a peek inside the fishbowl

The day has arrived! It’s the first day of our sugar-free week. (Which I mentioned in last week’s KMDM post.)

I’m uploading this post as a placeholder of sorts. I will be adding more to it later on today and throughout this week, so please bookmark it and check back!

My sugar-free week is September 8 – 15. [ETA: I need to clarify, the sugar fast will actually end at end of day on the 14th. As Mark pointed out, since we started on the 8th that means we’ll have done seven whole days at that point.]

I was going to start yesterday but it was Mark’s birthday and even though we celebrated it with family the day before for some reason he didn’t think it’d be fair to be sugar-free on the anniversary of the actual date of his birth. Go figure.

Anyway, for our purposes “sugar-free “means:

• We will not be buying and/or eating food items which contain sugar and other processed sweeteners like corn syrup, glucose-fructose, etc. (e.g. yogurt, jam, peanut butter and cereal)
• No honey or maple syrup either (!)
• We will be cutting out after-dinner sweets and replacing them with things like fruit and popcorn
• I am cutting Splenda out of my coffee (!)

We will not, however, be cutting out foods which have naturally occurring sugars like fruit and regular milk. And I would like to declare that we will be finishing up the small carton of pineapple juice in the fridge. :)

The reason we are doing this is to get the whole family reading labels and looking for hidden sugars (ketchup contains sugar, our mustard does not, for example) and thinking hard about the choices we make.

As healthy side-benefit I expect that the amount of processed foods we eat will drop to near zero.

I expect raging headaches. So if you know me in real life I suggest you steer clear. :)

If you’ve decided to come along for the ride and are trying this challenge at home, use the comments area of this post to share your progress. And if you’re writing about this on your blog, please let me know!

If you’re tweeting about your progress, please use the #sugarfast so we can all follow along.

I’ll be tracking our meals (below) and updating our progress within the comments.

Sugar-free Eve – Tuesday September 7

We eased into sugar-free week with a big healthy dinner of steak, green salad with strawberries and oil/vinegar dressing, bread and corn. Aaaaaannnnd since it was Mark’s birthday we had gelato from Piccolo Grande. This will be the last time we have a sweet dessert this week.

Day one: Wednesday September 8

Breakfast
Sarah: roll with butter, banana
Emma: pita with peanut butter and sliced banana
Mark: All-Bran Buds* mixed with Multigrain Cheerios and milk
Andrea: banana, grapes, slice of rye bread with peanut butter**, latte made with 2/3 cup milk (it’s day two with no Splenda for me)

Lunch
Sarah and Emma: pita and hummus, grapes, cucumber slices, pear, water
Mark: Ham and cheese on a bagel, apple
Andrea: Marla’s black bean soup with grated cheese on top, boiled egg, goji-berry tea

Snacks etc.
Andrea: peppermint tea, apple, peach
Emma and Sarah: crackers and peanut butter
Mark: apples

Dinner
Herb-dijon chicken, roast potatoes (and leftover rice for Sarah), brussel sprouts with toasted almonds, raw red pepper rings, green salad, cantaloupe. For dessert we had banana “ice cream” (recipe here) with whipped cream (ingredients: whipped cream & vanilla) OMG. So.Good. And sugar-freeeeee!  :)

Day two: Thursday September 9

Breakfast
Emma: peach, pineapple juice
Sarah: boiled egg, roll with butter, strawberries, pineapple juice
Mark: All-Bran Buds* mixed with Multigrain Cheerios and milk
Andrea: banana, slice of rye with PB, latte (day three with no Splenda for me), green tea

Lunch
Emma: hummus and pita, cheddar cheese and crackers, cantaloupe, peach, water
Sarah: roll with butter and brie cheese, tomato, milk, cantaloupe
Andrea: (takeout lunch for work-related research – seriously!):  chicken/potato/coconut curry and jasmine rice (confession: sugar makes an appearance within the ingredients of the curry  – no avoiding it here. Gah!)
Mark: Shish Taouk wrap and an apple

Snacks etc.
Andrea: boiled egg, mug of hot milk with dash of vanilla, Hakurei Japanese turnips & greens, peach, popcorn
Sarah: peanut butter on crackers, sliced apple, popcorn
Emma: peanut butter on crackers, popcorn
Mark: CHEETOS (“But hey, there’s no sugar!”), grapes, popcorn

Dinner
Mark and Andrea: butter chicken and rice (apparently there’s sugar in the butter chicken. I can’t win.)
Emma and Sarah: homemade tomato soup, garlic bread

Day three: Friday September 10

Breakfast
Emma: pineapple juice, bread with butter (gah – have I mentioned the girls pretty much make their own breakfasts?)
Sarah: 2 slices toasted rye with peanut butter and sliced strawberries (good replacement for jam!)
Andrea: slice of toasted rye with butter, handful of grapes, 1/2 slice of bacon (can you tell I was eating over the sink?), latte
Mark: bacon on rye

Lunch
Emma: butter, cheddar & lettuce on rye, grapes, red pepper slices, peach, milk,
Sarah: butter, brie & lettuce on rye, grapes, crackers, pepperoni slices, water
Mark: Shrimp Pad Thai and an apple (Mark, you really need to bring your own lunch more often)
Andrea: leftovers from dinner, latte from Bridgehead

Snacks etc.
Sarah and Emma: unsweetened applesauce, apple-raisin muffins (new recipe!)
Andrea: peach, apple-raisin muffin
Mark: apple-raisin muffin

Dinner
Everyone: Tacos: PC taco shells**, cheddar cheese, lettuce, PC salsa**, red peppers, avocado, tomato

Day four: Saturday September 11

Breakfast
Emma: apple-raisin muffin
Sarah: tomato slices, brie, apple-raisin muffin
Andrea: tomato and brie sandwich on rye, latte
Mark: All-Bran buds with multigrain Cheerios and milk

Lunch
Andrea: Bacon and egg on rye, milk
Mark: Bacon and egg on rye, milk
Sarah: Smoked meat on rye, milk
Emma: Grilled cheese on rye, milk

Snacks etc [eaten during the course of a day… not in one sitting. :) ]
Emma: apple, bagel with cream cheese, chips**
Sarah: apple, banana, orange, chips**
Mark: apple, chips**, peach
Andrea: bagel with butter, 1/2 beer, handful of mixed nuts, chips**, grapes

Dinner
Mark and Andrea: pork roast, roasted potatoes, corn, bacon-wrapped green beans
Sarah: pork roast, corn, raw veggies
Emma: port roast, raw veggies, roasted potatoes

Day five: September 12

Breakfast
Andrea: banana, latte, bagel with cream cheese
Sarah: apple, milk
Emma: bagel with cream cheese, apple
Mark: All-Bran buds with multigrain Cheerios and milk

Lunch
Andrea: hard boiled eggs, slice of bacon, blueberry/peach smoothie made with yogurt**
Sarah: 1/2 bagel, brie cheese, tomato, blueberry/peach smoothie made with yogurt**
Emma: toast and bacon, blueberry/peach smoothie made with yogurt**
Mark: bacon, eggs, toast, blueberry/peach smoothie made with yogurt**

Snacks etc.
Sarah: hot-air popcorn, milk, peach, frozen grapes, apple-raisin muffin
Emma: popcorn, juice, apple-raisin muffin
Andrea: salad turnips, frozen grapes, apple-raisin muffins
Mark: peanuts, banana, apple, apple-raisin muffins

Dinner
Andrea: multigrain pasta with meat-based spaghetti sauce
Emma: large carrot, multigrain pasta with meat-based spaghetti sauce, milk
Sarah: large carrot, multigrain pasta with butter and parmesan cheese, milk
Mark: multigrain pasta with sauce and parmasan cheese

Day six: Monday September 13

Breakfast
Emma: apple-raisin muffin with butter, ?
Sarah: apple-raisin muffin with butter, apple slices with almond butter, milk
Mark: All-Bran buds with multigrain Cheerios and milk
Andrea: banana with almond butter, handful of grapes, latte

Lunch
Emma: havarti/lettuce sandwich on rye, grapes, red pepper slices, apple-raisin muffin
Sarah: havarti/lettuce sandwich on rye, grapes, red pepper slices, apple-raisin muffin
Mark: homemade chicken noodle soup, garden salad with homemade balsamic dressing, milk
Andrea: Tuna (packed in oil, therefore no need for may) and lettuce on rye, peppermint tea 

Snacks etc.
Emma:
Sarah: carrot
Mark: apple
Andrea: apple-raisin muffin

Dinner
Emma: slice of homemade pizza (mozzarella and pepperoni… and we noticed after the fact that the tomato sauce had sugar in it – gah), milk 
Sarah: slice of homemade pizza, milk
Mark: slice of homemade pizza, beer
Andrea: slice of homemade pizza, homemade carrot soup

Day seven: Tuesday September 14

Breakfast
Emma: rye toast with butter, applesauce**, watermelon
Sarah: hot milk, grapes, banana
Mark: All-Bran buds with multigrain Cheerios and milk
Andrea; watermelon, cheese, latte

Lunch
Emma: watermelon, havarti and lettuce on rye, apple, grapes, milk
Sarah: watermelon, cold (homemade) pizza, havarti slices, pear
Mark: prosciutto and mozzarella on a multigrain bun with dijon and lettuce, Miss Vickies S&V chips,
apple
Andrea: toasted slice of rye w havarti, toasted slice of rye with butter, homemade carrot soup

Snacks
Emma: buttered popcorn
Sarah: dates (“they look mushy and brown and not very inviting but they’re very good”), buttered popcorn
Andrea: peach, buttered popcorn, herbal tea
Mark: popcorn

Dinner
I was hoping our last dinner would be a fantastic example of sugar-free dining, alas, it was not meant to be. One of the girls had a school BBQ, which we attended. We COULD have made a point and brought our own dinner, but, we didn’t. I should have worked harder on this today – of all days. I felt like I had to let go a little, but I have to be honest and say that I am feeling pretty down about it right now. After all, we’d come so far.

The girls each had a hot dog on bleachwhite buns. I had a veggie burg on a similarly white glucosey-fructosey bun. Mark had two cheeseburgers. We had fries (Oh, chip-truck fries are so good!) and I found myself dipping them in ketchup out of sheer habit. The burger wasn’t the best, but the fries – and ketchup – were divine.

I wish I had a better dinner to report. We did, however, avoid the ice cream afterwards. That’s gotta count for something, right?

Will write up conclusions soonish. :( 

–

* Doctor prescribed, minus the Cheerios. We know this is not sugar-free but this is a concession we are making.
** All these kinds of foods – like the bread and the peanut butter – have been checked and are sugar-free varieties and do not contain added sugars and/or sweeteners.

–

I’d like to introduce you to Sarah Zahab. Her passion for health and fitness is amazing and inspirational. I recently asked her if I could send along some questions for posting here at the Fishbowl and she kindly agreed AND she offered to give me some one-on-one help… something I am super excited about. Look for her at the Baby Boom Show on September 11 and 12 at the Nepean Sportsplex.

Please read on, because there may be a thing or two that surprises you.

–

Sarah, can you introduce yourself and give readers a bit of background about yourself?

Hi! I’m a Kinesiologist, Exercise Physiologist, Personal Trainer, Group Fitness Instructor, former international fitness competitor and proud mom of two year old Rayne. I began dancing at the age of 3 and kept it up for 20 odd years. This led to my studies in Human Kinetics and competitive career in fitness. I have been working in the fitness industry for over 15 years. I have released a Prenatal and Postnatal Strength Workout DVD that helps moms and moms-to-be stay fit, strong, healthy, and functional.

It’s very hard to break bad habits and create good ones. What kind of advice would you give to women who are struggling to lose weight?

My advice would be to start slow and be consistent. Try to work on one or two mini goals each week. For example, one week try to increase your vegetable intake and the next week, add an extra cardio workout. It’s really difficult to do a complete 180-degree shift in lifestyle habits but small changes every week add up to big lifestyle changes in the long run. Find what motivates you and go with that. If a goal setting keeps you on track, pick a race, buy an outfit or set a specific date and check your progress every few weeks. If working out with people energizes you, sign up for a class, find a workout buddy or start your own exercise group. Everyone is different – try to tune into what works for you and what has (or hasn’t) in the past.

What words of advice do you have to new moms in terms of healthy eating?

Try to eat as close to nature as possible. If you can pick it, grow it, dig it, or kill it, it is most likely good for you. Try to avoid foods that contain ingredients you can’t pronounce. It really doesn’t take that much more time to prepare healthy foods. Wash and cut a bunch of veggies for the week, use your crock pot, freeze extra portions for those busy days. Kids can help with shopping, washing, preparing and it makes eating more fun. You can barbeque some chicken (or meat or fish), cook some rice and steam some broccoli in 20-30 minutes (probably the same amount of time it would take to order a pizza, pick it up and bring it back).

I’m dying to know what your food weaknesses are. Do you have any??

I must admit, I LOVE the gelato from Truffle Treasures. It’s amazing! Lemon is my fav and I do indulge in high quality chocolate or a home baked good once in a while. We eat clean mostly because I was brought up on clean foods, it’s good for you, I need to be energized, and I feel terrible when I eat otherwise. I encourage my clients to eat well 80% of the time and enjoy the other 20%. Sounds pretty reasonable, doesn’t it?

The twitterverse wants to know about muffin top. It’s clearly a big issue for many of us. What causes it, and is it possible to get rid of it?

Oooh, the muffin top! Ladies, we can blame our mothers and grandmothers for this one. Genetics will determine where your fat is stored and where it comes off first (or last!). We can’t spot reduce by doing special exercises but we can fight back with cardio, strength training and good nutrition. Aim to get a few cardio sessions in a week – brisk walking is great. Strength train once or twice a week – this will help boost metabolism, increase tone, improve posture, increase bone density and boost your mood and confidence. Strength training does not have to be done with weights or with machines. You can use your body, a band or an exercise ball. Most importantly, eat well. Roughly 60% (some will say even more) of changing your shape is achieved through diet alone. Start slow though, ease into things, be consistent and love your body!

What kinds of things would you recommend for moms who just can’t get to the gym?

There are so many options out there – a gym membership is not necessary. Walk or run outside, bike, skip, take the stairs, play a game of anything with the kids, every little bit helps. Videos are useful, pop them in and follow along. You don’t need fancy equipment or a gym to get a great workout: a few squats, push ups, planks, some back extensions and voila! Have your kids join in or have them watch you. What a wonderful gift you could give them – showing that you take care of your body and health and trust me, they will follow you. Most of my clients do not have gym memberships and actually work out at home.

Ok. Bare minimum exercise – if there was only ONE thing someone could do, what would it be in your view?

Good question! In my opinion, it would be the Kegel. Kegels are important during pregnancy to support the uterus but they also are involved in core stability and of course, bladder control. Imagine you’re stopping the flow of urine and hold for a few seconds (important note: not to be done while actually urinating as this can lead to infection). Kegel in the car, during commercials, before you sneeze, whenever you can think about it and the beautiful thing is, no one will ever know!

I’ve been participating in a Couch-to-5K learn-to-run program. Can you tell me why interval training works so well?

Congratulations! Interval training is effective at helping you transition into longer periods of running. It allows for important recovery periods and helps you to progress into steady state running. I think a lot of it is mental as well – if you can break it up into smaller increments, it’s less daunting and more of an achievable task.

My mother seems to think my ovaries are going to drop out of my gut and that I’m going to destroy my knees. [HI MOM.] Can you give us your two cents on this? Do you think the benefits of running outweigh the negatives? And is running something anyone can do?

Too funny! I do honestly feel that running is not for everyone. The best cardio exercise is the one you are actually going to do. If you don’t enjoy running, feel pain or discomfort then it’s not the activity for you. However, if you enjoy running, go for it! Running is a great cardiovascular exercise, is weight bearing on the joints (good for those bones), gets you outside (read: Vitamin D), can be meditative and is a fantastic calorie burn. If you experience knee pain, I would recommend seeing your health professional. Often times it’s an easy fix with a few strengthening exercises.

Can you talk more about the personal training services you offer? What should a person expect if they hired you as a personal trainer?

I offer one-on-one, online and group personal training. I begin with a full musculoskeletal assessment to help determine if you have any imbalances, weakness or tight areas. Based on the assessment and on your personal goals, I would design a program that you could do at home or at the gym. My style is very functional, effective and fun. Many of the exercises I prescribe use your own body, dumbbells or a ball. I design workouts that fit and work with your schedules – if you feel you can put aside 30 minutes, once a week, we’ll work with that and go from there. Support, resources, an effective workout, encouragement, positivity, professionalism and of course results is what a new client can expect from me.

Where can we find you if we want help?

I’ll be at the Baby Boom Show (September 11 & 12) at the Nepean Sportsplex in booth #59. Admission is free and there are going to be amazing vendors on site. I’ll be selling my Prenatal and Postnatal Strength Workout DVDs – Fishbowl readers come by and receive 2 DVDs for $25 (a $50 value). [Just mention you read this post!] I can be reached by email: sarah@sarahzahab.ca, or phone (613) 792-3949 and my website is www.sarahzahab.ca.

Thank you Sarah!

Sometimes the girls and I talk about seasons.

Which is the best one season? It’s tough. Is it Spring; with tulips and outdoor-related freshness, such a sight for sore green-deprived eyes? Is it Summer; with the sun on your back and sand between your toes? Is it Fall; with its dozen shades of red and gold? Or is it Winter; the time when you can see your breath and blankets of snow make everything so crisp and white?

I’m still not sure if there’s a winner there. The truth is, each season has its good points here in Ottawa. (Speak to me another time about pesky March and November, when I would most like to be transported to away to sunnier climes.)

I walked out on our front step this morning, cosy in my hoodie, Piper straining on leash ready to bolt after audacious squirrels who dare trespass on our lawn (bastards) and I remembered how much I really love September.

The lawn is lushly green green green right now. I wore boots because it was so wet outside this morning. No socks though. It felt so rebellious. 

This time of year makes me happy because (a) I really like sweaters and (b) it’s still warm and sunny and it’s enjoyable to be outdoors and it feels so good to be alive.

This time of year makes me sad because (a) summer is over and it makes me wonder whether I accomplished very much with the time we had and (b) I’m one step closer to being dead. (I know that sounds laughably crazy – insane really – but distinct passages of the year like this often remind me that time needs to be used up, not wasted. Stupid, really. I really ought to be reclining on a couch talking about this to a shrink instead of the blogosphere. Sorry. I’ll move on.)

We did a lot of stuff this summer but there are more things I wanted to have done with the girls.

So, I am devoting myself to September and am going to be doing my darndest to get a few of those outstanding things done. (FUN things, like seeing new places, eating good food etc, not cleaning out the basement FWIW.) I know it’s September 4 and I’m rather late to the game, but there are so many things to celebrate. I will be writing about them in the weeks to come before the leaves start to fly.

p.s. September 8 – 15 is sugar-free week here at the Fishbowl. Any more joiners? You can read about that here. I’ll post about it again on the 8th and if you’re following – or participating – you will be able to add your comments over in that post.