FAQs

Do you photograph everything that you eat?

I try to photograph everything that I put into my mouth, but, as you can probably expect, this is not always possible. Sometimes my camera isn’t handy, sometimes I am just lazy, and sometimes I’m enjoying the moment and don’t want to ruin it with a photo. On a good day, I photograph about 90% of what I eat. What you don’t see on the blog are the following:

  • Water. Lots and lots of it! I drink water all day long and with meals. If you don’t see a beverage in my photo, assume I am drinking a refreshing glass of iced water. I’m a water freak! :)
  • Vitamins. I take a multivitamin and an Omega-3 supplement every other day or so. I usually take them with breakfast or dinner… depending on when I remember!
  • Adora disks. I eat one most mornings right after breakfast. Not always, but usually 4-5 times a week… also, when I remember!
  • Pre-workout snack. I rarely photograph my snacks first thing in the morning. It’s super early, so I usually forget, and, for some reason, I forget to mention them in my breakfast post. Generally, I will eat a 150-200 calorie snack (if I am hungry) before exercising. My snack is usually a piece of bread with peanut butter/apple butter or a homemade mini muffin.
  • Random bites. If I just eat a bite of something, I usually won’t stop to take a photo. If I end up taking multiple bites, I will stop and document it or fess-up in my post later on.

I totally understand if you would rather not, but could you share some of your stats (height/weight or measurements)?

I am 5′ 4″ and weigh between 126-129.

How many calories do you eat per day? And how many calories did you eat when you were losing weight?

Currently (and while losing weight), I eat 1800-2200 calories a day.

How long did it take for you to become certified as a Nutrition and Wellness Consultant through the AFPA? Do you recommend the course? Is it a reputable nutrition certification?

The AFPA course took just 3 months to complete. As far as recommending the certification, AFPA was a very interesting home-study course. I learned a ton from it, and it was awesome to build that type of nutrition base knowledge, especially for my blog. It was a lot like a college course with what information it covered and how much work it required.

As far as the certification being reputable, I’m not too sure. I’ve randomly searched the web for opinions about certifications like the AFPA one, and unfortunately, they are not as respected as some of the other credentials/degrees out there, particularly the Registered Dietitian and related nutrition degrees. However, if you want this type of information for personal knowledge, I think it would be great.

Also, if you’re interested in a more “serious” certification in nutrition, I recommend that you check out the Integrated Institute of Nutrition in New York City. It comes highly recommended by a number of successful nutritionists, foodies, wellness counselors, etc., who have graduated from the program. (Check out the “success stories” on the website.) Personally, I’d REALLY like to do this program someday– I just need to see where nutrition (and the blog) fits into my life before I make the investment. (It’s a pricey program!)

How do you make your oatmeal? What brand of oats do you use and how much do you use?

I use Old Fashioned Quaker Oats from the canister. Check out this post about How to Make Microwavable Oats.

How do you make your oatmeal with egg whites? What amounts do you use? Does it give it a weird consistency? 

Yep, I add liquid egg whites (the kind you buy in the carton) to my oatmeal. I typically add about 1/4 cup of egg whites to my 1/2 cup of dry oats. I have experimented with adding more, but it does give the oatmeal a weird consistency. A quarter cup is just enough to add some extra protein, but not give the oatmeal an eggy taste or funny consistency. Sometimes I also add a spoonful of peanut butter and/or nuts for some extra protein.

What is a Starbucks misto? I’ve never heard of it?

A misto is a drink that is half coffee and half steamed milk. I usually get mine made with soy milk and sometimes get sugar-free vanilla or hazelnut syrup in it.

What kind/brand of sports bra do you wear?

My favorite sports bra are Lululemon’s Ta Ta Tamer and Under Armour’s HeatGear Shaper Bra.

About your brussels spouts – how do you cook them? I’m looking for an easy, healthy way to make them. Still been too intimidated to try cooking them.

Check out my step-by-step instructions for Roasted Brussels Sprouts!

What kind of camera do you use?

I use a Canon Powershot SD1100 IS. (More info: http://carrotsncake.com/2008/09/yay-new-camera.html) It’s a great little camera– and very durable! 

What time do you wake up to go to the gym in the morning?

Check out my Morning Routine.

What kind of salad dressing do you use?

I rarely add dressing to my salads, but if I do it’s balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar and olive oil.

What type of bulgar do you use? Is there a special breakfast bulgar? Do you get it at Whole Foods?

I use regular dry bulgar for my breakfast. Currently, I am using bulgar from a health food store in my neighborhood. I buy it in bulk from their bins– kind of like they have at Whole Foods. In the past, I’ve use the Arrowhead Mills brand. Here’s a link to the product: http://www.arrowheadmills.com/products/product.php?prod_id=220&cat_id=. I think you can find the Arrowhead Mills brand at most grocery stores.

How do you cook your spaghetti squash?

Check out this How to Make Spaghetti Squash post!

What brand of Buffalo Sauce do you use?

Frank’s Red Hot. It’s the best!

I’ve never had bulgar. What’s it like? How do you cook it? What are its benefits?

I love bulgar! There’s just something about it! It’s kind of sweet, kind of nutty, but I think it’s the texture that I like so much. The texture is grainy, but sort of chewy. It’s a nice change from the typical oatmeal breakfast, and it fills me up.I cook my bulgar in a big, deep bowl in the microwave for 6 minutes. I add 1/3 cup of dry bulgar to 2/3 cup water (sometimes milk) and add other toppings (pumpkin, dates, almonds, etc.) and then pop in the microwave.

Here is some nutritional information (from Wikipedia):

  • Bulgar is more nutritious than rice or couscous. Bulgar has a glycemic index of 46.
  • 100 grams unprepared bulgar contains approximately:
  • Energy: 1500 kJ (360 kcal)
  • Dietary fiber: 8 g
  • Protein: 12.5 g
  • Carbohydrate: 69 g whereof 0.8 g sugars
  • Fat: 1.75 g whereof 0.2 saturated fat

What is an Adora disk?

An Adora disk is a chocolate calcium supplement that provides about 50% of your daily requirements. They are delicious and actually taste like real chocolate. Here’s a link to their website: http://adoracalcium.com. You can order the Adora disks online, but they are also sold at Whole Foods and Walgreens as well as some other retailers.

How do you run on the treadmill for so long and not get bored? I would get bored so easily!

Check out my ideas for running/walking on the treadmill.

What magazines do you read?

My favorites: Women’s Health, Health, Self, Fitness, Shape, Real Simple, and US Weekly. I read others, but these are the ones that I have subscriptions to.

What are the measurements for your pomegranate lemonade? What product brands do you use?

The approximate measurements are 1/3 pomegranate juice, 2/3 cup soda water (or sparkling water), and 1 tsp of powdered low-cal lemonade mix (Crystal Light or store brand). For the pomegranate juice, we sometimes buy the Pom brand, but it is usually very expensive. Currently, we are using Langers brand pomegranate juice. (Any pomegranate juice will work– just make sure it doesn’t have any high fructose corn syrup in it.)

How do you make your homemade iced coffee?

Check out my Homemade Iced Coffee recipe!

Where can I buy Barney Butter? Does Whole Foods sell it?

Barney Butter is available at Whole Foods, but only in certain states. Here’s a list of retail locations: http://www.barneybutter.com/retail.html You can also purchase BB directly through the website.

What brand is your panini maker?

Our panini press is the Cuisinart Griddler, which was purchased from Crate & Barrel.

I am coming down with a cold! Any suggestions on staying in line with my weight loss goals despite the fact that I don’t have the energy to go for a run?

If you just have a cold (not the flu), you may want to continue working out, but at a much lesser intensity. Some people believe that exercising will actually boost your immune system and help you recover more quickly. However, if you are stuffed-up, feeling completely fatigued or feverish, working out will probably make you feel worse; sleep and rest are a better choice. You won’t derail your weight loss efforts if you take a day or 2 off from you workouts to recover. Your body knows what is best for you, so be sure to listen to it. Also important to note: All of the healthy people at the gym will appreciate you staying away until you are not contagious!

Just curious, how would you rank the Larabars that you have tried?

Check out my Larabar Flavor Reviews!

Why drink hemp milk over rice or soy milk? Are the benefits greater with the hemp milk?

The main reason that I drink hemp milk is because it is delicious, especially the vanilla flavor– it’s thick, sweet, and creamy. However, what initially attracted me to hemp milk was its stellar nutritional stats. Hemp milk is a good source of protein, omega fatty acids, calcium, and other vitamins and minerals.

I also drink a fair amount of soy milk (mostly when hemp milk isn’t available). Soy milk has a little more protein than hemp milk and it also contains isoflavones, which act as antioxidants and have been linked to many health benefits, including better bone health and reducing heart disease and cancer risks as well as others. It’s also delicious and comes in a variety of flavors.

Another healthy milk alternative that I sometimes buy (and drink) is almond milk, which is rich in all sorts of vitamins and minerals as well as antioxidants (vitamin E and selenium). Almond milk is fairly low in calories and has quite a lot of calcium. I should be drinking more of it!

From what I know about rice milk, it does not contain as significant amounts of protein and calcium as hemp, soy or almond milk. However, most commercial brands are fortified with vitamins and minerals.

What do you normally drink with your meals?

Ice water. I’m a water freak! I love it! :)

How much agave nectar do you use to sweeten your coffee? What are the benefits of using that over a sweetener like Splenda?

I use a small squirt (~ 1tsp) of agave nectar to sweeten my coffee– a little goes a long way! I like agave nectar because it is a natural substance, unlike Splenda, which includes 20 different chemicals, many you can’t even find through a Google search! The FDA does not require that these chemicals be disclosed. (Yikes!) Agave nectar is delicious and easy to use. It disolves quickly in hot or cold foods/drinks. It’s also relatively low in calories (20 calories/teaspoon) and has a low glycemic index.

Where is your weekly workout schedule listed now?

My weekly schedule of workouts is listed under the “Fitness” tab at the top of the blog.

My Google Reader won’t update anymore when you write a new post. How come?

Try adding http://carrotsncake.com/feed/ to your Google Reader.