Since I am not very mobile due to my surgery and my first Q&A went so well, I decided it was the perfect time to do another Q&A! I had so many questions that I decided to break the post into a few different parts, so stay tuned for more questions and answers tomorrow in Part 3! Tomorrow’s Q&A has a bunch of foodie related questions that I get quite often!
Since the Rabbit Food Pyramid lists 4 meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack) do you eat your Snack meal as one meal with all 4 servings from each food group together? or separate as 4 small snacks throughout the day?
I usually keep my snack as one mini meal because it’s pretty routine to me now, and it keeps me really full! I have learned through research that by pairing a complex carb with protein, it helps to keep blood sugar levels stable to avoid an insulin spike. This is another reason why I like to eat my produce, whole grain, protein, and plant based fat together. Of course I have had days where I felt really snacky, so I spaced out my “snack” meal. Here is an example of one day of regular meals with the “snack meal” broken up into 3 mini snacks (spaced 2-3 hours apart to keep your metabolism going):
8:00am Breakfast
10:00am Midmorning Snack: apple (produce)
12:30m Lunch
3:00pm Afternoon Snack: one piece of Laughing Cow Light Baby Bell Cheese or Chobani Greek yogurt (protein)
6:00pm Dinner
8:30pm Dessert Snack: Tbsp of peanut butter on whole-wheat toast (plant based fat and whole-grain)
There are so many different theories about food pairing, but I just do what works for me. When it comes down to it, as long as you stay within the “snack” guideline and portions, you should be just fine!
What is your weakness or cheat food?
I LOVE gummy candy. I am a gummy candy-aholic! gummy bears, Swedish fish, cinnamon bears, lifesavers gummies, gummy coke bottles. It’s gummy, I’m obsessed haha. When I do buy candy (not too often), I will open the bag, fill one small Dixie cup (which is about a ¼ cup serving), put the bag away before eating, and then sit down and enjoy my little cup of gummies. This way I don’t have the uncontrollable hand that keeps mindlessly reaching into the bag for more.
Can you recommend any motivating books on health?
1. “The End of Overeating” by Dr. David Kessler,
“Dr. Kessler cracks the code of overeating by explaining how our bodies and minds are changed when we consume foods that contain sugar, fat, and salt. Food manufacturers create products by manipulating these ingredients to stimulate our appetites, setting in motion a cycle of desire and consumption that ends with a nation of overeaters.” –Source
There was an interesting part that really stuck with me: “Sugar itself is not the only reason we’re partial to sweet foods. If nothing else mattered, more of us would just open a packet of sugar and eat it.” He describes how the combination of sugar along with fat and salt is what our bodies start to crave. Interesting huh? Like Dr. Kessler said, when I’m “craving sugar,” it’s not just sugar. I crave something with sugar, fat, and salt like a baked good, or a candy bar, not a packet of sugar. Now I am very aware of it!
2. “Intuitive Eating” by Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD and Elyse Resch, MS, RD, FADA
For anyone who has ever struggled with disordered eating or yo-yo dieting, this is an excellent book to help free yourself from food prison. It provides a healthy approach towards food and teaches you how to listen to your body to find the weight you’re meant to be.
In “Intuitive Eating” you will learn:
How to reject diet mentality forever
How our three Eating Personalities define our eating difficulties
How to feel your feelings without using food
How to honor hunger and feel fullness
How to follow the ten principles of Intuitive Eating, step-by-step
How to achieve a new and safe relationship with food and, ultimately, your body –Source
Do you read any health related magazines?
I love Shape, Women’s Health, and Fitness. They are filled with great tips and feature healthy athletic women. Strong is the new skinny!
What is your facial cleansing routine? What do you use?
This is a great question. I actually don’t have the best skin in the world. I’ve struggled with acne and breakouts since my teens and have used all different prescription topical gels from Retin-A to Differin. My skin is super sensitive, so I have found that gentle products work best for me. I also have tons of allergies to certain fruits and berries that are often found in skin care products because of their powerful antioxidants, so I have to be extra careful with scented and “antioxidant rich” products.
Cleanser: I wash my face in the morning and before bed with Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser. It’s mild, but gets all of my makeup off and doesn’t irritate my skin.
Day-time Moisturizer: Aveeno Positively Raident Daily Moisturizer SPF 30. It contains a soy complex to naturally even out skin tone, while the SPF protects against sun damage.
Nighttime Moisturizer: Burt’s Bees Sensitive Daily Moisturizing Cream. It’s hypo-allergenic, fragrance-free, and keeps my skin nice and moisturized without any oily residue. If this product had sunscreen in it, I would use it during the day too!
Stay tuned for Part 3 of my Q&A tomorrow!
Megan
August 21, 2012 at 1:09 pm (12 years ago)To add to your Q&A…. 🙂 I need a good blender that won’t break the bank. I also live by myself so I’m really just needing one for single serve smoothies. Any suggestions?
Catherine
August 21, 2012 at 1:15 pm (12 years ago)I love my Magic bullet for single serving smoothies (fruit, yogurt, nut butter, and oats) but it doesn’t blend kale and veggies for green smoothies too well! That’s when I use my Vitamix!
Juliana
October 26, 2012 at 9:40 am (12 years ago)I had the same problem, and tried to find a good “single serve smoothie blender”, but i found out that the small blenders often cost the same and isn’t better then the normal 1.5l blenders. So i will recommend you buy a larger, and if it is a good quality it can hold a long time, even if you should live with someone one day (;
Just a suggestion
Juliana
My site:
Aveeno Eczema Therapy Moisturizing Cream Review
Jamie
August 21, 2012 at 1:23 pm (12 years ago)I’ve done a lot of self-reflection this year on how I’m eating and realizing how much I’ve craved cookies instead of just plain chocolate was so odd to me! Thanks for the book recommendations!
Cindii
August 21, 2012 at 1:35 pm (12 years ago)Haha how insightful!
Amar
August 21, 2012 at 2:34 pm (12 years ago)Thanks for your q and a I am going to pick up those two books. I recently started reading Wheat Belly. Really interesting read on our wheat we eat today. I have since started to try and cut out wheat from my diet and going to start making my own bread with ancient grain Eikhon Wheat. As for face routine, I too am very sensitive and breakout with most products. I have found the sensitive line from BeautiControl works amazing and has kept my skin clear of breakouts and reduced most of my redness. If interested, I could send you a sample of the line.
Catherine
August 21, 2012 at 3:42 pm (12 years ago)I have heard of Wheat Belly but don’t know anyone who has read it! I definitely want to pick up a copy now 🙂 I am going to look into BeautiControl, thank you so much for the suggestion! I just have to check ingredients before committing 🙂 xo
Emily
August 21, 2012 at 5:06 pm (12 years ago)I just recently had Swedish Fish for the first time. Why??? They are so delish! I definitely didn’t need another unhealthy food to crave! 🙂 We should try to come up with a healthy gummy candy by using chia seeds and fruit or something!
Catherine
August 21, 2012 at 5:42 pm (12 years ago)OMG was it love at first fish? Don;t read the ingredient list haha it’s gross! BUT THEY TASTE SO GOOD! That is my new goal! Healthy candy!!! xo
April
August 21, 2012 at 7:44 pm (12 years ago)I will second BeautiControl. I have sensitive combination skin and I have used BC for several years now. I has really helped balance out my skin.
Alex
August 21, 2012 at 8:16 pm (12 years ago)Whole Foods makes Swedish fish knock offs that are vegan and made using only plant based dyes with no refined sugar. They’re as close as you can get to healthy. You can usually find them near the bakery section. =]
Catherine
August 21, 2012 at 9:32 pm (12 years ago)AMAZING! I need to try those! Thanks Alex 🙂
Laura
August 22, 2012 at 12:34 pm (12 years ago)First, thanks so much for letting us into your world! I love reading your blog, not just for the recipes and tips, and also for you open and honest approach.
I just had a little tip I wanted to offer about your skin. I have very sensitive skin, and am also prone to acne (never had acne as a teenager, but started breaking out in my early twenties). For the last two weeks, I have started using uncoated aspirin tablets as a scrub in the mornings. I just take one table (make sure it’s uncoated) in the palm of my hand, add a few drops of water and let the aspirin dissolve, and apply it like a scrub. Leave it on for several minutes – I leave it on while I select an outfit for the day, which can sometimes take a while :). Then rinse and moisturize. After about a week, my skin looked better than it has in years. That is the only change I’ve made, and it’s been a very busy/stressful time (which usually triggers my break outs). It’s also cheap and easy, and pretty natural (compared to a lot of commercial cleansers and scrubs). I actually went to work without make-up yesterday – that would not have happened two weeks ago!
Lidi
December 9, 2012 at 12:25 pm (12 years ago)Thanks for giving the book recommendations. Understand why my relationship with food is so complex is an important step in understanding how to improve it.
Rachel
April 5, 2013 at 12:28 pm (12 years ago)Hello,
I just read through your blog and I am amazed! I have the same problem as you did, I am trying to lose weight for a few years now and I always felt that I will stay the same the whole time. You really inspire me! Do you think that eating meat for weight loss is bad? Or do you think that it will work just as well? I am just very confused by all of these diets, some tell you to eat meat some tell you to leave it out completely. I was never a “meaty” but I do like my piece of chicken breast every now and then. What would you recommend, please help me as I do not have anyone to talk about this. All of my friends are skinny and do not understand my problems. They think it is easy losing 65 lbs that I have gained in a year!
Much love
Catherine
April 5, 2013 at 12:49 pm (12 years ago)Hi Rachel, I’m so happy that you found my blog! You can definitely eat meat and still lose weight! My diet is mainly vegetarian, but meat is ok if you like meat! I have guidelines on my Rabbit Food Pyramid page that says how much “protein” you should have per meal! Instead of tofu, or beans, you would use chicken in the proper portion! The way I structure my meals keeps all of the food groups in healthy portions and encourages veggies! xo