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Saturday, November 7, 2009

Tell that little voice to "shut up"!

Some great advice my dad has been giving me since I was young was "any time you think that you can't do something, and anytime you get tired and you feel like you want to quit, and that little voice inside your head is telling you to give up, GET MAD! You tell that little voice to 'shut the hell up' and you keep going!" Great advice. And it really is that simple. I don't know why I can't seem to push myself to do what he says. Every morning there is a voice in my head telling me to stay underneath my covers. That is the same little voice that tells me it's ok to stay up until 2 am when I have class the whole next day. I need to learn to tell this voice to shut up.

My dad was telling me about how he was in the army and he was made to run alllll the time. He said the little voice used to get to him and make him want to quit, but after awhile he started to push it in the back of his mind, he told it to shut up, and he just went for it. He said to me, "I thought to myself: I'm not dead, I'm not hurt and bleeding, I can still run, so I told that little voice to shut up and I ran! And one day someone said to me, 'Ray, you just ran 10 miles'. I ran 10 MILES. And I could keep going. I went on to join a club for frequent runners and I logged 250 miles." That's what my dad did when he told the voice to shut up. What's my excuse? I'm too lazy to get out of bed in the morning. I'm too busy to take 30 minutes from my schedule to take a walk and get some exercise. I can skip this class, 1 wont hurt (which turns into skipping a week).

So I have decided it's time to tell my little voice to SHUT UP! What is really holding me back? I'm a student, going to class and studying is my JOB. I wont be in school forever. If I can get my homework done during the week then I will have the whole weekend to lay around watching The Office reruns.

Does anyone else feel like this? Tomorrow I will spend all day working and getting homework done, next week the little voice will be saying 'toodaloo' because it's time to grow up and live up to what I know in my heart I am capable of.

Who's with me?

Stay tuned!

New Year's Resolutions

Hi again everyone!

So as you all know, New Years Eve is coming up next month already! Time flies! I remember last year thinking how I was going to start all over on January 1st and accomplish so much. I really don't think that I came through with anything that I promised myself, but hey, it's going to be a new year!

Some things just need to be thought about, which is why I'm doing this at the beginning of November!

One thing I know for sure that is going to be my New Year's Resolution:

- Flossing DAILY! Flossing is so good for your teeth and with those floss stick things with the floss already built in, it's a snap! This was my resolution last year as well and I made it a good 6 months before I started forgetting to floss.

- Keep both dentists apts! Every 6 months!

- Lose weight!!!!!! This is a big one! I've been telling myself I need to lose weight for YEARS now. I managed to lose about 20 lbs in 2009 which I'm very thankful for. But I really need to and not (just) for vanity's sake, but because my health depends on it.

- Study more. Now this I think I did a good job of this year but I could always do more. Especially in history.

I'm sure by the time New Year's Eve gets here I will have 10 more ha, but tell me, what kind of resolutions are you thinking of?

Until next time!
XOXO

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Product Review

Hi everyone, just wanted to post a review of a product that I recently purchased.

It's shower gel by a company called "Say Yes to Carrots". I mean c'mon, I own and love bunnies, I just had to try this product. I bought it from Target for a bit pricy $8 but it's a rather big bottle and I figured it was worth a try.

The product so far is pretty good! It has a nice clean smell to it and it leaves your skin feeling very nice. Since I live in Michigan and it's practically winter already (*sigh*), 'tis the season for uncomfortable dry skin. I felt that this product was hydrating and smooth. If anyone is interested, I will do another review later after I have used a bit more, just to let you know if I still like it because sometimes I fall out of love with products.

The website for the product is here if you are interested. They have a whole line of cool stuff and it's all made with natural ingredients, including carrots! Guaranteed not to turn you orange :)

I hope someone gives this product a try. They also sell lip balm, lotion and a few other things at Target.

Stay Tuned!

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

What is Fat?


What IS fat exactly? Why is it bad for you? Does it have any benefits at all? Let's find out!


Now before I begin, I am writing this to educate, not to scare. I wrote this blog to help my readers make good decisions about things that they buy, not to freak anyone out. I am also not a dietitian, a certified nutritionist, or a medical professional. I got all my wisdom from classes I took at the University and from the internet. With that said, ONWARD!


Fat is known in two forms: Fats and Oils


Fats are fats that are solid at room temperature. They usually come from animals, for example: lard, fish oil and butter.


Oils are fats that are liquid at room temperature. They usually come from plants and some examples are soy beans, sunflowers, sesame, coconut, olive and vegetable oils. Oils are typically extracted from the seed of the plant and are usually used as shortening, texture, flavor and flavor bases. Oils can also be "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated", which is when things start to get bad.


But I hear you saying over there, Pucciola, just get to the good stuff: what is good for me and what is bad?


THE GOOD FATS:


:::Monounsaturated Fats (MUF's)::: 


Nuts:
- Peanuts
- Walnuts
- Almonds
- Pistachios


Certain Oils
-  Canola Oil
- Olive Oil


Avocado (A personal favorite)


These fats lower overall cholesterol, especially LDL cholesterol (the bad stuff!) but at the same time, raises your HDL cholesterol (the good stuff!). It's a win win situation. Eat more of these things, they help big time in losing body fat. 


:::Polyunsaturated fats (PUF's):::




Seafood
- Salmon
- Fish oil


Corn


Soy


Safflower and Sunflower Oils


Polyunsaturated fats lower LDL cholesterol (theres that bad stuff again!). Omega 3 fatty acids also belong to this group, which you can (and I do!) supplement with Fish Oil pills, which lowers inflammation and promotes cardiovascular health. 


Now, are you ready for the not-so-good stuff?


THE BAD FATS:


:::Saturated Fats:::


Saturated fats are mainly found in animal fats:
- Meat
- Dairy
- Eggs
- Seafood


But there are also some plants guilty of containing these fats as well:
- Coconut Oil 
- Palm Oil
- Palm Kernel Oil


Saturated fats raise cholesterol, including the bad stuff (I bet you knew already that it's called LDL!) 


:::Trans Fats:::


Now, recall when I talked about "hydrogenated" oils and things of the like? Here's where they come in. 


Scientists took perfectly good oils and "hydrogenated" them so that they would hold up better during the processing procedure and last longer on the shelf. Trans Fatty Acids are formed from this process. 

Where can I find these fats, you ask? 


- In many commercially processed foods 
- Commercially fried foods (*ahem* McDonalds French Fries :P) 
- Packaged snacks
- Microwave popcorn
- Vegetable shortening
- Hard, stick margarine 



But how can we avoid these? It's not realistic to think that you will never need to buy a can of spaghetti-o's for your children, or resist buying that popcorn from the movie theater, but here are some tips that you can try to limit your intake or Trans Fatty Acids.


- Avoid using oils that are high in saturated and trans fats. Use heart healthy Olive, Canola, and Flaxseed Oil instead!
- If you must use packaged foods, try to find things which labels read "no trans-fats".
- Use leaner meats and low fat dairy products to avoid that unwanted saturated fats. 

This is the end of my spiel. I hope everyone learned a little something. This is the first of my upcoming blogs about health! Please leave comments and questions!!


Stay Tuned!
XOXOX

Comments Overboard!

Hi ladies and gentleman, it has come to my attention that for some reason my readers were not able to comment on my blog! I have (hopefully) fixed the problem, so feel free to start commenting!

Stay tuned for some interesting facts about weight, the body, and that technical stuff that is so confusing ;)

XOXO

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Recipe of the Week #1!

My first ever recipe of the week is Terrific Teriyaki Burgers. This is a contest winning, healthy burger recipe that I found online, and it is so amazingly good. This burger has an asian flair to it, but instead of using high-fat marinades and dressings, it uses ingredients found in an Asian kitchen such as green onion and ginger. I  really like it and I hope that you will too! Please feel free to leave a comment and tell me what you think! Love, hate, a picture, anything!


Here is the original recipe that I found online and below it I will put anything that I changed.


Terrific Teriyaki Burgers:
SAUCE:

  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened crushed pineapple
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh gingerroot
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
  • BURGERS:
  • 1 egg white, lightly beaten
  • 1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened crushed pineapple
  • 3/4 pound ground beef
  • 3/4 pound lean ground turkey
  • 6 slices unsweetened pineapple
  • 6 hamburger buns, split and toasted
  • 6 lettuce leaves
  • 6 slices tomato



  • In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, pineapple, ginger, garlic and sesame oil; set aside.
  • In a large bowl, combine the egg white, bread crumbs, onions, crushed pineapple and 3 tablespoons reserved ketchup mixture. Crumble beef and turkey over mixture and mix well. Shape into six burgers.
  • Coat grill rack with cooking spray before starting the grill. Grill burgers, covered, over medium heat for 5-7 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 165° and juices run clear, brushing occasionally with remaining ketchup mixture.
  • Grill pineapple slices for 2-3 minutes on each side or until heated through. Serve burgers and pineapple on buns with lettuce and tomato. Yield: 6 servings.


Nutrition Facts: 1 burger equals 386 calories, 12 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 79 mg cholesterol, 677 mg sodium, 41 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 27 g protein. 


Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 2 starch, 1/2 fruit.


That is the original, now here is what I did:


I replaced the ground turkey with ground beef and made it an all beef burger. The reason is because on the website I found it from, a lot of people were saying that the burger was falling apart while they cooked. Using all beef eliminated the problem, so find the leanest ground hamburger meat that you can and use that if you'd like. Also, since I live in an apt that doesn't allow us to use grills, I made my burgers on the stove top. This recipe made 9 medium sized burgers for me, not the 6 that it says in the recipe, but that all depends on how thick you want your burgers. Depending on this thickness, fry your burgers in a non-stick pan (or with some oil) for 3-5 minutes on each side (again, depends on the thickness, keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn). I am the Queen of Burning Things. I really should have a crown. These burgers, I can tell you, still taste good with a bit of a char :P I also used normal soy sauce, not reduced sodium, because I bought the wrong kind. Still tastes amazing! Powdered ginger and garlic can be substituted but the fresher the ingredient, the better.


Happy Cooking! Please leave any suggestions for types of food that you would like to see. Stay Tuned!
XOXO







Happy Birthday, Viola!

Today is my bunny's birthday! Her name is Viola and she is turning one year old. Pucci is my other bunny and he just had his birthday on October 8th. 2 bunny birthdays right in a row! I didn't get either of them anything just because I'm pretty short on cash at the moment... but they will be getting some pretty fun stuff for Christmas!



Viola is the Chocolate Dutch in the front and Pucci is a Holland Lop snuggling up to her in the back. Pucci just turned 2 years old. They are very much in love, they are best friends for life. 





They have got to be THE most spoiled rabbits of all time. I mean just take a peek at the condo my bf and I built for them. They even have their own carpet! The blur at the bottom of the pic is Pucci, he was super excited and running all over when I took this pic. 




Does anyone else have bunnies or other animals??




Viola and Pucci will see you soon! 
XOXO!

Monday, November 2, 2009

Sale!

Hey again everyone,

just popping in to let everyone know that I was at target today and there is a sale on Covergirl LashBlast mascara. My absolute favorite mascara ever. It's on sale 2 for $10.99, which is such a deal considering one tube is like $8ish. Also, Target is starting to sell ELF products (Eyes Lips Face). It is makeup that sells for about a dollar a piece. The brushes are also $1. I bought a bunch of stuff off of their website www.eyeslipsface.com and the brushes and stuff are pretty good, but their products are just ehh. their eyeshadows are alright, except the cream ones smeared a lot on my lids, but everyone is different. The brushes I really like, though, and for the price you just cant beat them.

Happy Shopping!
XOXO