The Gate River Run is one of Jacksonville’s biggest events of the year and the largest 15K in the US! If you’re lucky enough to live in this amazing city that is home to this awesome event – you have no excuses! Whether you are a seasoned runner or a first timer the Gate River Run has something for everyone. This year they had the Gate River Run 15K, Florida Times Union 5K for Charity, Brooks Rehabilitation Challenge Mile, adidas Junior River Run, JTC Diaper Dashes and of course the Publix Post Race Celebration. You can’t forget about all of the supporters out there cheering the runners on, providing water, beer and mimosas along the way – this event is truly is an amazing coming together of the community! This year marked the 36^th year of the Gate, with approximately 16,000 participants, the energy and momentum of the community is unlike any other road race.

Watching Jacksonville Get Up & Go is inspiring and fun! If you haven’t participated in the River Run before, sign up for next year’s, if you participated in the run this past weekend, whether you ran it, walked it, cheered on the sidelines or passed out water or food please share your experience with us – we want to know how you Get Up & Go!

I attended the Bar Mitzvah of a family acquaintance this morning. At the Bar Mitzvah, there was a guest speaker, a man who speaks on a radio station. He gave a long philosophical speech that everyone else in the room seemed to love, but the sentiments he expressed kind of bothered me a little. He started out this section of the endless speech with an anecdote from his childhood, when he was in fourth grade at a religious school. The rabbi who ran the school called the kids to prayer every afternoon. But one day, this fourth grade boy confronted the rabbi at this hour and said impudently, “I’m not in the mood to pray today.” The rabbi mulled this over for a moment, then replied, “you’re not in the mood to pray today… who cares?” The audience listening to the speech seemed to find this story very funny. But the speaker continued, with a thesis I did not agree with at all: he said that “studies have shown our country is doomed” because the youth of America don’t think about what is right. They think instead about what they feel like doing, and use that to govern their actions.

Now, I am a member of this accused “youth of America”, and I find that statement offensive. I am constantly considering what is right, and trying to do the right thing. Furthermore, if this epidemic is only present in the youth of America today, how does he explain his own impudence and unwillingness to pray, long ago when he himself represented the youth of America?

The next point this guy made disturbed me even more. He said your feelings don’t matter, and that only your actions matter to most of the world. But the thing is, your actions only matter to others because your actions affect their feelings! The only reason people want you to be polite is so you don’t hurt their feelings or put a damper on their day. The only reason it’s so good and righteous to volunteer in developing countries is because the houses built and shoes delivered make other people feel physically better. The only reason people want a dentist and doctor who practice well is so they can be healthy because being healthy feels good, on a physical and emotional level. Are we each as individuals supposed to disregard our own feelings as worthless but spend our lives working on making every single other person feel good? If each individual subscribes to this philosophy, does that mean everyone’s feelings are all worthless? Or that no one’s feelings are worthless? In the first case, everyone’s feelings are worth nothing so we have no business striving to soothe them. In the second case, everybody should be responsible for taking care of his or her own feelings. Or does this speaker want us all to live as slaves to strangers, with the guarantee that others will be slaves to us and take care of our emotional needs?

I’m no philosopher, but my belief is that we all need to work to be happy so we can make others happy. Just like the philosophy of yoga: we better ourselves through breathing and meditation so we can better serve our loved ones and the community, as better individuals. Indulging one’s feelings is not the same as exclusively spending one’s days pampering oneself, never working for others. What I mean by taking care of our own feelings is doing the things that we know are good for us and make us happy, and just setting aside some time for ourselves while we’re not building homes in developing countries or drilling cavities. That way, we’ll be better rested and able to do these things well. I believe (for those of you who care how I FEEL on the subject) that life is all about balance. Balancing work and play, happiness and responsibility. I don’t think it is healthy or productive to deny myself the simple, small things that make me feel good… such as this smoothie! (Whew, I’m finally getting to the delicious part of this post!)

I blended this smoothie in two halves: the first half was chocolate flavored with chocolate almond butter, then I poured that in my drinking glass and blended the second half, which was strawberry banana with chocolate chips. When I poured this in on top of the chocolate smoothie already in the glass, the two mixed together. I’d hoped, unrealistically, that the pink and brown would somehow stay cleanly separate across the middle of the glass and look really cool. Oh well, it still tasted great: who could argue with such a classic flavor combo?

I didn’t blend either of the two halves of the smoothie very long because I was feeling rushed to get to the Bar Mitzvah. Therefore, you can see in the picture there was some uncrushed ice floating around. The almond butter also didn’t get completely mixed in with the chocolate smoothie, so I had a few bites of smoothie with a fudgey, separate element of dark chocolate richness. It was actually good that way; I reserved half the almond butter to top the smoothie and might even recommend just doing this with all of it.

The texture was good, sort of thin though. I usually prefer my smoothies thicker, but this was just right. I am going to provide the recipe as I did it, in two separate halves, although it may not be necessary to blend it in two parts since they get mixed in the glass anyway.

Banana Split Smoothie

Ingredients:

for chocolate half

• 3/4 medium banana
• 1/2 the almondmilk in a single-serve container of Silk vanilla almondmilk
• 1 tbs vanilla extract
• 1 tbs cocoa powder
• 1/2 tbs dark chocolate almond butter
• 3 ice cubes

for strawberry banana half

• 3/4 medium banana
• 4 fresh strawberries (chop off leaves and chop each in half)
• the remaining almondmilk in the container
• 2 tbs semisweet chocolate chips
• 3 ice cubes

optional for topping

• strawberry slices
• 1/2 tbs dark chocolate almond butter (or use a whole tablespoon if desired)

Directions:

Blend the chocolate smoothie ingredients only in blender until ice is crushed. Pour into a glass. Rinse out blender.

Now place the ingredients for the strawberry banana half into the blender, except for the strawberries and chocolate chips. Blend until ice is crushed. Add strawberries and blend until they are sort of chopped but not entirely blended into the smoothie (I like to add some texture to my smoothies.) Now add chocolate chips and blend for a few seconds more.

Add this mixture to the glass with the chocolate mixture. Top with strawberry slices and almond butter if desired.

This smoothie was super awesome! It also made me feel good

General
• Limit frequency of restaurant dining and fast food
• Limit frequency and portion size of desserts
• Drink 8-11 cups of water daily
• Avoid or limit all beverages with calories
• Make slow, gradual changes to nutrition plan

Vegetables
• Eat a variety of vegetables as frequently as possible
• Try to include all colors throughout the week (red, orange, green, yellow, purple)
• Season with herbs and spices rather than sauce, cheese, butter or oils
• Aim for vegetables to cover half of the entire plate

Fats
• Try lemon juice, vinegar or vinaigrette on salads (For a kick try salsa with fat free sour cream)
• Dip the fork into dressing first to limit the amount, but still add flavor
• In recipes, substitute applesauce for margarine, shortening and oils
• Remove hidden or unnecessary fat: butter on bread, cheese in sandwiches, use mustard rather than mayonnaise

Meats
• Choose lean cuts (loin, round, or flank)
• Avoid heavily marbled meats (brisket, ribs, T-bone, porterhouse, rump/chuck roasts, bacon, regular hamburger, etc.)
• Trim meats before and after cooking
• Remove skin from poultry before cooking
• Buy meats less than 3 grams of fat per ounce or labeled as 90% lean
• Limit egg yolks to 3 per week
• Try two egg whites or 1/3 cup egg substitute in place of one whole egg

Dairy
• Reduce milks stepwise from whole milk to skim or 1%
• Substitute low fat yogurt in place of mayonnaise or sour cream when cooking

Grains
• Aim to choose 100% whole grain breads, cereals, crackers and snacks
• Many grains are low in fat, but only recommended in proper portions

Butter, cream and lard are bad, right? Well, it turns out that they might not be as bad as you think and the ‘healthy alternatives’, such as margarine and vegetable oils, may not be all that good for you. This is according to the 2002 issue of Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy, which indicated that the omega-6 content of margarine, sunflower oil and soybean oil, could lead to cancer, heart attacks and rheumatoid arthritis.

Fascinatingly, as an alternative to these omega-6 rich foods, it is advised that we instead replace these fats with things we might consider unhealthy, such as cream, lard and butter because all of these foods contain less omega-6 fatty acids.

Truths about Herbal Tea

The truth about herbal tea

If you thought that drinking a warming cup of herbal tea was doing wonders for your health, think again. Although herbal teas can contain antioxidants and are often considered healthier than a cup of tea or coffee, it turns out that some herbal teas can ruin your teeth.

Researchers at the University Dental Hospital of Manchester conducted a study into the effect of herbal tea on teeth and placed extracted teeth into blackcurrant, vanilla, ginseng herbal tea for fourteen days. They then also placed extracted teeth into black tea and water for the same amount of time.  The teeth that had been placed into the herbal teas were damaged and their enamel had dissolved considerably. Yet those teeth placed into black tea or water were pretty much unchanged. It is thought that the acid in some herbal teas caused this erosion.

The truth about food labels

Food labels constantly trick us into buying products that we think are healthy. It is common for popular food products to promote their so-called healthy qualities on the front of packaging, claiming things like ‘all natural’, ‘low cholesterol’ and ‘light’. Reading these descriptions we might be tricked into thinking that the products are in some way healthier for us, but this is just not true.

When a food product says that something is ‘light’, for example on an olive oil bottle, it indicates that the product is lighter in color and taste, not that it contains fewer kilojoules. Similarly foods whose packaging claims that they are ‘low in fat’ can actually be very high in sugar and sodium. Be aware of the true contents of the food you buy by learning how to correctly read food labels.

See more at: http://ca.shine.yahoo.com/5-shocking-truths-healthy-diet-090055122.html

According to the latest research, there’s plenty we can do — from exercise and a healthful diet to keeping socially active — to help boost our brain power.

“We used to think when it came to brain (function), that you got what you got, and that was it. But now we know you can actually improve it,” said Dr. Michael Plopper, chief medical officer of Sharp HealthCare Behavioral Health Services, which encompasses the psychiatric services at Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital and Sharp Grossmont Hospital. “It’s definitely possible to make our brains fitter and healthier in a variety of ways.”

As the brain ages, it’s normal for parts of it to shrink. But now, partly because of new and technically advanced imaging, “we know that the brain has plasticity or the ability to reverse shrinkage and increase connectivity that would normally decrease over time,” said Dr. Robert Bonakdar, director of pain management at Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine.

Research has shown that the brain is surprisingly adept at compensating for aging, and that brain fitness, learning and memory skills can often improve or remain intact over time. Some simple and inexpensive lifestyle changes can go a long way toward maintaining a vigorous mind:

• Get moving. Research has long established what exercise can do for heart and muscle development. Now, we’re finding that it also could be growing your brain.

Source : http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/mar/03/brain-health-mind-diet-exercise/

This lifestyle isn’t about depriving myself of “good food”. Everything up to now has been my choice. I choose not to eat crap because I don’t like the way it makes my body feel and because I don’t like the way it makes my body look. Sometimes it’s hard to remember that, when all my friends feel sorry for me when I tell them I have to pass on the chocolate. Or when I tell them I don’t want to eat out. They all pity me, and feel bad. Then it starts making me feel like I should feel sorry for myself. I started thinking of myself as “deprived“. But that couldn’t have been farther from the truth. I was free from all the obsession that society has with food. (I know I’m starting to sound ridiculous  and I hate to get so “philosophical” lol).

I work out not because I want to look like an anorexic model, but I work out because I love feeling strong. I love being able to go to the gym and stand in the middle of a bunch of boys, and lift weights like they do. I love the way my body looks when I can see all my muscles. I love when my body feels like a clean, smooth running machine. Just these (somewhat) few days of bad eating really showed me how much damage bad eating can do. Swelling, bloating, pain those are not good things. And had I ate good, clean food my body would have never experienced any of those symptoms in the first place.

So I’m really just writing this to remind myself that I choose this life. I love this life. I’m not missing out on anything. I’m doing exactly what I love to do.

Let’s admit it: sometimes eating healthy can be a bit of a drag. You have to make some sacrifices to take care of your body, which can be hard for people. I actually tend to prefer healthy foods over unhealthy foods most of the time: for example, I’ll willingly choose yogurt raisins over m’n'ms any day. But sometimes arranging my meals and buying healthy products feels like it conflicts with my ability to enjoy what I eat.

Take yesterday evening, for example: I was at Whole Foods with my mom getting dinner to go, and I’d planned to also buy something to use as filling for the single serve crepe I was planning. I went to the jams and jellies aisle and scanned the items for something that looked good. It’s Whole Foods so that makes everything there automatically healthy, right? Nope. Not at all. Sure, there may be less artificial ingredients, but I picked up quite a few items that had no real nutritional benefits. Maple syrup: too many calories, no positive nutrients. Jelly: too sugary. So if you would otherwise be eating maple syrup or jelly from the supermarket, with all the fake ingredients and additives, and are considering a Whole Foods product as an alternative the lesser of two evils is the Whole Foods product because it is organic. But I wanted to have something that was actually good for me, so I chose pumpkin butter. My crepe ended up tasting good. But that frustrating experience in Whole Foods left me with a need to rebel…

So I did, in a small but effective way, with this cheesecake smoothie. I added 1/2 cup of Frosted Toast Crunch, regardless of all the artificial flavors in it. And the smoothie was great! It tasted just like a delicious blueberry strawberry cheesecake with a crunchy cinnamon crust. And I don’t have to feel too bad about the Frosted Toast Crunch cereal: after all, it has whole grains!

That’s really a lot of what this blog is about: finding a way to balance healthy eating with happy eating. Enjoy!

Berry Cheesecake Smoothie with Frosted Toast Crunch

Ingredients:

• 1 banana
• 4 or so fresh strawberries
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 blueberry Greek yogurt
• 2 Laughing Cow brand creamy swiss cheese wedges
• 1 tsp vanilla
• dash cinnamon
• 5-6 ice cubes
• 1/2 cup Frosted Toast Crunch cereal

Directions:

Blend all ingredients except cereal for a couple minutes. Add some of the cereal and blend a few seconds. Pour into a large glass. Top with remaining cereal.

I call this quesadilla “cool” for two reasons: 1) it tastes super awesome and 2) it is literally “cool” when you bring it to school/work and eat at room temperature. This astonishes me, as I am used to a quesadilla being hot, melty cheese sandwiched between two warm tortillas. I was dubious about bringing a quesadilla to school, where I do not have the privilege of a microwave or oven to warm my food. But I decided to be brave and try it anyway. I really didn’t dare hope it would be anything better than okay at best. But I was, happily, proven wrong as it was great and did not need to be hot at all!

I wanted to use Colby-Pepper Jack cheese, but we were all out. The cheddar tasted fine, though. Here is my recipe:

Cheese, Tofurkey and Avocado Quesadilla

Makes 1

Ingredients:

• 2 personal-sized corn tortillas
• 1/4 of an avocado (to use up some of that avocado left over from Monday’s post
• 1 slice cheddar cheese (or you can experiment with other cheeses)
• 2 slices smoked ham style Tofurkey
• tomato slices, to taste

Directions:

Place avocado in a small bowl and use a fork to mush it up. It won’t be pureed or anything, just sort of mushed. Spread the avocado on both tortillas.

Layer the cheese, Tofurkey, and tomato on top of one tortilla. Top with the other tortilla (avocado side down.)

I actually made this in the morning before school (we have late-start Wednesdays) but I think it would also be fine to make it the night before and chill in the fridge.

Spreading the avocado on tortillas…

Layering ingredients…

Presto! You’re ready to go!

To see Tuesday’s Lunch Liberation! Post, click here.

• Sunday – 3.03 mile walk (TM), 3% incline, 45:00 (watching a DVR’d episode of The Practice) – my knee was feeling a little funky so I decided to walk instead of run, 100 bicycle crunches, 1.5 hour dance party to Wii Just Dance 2 & 3
• Monday – 30 mins CrossFit with trainer – cut short because of a pulled muscle

Week 7 of the Metabolic Makeover and a 67.6 hour work week is now complete.  What a wasted week!  My injury on Monday put me out for the entire week.  I could barely stand up straight so I had to call my chiropractor on Wednesday.  He made me cry but at least he gave hope for recovery.  On Wednesday, he did this:

Yeah, I know…I’m totally bring sexy back!

And then I used these to ice my back:

I wasn’t able to work out for the entire week.  I went back to see the chiro on Friday and he did more of the same to me, only this time I didn’t cry.  I am finally feeling much better but there’s still a little soreness there…and probably some fear that I could re-injure it.

I’ll probably take it easy for the next week in my workouts just to make sure I’m safe. Meanwhile, I have a busy week ahead of me with another business trip that requires a time change and long hours (as usual for this time of the year).

So this is what I learned…as I continue to work the hours that I do and my body gets more and more run down, I’m more susceptible to injury and illness.  Duh, right??  But in my line of work, I can’t just stop working the hours.  Instead, I have to really pay attention to what I’m doing so that I don’t lose proper form when I’m working out which increases my risk for injury.  I’ve also been suffering from a cold all week so it’s important to get the rest and sleep when I can.

I’m really very strict about sticking to my schedule which helps me stay on track.  I’m a morning person so I’m up Monday-Friday at 5 am to get a head start on my day.  Mondays and Fridays I work out at 5:45 but on Tuesday-Thursday, I utilize the time to actually do work.  It’s really a quiet, productive hour that I spend every morning getting stuff done.  On Wednesdays, I work out with my ladies at my house at 6 am so I’m still able to utilize that hour.

However, getting up at 5 am requires that I’m in bed, lights out no later than 10 pm each night.  In fact, most nights, I try to be in bed by 9:30 and definitely by 9 pm on Sunday nights.  People think I’m crazy, but it’s what works for me.  You have to find what works for you.

How do you handle changes in your routine?

Seriously, did you hear??

Ok, I’ll tell you…2013 is the year of the Chia Seed!  I do not make this stuff up.  It was on ABCnews.com so you KNOW it has to be true.  Read it for yourself!

Lucky for me, I’m always a step ahead and bought into that business in 2012.  My take on them – they get in your teeth.  And I can’t help but think of this when I see them:

I can tell you that I most definitely did NOT put them in this cake that Finley and I made this week.

(Not my pic, go here to find the recipe.)

The cake was very yummy but also very sweet…kind of like the ‘lil stinker that helped me bake it!

Ok, you can all go back to what you were doing now.  Consider yourselves informed!

• Sunday – 2.5 mile run (TM), 1% incline, finish out walking for a total of 3.57 miles in 44:00 (watching a DVR’d episode of The Good Wife)
• Monday – 45 mins CrossFit with trainer
• Wednesday – 25 mins resistance training at-home program
• Friday – 45 mins CrossFit with trainer

Week 6 of the Metabolic Makeover and a 68.9 hour work week is now complete.  Remember how I was going to eat a serving of fruit or veggies at every meal?  I started out pretty good…but didn’t make it through.  I’ve got to be honest, I’m getting tired of excuses…my excuses.

The only thing I’m really sticking with is working out.  It’s really what’s keeping me sane with working the amount of hours I am right now.  In fact, my two workout buddies were under the weather this week so they both missed Friday morning but I was still there.  It would’ve been so easy to skip once I knew they were but my day would have been miserable without it – does that make sense?

I’m not even looking to accomplish all that much on my Sunday morning TM time but if nothing else, it gives me a little time to myself to catch up on a TV episode.

It also helps that I continue to see results in the shape of my body with all of these strength training moves.  On Friday, I made it up to 35 lb weights for my single-arm chest presses done from a ball.  That gave me the oomph I needed to stand a little taller!

So for now, I’ll keep doing what I’m doing and take it one day at a time.  I will try NOT to splurge at night which is when I seem to fall off the wagon.  The Girl Scout Cookies don’t seem to be helping me though…

Totally inhaled that entire sleeve while sitting at my desk yesterday (Saturday).

(Follow me on Instagram {mwb1975})

Fat. It’s practically a dirty word these days. People seem intent on purging as much of this substance as possible from their diets. There are huge numbers of low fat and fat free products available at the grocery store, and a blog post about a low fat recipe is almost certain to appeal to a wider audience than one about anything high in fat. Some people seem to think eating high-fat foods makes your body actually fat. And therefore, that if you eat a low-fat diet, your actual body fat will decrease. Neither of these statements is proven true. I have decided to publish a post containing my knowledge on the subject of dietary fat, to try to clear up these misconceptions for some people. Even though I am not a doctor, I do have credible information from the ones I have spoken to at length on this subject.

Different Types of Fat

Not all fats are equal. Some of them are actually bad for you, which have given fat in general a bad rap. But some are good for you, in fact essential for your health. And all are okay in moderation. But the bad fats must be limited more strictly, while the good fats can be consumed more regularly.

The two “bad fats” are saturated fat and trans fat. Saturated fat is considered to be the lesser of the two evils, and only makes a long-term impact if it is consumed to excess regularly. Then it can raise a person’s LDL cholesterol levels and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.  A direct link has been drawn between diets high in saturated fat and heart disease, but this can easily be prevented by choosing low fat alternatives.

The other “bad fat,” trans fat is a much more serious enemy than saturated fat. Trans fat can clog the arteries if consumed to excess. It’s also unhealthy because it decreases HDL cholesterol (the good kind) and increases LDL cholesterol (the bad kind).

Now, on to the good fats! Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are both good for you, because they provide your body with essential fatty acids. Your body cannot manufacture these acids itself, but they are essential for good health because they help your metabolism to function properly and your hormones to travel through your bloodstream to the areas of the body where they are required. Healthy fats also increase the levels of good cholesterol in the body and reduces triglycerides.

Foods Containing Bad Fats

Saturated fat is found in fatty animal products, as well as foods such as gravy dippings and butter. The foods highest in saturated fat are palm kernel oil, coconut oil, butter, beef, lard, and vegetable shortening.

Many highly processed foods are sources of trans fat and should be avoided. An example is butter: there are about 4 grams of trans fat in a tablespoon of real butter, and margarine has about half as much. To avoid the trans fat altogether, opting for Earth Balance original buttery spread provides all the taste with no trans fat. The main source of trans fat is fast food. Fast food restaurants are cheap partly because the food served is not always fresh… but you wouldn’t know it because trans fat has been deliberately injected into the food to increase its shelf life. Gross, right?

Foods Containing Good Fats

There are many sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat available. Olive oil, canola oil, and peanut oil are all good sources. Nut butters and nuts are also delicious and healthy sources of good fats to incorporate into a balanced diet. Earth Balance spreads are also sources. Monounsaturated fats can also be found in avocados, sesame seeds, and pumpkin seeds. Polyunsaturated fats are in freshwater fish, flaxseeds and flaxseed oil, and eggs.

How Much Fat To Eat

I can’t really provide a definite answer to the question, “how many servings of fat should I eat each day?” because I am not a dietician, and each individual has different nutritional needs. Even the UDSA food pyramid does not outline a firm, specific amount of fat to consume per day. It just tells people to use fats “sparingly.” And this is referring to foods that are solely categorized as fats, and can’t be placed into any other food group. For example, peanut butter is not in the “Fat” food group in the most up-to-date food pyramids. It has been moved to the “Protein” group right alongside meat and beans. This means it does not have to be used “sparingly;” have as much as seems reasonable to you considering the caloric density but also keeping in mind the amazing nutritional benefits!

Conclusion

So, as you can see, not all fats are created equal. Trans fats and saturated fats are not very healthy. However, polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats are very healthy and necessary for the body to function. So get out the peanut butter and smear it on that sandwich! There is no need to feel bad about eating healthy fats!

Credits: http://www.odec.ca/projects/2004/thog4n0/public_html/typefat.html http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fat/NU00262   http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-butter-i1145 http://www.earthbalancenatural.com/product/original-buttery-spread/ http://tomatotalk.earthfare.com/2010/05/12/10-foods-that-contain-good-fats-part-3/ www.medicalnewsservice.com

As always I would like to thank my dietician, Kerri Shwartz, MS, RD, for helping me be accurate in the information published in this post.

The photos came from the following sites: http://www.el3mentsofwellness.com/snack-5-egg-and-avocado-salad  http://www.fda.gov/food/resourcesforyou/consumers/nflpm/ucm275438.htm  http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/peanut%20butter%20and%20jelly  http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/02/18/experiencing-the-paradox-of-choice-at-the-local-schnucks-grocery-store/

• Sunday – 2.5 mile run (TM), 28:03, 1% incline, finish out walking for a total of 3.4 miles in 43:33 (watching a DVR’d episode of The Good Wife)
• Monday – 45 mins CrossFit with trainer
• Wednesday – 25 mins resistance training at-home program
• Friday – 45 mins CrossFit with trainer

Week 5 of the Metabolic Makeover and a 68.8 hour work week is now complete.  I told myself I was going to be really good this week.  And overall, I think I was better than the week before.  But I’ve been thinking I’ve been a little too easy on myself just because it’s tax season.  I mean, after all, there will ALWAYS be an excuse not to give 100%.

It’s hard to skip out on Girls’ Night!

So this week I’ve challenged myself to eat a serving of either fruit or vegetables at every single meal.  So far I’ve had a Cutie with breakfast and a carrot with lunch…I know, minor but at least it’s something, right??  But the good news is that I made the girls banana chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast and I didn’t even have a bite.  That’s pretty huge to this carb-loving girl!

Accomplishing this may be hard, but I’m willing to try whatever it takes…like the green juice above.  Plus I think I’ll start with the smoothies again in the mornings using the frozen fruit I already have.

I’m just not a big veggie eater!  Anyone else struggle the way I do with veggies?

I am finally ready to bid you farewell.  You’re dead to me.  You’re not dead to me.  It’s more like we have to take a break, Ross and Rachel style.  I don’t expect you to understand.  Heck, I myself don’t even understand.  Remember our relationship very early on during my teen and early grown up years?  There was a closeness between us that only other junk food connoisseurs could appreciate.  I recall walking up and down the snack aisles in my parents’ stores and filling up a medium-sized paper bag with Three Muskeeters, Milky Way, a couple of tubes of Rolos.  I always made sure I filled the bag with a nice balance of sweet and salty, making my way down the chips aisle.  A bag of Funyions, Ruffles Potato Chips and Potato Shoestrings.  It didn’t stop there, oh no.  I am now very embarrassed to say that I threw in a couple of convenient store burritos.  Can anyone say Overeater Anonymous?!!!

But what we had then is not what it is now.  Not to say that I don’t enjoy you the way I did before.  In fact, if I was a character in one of those cheesy romance novels, I would’ve switched out the bon-bon scene with some chips and queso dip and a can of Arizona Iced Tea.  But I digress.  The relationship has changed over the years.  It’s not that I enjoy you less; it’s that I’ve enjoyed you too much.  I remember being a size 5 and at my largest a size 7 back in the day.  I’m now a big o’ten.  Size 10.  I have a spare tire and here in Los Angeles that is grounds for eviction.  From the city.  I know that I am part genetics from the ‘rents, part my own habit and lifestyle.  It is not without sadness that I look at the snack shack in the kitchen and sigh.  It’s a love-hate relationship.  I love starting off with a brand new bag of chips.  I hate when I look down into the bag and am alarmed to see it mostly gone.

So here I am, again.  Again. AGAIN.  A-G-A-I-N.  2013 is the year for me.  I’m not going to go on a diet.  I am going to change my life.  I am not going to deprive myself of junk food.  It is more that we will re-evaluate the relationship.  I want to keep the positive and get rid of the negative.  I want to have chips but maybe not the Family Style bag and replace it with the snack variety size.  I won’t eat a handful of Jelly Belly beans but maybe five and at 4 calories each and the opportunity to make some yummy flavors my mouth and tummy will not be missing anything.  I will continue to have more veggies and fish and less gravy based dinners.  Actually I don’t really have gravy based dinners, my boyfriend does, but it’s not to say that a spoonful of his dinner doesn’t make its way into my mouth!

I am going to replace that snack feeling with a totally different action.  When I get snacky I will take the dogs for a walk.  When I get snacky I will work on my jewelry.  When I get snacky I’ll play a game of Angry Birds.  When I get snacky I’ll jump onto this blog and ‘fess up.  When I get snacky I will remember that this life I have, this body I have, is the only one I have.  And I have a pretty effin’ great life and really want to see it through.  I have a great guy in my life and I want to grow old with him.  I have great little dogs that need to see me every day.  I have a great family that I need to continue to annoy.

So junk food, we are on a break.  There will be moments when I am weak with my strength and it’s okay.  One day at a time.  One meal at a time.  But we need to redo our relationship for both of us to be happy.

Sincerely,

me

Here’s me stepping up!
Another post!
This one is not hair orientated.

My 2013 goals!

I’m trying to make every day more productive. This includes focussing on my work, attending lectures, studying and revising, and even doing some volunteering.

I am really proud of myself, but I have a long way to go because this needs to become a habit.

Now here are my top ten goals:

1. Devote enough time everyday to my studies.
2. Stay positive.
3. Volunteer weekly.
5. Keep to my hair regimen.
6. Work on big ‘projects’ (More on this soon)
7. Cut down on social networks such as twitter.
8. Go to bed early and wake up early. This sounds so childish!
9. Eat healthily.
10. Exercise daily.

I plan on doing a mid-year review which will be more detailed, hopefully you will be hearing about how I have been successful!

P.s i realise this post is late, but it’s only february so surely it is still acceptable?

Love,
xo

• Sunday – 2.0 mile run (TM), 22:05, 1% incline
• Monday – 45 mins CrossFit with trainer
• Wednesday – 25 mins resistance training at-home program
• Friday – 45 mins CrossFit with trainer

Week 4 of the Metabolic Makeover and we were supposed to focus on our fat intake.  But to be honest, I’m just trying to hang on.  It doesn’t really have anything to do with the Makeover itself but has everything to do with it being tax season right now.  I worked 69.8 hours this week in addition to being a Mommy to two wonderful girls, a wife and still sharing household duties.

When I’m stressed or feeling high-strung, I constantly feel the need to eat something although most times, I’m not remotely hungry and it’s ALWAYS in the afternoon.  I keep gum on my desk constantly and I’ve tried to make sure I have healthy munchies such as grapes or carrots.  I even went to Target last week and stocked up on healthy stuff.

All in all, I’m proud of my diet but I have nothing to show for it because logging it into my iPhone app seems to add one more thing to my plate which causes more stress.  I’m an all or nothing kind of girl and if I can’t do it EXACTLY right, it wears me down so sometimes I find myself spending too much time trying to log what I’m eating like it is an exact science.  And right now, that’s time I don’t have.  One day for lunch I ate from the Tin Kitchen food truck outside of our building – white chicken chili and a jerk pork taco.  It was so yummy but how on earth do I enter THAT in???  (BTW, I couldn’t finish all of that!)

True to form, I splurged on the weekend but at least this week I cut it down to only one day (Saturday) instead of both Friday and Saturday.

But although my eating and tracking is touch and go, I really am giving my workouts 100%.  I’ve even started walking Lily around the ‘hood at night after the girls go to bed.  It seems to lighten my mood because it gets my blood pumping when I breathe in all of that wonderful fresh night air.

I’m not sure what Week 5 has in store for me but I’m going to do my best even knowing I have a trip to Florida on the books this week.  Wish me luck!

HPV vaccination helps reduce the chances of getting cervical cancer. It works by preventing infection with specific types of HPV targeted by the vaccines. However, HPV vaccination does not substitute for routine cervical cancer screening. Vaccinated women should still go for regular pap smear once every three years for early detection of cervical cancer.

About HPV and its link with Cervical Cancer

1. What is HPV?

• HPV stands for Human Papilloma Virus, a virus that can infect many parts of the body.
• There are more than 100 different sub-types of HPV, grouped into (i) high-risk types (may cause cancer) and (ii) low risk types (non-cancer causing).
• About 30 – 40 HPV sub-types can infect the genital area; and these can cause genital warts in both men and women, cervical cancer in women and less commonly, anal or penile cancer in men.
• Other HPV sub-types may infect the skin of the fingers, hands and face.

1. Who is at risk of HPV infection?

Risk factors for HPV infection include:

• Multiple sexual partners: The greater the number of sexual partners, the higher is your risk of HPV infection. Having sexual activity with a partner who has had multiple sex partners can also increase your risk. While using condoms can help reduce the risk of HPV infection, condoms however, do not cover all genital skin and does not guarantee 100% protection.
• Weakened immune system: People with weakened immune systems (e.g. may be due to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) / Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) or on immune-system suppressing drugs) are at higher risk of HPV infection.

1. How is HPV transmitted?

• HPV infection is very common in men and women.
• It can be transmitted through genital skin-to-skin contact during sexual activity, by sharing contaminated sex toys and very rarely, during delivery from the infected mother to the baby.
• HPV cannot be passed by sitting on toilet seats or touching the door knobs.

1. What are the signs or symptoms of HPV infection?

• Most HPV infections occur without signs or symptoms. Sometimes, genital warts or warts in other parts of the body may appear and are a sign of HPV infection.

1. Can HPV be treated?

• The virus itself cannot be treated. Most HPV infection (90% cases) goes away on its own without any treatment.
• Although HPV virus cannot be treated, regular Pap smear can help to detect changes in the cervical cells caused by HPV infection.
• With appropriate treatment, the abnormal or pre-cancerous cells can be prevented from developing into cervical cancer.

1. How is HPV related to cervical cancer?

• Some types of HPV can infect the cervix (the lower part of the womb), causing the cells to change.
• In about 90% of the infection cases, the virus clears by itself and the cells return to normal.
• In some cases, the infection can persist and cause the cells to grow in an abnormal way.
• When this goes undetected by a Pap smear at an early stage, some of these abnormal cells may develop into cervical cancer.
• Specifically, HPV sub-types 16 & 18 cause about 70% cervical cancer cases, while HPV sub- types 6 & 11 cause about 90% genital warts cases.

1. How can I best protect myself against cervical cancer?

• Go for regular Pap smear as it is the most effective way to detect cervical cancer.
• All women aged 25 and above who have ever had sex or are sexually active should have a Pap smear once every three years
• Speak to your doctor about HPV vaccination to determine if you are suitable.
• Women should still for go for Pap smear despite being vaccinated.

1. Where can I go for a Pap smear?

• At your family doctor s clinic or at any polyclinic.
• You can also call 1800 223 1313 for more information on Pap smear and cervical cancer.

About HPV vaccination

1. What is HPV vaccination?

• HPV vaccination can help prevent specific types of HPV infection that may lead to cervical cancer. The maximum benefits of HPV vaccination occur when the vaccines are given before the start of sexual activity where HPV exposure occurs.

2. What are the different HPV vaccines currently available in Singapore?

• Two vaccines, Gardasil and Cervarix , are currently approved for use in Singapore.
• The characteristics of the two vaccines are shown in the table below.

3. Who is the vaccine for?

• The vaccines are approved for use in females aged 9 to 26 years old (depending on the specific vaccine being administered).
• The vaccines are most effective if given before first sexual exposure, in girls and women who have yet been exposed to the HPV types covered by the vaccine (HPV sub-types 6, 11, 16, 18).
• Girls and women who are sexually active may still benefit from the vaccine, as they may not be exposed to the HPV sub- types covered by the vaccine. They should speak to their doctor to determine if they are suitable for the vaccination.

4. Who should NOT be vaccinated?

• You should not be vaccinated if :
  • you are sensitive to yeast or to any of the vaccine components.
  • you are having a moderate or severe acute infectious illness (please wait till you have recovered from the illness).
  • you have a bleeding disorder that causes you to bruise or bleed easily or if you are on medication that thins your blood (anticoagulant therapy), unless otherwise advised by your doctor.
• Talk to your doctor to find out if the vaccine is suitable for you.

5. Why is the HPV vaccines recommended for females aged 9 to 26 years old?

• This is the age range as recommended by the manufacturers, and which the vaccines are approved for use in Singapore by the Health Sciences Authority.
• If you are above 26 and wish to go for HPV vaccination, it is best that you speak to your doctor to find out if you are suitable for the vaccination.

6. Are HPV vaccines compulsory?

• No, HPV vaccines are not compulsory but recommended as prevention against cervical cancer.

7. How long does the protection last?

• Studies have demonstrated that protection for both vaccines lasts for at least five years.
• It is yet not known if additional doses or boosters shots are necessary.

8. Are the vaccines safe and effective?

• The two vaccines have been approved as safe and effective.
• Long-term safety and efficacy are still being evaluated.
• The vaccines are not made up of the virus or any infectious material; you cannot get HPV infection from the vaccine.

9. What are the common side effects of HPV vaccines?

• Pain, swelling, itching and redness at the site of injection and generalised reactions including fever are some of the common side effects.
• Isolated reports of fainting immediately after HPV vaccination have also been noted in some countries.
• If you encounter any of these side effects, please inform your doctor.

10. Are HPV vaccines 100% effective in preventing cervical cancer?

• No. As with any vaccination, HPV vaccinations may not result in 100% protection.
• HPV vaccination does not substitute for routine cervical cancer screening, and women who receive vaccination are encouraged to continue to go for Pap smear once every three years.

11. I’ve been vaccinated. Must I still go for a Pap smear?

• Yes! You should go for a Pap smear once every three years even if you have been vaccinated.
• About 30% cervical cancer cases are caused by HPV sub-types which the vaccine does not protect against. In other words, the vaccines do not protect against ALL cancer-causing HPV sub-types.
• Regular Pap smear is still your best protection against cervical cancer.

12. I m pregnant / breastfeeding. Should I be vaccinated?

• HPV vaccines are not recommended for use in pregnant females.
• If you discover that you are pregnant after receiving 1 or 2 doses of the vaccine, it is recommended that you postpone the remaining dose(s) till after you deliver.
• If discovered you are pregnant after completing 3 doses of the vaccine, it is not necessary to terminate your pregnancy.
• Gardasil may be given to lactating females because available data do not indicate any safety concerns. However, Cervarix s safety data for lactating females are not available yet.

13. I have a young daughter. Should she be vaccinated? When should she receive the vaccination?

• The vaccine is approved for females aged 9 years to 26 years (depending on the specific vaccine being administered).
• The vaccines are most effective in protecting against the selected HPV sub-types if given before your daughter is exposed to them (usually through sexual activity)\
• We advise you to speak to your doctor to find out more about HPV vaccination.
• Once you have understood the benefits, risks and limitations of the vaccines, the decision whether to proceed with vaccination is a personal one.
• People may arrive also at different decisions based on different religious or moral beliefs.

14. I was diagnosed with a cervical abnormality that my doctor said may lead to cervical cancer (e.g. ‘cervical intraepithelial neoplasia’ or CIN). Should I get the HPV vaccination?

• It is best to talk to your doctor who will be able to advise you if the vaccine is suitable for you and also how often you should be going for your Pap smears.

“Teeth discoloration is mainly a teeth cosmetic issue that occurs when the hard, outer surface of the tooth(enamel) or the layer below the enamel(dentine) become stained.”

Hamentashen is a cookie traditionally eaten by Jewish people for the holiday of Purim, which is coming up on the 23rd and 24th of February. I made some early Hamentashen this evening, though – I just couldn’t resist a whole wheat recipe I found!

While I was making these cookies, my parents and my brother were watching T.V. on the other side of the house. But they smelled something chocolatey baking, and quickly migrated into the kitchen for a taste. EVERYONE thought these were double chocolate at first glance: I must admit they do look like chocolate cookies with chocolate filling.

Actually, they are much more sophisticated than simply chocolate all over. The dough is chocolate. the filling is St. Dalfour’s Wild Blueberry jam, and there are chocolate chips and chopped hazelnuts scattered throughout each cookie. I’ve always thought the doughy part of Hamentashens surrounding the filling was too boring, so I tried to add mix-ins to make that part more worth eating.

When I disclosed that they contained blueberry, I expected my little brother to back out and not even taste the cookies. But he split one with my mom, eating a piece she skillfully broke off that did not have any filling. He and my mom both said it was good. So did my dad.

I thought they were amazing, if I do say so myself. Even better than I’d hoped, soft, rich, chocolatey, the blueberry filling lending fruity sweetness and more excitement. The crunchy hazelnuts and melty chocolate chips were a stimulating addition to each bite. Of course, any baked item is at its greatest potential straight out of the oven.

I would be interested to try making whole wheat Hamentashen again, and experiment with different fillings.

Here is my recipe. Feel free to try it, maybe use a different filling or different mix-ins if you would like to experiment.