Eat more of this and lose more fat

Wrap it around sushi, eat it alone, with rice, or in salad. Eat seaweed and you won't have to walk a single step for up to 75% of the fat from your meal to pass right through your body.


Researchers in Newcastle, England have discovered a fiber in seaweed that reduces fat absorbed in the body better than most anti-obesity drugs. The article has been published on BBC's website: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/tyne/8579472.stm.


I love seaweed roasted with sesame oil and salt. I eat it like I'd eat a bag of Doritos. Simply open the package and crunch. I buy seaweed from Asian markets because there's a wider selection, but many people find it more convenient to go to a natural food store like Whole Foods. 


This is a package of seaweed I recently bought from a Korean market:

Another great way to eat seaweed is in salad. I'm starting to like seaweed salads, but for the longest time, I hated the texture. I have found that certain restaurants use dressings delicious enough for me to swallow the slimy strands of seaweed. I'm sure the more I eat it, the more I'll like it. 


Well, now that I know seaweed is not only tasty, but also makes fat from my meal disappear, I better update my shopping list. I just ate my last package.

New Shoes & a New Ass?

I keep seeing ads for shoes claiming to tone your legs and help you lose weight. Are they saying we can not only get a new pair of shoes, but also get a new ass? Two wows in one. Part of me remains a skeptic. I'm all for bargains, and this one is too good to pass up, if it's true.


I won't believe it, until I try for myself. The main contenders are Reebok EasyTones and Sketchers Shape-Ups. Although they're a little pricey, I need a new pair of decent tennis shoes. Shall I try one of these fancy-smancy shoes?


It's worth a shot. Non..?


...Oui!


What time is it? Time to go shopping.

One Sweet Lady & A Dirty Girl

"Wash Me!" Yes, someone actually wrote that on my car window, so I decided to get a carwash. I bought the works, which included interior shampooing. They did a great job. My 2003 car almost feels brand new again. I vowed to refrain from eating inside my car anymore. No more french fries stuck in between the seat cracks. No more sunflower seed shells under the carpets. My car's clean, and I'm going to keep it that way!

Hah! Fat chance. Why? Because this chick eats, and what did I eat today? Oh, just  some of Sweet Lady Jane's red velvet cake.

This cake's so good it would make a monkey squeak. I told myself I'd wait till I got home to eat the cake, but I couldn't help myself. As soon as I sat in my car, I pulled out a plastic fork and devoured an entire piece. I'm pretty proud of myself because I managed to eat the cake sans making a mess. It was too delicious to waste even a crumb.

Are you a blogger too?

Alicia Keys is looking for a head blogger for her new website. The details are here:


http://www.iamasuperwoman.com


Apply by May 3rd. ¡Buena suerte!

Should I get this?

This Wii fitness game has received positive reviews, and the price dropped. Should I give it a try? It might give me a reason to set up my Wii at the new apartment.

Happy Earth Day :-)

Happy Earth Day! Lately, I see more and more people recycling, planting trees, and buying organic goods. There are lots of things we can do to help Mother Earth. If everyone did one thing everyday to help preserve the Earth, like pick up a piece of trash, or recycle newspapers, we could save the world. Honestly. Awareness and action are the foundation for progress. So, Let's get up, get out, go somewhere, and do something.

In honor of my desire to be more "green," and preserve the Earth for my unborn children and grandchildren, I'm going to research and find out as many ways as I can to be more environmentally friendly. Little by little, as I discover more ways to help the Earth, I'll see what fits into my lifestyle and what I'd like to do in a perfect world, but may not be able to do today.

In honor of Earth Day, instead of going to the closest major supermarket to buy my groceries, I'm going to head to the local farmers market, and load my canvas shopping bag with fresh produce and goodies. If the farmers market was closer to my apartment, I could even walk there, but it's not. Okay, off I go to shop.

I'm Growing Herbs

Although I love the show Weeds, the herbs I'm growing won't get you high.

In my old apartment I started an herb garden with a Chia Gourmet Herb Garden kit. When I moved, the plants died, so I'm starting from scratch. I went to Home Depot and bought basil and mint seeds. I planted the seeds this morning, and placed the pots on a windowsill, in my kitchen. I used organic soil because I don't want pesticides or fertilizers in my homegrown herbs.

Well, until my herbs are ready, I'll watch Mary-Louise Parker and her Weeds grow.

Change of tastes

Growing up, the only way I'd eat tomatoes is with ketchup and fries. I detested broccoli, spinach, and especially, asparagus. Fast forward to today, tomatoes and those abhorred vegetables have become a few of my favorite foods.

Another example of how my taste buds have changed is beer. I wondered what the great mystery of beer was because everyone from my father to Homer Simpson fully enjoyed this beverage. They seemed to like beer even more than I loved apple juice. They're the same color, they're both in the refrigerator, and they're both served in a glass. "I must try it. I bet it tastes better than apple juice, since my daddy likes it" I thought. One day, my dad let me take a sip. Yuck. Dreadfully disgusting. 

That horrible taste took me to age 23, without ever having a desire to take another sip of beer. One happy-hour, I went out with my friends, tried a Blue Moon with orange slices, and beer became my friend. Lately, I have found myself saying, "Ahhhh. A beer sounds so refreshing right now." When did that happen, how, and why?

On Thursday night, I needed time to decompress and catch up with a girlfriend. She suggested we go to Sparadise, a new spa in Los Angeles, to get Thai massages. A massage? YES! How did she know I had a million knots in my back? A massage and girl-talk is just what the doctor ordered. 

We updated each other on the latest and the greatest, and we found a new common denominator: an appreciation for reading. She said she has found herself enjoying the things she used to hate such as reading and running. During the last few months, instead of going partying after work, often, she stays home and reads. On Saturday mornings, she enjoys jogging along Santa Monica's boardwalk, then eating fresh seafood nearby.

I find myself enjoying many things I used to loathe, as well. Although I doubt I'll ever like the smell of asparagus-parfumed pee, I willingly eat asparagus sans holding my breath. I haven't found an appreciation for jogging yet, but I have been thinking about signing up for a charitable 5K to motivate me to start a jogging regimen. 

There's a song I love that sums up how I feel by Lina called "Change." Listening to this song always lifts my spirits:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHDHyPVLRuY&feature=related

I hope you like her song as much as I do. 

Many of my changes stemmed from a desire to grow. I told myself last year that I needed to incorporate more vegetables into my life for better health. It took several variations of dishes to find vegetables I liked and methods of preparing them to suit my taste buds. 

I'm a constant work in progress. I want to become a better person, and yes, every day, in every way, I keep getting better and better. Like Lina attests, "Change is a good thing."

Does coffee do this to anyone else?

Whenever I drink coffee, I want to eat something sweet. Even if I wasn't in the mood for a madeline or scone, as soon as I swallow my first sip of coffee, my tongue feels dry and I want one.

I'm reading a book by Jack Challem called The Food-Mood Solution. Challem claims the mood swings accompanying caffeine consumption contributes to psychological mood disorders. According to his studies, proper rest, food, exercise, and supplements can banish the need for caffeine and improve overall wellness.

How ideal it would be to be free from dependency on any stimulants. Should I give coffee up?

My health is like the IRS

Needs, schmeeds. Who needs rest and nutrition when you've got a new apartment, coffee, Red Bull, and donuts? When we're under extreme stress, proper health and nutrition is often one of the first things we throw out the window. We may skip exercise, eat more, sleep less, and maybe even add cigarettes and booze to help cope.

I haven't moved in five years, and I forgot how taxing the whole process is. Lack of sleep, packing, unpacking, clutter, and every other luxury that comes along with moving, has turned me into a sugar-seeking, caffeine fueled, unhealthy little stress bomb who's about to explode or die. I need to take my health back into my own hands.

This morning, while putting my 1099s together to file my taxes, a lightbulb went off in my head. My health is just like income taxes. Whether I move, change jobs, get sick, or turn into a vegetable, my intake and expenditures are all accounted for in the end. I cannot cheat the system; therefore, I must be both fiscally and physically responsible.

Wanna be a Pussycat Doll?

Although she may not look like it, she eats.

I saw Nicole Scherzinger eating dinner at Sushi Roku in Hollywood tonight. Looking stunning, she made healthy choices like sashimi and edamame. Another thing I noticed, once she had her full, she spent most of the evening walking around the restaurant carrying an adorable baby. Holding the baby kept her from stuffing her face, while simultaneously toning her arms. What a smart Pussycat.

Wii Waste.

I bought myself a Wii about 3 years ago, and justified spending the money, because not only can a Wii help you lose weight, but it's fun. I played with my Wii for about 3 weeks, then I forgot about it.

For my birthday in 2009, I asked for the Wii Fit because I thought I'd use it all the time, renewing my purpose for purchasing a Wii. I'd use the Wii Fit to exercise, and it would not seem like exercise, because I'm playing a video game. I asked for the Wii Fit, and I was ecstatic when someone gave me one for my birthday.

Well, my birthday is February 21st, and it is now 2010. Another birthday has passed, and along with another year, I have gained another dress size. I was hoping for a fit mii, but I neglected that goal, and became plain old lazy. I think I should give my Wii another chance. Don't you?

Wii Waste changed to Wii Use

My waist, I shall lose!

Are you on a diet? OMG you must be hungry!

What's the term people refer to when women are grumpy??? Oh right. I guess you could say, when I'm hungry I become a (insert the B word here). I wouldn't call myself a b*tch, but society has deemed that word appropriate for usage whenever a woman acts unhappy, bossy, stern, confrontational, or especially, grumpy. Anytime we try to eat healthy or control our weight, we are on a "diet." When someone sees me order a salad with chicken, even if that salad is bacon and crouton filled with full fat ranch dressing and 1000 calories, often the response is, "Are you on a diet?"

I loathe the word "diet." When I hear "diet," I think of deprivation. I think of how hungry I feel all day, when I am on a diet!! No one likes a hungry girl (especially the hungry girl herself).

Finding a balance between our cravings, lifestyle, dress sizes, and blue jeans is a process, and from personal experience, I know how difficult this process can be. This is my log of daily successes, failures, insights, and private thoughts shared with you. I hope you can relate and add to my experiences because the more we share, the closer we are to figuring out how to have the body we want without feeling deprived. From now on, no more diets! Kiss that word goodbye.