Eat-Clean Diet, Tosca Reno.

Eating Clean: The Un-Diet

Now that I've ended my detox (which, four days later, I still say was the best choice), I've taken a while to post again. This past weekend I took some time to read a variety of nutrition books, talk to Josh (trainer), and to really think about what my nutritional goals will be for the duration of the coming school year.

Background Info: the school where I work is a dieter's nightmare (or heaven, depending on the dieter's often-changing mental state). Almost every single day, delicious goodies line the tables of the staff lounge. And I'm not talking about tootsie rolls or Butterfingers. No, I'm talking godiva chocolates, Sprinkles Cupcakes and Dean and DeLuca Cookies, among countless cinnamon rolls, donuts, bagels, and sandwiches. It's an all-girls school, and these girls LOVE to eat. When some smart-minded parents banned the 400 calorie, fresh-baked cookies from the cafeteria, students wrote articles and petitions about it for the rest of the year. To make up for the cookies, many girls simply bring in their own treats for class. Where do these leftovers go? To the staff lounge, of course! Walking into the lounge is the dieter's equivalent of walking into a minefield. Even when one has the best intentions, it can be dangerous.

I should also add that, like many of my counterparts, I have not always had a completely normal relationship with food. I have tried numerous diets since the age of twelve, ranging from relatively healthy to borderline insanity. And, like we all know, diets rarely work. Right now I am at a healthy, comfortable weight that I'm happy with (fyi: still haven't gained back the pounds lost from detox). What I would like to do, however, is "tighten up" my nutrition (Trainer Josh uses that lingo). I really want to see what kind of effects truly healthy eating has.

The past four days I've been following Tosca Reno's Clean Eating Philosophy. Tosca is a columnist for Oxygen, and I highly respect her book The Eat Clean Diet. Unfortunately, the title is a bit misleading, as it's truly not a diet. Instead, it's a lifestyle.

This next year I will be following Tosca's Eat-Clean Principles and will be writing about the trials and tribulations of doing so. What I think will be particularly interesting is when my boyfriend Conor arrives in LA. While he is wonderfully open to at least following some aspects of Eating Clean with me (minus the lack of caffeine), I wonder how his influence will affect my ability to eat clean and how he will really feel about the lack of tasty treats in the kitchen.

As a final note, yesterday I was feeling very hungry for something sweet. This was the first time in a week that I had a sugar craving, and I wanted something truly good and rich. Of course, I have absolutely nothing truly good and rich in my apartment, so I put 1 cup of low-fat soy milk in the blender and combined it with 1 tbsp natural peanut butter, 1 scoop of chocolate protein powder, and a handful of ice. 30 seconds later I had this absolutely delicious shake. And I do not lie, it was as good as ice cream.