You Won't Believe What I Ate Last Night

What's so bad about fast food anyway? How much is too much? Is any amount okay? In this episode Kate and Rick talk to Lifestyle Nutritionist and author Vicki Shanta Retelny about fast food and how to indulge in it mindfully (if you choose to).  Vicki offers great advice about quality calories vs. empty calories, maintaining flexibility in your eating habits, and the ripple effect of how what you eat affects the people in your life.

Rick and Kate process their interview with wellness educator, chef, and consultant Amanda Skrip about how to eat healthily as a vegetarian and using mostly plant-based foods. Also, find out what healthy ideas Rick has been hiding from Kate for the past two years, and why you should be careful if you drink a margarita in the sun!

Rick and Kate interview wellness educator, chef, and consultant Amanda Skrip about how to eat healthily as a vegetarian and using mostly plant-based foods. As a chef trained in supportive dietary techniques and holistic nutrition education, Amanda offers sound advice about two of the strongest addictions: caffeine and sugar; the importance of learning how to cook if you’re on a specialized diet; listening to your body for what you’re really craving, and more. Also, learn Amanda’s bonus tip on the one thing you should immediately add to your medicine cabinet!

This week it’s all about salt! Everyone has it, everyone needs it, but what don’t you know about it? In this episode Kate and Rick talk about salt's history, its relationship to our body, and its effect on our food. Their "producer" Djaniss (Janice is having a midlife crisis) pops in with a quiz about salt.

What would a caveman eat? This is the question Kate and Rick consider while discussing The Paleo Diet. What is it? Should you do it? Did the Cavemen actually do it?  Based on how our Paleolithic ancestors ate 2.5 million to 10,000 years ago, it is heavy on protein and devoid of grains, and it proposes to make you leaner, stronger and healthier. From what to eat and what not to eat, Rick and Kate have it covered, including the important questions: Is any diet that eliminates whole food groups a good idea? Is the Paleo Diet sustainable? And why the hell did Rick ever eat at a restaurant called Mr. Steak?

When you lead a busy life, having easy, go-to recipes in your repertoire helps you stay healthy and sane. From veggie quinoa burgers, to root vegetable soup, to beef stew, Rick and Kate share a few of their favorites and explain the tricks to making them awesome. Also, you won’t believe how much Americans spend on eating out every year!

Kate and Rick take you on a tour of the Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia, Pa. From a mouthwatering grilled cheese sandwich shop, to a specialized condiment stand, to an exotic mushroom stall, they interview some of the people behind what is considered one of the greatest public, non-profit markets in America. The market dates back to 1693 and houses mostly small, local, and family owned businesses; today it is housed in a building originally purchased by the Reading Railroad Company in 1890. And they couldn't leave Philly without making a trip to find the best Cheesesteak in town! Check out their website for details about the market and purveyors.

What would the beginning of the New Year be without talking about your fitness goals?  Well, Rick and Kate refuse to be left out of the conversation. They cover popular fitness fads from Jane Fonda’s work-out to the Shake Weight. They do their best to discuss the differences between exercising for weight loss vs. overall health, but find little clarity. They share their thoughts on their personal exercise ideas for 2017 (one of them will be watching a lot more TV), along with some exercise trends for 2017.

What do you do when other people’s energy invades your space? How do you protect your own vibe? Have you cultivated the habit of negative or positive thinking? In this episode Kate and Rick talk about specific ways that other people’s energy can affect you. They cover how to protect your own energy, and how to manage the energy you receive from other people including the annoying woman behind you in line at the bank. They end with a simple exercise to protect your personal space as you go through the world.

In this episode, Kate & Rick share their wealth of holiday snacking experience, including what not to do along with some ideas about what actually to do. We include some great statistics on holiday eating and funny tips from what people with a PhD think we should be doing differently. Oh, there might also be a Dance-Off! We are taking a break for the holidays and re-running our very first episode. Hope you have great holiday season and we will see you in the New Year.

Do you eat more or less when you’re with friends? How do your friends make your life better? Kate and Rick talk about the health benefits of friendship, as well as potential negatives in the form of food pushers. We also make a True Confession about our disastrous eating on a recent weekend with friends. Do as we say, not as we do, people!

Well, the good news is, Rick has been so stressed he has lost 6 lbs this week. The bad news is, well, we're pretty sure that goes without saying. Join us as we process this horrific - we mean historic - moment in time. And be sure to listen all the way to the end for an Easter Egg.  

Rick and Kate geek out about the Netflix documentary Chef's Table, which showcases renowned chefs who exemplify creativity, artistic expression, dedicated hard work, respect for nature, and respect for ourselves and our community through our work. We riff on the concepts these episodes bring up, from sustainable farming, to breeding produce for flavor rather than shelf-life, to how ego relates to work and success, to generosity of spirit in our work and life. In this episode, join us as we are inspired by the lives and work of Dan Barber, Francis Mallmann, and Niki Nakayama.

Do you over-order in restaurants? Do you refuse to order French fries and then eat all the fries from your dinner companion’s plate? Dining out and trying to be healthy can be a challenge, and in this episode Kate and Rick discuss strategies for enjoying a night out without needing to wear sweatpants the next day. And do you know what goes on behind the scenes in restaurants? Rick blows Kate's mind with information from Saru Jayaraman’s book "Behind the Kitchen Door"—a must-read for anyone who wants to dine out consciously. Also, a listener calls in to describe an English picnic, etiquette tips from Kate's Mom, and find out what Rick and Kate's favorite restaurant in Boulder is (spoiler alert: it's Riffs)!

(S1 E19) You know it's not good when you wake up in the morning and you're still full from last night's snack. In this episode Kate and Rick talk about good and bad late night snacks, and tips for not snacking at all. They also discuss physical versus emotional cravings, and ask you to think about what you are really hungry for.  

(S1 E18) What’s the secret for maintaining weight loss? Hell if we know. Did you know that only one in a hundred obese people get and stay thin? Kate and Rick talk about weight maintenance, the data behind it, and their vast experience of what has and has not worked for them. They also remember some of the greatest weight loss slogans of all time, and tell you about the new technology that can actually remove food you have just eaten from your stomach.

(S1 E17) See what happens when Kate goes to a conference for five days, misses the news cycles, and Rick updates her on what's been going on.

(S1 E16) Kate and Rick talk about surprising things you can freeze (did you know you can freeze avocado?!), how to prep for success by freezing certain meals ahead, and pantry and freezer essentials to keep on hand for healthy eating. You will also learn some of the many things Kate's Mom insists on in the kitchen!

(S1 E15) From sleep to anxiety to mood to blood pressure, stress affects it all. Rick and Kate talk about the causes and effects of stress, and why reducing stress is one of the most important things we can do to manage our weight. They offer sound ideas on what you can start doing differently tomorrow.

(S1 E14) Things are really crazy in the world right now. Kate and Rick discuss this with a focus on finding more peace and comfort, using thoughts from Pema Chodron's book "When Things Fall Apart" as a guide.