SimpliFit

That's One Reason to Eat Healthy

2009-07-11T14:14:00.000-07:00

My grandpa had a stroke on Friday.

Super.

My grandpa ("Dapa" - typical kid-can't-pronounce-things story) is the most beautiful man I know. He's selfless and caring. He got shot in both knees in WWII and never complains. He loves our country. And when I'm at school with my liberal friends, dating a British-Canadian who makes me feel like an ignorant American, attempting to compensate for what America hasn't provided for me in terms of "wordliness" -- even then, I think of my grandpa and I can say that I am proud to be an American because of him. He's everything an American should be (even if he did vote for G-dub).

I seem to have an odd way of dealing with his stroke, which is to think that there's nothing I can do to help him. Actually, I'm pretty sure that's true, but according to my mother, this is a bratty and ungrateful approach to his current state. I came up from the Bay Area (thanks, Dad, for driving me), brought my Bible, and sat with my hand around my grandpa's for a while. I put both of my small hands around one of his big hands and held on tight.

Every once in a while, I squeezed harder. Sometimes twice, quickly, right in a row -- just to see if he'd do it back. Sometimes I almost thought he did. But I'm pretty sure it was just his body's involuntary reaction to the IV drip.

There's always the thought, though, when someone has retreated into his body, that you're the one -- maybe it will magically be you! -- who is able to bring him out of it. Maybe you're the one who says the right thing, who holds his hand the right way, whom he loved enough to snap out of his state and come jumping back to life better than before because you're just that special.

However, at least with this instance, I'm fairly certain the world doesn't -- and won't -- work like that. I'm his granddaughter -- not his wife, and not his daughter. I'm one of very, very many grandchildren, and though I know he loved me like a daughter, I'm pretty sure there's nothing I can do to bring him out of his post-stroke coma.

I opened my Bible a few times to random pages to see if I'd uncover some inspiration. I uncovered something about war, which at the time didn't seem really relevant. Something about taking a note to someone. I gave the Bible to my mom, who stayed with him all night, and went back to the house with my dad.

My mom told me to stay here all weekend, yelled at me, even, and all I can think is, "I can't sleep when I'm at home. There's nothing I can do for him. I want to go back now." Back to my routine, back to my gym membership, back to my sneakers and my comfort zone. If you're familiar with my sleep issues, cool. If you're not, no worries, they're not that important right now.

I will say this, though. I've been eating insane clean these last few weeks and have been toying with new vegetarian/vegan/raw recipes. And I don't think that's going to change, especially now that I have an extra reason to hate little fucked up clots that kill people and take away their robust language skills. Did I mention my grandpa speaks a bunch of languages? He does. You know that BA/BS you have? That PhD? That thing you paid a lot of money for that "no one can take away from you" because you have it in your brain?

Yeah, it can be taken away from you. Your brain can die. Gets more likely the more crap you eat.

So, there. That's one reason to eat healthy.

Summer Recipe Challenge

2009-05-31T13:53:00.001-07:00

Hey, guys!

I've been busy wrapping up my undergrad career here at Stanford, but I'm proud to say I'll be living on my own this summer with (gasp!) no dining hall and (double gasp!) my own kitchen. This means COOKING and BAKING and all sorts of let's-try-cool-vegan-and-raw-goods-ness.

But I need your help.

See, while there are all sorts of awesome sites like Baking Bites and Noble Pig that provide incredible recipes for me to try (and attempt to lighten up -- no offense), I would be super excited to have a whole SUMMER'S worth of them.

Enter you.

Got a recipe you want to lighten up? Don't feel like trying it? Worried it won't turn out well?

I'll try it for you. That is, you send me fat-laden recipe/tasty-goodness suggestion, I lighten it up, make it for myself, photograph it, and review it. Every day. For the whole summer.

Sound good?

youtrition at gmail dot com.

Or leave the recipe/suggestion/link in the comments below.

You know you want to.

Love,
Mandapants

What's Holding You Back?

2009-05-23T15:10:00.000-07:00

First, go here. Read. Ponder. Love.

Then, watch this. Think. Enjoy. Comment.

Cheers,
Mandapants

PMS Stands For...

2009-05-16T01:04:00.000-07:00

Actually, I can't think of anything clever right now. But it's awful. It's great that I recognize my symptoms [1) nasty body image flare-ups, 2) tidal mood swings] as results of the PMS, but this whole crying thing really isn't fun. I cry over the littlest things because of PMS, and I'm willing to listen to suggestions on how to eat to get this to stop. I fully believe food is medicine in the sense that most of our internal physical ailments can be aided by balanced eating.

Speaking of which, I really, REALLY need more fat in my diet. It's weird to be full but still be 'hungry' because my body didn't get what it needed, which is fat. I get plenty of protein, so it MUST be the fat. I just had two squares of Lindt Dark Chocolate (With Chili in it! Cool beans!), and I feel like I did my body a huge favor.

In other news, open note to Campbell's: Cream of Broccoli should not have chicken stock in it. That's just weird.

Love,
Mandapants

Spring Cleaning

2009-05-13T19:27:00.000-07:00

I will admit to a few weeks of (albeit calorically regulated) less-than-clean eating in the weeks after my marathon. But now that I've overcome my post-marathon food anxiety, I'm back to reassuring and cleansing super-clean eating habits. In the dining halls here, that amounts to...

- fruit
- salad (with soy sauce, ketchup, or fat-free italian as dressing)
- egg whites (and sometimes yolks)
- light bread
- fat-free cottage cheese

I. Feel. So good. In fact, I've come to realize that a meat-free diet really agrees with me. Though I enjoy fish, the cleanly prepared stuff is hard to come by on campus. And I definitely can't handle chicken or beef anymore (as my stomach will attest).

I've also been trying *really* hard to drink more water. And I've started weighing in every day.

It takes a HUGE load off my mind to know the number. It really does. To see it every day, even with the little fluctuations, makes me worry less about my body and less about minor bloating.

What I still need to work on, though? Eating more fat and more protein. I get more fiber than I'm willing to admit (way more than 30 grams...*sigh*), but making more of it come from fruit and less from light bread would probably be wise. I can't wait until this summer, when I'll no longer be subject to dining hall limitations.

I've been getting the same amount of exercise as always -- at least 60 minutes of cardio every day -- but less of it has been from running since the marathon. These past few days, actually, I've taken 3.5 mile hikes in the hills here (which my BodyBugg says counts for ~300 calories) as half my daily workout. Upside: beautiful views, open air, challenging different muscles. Downside: wind + pollen = allergies.

That's it for today; just checking in. Eat clean and prosper! (And see Star Trek while you're at it.)

Back Again

2009-05-06T17:33:00.000-07:00

Happy days are here again, for shizzle. I am back in the blogosphere and ready to get my write on.

You might ask why. You might ask what I've been doing since I left. These are both good questions. What's an even better question is this: what will I write about now that I'm back?

Let's start with the second question, because it's the easiest to answer.

Mandapants is __________.

She is using other media to get her various (caustic, funny-ish, Stanfordian, grammar czar-ish, and supernerdy) thoughts across. Facebook. Twitter (@drasterling, if you please).

She is researching. For now, the health effects of gardening on the elderly. This summer (full-time!), how to get low-income high school students to apply to college.

She is marathoning. On March 29th, 2009, she completed the ING Georgia Marathon. That's right, biatches, 26.2 miles. *happy face* [If you're curious, my time was 4:33:36.]

And in June, she is graduating from Stanford with a degree in Economics (but no minor in mathematics, despite the undeniable hotness of her cryptography teacher and the utter dismay of her mother).

Now let's tackle the first question: why am I writing here again? It's definitely a tougher question to answer. In short, I spent the first quarter of this year feeling like my fitness was improving, my body image was improving, etc. I limited what I ate and slept better than I do now.

Since the marathon, and for a good part of last quarter, even (read: since January), I've been sleeping horribly. My body image issues have come back with a vengeance. I spend some days in bed feeling bad that I ate over 1800 calories over a 24-hour period (despite the fact that a BodyBugg tells me I burn 2283 over that same interval). Also, I fit into those jeans I so desperately wanted to fit into for so long. I'm a 26 now. So I shouldn't worry, right? Why do I kick myself in the keester so much emotionally?

Well, I think part of the stress has come from the marathon. It's hard on your body, hard on your mind, hard on your relationship with your body (at least if by "you" you mean "me" -- which I do). Also, you might agree that each of us has some sort of "issue" that becomes exacerbated by stressors. I am graduating in a month, leaving academia behind for the working world, and beginning to live on my own. I think that qualifies as a stressor, and my issue (as we're all aware) is my ED. So the body image problems shouldn't be such a surprise to me.

But just because they're not surprising doesn't mean they're not unwelcome. They are totally unwelcome. I am infinitely happy to have met my fitness goals, but am unsure how to maintain my weight and neither gain nor lose.

At any rate, it's really nothing to complain about, but I have been struggling mentally over the past few months and think it might make me feel better to write here again. So I will.

And, lastly, what will I write about now that I'm back? Honestly? Not sure. I still run, exercise, and eat clean, so I may write about all of that.

If you're on Twitter (or my Google Reader), I've been keeping tabs on you but probably not commenting. So I suggest that you feel loved and give me a nudge every once in a while if I fail to comment. I'll do my best to be more communicative.

'pants love,
Manda

P.S.:

I took the 43 Things Personality Quiz and found out I'm a

Self-Knowing Healthy Extrovert

Honest Video!

2009-01-30T22:10:00.000-08:00

Go here, please. It's a video!

Love,
Mandapants

Random Sprawl!

2009-01-11T00:49:00.000-08:00

This is going to be a very random post. Forgive me now?

Today I did 14.3 miles and re-learned a lesson:

The importance of hydration.

Not that I hit a wall or fell over or fainted, but I definitely had some calf pain around mile 7. I'm so used to doing sporadic runs in excess of 13 miles that I forgot -- they're long runs, for which I should (and you should) prepare accordingly. Meaning hydration and fueling. Plan ahead -- hide water, find a safe place to stop for water, whatever you need to do. And, at least for me, bringing a Gu along for anything in the 14-17 mile range is much needed. Tall people need more.

Onto other news, tomorrow I'm doing the Angel Island Fun Run (5 miles) with Bernardo (over here).

I found many, many good things to recommend this week, which will come out in another post veryvery soon.

Oh! And I almost forgot -- I am now officially registered for the Snickers Marathon on March 7. Yay! Can't wait to join the 26.2 club!

Buyin' Myself Presents

2009-01-08T20:16:00.000-08:00

Who's read Twilight?

Remember "No blood, no foul"?

It's a short phrase that reminds me not to worry. Or stress.

And, goodness, do I tend to worry/stress/etc.

So I'm buying myself a simple and elegant (of course) sterling silver band engraved with the quote.

And, who knows, it might actually serve as a reminder to me to be good about my second New Year's resolution.

[Enter laughing at Mandapants for being a 12 year-old. Hahaha.]

MSG?

2009-01-08T03:13:00.000-08:00

Last night, I found myself laying in bed with an odd tingling sensation at the back of my neck.

And it occurred to me: I've had this weird tingling sensation when waking up before. Repeatedly. In fact, quite frequently for the past two years.

"Mandapants, you're so silly, why didn't you do something about this before?"

Well, folks, because I always thought it was related to this other handy sleeping problem I developed sophomore year. Basically, I wake up a lot. Enough said. Usually I'm only half-coherent (like most people would be...I mean, I'm half-asleep, what more do you want?) when this happens, so if my neck is a-tingling I figure it's because I'm imagining/dreaming/nightmaring things.

But when the neck-tingle started while I was meditating last night (fully coherent, mind you), I realized there must actually be something wrong with me. Or my neck. Or something.*

My mama theorizes that this could be a result of some sinus-related ailment and suggested various cures, should that be the case.

What is quite fortuitous, though, is that I'm a food nerd and read the ingredients and nutrition facts on everything I stick in my mouth. So when I had some jerky today, I was SHOCKED to find that people had put MSG in my harmless ittybitty 70-calorie pack of jerky! WHY?

Having just absorbed the message that "MSG is bad for you!" from hearsay, I looked online to find the actual health detriments of the additive. And that's when it hit me:

Neck-tingle.

Apparently the neck-tingle is a common symptom of MSG-sensitivity, which happens to show up, well, when those sensitive people eat MSG.

I was half-relieved to read this, thinking that if I was experiencing MSG intolerance of some sort that at least I would know how to fix my problem. But then it occurred to me -- when the hell do *I* eat MSG? I never go to Chinese restaurants or KFC or any such savory fast food restaurant. My consumption of jerky today was a rare happening. When would the food snob eat MSG, really?

Turns out aspartame breaks down into the same things as MSG.

Bingo.

Folks, I might be getting an unhealthy neck-tingle from my lover, Diet Pop.

*cry*

Anyone have other theories? Please? Hahaha.

*I'm taking up meditation. Separate post on that comin' at 'cha soon.

What NOT To Do:

2009-01-01T17:13:00.001-08:00

Lovebunnies,

Mandapants

Those Resolutions? I Lied.

2008-12-31T21:13:00.000-08:00

Jillian?

Remember when you said, (and I quote) "I would like to spend more time being YOUNG! and FUN! and SPONTANEOUS! before I get married and make babies and can't anymore"?

Ditto.

It's 9:16 PM on New Year's Eve, and I'm at my grandparents' house, in my pajamas. Love 'em, those grandparents, but my uncle called and -- on speakerphone -- said,

"AMANDA! What's a cute young girl like you doing at home on New Year's Eve?!"

Secretly? Feeling stressed and just yucky from the holidays. When in reality what I could have used tonight, truly, was three glasses of wine or a half-pack of Mike's Hard Light.*

So that's my goal. Get out more! I'm always, as so many of us are, doing school-work or working at the gym or working out at the gym, and -- even worse -- when I'm not doing any of those things I'm worrying, thinking I *should* be doing those things.

That needs to STOP.

And I know there are a great many of you out there who do the same thing. We all work hard. Do we make mistakes? Of course. Sometimes slack off? Yes. But the constantly giving ourselves *crap* needs to cease this year.

So to myself and to all of you:

Chill. Get down with yo' bad self. Don't worry. Be happy!

And please let me know if I'm not the only one who, at 9 PM tonight, screamed to herself, "THANK GOODNESS THE HOLIDAYS ARE OVER."

*sheepish grin*

*Although, the other night I watched Twilight again, which gave me my daily dose of Vitamin E, which is to say, Vitamin Edward McFabulous.

Don't know what I'm talking about?

Click here.

Yeah. Who needs alcohol when you can look at Robert Pattinson?!

P.S.: I love you all, whether or not you share my political (admittedly liberal) views. But hearing my grandparents' commentary on the (blatant) differences between Fox and CNN New Year's coverage? *Hilarious*.

New Year's: You Gonna Do WHAT?

2008-12-31T00:59:00.000-08:00

No, no, I'm not traveling on foot to Brazil or anything (but that would be cool!).

I am, however, asking you what you plan to do this New Year's.

Because I'm curious, okay?

My plans? Drink more water.

Yup, that's it. I know, so boring and not at all what you'd expect from someone (dare we say) obsessed with fitness and nutrition. But, seriously, I eat healthy and exercise at least 60 minutes every day because I can't imagine living any other way. I definitely don't force myself -- I need it for my sanity. (Curse or gift? You decide! Hahaha.)

I will note some plans I have for 2009:

- Snickers Marathon! March 7, in Georgia
- get a job, and an apartment
- be financially independent once I graduate
- start learning another language (got workin' French and Spanish, thinking of Hebrew and/or German next)
- get my AFPA certification (Nutrition/Wellness Consultant)
- do something kick-butt for Spring Break (St. Vincent or St. Bart's, for example), so I guess we all know where my work money's going for the next three months

That's it! I don't really intend to drink less diet pop, in case you were wondering. I like it. It tastes good. Even Miz might approve? No? Oh, well, I tried. Hahaha.

Attention Gym-Goers!

2008-12-28T20:20:00.000-08:00

Oh, dearest 24 Hour and California Family Fitness(es)?

You've just been bested!

I realize it's not really convenient for anyone who doesn't live in Davis, but Davis Swim and Fitness is having a Holiday Guest Pass special. Which is to say, you go seven days for free. Because it's the holidays.

And it's amazing.

And so likely to make me go back, actually, unlike charging me $20.

I'm now done ranting.

BUT. I'm going to compile a little list of gyms that have deals that please me/you/people in general. And not gyms that charge us out the nose. So, readers, please leave me links in the comments? Let me know which gyms offer specials? I'll post it on my site. If anyone ever travels, this will be a great resource.

Bunnylove,
Mandapants

P.S.: I did this yesterday, and it was beautiful. I recommend it* to anyone in the area.

*And Benjamin Button. I cried.

I cried so much I needed Cytomax.

Just kidding.

Kind of.

Dear Jillian:

2008-12-27T01:07:00.001-08:00

Dear Jillian*,

As I've mentioned, I'm a not-so-rich college kid who can't afford to pay $15-20 per day to use the gym. So when I logged onto Netflix today and found your "Cardio Kickboxing" tape**, I was veryvery excited.

Why? 'cause, well, look at your abs! You know what those abs say to me? They say, "I will work you SO hard that you might cry!"

Well...I did. Cry, that is, after I did the video.

Only not because I was sweaty and worked out and happy, but because my sweat glands were still in that waking up phase, the one where your eyesight is still blurry and you're kind of fumbling around, debating whether or not to hit the "Snooze" button.

Which is to say, they hadn't really done anything yet, except maybe appear awkward to onlookers and utter something about their alarms' infernal beeping.

When it comes right down to it, what I really wanted from you was to burn 350 calories. But I'm not entirely convinced I even did half of that.*** The video's only 29 minutes, which made me think that -- as you promised -- the workout would be seriously intense.

What was it, really? Some kicks, some jumping of the invisi-rope, some punches.

So what's going on, Jillian? Are you that different from the sweat-inducing Tae Bo from my high school years? Or am I simply in such good shape that your workout (at the end of which you were doin' some heavy breathing, which I must say was a SHAM) made me do nothing but cry, "Ennui!"?

Hm. I argue the former.

Just sayin'.

Love your 'tude but mebbe not your tape,
Mandapants

*...and the folks at The Biggest Loser, whom I know had some say in this. 'k, thanks.
**Curious? It's under "Watch Instantly," if you go to "Sports and Fitness."
***Guess what Dadpants got for Christmas/Hanukkah? A POLAR. But would have been inappropriate for Mandapants to ask to pleaseplease use it for her workout, despite her neuroses and dire need to know.****
****Yes, the 'pants family has both Christian and Jewish constituents. :)

Bah Humbug.

2008-12-24T17:01:00.000-08:00

I was a Scrooge today. I admit it.

I have some issues with being at home, and despite some immense and unconditional love for my family prefer to actually sleep in my dorm. I don't have little panic fits, I don't wake up during the night, I don't gain weight. It's fabulous.

I've gained, like, 2 pounds of actual body fat being home. I realize, in the grand scheme of things, this isn't tremendous. Two pounds is nothing. And it comes off, and will do so as soon as I get back to school.

But right now?

Right now I know it's there. And it bugs me. And I've complained about it just as much as anyone can, and despite my having worked out for over an hour each day, it remains two pounds. It's horrible.

And good Lord knows I started out Christmas break at 17.4% body fat, which is pretty great for a girl (it's in the athletic range), so I realize there's no reason to complain. Even though I had an eating disorder in the past and 2 pounds to me is like a small planet.

Buuut. I was on my way to the gym* and this song came on.

And I started bawling. When it comes to other people's stories, I just...let it all out, I really do.

And it was really just what I needed to make me feel better** and less like the curmudgeon that I am.

So...Do me a favor? Don't worry. Don't stress. Because a) I do it enough over the holidays for all of us, and b) even if you're not religious? It's still a time to celebrate. Because you made it through 2008, because the economy is crap but you still have a job, a family, etc. And if you don't have a job or your family over the holidays? You clearly still have internet, which is a LOT more than most of the people in the world have. So you clearly have SOMETHING to be thankful for.

And if you can't manage to find anything, be thankful for this. this, and this.

Damn straight. I went there.

And puppies. Be thankful for puppies.

*Of course I went. It's me.***
**Until I came home and looked in the mirror and..."Oh, muscle? I know you're there...Come back out! Don't hide!" Hahaha. It's not funny.
***I was feelin' pretty high-and-mighty, too, until I got to the gym, which was...just as full as usual. "Um....why are you other people here?"

Marathon?! What Marathon?

2008-12-21T16:46:00.000-08:00

Lest I wake up on March 7th completely unprepared for the 26.2 miles of grueling pain and agony (I'm kidding) that is completing a marathon, I should mention that I am registering for the (Warning: Irony)

Snickers Marathon.

In Georgia.

Yes, that's right. Manda, and her pants, are goin' the distance*. Are you proud? Be proud.

Remember my buddy Daniel from the California International Marathon? He goes to the School of Public Health at Emory, which happens to be actually on the Snickers Marathon course. So I'll have a running buddy! Which is to say I'll still be running very much alone, since he's an entire hour faster than I am. Haha.

So wish me luck and happy training, yes? I'll (of course!) be providing you with updates and a few video posts on the subject between now and race day. Starting now, with what I've done the last week workout-wise:

Saturday: 5.7 mi, hills
Sunday: 14 mi
Monday: 7.4 mi
Tuesday: 8.5 mi
Wednesday: 8.1 mi
Thursday: 7.8 mi
Friday: elliptical*
Saturday: 6.6 mi
Sunday: elliptical**

*68 mins, California Family Fitness, $8 (should have been $15, but I was sort of petulant and the lady was veryvery nice -- thank you!)
**70-ish mins, same gym, free (again, should have been $15, but the boy helping me was *super* sweet and gave my credit card back to me when the manager left -- again, thank you sooo much!)

I will say, though, that I can't keep going there and expecting to get off easy, so I found a Gold's Gym nearby that has a 7-day trial membership. Yay!

It's not that I mind running (duh?). I just can't keep overtraining the way I did last week. Also? It gets dark at 4:30 now, and I'm a college student on vacation (read: I sleep in quite egregiously), so I really like to be able to go somewhere well-lit at night and work out. And my workouts are non-negotiable. So it's well worth the money. That doesn't mean I have to like spending money when it could be, oh, free?

Runlove,
Mandapants

Dear Local Gyms:

2008-12-19T20:06:00.001-08:00

Dear Gyms (Fitness Centers, Health Clubs, et al):

You hate me. I know.

Why else would you charge me $15-20 per day just to use one of your ellipticals for exactly 68 minutes? Why would you force me to overtrain for my marathon* when all I really want is a cross-train love affair with one of your Precors?

Why would you suck the love and money out of me every time I come to your seemingly open doors, begging you to let me use an open machine? It's not as if there weren't 10 of them around me today. I noticed them. You are having trouble filling your machines, it's clear -- so why do you charge so much?

On that note, it doesn't even make economic sense for you to overcharge. You're missing a huge market here -- poor college kids! We don't have $15-20, but we do have $5. I would gladly pay you $5 every day I needed to cross-train. But no. You insist on charging me what is, essentially, 20 sodas, 2 CDs on iTunes, a new pair of running shorts, or a cute dress at Charlotte Russe ('cause they're cheap! they know how we college kids roll!).

But, let me note, your prohibitive prices make me vow not to come to your gym. I won't give you my money -- not even $5.

And doesn't that make you sad? Because it makes me sad. It makes me hit the bottle.

And by bottle, I mean the bottle of Ibuprofen on my desk. Because my legs hurt. And hurt = unhappy.

So, my dear California Family Fitness, my beloved 24 Hour Fitness, I'm breaking up with you in favor of...Well, I don't know. But I can be single. I don't need you. I'll use (wait for it) EXERCISE TAPES.

That's right. Exercise tapes and I have seen each other in the past, and I know you're super close with exercise tapes, so my relationship with them may hurt.

But too bad! If you liked it, then you shoulda put a discount on it.

Love bunnies,
Mandapants

*More on that later. I'm a tease, this I know.

How Do You Like Them Apples?

2008-12-08T13:20:00.000-08:00

(Goood Will Hunting, anyone?)

I wanted to dedicate a post to congratulating my buddies Bernardo, David, and Daniel, who all ran the California International Marathon yesterday. Bernardo and David qualified for Boston by running the 26.2 mi in 3:10. Unfortunately, Daniel had some leg-related misgivings in the last few miles -- but he still managed 3:20, which is over an hour faster than my estimated marathon time! So, really. Daniel. Be proud.

The CIM course goes from Folsom to Sacramento. As I'm from the area, my parents were nice enough to let Daniel and David stay at my house. They were nearly impossible to find after the race, since I got there at about 3:12, but I saw Bernardo walking away from the finish line, picked up his 13 year-old son, and ran a couple hundred feet with the extra 100-or-so-pounds to catch up with him. It was a pretty funny sight.

In other news, it's finals week here at Stanford. During Thanksgiving break, I ran every day, including the Santa Cruz Half Marathon course, so this week I'm feeling alright just hitting the elliptical for an hour every day. Exercise keeps me sane. Can we relate, folks? (What? Enjoy exercise? US? Never...!)

Looking forward to a long three-week Christmas vacation with my family and my new puppy. Also looking for a marathon to do early next year. Any recommendations?

Much love,
Mandapants

Product Reviews: FitNutz Butter and NuGo Gluten-Free Bars

2008-12-01T09:51:00.000-08:00

I won't lie. I love me some new product finds. A lot! When I found FitNutz and new NuGo Gluten-Free bars, I got all kinds of excited.

So, without further ado...

FitNutz Butter (in Regular, Chunky, and Pro)

I'm pretty impressed with these guys, who were awesome enough to send me some samples. They created a low-calorie peanut butter substitute that will go in just about anything (my ideas were oatmeal, yogurt, cottage cheese, Hungry Girl-inspired shakes, frozen yogurt, and even Asian-inspired salad dressings). It comes in powder form, in Regular, Chunky, and Pro varieties. The Chunky has real peanut chunks in it, and the Pro variety tasted a little bit sweeter to me and has more fatty acids. For active folks, apparently (like us!). The best part is that -- for a 2 tablespoon serving -- each type has 50-60 calories, 1.5-3.5 grams of fat, and 5-6 grams of protein.

While I enjoyed eating it straight and thought it was delicious, I will say that it doesn't have the same texture or decadence that peanut butter does. But I argue that part of that is mental, a result of my knowing that it's not as high-calorie, and that I can go back for more.

So go order some! It's delicious, and I'm gonna get me some and mix it into just about everything for some extra protein.

NuGo Gluten-Free Bars

Now, I'm not entirely sure I've ever mentioned my love of NuGo bars to you. They're amazing. Especially the Sugar-Free varieties, which are super high in protein (16-17 grams) and low in calories (160-170 per bar).

So when I saw that NuGo now makes Gluten-Free bars, too, I thought I'd review them for my gluten-avoiders out there.

I'm so glad I did! And I'm so glad Alyssa from NuGo was nice enough to send me some samples (which I'm almost ashamed to say I gobbled up in one day...they were that good...and were high in protein!). The Gluten-Free bars come in three varieties: Dark Chocolate Crunch, Dark Chocolate Trail Mix, and Carrot Cake. Each bar has 150-170 calories, 3-5 grams of fat, and 9 grams of protein (yay!).

All three varieties were fantastic, but Dark Chocolate Crunch was definitely my favorite. The dark chocolate flavor really came through in the first two types, as there was some nice chocolatey frosting on the bottom of the bar (much like on a Luna bar). The Carrot Cake flavor was also a success, mostly because it smelled and tasted just like Christmas (all-spice, cloves, and nutmeg, oh my!). There was just a little frosting drizzle on the top, though -- no coating on the bottom. :( I know, I'm spoiled!

Anyway, I loved these bars and if they show up near me (I haven't seen them yet), I'll definitely buy some. NuGo's my favorite nutrition bar company so far because of their talent for combining flavor with protein and not-too-many calories. Keep it up, NuGo!

Other News?

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I sure did. I ran the Santa Cruz Half-Marathon course with my friend, Bernardo (check it out! I'm on his site, with two jackets on, because I was all sorts of freezing!), plus a lot of running at home in the hills for a total of just under 50 miles last week. I got to spend time with my puppy, Libby, and enjoy the autumn weather that only California can produce (read: temperate and wonderful).

At any rate, I apologize for not posting more frequently as of late! It's finals season here at Stanford -- I can't wait to get home for the holidays!

Puppy + Thanksgiving = Happy!

2008-11-26T22:29:00.000-08:00

Go here!

She's smaller than a side dish!

PS: I made this the other day, as a dip with plain rice cakes. I know, weird. But unusually tasty. I messed up the recipe and used twice as much sugar-free maple syrup and no Splenda (my parents didn't have any), but it was still really tasty! I can imagine it'd be even more fabulous in pie form! At any rate...

Happy Thanksgiving!

SimpliFit Does Thanksgiving

2008-11-19T12:22:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving. Turkey Day. National My-Pants-Don't-Fit-Anymore Day?

Not if we have anything to say about it!

There are *so* many things you can do to make enjoying Thanksgiving easier on your waistline (and your arteries)! Now, I won't say that everything I'm going to post today is organic or (if you read Mark's site) "primal," but I will say that it'll help you avoid wearing sweatpants long into December. Or January. Yikes! And, especially in the case of dishes that usually have a lot of animal fat (butter, milk, *you know* what I'm talking about) or sugar, the following suggestions will lead to a healthier Thanksgiving, as well.

General Tips:

- You know that outfit you have that fits the snuggest (and is family-approved, obviously)? Wear that one to dinner, NOT your sweatpants with the elastic band! You'll eat less. Promise. (Corset top, anyone?)

- Don't starve yourself to "save your appetite" (or your calories) so you can feast later. Not only will it probably make you cranky, but it'll make you eat more at dinner. Rather, I'd suggest planned indulgence (a la Mizfit, here). Know your favorite pie will be on the menu? Ballpark how many calories are in a slice and work it off at the gym beforehand. Then you can love a piece without the love handles. Even if you don't know what will be at the dinner, it's healthy to plan to indulge a little. It's family time and a celebration, and you should enjoy it.

- Even better (especially if you're not cooking the whole dinner), make a dish and bring it along! Need ideas? I got 'em!

Recipe Round-Up

Just a note before I start: most of these are from the very prolific Roni, Hungry Waif, Hungry Girl, Juliet, and Jenn (of GreenLiteBites, Nutritious Junk, Hungry Girl, Yummy Diet Food, and Eating Bender, respectively). It doesn't say which one it's from in each link, but you'll see if you click! Plus...get out there and see their sites if you haven't already!

Sides

Mashed Potato Swap

Healthier Mashed Potatoes

Cranberries and Stuffing

Sweet Potato Casserole Swap

Broccoli Slaw

Mini Quiches

Un-boring Veggies

Veggie Kabobs

Bean Dip

Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms

Roasted Balsamic Caulifower

Butternut Squash Fries

Sweets

Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Cheesecake (and more!)

Banana Bread

Vegan Chocana Pudding Bread

Yelatin (LOVE THIS)

Pumpkin Bran Muffins

Calorie-Saving Product Swaps!

A recipe call for Jell-O? Milk? Sugar? Use these, instead, and save yourself lots of calories!

Sugar-Free Jell-O
Sugar-Free Jell-O Pudding
Cool Whip Free
Fat-Free Reddi-Whip
Sugar-Free Torani Syrups
Sugar-Free Maple Syrup
Unsweetened Almond Breeze (in Chocolate, too! just make sure you get unsweetened!)
Canned Pumpkin (as a swap for oil and eggs in many cake/muffin recipes)
Splenda
Stevia

What Other Bloggers Say

Hungry Girl on Surviving Thanksgiving 1
Hungry Girl on Surviving Thanksgiving 2

Nutritious Junk 1
Nutritious Junk 2

Cooking Tips

Finally, need that extra little bit of help?

Cooking with Low-/Non-Fat Cheese, by Juliet

Gettin' Your Drink On, by Hungry Girl

Home on the Run 10k and SoyJoy Reviews!

2008-11-16T14:54:00.000-08:00

Please go here!

Notes (as usual):
1) It is, indeed, as long as usual. Soso sorry!
2) Nutri-Grain bars? First ingredient? HFCS. Yeaaah.
3) Jamie's kick*** blog is here. Go there. Be happy. Thank me later.
4) Next race, didn't mention it: Stanford ER Run, 5k, this Saturday, Nov. 22nd. Eeeee!
5) SoyJoy fans? Curious? Go here.
6) Yummy diet food, indeed. Thank you, Juliet, for the impetus to peel open a SoyJoy!

Pantslove,
Manda

P.S.: Your smelleh running shoes? My puppy smells dem.

Big Sur Race Report

2008-11-09T22:12:00.002-08:00

Please go here.

Also, a couple notes:

1) I realize the voting age is, indeed, 18 and not 21. I was tired!
2) I also realize it looks like I'm playing Lady Godiva, as my hair is covering my shirt. But I swear the shirt's there, as well!

-Manda

Product Review: Arnold's Sandwich Thins!

2008-10-30T17:28:00.000-07:00

As you guys know, I live in California. And on the West Coast, we have Oroweat, not Arnold's, which means I didn't have access to the fabulous Arnold's Sandwich Thins I've been reading so much about...until today!

Thanks to Samara at Oroweat/Arnold's, I'm now the proud owner of not only some Whole Wheat Sandwich Thins, but also some of the Multi-Grain variety!

So, how are they?

Well, I've had one of each so far, and they're definitely yummy! And, also? They don't contain HFCS!

Thank. Goodness. To be honest, I'm getting sick of inspecting bread at the store -- bread that looks healthy and grainy -- only to find it has HFCS in it. I don't care how saccharine the pro-HFCS commercials are.

As for the Manda's-faith-redeeming Sandwich Thins, they're sweet on their own and come in convenient bun-shapes (I like cute food, ok?). The multi-grain variety even has seeds on it.

Most importantly (in a bread...for me, anyway), the thins are a bargain, clocking in at only 100 calories per bun. They're comparable to Oroweat Light Whole Wheat Bread, which I get from my dining hall on a daily basis (I live for that bread...just sayin') and which contains 80 calories per 2-slice serving.

Nutritionally, the Sandwich Thins have a lot to offer:

Whole Wheat:
19 grams of whole grains per serving
Excellent source of fiber (6 grams)
Good source of protein (5 grams)
100 calories each
No High Fructose Corn Syrup

and

Multi-Grain:
11 grams of whole grains per serving
Excellent source of fiber (5 grams)
100 calories each
No High Fructose Corn Syrup

There's also a Whole Grain White variety, which has the following:

White:
6 grams of whole grains per serving
Excellent source of fiber (5 grams)
100 calories each
No High Fructose Corn Syrup

Overall, I'm pretty impressed. I like me some fiber and some safe-time from nasty corn-derived sweeteners.

Moral of the story: if you live on the East Coast, go buy the Sandwich Thins. Arnold's/Oroweat? Please bring them over to the West Coast! We like healthy food, too!

Inaugural Post

2008-10-30T16:10:00.000-07:00

Welcome! This is the continuation of Marathon Shorts ("Running, Fitness, and Fun Times" -- would I lie?). After having the blog for a few months, I realized its content and its purpose had changed enough to warrant a new page, so here it is!

But it's still running, fitness, and fun times.

Just fun (-ner).

PS: Like my presidential title? Tee hee.