Are you caught in the “Try Trap?”

No, it wasn’t a misspelling, as this is not going to be an article about a carnivorous plant like the Venus Fly Trap. Instead, I am going to welcome you to a new series I’m beginning called the “Try Trap!” At one time of another, we all find ourselves in this trap… We “mean” well, we really “want” to do what we “should” – and many of us are even past the excuses that have held us back in the past (remember my excuse-itarian articles?), but we just aren’t getting the results we had hoped. Would it be possible that we are “trying” a bit too much?

When my Nutrition students at Cosumnes River College complete their diet study projects and write action items that begin with the word “try”… I cross it out and ask for specific, measurable actions. The “try” in “I will try to eat more fruit” can actually be holding them back. “I’ll try” is a seemingly safe place to hang out and “hope” that things improve, but is likely part of the reason why their/your quality of life hasn’t reached the next level (in any area with room for improvement).

Imagine what will happen if we put “try” in its place, reserved “try” for tasting something new (I will try a slice of that starfruit), and shifted our mindset from “try” to “I’m in”. This move will enable us to take ownership, stop wasting time and energy considering all of the reasons why it might not work, and move the focus to “how to make this happen.” Once you are moving forward in a committed fashion, opportunities and possibilities will appear “out of the blue” and you can make adjustments as you learn what works best for you and what doesn’t. When you discover yet again that the fresh raspberries you splurged for molded in the refrigerator, you start buying a few different brands of frozen berries to find one you like best. It is much easier to re-position when you are moving – ever tried to steer a parked car?!

Do this thought experiment with me… Where can you turn a “try” into an “I’m in”? Think about something that when you do it, you get a little spark of energy and move toward becoming the best version of you. Trade in the idea of “trying to eat better” for the decision to improve the quality of the food you chose for yourself.

While you can decide to add any nutrient-rich whole foods: veggies, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains or fruit, fruit is a great place to start, as the warm weather offers us so many choices this time of year! “I will try to eat more fruit during the day” can become “I will include at least 2 different types of fruit with lunch.” Even better, set the new standard, “My lunch meals include 2 different types of fruit.”

Have FUN and personalize it! You can add at least 2 fresh fruits to any part of your day (morning, mid-day, with dinner or as a swap for a “dessert” high in fat and/or processed sugar. ) If you already include fresh fruit each day, change it up! Been on a watermelon kick lately? Keep enjoying it (esp. the white part of the rind, packed with phytonutrients), while also savoring some toasted, sprouted bread with a thin layer of nut butter, topped with brilliantly colored berries (or add those berries to your oats or chia pudding). Add crisp nectarines slices from farmer’s market to the “toast party” or enjoy them on their own and dusted with cinnamon or my Chai Spice Blend. Dice up some melon – (e.g. honeydew, cantaloupe, ambrosia, galia), along with a few kiwis and squeeze of fresh lime. Go on a taste testing adventure at the farmers’ market this week and select two new fruits to include in fruit salad. Rinse some grapes and pop them into the freezer (in a bag, scattered on a tray or threaded on a skewer) for a fun swap for the heavy ice cream manufactured sicky-sweet enough to counteract the layer of fat that coats your taste buds and the cold’s numbing effect on them (no wonder we can end up with a headache or stomachache afterward).

I am here to stretch you, so I also want you to think outside the “fruit box”… and enjoy more of the fruits commonly mistaken for vegetables, including the wonderfully hydrating cucumber! Enjoy each crisp bite of this delicious combination, knowing that you are treating yourself well, from the inside out! Cucumbers and onions both contain unique phytonutrient compounds including fisetin which can act as an antioxidant, support the work of other antioxidants in your cells, reduce inflammation and has been studied for its anti-cancer properties and ability to reduce the impact of age-related neurological diseases on the brain. Be sure to enjoy some strawberries with your meal, too, as they are known for having the highest levels of fisetin.

Crisp Cucumber & Red Onion Salad

This is a super simple recipe that will be a refreshing accompaniment to your lunch or dinner. It will just take a few minutes to put together and can be enjoyed throughout the week!

Ingredients
2 cucumbers*
1 small red/purple onion
2-3 limes, zest from one and ~1/4 cup of lime juice
1-2 TBSP Coconut Aminos*
2 tsp rice vinegar, natural (not seasoned*)
2-3 tsp sesame seeds, black or white
Dash of black pepper

Garnish – Peanuts, chopped small (optional), fresh mint (optional)

Procedure
Thinly slice the cucumber and red onion, and combine in a bowl or large zip-top freezer bag with the remainder of ingredients. Taste for flavor, adding more vinegar, lime juice or coconut aminos as needed. Serve it right away, or let it marinate for several hours. Garnish with fresh mint, chopped peanuts and more sesame seeds, if desired.

The Nutrition Professor’s Shop Smart, Prep Smart, Cook Smart, Eat Smart Tips:

* I prefer the long organic English variety of cucumber, though any cucumber will work for this dish.

* While reduced sodium soy sauce can be substituted for coconut aminos, I think that it is worth tracking down this ingredient made from the coconut blossom nectar from coconut palms, as it can contain ~70% less sodium than soy sauce. Not only does it have a pleasantly sweet flavor, it is also a great option for those with an allergy to soy or gluten. Coconut aminos only contains coconut sap, that has been fermented, and sea salt. It has also become much more widely available. In addition to Coconut Secrets, the brand I first tried, Trader Joe’s now sells one under their brand name. Both provide ~1 g of sugar (no added sugar) and ~90-100 mg of sodium per tsp. (For reference, soy sauce contains >300 mg of sodium per tsp!)

* Always purchase rice vinegar marked “natural” on the label, as “seasoned” rice vinegar has salt and sugar added to it.

Timaree Hagenburger, a plant-based registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN), certified exercise physiologist with a master’s degree in public health, has over 20 years of experience as a nutrition professor. She is a sought after speaker, media personality and author, who works with private clients, and in corporate wellness, has contributed to several cookbooks and published her own cookbook, The Foodie Bar Way: One Meal, Lots of Options, Everyone’s Happy (www.foodiebars.com)! Timaree is also the founder of an incredible online membership community, The Foodie Bar Way of Life, that makes loving the food (and living a life) that loves us back… simple, satisfying, sustainable AND FUN! You can contact her about working with her through 1:1 dietitian nutrition coaching, for hands-on cooking instruction and to inquire about arranging a speaking engagement.