I spent the morning moping around and grumpy from feeling lethargic from last night’s alcohol. ‘Round 11 I decided nothing would make me feel better more than a workout, so we rounded up the bikes and set out. That was exactly what the doctor ordered. Not 10 minutes from leaving I felt my first energy of the day. It’s a gorgeous day today too – much less humid than usual and it actually feels like fall!!! At the gym I did an easy 30 minutes of Squirrellipticalling, 10 minutes of weights and headed home.
I was ready for lunch, but we got tied up in a garage cleaning project following by a make-up area organizing project and before I knew it it was 2:00! I quickly showered and set out to put this organized lunch together:
I made a wrap with a slice of Applegate ham, a slice of jalapeno cheese, 3 slices leftover grilled squash, avocado and mustard, all grilled in a pan. It was awesome!!!!!!!!!
I added a straight laced carrot + pickle –
And ate up the last of the gazpacho with some goat cheese on top (which curdled 🙁 )
It was such a happy lunch.
While I was at the gym I read this new SELF article on the Dangers Of Detox Diets. The article says people are now using the word “cleanse” and “detox” in place of food restricting “diets” since diet has such a negative and old fashioned connotation these days. Women in the article say they are criticized for going on a diet but applauded for “getting healthier” by restricting their eating to just raw foods, juices, or supplements. Some of these supposedly healthy practices landed the women in the hospital for nutrient deficiencies and malnutrition over time. It’s very interesting to read that the same old food restriction of the 80s and 90s is masked in jargon of health vocabulary.
Tonight we’re going to a friend’s house for Indian food. Can’t wait to see what she’ll have!
Allison K says
that wrap looks amazing, I LOVE melted cheese.
Lynette says
Being a product of those 80’s and 90’s diets I had thought the same thing after reading about them. Your comments put an interesting perspective on them.
Kristin @ Iowa Girl Eats says
OMG that wrap – there are fewer things as delicious and amazing as melty cheese!!! It felt like Fall here this morning too – it made me smile so wide!! 😀 Have a great rest of your day!
Coley says
Interesting article on detoxing. I too am a dietetics student like yourself, and before I started studying this field I would do a detox diet once a year. The more I learned about nutrition and the body, the more I realized how completely unnecessary these detox diets are. Thanks for sharing, I’ll have to go pick up that magazine and check it out for myself!
Shannon (The Daily Balance) says
splendid lunch! Can’t wait to hear about your Indian dinner!
Maggie says
I have been seeing these kinds of trends (detox, raw) in food blogs A LOT recently and it’s really bothering me. I feel like people use these things to mask disordered eating a lot of the time. I don’t know. It’s a really touchy subject and I wouldn’t want to accuse anyone of being unhealthy… but I honestly don’t approve of them. I think that some of the trends are just orthorexia with a different name. We shouldn’t isolate ourselves SO MUCH from normal eating just because we want to be healthy. I want to be able to enjoy eating out with my family without stressing about what I’m going to eat and where we’re going and whether or not there’s going to be something there that I “can” eat. It’s ridiculous. Part of being healthy is being mentally healthy, and I don’t this this kind of restriction/isolation is beneficial at all. Sorry to get all rambly in this comment but it’s something that’s been on my mind a lot recently. I hope you do another post about it – I’d love to hear your thoughts.
JENNA says
I love wraps like this!! so good!!
kath…um…what do mean your goat cheese curdled on your gazpacho? just curious 😉
Courtney (The Hungry Yogini) says
Looks like a gorgeous lunch!!! Yum! I want that wrap =)
oooh Indian food…my fave. My friend Stacy makes AMAZING Indian food in her rice cooker…it’s wonderful!
Jenn (www.j3nn.net) says
That wrap looks delish!
I’ve seen a LOT of “detox” and cleansing chatter on boards in the past year. Really disheartening. 😕
Jenn
Jenn Eats Nutritiously Now says
I’m so fascinated by diet trends of the 80’s and 90’s. With all the research showing they were harmful/don’t work, it’s sad to hear they may be coming back.
Megan (The Runner's Kitchen) says
I also read that SELF magazine article – very interesting. it seems like “detoxing” is acceptable, but dieting is not. i am also curious about the goat milk curdling? can you explain? thanks!
Vanessa (Last Night's Leftovers) says
Hearing about detoxes makes me want to bang my head against the wall…for many, many reasons. *Sigh*
What a fantastic looking wrap!!!
heather says
I completely agree with Maggie.
It REALLY seems like a lot of people cloak their highly restrictive eating by calling it an ideology that is very important to them.
I’d love to hear your thoughts, Kath!
Hallie (Healthy Twists) says
I think having a workout partner is really helping me because so often lately, I get tired after work and don’t want to work out, but my BF has agreed to help keep me accountable and train me, and of course, after my warm-up, I’m energized and good to go. I need to remember that for when my “trainer” can’t workout with me anymore.
brandi says
what a great sounding wrap!
I read that article, too, and it was really interesting.
Hilary says
I second Maggie! I read the article also and it made me question some of the “diets” that have been floating around lately.
Katharina says
Ooo girl I’m excited to see what your friend will be serving 😀
ChristinB says
I. Love. Indian. Food.
Very jealous over here. 🙂
Katie Davis says
I have been hearing about these so called detox “diets” for awhile now. There are so many women at my gym who talk about them and some of the instructors even endorse these meal replacement shakes and so on. I think it is a much healthier route to learn how to eat real food and enjoy treats in moderation!
Sara says
I read that article too! I can’t believe some of the diets people do.
Gena (Choosing Raw) says
Hilarious, K! — was planning a post on that article this week. As usual, great minds…
Mrs. Myers @ Eat Move Write says
That wrap looks fantastic. I really wish I could eat raw carrots. They’re just terrible to me, but soooo good for you. Enjoy your day, and good point about those detox diets. They really are terrible. Drastic is not the way.
Adventures of Alice says
Interesting about the Detox Dieting–like someone mentioned before, I’d be interested as well to hear your further thoughts on “diets”and “detoxing”
Exercise is definitely my cure for a grumpy Alice! It works everytime = )
Allyson says
I read that article, too, and I love that people are giving up on ‘diets’, but trading it for a detox is just as bad. Hopefully it only takes a few years for that word to develop negative connotations, too.
Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope says
What a perfect lunch Kath!
Wow, I know I’ve heard the use of “detox” and “cleansing” as a means of healthy dieting before, but I guess I didn’t realize how popular it was getting. I definitely don’t agree wtih the concept of these “diets,” and know that there are much better ways to eat and stay healthy!
I have a question about tempeh… I just bought some recently and I was wondering what is the best way to eat it? Can I eat it raw? or is it better to saute or cook it? Also, what does it taste good in?
Thanks! 🙂
Sarah (LovIN My Tummy) says
That wrap looks rather “crackish.” 😉
I hate the labels “diet” and “detox.” I actually posted a bit about this the other day:
http://lovinmytummy.com/2009/06/27/just-checking-in/
What I’m doing currently is working on food combinations and incorporating more raw foods into my diet. This is working for me…I’m not counting calories, I’m eating Hugh Jass portions of healthy fats and I’m getting in a healthier place emotionally, physically and mentally. Call it what you will, but I’m in a really healthy place right now, and I’m owning it.
I’m really interested to hear Gena’s take on the scenario as well.
Rose-Anne says
Thank you for the Self article link, Kath! I’m going to read it on my snack break. I’m also going to thank my lucky stars I have a job where no one gives a hoot how much I weigh. I love to think about food, but it doesn’t pain me the way it does a persistent and frustrated dieter. The saddest thing to me is how much potential all these dieters have and how much we all lose when an obsession with weight becomes the most important thing in a person’s life. Food and weight are important, but life is much bigger than those things.
Emily says
You know, it seems to me, the people that get entangled in these “detox diets” are people who do not need to be eating any less or any healthier. My heart goes out to them because it’s hard to say anything since it is SUCH a sensitive and emotional subject. My birthday prayer yesterday was not only for myself, but that everyone struggling with dieting could find peace with food and their bodies and eat intuitively. AAAAAAMEN! 🙂
Erin says
I totz agree with Maggie. I’ve seen it lots around the blog sphere lately. It’s upsetting.
But on to Indian Food, which is the Best.Thing.Evah. Hopefully there’s copious amounts of naan. Just because.
🙂
Lori says
Indian food!! Can I come? I love Indian food!
rachel nc says
interesting about the detoxes. i have been a bit concerned about those for a while now. i guess i can sorta see the health benefits–or at least the placebo effects, but it seems like a dangerous road to head down, especially if one has a history of an ED. i think that there are a lot of diets going around that really are masked with trendy and seemingly healthy terminology. i guess everything in moderation, but some of the new eating styles seem like poor cover ups for obsessive eating at best.
Brittany says
I read that article as well and it really got me thinking. Can’t wait to hear Gena’s perspective.
Ada says
Your lunch looks great today! I read that article too, and found it very interesting. I can totally see people covering up their eating disorders under the false pretense of “healthy eating” rather than “dieting”
emily says
Kath,
I just got a membership to the YMCA! I am really enjoying the pool but totally intimidated by the weight room. Would you possibly do a photo tutorial of which machines you use and/or any tips? I would really appreciate it.
Emily
leslie says
thanks for linking to that article – it’s very interesting and all too true. i think it’s all tied up in the fact that women are so rarely able to be content with how ourselves – even if we’re at a healthy weight, we still find ways that we could be better. if we exercise, we could exercise more. if we eat healthy, we could eat healthier. it’s one thing to choose eating raw as a way of life and do it in a healthy manner; it’s entirely different to call it a detox and give what is essentially a crash diet a “healthy” name. it just goes to show how much conflicting information and lack of education there is out there about proper nutrition, which is so unfortunate. really interesting topic!
Katharina says
Oh and I brought up this point someone had mentioned to me before about “Detox”
People go on these detox diets to help their bodies.. but why deplete yourself when you should be SUPPORTING it by incorporating a good balance of things to get vital nutrients?
K says
I read that Self article and found it verrrrrrrrry interesting!
Joelle (Chasing Pavements) says
I hate that lethargy associated with drinking.. it may be fun the night before, but sometimes the next morning makes me wonder if it was all worth it.. Your wrap looks pretty yummy btw!
ps. I think those squirelliptical machines are intense!
MarathonVal says
I LOVE Indian food!!! Sounds like you have a great meal ahead of you!
Recipes for Creativity says
That is such a good point about the word used to label the restrictive pattern of eating, whether it’s called a “diet” or a “cleanse”. I definitely see how they are the exact same thing and I always sort of tense up when someone says they’re doing a cleanse.
Katherine says
Totally agree about the detox, diet comments. The Naturopath I am going to now calls his method draining because it isn’t a diet – and nowadays a detox = diet.
If we love our liver and take in the right foods our body can detox itself. It’s like when we go back to eating normal after a weekend of indulgences!
Being happy helps too! And most people I know who detox aren’t happy…because they are restricting…
Faith says
That’s a great article, thanks for sharing.
I love Indian food, so I’m excited to see your dinner eats!
A says
exercise is a great natural detox. people should just eat what they crave and move their bodies ^_^ let’s hear it for sweating out the bad and chewing in the good!
jenna says
Great article, Kath! Thanks for linking! Enjoy your Indian food….sounds yummy 🙂
Rosalie says
detox diets, juice fasts, fruit fasts, whatever you call them… leaves people seriously lacking in protein and fat but supplies a constant dose of carbs (sugar). I can’t imagine the constant cravings and weakness and riritability that would come with the rising and falling blood glucose levels!
Lauren says
I just read that same article and actually wrote a whole post on it here…
http://lauren-saywhatyouneedtosay.blogspot.com/2009/06/hollywood-detox-dietare-they-serious.html
I completely agree with you on this one. Very interesting read.
Kath says
I think you guys know where I stand on the whole detox issue…
Re. Goat Cheese Curdle,
So you know how it’s normally pretty creamy? It curdled on me and kind of broke down from the tomato acidity.
Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope,
You can eat it raw (search for tempeh on KERF and see my PB&J tempeh sandwiches) or you can cook it. If you google it I’m sure you’re find a ton of recipes. Or check MyRecipes.com
Emily ,
I think you hit the nail on the head when you said people who often go on cleansing and detox diets are those that probably eat really healthy anyways. Someone who eats fast food for every meal needs a detox; not a produce-loving vegetarian!
emily ,
I am hoping to someday soon – but it’s hard since Matt is usually at work. But I might have another weight lifting plan coming up soon 🙂
K
Kristine says
I’ve heard many nutritionists on TV say that the “cleanse” diet is crap and our bodies do a good job of naturally cleansing. Thanks for announcing this on your blog. 🙂
lara says
Scary article. I have been pretty disturbed lately about the raw food detox fanatacism that seems to be going around in blog-land and seemingly smart women jumping on this insane ‘detox” bandwagon. I was curious enough to take a peak at a few of the sites run by authors of a popular raw “detox” that has been mentioned many times and didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Total BS and psuedo-science. And potentially downright dangerous.
Laura says
I completely agree with Maggie too. A lot of the detox/raw diet craze that seems to be appearing on my Reader at the moment smacks of disordered eating to me. I’m in recovery from an eating disorder myself and I can actually *hear* a few of the bloggers using the “healthy” reasoning that I used to cover up my obsession and restriction. It’s incredibly mentally damaging. And the fact is, as expected, a number of those same bloggers have commented on here without realising that it’s their blogs that everyone is referring to. I don’t want to sound judgmental, I really don’t, but it’s honestly quite disturbing to me, particularly as I think a lot of young women are reading these blogs and doing as the blogger does. Kudos, Kath, on incorporating some of the current trends – ie the infamous Green Monsters – without losing all sense of proportion.
lara says
@Laura–ditto those points. People with histories of ED (or disordered eating) embarking on these plans just sends off alarms to me. I also used various restrictive plans/detoxes in the name of “health” to hide my ED. Studies have shown that veganism is fast becoming a way for teens to hide ED. Not that all vegans have ED’s of course but it definitely happens.
I am also horrified at how many self appointed “nutrition experts” who dole out actual advice on blogs, websites, even books. One popular detox plan is by a “certified nutritionist” which is a meaningless credential.
Kath–as a budding nutritional professional maybe you can write about the different certifications in the field, what is credible and what is not. I dont’ think people realize that anyone can call themselves a “nutritonist” or what not but that doesn’t mean they have any real training or experience in the area.
Jessie says
I just want to jump in and say that not all “detox”es are created equal. I agree that sometimes they are using these in place of the world diet, however we shouldn’t write something off just because of that word detox. I once read a wonderful book about a total body 1 month detox that included eliminating pesticides, chemicals, artificial sweeteners and the like. It was smart, healthy, and something we should be doing anyway. Look into a “detox” before you decide it’s evil!!!
Maggie says
@Jessie – I wouldn’t call that a “detox”, I would call that a good healthy diet! (And by diet I don’t mean to lose weight, I just mean a way of eating.) I don’t eat any of those things but I don’t consider myself “detoxing”, I just consider myself… eating well.
I really enjoyed reading all the comments here. Good to know I’m not alone 🙂
Jessie says
Maggie~
that’s sort of my point though. The word detox is used to mean a lot of different things. Some detox diets are extremely restricted and horrible, while other plans that use the word “detox” are fantastic and should be followed every day anyway. I just don’t want people to be afraid of the word detox, just be educated and aware of that you are reading about before you judge, you know what I mean?