Running for a Cause

In my last blog I wrote about my unplanned path towards employment and sent a wish to the blog-o-sphere for a job.  Well, it turns out that blog wishing works!  I accepted a great position at a community hospital were I will be educating the masses about nutrition and healthy living.  One more hurdle of passing the registered dietitian exam and then I can finally wear my super hero cape and save the world with fruits and vegetables!

I am often asked the question, "why did you choose to go into nutrition?". Well there are many reasons, but the basic to-the-point answer is: I use to be fat.  Not big boned or chubby, but clinically obese.  It can't be too surprising given my love for food..just used to love the wrong foods.  There was a point when I just  got sick of saying I was going to lose weight to be healthy and finally just did it.  I loved learning about food and how our bodies work so much, that I started taking classes..first 1 then 2 and next thing I knew I had a 2nd bachelors, a masters degree in Nutrition and was in a dietetic internship at an amazing hospital.  OK, maybe all that took a really long time since I was working full-time as well, but you get the point.   The total weight loss to date is 80 lbs.  Purely done with healthy eating, exercise and some crazy determination!  I have been able to maintain the weight loss for about 8 years.  How?  By eating healthy and exercising!  Revolutionary, I know.  

My favorite form of exercise, by far, is running.  I love running outdoors year round with no music and no gadgets.  Just me and the freedom that running provides.  I am a morning runner, so I use it to meditate...focusing on breathing, clearing my head and planning my day.   I often say running saved my life because it was my go to exercise during my weight loss as well as my stress reliever when times were tough.  I always feel better after a run. 

Shortly after I started running, I began training for my first 5K, which was the AIDS run /walk that is held in Boston every year.  If I can feel better by running, why not help others by running as well?  Combining running with good causes is really the best thing since someone combined peanut butter and jelly.  I have since run numerous road races where money was donated to a good cause and also fundraised for the penultimate road race, the Boston Marathon, where I raised $3,000+ for the South Boston Neighborhood House.  I selfishly get to do my favorite activity while unselfishly giving to those in need...perfect!  

Which brings me to the long-winded point.  On October 6th I will be running for yet another great charity, The Somerville Homeless Coalition. This is a 5K in Somerville..I have the advantage as I run these streets daily!  Here is the Coalitions story, in their words:

In 1985 the Somerville Homeless Coalition (SHC) was created by the local community’s grassroots response to the social crisis of homelessness. Neighbors, community activists, university students, faith-based leaders, business supporters and city officials united to address the escalating problem of homelessness within Somerville. These collaborative efforts resulted in the opening of the city’s first emergency shelter and the establishment of SHC. Today, SHC transforms lives by providing services, support, resources and housing to well over 600 men, women, and children.  SHC’s emergency response programs include an Adult Shelter, Family Shelter, Food Program & one-on-one Case Management Services. SHC is also an innovator in the realm of “Housing First”. These housing programs involve Homeless Prevention and providing Affordable Housing with home-based Supportive Services to the most at-risk homeless individuals and families in our community.

I have already reached my modest goal of $100, but why stop there!?  My new goal is to double my old one!  So, instead of blog wishing for Mr. Right or a guaranteed passing grade on my board exam, I am wishing for kind souls to donate what they can ($5 is great!) to help me give to SHC, as they give to so many!  

You can donate here: http://www.active.com/donate/somervillehomeless12/lisamancini

Stay Happy and Healthy!

~L

Farmers Market and Life

Every week, as I head to the Farmers Market, I tell myself to buy what I need for the meals I intend to make.  Straightforward and planned out, all I need is a 1 of those and 2 of these and I am out.  However, much like life, it is never goes as planned.  As my internship comes to an end and I have the world of nutrition at my feet, I expected to have tons of interviews and potential employers filling my inbox with offers I cannot refuse.  But even though we live in the fattest country in the world and obesity leads to many preventable chronic diseases, we are also in an economy were hiring is not happening at the rate we would like.  So I send out my resume to every job that is available and wait as my well-crafted cover letter and resume with Brigham and Women's Hospital internship displayed prominently float into cyberspace with the hopes that it will land in the right hands.  I am  great at interviews and a fabulous coworker...get in touch please!

Back to the market.  I enter with a plan and it never pans out.  I want to try everything and I need to buy even more.  I start to form recipes as I picking up the eggplants and zucchinis, wondering what I could do with this kohlrabi, and what new way can I eat Fiori Di Nonno's burrata.  Next thing I know I have leaving the market with my both my bike bags filled with a colorful bounty of local goodness.

Here are some items that caught my eye and made it into tonight's dinner.  If this does not scream vegetable lentil curry, I do not know what does!
Since I had a jammed packed day, the crockpot was essential to making this happen.  I have mentioned in the past...preparing dinner at 7AM is one of my favorite things to do...and I LOVE coming home to the smell of a wonderful aroma of healthy meal.    Here's hoping that my career ends as wonderfully as my random vegetable meal does!  I am going to call this dish Farm's Bounty.  Seems fitting..

Ingredients:
1 small onion
3 cloves garlic
1 inch ginger
1 tbs oil
2 ears of corn
2 tomatoes
2 eggplant (any variety)
2 zucchini (any variety)
2 carrots
1 jalapeño
tofu (optional)
1 cup of lentils
1 cup of barley
4 cups of water
1 tbs curry
1 tsp cinnamon
1tbs garam masala
1tbs tarragon
3-4 fresh basil
1-2 fresh sage
salt and pepper to taste

Sautee the onion, garlic and ginger in a pan with the oil until tender.   You know the crockpot drill, chop up everything and though it in the pot!  Add the onion mixture and all the spices EXCEPT the garam masala.  Add the water and cook on LOW for ~7 hr.  Mix in the garam masala at the very end.

While this cooks, head out and enjoy the day!  Come back to the amazing aroma and a warm bowl of this:

My unplanned purchases at the market lead to a delightful meal.  Let's hope my unplanned journey into an unknown future leads to a delightful job!

Stay Happy and Healthy!

~L

Sunday Funday: Helicopter Flying

About 1 month ago, I put aside my usual frugalness and decided to let online deals dictate some Summer adventures.  Adventure 1: Fly a helicopter.  Until Groupon told me I wanted to do this, I really never gave it much thought. However, once that deal was bought it became my daily obsession.  I could not wait to take flight and have my hand at flying a piece of machinery that I really have no business being anywhere near.

It was suppose to be last Sunday, but the weather became an issue..as my friend said: "you don't mess with mom nature".  So today was the day and it was perfect, albeit very hot, weather!   I hoped in the car and drove myself to Lincoln Ma, home of Hanscom Air force base and East Coast Aero Club to meet my instructor Dave Smith.  We started with a 45-minute ground school course in which Dave had to tell me how to handle all the possible situations that could go wrong...I remember very little of this, but luckily I did not need know it for my short trip.   Basically, he explained how to use all the controls shown below.  You are suppose to be able to maneuver 3 controls at once..I then showed him my wounded elbow and explained I fell simply running yesterday..I don't think I can do 3 things at once. He felt confident I could handle this task..mainly because he never let go of his instructor controls!

These controls do things to make the helicopter fly..

The helicopter was much smaller than I expected and because it was very hot, Dave took the doors off so we could get a nice breeze.  Yes, we flew with no doors!  Side note: I am too trusting of random people who have my life in their hands..

This is a 4 seater! 

After doing the pre-flight checks, we were ready to go!  The engine started and the propellers were propelling..then suddenly, you are just in the air.  Dave described it perfectly..it was like a magic carpet ride!  As we head up and out, Dave gave me time to take some pics before I have a turn at not killing us flying this thing:

Random water in Concord

Boston in the distance! 

I was then told to take control.  I had my turn to hold the helicopter steady, turn, and fly straight on.  I will not lie, I had absolutely no fear until he told me it was my turn to take the controls..I knew he was driving with me, still I was terrified.  To make me feel better, Dave turned the helicopter almost on it's side to show me it is totally OK...I did not feel better!   I just wanted to keep taking pictures, but I was here to fly and fly I would do!  Mind you I believe I was in the air for a totally of 7 minutes, but it felt longer!  I sort of got the hang of things the last 30 seconds, so that was good!  As we were heading back, Dave asked if I wanted to have the engine "die" and we land without it, as explained to me could happen in a worst case scenario, of which I responded: "Let's do it!" (see side note above about trust).   He descended quickly, controlling everything at once..mind boggling to me..and then we landed softly and safely!  Overall, a fantastic adventure!  

No doors!  What?.  

I don't see myself taking this on a regular hobby, but for sure was an amazing way to spend a Sunday afternoon!  I cannot say enough nice things about my instructor Dave or the whole crew over at East Coast Aero.  They are a great group who really enjoy what they do!  If there is another Groupon or if you are less frugal and will pay retail (really?),  I highly recommended heading a few minutes West of the city for very cool once in a life time opportunity!

Came back to Somerville for dinner at 5 Horses Tavern and some Slumbrew Happy Sol..well earned?  I think so!  

Stay Happy and Healthy!

~L