12 Tips for Surviving Cooking for Thanksgiving

Well guys, it's that time of year again - Thanksgiving, the moment we put on our culinary capes and transform our kitchens into bustling command centers of deliciousness. Whether you're a kitchen wizard or just a wizard at ordering takeout, this blog is your guide to surviving, thriving, and savoring the most food-centric holiday of them all. So, pull up a chair, sip on some pumpkin spiced goodness (or not, I don't judge), and let's dive headfirst into the tantalizing world of Thanksgiving, where turkey is the star, and culinary chaos is the understudy.

Cooking a Thanksgiving meal can be a big undertaking, but with some careful planning and preparation, you can survive the process and enjoy a stress-free holiday.

1. Plan Ahead:

   • Start planning your menu and shopping list well in advance to avoid last-minute rushes to the grocery store.

   • Consider dietary restrictions and preferences of your guests when planning your menu.

2. Prep in Advance:

   • Chop, dice, and prepare as many ingredients as possible the day before. This will save you time and stress on Thanksgiving Day.

   • Set the table and arrange serving platters and utensils the night before.

3. Turkey Tips:

   • If you're roasting a turkey, calculate the cooking time accurately based on the bird's weight. Thaw the turkey in the refrigerator several days in advance, if frozen.

   • Season the turkey the night before with your desired herbs and spices. This allows the flavors to penetrate the meat.

4. Use a Timer:

   • Use multiple timers or your smartphone to keep track of various cooking times. This will help prevent overcooking or undercooking dishes.

5. Delegate Tasks:

   • Don't be afraid to ask for help. Enlist family members or friends to assist with cooking, setting the table, and cleaning up.

   • Share the workload by having guests bring side dishes or desserts.

6. Stay Organized:

   • Create a cooking schedule that outlines when each dish needs to go into the oven or be prepared. Stick to this timeline to avoid chaos.

7. Keep it Simple:

   • Don't feel pressured to create an overly elaborate menu. Simple, well-prepared dishes can be just as satisfying as complex ones.

8. Double-Check Your Ingredients:

   • Before you start cooking, double-check that you have all the necessary ingredients and cooking supplies.

9. Use a Meat Thermometer:

   • Invest in a meat thermometer to ensure your turkey or other meats are cooked to the right temperature. This avoids overcooking and ensures food safety.

10. Serve Appetizers:

    • Have some appetizers on hand to keep hungry guests at bay while you put the finishing touches on the meal.

11. Relax and Enjoy:

    • Remember that Thanksgiving is about spending time with loved ones. Don't get so caught up in the details that you forget to enjoy the company and the meal.

12. Clean Up as You Go:

    • Wash pots, pans, and utensils as you cook to minimize the post-meal cleanup.

By following these tips and staying organized, you can make the Thanksgiving cooking experience more manageable and enjoyable for everyone involved.

Follow along my cooking journey this Thanksgiving on my Instagram! Send me updates on your Thanksgiving meal and comment more tips below!

8 Dog Friendly Bars in The Heights, Houston

The fall season is upon us and along with that comes porch season. If you’re anything like me, you struggle with leaving your dog alone because their cute puppy eyes rule the roost. Whether your dog fits comfortably in your purse or needs its own seat, it can be hard to navigate the Houston social scene. These restaurants in The Heights of Houston go above and beyond to include your dog in the dining experience.

Dog-Friendly Patios in The Heights

Eight Row Flint

Photo by: Thrillist

Address: 1039 Yale St.

Hours: Sunday - Thursday: 11 am to midnight.

Friday - Saturday: 11 am to 2 am

This Heights staple has long been known for its outdoor patio. You and your pup can watch the game among many other dog enthusiasts who will happily give your dog all the attention they may need. If your dog however, prefers peace, quiet and a wide birth, this is not the bar for you because the tables are close together. Otherwise, it’s a great spot for a cute cocktail with your favorite pooch.

Cedar Creek Cafe

Photo by: FrankenBike

Address: 1034 W. 20th St.

Hours: Sunday: 9 am to midnight

Monday - Wednesday: 11 am to midnight

Thursday: 11 am to 1 am

Friday: 11 am to 2 am

Saturday: 9 am to 2 am

Cedar Creek offers so many different seating options. You can be surrounded by people to adore your pup or sit far away from others and order at the full bar from the outside of the restaurant. It’s a great place to spend the day catching up with your friends without leaving your pup at home.

Patterson Park

Photo by: Eater Houston

Address: 2205 Patterson St.

Hours: Monday - Wednesday: 2 pm to midnight

Thursday - Friday: 2 pm to 2 am

Saturday: 11 am to 2 am

Sunday: 12 pm to 12 am

Patterson Park is a new and upcoming drinking hole located just off the beaten path in The Heights. While parking may be a little difficult, they are welcoming and friendly to dogs of all shapes and sizes. It can get a little crowded on the weekends but a great spot but accommodating staff.

Barnaby’s Cafe

Photo by: Barnaby’s Cafe

Address: 181 Heights Blvd.

Hours: Monday - Friday: 11 am to 10 pm

Saturday: 8 am to 10 pm

Sunday: 8 am to 9 pm

This location is known for it’s great food and is included on the list because they work so hard to make sure you and your pet are comfortable. Get there early on a Saturday morning and enjoy some delicious food as your dog enjoys the water bowls they provide.

Heights Bier Garden

Photo by: Trip Advisor

Address: 1433 N Shepherd Dr.

Hours: Monday - Friday: 3 pm to 2 am

Saturday - Sunday: 11 am to 2 am

This local favorite is definitely the spot to start or end your night in The Heights. It is also a great outdoor space where you can bring your pup before things get too busy.

NettBar

Photo by: Houston Food Finder

Address: 4504 Nett St.

Hours: Monday: Closed

Tuesday - Thursday: 4 pm to 12 am

Friday: 4 pm to 2 am

Saturday: 12 pm to 2 am

Sunday: 12 pm to 10 pm

This is your classic night out with your pup scene. Grab a couple friends and enjoy a night out with drinks and great food in a space with great energy. They are very dog friendly and you can sit as close or as far away from the rowdy crowd as you want.

Better Luck Tomorrow

Photo by: My Table

Address: 544 Yale St.

Hours: Sunday - Monday: 11 am to 12 am

Better Luck Tomorrow is one of the hidden gems of The Heights. It’s quaint location offers you a place to get a cocktail and enjoy your food in a quiet environment. If string lights and picnic tables are your idea of a great Friday night, then this is the place for you and your pup!

Wicklow Heights

Photo by: Space City Happy Hour

Address: 1027 W 19th St

Hours: Monday - Thursday: 4 pm to 12 am

Friday: 2 pm to 2 am

Saturday: 12 pm to 2 am

Sunday: 12 pm to 11 pm

Wicklow Heights is dedicated to created a sophisticated location for delicious cocktails and a relaxed atmosphere. Their delightful bungalow is open to all dogs and if your pup prefers to be left to their chew toy under the table, this location is definitely for you.

My Relationship with Food & Depression

For me, food and comfort have always gone hand in hand. When I was a baby, my parents said that as long as I was fed, I was the happiest baby. I thank the almighty HEB gods for those pink icing cookies that helped me through my first break up. Food is a comfort to everyone and in healthy quantities, that’s great. However, for me, it started getting unhealthy so I decided to make a change.

Depression & Appetite

To begin, let me remind everyone that mental health is unique to each person. My struggles won't be the exact same as anyone else’s and comparing your symptoms as “better” or “worse” wouldn’t be helpful to your healing.

When I get depressed, depending on the sevenity, one of two things can happen. The first being “just an off day” in which I want food to comfort me in my time of need. My personal sources of comfort are chocolate and ice cream, hopefully together. It’s a temporary solution to a temporary problem. I’ve never been a binge eater so I try very hard not to let myself feel guilty. I don’t always succeed and it can feed into my bigger issues but we all have specific ways of getting through a hard day and this is mine.

My larger issues revolve around those days that I don’t have the energy to get out of bed. Those days that the world’s problems are too heavy and there is a huge void. On these rare days, eating is more than a treat to get through the day. Eating is my way of coping with dark thoughts. I don’t feel shame on these days about my diet, my mind is fighting more important things and tomorrow, hopefully I’ll feel good enough to eat something green.

Weight Gain & Depression

My coping skills are WONDERFUL. I love that in moments of huge psychological distress, I have handpicked a couple steps to combating my panic or depression. As my guiding light, David Rose, once said, “I refuse to feel shame about the mall pretzel” and there is NO reason I should feel shame about eating some sweets to cope. However, for me, it came with some weight gain. There is nothing wrong with that, I had more important things going on. However, as time went on, the weight gain has caused some shame. David would not be happy with me so I’ve decided to do something about it. Intrusive thoughts are powerful and when the timing is right, they can cause a lot of damage. So, I needed to make a change.

Turning a Corner with Food

**Note: I want to be very careful about how I word my newfound relationship with food. I fully support every person trying to find a their own health journey. My change in goals stemmed from a desire to lesson the self deprecation and negative inner talk that have come from my weight gain. I fully believe in self-love and I’m committed to becoming more mentally and physically strong in these coming months with the help of my therapist and health regiment**

Recently, the negative inner talk has become more and more prevalent around my eating habits. I have always been modest and wear clothes that reflect that. However, I notice myself specially picking out clothes that don’t take shape and even not wanting to even go into public spaces for fear of judgment. A lot of this is anxiety related and being addressed in therapy but a big part of it is a lack of confidence in the way I look. So I’m taking steps to change my perspective on my body by working out regularly and eating cleaner. This does not mean when I’m skinny, I’ll love myself. I have just always felt better when I’m working out and eating nutritious foods, this is NOT a diet. I am working on loving myself and through that decision, give my body love in return.

Part of this journey however, is going to be refusing to feel bad about when I need a break. On those days I still need Ben & Jerry to get through the day, I’m going to do that and remind myself it’s okay. This is all about creating healthy daily habits that allow for cheat days not completely destroy progress.

I’ve joined a cycling class and this was a big step for me. I get really anxious in new places and breaking from my routine. However, I also need to develop a new routine to see any results. Indoor Cycling helps me stay under the radar in a certain way and I can go at my own pace to reach my goals. I’ve been to 2 classes and y’all…. I’m struggling. I’m sore in intimate places, I’m insecure in class next to gorgeous women who seemingly don’t feel pain and I can’t follow the beat of a song to save a life. However, about 20 minutes after class when I stop feeling like I’m going to vomit, I’m proud of myself for going and I know it’s going to be easier next time. The same goes for my eating habits. I’m going to keep getting stronger and feel more accomplished every day. If you’ve made it this far, thank you for joining me and keep checking back in for updates and recipes!

Resources & Community

I am still in the active process of dealing with new triggers and emotions every day. Fortunately, I have resources available to me for those days when Chocolate Brownie Ice Cream just isn’t going to cut it. If you’re reading this and wondering where else you can turn, I hope these can help you as they do me.

Podcasts:

• Hardcore Self Help by Robert Duff: This psychologist walks you through struggles such as anxiety, depression and all of the daily struggles that are associate with mental health.

• I Hate Anxiety by Larry Quicksall: Another therapist, Larry’s light hearted commentary gives you situational advice on your daily struggles with anxiety. He also has associated books that are to the point about what you

Books:

• F**k Anxiety & F**k Depression by Robert Duff: Two short, very digestible books by a therapist who knows practical ways to help you through daily life with mental health struggles. They go great with his podcasts and really walk you through dealing with mental health.

• When Panic Attacks by David Burns: A doctor who provides tips for building your life in a way that panic and depression don’t rule your life. He really helps valid your emotions and give you techniques for working through whatever life throws at you.

• Own It: Make Your Anxiety Work For You by Caroline Foran. She is not a therapist but she is someone who has been on the dark side of anxiety and came back out many times. This humorous survival book came to in a dark time and I always turn back to it when I need to feel less alone.

Find a Therapist:

I’ve had the same therapist since 2019 and I found them through this website. The filters allowed me to weed through my preferences and find the right therapist who has been huge for my growth. That being said, you might need to try a couple therapist before you find the right one for you. Develop your own goals and make sure your therapist is not only capable, but someone you can trust with your goals.

Next Stop: Houston, Texas

Hello friends and bored individuals,

This blog for me has always blurred the line between sharing too much information and not sharing enough. So by default, I tend not to open up about big life events. However, I decided that needed to change and that I would let you all in on something I’ve been working on for the past several months.

I’m going back to school!

There it is. All that wonderful test anxiety ready to bubble up and feeling the need to retreat to microwave popcorn and braid my hair for comfort. Anyway…..

I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before but I work in marketing. It’s a new field to me and I love it. It has helped me with the blog and given me the confidence to learn more. That’s what I plan to do at The University of Houston. I’m excited, I’m terrified, I’m worried about my dog making new friends at the dog park. It’s a change that Pippa and I will figure out together.

So if you have any restaurants you want me to check out in Houston or can give me recommendations, I am so ready! I will be discovering the city one day at a time and I can’t wait to take you all along with me.

Grocery Shopping with Anxiety

People living with anxiety can be triggered by many different things. It could be deviating from a routine or something simple like talking on the phone that causes anxiety. One particularly stressful event I’ve noticed even people without an anxiety disorder struggle with is grocery shopping. As someone with an anxiety disorder who takes many trips to the grocery store a week, (I make a list and I check it twice, but I am not Santa Claus, I make mistakes) I’ve had to find a way to combat it. So if you’re someone who struggles to grocery shop without getting anxious or just wants to avoid minor fights with a significant other/roommate/inner self, I have a few suggestions to add to your grocery routine.

Create A Routine

For many people with anxiety, the fear of the worst case scenario creates most of the problems. I get into trouble when I feel out of control and I don’t know my surroundings all that well. When I moved to College Station a couple months ago, I was facing a lot of new places and new routines but I knew how to feel in control of my new environment. This will depend on you and your lifestyle but every Sunday morning or afternoon, (depending on what I did Saturday night) I am grocery shopping with the list I made Saturday morning. It took a couple weeks but I know the isles and have a general feel for what I’m going to face every week. I still get stressed going to the grocery store, holding my breath, hoping my small town stocks gyoza dumpling wrappers (they do not lol).

Make A List

As I said, I struggled to remember everything I need from the store so I started making lists. Since I began extensively plan meals for my coming week beforehand, I now know exactly what I need from the store to get me through the week.

Your list should include specifics such as:

• Arranging it by section. How my HEB is set up, I go by produce, meats, isles and then the dairy section. This will obviously depend on your situation but it helps me to not skip anything and organizing everything in a way that makes me more prepared when I enter the store.

• The amount you need of each item. No one wants to be left with 10 extra ounces of sardines or come up short on tomatoes. If you need a specific amount for a recipe, write it down.

• Brands if needed. There is a BIG difference between Heinz and French’s Mustard in my household and because I’m particular, I make sure to add it to the list.

• Other specifics such as reduced fat, specific sizes of vegetables or the color of the produce if it varies such as bell peppers.

Look Up What You Don’t Recognize

I may know what a leek looks like because of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (if you know, you know) but I am prone to forgetting simple things in a panic. You can easily Google items and add Krogers or HEB to the end of the search and find their exact label in Google Images and make it a little easier to spot. You can do it there or do it at home if you don’t have a smartphone.

Have A Buddy

I’ll admit, I’m very hesitant to write this because I’m all for learning to deal with your anxiety your own way. For me, being around people who see me and see my struggles helps. I feel understood and it calms me. However, some people don’t have that or aren’t comfortable asking someone for help and I get that. I really do. So, with your list in hand, maybe call a friend while you’re shopping so that you’re distracted or come up with a way to sooth yourself through the process. This might mean bringing a stress ball along to fidget with or wearing silly shoes to remind yourself to laugh. I don’t know your process but the main purpose is to give yourself the best chance of being at ease. Be your own buddy and know that you’re doing a great job, your feelings are valid and you won’t always feel what you’re feeling.

Anxious people experience the world a little differently than most. If you find everyday activities like grocery shopping to be hard on you, I hope these tips and tricks are able to help. Do you have anymore of your own? Leave them in the comments below!

DISCLAIMER: If you think you have an eating or anxiety disorder and you would like to get help for any mental health concerns, follow this link. I am not a therapist, I can only speak to personal experiences and what works for me.

A Curbed Appetite & Anxiety

Welcome back friends!

Recent events with the COVID-19 pandemic have stirred up a lot of mental health issues for those who are currently struggling or have previously struggled. Each situation is different and valid, you are not alone and we will get through this together. While this is it’s own topic I may one day get into, today I actually want to discuss what mental health can do to your appetite and give tips and tricks for dealing with whatever change comes your way.

Food & Our Love Affair

My relationship with food growing up was always and I mean always, one of comfort. I hated sharing snacks but my need to please everyone made me succumb to peer pressure. When I was young and finally deemed responsible enough to leave our driveway on my bike, I would sneak away to HEB to get sugar cookies and icing. Food helped me cope with the pressures of childhood. One of my favorite memories include sitting on my aunt’s lap, thinking I was a baker as she handed me each ingredient and we created together. I loved and will continue to love how much food can bring people together.

My relationship with food is one of admiration and I try to eat food that honors that. (Translation: I am a food snob. I admit it & I’m so glad my brother doesn’t read my blog to get the satisfaction.) However, life happens and we cope with that in different ways. I’ve always found solace in a pint of ice cream, but I’ve also had days where the thought of eating makes me so nauseous that it hurts. (To be clear, I have never been diagnosed with an eating disorder. I deal with anxiety like many people and studied nutrition in college, so I am acutely aware of what my body needs and how I can best take care of it.) When the pandemic hit and things began looking scary, I developed a few tips and trick for those who experience appetite fluctuations with anxiety that I thought I would share.

Know Your Limitations & Needs

I cannot presume to know anyone else’s relationship with food is like mine. We each have our own and it probably doesn't stay the same in one lifetime. However, what I can predict is what your body needs in terms of carbohydrates, fats and protein. This depends on so many things that are independent to you and there are so many ways to calculate it. The equations were ingrained into my brain, but I’m choosing to spare you all where my professors didn’t. They’re all on this great website and you just have to enter your basic information to get the result. It takes 30 seconds!

In terms of limitations, this can be a tricky topic. I wholeheartedly believe chocolate can help you feel better. I just also realize skipping a meal and eating 4 candy bars will leave me in a bad space too. So eat the ice cream, lick that spoon clean and don't let anyone make you feel guilty about. (This includes your inner bitch. I know, she’s loud. It takes time.) I do want to caution anyone who struggles with purging or binging to take the necessary steps to remain steadfast with their goals.

Recognize When You’re Struggling

This is something I think I will always have to work on. It takes me skipping two meals and half a day of stomach pains to ask what is going on with my body. I’m new to really listening to what your anxiety is trying to tell you and responding in a productive way. When I do though, I think about my routine and what about it got muddled. Sometimes there genuinely wasn’t anything and that’s okay.

It helps me to have a dinner schedule and someone else relying on me to cook whether or not I’m hungry. A food journal would be helpful for someone who doesn’t think about food as much as I do. Or just simply make it part of your routine to talk about what you ate that day with a SO, friend or family member.

Eat What You Can

I’m hesitant to say this because I realize anxiety is going to hit some people differently. If you’re struggling to even get out of bed, I don’t want to place any shame on that. We all do what we can and it’s enough. However, if you are able but simply not hungry or maybe nauseous, your body still needs sustenance. If you aren’t hungry or you’re really nauseous, find something you can stomach like a smoothie or a protein shake. I usually make garlic broth (recipe in my Instagram) to sip on and eat scrambled eggs on such days. Find what works for you and stock up.

Give Yourself A Break

As someone who spends a large chunk of their day thinking about food, I put some shame on myself when I became entirely uninterested in my next meal. What is wrong with me? Who am I without this huge chunk of my life? Is this forever? My dear reader, it is not and tomorrow always comes, even if we don’t want it to sometimes. I am the same person with an entire pint of ice cream in my belly or without one meal of leftover pizza. Let us all remember our journey doesn’t always have to be linear and other people’s perceptions aren’t your reality. Take care of your mind, take care of your body and remember who you are.

Anxiety and it’s relationship with food is something I plan to dive into deeper. If you have something you want me to focus on, leave it in the comments below!

DISCLAIMER: If you think you have an eating disorder or would like to get help for any mental health concerns, follow this link. I am not a therapist, I can only speak to personal experiences and what works for me.

Welcome Back - We Have Snacks

It has been a minute since I’ve posted a blog! There are several reasons I decided to take a break but with quarantine giving me a lot more free time, it’s the perfect time to come back.

My New Routine

Since my last blog post, I’ve moved to College Station with my sister and started a new job. There have been so many changes and one of those is how I manage cooking. I assumed having a set schedule would be easier than life as a student where one week I’m studying 12 hours a day for a test and the next I could be going to social events and a tailgate (I miss football season!). However, I’ve found it just as difficult to stay motivated to cook in my new environment. So, in order to eat the most nutritious and fresh options, I decided to get organized.

I bought a calendar and decided to put my sisters collection of cookbooks to use - let’s just say they’ve been collecting dust, but my sister’s a busy doctor so we’ll give her a break. Once a week, we choose 4 to 5 recipes to make for dinner each week. Then I make a grocery list on a notepad like it’s the 1960s and I’m wearing an apron. (Hint: I’m more of a wipe my hands on my pants or the closest persons face if I’m in a mood. Try it, guarantee a smile on your face at the least.) This schedule has pros and cons, but it works for me and maybe it could work for you too. Or you’ll see me fail a couple times a week at eating like Chrissy Teigen on my Instagram. And hey, if I can be anything like Chrissy that’s a win to me.

Bottom Line

I am back to writing regular blogs and posting regularly to my Instagram about my love for food. If you want me to review a cookbook or you enjoy one of the ones I post about and want to know where to get it, let me know! I am always trying new recipes and showing you the many ways that I can fail simple instructions. Let’s find out together.

Chocolate Rainbow Crepe Cake

The holidays are upon us and that means desserts and carbs and emotional eating to curb the anxiety that comes with having 30 family members ask you about your life. (It’s possible I'm projecting) So while this is health blog and I maintain the idea of not overdoing it during the holiday season, I also realize celebration is an important part of life. Health journeys aren’t going to be entirely linear and why not celebrate by creating and eating a deliciously creative dessert? With all of this in mind, I decided to take a family favorite breakfast and make it into a dessert. This recipe from a picture might look complicated but I had so much fun practicing it with family and friends, so play some music and get people together to try making a crepe cake!

NOTE: I did the food coloring for a festive addition but it won’t affect the recipe if you opt out or add different colors than I did. Adding too much food coloring does make batter bitter though so experiment with caution.

If you try this recipe for the holidays, let me know how it goes and post a picture tagging Flabs and Abbs on instagram! Happy Holidays, friends!

The Ketogenic Diet: Let's Break It Down

The “Keto” diet has been a popular fad diet for many years now.. and for good reason. It gets results quick and with very broad dietary restrictions. The diet focuses on high fat and protein but low on carbs. The key curb appeal of this diet include the high focus on getting protein and fat in the diet so that hunger is kept at bay. However, like Thanksgiving, it’s great but can be upsetting to analyze why everyone is eating so much turkey together.

What Is The Ketogenic Diet

There are several new variations of the ketogenic diet but this discussion is going to be focused on the traditional method of low carb, high fat and moderate protein. When a body is deprived of carbohydrates, less than 20 g a day in the diet, it breaks down stored fat in the body and makes something called ketones to replace the energy source of carbs that create glucose. This is a form of starvation called ketosis and hypothetically can be continued for long stretches. Daily life on ketones can reduce energy, cause irritability and there is some hunger in the beginning of the diet. That is why it is recommended to slowly ease out of carbs and not do an abrupt start.

Good vs. Bad Foods

Since the keto diet is heavily focused on keeping the body in a state of ketosis, there is a strict list of foods that cannot be eaten. That being said, it takes some learning to understand the everyday foods that have carbs, such as fruit.

• Bad Food List: fruits, starches, grains, root vegetables, beans and alcohol

• Good Food List: meats, fatty fish, nuts, eggs, cheese, low carb vegetables, butter and oils

The strictness around the diet exists because in order to stay in that form of starvation, the diet has to be followed exactly for fast results.

Health Concerns with Keto

So many people choosing keto as the fast way to burn off unwanted fat that it brings up the question of if it is safe for everyone. The diet if done right, will cause a certain amount of extra strain on the kidneys and liver. Therefore, it is a concern or not compatible for any diabetic or person with heart disease. There is also a fine line for someone who is borderline for either of those issues if the diet isn’t meeting requirements for nutrients and consists a piece of bacon and a huge cheese ball. Reducing body fat does reduce the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes but education about the best way to do keto is key for a successful experience.

Does it work?

The diet works. If it is strictly followed, it will reduce body fats, no question. However, there are issues even with that. Ketosis takes about 3 days to reach and even one alcoholic drink can throw the body off track and start all over again.

Then there is the issue of sustainability within the diet. Eating less than 20 grams of carbs a day isn’t sustainable for long periods of time for most. A recent study linked below showed that Keto followed by a mediterranean diet allowed for the weight to stay off in most subjects. However, this diet doesn’t teach the proper ways to conform to a mediterranean diet and even discourages specific vegetables considered otherwise healthy while encouraging fatty meats. The mediterranean diet is all about lean proteins and can be difficult to switch back and forth between with portion control and food cravings that exist in either diet. It’s not just about learning which foods are on a good and bad list, its an entire life structure change and it’s hard to imagine the ease of such an abrupt change being possible for a working professional with a limited amount of time to focus on the change. That being said, anyone with the determination to not eat bread for weeks on end should get the respect they deserve.

Everyone will make their own health choices, they just need to be informed choices that are best for their individual health and hopefully this read did just that. For more information, click on the links below. If you have a strong opinion on the keto diet, one way or another, comment below about your experience!

PSA: All information gathered in this article is from various articles linked below and knowledge gathered from nutrition classes at The University of Texas at Austin, fueled by green tea and a deep fear of failure.

Healthy Halloween Party Snacks

Halloween… a time for caramel apples and experiencing the timeless perfection that is Bette Midler. If you’re on a health journey though, Halloween can be a warm up for the holiday season. The children walking around with their impenetrable metabolisms, all on a sugar high while you are trying not to eat any of the sugar in sight. Holidays can be a hard time to focus on fitness. Searching for presents for that one distant relative seen once a year and contemplating relationships with kids by practicing on cousins…. it can be a lot. For me, that usually means breaks hiding in the pantry with cheesecake. So developing new coping mechanisms is going to be the challenge or “Flabs not Abbs” is a phrase I’m going to make popular.

These recipes are focused on moderation snacking without the guilt or regret the next day. They’re perfect for a party or even a way to use the leftover seeds from carving a pumpkin. What are some other themed healthy treats for the holiday season? Comment below!

SALADS - Must They Always Suck?

I don’t subscribe to the idea that being healthy means eating a tasteless salad everyday with plain dressing and enough raw vegetables to think you’re Bugs Bunny screaming, “Whats up Doc? AND WHERE THE REST OF MY FOOD??” However, I do begrudgingly understand that a healthy meal often means a plate full of vegetables and that usually means a salad. So.. how can we make this appealing?

Defining A “Good” Salad

When I started researching the different “classic” salads at restaurants and what makes them unique, I found a pattern of traditional add-ins to make up a salad worthy of ordering on a first date when you’re not quite ready to devour a burger in front of a crush.

Optional Protein - Whether it’s chicken, shrimp or even tofu, the added protein can hold hunger at bay until it’s time for the the next meal.

Grains - Whether it was quinoa, a handful of croutons or the bread that they leave on the table that just stares…. silently.. waiting for it’s next victim, there is usually a carb option.

Personalized Fruits & Veggies - Avocados are jolly green delights, tomatoes are cheeky cuties and I worship the fork that combines the two to make guacamole. I just don’t think any of these treats belong on a salad for me to eat. Everyone has their own aversions and thats why salad toppings are everyones choice to make.

Lettuce Combinations - Restaurants tend to do a mixture of different types of lettuce in an effort to appease the many different preferences for salad. This is the make or break when people are choosing between salads. So nailing down which types of lettuce I was willing to eat was the beginning of creating delicious recipes.

Salad Dressing

I didn’t include dressing because I think choosing is a very divisive topic and also there are no more dressings to be invented. They all exist and they’re fantastic. So I’ve included links to dressings that aren’t too complicated and are easy to make.

Tips & Tricks

So there will be other vegetables that you might enjoy or have more ways to spice up your own salad. Please share those in the comments! Otherwise, here are tips and tricks to finishing off a great salad and continuing a health plan that you can talk about at the holidays instead of your unknown career goals (maybe projecting?).

Wait to add any wet vegetables/salad dressing until you’re ready to eat your salad. Those ridiculously small tuppaware you see in stores and think “Those are just a waste of money!” well buckle up buttercup. Also for those on a budget, a plastic baggy also does the trick.

Add what you need, not what you want. Listen, I get it. Salads can leave you wanting that cheeseburger or hangry like you’re Chelsea Handler in anything Chelsea Handler does. However, if you’re committing to the salad, commit to the salad and be wary of too many high calorie add-ins.

Plan for a snack. For me, the biggest problem with salads is that 2 hours later, I’m ready for second lunch. Then the effort and mental congradulations go out the window, along with my mood. So with a healthy snack planned like a yogurt or a pack of almonds, the effort is still rewarded.

Recipes You OAT To Try

Oatmeal hasn’t always been associated with healthy eating and for good reason. The extra large spoonful of brown sugar or use of whole milk can cancel out the good… also it’s mushy if made wrong and that is a little gross. They have many health benefits, to keep this flowing, read about those in the link below. In case you don’t want to read it, what that comes down to is that oatmeal has micronutrients to help with cholesterol, digestion and blood sugar.

These recipes are intentionally simple but incorporate flavors so that the oatmeal is flavorful and doesn’t resemble what’s leftover in a continental breakfast. If you have ideas about how to spice up oatmeal without adding sugar, please share them in the comments below!

Vacation FAIL - Keep Doing Day 1

Vacations might be a beach but let me assure you that I am also because I barely followed my own rules. I put on a bikini every day and even that did not stop my second helping of ice cream. (They had chocolate.. who is really to blame here?) So here I am, starting day 1 again and I’ve decided… who the heck cares? This entire journey doesn’t have to be linear. Who cares if I lost myself in the most amazing Tres Leches I’ve ever had while looking at a beach with my best friend? I don’t regret anything except dancing with a very cute Canadian who reminded me too much of Justin Bieber. I’m going to keep failing at this until I don’t, so I’m okay with the carbohydrates and if I eat enough greens, maybe I’ll forget about Justin. I don’t think anyone on their health journey should feel bad about taking time for their mental health too and if that includes a chocolate brownie, more power to it! As long as I focused on going back to the rules I set for myself once the vacation was over, I decided to give myself a pass. Cheers to the carbs that once were, may they live on in my memories and short on my hips.

Motivation for me has always been like going shopping, I’m okay in the beginning, a little uncomfortable squeezing into outfits and after a little while… I read a book on the couch while my sister tries on outfits and I bond with the husbands. It’s hard to get back to something that challenges daily life three times a day (four if it’s been a particularly difficult day). So how do I convince myself that a strawberry spinach salad is better than a cuban sandwich for lunch? I have started with these simple tips to get me back on track and hopefully realize just because I add blueberries to cool whip, does NOT make it a fruit salad.

Vacation Diets are a BEACH.

Vacations.. a time for relaxation, a painful realization about my limited patience in an airport and usually gluttony that makes think you could win a hot dog eating contest (and if that’s how anyone finds a calling, I can only bow and applaud). However, I’m still on this path to healthy eating and attempting to look decent in a one piece swimsuit which is a battle that I’m convinced everyone loses except the Hadid sisters. When my best friend and I booked an all inclusive resort in Cabo on the cheapest website we could find, I immediately thought 5 days of horrific eating to get my moneys worth wasn’t going to put an end to this process. I’m certainly not capable of having a cheat meal type of diet but 5 days on vacation then going back to my routine will be cake. Oh! I can have cake on this vacation! Woo!

I’ve since changed my tune. It was sadder than Marley & Me’s “You’re a great dog, Marley”… No. No it wasn’t. Nothing will ever be. I’m sorry I brought that up. The issue now becomes, how does anyone diet while on vacation? My schedule will intentionally be open, I have no desire to inconvenience other people because it’s noon and that’s food time per my usual schedule. Also while I’m not really a drinker, how do I decide the line between relaxation and too much? My saving grace on that front is even looking at anything frozen or like it should have an umbrella gives me a headache. Also I’ve been limited my carbs so too much will make my stomach turn against me like the birthday cake fiasco in my 5th grade homeroom.

So here are my rules for vacationing. Will I follow them? I hope so. Is it entirely possible I write back in a week that I missed cake too much and we all get to laugh together? It’s likely. I miss chocolate, she and I have been through some stuff together.

• Don’t drink the calories. Hydration is important when vacations are hard on the skin. A body full of water might be less hungry throughout the day too. A few light beers at the end of the day is my game plan and maybe a body like J.J. Watt will be my reward. It’s important to dream.

• Eat a plate full of vegetables or fruit first. Yes, I heard this as a kid and I am at risk at getting an “I told you so” from my mother but it’s a risk I’m willing to take. A less full belly will be able to resist more than one screaming “ME LIKE COOKIES” in cookie monster voice.

• Pick snacks like I pick friends, carefully. When planning the day and what’s getting thrown into my backpack, snacks are going to reflect the type of day I’m having. If it’s a chill day at the beach, hydrating foods like apples or melons will be my main focus. If I’m going hiking or doing something active, some healthy carbs like bananas or hummus will be in my bag.

• Leaving something on my plate. Even as I’m writing this, I feel anxiety and guilt about potentially leaving food on my plate to be thrown away. I like to believe a waiter will eat it in the back too but maybe that was just me and everyone else is a clean human, who knows. Overeating has always been an issue for me. I stop in that moment when I feel like I want the pregnancy pants Joey wears in Friends at Thanksgiving. It’s okay to leave something for the sake of health and hopefully I learn that on this trip.

So tell me, what are your rules for vacation?

It's All About Eggs

The reputation of eggs has switched back and forth among health professionals for many years. They are the Kardashians of breakfast foods and like the Kardashians, you might like one part or hate the entire group because you believe in foods without scandal. To close up this metaphor, I love the Kardashians as a source of entertainment and I love eggs as a great source of nutrients first thing in the morning. Let’s go over those concerns people have over eggs and maybe change some peoples minds about the Kardashians, weirder things will happen on this blog.

High In Dietary Cholesterol

The main reason I hear about not eating eggs is those with high cholesterol know about one egg covers half the dietary cholesterol needed in an average day for the everyday person. However, a 2015 Dietary Guidelines study showed that dietary cholesterol was no longer a concern in blood cholesterol and those who ate eggs had a lower rate of heart attacks.

You can trust me or read this really long report like I did for a class that I finished with a B+ and a renewed belief that I could not hack it as a dietician: https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/

Organic vs. Conventional

There is some merit to the discussion on whether you should consider organic eggs instead of conventional. If you’re rolling your eyes right now at my hippie views, I understand, bear with me and just leave a comment about how I need to leave Austin before it ruins me. From an ethics standpoint, organic farms are known for their more environmentally friendly and cruelty free practices. Additionally, the label of “organic” legally means that at least 95% of the ingredients will be naturally occurring. A consumer is way less likely to be consuming antibiotics, metals or chemicals from the chickens. This all does depend on the local source so education on each company is an important step to eating organically.

Not A Healthy Option

I love all the body builders out there. Y’all confirm my flawed logic of wanting to date a gym rat without ever having to go to a gym to find you. I appreciate the morning updates on your egg whites, mostly because you’re shirtless. However for us normals who aren’t trying to bulk up or have specific goals in mind, eggs are a great source of protein and other essential nutrients. It’s an easy way to start your day with health in mind.

Eat What Makes You Happy

Although I stand firm in my belief that eggs are the superior food, if you enjoy those english muffins that make me think I’m eating cardboard, do that. Food is more than a necessity to most, for me it can be a source of experimentation, adventure or way to avoid an uncomfortable question about my future from my family. Let it be your choices and your way. To quote our queen, “You’re doing amazing sweetie!”

Flabs & Abbs - The Diet Beginnings

About a month ago I thought it was time to start focusing on my diet again, really cut out the foods making me sluggish and get more energy out of the day. So here I am, 4 weeks later trying to get motivation to start that journey. I looked this morning where we all look for motivation beginnings, the Pinterest quotes section. The first quote hit me right in the muffin top with, “It’s hard to get fit, but it’s harder to look in the mirror and dislike what you see.” If that didn’t make me put down the spoonful of Cheerios, nothing would.

Now that I’m sitting here thinking about how I want to do this, I’ve decided to ditch the self-hate along with my daily chocolate bar. Self hatred isn’t how I want to hit my goals, nor do I think it’s the type of motivation that is sustainable. I’m not going to hate my body until I hit a certain number on a scale or even set a weight goal. So listen up my fellow honey bunches, this isn’t a transformation and you’ll never see me in a sports bra telling you that losing weight makes you ride into a sunset on the back of Idris Alba. I’m as optimistic about this being an easy process as I am about my family not fighting during the holiday season. I just hope that hearing/seeing me struggle/fail/succeed to make some changes that I’ll get some new friends to try it with me.

To start this very slowly, I’ve given myself rules to follow. If I completely cut out carbs and chocolate, you’ll find me in a tub of Blue Bell before I finish up one salad. These are some things I learned in life and nutrition classes, so it’s where I’m starting:

• Eating is on a schedule, no snacking between these times. I eat when I’m bored but the fruit roll-ups can only tempt me now when I go to the pantry for actual foods and the rest of the day, avoid it like that racist family member who wants to tell you about “the good ole days”.

  • Breakfast is 8 a.m., lunch at noon, snack at 3 p.m. and dinner at 6:30. This can and probably will change daily because I have a life and things come up. It’s just important that every day I say “when will I eat today” and stick to that schedule.

• At least, one of the three meals should be meatless/primarily vegetables. Lean protein keeps the appetite at bay and me from turning into Hulk (Mark Ruffalo or Eric Bana ONLY). However, 4 oz. of meat has more calories and fat than a large bowl of vegetables that have essential nutrients for energy.

• Work to earn a cheat meal. I’m active in terms of… I’ll walk my dog while watching Golden Girls on my phone and call it a “run”. I’ll be documenting my struggle through weights and exercise as well but give a girl some time to dust off the old yoga mat. On days that I successfully use my leggings for the purpose of exercise and not comfort, those are the days I can eat something not linked to my health goals. The purpose is that if I’m burning calories that day, I won’t be falling as behind as a would on a day that I wasn’t active but still ate poorly.

• Limit cheat meals in terms of size and frequency. If I had the ability to eat one potato chip and walk away, this entire blog wouldn’t be necessary. Since I have the resistance level of a 6 year old on a leash cleverly disguised as a backpack, that cup of ice cream needs to be measured and then written down so it doesn’t happen until I’ve earned it again in a week.

I’ll keep adding to the rules as I go but these are just a few things that I’ve decided to adopt. If you got something from them, great. If you couldn’t relate but thought “she’s a mess, lets see if she fails” then that’s okay too. Let’s find out together. The hardest part for me is starting so lets prove we can still like ourselves and make modifications to only further our self content.