Think Before You Drink

my decaf vanilla latte from Roger's Place & Market

Well, it's St. Patty's Eve so the phrase, "Think Before You Drink," might have led you to believe that I was posting about a different topic.  My focus is actually on coffee beverages and the calories in your favorite mocha-cappucino-hold-the-whip-half-caff-with-a-shot-of-hazelnut.

Ordinarily I am a devoted 1-2 cups of caffeinated coffee cups per day kind of gal.  At this time in my life, I am sticking with decaffeinated because I'm nursing my little 4-month old who has plenty of energy without a shot of espresso in her mid-morning meal! My drink of choice at this time is the decaf vanilla latte, which I usually pick up at Roger's since it's near my office on campus.  Which Place & Market is your favorite to make a coffee stop?

Dining Services brews Starbucks coffee and follows the Starbucks recipes so the entirety of the Starbucks coffee nutritionals is available to you here. My favorite drink, the grande decaf vanilla latte, has 250 calories, 6g fat, 37g carbs and 12g protein.  That's a pretty significant contribution to my nutritional intake and most people don't realize that flavored coffee beverages carry quite a few calories, fat, and carbohydrates.  I could save 60 calories and about half the carbohydrates if I didn't get the shot of vanilla but I love the drink that way I order it and I have the room for the calories and fat at this time.

So the moral of the story is Think Before You Drink.  On this St Patty's Eve, I hope you'll also consider that phrase in its traditional meaning as you head out to celebrate the raucous holiday. Have fun and be safe!

Under the Weather but I Gotta Eat

Like many others on campus, I've got some sort of nasty cold. I was fighting it over the weekend and had a rough night of little sleep last night.  Combine that with having a 4-month-old baby and, well, don't judge me on my haggard appearance today...I'll try to brush my hair before I see any of you!

Anyway, when I'm under the weather, I pretty much just want to eat soup and Plaza Cafe on Revelle College did not disappoint. For lunch Plaza has 2 of my favorite soups - Old Fashioned Chicken Noodle and the Albondigas. I opted for the Chicken Noodle and paired it with a salad. Because of congestion, I can't taste that well today but the crunch of the veggies and the smoothness of the ranch (yes, I love ranch, even if it's not the healthiest of dressings - I use it sparingly and it's simply not one of the things on my list to make "healthier") paired very well with the piping hot soup.  For a drink I had soda water - I got this from the fountain by clicking on the "soda" tab (same kind of tab that you can press to get just plain water at the fountain.)  Soda/seltzer water is my new drink obsession. I love the fizz of soda but do NOT want all the sugar rotting my teeth and giving me non-nutrient-associated calories. So, for me, soda water is a great option. I get the fizzy pop feeling but without sugar or calories.

Salad and Soup from Plaza Cafe (Revelle)

Here's hoping you don't have a cold this season. Stay healthy as you gear up for your final exams. Get plenty of rest and wash, wash, wash those hands!

Real Deal Today in Roots

Come by Roots restaurant on Muir College (lower level of Stewart Commons below Pines restaurant).  Roots is UC San Diego's first ever vegan restaurant and it's REALLY GOOD!  Come by to say hello to me, ask nutrition questions and have a tasty, vegan meal.  If you think you wouldn't like vegan food, come try it out - you'll be delighted. This food is good, people, whether you're an omnivore or strict vegan.

See you at Roots for lunch!

Healthy Holiday Tips

The holidays have come on quickly, haven't they!? I feel that it was just Halloween and now here we are a few days before Christmas.

The holidays are joyful, stressful and almost certainly filled with challenges to your healthy lifestyle. There are extra sweets and fun holiday foods around and there seems to be much less time for exercise. When you combine extra calories consumed, fewer calories burned and the short December days, it can lead to weight changes and more stress.

So, how do you stay healthy during the holidays?

Try some of these tips:
1. Eat at regular intervals - meaning, do not skip a meal because you are going to a party later in the day and want to eat a bunch of goodies there. Eat normally prior to going to the party so that you're not ravenous by the time you get to sample your favorite treats - this will help prevent over-indulging.
2. If time is an issue, exercise in shorter bouts. Sometimes we get hung up on not having enough time to get in our "full workout," but it's better to squeeze in a 20-minute jog than to skip it entirely.
3. Watch the booze - alcohol not only has plenty of calories, it can also increase our appetite and lowers our resolve to eat healthfully. And, of course, never drink and drive. Be safe.
4. Remember your year-round strategies for healthy eating:
eat lots of fruits and veggies, stay hydrated, eat slowly and so on

Check out this article on 10 Strategies to Prevent the Holiday Bulge: http://www.active.com/nutrition/Articles/10_Strategies_to_Prevent_the_Holiday_Bulge.htm

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, all the best to you and yours!

Healthy Thanksgiving Foods

Some people associate Thanksgiving with over-eating on rich, delicious, homemade foods...oh ok, everyone thinks of Thanksgiving that way! And, to some extent, that is healthy. Celebration, relaxation, meals with family and friends - these are all very healthy and wonderful parts of life.

But did you know that many of the traditional Thanksgiving foods are quite healthy as well?

• turkey white meat
• cranberries
• sweet potatoes
• pumpkins
• carrots, peas, green beans, broccoli

That's the good news! The next step is to avoid over-indulging so much so that you can still enjoy the football games, great company and spirit of the holiday.

Check out this article for the healthy Thanksgiving foods to include on your table this Thursday:

http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2011/11/17/Thanksgiving-foods-are-some-of-the-healthiest/UPI-43321321582377/

What are you thankful for this year? I am thankful for my 3-week old healthy baby. I am also thankful that I can still write full sentences on the smallest amount of sleep I've ever had in a 3-week period. Ah, life with a newborn.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Freshman 15 - Fact or Fiction?

A new study shows that the so-called, "Freshman 15," the supposed 15 pounds that first-year college students gain during their freshman year, might be a fallacy for the majority of college students.

The new data suggest that about 90% of first year students do NOT gain the Freshman 15. A researcher at Ohio State University tracked back the concept of the Freshman 15 to a 1989 article in Seventeen magazine - isn't that wild!? Check out more information on the recent study that debunks the Freshman 15 and offers some more insight as to what college students should be concerned about: http://teens.webmd.com/news/20111103/freshman-15-may-be-just-a-myth .

Transitioning to college is a challenge but don't be overly worried about weight gain. Make smart choices - eat healthfully most of the time, exercise regularly, get your sleep, avoid alcohol. Ok, when I read that list of suggestions, I wonder if I would've snickered at it as a freshman...yep, I would have. But be smart, first-years. College is a wonderful, exciting, stressful time...just don't stress about the Freshman 15!

Are You Checking the Nutrition Info at Pines?

Have you seen the nutrition information on the digital board in Pines restaurant just inside the entrance?

Pictured here: The Pines digital board with Sodium information. The recommendation for daily sodium intake has decreased to 1,500mg per day.


Check it out and let me know what kind of information you would like to see posted on this board.

Real Deal today at OVT

Come by Oceanview Terrace today during lunchtime to say hello, try the LiveWell meal and talk nutrition with me.

I'll be serving the LiveWell meal, which is Curried Chicken with Spicy Indian Dahl:

• 444 calories


• 11g fat


• 11g fiber


• 49g protein

This LiveWell meal is high in protein from the chicken and the dahl and is also high in fiber from the dahl.