Just Eat! 5 Reasons to Skip Juice Cleanses

Juices, cleanses, detox diets.  They're all the rage right now.  And they were a few years ago, and I'm sure they will be again.  People jump on the bandwagon for all different reasons: to kickstart weight loss, cleanse their bodies of toxins, boost their immune systems.  But are any of the claims valid?  Are they worth the money or effort expended?  I say no!


Detoxes and juice cleanses just simply don't have the science to back up the health claims they make.  Will they help you lose weight? Sure, for a few days.  You're essentially eliminating all fat and a lot of protein from your diet.  As well as a lot of fiber, which holds onto water, therefore you'll drop some water weight too. But it's not effective for weight loss in the long run.  Or much else! 

Yet, it seems like everytime I look at Twitter, Instagram or Facebook, someone is juicing.  And I've gotten a ton of questions lately about what the "best" juice cleanse is.  So I figured I'd weigh in and tell you why my argument is to just EAT REAL FOOD and skip the cleanses:

1. You don't need juice to "cleanse" your system. Guess what?  Your body is BUILT to do this on its own!  Our GI tract, liver and kidneys are all specifically designed to filter out waste products, chemicals and toxins.  More over, juice cleanses eliminate a lot of the fiber found in fruits, vegetables and whole foods, thus reducing the bulk of our stool.  Increased bulk from fiber helps trap "toxins" to be removed through our waste, helping our filtering organs function properly. 

2. There is no substantial evidence that juicing is any healthier than consuming fruits/vegetables in whole form.  As I previously mentioned, you lose some of the fiber and other beneficial properties (antioxidants) that can be found in skin, pulp and seeds.  Fiber helps to slow the absorption of sugars like fructose, so juices can cause a more rapid spike in blood sugar.  This is just one of many reasons juice cleanses are often contraindicated for people with medical conditions, such as diabetes and kidney disease.

3. Why drink when you can eat?  Gulping down a juice is much less satisfying and less filling than biting into and chewing a whole piece of fruit.   Juicing can leave you feeling deprived and craving more.

4. You're missing out on essential nutrients.  I'm not a fan of most any restrictive diet (unless it's medically indiciated as with allergies or Crohn's/Colitis).  Elimating specific foods from your diet creates gaping holes of important macro and micronutrients.  Without adequate protein, your body can actually become more immunocompromised and unable to rebuild.  Eliminating fats decreases absorption of fat-soluble vitamins such as Vitamin A, D, E and K. 

5. Use it or lose it.  This is often said of the brain, but is definitely relevant to our gastrointestinal tract too!  Contrary to popular belief (or claims from cleanse companies), rest does not promote a healthy gut!!!  Providing the gut with adequate nutrients allows the good bacteria to breakdown protein, carbohydrate and fat into the amino acids, simple sugars and fatty acids our bodies can utilize.

But....you've heard great things about juice cleanses! Your friend felt great after doing one!  Your co-worker has never felt more rejuvinated or energetic!  Unfortunately, this is most likely a placebo effect.  And there's nothing wrong with that!  If you feel healthier and better after adding more fruits and vegetables into your diet, by all means add them in!  This R.D. won't stop you!  But I will tell you to include them as part of a balanced diet of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.  

If you still want a liquid treat, choose a blended drink like a smoothie...and go heavier on veggies than fruits.  My go-to?  Combine 1 cup greens, 1/2 cup berries, 1/2 banana, and 1/2 cup Greek yogurt with ice and enjoy! :)

What do you think? Have you done a juice cleanse?  Thinking about starting one?  Shoot me your thoughts, questions or concerns! :)

Try Vegan Challenge Recap

Earlier this month, I posted about the Try Vegan Challenge from Food & Nutrition Magazine, declaring that I would "go vegan" for a week in an effort to show that a completely plant-based diet is not only healthy, animal-friendly and environmentally sustainable...but it can be tasty too!

My goal was to follow a completely vegan diet for 7 days, although the challenge only technically asked for 5 days and allowed room for slip-ups.  Spoiler alert:  I didn't make it 7 days and I cheated on Day 1!

As I mentioned, I normally follow a vegetarian diet and my main meals are plant-based with dairy and eggs complimenting the meals or serving as snacks.  Therefore, I didn't think I'd have too much trouble making the transition from vegetarian to vegan.  It's part of both my personality and my job to be a planner, so I made sure to meal plan and set myself up for success in this challenge.  My main concern during meal planning were snacks.  Some examples of my typical snacks are Greek yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, string cheese and cottage cheese.  None of which are vegan!  So I substituted with things like pita chips & hummus, fresh fruit, sandwich thins & nut butter, and trailmix. 

Rather than post my food logs from the 5 day period, I figured it'd be easier to focus on my struggles and victories with the vegan diet. 

Struggles:
1.  Birthday cake.  I made the mistake of starting this challenge the day after my birthday, when all my coworkers wanted to celebrate with delicious (non-vegan) chocolate ganache cake.  I didn't even make it 24 hours before my first slip-up!



Not-so-vegan birthday cake.



2. I missed my yogurt.  I'm a big fan of Greek yogurt.  I enjoy it on a daily basis and at all times of the day...at breakfast, snack time and even as a subsitute for sour cream in my meals!  It's absence was really noticeable and probably my biggest struggle!

3. Take-out with friends.  One night, I had Southern friends visiting, and they really wanted good ole New York pizza!  This was my second (and only other) slip-up.  Another night was sushi take-out with a girlfriend, and although I didn't have much trouble finding myself a vegan meal, I really wanted salmon or tuna!   And I had to be very careful when it came to ordering/sharing appetizers!  When following any kind of restrictive diet, you have to make sure to ask a lot of questions when dining out or ordering in.  Always check what ingredients are in things like batters, sauces and condiments.

Veggie roll + edamame!

Victories:

1. Focus on real, whole foods.  This is my aim anyway, but cutting out dairy and eggs forced me to be creative and make smart choices to get adequate calories and protein.  A lot of newbie vegans struggle with what to eat and end up eating a lot of processed "meat substitute" products, which negates any effort to consume a healthier diet.  [When in doubt, consult a Registered Dietitian to develop a vegan/vegetarian/flexitarian/whatever meal plan to make sure you're getting adequate nutrients!]

2. Increased intake of fruits, veggies and healthy fats!  Although my meals looked fairly similar each day, I definitely noticed a boost in my normal intake of fresh fruits and vegetables.  My bag of food for work (pictures below) always included things like pears, fresh strawberries, brussels sprouts, carrots and hummus, nut butters and avocado.

 

Overall, this was a very interesting challenge!  Even though I'm a Registered Dietitian and long-time vegetarian, I still was able to learn a lot from the experience.  I obviously have a lot of practice with reading food labels, but this experiment sharpened those skills.  I also had to get creative and develop strategies to overcome obstacles that I'm sure a lot of people face when converting to a vegan diet, which will ultimately make me a better practitioner! 

And on a personal note, I learned I'm not interested in becoming 100% vegan myself! At least not at this time!  :) 

Tell me...are you interested in becoming vegan? Vegetarian? What do you think you'd miss the most?

Try Vegan Challenge

Lindsay (Lean Green Bean) recently wrote a post on why she doesn't label the way she eats.  As a fellow RD and someone who loves food, I totally related to this post.  Everyone is constantly searching for the "best" diet, when in reality, the "best" diet is whatever works for YOU.  It doesn't really matter if you're paleo, carnivore, vegan, gluten free, etc. unless it is in line with your personal goals/beliefs and helps you live a healthy and happy life!

If I had to put a label on my own diet, I'm a "pescetarian".  What does that even mean, you ask?  Well I haven't eaten meat for almost 3 years now.  I occasionally eat seafood and fish.  I eat eggs.  I eat dairy and use butter.  But I loathe having to clarify my diet that way.  Yet vegetarians are always questioned on their intake and their motivations.

"Why do you not eat meat?"  (Why DO you?)
"You're just one person, are you really going to make a difference?" (I hope so!)
"How do you get your protein?" (Let me worry about that!)

One of my vegetarian lunch specialties

When you hear (or see) that someone DOES eat meat, the next step isn't to rapid-fire question them on specifically what types or cuts of meat they eat.  So why do vegetarian-style eaters face this?  For this reason (and a few others) I try not to discuss my own diet all that often.  As a dietitian, you can imagine this is difficult.  But food is such a sensitive and personal subject.  I don't like having to justify my choices and definitely don't want to push my beliefs on anyone else.   I'm in this field because I love food.  And I understand that most other people do too.  I don't care what your "diet" is, I just love helping others enjoy food while living a healthy life.

With all that being said, I do believe meat, seafood and dairy can all fit into a healthy lifestyle.  I believe some choices are better than others when it comes to meat and dairy.  Most importantly, I also firmly believe that it is possible to meet all of your nutritional needs on a diet that eliminates any or all animal products, if you so choose!

The vegan and vegetarian lifestyle is gaining interest and growing in popularity, especially as more information about our food industry becomes available to the public.  Vegan diets promote compassion for animals and are environmentally friendly.

As for me, I'm not sure I'm ready to give up my beloved Greek yogurt or post-run chocolate milk just yet.  But my interest was piqued (who knew it wasn't peaked?) when I read about a "Try Vegan" Challenge in Food & Nutrition Magazine, a publication of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.  The contest itself is only open to Academy members, but I'd like to challenge my readers too!  F&N Magazine is asking nutrition professionals to document their effort in trying a vegan diet for 5 days (with a chance to win a Vitamix!).

Although this challenge is for 5 days, anytime in the month of May, I'm actually going to try to "go vegan" for a full week, starting Tuesday May 7th.  I'll be tweeting and posting about the challenge and I invite you to join me!  Will you TRY VEGAN for 5 (or 7 if you're brave) days?!

TELL ME...Do you put a label on your diet?  Are you interested in adopting a vegan diet? Or do you want to stick to your carnivorous ways?  Feel free to ask me questions and update me if you're giving it a shot!

Happy National Nutrition Month!

Happy March, everyone!  For nutrition nerds like myself, March means it's time to celebrate National Nutrition Month!

The theme of this year's NNM is "Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day", which I love because it perfectly aligns with my philosophy toward "dieting".  I feel that everyone can live a healthy lifestyle and still be able to incorporate their own favorite foods, preferences and traditions.  The most important thing about creating a "diet" or meal plan is to make sure that it works for YOU.  Nutrition is such an individualized science, and what works for your friend/neighbor/co-worker might not be right for you! 

Registered Dietitians are the food and nutrition experts and we complete extensive academic and professional training.  RD's work very hard in a wide variety of settings to provide medical nutrition therapy, nutrition education and promote healthy, happy lifestyles.  For more information on qualifications to become a Registered Dietitian or to learn about what an RD can do for you, check out the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics!

Be sure to stay tuned to PB&P throughout March for upcoming posts with nutrition tips, meal ideas and more! And don't forget to celebrate the R.D. in your life on March 13 (Registered Dietitian Day)! :)

Did you know I'm an RD? And I'm thankful too!

Hey friends.  First, let me apologize for skipping the last TWO weeks of Thankful Thursday.  It's not that I wasn't feeling thankful, but more that I was feeling overwhelmed with working and studying for my R.D. exam.  Now that that's over, I can get back to enjoying my life! Woo!

So let's get down to it.  This week (month?) I'm feeling thankful...

...that I passed my RD exam!!! I've been a Registered Dietitian for 5 whole days and I'm still not over it.  Although I know that I know my stuff, I finally feel like a credible professional. So listen to me darnit! :)

...for my incredible friends! They are so sneaky and surprised me last night with a Wednesday wine party to celebrate my big accomplishment! Since we already celebrated when I got my job, this was totally not necessary...but much appreciated!

...that those friends I mentioned really know how to party.  And by party, I obviously mean play Outburst and Charades.  Isn't that how everyone spends Wednesday nights?  Oh..and there was lots of wine & cheese! Yum.

...that my absolute favorite season is officially here! Fall=apples, cool weather, pumpkins and comfy sweaters.  What could be better?

Apple crisp = love.

...for my beautiful hometown.  I don't know that I appreciated the beauty of the Hudson Valley until I moved away and I love going back to visit! On Sunday, my mom and I had a really nice walk on the Walkway over the Hudson and took in some incredible views!

...for my Foodie Pen Pal package! Check back on Monday for the big reveal! In the meantime, head over to The Lean Green Bean Blog to sign up for October yourself! 

Okay. Now your turn! What are you thankful for? Do you have the best friends in the world? (Hint: you don't...I do.) Are you psyched for fall? TELL ME.

My Road to R.D.

It's official! I'm a Registered Dietitian!!

This past Saturday, I took and passed my R.D. exam! Eight long years after I started out on this career path, I'm finally here.  I'm so thrilled to join the ranks of so many fantastic nutrition professionals that are working to make our world healthier! 

{If you're not sure what type of work R.D.'s do or if you're interested in becoming an R.D. yourself...check out the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics site here.}

Let's take a look back at the long and winding road that has gotten me to this point...

In the fall of 2004, I started working towards a B.S. in Dietetics at the SUNY College at Oneonta.  During my four years there, I made lifelong friends and partied a tad.  Oh, I also took courses in Medical Nutrition Therapy, Foodservice Management, Biochemistry, Community Nutrition and more.  By the time graduation came, I honestly wasn't sure I was going to continue on this path to become a Registered Dietitian.  So I didn't apply to Dietetic Internship programs.  

In the summer of 2008, I began working for Nutrition Energy, a private nutrition practice in Manhattan.  It may sound cheesy but I consider this one of the best things to happen to me in terms of my career path.  I was able to get first-hand experience with nutrition counseling and was introduced to some of the absolute best dietetic professionals out there.  I found myself in awe of the incredible R.D.'s at Nutrition Energy and was reassured of the amazing impact nutrition has on people.   It was my inspiration to finish what I'd started.

I applied to Dietetic Internship programs for 2010 and was not selected.  The internship process is extremely competitive and frustrating.  The DI is a requirement for exam eligibility, and yet so many intelligent and experienced dietetics students get denied every year.  And then have to wait until the following year to apply again.  Which I did.  In the meantime, I went back to school and began working toward my M.S. in Nutrition.  

Finally, in April of 2011 I was matched with the North Shore LIJ Health System DI program.    This intensive 10-month program included rotations in long-term care, community nutrition, foodservice, and a main focus on clinical nutrition in the acute-care setting.  It was ridiculously challenging but I gained so much clinical knowledge...and a few fantastic friends. 

After graduating from the DI in June and successfully landing a job in a long-term care facility, I still had one more hoop to jump through!

I think the R.D. Exam might have been the most frustrating part for me, because I don't really feel that it is an accurate measurement of one's ability to be a good dietitian.  Hopefully that will change in the future.  As for me, I passed and that's all that matters!

So with all of that behind me, I'm officially Kimberly Hoban, RD.  I'm extremely proud of myself for setting a goal, finally achieving it...and doing something I'm passionate about.  In addition to patting myself on the back, I think it's important to thank the people who supported me along the way and made this all possible.  Bear with me as I give my best cheesy "acceptance" speech:

Thank you...

...to my parents and my family.  They have given me so much unconditional love and support over the years and I'll never be able to repay them. Thank you isn't enough.

...to my roommate.   She allowed me to borrow her wardrobe when I was working full-time for free.  She let me vent my endless frustrations over the past 8 years.  She let me and my laptop, internship modules, study-guides and flash cards take over the coffee table for way too long.  She's put up with my studying techniques (a.k.a. walking around the apartment talking to myself about adult diarrhea or the proper temperatures for cooking and storing meat).  Couldn't have done it without her! Thanks, LP.

...to my mentors, preceptors and peers.  The nutrition community is truly amazing and I'm excited to continue being inspired by and learning from these people.  

...to my friends.  I have put a lot of people on the back-burner during this process due to time and money constraints, yet every hoop I jumped through I was met with reassurance, support and love.  Thanks dudes. 

...to my running shoes, hot tea and dark chocolate.  Every girl needs outlets and "me" time.  

...to anyone still reading this post.  Thanks for listening.  It's been a long road and I'm psyched for the rest of my journey ahead.  Let's do this.

Signing off,

Kimberly Hoban, R.D.