Pencil Thin

This summer it seemed like everyone we know managed to acquire some type of sports injury. Several of our friends even months later are still going through rehab to regain strength and function. It is so hard to watch people who thrive on physical exercise to be sidelined like this. It would be so nice if we were like automobiles and could just pick up a few body shop supplies and go in for a tune-up. I guess it is these events that really separate the die hard athletes from the rest of the pack. You have to really enjoy what you are doing to work through pain and get back in the game.

Time has become a rare commodity in our house in the mornings. Pretty much everyone except me seems to get a good breakfast. This week I am going to try to commit to making sure I at least drink my breakfast even if I don’t find time to sit down and eat. No, I am not going to be throwing a few back in the morning unless you were thinking of protein shakes like this:

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE FIZZ

1 can diet chocolate soda
2 tbsp. D. C. chocolate protein powder1/2 tsp. powdered skim milk
2 or 3 ice cubes

Mix all ingredients in blender until whipped consistency. Pour in frosted glass. Yield: 1 serving = daily protein powder and daily milk allowance.

This week I discovered a great new diet and exercise routine. The great thing about this workout is it won’t leave you breathless or needing a pulse oximeter. Quite simply you fill your week with so much stress until you are just about to snap. Through in endless errands that you must be run with two out of sorts kids and the diet only gets better. Because you are running constantly and have million thought running through your head you will forget to eat one if not two meals a day. Within just 5-7 shorts days you will be 5 pounds lighter than the week before. Repeat this cycle until something causes your stress level to decrease. At this point you will need to investigate other diet plans but this one will yield great results in the short term.

The sneakers I currently use for working out are less than 6 months old. They are primarily designed for walking and since that is my main physical activity they seemed perfect. The thing I am noticing recently is that my arches hurt. This doesn’t occur while I am walking or even right after a workout but several hours later. Usually I work out and then get ready for the day. My typical footwear is sandals and these have never caused me foot pain before this. After wearing these sneakers and later switching to sandals my arches feel like they are ripping with every step I take. Considering my workout hasn’t really changed other than being longer the only thing I can think is that the sneakers are the problem. Any ideas?

For the last couple of years we jokingly referred to track pants and a t-shirt as my “uniform”. The truth of the matter was that I simply couldn’t bare to try to shove myself into my regular clothes. Being either pregnant or post baby I tried to convince myself that I was too tired to get dressed. The reality was that nothing fit. If you looked in my closet or dresser drawers you might think I simply went to a wholesale clothing outlet and bought a dozen of the exact same thing. Now that I have made real strives to improve my health and loose weight I no longer look at my “uniforms” the same way. There is a real difference in getting dressed when your clothes fit you and you feel great about yourself. Maybe it isn’t so much a uniform I need as a fresh new style?

Yikes! I just spent a bit of time looking into the calorie count for some of the really popular frozen drinks on the market. If you have never considered this and are trying to loose weight you may want think before ordering a big old coffee. In one Starbuck’s Cafe Mocha there can be as much as 370-400 calories depending on how it is made. If you happen to grab a danish or muffin it is very likely you have consumed almost an entire day’s worth of calories for an average woman. I would love to see all fast food retailers go the same route as McDonald’s and have caloric counts readily available on both individual food items and around the franchise.

For the last couple of weeks my allergies have been absolutely insane. In fact last week they got so bad my tongue swelled up and I had to take major doses of Benadryl to keep myself afloat. I have narrowed the root of the problem down to something in my house. What exactly it is I am not really sure. I am strongly suspecting it is the cleaning chemicals that my husband like to drown our bathroom in. He has a thing about an “ultra clean” bathroom. This morning I could smell toilet bowl cleaner from our bedroom on the other end of the house. Our bathroom is as pristine as any you might find in one of those fancy Condo Hotels. I hate to say it but if he had to spend just one hour having an allergic reaction of the nature I do it is very likely that the cleaning chemicals would never see the light of day again. I wonder if there are any natural cleaners that might get similar results?

At long last I have parted with some old friends. We shared many very close and personal moment over the last year. I suppose I could hang onto them for sentimental reasons but we have grown apart. It wouldn’t be fair to leave them with the hope that we might be close again. So, I have set them free in hopes that someone somewhere might share the same joys even if only for a while. Fairwell my friends

When it comes to picking out the best fresh fruits and veggies I believe you have to have knack for it. I do not have this knack in any way, shape or form. I don’t recall ever buying produce and thinking to myself “wow, this tastes fresh”. Luckily, someone in my house does have this gift. I am not sure where he learned his technique but the produce that my husband brings home is almost always incredible. I get a kick out of watching him as he cruises up and down the supermarket produce isles before honing in on a certain fruit or vegetable. He does this squeezing thing with apples that for whatever reason causes him to choose crackling fresh apples. Maybe I should watch a little closer and see if I can figure out what he is looking for in his fruits and vegetables. For now I will just leave him to his gift and enjoy the “fruits” of his labor.

Last spring my husband embarked on a new hobby. Despite the fact that he doesn’t really drink to speak of he decided to take up wine making. In the last 6 months he has made half a dozen different kinds of wine. We really haven’t tried any of it yet because it needs to age. Wine does have some important health benefits when consumed in moderation so it may end up being a “healthy” hobby. I do enjoy cooking with wine but an just not sure how I will use some of his flavors in my cooking. I don’t think I have ever seen a recipe calling for strawberry, blueberry, or watermelon wine. While he waits for his wine to age he is looking into different types of wine coolers to ensure optimal temperature for consumption. I will be sure to report back how the first sampling goes in a few months. Not being a wine drinker I am not really sure I am in any position to say if his wine tastes good or not but I will do my best.

Finding meals that are low fat and appealing to the entire family is sometimes a challenge. Children don’t care about carbs and trans fats or that something is “good for them”. When I run across a recipe that my entire family appreciates is something rare and worthy of sharing with the world. This recipe is a current leader on my list of family friendly and healthy recipes.

Italian Chicken Tenders:
Ingredients:

* 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken tenders
* 1 egg
* 3/4 cup bottled fat-free creamy Italian salad dressing
* 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed
* 2 cups crushed reduced-fat butter crackers
* 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed
* 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
* 1 teaspoon parsley flakes

Method

Put chicken in a large resealable plastic bag. In a small bowl stir together egg, salad dressing, and Italian seasoning; pour over chicken in bag. Seal bag; turn to coat. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a large cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. In a large bowl stir together crushed crackers, pecans, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic salt, and parsley flakes. Drain chicken. Roll chicken in cracker crumb mixture. Place chicken on prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Since school has started my workout partner has bailed out on me. Bailed out might be the wrong choice of words. This is the first year of school for her son and she is finding out that getting a family out the door in the morning is no small feat. I warned her that she was in for a bit of a rude awakening but she shrugged off my advice. I waited to see if she would get back in the mood for working out but it hasn’t happened. I guess this is the point where I have to be my own motivator and today I busted out the treadmill and got in a good workout. It is a bit different when you know that no one is waiting for you to show up workout

On one of our morning walks the topics of slivers came up. My walking partner was expounding on how well this stuff called “Drawing Out Salve” had worked to help her remove a deeply embedded sliver. I kind of dismissed the idea that some goop could actually work in the way she described. This weekend my husband was installing some new cabinet hardware in the basement and found himself with a very irritating sliver. No matter what he used he could get the thing out and commented on how much it hurt. Then I remembered my friend and her salve. She kindly lent us her tube of the stinky, tar like substance to try. Before bed my husband put a small amount on his finger and then bandaged the area. Surprisingly, the next morning the sliver had come to the surface where he easily removed it with tweezers. If you find yourself with a tough sliver give this stuff a try. I had never heard of it but I can imagine it will be indispensable with children in the house!

The other day I was talking with a friend of mine about over the counter pain medicine. She indicated that she takes huge amounts of acetaminophen every day. The number of pills she reported taking seemed outrageous to me and I kindly suggested that she talk to her doctor about this. I told her about a PSA I saw discussing the dangers of taking too much Tylenol that included some of these points:

Taking too much acetaminophen is a danger that cannot be overemphasized. You can do serious damage to your liver, and this can even cause death. Some believe that acetaminophen overdose is the leading cause of liver failure in the United States. Taking acetaminophen too often or too much has been linked with other serious health problems.

If she is in this much pain it sounds like there is something that should be evaluated medically instead of her trying to self medicate as she has been doing!

This weekend we are getting together with some friends to have a cook out. Being on a diet that relies heavily upon me really watching my fat intake I always get a little antsy about these events. So before I find myself sitting in front of the fire table, I decided to look for a few healthy fireside food options. One of my favorite campfire snacks is s’mores but they can be fattening if you aren’t careful. This is one recipe for health s’mores that I am going to try out this weekend:

Lighter S’mores

1 pack low fat graham crackers
Chocolate or carob chips
1 bag mini marshmallows

This looks like the same old recipe but by using low fat and smaller ingredients the calorie and fat count are reduced while maintaining the flavor.

I was reading over the diet that the contestants on Fat March ate and noted that oatmeal was a staple food for them. This led me to wonder what is it about oatmeal that makes it an optimal food choice. Personally, I love a big bowl of old fashioned oatmeal with walnuts, Splenda, and cinnamon but never really thought about it being really good for me. These are a few reasons to pull out oatmeal the next time you are hungry:

According to the American Cancer Society:

1. Insoluble fiber’s cancer-fighting properties are due to the fact that it attacks certain bile acids, reducing their toxicity.

2. Soluble fiber may reduce LDL cholesterol without lowering HDL cholesterol. LDL is bad; HDL is good.

3. Soluble fiber slows down the digestion of starch. This may be beneficial to diabetics because, when you slow down the digestion of starch, you avoid the sharp rises in your blood sugar level that usually occurs following a meal.

4. It has been found that those who eat more oats are less likely to develop heart disease, a disease that is currently widespread in the United States.

5. The phytochemicals in oat may also have cancer-fighting properties.

6. Oats are a good source of many nutrients including vitamin E, zinc, selenium, copper, iron, manganese and magnesium. Oats are also a good source of protein.

In the course of my work in the medical field I have cared for several morbidly obese people. The thing I have always struggled with is wondering where it all went wrong for them. Research suggests that even as young as 6 months of age eating patterns for life have been established. But, I just don’t buy that it is our parents fault when we become out of control and gain weight. Take for instance my former employer. This man constantly complained about his body and his size but did everything possible to limit his physical exercise. He would do things like get in his car to drive the 20 feet to our mailboxes rather than walk and ask for wheel chair service at the airport. I am not suggesting that all obese people are like this but I don’t honestly think any of us gets the exercise we could be in our convenience oriented society. I can’t help but wonder when I hand my fussy toddler a snack if somehow I am setting him up to over eat as an adult. If there is any truth to these studies the damage is probably already done. Either way I probably should try engaging him in an activity rather than offering a snack if I am not really sure he is hungry.

The only television I watch is usually streaming video online. One of my favorite sources for this is ABC.com. I love that I can spend an evening catching up on several shows all at once. Right now my viewing schedule is pretty much limited to the show Fat March. Despite the fact that very few people could implement this type of exercise routine into their regular lives the show is motivating to me. I do think it sets people up for unrealistic expectations about weight loss. No one I know can devote 5 hours a day to walking 15 miles a day. It would be interesting to see how much weight the contestants would loose on a more routine exercise schedule. Either way I will keep watching until the bitter end.

Vitamin D is an essential vitamin we all need to stay healthy. The cool thing about it is you don’t need to pop a pill or eat certain foods to get your allotted amount. Getting your quotient of vitamin D is as simple as spending just a few minutes a day outdoors. Vitamin D is produced in the skin by direct exposure to sunlight. As noted on Wikipedia :

Vitamin D deficiency can result from inadequate intake coupled with inadequate sunlight exposure, disorders that limit its absorption, conditions that impair conversion of vitamin D into active metabolites, such as liver or kidney disorders, or, rarely, by a number of hereditary disorders.[2] Deficiency results in impaired bone mineralization, and leads to bone softening diseases, rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults, and possibly contributes to osteoporosis. Vitamin D deficiency may also be linked to many forms of cancer.

I live in a fairly small town. People often think that small towns are immune to the problems found in bigger cities. The truth is that living in the city really is like living in a small town or rather several small towns stacked one on top of the other. Just today the local news detailed a huge drug bust in my town. Apparently the people were selling all sorts of stuff including oxycodone. I wasn’t sure what that was and decided to look it up. It seems that this is another name for Oxycontin. Isn’t that just dandy.

Periodically I experience bouts of insomnia. When this happens I often find myself heading to the living room to watch a bit of television. Usually it only takes about an hour or so and I nod off into dreamland. Quite honestly I think infomercials were created for two categories of people. The first category would obviously be those with insomnia. Advertisers clearly speculate that we are the people who in a moment of exhaustion bow to the pressures of marketing deciding that we indeed have been needing an exercise device the size of a Buick. The other type of person infomercials are created for is a product liability attorney. They undoubtedly have a never ending flow of sleepless clients who have been injured by these crazy contraptions. Have you ever given into the temptations of a late night infomercial?

I just read that suicide rates among young girls are at an all time high. The suicide rate jumped an astounding 76% among young girls between the ages of 10 and 14 years of age. The CDC is reporting that this is an alarming and currently unexplained trend in our nation. It is suggested that the pressures of middle school and all the accompanying changes may play some role in this disturbing trend.

Remember those days back in school when all you cared about was being liked or gaining popularity? I bet you didn’t know that having a website is very much focused on the same thing. Unlike school, where sometimes it doesn’t matter how hard you try you never become one of the “in” kids, you can impact internet popularity quickly and easily. One of the best techniques I know of to promote a website is through Blog Advertising. Even a small marketing campaign can have a huge impact on driving traffic and raising the popularity of a website. I conducted a very small campaign and will just a few strategically chosen links quickly changed my page rank from a 0 to a 4! If you have a blog or website I can’t urge you enough to try this simple marketing tool.

What on earth is it about stress that sends my skin into despair? My face can be flawless for periods on end and then poof I look 13 years old again. I have narrowed it down to corresponding with times when I am under stress. My present stress is due to the fact that our 2nd gave up the good fight and died. We are now looking for another car at a point when we REALLY hadn’t planned on it. Literature would suggest my zitty friends are due primarily to “hormone imbalance or stress, in women ages 30-40″.

My stomach is not pretty. There, I said it and now the entire blogosphere knows it. Really I don’t know very many woman who have had three pregnancies and two c-sections who have really pretty tummies. Secretly, I have always wanted to know if I am a candidate for a tummy tuck. It doesn’t matter how hard I work out my midsection remains soft and doughy. The truth is I don’t have the nerve to call and set up an appointment to talk to someone in person about having the procedure done. I did however just find out about a website that offers FREE professional . This is an incredible opportunity to gain solid information from trained professional about cosmetic surgery. Expert information available via the privacy and anonymity of the internet. If you have ever considered or wanted to know more about cosmetic surgery check out this great website!

This week I spent a bunch of time cleaning out my closets and attic. I had been hesitating for a long time to try on any of the clothes in my closet for fear they would still be to tight. Basically, I would great dressed each day sans any form of home lighting and do my best to ignore the mirror as much as possible. Nothing is more defeating that when you are in the midst of a fitness routine and trying to loose weight than finding out everything in your wardrobe is still tight. So I waited and I waited and finally the time came. I tried on my pants from last fall post baby and they fell off. I tried on my pants pre-baby and they were very loose. I tried on my pants from 5 years ago and viola they fit. The exciting part of this is they fit without lying on the bed and sucking my stomach in! Standing up with normal posture they zipped and I could move free as a bird. All those months of hard work are finally paying off!