Packing a lunch can be harder than it sounds. Most people want something that is easy, healthy, and fulfilling that will give them energy for the day.
Here are some steps to take to pack a lunch based on MyPlate. You might find it is easiest to go through these steps once for the whole week or nightly. they can be used for yourself, another adult, or a child. Consider what types of food sound good. The importance of enjoying food can be underestimated. In order to get nourishment from food, we need to eat it…and enjoying food makes us more likely to eat it! Considering what sounds satisfying to you will help with the next steps.
Choose a lean protein. Ex: chicken breast, sliced turkey, taco meat with lean ground beef, fish, beans/legumes, etc.
Choose a whole grain. MyPlate recommendations are to make “half your grains whole” (or more). Ex: brown rice, whole wheat bread (for a sandwich) or roll (as a side), whole grain tortilla, quinoa, whole grain crackers, etc.
Add vegetables and/or fruits. MyPlate recommends half your plate be vegetables and fruits, so don’t shy away from adding more. Fiber in fruits and vegetables help keep you full. If you have leftovers, they can be a great afternoon snack. Ex: steamed broccoli and carrots, roasted cauliflower and sweet potato, raw celery, chopped vegetable salad, tomato soup, whole apple or banana, sliced peaches, grapes, a small 100% fruit juice, etc.
Add dairy. Protein and fat in dairy help keep you full while contributing vitamins and minerals. Ex: sprinkle your meal with cheese, pack a yogurt cup, drink a milk, etc.
Add an exciting flavor booster. Adding a sauce or dressing (such as vinaigrette) can help pull a meal together. Packing a couple pieces of dark chocolate can also the meal more enticing. Bottom line, this is the step to make sure your lunch is enjoyable.
Ask yourself these questions when you are finished and make adjustments if any of the answers are “no”. Will this be enough food to keep me full? Will these foods contribute positively to my energy level? Do I have proper storage and reheating methods for these foods? Does this lunch seem like something I want to eat? Enjoy your lunch with confidence in what you packed!
What a weekend! WARC–Watertown Area Running Club–got together Saturday morning to run the Fargo Half Marathon and Marathon virtually, since the in person event was cancelled due to COVID. We had several in our group who were running their first marathon. Here I am congratulating Jason for finishing his first 26.2 mile run! It was a great day for the weather to help out with this as well. The weather was only the tip of the iceberg. Our run club helped in so many ways to make it a day to remember for these first time marathoners. Let me show you how.
Here Owen, Jason, and Mark are getting ready to start at 5AM. Sally was starting on her own. Owen was running with Jason from start to finish to help get him through! Jill had dropped them off at Hobby Lobby to start, and then met up with the rest of us at City Park, and then headed to Jackson Park where a bunch of us were waiting to start the Half Marathon. After all was said and done, the plan was for everybody to get to City Park to finish.
It goes without saying for those who have done a marathon before, you know what it takes to finish. You also know how much work you have to put into to get ready. If everything goes as planned, you hopefully have a great marathon day. Many things can change that. Weather. Fatigue. Injury. Mark was dealing with this, but made the attempt anyway. This, to me, takes even more guts. It may not always go as planned, but it truly is those challenges in life that makes life meaningful.
Multiple people helped along the course around the lake setting up water/aid stations. Jill’s brother Dan, Tom, Missy, Jill, and here is the station set up by Cassandra and her kids, and they helped set up at several spots. It is because of this that the rest of us could keep going, and not have to haul water/energy drinks etc, to get through. Words cannot express how much this helps out, and was greatly appreciated by all of us!
When a bunch of us got done running the Half Marathon, we took off on our bikes to go ride and encourage Jason and Owen to the finish line for the last 3 miles. We cheered, hauled water, and helped push them in. That is what WARC does. That is what friends do…
Sally finished, with Jill riding along side her for about the last mile. She was determined to run this on her own. It was a time for her to think, and focus on her goal. She did great. Her husband Mark had to stop at mile 19, and had to quit running at 15, walking those last 4. His knee was bugging him too much to keep going. This was his second marathon, so he at least knew what it was like to do one. The frustrating part was doing all this work, to come to the final moment and be hurt. Like I said earlier, it takes a lot of guts to run a marathon, and even more to keep attempting when you are hurt. Kudos to you Mark for trying! You still ran more than the rest of us running the Half Marathon. There will be other days to do again, I have no doubt!
Here is a picture of those of us who did the Half Marathon:
And one of all of us who ran, with the finish line ribbon provided by Jill! (And a special shout out to Jill for helping with the organization of this day/event!)
A Half Marathon, and especially a Full Marathon, can humble you very quickly. How much determination do you have? Will your body tolerate it all? More so yet, will your mind allow you to tolerate it? Many factors are involved with completing one of these, but believe me, it is always easier when you have your friends there to support you!
The day may have been significant in that several in our run group finished their first marathon, but that is not what made the day. Working together, supporting each other, running with each other, listening to each other…just being there for each other, is what it is all about. That is what makes memories. We all have good days, and bad days when it comes to running, and you don’t know how everything is going to line up for that particular day. But the support from that day, and all of the training runs together leading up to this, are what make it special. Erika and Paula could not make it this day, but there were there in spirit, and following along, and cheering from afar. Next up, Jenn will be doing the Brookings marathon, her first, and several of the rest of us are on a team, running along side here the whole way to help get her in. Time for the finish is not what is important. It is the time spent together that is important!
WARC—Watertown Area Running Club—this is what we are about. Join us sometime. If you like to run, you will fit in. Your time for how fast you can run is not important. Be WARC Strong! Keep moving everybody!
Here is a picture of our run group that was taken a few weeks ago. In here are 4 people who are getting ready to complete a marathon in the next several weeks. 3 of them will be doing their first one. For those of you who have done a marathon before, you know what it takes to get ready. If you have never done one, it can be one of the most challenging things you could do in your life. You spend anywhere from 4-6 months getting ready, and this is if you run on a regular basis. Jennifer West is in the back ground, and she rode here bike that Sunday because she had a long run the day before. Many of us have been helping her get ready. Yesterday was a great example of how things can get done, with a little help from your friends. Several ran/rode bike with her to complete her 19 mile run. Many of us had different segments, so that by the time all was said and done, somebody was with her from start to finish. On the last 3 mile loop, Jenn, Erika, and I were talking about the mental stamina is takes to complete a marathon. We have to be prepared just as much mentally as we do physically. In many respects, the mental aspect of it is much more difficult, in my opinion. All this self doubt comes in, and you start thinking you can’t do this anymore, that you are not ready. Maybe I should have put in more long runs? Maybe I should have worked harder? Maybe…maybe…maybe…You need to overcome this self doubt, and start believing in yourself!
Believe in yourself…Be You! You put the work in. Stay positive. Stay focused. As our previous high school cross country coach here in Watertown said many times: Distance running is 90% mental, and the other 10% is in your head! How true! So that is where our Watertown Area Running Club (WARC) comes into play. We help each other reach our own individual goals. We work as a team, so that each of us can do our best individually! Here are some pictures from both yesterday, and the previous week, working with Jenn on Saturday mornings!
The biggest thing we have to do is believe in ourselves, and to not be afraid!
Our minds our in control, and if we can do this, our bodies can do amazing things! That does not mean our bodies don’t have to work hard, and that we may have to endure some aches and pains at times. But, that too is where your friends come in handy!
Erika was using a hand massager on Jenn’s back during the time meeting back at the Wellness center for water, and where I joined up, as others were completing their portion of running help. If we want to achieve something important to us, we have to be willing to work at it. If we don’t have to work for it, then it does not have as much significance to us. We have to believe in ourselves!
This does not mean we can’t, or shouldn’t, have help along the way. That goes for anything. Everybody needs help at one time or another, with anything. If help is offered, take it. If help is needed, give it! Overcome our self doubt, and keep going. Here is one mantra that is worth reading over and over again. This is for anybody, working at something, regardless of what it is.
Repeat! Repeat! Repeat! This not only works for marathon training, but life training! Never give up! Learn from our mistakes. Overcome our self doubts. Trust yourself, and your abilities. Then you will…
Making your own dressing can be a cost-effective way to add flavor to salads, sandwiches, or other dishes. Oftentimes, we have pantry ingredients on hand to make our own dressing and don’t need to purchase one. Homemade dressings can be made to meet your taste preferences and are often healthier than store-bought alternatives.
To make your own dressing, follow this simple framework. • 3-4 parts oil or fat, approximately • 1-part acid, approximately • seasonings to taste Examples of oil or fat include olive oil, avocado oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil, sesame oil, Greek yogurt, sour cream, mayonnaise, and more.
Examples of acid include balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, white distilled vinegar, rice vinegar, white or red wine vinegar, citrus (orange, lemon, lime) juice, and more.
Examples of seasonings include any fresh or dried herb or spice, mustard, Dijon mustard, jelly/jam, peanut butter, cheese, minced garlic, minced onion, pureed fresh fruit, and anything else that sounds appealing.
Choose any examples from the list above to combine as a dressing. Getting creative can be a fun way to “dress-up” many meals!
Dijon Dressing (This recipe works great as a vegetable dip): 4 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt, 1 Tbsp distilled white vinegar, 1-2 Tbsp Dijon mustard (based on preference for strong dijon flavor), Optional: pepper to taste
-Anna Barr, SDSU Dietetic Intern
**Fall STRIVE 2 Survive starts September 8th!! Contact us to reserve your spot today!! Space is limited to allow for social distancing!
As summer draws to a close, so does the season for fresh berries like strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and mulberries, but you don’t have to stop enjoying them. Among the great taste of berries are nutritious reasons to keep them in your diet. Berries are high in the following: Antioxidants- protect against chronic illnesses like heart disease. Fiber-regulate blood sugar and bowel health. Vitamins and minerals (also called micronutrients)-contribute to overall health and well-being.
The simplest, most nutrient retentive way to preserve berries is to freeze them. Remove any stems or leaves. Wash the berries in a colander and let them air dry or pat with a towel.
Optional: Cut berries to your desired size. Place in freezer bags of your desired size and store in the freezer.
Note: if you think the berries might freeze together, quick freeze them before adding to the bag by freezing them in a single layer on a pan and then placing them in a freezer bag when they are frozen as single units.
-Anna Barr, SDSU Dietetic Intern
**Fall STRIVE 2 Survive starts September 8th. Contact us today to reserve your spot! Space is limited due to COVID19 social distancing.
Our original WARC (Watertown Area Run Club) picture! Carefree…just a bunch of people getting together because we like to run. This week has brought up many of those times over the years that reminded meof the fun involved with this. We need to remember to learn to have fun with our activities/exercise now more than ever. I will start first with our Wednesday evening run club gathering. My daughter Megan and I were having fun at the Zoo where they put up some caution tape. It was not there when we started, and 40 minutes later, it was up. So, we pretended we were racing and getting ready to cross the finish line .
We even did another where Megan was pretending to fall, or at least look like I tripped her! (interpret for yourself!)
Saturday brought a few different things. Sarah and Erika were helping Jenn run and train for her upcoming marathon. Jill was riding the bike along side.
Patricia and Paula were in Castlewood competing in a 5k run. They were working, and running together.
But when we run together, we have fun together. We cheer each other on, keep pushing each other to the finish. We can talk, laugh, joke…today was talking about “Pizza lady” at the lake a week ago ( I will leave it at this for now…you had to run with us to hear the inside story on this one!). It is not about exercise. It is about spending time together, supporting each other, spending time with friends, who just happen to like exercising/running!
We are learning from each other all of the time. Here are a few more pictures of us in the past, where we are posing and goofing around taking pictures after we get done running.
Whether we all just “died” on the run, or practicing “snow ballet”, we have fun! Some of the best parts of the week are running with my friends. Carefree, laughing, and forgetting about all of life’s other issues at the time. And best of all, making memories!
So get out there and move, and have fun! Join us anytime for run club. Watertown also has a walk club as well. Get somebody to walk or work out with you, and if you can’t, then take the scenic route out on the bike trail by the lake and walk and take in all of the beauty! Just remember to keep having fun! Keep moving everybody!
