I Missed You, Oats!
Boy, did I miss my morning bowl of oats! It’s so weird that I crave eggs on the weekend (and days off), but during the work week, I want oatmeal. They both keep me satisfied for hours, so I wonder why that is?
In the mix:
- 1/3 cup dry oats
- 1/3 cup Zoe’s Cranberry Currant Granola
- 1/2 cup vanilla soy milk
- 1 small banana
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed meal
Oh, how I miss you, oats! I’m so glad that you’re back in my life again! 
Workout
I had planned to run this morning, but my body had a totally different idea about it. I didn’t sleep well last night, and my body was pooped. Instead, I did this 45-minute walking workout on the treadmill, followed by 3 sets of renegade rows with 8 lbs dumbbells.
Walk stats:
- Distance: 3.30
- Time: 45:00
- Pace: 13:38 min/mile
- Calories: 318
Balanced Eating
Health columnist Bethenny Frankel recently had an article in the Jan/Feb 2009 issue about her no-diet tricks to getting (and staying) slim from her new book Naturally Thin: Unleash Your SkinnyGirl and Free Yourself from a Lifetime of Dieting.
Her #1 rule, Your diet is your bank account, especially hit home for me because it explains how I eat and it is the main premise for Carrots ‘N’ Cake. Bethenny says, “I consider this the mother of all the other rules. It’s the first thing I tell people when they ask me how I stay naturally thin.”
Bethenny explains rule #1 like this: “Just as you balance your spending and savings, you must balance your food choices. Don’t eat too much of any one thing, balance starches with proteins, vegetables and fruits with sweets, and always balance a splurge with a save.” Right on, sister! 
Bethenny further explains this strategy: “Most of the time, make smart investments in healthful foods that fill you up. Then, when you really want to splurge, go ahead. You aren’t dieting, remember. You are living. However, a splurge comes with a price. You have to balance that splurge by cutting back a little afterward…” She gives this scenario as an example for balanced eating: “Let’s say you have pancakes for breakfast. They’re fine– and starchy and sweet. So what do you have for lunch? Pasta? Of course not. That’s more starch. Because you had starch and sugar earlier in the day, you now need protein and vegetables.” I love the way she thinks! This is how I incorporate balanced eating into my diet each and every day.
What are your feelings on balanced eating and splurges?
Tags: banana, granola, oatmeal
Elina (Healthy and Sane) — January 5, 2009 @ 8:20 am
I totally agree with this attitude! I don’t always follow it, but that’s definitely the goal!
Great job on working out even though you didn’t get much sleep and were tired!
Gar — January 5, 2009 @ 8:27 am
I think eggs are more ‘brunchy’, so you can have it evening mid-morning. Oatmeal, to me, is more of a morning meal, but then again, I like to have it anytime of the day.
I agreed with the balanced eating, but when I stopped having sweets, I just don’t crave it anymore. How strange…
VeggieGirl — January 5, 2009 @ 8:34 am
I can’t go ONE DAY without oats, so I understand why you missed them!!
Happy Monday!!
Shelby — January 5, 2009 @ 8:44 am
I hate going a day without oats but sometimes I need a scramble or something savory.
Rose — January 5, 2009 @ 8:46 am
I am the same way about oatmeal on the weekdays and eggs/something savory on the weekend – I still haven’t figured out why it’s that way, but I agree with Gar in terms of the “brunch effect.”
Thanks for posting this bit about balanced eating. Definitely something to keep in mind as we start the new year.
lauren — January 5, 2009 @ 8:56 am
I completely, 100% agree with the balanced eating approach!
Andrea (Off Her Cork) — January 5, 2009 @ 9:06 am
I started off my morning with oats too.
I’m also down with that way of thinking. It was one of the biggest things I learned last year when I started this new adventure of mine. Balance is the biggest key and forget diets because they don’t work!
Loved the article about snacks! My fav low-cal snacks are dry cereal, roasted chick peas, and edamame. Yum!
Andrea (Andrea's Eats) — January 5, 2009 @ 9:10 am
Goodmorning all! Me too…I eat oatmeal almost all week and on the weekends I eat eggs.
Have a good day.
andreaseats.blogspot.com
HangryPants — January 5, 2009 @ 9:12 am
Beautiful bowl of oats to start the work week again!
I love Betheny’s ideas about balanced eating. It make so much sense!
Heather
Lacey — January 5, 2009 @ 9:23 am
i agree, and i think a lot of people try to follow this food-osophy, but Bethany (real houseswives, anyone?! haha) really does a great job of putting it into words. Question: how do you do the renegade rows without it hurting your hands/wrists (from the pressure of holding/body weight on the dumbbells?). thanks!
Tina — January 5, 2009 @ 9:25 am
@Lacey: It hurts a little, but I just try to keep my wrists strong and straight. I only do 16 reps (8 each side) before stopping to rest.
K — January 5, 2009 @ 9:35 am
Lovely bowl of oats! Thanks for posting the tips – I love how she’s on the New York version of Real Housewives, my guilty pleasure
Lee (seelivelee) — January 5, 2009 @ 9:46 am
I love this attitude, Tina! Now, what kind of Whole wheat wraps do u eat?
Amanda — January 5, 2009 @ 9:46 am
I really like this balanced approach to eating.
I had an eating disorder in the past and always felt like a day was “good” or “bad” based on what I ate. I would beat myself up if I treated myself, but those foods should be TREATS that are savored and enjoyed! I think this balance is especially important following up the holiday season. I am by no means on a diet, just cleaning up my eating a little .. and allowing room for treats!
Thanks so much for this post
Tina — January 5, 2009 @ 9:48 am
@Lee (seelivelee): Joseph’s! Love them!
Heather McD (Heather Eats Almond Butter) — January 5, 2009 @ 10:10 am
Welcome back oats! I try to balance my eating on a daily basis. This morning I had sprouted grain toast for b’fast, and so I’ll probably try to eat more protein at lunch – probably a cheese omelet and veggies. I don’t like eating all starches all day long and try to get in protein and veggies whenever I can…plus, I always have a sweet or two.
Raspberry Runner — January 5, 2009 @ 10:15 am
I love that food philosophy! I think spurges can definitely be part of healthy eating. I eats lots of fruits and veggies, but I also eat chocolate everyday! Balanced eating is a great way to think about diet. (And your oatmeal looks wonderful!)
Meg — January 5, 2009 @ 10:17 am
I am all about balance in eating, but an occasional splurge is a necessary to keep balanced.
Jennifer — January 5, 2009 @ 10:36 am
Hey I’m in the same exercise boat as you! I intended to run this morning- laid out my gym clothes and everything!- but I also did not sleep well and woke up exhausted. I’m saving my exercise for after work.
bobbi — January 5, 2009 @ 10:51 am
ooo my that was the title of my post this morning too:) It is truly all about balance!
Sarah (lovINmytummy) — January 5, 2009 @ 11:22 am
I love all these articles you are finding and posting. You are a wealth of knowledge!
I have tried all types of eating regimens, from clean all week w/a cheat day, to 100% clean all the time, to eating whatever I feel like whenever I feel like.
The cheat days would turn into all day free for alls that left me feeling awful, the 100% clean left me feeling deprived and cranky, and whatever/whenever just piled on the pounds.
I find that if I do a 90/10 split on most days, that works for me. 90% foods that are clean (fruits, veggies, yogurt, whole grains, lean proteins) and 10% fun foods (trail mix, trail mix, trail mix) is when I feel best!
Mel — January 5, 2009 @ 11:34 am
I like the thinking of that article. I try and balance things out but it doesn’t always work out!
Andrea — January 5, 2009 @ 11:51 am
Have you heard of/tried this yet???
Oat Milk: Often referred to as “oatmeal in a glass” by fans, this non-dairy beverage boasts all the goodness of oatmeal, but in liquid form. The oats give it a slightly sweet taste and a light, creamy consistency that also lends well to cooking and baking. In addition to the obvious fiber advantage, oat milk is packed with good nutrients, including vitamin E, folic acid, and phytochemicals, which are naturally occurring compounds that help fight cancer, heart disease, and strokes. If you’re already over non-dairy milk’s almond and hemp varieties, it might be time to give oatmeal a try.
Tina — January 5, 2009 @ 11:52 am
@Andrea: Yes, it is delicious!!!!!!!!!!
Leah — January 5, 2009 @ 12:04 pm
Balanced eating is difficult for me, so I started counting my servings of fruits and veggies a day. My goal is 8-10 servings, and I usually try to get in about 6-8 before dinner. I find that if I stick to it, I feel better and fuller! I’ve also replaced dairy products with soy products (no cheese!), and bake my own weekly sweet treats.
The hardest part is not eating out all the time, so my weekly allowance is one breakfast,lunch, and dinner meal out a week, where I can get whatever I want. This helps me save money too!
Lisa — January 5, 2009 @ 3:30 pm
I love her shes from that show Real Housewives of NYC. I kind of want to buy that book it sounds interesting!
Laura — January 5, 2009 @ 7:55 pm
I loved Bethenny on The Real Housewives of NYC. She’s very funny! I totally agree with what she’s saying. Most healthy, fit people I know don’t really exclude any foods from their diets. I guess it’s the same as the philosophy that everything is okay in moderation.
Cold & Windy « The Nutty Nutritionist — January 6, 2009 @ 4:25 pm
[...] and get in the habit of achieving more “balance” in my diet. See this great post by “Carrots n’ Cake” about this great [...]
Kate — January 6, 2009 @ 5:34 pm
Hey Tina! I’m an Editor at Health’s website and I’m so happy to hear you liked Bethenny’s article. She’s also got a weekly diet column on Health.com if you’re interested. Here’s her latest post:
http://diet.health.com/2009/01/06/4-tips-to-jump-start-your-january-slim-down/
Hope you like it! Happy New Year!
Kate
Tina — January 7, 2009 @ 9:55 am
@Kate: Thanks, Kate! Looks like a great article! Bethenny is awesome!
Kim — January 7, 2009 @ 1:06 pm
I’m going to go and pick up that issue, the article looks super interesting.
Eating is such a simple thing and I think that over the last few decades it’s just been so obsessed over that most people look at it as something super complicated but it’s really not! That article seems as though it really drives the point home.