Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Body Rock

So, ya-hey.

Life is liker super boring right now. I think because either something amazing is coming up (return to Japan) or that I'm not busy enough and need more hours at work. One can only read and read and read until her heart's contempt until she just gets bored.

Nevertheless, all this reading has allowed me to research more about diet and and fitness. Good Lord there is so much floating out there. Its mind boggling. I have been looking mostly into new ways to exercise in which I can use in my changing environments. For some reason, it was a lot easier to exercise back at at school than it is here at home. Eating is a little harder too. Even though I still control a great deal of what I eat by doing my own/separate cooking and shopping, there are just not enough people around me who care about sustaining a healthy diet. There's apple cheesecake in the fridge, candies and cakes relatives have brought by, and I work at a friggin' bakery cafe. So many things around me! Sometimes my heart wishes that the world around me could just be Trader Joe's and Whole Foods all the time and everyday. They are such great safe havens. <3 

As I said, I have been doing a lot of extra research (thank you Kindle Self Magazine subscription!) and have learned a lot. Here are some tips for those of you who would still like help on changing your lifestyle/eating habits.

The No-no's, The Uh-oh's, and Counter Woes
Here is a section about what I think you should stay away from and try out if you are going to be serious about this. Start!
1.) Try to avoid cream based products such as dressings and soups. These are huge pit-falls people fall into. No, its not a hot dog or cheeseburger with fries on the side but its not helping you either. Salads and soups are only as good as you allow them to be. If you have these types of foods, have them in strong, STRONG moderation. Aim for broth based soups and vingerettes for dressings on your salad. And use the spritz and disperse method. Meaning usually a little dressing and tossing your salad as much as possible definitely helps. The little you put on the salad gets tossed around to lightly coat your salad and therefore has an enhanced taste as well as keeping it light the calories. There are a lot of homemade dressings you can try too using no more than a tablespoon of olive oil, lemon juice, and a mix of your favorite herbs.

2.) Oh salads and soups, you silly things you. These thing taste their best with bread, don't they? Oh man. This is where it gets hard. Who doesn't love tomato soup and grilled cheese? I have been craving that ALL DAY! But, the most I went for were Wheat crackers and Minestrone soup. If you still want your favorites, try really hard to watch the cheeses you use and always aim for Whole Grain/Whole Wheat or Honey Wheat breads. White breads, or any white grains for that matter, are called simple carbohydrates. Meaning that your body processes them too fast and leaves you reaching for more later. Whole grains are healthier, more complex carbs filled with much more nutrients. Your body takes longer to process these types and therefore help you fill fuller longer. This is why when we eat Chinese take out, we are hungry again in like an hour. Word to the wise--Wheat is your best friend. 

3.) Did someone say snack time? We all love 'em, but watch out. Snacks can lead to unhealthy choices. For example, I LOVE sweets and cannot ban chocolate out of my life. Therefore, I always make sure to have my Skinny Cow candies and a handful of cocoa coated almonds when I get my sweet cravings. Dried cranberries and raisens are like my favorite too. I just had a small after meal tea time with these foods because they satisfy my sweet tooth and serve as a healthy dessert. :) You can stay both committed and satisfied. Sweet, right? 

4.) Protect yourself. I always carry something healthy around with me if I am unsure of what I will be exposed to later--a banana, apple, or pear. A baggie of trail mix, or wasabi peas, a healthy granola bar...all of these things have become like my best friends when I just want a little snack to satisfy a small craving and when I am not hungry enough to have a meal. Its great for counteracting any bad things in front of your face with a nice trail mix bar in your bag. You've saved unnecessary calories and guilt.

5.) Working it out--some things are not for everyone. Not one for running loops in your neighborhood just yet? You can do indoor cardio implemented with two other types of workouts. Start out with simple things like Yoga or Pilates. You can do these things comfortably in your own home using Youtube videos, Wii Fit, online sites' instructor videos, or in a group fitness class. You will really feel and see the effects of these two workout types, I promise. They are great for toning and strengthening your muscles. For example, the downward dog position is great for your upper arm strength. In this position, you start with standing up and drop your palms down to the floor as though you were doing push ups. 'Cept you don't keep you whole body straight while you are in this position, your butt will be a tad up in the air. As you stretch, you should feel a good pull in your upper arms and legs. Look more into it and try out the positions that work best for your body--its important to know your limits so that you do not pull anything.

6.) "Random Dancing!" Okay, don't think too much of iCarly but if you can't deal with working out for a long period of time in one straight sitting, break it up! To keep things fun and interesting, start with workouts that you like and do them for as long as your feel comfortable. If you feel yourself getting bored, you can come back to it later. Say you find yourself getting fed up after 20 minutes. Okay, fine. A few hours later, you find yourself tidying up your house--BOOM! Plank position go! Phew, okay. Back to laundry-BOOM! Push ups, go! Get my gist here? You can make it into a game really. 

7.)Take advantage of nice days. When the sun is shining and the breeze is nice, GO OUTSIDE! I spend 5 hours outside in one day last week. What was I doing? Well I rode my bike to meet a friend at Starbucks (love that place) and sat outside with her for a couple hours. Then, I rode my bike around and then down to the lake. Sat there and read (Mockingjay, omg) and then biked again. It was like having one huge workout split into two different sessions. Very nice, very stress-free, and very affective. Try it. Let me tell you, I got quite the tan.

8.) Split it. If you find yourself craving that delish looking cupcake at your nearest barista/cafe joint, split it in half! You can either have half now and save the other for later or share with a friend! Think to yourself, "that looks good, but do I really need the WHOLE thing?" But if you must, try not to fret too much, we all have our days. :)

9.) Did you know that a loaded baked potato can have over 350 calories in it by the time you add all the fixings?! Lordy! You know, you can make it easier on yourself by adding light sour cream, and delish herbs and spices on top in order to save yourself. A medium sized potato has a group source of protein and fiber in it when you do it right.

Well, that's kinda all I got at the moment. I started with the intention of mentioning a few tips and it turned into this. I just wanted to get these tips out since I have been wanting to share them with others. I need a workout buddy, that's part of it. I have no one to spill my healthy jib-jab on other than health conscious customers at my job, hah. I will be doing more reading though. Be sure about that and be sure to try do to what you can. You can do it, if you really want to. :)

In the future, I want to add more links, pictures, and etc. here for anyone interested. 

~Shi <3

Thursday, May 10, 2012

This is a very serious post. (So no funny dictionary word today.)

I am going to let this link speak for itself. Its insane. But before I give my spiel on it, I want you to look at it. Go ahead.

Did you click it yet? Or do you need me to post it again? -------------->

OH KAY. SO IS THIS INSANE OR WHAT?! I couldn't even believe what I reading, nor could I get through it all because of the disgusting comments this chick was saying. Someone brought this blog to my attention and I cannot remember the last time that my jaw has literally hit the floor repeatedly because of something totally outrageous. I cannot believe the audacity of this girl. I feel like there should be a blog about thin girls, just to rebuttal the situation. But let's face it, that would not fix anything, fighting fire with fire... 
THIS is healthy?!


Blogs and comments like these are what encourages us females to feel so ashamed of the way we were built, the way we just are. Not all of us can be a Victoria's Secret  model and because of that, we feel like we need to strive to be. Putting our bodies and minds under so much stress. I am not perfect either; I know what it feels like to feel ashamed of your body because of someone or something you have seen. It can literally give me a headache, to have to fight to be alright with myself in a world that prizes a size 0-2 jean size. Yes, I have lost a lot of weight to become healthy and fit and because I didn't like what the scale said. So with that said, I shouldn't be ignoring all of my success and striving to be that size 0. My mother reminds me that we are all meant to be a certain size and shape, and that our bodies are built in a way for a reason. Two people can be the same exact weight but one can appear "heavier" than the other and therefore be under the assumption that the person weighs more than the other. But this person only looks that way because they may be shorter and/or built differently than the other person. Makes sense, yes? So even my mother was telling me that I should work on maintaining my weight and not losing anymore because I will begin to look dis-proportioned, and when I see pictures, I am starting to see what she means. But because I'd trained myself to keep up a 'losing weight' mindset, I didn't realize that I needed to switch it to the maintaining mindset. Its a rough transition. I love, LOVE to encourage others to not just lose weight if they feel like they need or want to, but just to be healthier in general. Someone can be very thin and be very unhealthy. Yes, they can eat what they want now and not gain a pound but if we could see what these habits were doing to them on the inside, maybe our perceptions would be a little different. 

The things this girl says on this post really makes you think...really urks you--well it did for me anyway. I have never been so appalled by someone so insensitive. There is even this battle between Lady Gaga fans and Adele fans. Lady G's fans are attacking Adele simply for her size. Its almost like, really!?! This woman has one of the most amazing voices of our time and you wanna talk about her weight?! Adele can sing Lady G outta anything. FACE. IT. Its the same thing with Megan Fox. SHE IS A BOMBSHELL and people claims she has "toe-thumbs". COME ON! NO ONE is looking at her thumbs...trust me. 

Sigh. I'll blog about more healthy lifestyles, food, workouts, and ideas in the future. But right now, I saw this and had to rant. Its insane, its not fair, and its not right. I have my days all the time too, everyone. Don't be fooled. The media and "skinny" craze hits me too but let's band together. Let's encourage each other, appreciate our bodies, and thank God that we are even still alive. I am bursting out of my own funk with these words because I am sick of feeling like &#^@ about my own body image issues. I don't want to feel this way anymore--seeing idiotic and ballsy posts about how skinny women should be makes me realize that I'm not the one with the problem. 

~Shi<3 (aka: pissed.)

PS: If you wanna get more pissed off, look at this: 
STARVING TIP OF THE DAY?! WHAT?! She had really taken healthy, helpful tips to the extreme. 
Example:
47) There are some very simple things you can do to burn calories, for example, make the bed every morning.  Also, get a picture of a model you would like to look like and every time you feel like eating something look at the picture – it will stop you from eating.  (1/9/2010; thanks, Maddy)

 
I am going to be sick....

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Good Food, Dude.

Word.

Oh, HAAAY! Its spring break, and other than running I like to spend my time catching up on reading, video games, bloggin' and homework. ANNnnnd My Drunk Kitchen and Jenna Marbles videos. HAHA. Too funny! I was watching some good old Lifetime and then I thought about Jenna Marbles and how I should be watching that instead. So I came across her blog as well in the midst of me lolin' by butt off and found a cool, and hilarious, recipe for artichokes and dip. I am going to try it at some point soon or something--LOOK!:


Check it out! Let's all try it together, its super healthy and super good sounding, even with all of her sexual references. :P

I am always looking for new foods in order to keep like delicious, fresh, healthy, and influential. For example, I found something called Kiwi Berries. WELL, I HAD to buy them. I mean come on. HA. I had one and was like, "AWWWW man!" They are basically mini kiwis without the hairiness--and who doesn't love that?! Yum, yum!

Now, onward march! (Hey...it actually IS March.)
Anyway, I went to two different healthy seminars/orientations/info meetings and I learned a lot about food and healthy eating. First off, eating healthy (it seems) goes beyond just eating fruits and veggies and moderation and what not. Turns out, the WAY these foods are grown and produced can affect our diets as well. There was this rumor going around about the preservatives and pesticides that were used in our foods can make us fat or be hazardous to our overall health. I never really cared much to really look into that but then I found out about this list called the Dirty Dozen (get your mind outta the gutter!):
1.) Strawberries
2.) Apples
3.) Spinach/Lettuce
4. Grapes
5.) Sweet Bell Peppers
6) Celery
7.) Peaches
8.) Nectarines
9.) Grapes
10.) Potatoes
11.) Blueberries
12.) Kale

Now, this list apparently changes on a give harvest. I am guessing because it depends on the types of pesticides a farmer decides to switch to or can no longer afford or use. But that's sick, and sad because A LOT of my diet now consists of these things. Though I have yet to try Kale. Hmm, Trader Joe's run anyone? (I think I'll stop by there tomorrow. YES! :D )
So your question probably is: "Why are these things so dirty?" ::smirk:: Well, in all "seriousness", its because of all of the chemicals and pesticides that are used during the growing and farming of these foods. Farmers use all of these harmful chemicals in order to get the best out of their harvest and to increase the value and quantity in which they can sell. The downside? The left over residue that we may consume even after its been plucked and 'cleaned'. These foods are the foods that are more susceptible to soaking up the chemicals than other foods such as bananas or pineapples. This is because these foods have a harder or thick skin that does not absorb as much or very little chemicals.  Yeah, so even though organic items can be very expensive or even go bad faster, in someways it can be worth it. What you decide to buy from the organic departments is up to you. I am going to experiment with the organic world myself. For example, I know that Pick 'N Save sells something called Skinny Girl Lettuce or Skinny Lettuce or something like that. Its an organic selection of lettuce/ spinach/ field greens. Just a tip! ;)
On a siiiide noooteeee:
I feel bad too. I had a lot of carbs and I had some custard... but hey, its spring break yo! LOL, are you supposed to splurge a little? ::grabs glass of wine next to me:: Yeah? YEAH! Its cool, I got a date with a ton of field greens and fresh veggies for the next week to vamp it up while I am home. But I refuse to be a hypocrite--moderation is still key I believe. Yes, there are days when you can have your cake AND eat it too. As long as you stay active and remain eating healthy for the majority of your diet. :) Yaaay rationalizing! (I'm human--and female--danggit!)

Back to the point!!! For more information on this Dirty Dozen business, check this out! :D


This is where you can find out more specifics on this very topic. There's always something to learn about the foods we eat!

Speaking of which, I know that many of us may have heard of have seen Super Size Me; a documentary about a man who decided to super size all of his meals at Mc Donald's for every meal every time they asked him. Needless to say, he got fat and he got sick. No brainer.  In one part of the documentary, they talk about what is actually in the chicken nuggets there; basically whatever un-useable part of the chicken (i.e.: everything but actual meat from the chicken) is pooled together, ground up, and turned into this sick pink paste in which they spray with ammonia to rid of the germs and disease that linger on these parts of the bird. So no only are you eating beaks, feets, and nasty what-nots, you're now chowin' down on a side of harmful chemicals. The reason why the "meat" in the chicken nugget is white is not because of it being cooked or, God forbid there being actual chicken in there, it is because the chemicals change it from the nasty ground pink color into the white color. So odd. So freakin' nasty.

ON TOP OF ALL THIS!
The way they treat our livestock in this country--don't even get me started. ICK! There is so much malnutrition, mistreatment, hormone pumping, integration, and animal cannibalism going on its super sick. I don't know how far I should even get into that one. What I learned was so disturbing, to was not even funny. If you want to know more, you may have to check that one our at your own risk.
What has been learned cannot be un-learned. O_O

~Shi <3

Thursday, March 22, 2012

OH, Lordy! It hurts so good!

Urban Dictionary word of the Post--
Sell popcorn: to stand by and do nothing to change events. 

People say, "Oh, I'd love to do x,y,z/blah/blah" but actually do little to change it. I am not perfect, I do these things too. But if we want something done right, we have to either do it ourselves or stop sellin' popcorn! >:)

  Yah, hey! Work out progress report:

A little big ago I posted two "new" workouts that I found posted on Self. It was about rowing and the climbing machine. I have only done the rowing machine once and I was not sure what I thought about it. But, because of the article, I decided to try it again. A friend and I did it together and it was pretty awesome. We each burned roughly 160 calories but we were not rowing for 20 minutes as Self suggested and rowed for only about 15 just to start. In the future, I plan to amp it up to the full 20 minutes and really crank it up. Rowing is a good way to keep your work out consistent. Because of you are controlling your movement at a constant and smooth rate, you're less likely to stop or slow down dramatically, which can decrease your calorie burn and slow your heart rate back towards resting. Additionally, rowing is GREAT for simultaneously working your arms and your legs at the same time. Good deal I'd say. 
Despite what you may think though, it is a challenge but definitely worth about 20 minutes (of 15) of your time at the gym. 

Conclusion---------> Rowing is great for arms and legs.

As for the climber machine (not the escalator-like one)--OMFG. That BS is no joke! Its cool at first; you're steppin' along and you think, "Yeah, this is alright. Its almost like the stair climber, like literally climbin' stairs. Nbd." Let 15 minutes go by, you'll be feelin' this joint for reals-skis! But then again, it was my first time on the machine and for some reason I decided to do a full 40 minutes in hopes it could substitute my run for the day. Man, oh, man! If you want toned legs and a firm boo-tay, get climbin'!
Also, the cool part other than seeing how many calories you've burned, is that it tells you how many flights of stairs you climbed. Mine was well over 100. It made me think of the Climbing for Air charity event that is coming up/happening. I was thinking how much work it would be to climb the U.S. Bank building downtown (M-town) but it would be for two great causes: you'd get a great work out and you'd help someone in need. Win, WIN! But yeah, this climbin' thing is also no joke, try it!!

Conclusion--------------------> Climbin' moves that junk in yo trunk and firms those legs.

I'd planned on running this weekend but that did NOT happen. I was so freakin' sore for these two workouts (on top of lifting, running, and lunges over the last three days), I was pooped! Talk about hardcore. But you know what, it hurts so good. (Odd to say, eh? Get your mind outta the freakin' gutter!) Anyway, I am feeling it mostly in my inner thighs region. Keep in mind that I also do weight lifting so it was not exclusively from rowing or climbing but I can say that I feel those too. I highly recommend both of them still! 
I am going to do my best in trying to find more workouts to try and "report" about in hopes to get more people motivated and to help others find something that they can do too!

Happy 'hurting'. (It's worth it.)

~Shi<3

P.S.: I hope you are running outside again, its been too gorgeous not too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

P.S.S: Went to an interesting seminar about health and the way our foods are processed...prepare to be shocked and a little grossed out next post...

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Twerk it Flip it 'N Reverse it

EW, its snowing. And we were doing so well... :(

HEYO!
(New size for text because normal is actually way too small.) 

I am on the hunt for new exercises. I feel like most of the things that I have been doing now is getting a little old. So. I've done a little research and here are some good ones I have found via/ Self and Shape magazine. I am thinking of subscribing to either one of them or Women's Health. All very good magazines. 

I don't know if you know who Nicole Scherzinger but she is from the Pussycat Dolls girl group, basically, SHE IS the Pussycat Dolls all on her own. Let's face it, not all the girl got attention like she did nor did you really hear anyone but her in their music. (Actually, I recognized Nicole the minute I saw her in the group. I used to be obsessed with Pop Stars and I am sad that no one remembers that show because of stupid American Idol making it seem like it was their idea to have a singing competition show and what not.) Anyway, check out some pictures or go onto YouTube to see what she is about. My point is that she has an AMAZING BODY and its like "OMIGOSH! How does she do this? What is this Black Magics?" I wanted to see if I could look into it an try a few things out myself. She is my current motivation. 

Saturday, February 18, 2012

IN MAH FACE

So like hey, girl hey!

People are starting to bring things to my attention. Interesting studies about running and certain foods--PLEASE KEEP IT COMING! PLEASE, I love to hear that people are really starting to think about fitness and fashion and food. Oh, the 3 Fs, I LIKE IT! New idea. BAM!

Interesting Study:

"A University of Tennessee Study found that people who included yogurt in their weight loss diets lost 81% more belly fat than those who didn't include yogurt in their in their weight loss diets because…

The calcium in yogurt & in other dairy products helps your body burn more fat and calcium limits the amount of NEW fat your body can make. "

(Shoutout to Kat for bringing this up! Thanks Kat!)

My opinion on this:
A lot of my own weight-loss happened over the summer. I was kicking up my motivation from the running group I was in during my time in Japan and really  making huge changes in what I ate. As I stated in a previous post, I mentioned that I ate a lot of homemade parfaits with berries and granola. Even though it can be a sugar bomb depending on what you put in it, its a great treat or something to have for breakfast.  I would even sometimes buy low-fat frozen yogurt (or freeze regular low-fat yogurt if I felt like it) and dump berries on top. It was a good alternative to my ice cream cravings or desire to have dessert after my meals. Either way, yogurt was and still is a good part of my diet. So I highly recommend yogurt. I posted picture of what kind of yogurt I eat if you are interested [in an earlier post].

As for my next goal, I am trying to find new exercises to do because I feel like I am getting to repetitive with my work outs. I am going to lift weights more as well. FEEL THE POWA! :D
Eventually I will post new things that I find and what not. I am looking at my book as well, called 21-Day Belly Melt by Prevention Magazine. I got it almost two months ago but I am just now really getting into it. Its teaching me so much.
Additionally, I get asked about what to eat in general. Obviously people are not reading my sections on food. T_T But, I will have to just reinforce my advice and encourage people to read what I post about diet.Its sorta funny because my mother just sent me a picture of some delicious looking cookies she found at Trader Joe's. A serving of 5 cookies is 8g of sugar, not bad I think. I am going to start researching what is a good daily/weekly limit when it comes to sugar and carbs and try my best to stick to it. I have become very VERY specific about Nutrition labels. I used to run from them, eating whatever I wanted and justifying that I didn't know what I was really eating and trying to make it okay. DO NOT DO THIS. You will gain weight, it will pack on. Look at what you are eating, and analyze it before you stating your chews. It will help you begin a skill of moderation and self-discipline.
Anyway, here are some more examples on food choices, meal ideas, and alternatives.

Section 1--Home Dining
Breakfast

 Here, we have an egg-white omelet, a cup of coffee, and a mini vanilla bean scone from Starbucks.
Now, we all know that it is super hard to eat something for breakfast that is not loaded with sugar and carbs. Let's face it: cereal (sugar and carbs), muffins (fat, carbs, and sugar), bagles (sugar depending on kind, and carbs), waffles/pancakes (carbs), etc. You get the point. Its hard. That's why I love Egg Beaters egg white cartons. Instead of struggling to separate the whites from the yolks, its already done for you. And it even comes with veggies in the Southwest Blend. I always add more veggies though.  A mini scone, not that bad for you but I only bought one on purpose so I could limit myself but still enjoy a morning treat. When it comes to coffee, limit what you put in it (more on that later).


Oh, the parfaits. As I mentioned, I love these babies. I usually try to make it in my smallest bowls so I do not make more than I need. Like I said, depending on what you put in it can make it a sugar bomb and its not good to start your day with one of those for you can come into contact with other sugary items during lunch or dinner. In this parfait: blackberries (great source of antioxidants), strawberries, I think blueberries as well, almonds, granola (as little as possible), and a few banana chips.I still could have done a little better though, I believe that if analyzed more closely, it would have not passed my personal sugar limit.
Still, better than a doughnut though.


THIS WAS TOO GOOD! OMG! My roomie's mother made waffles the other day (I know, I know. I just bashed waffles but I do not have them often at all and 90% of this meal is fruit. Chill) and I decided to make my great morning even better. Just about all that I had planned on this day was canceled and this delicious item just made it that much better!
What's on it:
  • About a tbs of peanut butter (trying get rid of the rest of my Skippy, found a healthier option from Trade Joe's).
  • Half a sliced banana.
  • Strawberries.
  • Barely a tbs of lite syrup (again, effin' sugar!).
  • A side of raspberries and blueberries.
This was soo good! I had small cup of coffee for the side as well (but let's face it, I always have coffee). I cannot tell you how amazing this was and even though the waffle may look like it was thick and huge, it was not even that big. Perfect. This was a great meal to have before lifting that day. Tip: if you're going to get into lifting, its recommending to eat something hearty and healthy like oatmeal, apples, bananas...they are great for energizing your pre-iron-pumping body.

Snacks/Light Meals

This started out as just a snack after lifting that day but I pumped so much iron I was starving. Pita chips and sundried-tomato hummus, OH! I know hummus sounds icky and I used to think so too. But then I had some from, where else but Trader Joe's, a friend at her party and it was too good! Hummus is made from chick peas, super lean and super healthy for you. I still cannot believe how low hummus is in carbs, fat, sodium, calories--its a dream come true. I also steamed up some green beans topped with a little garlic salt and paprika. (Paprika is so great. So many benefits for you and adds great taste to any veggie.)


You can view other types of snacks in earlier parts of my blog.


Lunch
I do not have too many pictures for this but as I have stated before, you can see other examples for this category in other parts of my blog. (Salads, veggies, etc.). Also, I recommend tuna sandwiches (NOT TUNA SALAD. Anything that says, chicken/tuna/etc. SALAD is bound to have mayo or sauces mixed in it already. Then, an additional slathering of mayo/sauces on the actual sandwich. Avoid these). Just get chicken breast or tuna cups/cans and make your own sandwich. Add veggies, any sauce should be light, and enjoy! If you have cheese, I recommend Laughing Cow cheese. Its like a cream cheese almost but its so much better for you than either regular cheese or actual cream cheese. Only 35 calories a wedge! :D Speaking of the creamed cheeses, Weight Watchers has things like that too. I haven't tried that yet though.

Dinner

 
YUM YUM YUM! Chicken breast, brown/wild rice, and sauteed zucchini and yellow squash. DO YOU KNOW HOW GOOD THIS IS! Its satisfying AND yummy. WHAT?! Oh, yeah. 
There is a enough said about this one. ^-^












So I was feelin' pasta-y one night.I try my BEST to avoid pasta. All I see is carbs when I see pasta. Its scary. Therefore, I bought whole grain pasta (yes, they make that), light Ragu alfredo sauce (actually NOT that bad for you), veggies broccoli, squash, zucchini, and red pepper), and chicken breast. This was so good. I made too  much though and just decided to freeze the rest for a later date. You can do that you know, make something and freeze it for later. Its good for your belly (or lack there of) and your wallet. Everyone wins!

Again, chicken breast. Why do I eat so much chicken? (All black jokes aside.) Because it is one of the leanest meats out there (other than turkey and fish). Its too good. Plus, its cheaper than beef. I'm still a college student you know. Eating healthy can be expensive sometimes!

Also, carrots and green beans for a side. (And water to drink!)

Are you starting to notice trends in my eating habits?






Section 2--Eating out
 Dinner Example

Rainforest Cafe deliciousness 


This was from my birthday-palooza that my parents bestowed onto me last weekend. Oh man! This was good. I tried to pick one of the safest options on the menu. Eating out is hard, especially if you don't always want a salad. This was tilapia smothered in mango salsa, side of coconut shrimp (fried but OK in MODERATION), terriyaki sauce, shrimp and scallops in like an au grain sauce (probably not the best for ya), brown rice, and steamed veggies. YUMMY! 
TIP: When you eat out, do your best to listen to your body. Do not try to eat the whole meal just because its in your face. Eat until your satisfied, save the rest for later. (Which is what I will show you what you can do with left overs.) Also, order a glass of water while you decide and wait on your meal. My book, as well as others, tell me that if you start with water, you will eat about 20% less than if you had not. You're body will get the hydration it needs and you will safe yourself some calories.

And for later...
Simple: use the left overs from one meal and make something new for later!

I saved the fish from earlier meal as well as the sauce. I used the sauce to saute green beans and shrimp and piled it in with the brown rice as well. It was super good! Great way to be resourceful!

Treats
 
Someone just had to bring cake-pops to the meeting.
UGH! The temptation. If you think about it, they are so easy to just eat. I mean its cake on a friggin's stick! Why, world, WHY?! When it comes to bite sized treats, try not to shove your face with them. Have one or two and then leave them alone. (Before you know it, you could eat a whole cake! In theory...)

This I did to myself. --_--
One of my residents gave me that cupcake on the left, (yeah, its a cupcake, not a cookie) but the other two treats I made. Ugh. I ate the cupcake and the lower cookie but gave whatever was leftover away. NO MORE OF THIS, go away temptation you cheeky bastard you. 
Remember, you can have sweets and treats still. Its just about gaining self-discipline and learning about moderation. Trust me, I still struggle sometimes too. My friend made me a huge chocolate cake for my birthday. TRIPLE CHOCOLATE. I mean, come on! That's three times the chocolate! O_O Let's just say I ate my share and gave away as much as possible. I appreciate her heart, but I couldn't take the calories.

Anyway, I hope this helps you out more. I am going to really start showing workouts and methods to tone your body with! :) I am still researching. I will also include more tips on diet suggestions and tips via my lovely book I bought. 

Also, I have a tumblr now! (nowshi-tumbls.tumblr.com) More so aimed at fashion and things of that nature. (Dagnabbit, Claire! You got me hooked)

Let me know if there is anything else! I am here to motivate! 

Toodles, poodles.

~Shi<3

Friday, February 10, 2012

Birthday Post

Yes yes, I am blogging on my birthday. Why? Because its been snowing all day, its cold and gross, I hate that I just ate half a vat of cake, and I just got home from school...

Urban Dictionary Word of the Post
Birthday Word of the Post: Shots. [Shot,shot,shots,shots. EVERYBODAAAAY!]
(You know why. :P)

I decided to skip the Urban Dictionary Word of the Post today due to the occassion. 

I have a lot of things on my mind since its my birthday and people still ask about fitness and health. I am not going to lie, for the last to days I have been 'bad' (eating cake and stuff). Yes, even though it is my birthday, I do feel bad about literally eating out of the pan. I understand that one is supposed to eat cake and things of that nature on one's birthday but hey, I think that this new lifestyle is so engraved within me now, that I cannot help it. I saw all that to say this: 
THIS IS A LIFESTYLE CHANGE. 
Desiring to change/lose weight/eat better is not a temporary thing. If you are going to do it, you need to realize that you cannot start and just stop once you get what you want. You have to start first and then actually maintain it. Maybe not become as obsessive as me, but you must keep it up. (You probably think that I am pathetic for feeling bad for eating cake on my own birthday. But I over did it...) So another tip, if you are going to have a 'bad day' or 'bad food' you have to try, try, TRY to listen to that voice in your head that says, "Hey, slow down." Or, "Hey, that's enough." Or, "Hey, you can have this now, but you must do something about it later. You cannot slip back into old habits. Remember why you started this." 

Alright, on a more positive notes, let's move on for other lifestyle changes. For example, I am working on: 
  • Loving myself (working out does help, it makes me feel powerful and strong.)
  • Being considerate and giving.
  • Being smart/smarter (academically, socially, spiritually.)
  • CHASING MY DREAMS EVEN MORE RELENTLESSLY THAN EVER BEFORE. (Things may be looking up in this department. Hehehe. Knock on wood.)
  • Becoming more independent and self-assured. 
  • Becoming more self-disciplined.
  • Taking more pride in my accomplishments. 
  • REALIZING MY SELF-WORTH. 
These are gifts I want to give to myself, birthday and beyond.  I hope that I can inspire you not just with health and fitness but with inspiring yourself in other ways too. Relationships with my friends and family mean a lot to me, so if I can help others by showing them the light that I am gaining from within myself and from God, then I have done something meaningful in my life. That is why I hope people are reading my posts, that they are interested, and that they will continue to be. 
Okay, tear-jerking over. 


FASHION BREAK--GO!

This is one of my fave outfit that I came up with. LOVE IT. I love long, high ponytails. I think they are so chic. Especially with a cool scarf (bought in Japan, btw) to accent a simple style. 
I also had on black jeans and tan boots. I don't have a full length mirror in my room anymore so that sucks that I can't show the whole outfit. :(  But its still cute from what I/you can see. (The outfit. Don't take that as an egotistic thing.)




I love, LOVE LOVE this outfit choice. 
I was supposed to be going out that night (last night) for a casual pre-birthday outting and it didn't quite go as planned. But I put a lot of effort into at least studying in a greeeaat outfit. ;) I have on a silky short-sleeved dressed, belted with a large black and silver belt, tall leather boots, leggings, and an open cardie.
(I may read too many magazines.)

On my fashion wish list? A new bag! (And I wanna get into color jeans. SWEET.)

I want this bag like you have no idea. Its so freakin' cute! Its from Francesca's.  Too bad its so freakin' expensive. I will own it some day though. Heehee.

Does anyone care about this fashion stuff? I am trying to switch it up. :/ 
Sometimes I wonder if other people are as obsessed about fitness, fashion, and Japan as I am. (Oh, and House too.) Not many people tell me if they read this or not or what they wanna read about so I just go with it. Shout out to Sara, I know you read my posts for sure! <3

Happy Birthday me, I'm gonna go buy myself some booze.

~Shi <3

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

HOOP-LA!

Ironic Fact--before this post, my Japan blog and this blog officially had the same number of posts. Weird. Hm, it was a year ago last week that I actually left for Japan... :/ Look at that shiz-niz. 
So no Urban dictionary word today, just irony. Because my world is ironic....and complicated. (MySpace emo-moment....) 

This is gonna be a short post until the next one.

I just wanted to say that I really appreciate that people are becoming more interested in starting and maintaining healthy habits and getting into fitness. And I LOVE that they come to me for advice! I was going to try to add some variety to my blog, as per the original intent of this blog, but since I keep getting questions about losing weight and fitness, it seems a lot of my posts are going to be on that. So please new readers, tell me what you wanna know! Just comment on my wall or this post to tell me how I can help. Remember, you  can help motivate me just as much as I can motivate you. I am willing to help anyway I can with tips or partnered trips to the gym. If you want a specialized list of certain foods that I recommend or anything of that nature, contact me. I am already 'coaching' two friends right now. I'd be ecstatic if someone else wanted to join the movement, I am always down for a work out!!!(Ran this morning in fact, even though my legs were screaming for me not to because of Monday's work out.) :/


Thank you for those who are interested and really started to get with it. I aim to be motivating and I am so glad that I am  helping others start something great in their lives as well. 

Keep it movin', people! 

~Shi<3

P.S.: If we could even get a mini-support group going, that would be even better. :)

Friday, January 27, 2012

Find a witness, get into fitness!

Urban Dictionary Word of the Day:
GORP-- I probably have used this one already, but know that it means trail mix. (WHICH btw, is a good way to get your sweet cravings taken care of, or at least tuned down, without ruining your diet/new eating habits!)

Heyoooooooooooooooo!
So, I still get people coming up to me asking how I did it: "How did you lose so much weight?" Like a few other new things in my life, working out has become very important to me and I get asked about it a lot. Therefore, just like last post, I am going to devote this post mostly to fitness and weight loss. There are some other types of blogs on my mind that I wanna do to and others I'd like to stalk for a while too. (Haley and Claire, you're on my mind.)

To start, I'd like to stress how important it can be to find a work out partner. If you're motivated, and he/she is motivated, you can help each other. It makes a world of difference to work out with someone who feeds off of your energy and supply it back to you as you both work to meet your goals. Especially because some people have a HUGE burst of energy to start but then lose it when they don't notice any changes in their bodies and then lose all motivation. Don't give up! It takes time, concentration, effort, and tons of motivation! Here are some quick tips to keeping up your morale:
  1. Make post-it note messages to yourself. These will serve as little reminders from you to you! When you're trying to reach a goal, any goal, its good to see words of encouragement from yourself. Only you can really be your best cheerleader. (Other than your mom and dad. ^_^)
  2. Find pictures or magazine cutouts/clippings/pages that inspire you and tape them where you're sure to see them. Yeah, OK. Some images might be overly photo shopped and what not but to a degree, they are still motivating because they can remind you of how you want to see yourself. Try not to get sucked into becoming that exact image because in most cases, even they don't even really look that small or that toned or whatever in real life. I am still learning that myself. :/
  3. Write down the days you plan to work out! It helps to see it, even create a time, and you're more likely to stick to it. 
  4. Find a friend. I already told you why.
  5. Get some great music that puts you in the zone. It helps a bunch! You make your body pump to the beat of the music, causing you to unknowingly work harder. :)
  6. Reward yourself. Tell yourself, "If I push it today, I'll treat myself to a small treat or take myself somewhere nice." 
  7. Keep a journal. You can track your feelings, progress, and keep tabs one what you eat this way. Again, visuals always help. 
  8. Invest. If you're serious, you will buy foods that you know are better for you, get that gym membership, buy those semi-expensive running shoes or fitness gear and force yourself to make use out of it because its already been done--you spent money on it. No one likes to waste money. 
There are a few things to keep in mind for you. Most importantly, remember why you are doing this. Special K has a nice campaign (says the Advertising major :P) that asks you "What will you gain when you lose?" and on the scale that they show it will say 'confidence', 'assurance', 'motivation' and etc. I think its a great point; you do gain some things when you lose weight. Right now actually, I am trying to keep up my own morale while getting a little more strict about what I eat. (I had three nights of bad recently, lol!) But despite that, I have gained a lot since starting this journey. I could create a whole other list actually...but its almost more of a personal thing. But I'll spill if it will help, just ask.

So, what kinds of work outs are best? (Something I have been asked too...) Well, most know that cardio has become my favorite these days. Its so releasing and energizing. But other than that, I have gotten into:
  • Yoga
    • Positions like downward dog causes you to use your core and your arms. Warrier stances also stretches your thighs and tones them!
  • Pilates
    • 100s are good, it forces your body into a V position as your pump your arms to work your core.
  • Weight Lifting
    • Using free weights to tone your triceps and biceps are great ways to tone your arms. Weight lifting machines are great too!
  • Ab/Core Exercises
    • The plank causes your you engage your ab muscles and tone your arms at the same time! You have to shift your weight equally to stay balanced as your perched up on your elbows with your legs straight.  
I bought this new book that I have barely followed because I can't shake loose my strong desire to run. I am going to try to get better at it though. :) I want to start it around the beginning of February so I can stick to the day by day plan better. I can later post example pictures of what I am trying to describe above too. (Better seen and explained than just explained.)

On to the next matter: Vitamins. Here are the ones that I take as of right now.
TA-DAAA!



Starting from the far left, Acai Berry supplements, with Green Tea Extract, are great for boosting your metabolism and increasing your energy. These two "superfruits" are duel fighters in increasing the way you burn calories. I have been using this for about month now and I notice I am always hungry! (To me, that means my metabolism is getter faster. Besides, I eat light meals anyway so that could be another reason.)
Where to find them: GNC, Walgreens, and most likely Walmart or Supplement Warehouse.

The second on is just good 'ole Vitamin C. Its good for your immune system. That's mostly why I take it. I hate being sick and it really affects your morale to work out when you're fighting off a cold. Ick! 
Where to find them: Pretty much everywhere; Walmart, Walgreens, GNC, Outpost. etc.
Biotin: great for hair and nails. Strengthens both. 
Where to find them: Same as above really, anywhere.

And the last, Vitamin D, I take for mostly bone heath. (There is something that may run in my family that I would like to reduce the effects of or decrease the chances of getting. This is more of a personal vitamin. :/) But more so universally, its a good vitamin for bone and breast health. (Support Boobies!)
Where to find them: Same places as listed above.

Another thing I strongly believe in using are protein shakes! They are great for when your kinda hungry but you have to think about if you're actually hungry and yet don't want an actual meal. And the sweet part is, they are low in calories, carbs, and sugar (especially the Lean Shakes from GNC) so they are a great sweet craver item. And who doesn't like Special K? Vanilla is the best flavor, btw.


Where they can be found: Lean Shakes are, I found anyway, at GNC. The Special K shakes are a better deal at Walmart but Walgreens are known to have sales on them. :) 


More great treats that are good or better for you!(Ala Walmart for the broke people, aka, me.) These all serve as great substitutes for your other guilty pleasures. Skinny Cow candy is my fav by the way. So good. :)


I have to give raves about this oatmeal. There is soo much less sugar in it, which it important to notice if you want to lose weight but not entirely give up your sweet tooth. Meaning, cut the sugar where ever you can so when you do have  treat in the day, you don't over do it or have too much collectively from one day. See? Get it? Good. Its also great in lasting you until lunch, especially if you slice half a banana (or apple) and place it on top, with crushed almonds, and a dash of cinnamon. OH, DELISH!

The Light version of vanilla Yoplait yogurt is better than the normal one too. I prefer it actually, less sugar, calories, and carbs. (Plus if you make a parfait with it, you're going to be adding sugar, such as granola, to it if you like it that way. I do it so I try to make sure that the yogurt itself doesn't have so much of the bad stuff in it.)  Yummy!

Again, I hope this helped. I am always, ALWAYS willing to work out with anyone who wants me too. The fact that I can motivate someone else helps me motivate myself to keep going too. :) 
Just like I hope I can fit a little cardio in tomorrow. I just ate ice cream. O_O

Awesome blossoms.

~Shi <3