We’ve returned from our brief vacation at the ocean, and although I am glad to be home, I really wish we could have stayed longer. We are definitely going to visit the beach again very soon - it really was good for my head, good for our family, and we kept the sunburn to a minimum.

Last week I had what I consider a significant fitness accomplishment – I visited a personal trainer to get information on whether one-on-one training is right for me, and whether it’s something I can afford. As I mentioned in the previous article, I feel as though right now I need a little help with the diet and exercise routines, including a primer on whole foods in moderation, ideas on good substitutes for the simple carbs that I crave, and a workout regimen that will really stick.

Unfortunately, this trainer is not going to “work out” for me (sorry for the bad pun – wait – no I’m not. G’head. Savor it.). Long story short? He charges approximately $68 per session, and would like to see me in the gym 4 times a week.

Folks, as much as I loved the facility and jived with the trainer, I cannot swing $272 a week/$1000+ a month on a trainer, especially since I’m looking at 4-5 months of training easily to lose the weight I want to lose. So I’m looking for alternatives.

However, I am giving myself credit for the effort. Going to a gym is not something I’m very inclined to do – sad to say; particularly in a one-on-one situation. But I did it - I made myself go admit to a chiseled, smooth-skinned, tanned and toned stranger that I’m really overweight, totally out of shape right now (can you say easily winded?), have needed to strengthen my upper body since oh, I don’t know, high school (please God kill me now), and generally need some help from the ranks of the toned-to-the-bone. These are not things I like to talk about with anybody, particularly someone who is my height and in Greek Mythological shape.

Oh, and yes, he had all of his hair. The bastard.

But I got over myself and did it, and I count that as a win.

I am sure that some of us can’t help but think that this would have been more of a win if I’d actually signed up - and I can see the point. But for me, it is that first step that was the hardest. I’ve been fighting it for a long time, and I feel confident that I can walk into another gym or two and be much more open to the possibilities.

I’m still going to check out other training alternatives, but I don’t want to wait for the perfect situation to hit me. So in the meantime, I’m going to check out a fitness workout DVD or two and see how that goes while I continue to investigate. I am also looking into local 5k and 10k races, which are great motivators as well.
At any rate, I am on the move again, and it feels good.

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I am writing this note in a few moments of quiet, while my 2-yr-old daughter sleeps. I’m sitting by a picture window, with this view:

My son is with my wife at a swordsmanship demonstration, over which his 4-yr-old imagination has been going bonkers since yesterday.

Last summer I wrote about Ma Petite Maison in Port Orford, Oregon (A Taste of France on the Oregon Coast), and the sense of transcendence that I felt during those warm days. We’ve returned for a brief holiday along with our friends J and G, who are the owners of the duplex, and the place is true to memory. Port Orford is notoriously windy; but it also has much more sun than towns only an hour north. We’ve been enjoying the sun, relaxing in the small town atmosphere, and generally taking a break from the rigors of work and school.

Returning to this place always reminds me of Joie de Vivre, which in turn leads to thoughts of, what else, food. Actually, come to think of it, I can relate just about anything to food, but this place in particular is so reminiscent of France that I can’t help but think about what we’re going to eat next. Yesterday we ate a heavier breakfast – I actually had fresh eggs Benedict, which is not a staple for me by any stretch but was a great vacation treat. With such a bold breakfast under our belts, we more or less skipped lunch in favor of snacking a bit throughout the day on fruit and nuts.

After a walk through Prehistoric Gardens, we finished the day with a great dinner of fresh halibut, a reasonable, shared portion of quality steak, grilled vegetables, and a little fresh bread. We also complimented the meal with a great Tempranillo made by a winery a few hours from here. For dessert, a small touch of vanilla ice cream along with sliced grilled peaches.

There may also have been a craft beer or two consumed as part of the grilling duties carried on by the fathers of the house. But we’re on vacation, so what else can you do?

For tonight’s dinner, slow roasted rosemary chicken and vegetables, a scent that is filling the house as I write.

Over the last few months it’s become clear that one component of healthful living that I’ve been neglecting is deliberate relaxation. I seem to have  a hard time setting projects down, whether it’s my work, music, art, or writing. Although I imagine this isn’t universally true, for me I have great moments of clarity at the beach, whether it’s walking along the shore, sitting quietly, or building something out of found objects. Currently, my health is heavily on my mind – everything from needing life insurance coverage to finding the mental tools I need to really stay on track with a diet and exercise plan. The beach is a great place to contemplate both the important and the trivial.

Today, resting both with my family and alone in my own thoughts for a while on the beach, I realized that exactly what I was doing in that moment – taking time out of the day for solitude – is a key component that I let slip all too often.

Over the coming days I’ll be writing a bit about where I’m at diet and exercise-wise this week, and some interesting developments that have occurred over the last few days. But in the meantime, I have some relaxing and playing with the kids to do.

More to come.

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Writing this entry, I hear myself promising that this won’t be one of those “where have I been?” posts; that said, I realize that some explanation might be in order, so apparently I am ignoring the voices again (it’s a joke Mom, a joke! ).

For writers, and particularly blog writers, there are a million theories on the rights and wrongs of keeping readers engaged. Some insist that you should post very short pieces several times a day; others insist that it’s maybe 3 times a week is plenty, and possibly better, if the quality reflects the time that’s been taken.

Regardless, there is one thing that is nearly universally agreed upon among successful blog writers: Posting regularly is the key to keeping readers engaged. In particular, if you post several times a week on average, you should never, ever, just disappear from your site for a couple of months with little or no explanation.

Guess which cardinal sin I’ve committed.

However, the flip side is the break that I’ve taken from Almost Fit will hopefully stimulate a flurry of new articles, and has led to a few moments of fitness clarity (I hope). Time will tell.

State of the Almost Fit Nation

First and foremost, my weight for the most part has remained stable for the last few months, which is relatively positive, though hardly what I would consider great news. And to the point, my general level of fitness has definitely declined. This is especially true in the cardio department, where I find myself these days having to catch my breath at the top of a long flight of stairs. Not bent over gasping, but winded to be sure.

Since starting my current employment contract back in the fall, overall I gained an average of 2 lbs each month over the first 4 months, but I’ve not really gained much more in the last 3 months. Honestly this doesn’t come as much of a surprise for the following reasons:

- Old habits are still my worst enemy. I work in the software industry by day. As many folks know, one of the “perks” of working in software is in exchange for long hours they often provide things like free drinks ranging from flavored water and soda to fresh brewed coffee. While I work at home for the most part, I have spent a few weeks over time in the office, drinking my share and then some of free coffee, juice (though I try to cut it with sparkling water - usually), and the occasional really awful food choice from the vending machine, particularly late at night. I hate to admit this, but there has been more than one or two sodas mixed into the vat of things I know I need to avoid in the provided kitchen.

What is my obsession with “Free” all about? For whatever reason, when I see “free” anything my brain wants it. Whether it is a pile of junky freebies at a game conference or a soda at no charge, my brain automatically says, “why yes I will take one, thank you! (heh, heh, heh, SUCKER!)”, as if getting garbage for free makes it valuable. This old habit must end.

- Old habits, part 2 - Coffee. While I think that coffee in moderation is generally OK (though I am increasingly skeptical of even that - but I’ll save that for another post), I have let coffee get the better of me which costs me in a multitude of ways.

First, the sheer caloric intake of multiple mugs of coffee with cream is clearly not in my best interest on any level. I do not use chemical substitutes or low fat milk for a variety of reasons that are sprinkled all over this site. Instead I use the real stuff - the idea being that it needs to be in moderation. One cup of coffee with a little cream is fine. But when you cross over into multiple cups throughout the day, the benefits are completely reversed.

Second, I have gotten into the habit of once a week going to a local coffee house here to clear my head, get my week organized in my mind, and more often than not indulge in a froofy caffeinated sugary coffee drink. This is an old habit that I thought I had beaten cleanly, but it slithered it’s way back in when I let my guard down.

Third, I have reached a familiar point in my history with caffeine: I have built up a huge tolerance through overindulgence, which means I have to take in a lot more to get any energy effect - which translates to pretty much drinking as much coffee as I can get throughout the day. This for me leads to things like significant insomnia, irritability, depression/mood swings, late night eating, overall lack of energy, limited focus, and the list goes on. The sad thing is I know all of this, but I’ve allowed it back into my habits over time. I’ve got to fix this, and have begun  do so. More on that in a coming post on coffee.

[UPDATE: only one cup today and going strong. Hi headache. Hi sleepytime afternoon.]

- Burning the candle at both ends: My friends and family will tell you that in general I am a pretty busy guy. Between my first priority of family, second priority of a job that keeps the lights on, and a million other projects after that, I am chronically overestimating what I can do in any given day. When I started my business last year, I felt overwhelmed, and there was a reason: I sat down and created folders for the concurrent projects that I was pursuing, and to my amazement, I had 12 full time projects all in the air, slowly moving forward. This didn’t include things like art and music, which I also pursue. And none of which were paying much. Sounds like a great business plan, eh?

So where does all the time come from? As I said, my family is my priority, with my day job closely behind. That leaves all of those “wasted” hours sleeping of course, which could be used for so many other things. So late nights and early mornings have led to significant sleep deprivation, which caught up with me in a big way over the last month. Not to mention, lack of sleep has been pegged as a contributor to all kinds of health problems from obesity to premature death (!). I’m fixing this too.

- Lack of regular exercise. Big surprise here. However, this may be changing fairly soon (gotta’ try, once again. That’s the best I can do.). Weather is better; but more importantly, I’m considering either joining a gym or possibly finding a personal trainer. I’m still in the decision phase, but I’ve never been closer to making that leap.

What I have learned this year more than ever is seasonal depression really hits me hard in the “I don’t want to exercise/I don’t care how I look or feel” department. With summer on its way, that should be less of a factor, but I’m hoping to start building good habits now while the weather is good, to head off the seasonal darkness that will hit later this year. In other words, learn from my mistakes, and try not to repeat them.

- Lack of regular consumption of vegetables. This was really my first winter experience eating seasonally, and I have to admit that I really did underestimate how hard it would be.

Since very little grows in our garden in the Pacific Northwest winter months, I’ve reverted to eating more carbs, nuts, and so forth - things that are particularly dangerous for someone of my body chemistry. I failed to return to the habit of cruising the grocery store more regularly looking for in-season organic produce, and this really has hurt me this year so far.

- Unexpected family challenges: This particular item is more about my extended family, but had a direct impact on my recent fitness progress. In order to circumvent the rain and cold of early spring, we purchased a treadmill last month, and have set up a very simple workout area here at home. However, after using the space twice, we had an extended family member come to stay with us as a result of a family crisis. And you guessed it - they occupied the workout room. Thus, I let that obstacle get in my way and fell out of the habit before it even took hold.

That has resolved itself as of last week, so I think I should be able to get back on track.

Getting the help you need

Through the last six months of new challenges, I think it’s clear that making these changes on my own is a little bit more than I can manage. I need help.

Fortunately, I feel as though I have a good foundation of knowledge that will prevent me from being sucked into crazy diet programs or extreme fitness regimes that are not sustainable over the long haul - plans for which I would have been much more susceptible in the past.

On the food front, I am continuing of course with eating real food in moderation, however I have decided that I want to adjust my dietary balance a bit further away from carbohydrates for a while. And I think I’ve found the assistance I need through a fellow blogger who is a proponent of a program based on whole foods, that I think I can get into. I’ll also be writing more about this over the coming weeks.

While I don’t endorse “low carb” diets per se as a sustainable means of permanent weight loss, I do know that for many of us, reducing carbs in favor of vegetables and healthy proteins is something that really works in the weight loss battle - it always has. My biggest objection to “low carb” diets was always the suggestion that eating chemical substitutes and industrial meat products was the way to go - I believe that is a deadly mistake, and one I won’t make again.

So, in my mind the two areas I need help with are:

- Exercise, via a trainer, gym, or running group (or combination of those three)

- Dietary ideas on healthful, whole food alternatives that lean toward fresh vegetables and healthful proteins/fats.

Sounds simple enough, right? I hope so. I am ready to feel better. Are you?

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Ed. note: This entry is about working toward lifelong dietary goals by eating real food in moderation. The list of techniques will change over time, but this is where I’m starting from. This is actually an update from an article I wrote a little over a year ago, including my observations, corrections, and a handful of new ideas. Your constructive feedback is always appreciated. If this is your first time here and you enjoy this article, please consider subscribing via RSS. Thanks.

“Action Feeds Motivation.”

This thought occurred to me as I finished my first run of the year today, in the rain and wind. Yes, you read correctly: my FIRST, as best I can recall. As many readers have noticed, I’ve been a little scarce lately. I’ll write another post soon with my theories (and a few personal facts) on why that has been so, but for now I thought it was more important to simply do something about it. And as it turns out, that phrase, “Action Feeds Motivation” is going to be one of my recurrent themes for Almost Fit in 2009.

A year ago I was fully motivated to pursue these techniques. I didn’t need a whole lot of inspiration; I was ready to go. Over the last few months however, I haven’t been “feeling it” like I was. That tide however, is changing. So in an effort to really rekindle that fire I decided to review some of what I wrote a year ago to try to learn from my successes and mistakes, which is one of the great side-effects of writing your thoughts down in a public format like this one. For this analysis, I came back to one of my all-time favorite posts: 33 tips on how to lose weight without dieting, and one that I now think, after a year of trying out this approach to eating, needs a little revision.

As regular readers know, my focus here on Almost Fit is to do one simple thing: Eat Real Food in Moderation. No low fat this or low carb that; just real, whole foods in moderate amounts. As simple as the statement is, the principle is much harder to apply, particularly if you live in what I think of as a culture of excess. Most of us have come to accept as normal the gigantic, oversized meals that are available at every restaurant you go to, and on every food commercial or ad you encounter. We’ve confused quantity with value, and we’ve also convinced ourselves that the cost of food should be minimal - meaning it’s common to think that we simply can’t afford to eat better. I disagree; however, applying it on a daily basis is a lot like trying to light a candle in a hurricane.

In the 2008 article, I stated:

“I don’t believe that moderation in itself is the answer; eating moderate amounts of garbage still means you’re eating garbage. If I eat real food, in moderation, I am convinced that the weight will come off naturally. Changing my diet to focus on vegetables first, and then moderate amounts of high quality meat, grains, and dairy, makes sense to me. And so far, its working with little or no negative side effects including the emotional struggle that I associate with every diet I’ve ever tried, and I haven’t had to buy a single pre-packaged plan or frozen low fat dinner to do it.”

I still very much stand by these statements, and my diet and current condition is living proof. And that’s because I’m now thin, right?

Not quite yet.

In the last year I’ve managed to prove these principles from both angles - “success” in a sense, and “less than stellar” as well; I still contend that it’s not smart to view diet habits in a pass/fail context. No, I definitely proved that it does work; but lately I’ve also proven that if you take your eye off the ball for a while, the reverse is also true. We still eat well; the problem is the idea of eating vegetables first has succumbed to carb-heavy eating habits, particularly in the Winter months when our garden isn’t producing anything other than Leeks. There is plenty of room in my diet for carbs, proteins, sugars, and fats, but they need to be very secondary to vegetables as the bulk of what I eat. When I achieve that balance and combine it with reasonable exercise, Real Food in Moderation simply works.

However, when carbs, fats, and sugars begin to dominate my diet, all hell breaks loose when I step on the scale.

With that in mind, this article is intended to revisit my thoughts from a year ago, and provide new insight where it applies. And to be frank, this is somewhat self-serving; I’m putting my axiom to the test, and taking action to generate motivation.

Let the games begin.

33 Scratch that - 44 Weight Loss Tips for 2009

1. “Eat real food.” This principle is at its core, simply true - my opinion has not changed after a year of testing this out. Every day I am increasingly convinced that our poor, industrially-driven dietary habits particularly in the West are largely responsible for most of the bigger health maladies we suffer today. Real food means to me minimally processed, preferably non-packaged foods. “Good” is organic at the grocery store; “Better” is organically grown (even if not certified) from a local farmer who you can look in the eye and ask intelligent questions; and “Best” is growing your own, right in that patch of ground that used to be your front yard.

2. “Eat smaller portions of real food.” As I’ve pointed out many times before, portion size in the West is out of control. And contrary to what we are told all the time, eating more of someone’s industrial product is NOT what’s best for us - It benefits the seller, but that’s about it.

3. “Eat slower. Take at least 20 minutes for every meal. One of the best tips I’ve read on this is to divide the amount of food on your plate into fourths, and then eat only 1/4 of it each 5 minutes that passes. After a while I’ve found that you do this by nature once you get used to it.” 2009 observation: I am going to do this tonight in fact. This is one area that has really eluded me in the last few months, but I know that it works.

4. Technique: put your fork down between bites. This is another habit that is easy to let go, as I have proved over the last 6 months. Time for an adjustment.

5. Use smaller plates, cups, and utensils. No change here; still applies in 2009.

6. Cut between meal snacking - using some smart techniques. This is one of those areas that still holds true, and if you play it right can actually be a benefit of a sagging economy. Rather than throwing in that $5 dollar iced coffee drink during the morning and afternoon lull, save the money and go with the following: First, try a glass of water. Second, if that doesn’t stop the craving, a small piece of the best dark chocolate you can afford. Third, if that doesn’t work, try a small, pre-rationed handful of almonds. If I follow these steps in order, I’m generally fine for another couple of hours.

7. When you’re eating out, skip the appetizer. This rule still holds true. With the portion size of a typical entree, there is simply no need for “frontloading” your meal with unneccesary calories. On the other hand, if you want the appetizer, order it - as your meal. But if I do, I sometimes tip a little better if possible, only because my bill will be less as a result of my food choice and the server will appreciate the good will. It’s not a rule really, but it feels right for me.

8. Limit certain types of foods to a few times a month. This is one aspect that is more true now than ever, particularly with our current economic state. While I don’t apply this to fruits and vegetables, I certainly do for meat consumption. In addition to the health benefits of a diet rich in vegetables, eating better cuts of non-industrial meat is not only healthier, but more feasible financially when you eat it less frequently. And despite what those beef industry commercials suggest, not everyone has steak 3 meals a day.

9. Be aware of how much you are putting in your mouth, and keep it small. Smaller bites, savoring each one. Sounds simple enough. And, still true.

10. Understand what it means to be not quite full, and be OK with that. I don’t believe that I’ve done an article yet on Hari Hachi Bu (the art of eating until you’re 80% full), but that is soon to come I hope. What are my observations on this now? It is undoubtedly difficult. And it becomes a true mental game, where we often hear that little voice in our head that says, “But I LIKE to eat a lot”. It’s difficult to overcome that voice, but it’s possible. On this, more to come.

11. Don’t eat in front of the television. This technique has really worked for me this year, and I stand by it. That said, I do watch Top Chef while enjoying a very small dish of the best quality ice cream I can afford. The biggest trick here is not eating it straight from the container - which is deadly to the waistline when you combine it with the distraction of television. If you’re going to watch while you eat, serve a small portion away from the television. Savor it; eat it slowly; and don’t go back for more.

12. Don’t eat in front of the computer. See the previous tip - the same applies. 2009 observation: As was the case in 2008, this is still my biggest weakness. In fact, I’ve let the “emergency nuts snack” get out of control on this one - I have a jar of nuts on my desk as we speak. I’ve got to change that.

There. Done.

13. Whenever possible, eat together as a family. This is still true in my mind, however there’s one big challenge for me. Having two small children, I spend more of my focus on what they’re eating and less than on what I’m eating. I’m looking for suggestions on this one, but I still maintain it’s a good principle not only for dietary health, but for familial emotional health as well.

14. Whenever possible, in addition to your family, take your meals with friends and coworkers. We have been moderately successful at this one, but I have found that it is easy to overeat in these situations as well. I think ultimately you can truly appreciate the food more in the company of others, but it requires diligence to not get carried away.

15. “Read the ingredients list of anything in a package, but pay less attention to the statistics. The general rule should be to strive to eat things that don’t require ingredients lists, like fruits and vegetables. But in real life, this is not always practical. That being said, the key is to focus on the contents, not the scientific descriptions. You should try to eat only things that are easily identifiable as real food, not chemically processed substitutes. If you focus on eating only real food, and in moderation, the other elements become less important (unless you suffer with food allergies of course). The emphasis should be on real food and less of it, not counting milligrams of any one element.” 2009: More true now than ever.

16. Use real sugar, preferably raw, even if only trace amounts of it. Don’t use chemical substitutes. Again, for 2009, this rule holds absolutely true. I just spent a year NOT consuming chemical sweeteners, and I didn’t suffer in the least. Actually, I do have one amendment to this: I now prefer Agave syrup for most sweetening. Agave is a great sweetener, and requires very little refining. It’s also a great substitute for simple syrup for the occasional mixed drink.

17. “Eat fat - but only eat real, high quality fats. [...] the key is moderation - if you eat a pound of Brie, you’ve gone to the dark side.” 2009 observations: I still strongly feel this is accurate. However, with one caveat: Fats, specifically great-tasting ones like real cheeses, are difficult to control on the moderation front. But my theory is the French succeed here because it’s awfully difficult to eat the stinkiest of cheeses. For practical purposes, take what you want from the block of cheese, and then put it away. This helps to prevent “nibbling” on the cheese left out on the counter.

18. Don’t rely on supplements - eat the real thing first, and supplement what you need. 2009? Still true, with one bit of advice: If you do take supplements, make sure they are not synthetic. For a great resource on the subject, see my fellow writer Robin’s blog, here: http://realnutritionsupplement.blogspot.com/.

19. Focus on the reasons you are overeating, and address those first. in 2009 I did a fair bit of work here, but even after a year of self-analysis, I still have yet to control my emotional eating patterns effectively. 2009 may be the year that I seek professional help with emotionally-driven overeating, which I believe is at the heart of most of my struggles with weight.

20. Don’t eat fast food if at all possible - its not real food. This has been a great success for me, with one small exception: In Oregon and parts of Washington, we have a restaurant chain called Burgerville, which uses organic, grass-fed, locally grown products whenever possible. The bigger problem of course is it tastes really, really good. So it’s a little too easy to justify a stop at Burgerville on somewhat shaky “ethical” grounds. Granted, it’s not very often that we go here, but to be honest it’s more than it should be. This needs to change.

21. Avoid vending machines. Still true in 2009. If you work in an office or a building near these machines, it requires a small amount of planning ahead, but this is entirely possible, and entirely the correct choice.

22. “Don’t believe the “no pain no gain” philosophy. Regardless of what your gym coach told you, or what that aggressive personal trainer says, unless your goal is to be a body builder or a professional athlete, if you are practicing moderation, this philosophy is simply not true. In order to maintain health, eating should not be difficult. Exercise should be a pleasure, not a struggle. For those of us who simply want good health, if its painful, you’re not doing it right.”

In 2009, my opinion? Despite some disagreement among readers, I still stand by this statement. While pain can be a useful tool, I don’t think it’s strictly necessary. That said, there ought to be some “burn” going on; it just doesn’t have to be as painful as most “gung ho” advocates indicate. Let the disagreement begin.

23. Don’t apply the “if its not hard its not worth doing” philosophy to eating. 2009: Still true. This statement stemmed from a “diet counselor” who was clearly bitter in her feelings about diet. “Do you like Caesar Salad?” she asked. I replied, “Uh, yes I do…” She said, “Well get used to the idea that you’ll have to give that up. If you want to lose weight, forget eating Caesar salad again.” That diet, of course, didn’t work. And hopefully my embittered “counselor” moved on to a new career, perhaps in Credit Collection.

24. Learn to cook. Over the last year this has become, its fair to say, an obsession. My wife and I are systematically working our way through Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I truly think this is key, particularly if you want to wean yourself from the industrial food products that many of us are used to.

25. Educate yourself on the diets of cultures that live longer and are generally in better health. 100% true. I would add only that if possible, it’s best to go visit those cultures, which we hope to pursue further in the coming years.

26. Reduce your coffee size to enjoy real cream - not “creamer”. I absolutely believe this is true, but I must admit: working at home as I do, it is terribly easy to “overdo” it by drinking coffee throughout the day. In 2009, I am considering eliminating coffee in favor of Yerba Mate tea, which I also enjoy, and for which I don’t need cream.

27. If you are a coffee drinker, develop an appreciation for espresso. I am hopeful that in 2009 we’ll be able to pick up a quality espresso machine. I am a little particular on this and have my eyes set on one that I of course cannot afford, but with some planning and saving hopefully we’ll be able to pick one up sometime soon without breaking out a credit card.

28. Avoid packaged juices. Juice is one of my biggest weaknesses, because it feeds my inate and powerful sweet tooth. I find that when I drink juice, I stimulate sugar cravings terribly for the rest of the day. I really try to limit juice intake, even going as far as asking my wife to refrain from keeping it in the house. That said, there are a few juices that I do enjoy on occasion, including pomegranate juice from POM. I like the flavor, and it’s expensive enough that I rarely can justify the expense - a built-in moderation feature.

29. Buy the best food you can afford. After a year of doing this, I have to say that it is the most important aspect in my opinion of eating in moderation. A food budget is a balancing act. For the more expensive cheeses that we buy, we have reduced our coffee and packaged foods (we still eat a few) budget. This year we will continue to grow our own produce, which also reduces the overall cost of food for us especially with a family of four. I am hopeful that this year we will have a better handle on our food budget (and our budget in general) - once I find out exactly how much we’re spending, I’ll share the information.

30. Retrain yourself away from the “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” mindset. 2009: THIS one, I think needs a little correction. After reading many, many arguments in favor of eating breakfast, I think I missed the mark on this one in some ways. My original reasoning was that if you overeat at breakfast, you’ll just overeat later. I still think that is true; however, I took it to the extreme and started skipping breakfast altogether, which is a big mistake. I am not entirely convinced of the metabolic reasons yet only because I think this is a matter of conditioning (considering the lack of heavy breakfast in many “lighter” cultures); however I am sure that if I reach lunchtime and am starving, I make bad choices. Better to start out with a whole, light breakfast, than to skip it only to be desperate for anything to eat later.

31. Eat at regular times. This is still true, though I am admittedly not good at it. I tend to eat breakfast sometime in mid-morning, lunch somewhere in mid-afternoon, and dinner at a regular time. I think this is one of my problems, and I need to work on a better morning and afternoon eating schedule.

32. Keep junk food out of the house. To me, this one is obviously true for 90% of us. If you are one of the lucky few who don’t have this weakness, good for you. But for me, this is a necessity.

33. Don’t be in a big rush to lose the weight. This is for me, in the top 3 lessons that carry the most, ahem, weight. I lost 25 lbs or so last year, which is what I would have shot for in a month on some of the crazy diets I’ve tried. Rather, I’m very happy with those results. This is a lifelong process of health improvement; not to mention, it took me 37 years to get to this point. It’s madness to think it will turn around, permanently, overnight.

NEW FOR 2009:

34. Skip the afternoon snack - in favor of afternoon tea. I think our friends across the pond have this correct - afternoon tea time seems to me to be a great idea. I did this today in fact, and it satisfied my slight hunger until dinner. Give it a try. Make the tea time an opportunity to sit quietly and contemplate where you’re at. Enjoy the moment - be present for your life, which will be one of the themes this year for Almost Fit.

35. Focus on broadening your tastes in food. There are so many cultures that eat incredibly healthy foods, often out of necessity. Broadening your taste can lead to tremendous, healthful discoveries. This is something that we are also passing on to our children, who these days will eat pretty much anything - a fact for which I am convinced is at least in part due to exposure.

36. Develop a better understanding of the ethics of food. Foods as they are presented by the food industry are just nice, tasty products that we shouldn’t worry our pretty little heads about - just trust the food industry and surely we won’t go wrong. Unfortunately, this is why we have an obesity epidemic, and quite bluntly, family tragedy from things like poisoned peanut butter - our misplaced trust in a) the marketers to tell us what we should eat, and b) the government to look out for us. Neither is even close to a good source of information on what we feed ourselves and our kids, as they always have an agenda that puts consumers squarely in the last position.

37. Use tools, like social media, to your advantage. I am an active Twitter user and have been for some time. One of the benefits? I follow a number of great health bloggers, inspirational/motivational writers, and generally just good people. I find great inspiration and motivation in their suggestions throughout the day. One great example is a Twitter user I follow posts “nudges” throughout the day to remind followers to get up and move around a bit, or grab a glass of water. This is useful for me, particularly working by myself.

38. Be careful with the calories in wine. I have found that surprise surprise - when one glass of wine at dinner is good, two glasses is often a little better. It’s easy to overdo it - not in an alcohol/sobriety sense necessarily (though that is certainly a reasonable concern), but in the unwanted calories in particular. One glass is usually all I need; I just need to remember that especially after a hard day.

39. Consider (as in think about) trying moderate fasting. Many, many cultures use fasting as part of their dietary regime. I am currently fascinated with this, and plan on trying it sometime this year as an Almost Fit documented experiment. But for me, it is fasting moderately; I don’t intend to go more than a day on a fast. But it’s definitely something I think may have health benefits beyond weight loss.

40. If you make enough for leftovers, pack the leftovers first. When you make a meal, before you serve it, set aside the leftover quantity you intend to eat the next day. I’ve read this tip in numerous places, and it really both makes sense, and works.

41. When possible, only bring to the table what you plan to eat. For me, if the bowl of pasta is on the table, it’s much easier to eat more than I need. If I serve myself in the kitchen, it’s one step more difficult to overeat on seconds.

42. Find the stress relievers that work for you - other than food. With the economy in the current state of disrepair, this for me is of critical importance. I will be exploring this over the coming year on Almost Fit, and welcome suggestions.

43. Don’t go to bed too late. This one is one of my most difficult habits to break, but one I’m set on accomplishing this year. When I stay up late, I eat more. Simple as that. If I go to bed early and rise early, I rarely eat much if anything before breakfast. This may be different for you, but I have a feeling that late night work sessions, or #afterhours as we say on Twitter, are not great for a healthful diet.

44. Action Feeds Motivation. I think the best thing you can do on the weight loss front is simple: get up and do something about it. It sounds simple, but I know for me, I spent an awful lot of time trying to find motivation to exercise, often with mediocre results. This year, I’m hoping to turn this on it’s head on a personal level - rather than waiting to be motivated to do something physical, I’m going to focus on getting up and doing it as a means of creating motivation. It’s a subtle distinction, but one that I feel is worth making. My intention is to feature great sources of motivation that focus on taking small, immediate actions that you can do with minimal planning. Plans are great. But action is what is always needed if you want to get anywhere.

Thank you for reading. Here’s to another great year of working together. Your comments and suggestions are, as always welcome and maybe more importantly, appreciated.

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The truth be told, I really enjoy the colder months of the year. Living in the Pacific Northwest means that along with the change of seasons, we get a fair amount of rain, but generally I don’t mind… Although as I write this I immediately picture our close friends in warmer climates raising an eyebrow or two, knowing that I do dip into a little seasonal depression (Sharon, Stephanie, stop glaring…) from time to time. In fact, generally by the end of February I may try sticking my head in the microwave to pick up a few rays just to improve my demeanor. (Just kidding Mom. Mostly.)

From a food perspective, figuring out what exactly it is that we will eat each day in mid-winter has at times been a challenge. From late spring to the middle of autumn we have an abundance of fruits and vegetables growing in the garden and being provided through our CSA, not to mention farmer’s markets. But by the end of fall, all but one or two farmer’s markets are closed for the winter, and both our garden and our CSA have scaled back to very little. The other factor however, and maybe most important, is this:?

We are simply not in the habit of eating primarily seasonally in the winter months.

My whole life I think I’ve eaten my way through winter by consuming mostly packaged foods, some out of season fruits and vegetables?(and as a result, often less than decent), with the occasional in-season dish. That has changed this year, but it hasn’t been easy; and I must say, we sometimes slip out of the groove a little.

I think that is why, in catching up with my favorite sites and blogs, I was particularly interested in a recipe that I came across at Blue Kitchen. I have followed Blue Kitchen for a while now, however I lost track of the site in the fall. I found it again, and was thrilled to return to this article:

Potage Crecy: French for: “It’s cold outside - you need some creamy carrot soup”?

A handful of basic ingredients - carrots, potatoes, leeks, stock, fresh thyme and cream - proves once again that the French are masters of sublime simplicity, in this colorful, subtle soup.”

The potage described looked wonderful, and seemed like a very simple way to cook something seasonal and hearty on a cold evening.

There was only one problem: the carrots.


Our carrots have indeed been growing through the winter, weathering snow, ice, hail, rain, and temperatures in the teens, submerged below the surface. However, they have not gone unnoticed - not by moles, insects, or vermin; but by the domestic creatures in our yard. Namely, our dogs.

Our two dogs have discovered the wondrous surprise of digging up a sweet, organically grown carrot from the raised beds that we built last year. And so we are left with a lot of holes in the garden, and very few carrots left. On the upside, I suspect that their eyesight is now excellent, old wives tales notwithstanding.

In lieu of the carrots that our dogs have pilfered, we decided to use the mostly seasonal roasted vegetables my wife had prepared the night before. We had quite a bit left over, so it seemed like the roasted vegetables would make a perfect variation on the excellent recipe from Blue Kitchen. It was a good choice.

Recipe: Winter Vegetable Potage

Like the Potage Crecy recipe, this variation had one distinct quality: Balance. It was difficult to pick out any one flavor; rather, all of the flavors worked together to create a mildly sweet, hearty, velvety soup with a unique, bold taste.

Adapted from a recipe by Terry at Blue Kitchen.

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
3-4 medium-sized leeks
6 cups of roasted vegetables
3 cups chicken stock
1-1/4 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 cup half-and-half
fresh lemon juice, 1/2 lemon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
fresh thyme leaves for garnish
sour cream (optional)

To Prepare

Roasted Vegetables: Unpeeled Delicata squash, carrots, onions, 2 whole bulbs of garlic, parsnips, red bell pepper (not exactly in season of course, but it was what we had in the refrigerator), zucchini, olive oil, salt and pepper. The vegetables are cut into roughly 1 inch pieces, tossed in olive oil in a roasting pan, and then roasted in the oven at 350 degrees for about 30-40 mins until the squash is fork tender. Let cool, and squeeze the garlic from the husks before returning to the vegetables.

Clean the leeks and chop into 3/4″ pieces. Again, Blue Kitchen has an excellent, brief discussion of the simple tricks surrounding properly cleaning leeks.

The soup: In a large soup pot or dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat and add the olive oil. Saute the leeks for about 4 minutes. Add the roasted vegetables and saute for about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Add thyme, cover the pot and simmer for about 10 minutes until all vegetables are heated through. Using a blender or food processor, puree the soup.

Return the pureed soup to the pot. Add half-and-half, lemon juice and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer until just heated through.

To Serve

Add the soup to soup bowls and garnish with a sprinkle of fresh thyme. Serve with some crusty bread, as you will likely want to lick the bowl - the bread accomplishes this nicely.

Notes

For the mix of roasted vegetables, we used the leftovers of what we had roasted the previous night. In my opinion there is no magic mix here, but I think the carrots were a key flavor. In the original recipe at Blue Kitchen, Terry used a good amount of potatoes. In our case, we substituted squash and parsnips as they were on hand.

The chicken stock we used was homemade. Since we bought chickens over the summer, April often uses the carcass of the whole chicken to make stock to be stored in the freezer.

We also added a small dollop of creme fraiche to the bowl pictured, but after tasting the soup we realized it was probably unnecessary.

Conclusion

We truly loved this soup, and are anxious to try it again. It was also a thrill to use the leeks that were still in our garden, as well as the parsnips - a vegetable that I’m not very familiar with. In general I love pureed soups, and this was no exception. Highly recommended for cold winter afternoons and evenings.

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[EDITOR'S NOTE: This is a personal letter to Almost Fit readers, both long-time friends and new acquaintances. I will be posting a "Best Of" article shortly, but I think you'll agree that this letter was already plenty long enough. Thanks for reading, and thank you for hanging in there with me in my recent absence. UPDATE: I dozed off last night, so this is now a Saturday post. A day late - but that's what you get for blog dollars ]

Tonight is the one year anniversary of a mild obsession: testing whether eating real food in moderation can actually work to lose weight and achieve better health.

And the principle corollary: Is it possible to live moderately in a culture of excess?

No low fat this or low carb that (both of which I had previously tried, exhaustively, to no permanent success); just eating real, whole, and at times decadent, foods - the key of course being to keep the quantities in check.

Before I get started, let me just say that it’s been a long day; I slept about 3 hours last night before heading out at 5AM for a 4 hour drive to Seattle for a business meeting at 9, and then turned around several hours later to drive 3 1/2 hours back home (don’t ask me where the missing 1/2 hour went). I’m admittedly exhausted, but some things simply cannot wait, things for which any devoted writer knows sleep deprivation is no match.

In honor of this anniversary I am sitting down with my laptop and a stiff margarita - ice, fresh squeezed lime juice and a healthy dose of tequila - evaluating as honestly as I can whether this year’s changes have been worth the effort. So if things get a little squirelly, you’ll know why.

Where did I start?

It has been 365 days since my first post on Almost Fit (”Welcome to Almost Fit - Almost Who?“). So what have I learned through this first year? Am I miraculously thin as a result of this “revolutionary” idea of eating less (hmm…eat less to lose weight? What?) ? Have I left all of my old bad habits for good, happy to eat only truly local, sustainable, whole foods, perhaps donning hemp shoes and opting not to shower for weeks on end? The truth is, if you ask my pants, not only will they stare back at you blankly, but inside they will concur - I’m certainly not thin - not yet - and I don’t own any hemp shoes. That said, this year has marked some of the biggest changes in my diet, how I feel about food on an emotional level, how I feel about taking social responsibility for what I eat, and what I expect from this approach.

A year ago to the day, here’s what I had to say about my condition. At the time, I was:

• “An average guy who’s weight is driving him crazy, and has done so for most of his life
• A card-carrying member of the TV, Coca Cola (second only to Dr. Pepper), and fast food generation
• A food lover, bordering on “foodie”, thanks to my wife’s cooking and mutual love of food
• In my mid-thirties with two children, and at my heaviest weight ever
• In my mid-thirties, at my heaviest weight ever, and tired of it. The whole thing. From carrying several extra useless sandbags-worth of weight every day (I don’t think the near-term global forecast is pointing toward temperatures dropping dramatically, where I’d need this extra layer of fat for warmth) to trying things that work, but don’t last. I am tired of being out of breath when I take a flight of stairs. I am tired of being hot when I should be comfortable. I am tired of being uncomfortable with how I look in horizontal stripes or clothes with any color other than brown or black. I’m tired of being in mild degrees of pain when I crawl around pretending to be an elephant with my kids (oh don’t think for a second I don’t see the irony there). In other words, I am ready for a change.”

Some things have not changed, including:

• Still an average guy in most ways: I still put my talking pants on one argument at a time
• I still watch television - in fact, I am putting off watching a DVR’d Top Chef episode in favor of writing tonight;
• Still very much in a hot and steamy relationship with both my food and, might I add, my smokin’ hot wife :);
• Still in my mid-thirties (which I plan to claim for at least another oh, 9-12 years) with two wondrous and beautiful children;
• Still carrying extra weight - though less of it.

Over the previous 6 years, I had been steadily gaining weight despite a lot of boxes of low fat cookies, losing weight and gaining it back thanks to South Beach, Oprah’s diet guy, and just about every chemical product or supplement that the food industry could throw in the feed trough. I ate it up, and it showed. I was gaining an average of nearly 10 lbs each and every year - even having run my first 10k race and a 1/2 marathon in the 5th year. That’s right: 6 years and 60 lbs later. And quite frankly, with no end in sight, other than the one that wasn’t fitting in the mirror.

Perhaps more importantly, when I started this experiment there was one very large fear on my mind: I was staring into the headlights of all sorts of health complications with which I was all but guaranteed to collide. I felt strongly that if I continued on the path I was on, I would certainly be setting myself up for blood sugar management and degenerative cardiovascular problems that go hand-in-hand with my family history. These elements, I am convinced, always loom in my DNA, but their onset is sped up rapidly by poor diet and lack of exercise. Sounds like common sense to me. Ultimately my hope is that doing what I can will help me to outlast the diseases until science finds a reasonable solution.

Where I’m at today

Here’s the short answer: For the year, I’ve lost 22 lbs (as much as 27 before the holiday season - more on that in a bit). And equally as important, I have not gained the 10+ lbs that I was on track to add, if history was any indicator. I’ve also had some pretty big challenges over the last few months, but those are finally starting to settle down.

So in a sense, you could say that all in all I’m down 32 lbs from where I would have been, but I’m choosing to only view it as 22 lbs down for the year. And how do I feel about that? Is that enough for a year? What did I learn? And where am I going with it?

10 things I’ve learned from a year of moderation

Changing my diet to real, whole foods has been a learning experience to say the least. Some successes, some failures, and some revelations. Here’s a list of things that seem clear to me after a year of giving this a shot.

1. It is hard to learn to NOT diet, if you are a career dieter. Since my early teens I had been off and on dieting, buying into the low fat/nonfat craze that swept my generation (and ultimately did not work), trying things like diet shakes, diet vitamin pills, and every edible diet product out there. None of them worked in the long run, and most of them tasted like cardboard with a Xylene chaser. But more importantly, it is the cycle of dieting that I had to break. When I would lose weight, I found that my strong inclination was to essentially starve myself trying to speed up the process, because that always worked before. On a diet of rich foods in moderation, it does NOT work, at least not for me.

2. Dietary choices do not have to be a “religious” choice. In the course of changing my thinking on food, I’ve had to work hard to overcome the desire to “preach” about it in polarized right and wrong terms. When you start to make food decisions based on social or moral principles, it can be easy to come off as judging others who don’t make the same choices. And while I know I certainly do that from time to time here, on my site, in person I have worked hard to avoid sounding too preachy, or even condemnatory of others. And I’m comfortable with that; after all, if you don’t care to hear it on a blog, you are free to move onto something else that resonates. When it comes to food, sometimes changing our dietary habits can become like we’re signing up for a “food religion”, requiring exclusive devotion, evangelism, and the use of “sin” or “guilt-free” metaphors. I don’t think this is necessary, and I’d like to think I’ve proven that over the span of this year. But it required a conscious effort, and learning from a mistake or two.

3. Just because you eat good food doesn’t mean you end cravings for “bad” food. My wife has never been much of a junk food eater - she has always eaten well thanks to some deep rooted family dietary traditions, her thoughtfulness and intelligence, and just plain good taste. So for folks like her, she has a hard time understanding why a KFC commercial would make me want something that makes me feel ill. ME on the other hand…I still, to this day, crave fast food when I see ads for it. Still. Even after a year primarily without. Do I feel bad about that? No. Do I act on it anymore? Almost never, but on occasion, in a pinch, I have succumbed to convenience. So just because I eat decadent cheeses and chocolates does not negate a lifetime of dietary bad habits. It took 30+ years of eating fast food and high fructose corn syrup to get here; it’s not going to change overnight.

4. Overeating is a cultural norm that is beatable - but it’s not easy. On whole, my opinion of our American cultural eating habits is in general, we simply eat too much, and thanks to multibillion dollar efforts of food manufacturers, the wrong things (there I go preaching again). Abundance and immediate availability have led us to consider as normal a portion size that several generations ago would have been considered enough for two or three. It takes real effort to ignore the sense of “this enormous plate is what everybody eats” both in the home and on the town, but it’s possible.

5. Exercise continues to be my weakest link. I openly admit that I am a fair weather runner these days - and even when the winter weather is fair, I seem to find it enormously difficult to get out and really get going. This, I must fix, in part because in life, eating moderately does not always happen. But more importantly because I am better off mentally and physically when I’m engrossed in a regular exercise routine.

6. I have to be OK with slow progress, lest I go mental. Like most of us, I want my weight to be ideal immediately - so when it starts working, I often fall into the “no pain no gain” mindset, where losing weight becomes less about eating right and more about a controlled experiment in denial, pain tolerance, and endurance until the trial is over. In other words, I tend to get a little nuts about it, ultimately to my own detriment. 22 lbs for the year should be a great number, but I struggle even still with the idea that I wanted that to be 50. I still have work to do.

7. I am an emotional eater - this I know. Eating is my response to happiness, sadness, stress, and especially frustration. When I get upset, I go for the cupboards. This too requires additional work. Thankfully there are many folks ahead of me in solving this one, and I think with some education I will beat this.

8. It is possible, though not always fun, to sense 80% full. I am pretty sure that I have yet to do a detailed post on this (hari hachi bu, specifically), but I have read numerous comments on other blogs that suggest that you can’t really know what 80% full feels like, so why try? Well I disagree based on my own experience. I know what it feels like; I just don’t always like it. But it is tangible, and it does work - it just requires retraining a mind that is conditioned to get pleasure and emotional satisfaction from overeating.

9. Eating well requires preparation and time - and believe it or not, not necessarily more money. This subject has been a big question surrounding the suggestions of folks like Michael Pollan that we should all eat better quality food than most of us typically do. While I concede that for some, this is definitely going to be more expensive, I’ve found over this year that you can trade off the cost by using additional time. And in many cases, that additional time is only a perception. It often does not take longer at all; we just think it does. It DOES however require a little more effort and some planning. But we’ve actually saved money this year by eating well.

10. The more you know about where your food comes from, the better you eat. That said, sometimes that rule goes out the window. In general, focusing on education as a means of motivation has worked. When I go to the grocery store, I really do put things back on the shelf if they are made or grown outside the U.S., and often if they’re not from the states in my immediate region. I also avoid anything with ingredients I don’t recognize, and especially foods with chemical additives that I DO recognize, like HFCS. I never eat diet processed foods, and I have worked for the past year to find locally grown or raised alternatives with great success.

All that said, there are certainly times when I make exceptions to eating seasonally and locally. Coffee being a prime example. We don’t have shade grown coffee as a native crop here in the Pacific Northwest (at least not as far as I know), but I still drink it. And I think that is OK. Like I said, it’s not a religion; it’s choosing to live moderately and, I think, reasonably.

Biggest lesson of all

If I step away from the minutia of eating real food in moderation, the biggest lesson I’ve learned I think is this:

Life circumstances, like it or not, help to determine the success or failure in changing your diet. And despite what the gym Nazis may tell you, that is OK.

When I started Almost Fit, I was in a good place. I had a reasonably stable job; our second child was approaching the 1-yr mark (which meant better sleep); I was and continue to be married to a wonderfully supportive and knowledgeable mate who shares a passion for food; I found an online community of support; I live in a region of the country that leads the way in sustainable food practices; and maybe most importantly I was mentally ready to commit.

I started off in a very good position, and made great progress. I was running much more, and eating very purposefully. But as life has a way of doing, things changed later in the year. Most notably when a) I quit my job and then the economy tanked (coincidence? ), and b) I started a new job as a response to the first point, and c) we had an unexpected death in the family. Over the last few months I have not exercised to any great degree, and my eating habits have slipped. In particular, when I was on a 2-week business trip in November, I definitely succumbed to old eating habits including some really awful fast food choices. I also chronically over-ate at family gatherings, which was rather mindless at the time, but shows on the scale.

January on the other hand, feels like things are finally getting back to normal. I feel the original zeal I had starting to return, and a much stronger awareness of making time to eat better. We shall see.

With that in mind, I have definitely met numerous folks this year that are simply not in this zone. They are nowhere near the mindset that is ready to make changes like this. But you know, That is truly OK. I feel now that if you’re not ready, there is no forcing it. You’ve got to have the circumstances to make it happen, whether that means you create them or you stumble into them. Either way, we often get the message of “there’s no time like the present” to make life changes. Well I disagree with that too. If you don’t have the circumstances, and do not have the power to change that, then now is NOT The time to start. That would work if this were a temporary fix; but it’s not. If you want life changes, do it when life gives you the best chance of succeeding.

Anybody who says different is likely selling something.

Where am I going with all this?

This last year has proved the old cliche: The more things change, the more they stay the same. It’s been a great first year at Almost Fit. I’ve met literally hundreds of people who impress me to no end with their desire to do whatever they can do to improve not only their own health and circumstance, but the world around them. I’ve exchanged numerous emails and rounds of comments with people I never would have had the pleasure of engaging were it not for this site, or the choices I’ve made. And for these things, I am grateful.

So what are my goals this year? What am I changing?

You’ll have to wait until another post, coming very soon, to find out.

Thank you, and the very best to you,

Metroknow

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“OK Dad it’s your turn.”

“OK, let’s see. What made me happy today was drinking hot chocolate with Jonah and his Mama after sledding.”

“OK Mom, now your turn.”

“What made me happy was…well Dad stole my idea, but I’m going to say getting to sleep in a little today on a Sunday morning.”

“OK my turn: My favorite part was…Dad can I have the same favorite part as you?”

We’ve begun a new tradition in our house.

Of Tequila and Artichokes

For whatever reason we don’t really seem to have many family traditions; Neither of us have a lot of “extra” things that we simply have to do regularly out of a sense of duty, solely because that is what one does under the circumstances. We have definite habits, patterns, and schedules, but the vast majority of the time we’re not conscious of daily, annual, or seasonal out of the ordinary traditions that we look forward to. Having just passed through the holiday season, it is pretty clear that many families have a lot of food-related traditions, which come in every shape and quantity imaginable, but it’s also equally clear that many of us have lost those traditions.

I would say my wife’s family has a few traditions that we honor; when they get together my wife’s siblings and their Mother truly enjoy sharing a steamed artichoke together, which reminds them of times gone by when sharing an artichoke was an extravagance. And in times of either joy or sorrow, a shot of tequila is their family drink - a tradition that as an inlaw (or, “Outlaw” as we’re collectively named) I apparently heartily embrace.

You’ll eat it - and you’ll like it…at least you better

So what happened to the importance of family traditions? Are many of us just too busy to make time for them anymore? I think the “time” excuse is the most common among folks I’ve asked. But if you think about it, we’ve developed much of the framework of modern life to surround convenience, all so we can, “save time for the things we really want to do”. So why don’t we do those things?

The simplest answer is we don’t, because we don’t have to. Families seem more fragmented and independent than ever, and family traditions seem to be a casualty of being more easily removed from one another. Somewhere along the way many of us have lost the desire to carry traditions forward, even when we have the means or time to do so. It used to be that religious involvement was the medium for the passing of traditions, but these days even those traditions are often pretty easy to dismiss as a young person, too busy to bother with what Grandma thinks is the “right” thing to do.

I guess one straightforward question to ask is, why is it important? Why should I care about whether or not my sister-in-law made her Jello-Pretzel salad again at this year’s reunion? Wait - this fruit cake is How old???

Ultimately, I think carrying on a family tradition is valuable for one simple reason: a family tradition reminds us of the importance of, well, family. It emphasizes the necessity of togetherness, spending time in person, face to face, in the company of our “people”. For us, we of course have extended family, and adopted family members, and all points in between when we get together. When family assembles, there’s almost guaranteed to be a lot of hugging and laughter, and equally likely a disagreement or two. It wouldn’t be the same without a little friction at times I suppose.

But on a more daily level, I think family traditions are important too. Many of those simple daily traditions, particularly the ones surrounding food, have gone by the wayside as the television has taken over. Eating a meal together at the table is less and less common, and daily family traditions are hardly the subject of conversation on Facebook, Twitter, or Digg.

Our new tradition

In our house, we’ve made the conscious decision to create a new family tradition that emphasizes the simple importance of slowing down and reflecting on the day and talking to each other about what we experienced. Here’s how it goes:

My son gets the salt shaker and he usually begins. It’s very simple; holding the salt shaker as a symbol of who has the attention, he announces what part of the day made him happy. In his case, he always says, “My favorite part was…” which is something he’s picked up at pre-school, but ultimately our tradition is to take time each day to express to the family the part of the day that made us happy. After he recites his choice, he chooses who goes next, and the salt shaker is passed.

It’s a simple tradition, but one that our 4-year-old son absolutely loves. He gets to very clearly be the center of attention for a few moments at dinner, and he glows when he does. But more than that, he sees that we all share the same patterns, and that he is part of us as a whole. He also learns to focus on the positive parts of his day, I believe because he’s seeing his parents do so. It also makes him feel like he is part of something bigger, which is not often talked about in our culture but I think is fundamental as humans. I hope that he carries it forward to his kids, in whatever form makes sense at the time.

And while I may be focusing on what our 4-year-old gets out of it, as adults my wife and I get something out of it as well: It reminds us to reduce our life’s velocity, eat slower, savor the experience of eating a meal together, and remember that we did indeed have positive things that occurred throughout the day. Our family’s tradition of getting the salt shaker helps us to stay grounded, to see the good in each other, and to remember that life is not about the speed with which one passes through it.

From a diet perspective, slowing down and savoring what you eat is one of the core principles of Almost Fit. In this case our new tradition is not some revolutionary diet hack; it’s a simple tool to add to the variety of approaches that remind me to eat slower, remember the good in the day, and give my loved ones my undivided attention over a meal.

As it’s been said many times before, In many ways, and maybe no greater so than with traditions of food and family, the journey is indeed the destination.

Thanks for reading.

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Editor’s note: Welcome to Almost Fit. As you may have noticed, I’ve been away from the site for a little while taking care of some personal matters. I’ll be writing a short post soon to explain, but in the mean time, this post is a recipe I just came up with for tonight’s dinner that I just had to share. Thanks for reading.

Since I’ve started making all of our own bread, having bread dough around has meant that pizza has become a staple for us. The great thing about homemade pizza is you are in control of the ingredients, meaning that you can eat very well using the pizza “format” for your meal.

Throwing a handful of fresh ingredients on homemade dough is not only simple, it is something everyone should know how to do. From start to finish, this meal takes no longer than ordering the delivery of an industrially produced pizza that generally includes ingredients that you can’t verify as being real food. At least, in my long, prior history of ordering pizza delivery, I do not believe I’ve ever asked the person who answers the phone whether their pepperoni has nitrates, which should probably be the least of my concerns.

In talking over dinner and evaluating the meal, my wife and I figure that in the last 6 months I’ve probably made over 100 pizzas at home, often as dinner for friends. The keys to this are the bread dough recipe from Artisan Breads in Five Minutes a Day, and a decent baking stone. That’s truly it. I generally make 2-3 smaller pizzas per meal, 1 for the kids (though I enjoy it too), and one that is a little more on the experimental side. I’ve made as many as 5 for one night of entertaining, serving them to guests as they came out of the oven.

For tonight’s dinner, the first pizza course was a classic tomato sauce and mozzarella pizza with artichoke hearts and olives. Believe it or not, that was the “kids” pizza; our kids love things like olives, mushrooms, and artichoke hearts - a fact that I attribute (science or not) to the fact that these elements are common in the food we eat, so our kids have developed a taste for them.

For the second pizza course, I took a few risks. Tonight’s pizza creation, the Ham and Creole Cream Cheese Pizza turned out exceptionally well - good enough that I thought I’d share it right away. Actually, given that I’ve been quiet on this site over the last couple of months (I will explain in an upcoming post), I’m going to call this December’s recipe. I’ll be returning to writing more soon, including a fresh batch of food suggestions, but for now you get pizza. There could be worse fates.

Recipe: Ham and Creole Cream Cheese Pizza

First things first: This pizza has nothing in common with low fat anything - and in my opinion, it’s probably best to let it stay that way. The key to enjoying this pizza is, as always, moderation. The richness of the ingredients makes this possible if you slow down a bit and listen to what your stomach (not your tongue) is telling you. That of course is easier said than done; but you will find that with a glass of wine and a salad, a couple of pieces will satisfy. And if after a 1/2 an hour you’re still hungry, have another piece! But if you play your cards right, you’ll have a great lunch of leftovers the following day. Or breakfast, if like me, you just can’t wait.

One other thing: The Creole cream cheese is important in this dish because it is lighter in flavor (and a different texture) than typical cream cheese. We were lucky this week because our raw milk supplier was also selling homemade Creole cream cheese, so that is where we found it. If you can’t find Creole cream cheese, Mascarpone is a good substitute, and is that much richer.

Ingredients

- Bread/Pizza dough: Either the Boule recipe or the Olive Oil recipe from Artisan Breads in 5 Minutes a Day (highly recommended)
- Creole style cream cheese
- 1 yellow onion
- Good quality ham, cut into 1/4″ strips
- Goat cheese
- Calamata olives
- Corn meal

To prepare

With the baking stone on the center rack, preheat the oven to it’s highest setting (my oven goes to 550 degrees). While the oven preheats, form an orange-sized handful of dough into a ball (see the instructions in the book on how to handle the dough effectively), and let it rest until the oven reaches temperature. While the dough rests, prepare the toppings. Slice the onion and saute the slices lightly in a combination of butter and olive oil. Remove the onions from the heat as soon as they start to turn toward translucent - meaning slightly undercook them. The onions finish cooking when they’re being baked on the pizza. Slice the ham into strips.

When the oven reaches temperature, sprinkle the work surface and the dough with flour, and then roll the flour out to a roughly 12-inch circle. (I typically roll my dough out to about 6 inches or so, and then throw it to get it thinner, and because, well, it’s fun.) The dough should be about 1/8″ thick when you’re finished, with no holes. On a bread peel or the bottom side of a flat cookie sheet, sprinkle corn meal to prevent the dough from sticking, and then lay the dough on the peel or sheet. Immediately add the cream cheese - if you wait, the dough will shrink. Sprinkle the ham, caramelized onions, and calamata olives on top of the cream cheese. Using your fingers, drop good-sized pinches of goat cheese around the surface of the pizza according to your taste.

Slide the pizza directly onto the stone and bake for 7-10 minutes. Watch the pizza carefully once you reach 7 minutes, and let it cook until the surface starts to brown.

Note: You’ll notice that I didn’t specify the quantities of some of the ingredients. That is primarily because all of the toppings should be added “to taste”. We happen to love goat cheese, so we add it liberally. I find that roughly equal amounts of onions and ham is a good measure. But experiment and see what works for you.

To Serve

Serve while it’s hot, alongside a good salad. In our case the salad was spinach and romaine, blue cheese, pears, candied pecans, and an orange muscat vinaigrette.

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Welcome to Almost Fit. My focus at Almost Fit is on improving health by doing one thing: Eating real food in moderation. No low fat this or low carb that, just real, whole foods in reasonable amounts. I have lost 26 lbs this year (so far) by eating decadent foods, having a beer or two, and occasionally exercising - though I’m always working on increasing that last bit. If this sounds interesting, have a look around and let me know what you think. Thanks.

In part one of this series (”Want to save money and eat well? Join a CSA“), I introduced one of our primary methods of saving money and eating well: Participating in a CSA. This is part 2.

One of the biggest contentions with basing your eating habits on local, organic, minimally processed food is that it is just too expensive for most families. The truth be told, I don’t discount this opinion at all - in fact, for many of us, the cost difference in a grocery store is more than we can justify. Being frugal has not only become a pastime, in this economy it is increasingly a requirement.

In our case, frugality has its perks: We are actually saving money by eating better - thanks to our local CSA.

I Heart our CSA

We love our CSA for a variety of reasons. Here are just a few:

• First and foremost, the beauty of a CSA starts with the idea that we are eating as locally as possible, both supporting our community and building relationships with people who have similar values. We drive a small distance each week to get our CSA box, and it is well worth the drive.
• Second, the quality of produce is exceptional, and is harvested and cleaned with great care. All organic, no pesticides, and ready to eat straight out of the box. It is picked at the peak of ripeness - not weeks or months early and then left to ripen later with a heavy dose of chemicals.
• Third, having a weekly box of vegetables forces you to do something elementary: You have to eat your vegetables, otherwise they will go to waste.
• Fourth, it encourages you to find new recipes, try new things, and broaden your tastes for vegetable dishes that you may not have had growing up.
• And the fifth benefit has been huge for us: the money-saving value is outstanding. Even when gas prices where at their peak, it was still cost effective to drive out a ways to pick up our box of produce.

Think you can’t afford real food? Think again

Out of curiosity, I decided to inventory what we received in one-week’s worth of CSA produce over the summer, and then compare what we were getting to what we would pay at a retail grocery store. I was truly amazed at the value.

For our $20.00 per week, here’s what we got - and here’s what we would have paid based on our local grocery store’s prices:

All I can say is….WOW.

A couple of things about this chart:

1. The green rows indicate produce that was not available in organic form when I did the price comparison. So, I used the price of conventional for both just to try to be conservative on the cost savings. (Obviously if this was a comparison between conventional vs. organic, which it is not, that wouldn’t be a fair method.)

2. My first inclination is to quickly figure a months-worth comparison of organic vs. CSA (multiply the organic $74.79 times 4 weeks ($299.16!) and compare that to $20.00 times 4 weeks ($80.00!)) and say we just saved $219.16 a month. However, the reality is we wouldn’t have saved that much. Why?

Because frankly, we wouldn’t be eating as many vegetables because it would be more than we could afford.

So to me, the real value is much greater than the dollar-savings. Our CSA actually dramatically improves the quality of food we’re eating because it is reasonably priced and responsibly produced.

That is not the message you get from the food industry, who argues that you cannot have good food at a reasonable price - they posit that reasonable price equals cheaply made heavily produced food. If you want healthy food, you’re gonna’ pay dearly.

However in my experience, if you can find a local CSA and adapt your lifestyle a little to eating seasonally, this argument can be turned on it’s head. Our grandparents did it. People all over the world do it. I think we can bend a little too.

“But don’t you waste a lot of it?”

I know that some people have found that participating in a CSA doesn’t work for them for one reason: sometimes the produce goes to waste because there is just so much of it. For us, it hasn’t happened very often, but for others we know, that’s how it has gone.

Looking at the list I created, you might wonder if we eat all of it - or if much of it turns into so much compost.

The answer is for the most part, we actually do use it all. But we didn’t at first. We’ve adapted our diet according to what’s in season, and learned to cook, eat, and preserve seasonally. We’ve had the occasional tomato or pear go too soft, or the remains of a head of lettuce that didn’t survive after a week or so, but for the most part we use it up.

Granted, there are four of us including a toddler and a 4-year-old (who both ask for salad), so if you are single this might be a challenge. But really, if you start to look at this list in terms of using parts of it in potentially 21 meals over the span of a week, I think it’s clear that you could put this to very good use.

And we certainly did.

So how do you find a local CSA? Stay tuned for the next article.

Thanks for reading. If you found this article interesting, please consider sharing it via StumbleUpon. I do appreciate it.

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Ed. note: This entry is a personal post on where I’ve been over the last few weeks. Normally Almost Fit sticks to one central concept: eating real food in moderation. I will be writing more on my main subject in the coming weeks, but I felt that many readers might be interested to know where I’ve been since I haven’t posted in a while. If this doesn’t interest you, it’s totally understandable - feel free to skip the post. But rest assured I’ll be resuming my usual subject matter soon. Thanks for reading.

As the title of this post says, it has been, for lack of a better term, an “interesting” time for me over the last few weeks. I have never gone this long without a post on Almost Fit, but I hope this is the last time that I have to set it aside for a while. I am currently writing this post a couple of hundred miles away from home, waiting to return tomorrow after a week of work at a new job. 

As I mentioned in several posts in mid summer, I left my day job behind in favor of pursuing some business ideas that made a lot of sense to me at the time, and still do in that context. I also really needed some time off with my family, and although it wasn’t as focused as I thought the time would be, we did enjoy a flexible schedule and several local getaways, and equally important I was able to restore some of my own equilibrium after a lot of extended hours and working weekends. We were also able to develop some excellent, frugal habits over the summer, which I really believe will stick over the years to come.

Unfortunately, one major thing changed: the economic slide impacted our family directly, and I’ve had to do a bit of scrambling to figure out our next move. Part of my business plan involved funds that were tied up in the stock market - and as many of us discovered rather abruptly, that wasn’t necessarily my strongest choice. We haven’t lost nearly as much as many folks, but when that money is central to how you are going to pay your mortgage, it does force you to reconfigure a few of your assumptions.

In my case, even before the market fell through, conditions prompted me to start looking for work in my old industry. In September I was feeling clearly the indications that businesses were not spending much money on some of the services that I was developing; and although I of course had no idea how bad it would get on a global scale, I realized that my business was not going to take hold as quickly as I needed it to. 

Without droning on about it, I began looking for work that used my old skill set, and after watching several opportunities literally dry up over night (for example, several promising employers suddenly instituted hiring freezes when the economy crumbled, including one company that was forced to rescind job offers they had made in the days before the crash), I consider myself very lucky to have landed a contract that will get us through the coming months. As a result however, I’ve had to pull my focus from Almost Fit for a few weeks while I figured out the job aspect of life. 

The good news is, tomorrow will complete my first week with this company, and I am enjoying it thoroughly. I actually worked for the company many years ago, but under significantly different personal circumstances. From an Almost Fit perspective, it has been an interesting time because when I worked here before, I was fully engrossed in the typical 20’s male American diet - some low fat choices here and there and the occasional crash diet, but mostly eating pizza and soda whenever I could get it, enjoying the waning benefits of youthful metabolism.

This time, it’s different. I’m a little older now, I’ve developed a taste for eating better quality food, and my metabolism has definitely moved into a molasses-like state for lack of significant and consistent exercise. The danger of course is that given that I’m working 200 miles from home staying in the temporary environment of a hotel room, my eating habits are truly at risk. Not to mention, the familiarity of working here resurrects old food cravings, not unlike I suppose someone who has given up smoking, and then returns to the old bars and restaurants in which they enjoyed the habit at the time.

To head off the urge to return to old fast food haunts that were part of my previous time with this company, at the beginning of the week I went to a local food co-op and picked up fresh fruit, some decent Fair Trade Certified coffee, and assorted “good choices” for the week. Although I must confess that today, out of convenience (and a lack of planning) I made a mistake: I did go to a fast food restaurant, breaking my longest running streak. But true to form, it made me feel physically ill afterward, which was a great wake-up call. I returned to my healthier habits for dinner, eating an organic chicken caesar salad for dinner with an apple for dessert. And although exercise is as usual, lacking, I feel energized again because I’ve made it through a week in an old context with my new habits primarily intact. 

And maybe most importantly, my visit to a fast food joint today stimulated the need to return to my old writing habits here, describing my journey, and finding inspiration in your comments and the articles of my fellow writers.

Fortunately, this contract will allow me to work from home after I get established here, so eating well will doubtless be easier as time passes. And while I have not lost any more weight since my post on momentum, I have not gained much either. I am up a couple of pounds I believe, but nothing that some exercise can’t knock out. 

That is a long way of saying “Sorry I’ve been gone; but I’ve had a good reason.” 

And I’m getting ready to get back to it shortly, including the follow up post on the benefits of a CSA. I haven’t forgotten; I’ve just been a little preoccupied with figuring out how we’re going to keep our house in unanticipated financial times. And fingers crossed, we’ll be fine.

Thanks for reading.

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