Shake Your Groove Thang

Mar 30, 2011

After finishing my taxes (look who’s all grown up), I went to my very first Zumba class. If your like me you’ve probably heard of Zumba, but haven’t tried it yet. I wanted to see what the fuss was all about.

This was no ordinary class…it was a Zumbathon! That means two full hours of  Latin-inspired dance-fitness. If you’ve been following the blog for a while you know that I absolutely love going out to Latin clubs. If you can salsa, merengue and bachata then I’m all yours! Overall the moves were pretty easy to follow, but was still the awkward girl clapping at the wrong times because I was unfamiliar with the routines. And yes, there was turning the wrong way and hitting the girl next to me. In my defense, it was hard to see the instructor from where I was standing. I ended up following a girl in front of me that seemed to be a Zumba expert.

I only stayed for an hour so I could squeeze in a weight session before having to hit the books again.

The verdict:

  • I LOVED the upbeat Latin music.
  • It was different from other fitness classes because it was like a dance club where everyone was doing the same moves. I kinda liked it.
  • It was a great workout even though I wasn’t “working out.”

I really enjoy mixing up my workout routine and will keep the Zumba classes on my radar.

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Thanks for your feedback on yesterday’s ‘buying organic’ discussion. I was not surprised to see that price was the underlying concern. Here are some good tips I received:

  1. Check your grocery store for leftover produce that they bag and mark down.
  2. Bagged organic apples are almost the same price as normal apples. (I haven’t seen this, but maybe you have?)
  3. Every little organic purchase helps support the cause, so look for sales!!

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I’m off to study for a statistics test I have tomorrow. I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday evening!

Are you intimidated by certain fitness classes? How do you keep your workout routine fresh?

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What Does “Organic” Really Mean?

Mar 29, 2011

Happy Tuesday all!

I love learning and sharing information about health, nutrition and wellness. This is one of those posts that reminds me why I started this blog.

As I mentioned in the last post, I attended a Healthy Living Lecture titled ‘Going Green with Organics’ at our student rec center. We are bombarded with the term ‘organic’ almost daily, yet might know what it means. I am not an expert or anything, but wanted to share some highlights from the lecture and get your thoughts on buying organic. It is beneficial to understand the regulations and terms before going along with the current organic craze.

When can a food be coined “organic”?

  • Animal derived foods (milk, meat, eggs) – organic if no hormones or antibodies added in the animal. Feed must be organic. Cloned animals are not organic.
  • Crops – organic if non-irradiated, genetically engineered or sprayed with synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers. Must be in place for 3 years.

How are foods labeled?

  • “100% organic” – 100% of the ingredients are organic
  • “Organic” – 95% of the ingredients are organic
  • A food can receive the ‘USDA Organic’ label at least 95% of ingredients are organic

Know the terms:

  • Organic milk – animals fed 100% organic feed for the last 12 months
  • Hormone free – this term has not meaning because all animals produce hormones. A correct term would be “no added hormones”.
  • Range free – poultry with access to the outdoors (no minimum requirement set)
  • Cage free eggs – hens not confined in cage
  • Natural – no artificial ingredients, minimally processed
  • Organic seafood – no such thing. Their feed can not be monitored.
  • Locally grown/raised – food from within 30-mile radius

Nuances:

  • Cage Free and Range Free ≠ organic
  • Natural ≠ organic
  • Organic (may or may not be) ≠ local

Facts and Figures:

  • The organic industry is growing by 20% per year
  • In 2009 Americans spent $27 billion on organic and natural products
  • 11.4% of U.S. organic food sales come from fruits and vegetables

What does research say about organic foods?

  • Growing organic produce leads to healthier soil that might enhance nutrient content
  • Research has shown that organic produce has fewer pesticides than conventionally grown crops
  • Organic produce is still not 100% pesticide free. Pesticides from near by farms can drain into organic farms.

Are organic foods more nutritious?

  • Some reports show a slightly higher vitamin C content in organically grown leafy vegetables, potatoes, peaches, tomatoes and kiwi
  • Only a few well-controlled studies have been conducted

Are organics safer than conventional?

  • Organic growers often rely on manure as a fertilizer. Bacteria in fertilizer can cause food-borne illness. However, there are very strict guidelines for the use of manure.

Barriers to buying organic:

  • Price
  • Availability by season (i.e. no strawberries in the winter)
  • Appearance (presence of defects)
  • General public might not think organic is better
  • General public may not know what the term ‘organic’ means

As a college student, I can not afford to buy organic produce every time I shop. The prices often make me cringe. The solution? I focus on those produce that have the heaviest burden of pesticides.

The fruits and vegetables deemed the “dirty dozen” contain up to 65 pesticides if non-organic. Their soft skin is believed to be the reason they absorb more pesticides.

The Dirty Dozen

  • Celery
  • Peaches
  • Strawberries
  • Apples
  • Domestic blueberries
  • Nectarines
  • Sweet bell peppers
  • Spinach, kale and collard greens
  • Cherries
  • Potatoes
  • Imported grapes

However, some non-organic fruits and vegetables have little to no pesticide levels. This is because their strong outer layer provides defense against pesticide contamination.

The Clean 15

  • Onions
  • Avocados
  • Sweet corn
  • Pineapple
  • Mangos
  • Sweet peas
  • Asparagus
  • Kiwi
  • Cabbage
  • Eggplant
  • Cantaloupe
  • Watermelon
  • Grapefruit
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Sweet onions

Take-home message:

  • Organic market is the fastest growing food market
  • Organically grown = more expensive
  • Not enough evidence to conclude that organic foods are safer or more nutritious

I usually splurge on organic spinach, kale  and celery. I never buy organic apples because the typical price is almost double that of conventional apples.

The lecture ended with a blind taste-test of organic and non-organic carrots. The organic carrots tasted better, but were not as pristine-looking as the conventionally grown carrots. I actually guessed right and was very proud of myself :)

What is your reason for buying, or not buying, organic? Do you buy organic produce or organic processed foods (organic granola anyone?)? Did you notice an increase in your grocery bill when you started to buy organic?

*Sources: Jenna Anding, Ph.D., RD, LD, TAMU Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Associate Dept. Head of Extension



Check out this link for more specifics.

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My Series of Unfortunate Events

Mar 26, 2011

Do you ever have one of those weeks where everything goes wrong? …like an avalanche that started with an innocent rabbit hopping along the top of a mountain…

I had one of those weeks. My very own series of unfortunate events.

For starters, last Saturday I was driving up to Dallas from Austin to meet the rest of Christie’s bridal party. My GPS estimated I would be there with 15 minutes to spare. The music was blaring and everything was hunky dory.

Halfway through the trip, at a stop sign in Waco, the clutch on my car decided to get stuck and the car died. I squeezed every ounce of strength out of the car to make it to the nearest gas station.

The details are boring, but lets just say there was a tow-truck, rental car and hefty bill involved.

I made it to Dallas 5 hours later. I met the other bridesmaids, planned the bridal shower, spent the night out on the town and had a hotel sleepover.

Luckily, the car was repaired by Sunday afternoon. I swapped the rental car for my car and was back on my merry way to school.

Unfortunately, this story gets worse…

Upon returning to my car after attending a lecture entitled ‘Going Green with Organics’ (more about this later) and a fabulous workout at the student rec center Wednesday evening, my car squealed, lurched forward and died. Yes, again. Luckily I was in familiar territory this time.

Quick run-down: 1 hour wait for tow truck and 2 separate tows to 2 different repair shops.

I got the car back yesterday and am still crossing my fingers each time I turn it on.

…the misfortunes do not end there…

I just created the worst recipe. First, I learned that I really dislike Israeli couscous. Sautéed mushrooms, spices and a sauce I created did not help. No matter what I did it tasted like boring white pasta. I also did some research and found that the stuff is completely void of any nutrients. That solidified my dislike for Israeli couscous. Recipe Fail.

Between making friends with tow-truck drivers, school and failed recipe attempts, I did manage to squeeze in a few yoga sessions. I love getting up with the sun and doing yoga. It was just what I needed during the stressful week. Did anyone else participate in the yoga challenge?

Have you ever created your own recipe that did not turn out the way you expected? Did you try to re-create a better version or just give up?

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