Evolving Diet Thoughts

So it occurred to me at the grocery store today, it isn't that I eat a lot - it is what I eat that is the problem. Most days I have 1 meal, instead of three meals I snack a lot. Normally my snacks are more fattening than my meals. My favorite being salami, yogurt with mint (and/or sometimes cheese) and crackers (triscuit hint of salt) or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Also, add lots of chocolate throughout the day and anything else that is easy to grab like crackers (luckily I have never cared much for potato chips, unless they are BBQ which I rarely buy). So anyway I thought to myself that I will never eat more healthy and less fattening unless those healthy snacks are easy to grab, which means I always need a lots of washed and cut fresh veggies and fruit, ready for me to grab and eat. So that is what I did when I returned from the grocery, washing and cutting -- ready for when I get hungry.

I also bought some Boca burgers. I have never really minded those. They don't taste like a hamburger and anyone that tells you they do are lying, but they don't taste bad. I also found these amazing buns -


I have never really cared for big thick buns anyhow and these only have 100 calories, which is less than half of a regular bun and less than a wheat pita pocket or whole wheat tortilla. I haven't eat one yet, but I took a nibble and they seemed tasty.

All that said, somethings I consider outside the realm of diet. For example, when we go out to dinner (which we don't do very often, once a week at most) I will eat whatever I want. If I make myself feel too deprived this will not work. I will do my best to stay away from white at home and to make the less fattening choice, so long as it is bearable. There are some low fat things that are unbearable - mayo and cheese come to mind. I would rather have neither if I have to do the no or low fat alternative. I also stay away from most things that are not naturally low fat because often they have aspartame sweetner or something equally as bad. If I wanted to eat formaldehyde I would just buy some. Also, I am convinced that the stuff they call margarine is really just whipped plastic. Although, there is a yogurt spread (that I will start buying again) that is pretty tasty and all natural.

So those are my updated plans. We will see if they do any good.

Diet Dummy

For most of my life I was one of those rare and lucky women that could eat whatever I wanted and not gain an ounce. As a result, I have never learned anything about dieting. I don't know how many calories someone is suppose to have and I totally have no clue about this "points" system that people talk about.

A few months back I read about Jennifer Aniston's diet, which is simply that she doesn't eat white food -- that I could understand. I noticed that Rapunzel over at In Pursuit of my Inner Pin-up also seems to follow this. I am sure like all diets it isn't as easy as it sounds, but it sounds easier than counting calories or points. I don't buy white bread, except tortillas, but I rarely eat those. I am going to guess my biggest problem will be the no potato part. I love them in any form, mashed, baked, fried and I like to put more white stuff on them, like sour cream, butter (is butter considered white?), gravy and sometimes ranch dressing. Still, at least I can understand the basic concept of it. Best of all, by those guidelines white wine is out (which I don't like anyway) and red wine is perfectly fine!

So anyhow, that is my plan because so far over the last 6 months (most of which I worked out pretty regularly during) I haven't lost a pound, in fact, I gained 2.

BTW, Rapunzel also has a yummy sounding veggie recipe on her blog that I am dying to try!

The Happy 101 Award!

Thanks to Rapunzel for giving us this award! Hopefully, Regan will do it too!

The award is called "HAPPY 101", the instructions that come along with this award:

1. Copy the image and display it on your blog.
2.List 10 things thatmake you happy.
3. Try to do at least one of them today.
4. Pass on the award to 10 bloggers who brighten your day.

Hmmmmm, Ten things that make me happy....

1. My pets, Sweetie and other family
2. Good books (and even some bad ones)
3. A good movie/ TV show
4. Jewelry, anything sparkly, it doesn't have to be expensive
5. Chocolate
6. Wine
7. Friends
8. Good music
9. Feeding my neighbor's horses apples
10. It has never happened, but I am pretty sure that winning the lottery would also make me happy.

Now to pass it on to 10 Bloggers that brighten our day:

1. Girl in a Satin Slip
2. Female of the Species
3. Beamships Equal Love
4. SoCal L.O.W.F.I. (Skylaire)
5. Surfing the Tao
6. The Spirit Guide
7. Any women not already mentioned from Women of Esoterica
8. The Bigfoot Field Reporter
9. A Halo of Dust
10. The Pink Flamingo

The Shake Weight

That's right, I bought one! And it's great. Silly, but great. I use it in the morning, and work out on the bike/elliptical thing in the evening.

I bought it at Target, which was good; I didn't have to order it and wait, etc. It comes with a short DVD which is easy to follow. Six minutes or so, really, and you can really feel it as you work out with it! It doesn't use batteries or anything; it's just the one weight that you, well, shake.

The advertising proudly announces that the Shake Weight has been featured on the Ellen DeGeneres show. Well, yes, it has, but not exactly what you'd think; this is pretty funny. I love Queen Latifah's handling of the thing:

Still, the thing works, and that's all I care about. I don't feel ripped off or anyting, it's easy to use, and that's what matters to me when it comes to things like this.

Not a resolution, but...

I have now not had a cigarette in 8 hours. I know that doesn't seem like much to non-smokers, but it is to me. It isn't a new years resolution (I hate those) it is a coincidence that it happens to be new years. Last week when we were in Taos Ski Valley, there were very few places we could smoke and all of them were outside where it was freezing. So during that time I got down to about 6 cigarettes per day and it really wasn't that hard or bad. So I have been thinking about that and decided to try to quit once again and just maybe this time I won't fail. Really, you would think that watching my older sister die of lung cancer should be enough to make me quit because it was a really horrible death and not the way I would like to die if there is any way I might prevent it. Not to mention that I am genetically prone to have heart problems, though to my knowledge my heart is in pretty good shape.

However, just to warn you - it is quite likely that I will be posting a lot about food. Yep, even more than I do. As I look back on my vacation status updates at facebook they totally revolved around food because I was hardly smoking and I also am a foodie. :)

Art costs teacher her job?

I just noticed this link in Anna Murphy's tweets. What does society have to do to be rid of this type of puritanism? Really I believe that at least 95% of people in America understand that there is nothing wrong with their child seeing a nude piece of art and that the human form is not shameful or evil. That a teacher could be fired (or even put on leave) for taking children to an art museum is really unbelievably stupid and wrong of the administration of that school.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised. My SO, Britton, is a sculptor and he mainly does female nudes and/or partly nudes. I have seen grown men in there 50's that blush and have to turn away from looking at them. This is especially true for the total nudes. Remember when John Ashcroft put curtains over those semi-nude statues of Lady Justice? While I am sure this type of nudity phobia is not just confined to men, they do in many cases seem to be more freaked out by it.

Although, it is true that good art should cause some sort of reaction, firing a teacher over a nude or any type of art in a museum should never be the reaction.

Happy Winter Solstice & Holidays!

More Fleece Skirts and Hats

I went ahead and ordered the long fleece skirt in the argyle pattern, and a hat in the leopard. I wanted the long skirt in leopard but it's no longer available. I didn't really need the hat, but then again, in Oregon, you can always use a warm hat!



They also offer short skirts, shown here, but I ordered the long. The hat looks a lot better in person; a co-worker was wearing it and it looked great; can't wait.

Fleece Skirts and Hats

A woman at work was wearing the greatest skirt; a long skirt made out of fleece. Very warm and comfy, but looked good too. I've also seen her in a great hat; fleece, leopard print.  They're made by a woman in Oregon; here's here website: fleeceskirts.com.

You can choose your color and pattern, or they'll do custom work. I'm going to order the blue skirt, though I'm torn between the olive and some of the prints. Hmm, wait, maybe I'll do the leopard print!

Do 3 year olds really need high heels?

I first noticed this trend about a month ago. I was at the grocery loading up my trunk and a family walked by with a little girl, about 3 years old and she was wear high heels. Suri Cruise in the photos seems to be wearing about a 1 inch heel, but that little girl's were at least 2 inches and the poor little thing was not having an easy time walking.

When I was a child we had cheap plastic toy shoes that had heels on them. You would wear them when you were playing dress up, but not as real clothing.

I can't imagine a woman wanting her small child wearing uncomfortable shoes. I am pretty sure these would be bad for feet that are still developing and also probably the spine. After all, they are bad for adults that are done growing. I can think of no reason a 3 year old should be wearing shoes like that. As adult women we sometimes wear high heels because they are pretty and sexy -- a 3 year old doesn't need heels to be pretty and should never be considered sexy.

A big thumbs down on this trend from me. :(

PS - I just enlarged and took a good look at Suri's skirt in the top photo. It seems to have hot air balloons and spaceships!