Keep it in Perspective

After yesterday’s post about low-residue diet, limiting the “roughage,” etc., I thought I might dive a little further into the subject. I personally needed to brush up on it as it’s been a little while since I learned about it in school, and I thought some of you all might be interested in learning about it too.

What Is a Low-Residue Diet?

According to WebMD, “A low-residue diet is a diet in which fiber and other foods that are harder for your body to digest are restricted. Fiber is made up of plant material that cannot be completely digested by the body. High-fiber foods include whole-grain breads and cereals, nuts, seeds, and raw or dried fruits.

 Residue refers to undigested foods, including fiber, that make up stool. If intestinal walls are inflamed or damaged, digestion and absorption of nutrients and water may be impaired, depending on the location of disease activity.”

source

What can you eat while on a low-residue diet?

Grains:

  • Cold cereals that aren’t high fiber (Corn Flakes, Chex, etc.)
  • Enriched white bread
  • Cream of Wheat, grits, and I seem to tolerate oatmeal well
  • White rice, pasta

Veggies:

  • Cooked veggies such as mushrooms, green beans, carrots
  • Potatoes (no skin)
  • Canned vegetables
  • =(

Fruits:

  • Bananas
  • Melon
  • Canned fruit
  • Cooked fruit
  • Avocado

Dairy:

  • Dependent on the person and their lactose tolerance.
    • I don’t handle lactose well, so I avoid it even when I am fully well. I usually drink almond milk or soy milk instead. Small amounts of this kind of milk doesn’t seem to bother me much.
    • This goes for cheeses and yogurt as well. It is very dependent on the person and varies case by case.

Protein/Meat:

  • Most meat is fine to eat as long as it’s fairly lean.
  • Eggs are fine

Snacks and Sweets:

  • Cookies
  • Pretzels
  • Rice crackers
  • Pudding

To Avoid:

  • Nuts, seeds, peanut butter (this one I may not completely follow)
  • Dried fruits
  • Raw vegetables
  • Whole grains
  • Certain cooked vegetables (broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, etc.)
  • Beans, lentils
  • Popcorn
  • Caffeine

For those of you who read my blog regularly, you will notice that the foods listed in the “To Avoid” column, are the ones that I eat most regularly.

I have not completely handed over my diet to low-residue, but I am going to follow a majority of it for now, reminding myself that this is only temporary. I have been dealing with Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD) since I was 12. The symptoms come and go, and now that I am older and know my body well, I am hoping that I can fight this current bout quickly. Staying positive will help me to feel better sooner too! I am constantly reminded of how lucky I am to be as healthy as I am, and that there are a lot of people out there who are faced with more serious health problems than mine. That being said, I will be fine. This too shall pass. I will continue to keep it all in perspective.

This subject matter isn’t necessarily the easiest thing for me to talk about. It’s a little embarrassing, but I figure if I can help even one person out there who might be dealing with the same issues, it is worth it to share. So, here I am! An open book.

My food photos will look a little different for the time being, but I promise to return to the veggie packed diet that I love so much before too long.

On a more fun note, mom and dad brought Abbie over last night and the two dogs ran around in the yard. I snapped some pretty cute photos.

That last one is my favorite. Needless to say, Abbie is a little nervous around Moose who outweighs her by approximately 80 lbs. Who can blame her. Someday they will be best friends.

Happy Wednesday!

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Asparagus Appetizer and Asics

Last night, we went to a St. Patrick’s Day bonfire at our friend’s place. I wanted to bring a green appetizer to go with the theme, and decided on an appetizer that my friend/co-worker had made for us at our St. Pat’s Day themed meeting at work last Wednesday.

She made asparagus wrapped in ham and cream cheese. I whipped them up for the party last night and I left the party with an empty platter in hand. They were a hit. They are healthy, easy and very tasty.

1. First, bring a pot of water to a boil.

2. Next, rinse the asparagus. Then, snap off the bottoms that are hard and great to eat. Tip: place one hand at the middle of the stalk, the other hand at the bottom and bend until the end snaps off. Discard the end piece and keep the top. Where it snaps off naturally is generally a good indicator of the good versus the bad.

3. Place the asparagus in the boiling water and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from hot water and place immediately into an ice bath to shock the asparagus and stop the cooking process.

4. Combine 1 room temperature 8-ounce block of reduced fat cream cheese, 1 teaspoon mustard, and 1/2 teaspoon of Worcestershire in a bowl. Use a hand mixer to combine until creamy.

5.  Place thinly sliced deli ham on cutting board and cut to appropriate size (about 4×4 inches). Smear cream cheese mixture on ham. Place asparagus on top, and roll. The cream cheese makes the wrap stick together so no tooth picks are necessary to hold it together.

Pretty right?

 We had such a great time last night at our friend’s place. We played yard games, ate some awesome corned-beef hash and sat around the bonfire. It was the perfect way to end St. Patty’s Day.

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This morning started off with a big cup of coffee, coupon cutting with the hubby (out Sunday morning routine), and a bowl of nasty looking  satisfying oat-less oatmeal. In the mix today was egg whites, almond milk, ground flaxseed, chocolate protein powder, cinnamon, and banana. I topped it off with some peanut butter and called it a breakfast.

After breakfast we were off and running to get errands crossed off our list. We first headed to Target and Costco to stock up on groceries, then headed to Marathon Sports which is a store that specializes in running and walking. Dana and I both needed new running shoes and have heard really great things about this place, so we decided to check it out ourselves.

The staff was incredibly helpful and efficient. The store was bonkers today but staff kept everyone happy including both of us who both walked out with new shoes!

I decided to stick with the same Asics I was wearing before, but bought the newest version; Asics Gel-Kayano 18 (my last ones were 17). I was really happy with my last pair so I figure why mess with a good thing. I put them on my feet and they fit like they were made for me; comfortable and supportive. Sold.

I can see why they are voted one of the best running stores in America. I would highly recommend them to anyone. Plus, they were founded in 1985, which was a pretty special year. 🙂

Lunch today was very random. It started with sugar snap peas which I dove into on the car-ride home.

Then a cara-cara orange which OMG was so perfectly sweet and juicy. MMMMmm…I could probably eat 4 of them.

Next, I moved onto a small bowl of Special K Blueberry cereal.

Lastly, a small bowl of  Multi-Grain Peanut Butter Cheerios. Heavenly. Have you tried these yet? You really should.

Amidst our errand running we also stopped at two different Menards. We needed to get tiles for our bathroom in the basement which will begin construction very soon! Considering I made it through not one, but two Menards trips, I figured I deserved a Caramel Light Frappuccino from Starbuck’s. Perfectly sweet and expensive, as always.

I have a healthy dinner planned for dinner tonight. I will get you the details tomorrow! Hope you are having a productive yet relaxing Sunday.

Continue Reading Asparagus Appetizer and Asics

You’ve Gotta Start Somewhere

Happy President’s Day! I am celebrating the day by being a productive U.S. citizen and supporting the local economy, aka running errands and going shopping. I am very fortunate to have the day off today so I am using it as another day to be very productive.

As I was getting ready for bed last night I was recapping the weekend in my head and oh my gosh, I realize I was completely lazy when it came to cooking/creating any type of meal! Usually my weekends are a time for me to really get creative and show my mad skills in the kitchen, but apparently I wasn’t feeling it this weekend. Tonight we have dinner plans that involve a really nummy italian restaurant, so tonight I will not be cooking either. That means I have Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday to redeem myself, and you better believe I will.

This weekend when we were at Whole Foods, I bought some really neat purple and white eggplant as well as purpley-green kale. I have plans to get creative with it. I also bought something else I have been really interested in trying that I will break out either Wednesday or Thursday. I’m not sure how it will go, but more on that later. Can you handle the anticipation?

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My day started off with a mug of hot and steamy coffee and a bowl of banana, blueberries, and Special K Blueberry cereal.

It was pretty good, but the banana wasn’t quite ripe enough for my liking. It should do the trick for a while and tide my belly over.

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As I was running the other day my brain started to wander as it usually does. I was running on the treadmill at the gym and tired of reading subtitles on the t.v. ahead, and needing a break from people watching. I was getting bored as I often do on the treadmill. My head started playing tricks on me telling me to stop or take a break and walk and it wasn’t because I was tired, I know it was because I was bored. I kept running, trying to fight off my sub-conscious thoughts. I daydreamed back to my days when I first started running. Now, I am by no means a “runner.” I can run, but running is not easy for me, at all.

I first started running because I had signed up for my first 5K. I had no time goals in mind, I just wanted to finish. I was in La Crosse, WI at this time for my internship and I remember the morning so vividly that I laced up and headed out for a walk/run. I did a large loop around my apartment complex and ran for a total of about ten minutes. I called Dana and told him how long I had run and I remember thinking, that’s better than nothing, but man, do I have a long way to go. Dana’s response to me was, “you gotta start somewhere.” He was so right. I could have given up then thinking ok, I can only run 10 minutes right now and I need to run more like 30 for the 5k and quit right then and there thinking it would never happen, but I didn’t, because I knew this would take some time. I began increasing my running to walking ratios and progressed slowly until I was eventually running 3 miles. I completed my first 5k and was addicted to the feeling at the finish line. I knew I had to do more. From then on I ran more 5k’s, then eventually progressed to a 6k, then a 10k, and then last summer Dana and I completed our first 15k.

What a great feeling of accomplishment it is seeing your body progress and really finding what your body is capable of doing. I never thought I would be completing a 15k, and that currently I am signed up for two half-marathons this summer. Am I ready for a half-marathon now? Absolutely not. I am now averaging about 3-4 miles per run, 3 runs per week. I am about a third of the way there, just as I was when I first started training for my first 5k. I know I can do it though. The body is capable of so much more than I often let myself believe. It might be painful, it will indeed be challenging, but it will be worth it. I will be sharing my progress with you as I go, and pushing harder through your support. The moral of this story is as Dana put it, “You gotta start somewhere.” Even if it is only 10 minutes, or 2 minutes, it is possible! Don’t let your mind play tricks on you and tell you that you can’t. You can.

I’m still constantly working on my self-talk as I am running. So many times my mind will say, “you can walk for a little while, come on,” but I am learning to fight past it (unless I am positive that I really do need a walk break). I am often repeating, “keep going, you’re fine” and if I am on the treadmill, “keep going, you’re not tired, you’re just bored, but don’t stop because then we’ll be on this thing even longer.” It is crazy how much self-talk goes on in my head. I do love running with music because it really motivates me and pumps me up. There is nothing like having fresh music to run to really listening to the music to glide you through a run. Also, finding a running buddy is great motivation. Dana and I trained together for the 15k and it was so helpful to have someone by your side through the process and encouraging you to push to the end of the run, and to get up on Saturday morning for a run when you really just want to stay in bed all day. It was an experience that we were able to accomplish together, which is very special to me.

That was my motivational piece for the day. Like I said, I am not a great runner, but I can run. And you can too. Get up and move it baby!

I am off to tackle laundry, shopping, and hopefully a workout as well! Have a great day!

Continue Reading You’ve Gotta Start Somewhere

Let the Body Rest

I am so happy it’s Thursday!

Today is my Friday off because ever other week I have Friday off and this just so happens to be the one. I look forward to it for many reasons: I get to sleep in, I can stay in my sweats, eat breakfast when I want, eat lunch when I want, leisurely sip my coffee, go to the gym, run errands, clean the house….and the list goes on. Who doesn’t love a day off though, right? I always find that my to-do list is usually pretty lengthy on these days, but so far it’s not too bad. I am definitely a list person. I get satisfaction from writing out tasks I need to complete and then crossing them off with such pleasure once I have accomplished the task. You can say it, I’m a total nerdo.

By the way, yesterday I did take a day off from physical activity. It felt pretty good to have a ‘rest’ day even though I’ll be the first to admit I have a hard time actually giving myself those days. However, I know the importance of letting your body recover, so I do take them once a week (twice if it is a rough week). It is important to listen to your body telling you to slow down sometimes. I will be back in full swing tomorrow!

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Breakfast was once again a fruit and yogurt bowl but this time I mixed in some Kashi Berry Blossoms cereal. This was a definite winning combo. I also snagged a half a piece of homemade zucchini bread at work.

At lunch break today, a couple of my coworkers and I braved the weather and went for a walk outside. It really wasn’t too bad once you got moving and the sun was out so that helped. We stuffed our lunches in our pockets and walked for about 40 minutes. I am so glad they pushed me to go for a walk because I felt the endorphins for a good two hours after the walk! I sipped on a couple of decaf Chai teas in the afternoon as I cruised through the rest of the work day.

Now I am home and in the process of cooking up dinner. It’s going to be a good one! I will post it later and you better believe it involves vegetables. Until then, Moose says “keep it real homies.”

Continue Reading Let the Body Rest

Nuts for Nuts

I am so happy it is the weekend! I cannot wait to relax and enjoy the two glorious days ahead.

My day started off with a bit of indecisiveness. I really wanted peanut butter and banana, but I also really wanted cereal. What to do? Throw it all in a bowl, add a splash of almond milk, and you have the best of both worlds! That’s proof that sometimes being an indecisive person can be a good thing.

I made to sure to get my peanut butter banana fix in at breakfast because I knew I wouldn’t be having it at lunch (if you can believe that). My coworkers and I decided to go out to lunch at a Bakery and Cafe called Patrick’s. Patrick’s is connected to Bachman’s and the inside is just beautiful. There are fresh flowers everywhere, the ceiling is made up of some material (like the stuff used in metrodomes maybe?) where a little bit of sunlight shines through and lightens the room naturally. The menu wasn’t ginormous but still offered a nice selection of soups, salads, and sandwiches. They do also have bakery items but I didn’t feel like tempting myself so I didn’t really look at it.

I decided on one of my all time favorite soups, French Onion. It was topped with a large crouton melted with what tasted like gruyere cheese but I am not for sure. On the side a nice hunk o’ baguette.

Pretty with the table linens and natural light, huh? I was pretty excited about that. I am working on my camera skills you know.  The soup was pretty good, a little too salty though. I have very high expectations when it comes to my french onion soup though because my mom makes DYNAMITE french onion. She will be modest and say, “o, goodness really it’s so easy, but thank you.” But really, hers is the best. I only spent $4.00 at lunch today and it definitely held me over long enough to get home and stuff my face have a few almonds.

Let’s talk about almonds for a second. Clearly, along with peanut butter, I really enjoy almonds. I eat them every day pretty much. It must be their slight saltiness and crunchy texture that really get me. They are a good source of protein (6 g per 1/4 cup), they do have some fiber (3 g per 1/4 cup) not to mention that evidence suggests that eating 1.5 ounces of nuts daily can help lower your risk of heart disease. HOWEVER, it is important to watch your portions with these bad boys because they do pack a load of fat at 15 g per 1/4 cup. Many of these fats are the “good” kinds but you still want to be careful with portion control. Yea, I’m still working on that one myself. Sorry Dana if I ruined my appetite for dinner. That’s what you call a tangent my friends. There will be lots of them. The moral of the story is I am Nuts 4 Nuts (just like the vendors in New York right Bets?). I am a pretty nutty gal.

One more important bit to share with you. I resisted sweets (specifically doughnuts with chocolate frosting and sprinkles) again today for the third day. I am very proud. Now if only the pants would start fitting a little more comfortably again. It takes times, I know.

Off to run a few errands then we’ll see if I’ve conjured up an appetite for dinner by then. Then it’s relaxation time including kicking butt in SkipBo, Sequence, and maybe Rummy. I don’t know. We’ll see if we have time. 😛 Har har har.

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Buggin’?

Good Evening! Hope everyone had a wonderful Thursday.

I started the day off giving the Oatmeal minus the oats another shot. The goal was to get an oatmeal consistency versus cream of wheat consistency. The verdict is……..SUCCESS! Looks pretty good, huh? That’s because it was. This time I used frozen banana that I defrosted in the microwave and added a tiny bit of brown sugar and a scoop of peanut butter. It was fantastic.

It does such a good job of holding me over until lunch because of the combination of protein and fat  from the egg, milk, flax seed, and peanut butter (I chose to exclude the walnuts again).

Fast forward to lunch time. I decided to brave the cold and go home for lunch. I wasn’t sure what I was in the mood for so I started with banana and peanut butter (second time today I know-no surprise), next moved to an apple with a laughing cow wedge, carrots, and then dipped back into the peanut butter a few more times. I am a crazy peanut butter addict.

I’m not sure if I am dehydrated, fighting some kind of bug, or what, but I am not feeling very well this afternoon/evening.  After work I headed down to the basement to get a 3 miler in on the treadmill. I pulled through it but felt completely nauseous towards the end. Dinner time rolled around and I wasn’t hungry. Wheel of fortune was over and  I was still not hungry. I’m always hungry though.

I grabbed a Powerade zero out of the fridge hoping that I was just dehydrated and it did seem to help a bit. I poured myself a small bowl of Quaker’s Life Apple Cinnamon Crunchtime and Crunchy Corn Bran with almond milk. It was just what I needed. I love it when the cereal is a little soggy, and a little crunchy. I am starting to come around now.

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I am very excited that tomorrow is Friday. I am planning on working on the blog this weekend; I feel like it needs so much work! I want to fill you in on workouts, wedding recaps, Italy, recipes, hopes, dreams, etc. and will with time! Thank you to those who are reading this blog right now and supporting me. Feel free to pass my blog on to anyone who you think might enjoy it! I will try to keep you entertained.

Have a great night! Time to hang with the men…

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