Monday, December 21, 2009
Updates
So I know I've taken quite a hiatus from blogging, so here's a little update of all the stuff we've been working on!
Sunday, December 6, 2009
50 Ways to Cut 500 Calories a Day
Ok, so I really couldn't help myself, I had to post this last article from Health.com. But here are 50 awesome ways to cut at least 500 calories a day, which could add up to losing 1lb a week! or if you double up 2 lbs a week... you get the idea.
Here are their wonderful tips:
1. Shake your groove thing. Dance for just 2 hours and torch 500 calories. (A little air guitar will burn a few extra calories, too.)
2. Get enough sleep. A lack of shut-eye can make you snack, new research from the University of Chicago shows. People who got only 5 1/2 hours of sleep noshed more during the day. Snooze more and save about 1,087 calories.
3. Don’t eat in front of the TV. You’ll eat up to 288 calories more, according to research from the University of Massachusetts. Instead, eat at the table, and trade 1 hour of TV for a casual walk. Together, that’s 527 calories burned.
4. Get in tune with your tummy. Pay attention to how full you feel, and put down your fork when you’re satisfied. Listen to your body’s cues—instead of looking at whether the plate is clean—and save up to 500 calories a day.
5. Limit dinner guests. Eating with seven or more other guests can make you eat 96% more food, says Brian Wansink, PhD, author of Mindless Eating. That’s like doubling your dinner! Dine with fewer guests to save 500 or more calories.
6. Simple tricks to fill up (with less!). For breakfast, eat 2 boiled or poached eggs. (You’ll feel fuller and eat about 416 fewer calories the rest of the day.) Before lunch and dinner, enjoy 1 cup low-cal soup. (You’ll eat about 134 calories less at each meal.) And save a total of 684 calories for the day.
7. Limit salad toppings. A big salad might seem healthy, but all those goodies on top can make it more calorie-laden than lasagna or fettuccine Alfredo. Cheese crumbles, caramelized nuts, bacon, avocado, dried fruit, croutons, and vinaigrettes can add lots of calories. Save 500 or more calories by having just one topping, adding flavorful but lower-cal veggies (roasted bell peppers, grilled onions, or mushrooms), and using half the dressing.
8. Don’t clean your plate. Leave 25% of your food on the plate at every meal, says weight-loss expert James O. Hill, PhD, author of The Step Diet. If you normally eat 2,000 calories or more each day, you’ll cut 500 calories.
9. Use smaller plates. Swap your 12-inch plate for a 10-inch one. You’ll eat 20 to 25% less—and save up to 500 calories. You won’t feel any less full, either, researchers say.
10. Serve and sit. Family-style meals, with platters and bowls of food on the table, invite people to go back for seconds and thirds. Cut hundreds of calories by filling plates before bringing them to the table; leave serving dishes in the kitchen, too.
11. Make a swap. Use 1 cup plain fat-free yogurt instead of 1 cup heavy cream in a favorite baking recipe. Save 684 calories.
12. Make mine a mini. Check out menus for small versions of great desserts, so you can dodge calories and end your meal on a sweet note. P.F. Chang’s Great Wall of Chocolate (designed for one diner!) is 1,440 calories. The Mini Great Wall? A chocolatey yet svelte 150 calories. You’ll save 1,290-calories.
13. Ditch that buttered movie popcorn. Yes, the large popcorn at the concession stand weighs in at a whopping 1,005 calories. Smuggle in your own (microwave-popped, 94% fat-free, of course) and save more than 700 calories.
14. Count your chips (and crackers). No, you can’t eat your snacks from a large bag or box because it’s waaaay too tempting to eat until the bag is empty. (Remember Oprah’s blue corn–tortilla chip confession?) A chip-bender to the bottom of a 9-ounce bag is 1,260 calories sans the dip. So stick to 1 serving, about 15 chips—that’s 140 calories—or pick up some 100-calorie snack packs and save 1,120 calories.
15. Step away from the nuts, especially if they’re in a big bowl. The bigger the serving bowl, the more you’ll eat, Cornell University researchers say. Nuts have heart-healthy fats, but they’re also high in calories: 1 handful (about 1 ounce) of oil-roasted mixed nuts has 175 calories; 3 handfuls have 525. Cut out nuts altogether and save more than 500 calories. Can’t resist ’em? Eat pistachios: 2 handfuls are just 159 calories, and the shelling will slow down your munching.
Slim down your drinks
16. Skip the whip—or at least size it down. Dessert-like coffee creations can contain as many as 670 calories, with large sizes and options like whipped cream, whole milk, and syrups. Craving whipped cream? Try it on a shot of espresso for a total of just 30 calories. You save 640 calories!
17. Kick the soda habit. A 12-ounce soft drink has about 150 to 180 calories. If you down two or three a day, you’re getting lots of extra calories. Quench your thirst with water and save as many as 540 calories.
18. Drink sugar-free. A 20-ounce tea with added fruit juices can have 400-plus calories. And Southern-style sweet tea isn’t much better than soda: a 16-ounce bottle of syrupy sweet tea has 180 calories; three of those are 540 calories. Choose sugar-free sips and save more than 400 calories.
19. Skinny up cocktails. Syrups, sour mix, sugary fruit juices, and creamy additions turn drinks into desserts: an indulgent Mudslide can have more than 800 calories. Order drinks mixed with club soda, tonic water, cranberry juice, or a squeeze of citrus; or try distilled liquors on the rocks. You’ll save up to 800 calories.
20. Eat less pasta. One cup of pasta is just 220 calories. But typical dinner portions at restaurants can be as much as 480% larger than that 1 cup, according to New York University research. That’s 1,056 calories. Even if you eat 2 whole cups of noodles, you’ll still save 616 calories.
21. Get out your knitting needles. An afternoon of knitting can burn more than 500 calories (at a rate of about 100 an hour).
22. Clean house. Tidy up for 2 1/2 hours and burn 510 calories.
23. Check the number of servings in a dish. The calorie count on the menu for Shrimp Fried Rice may say 350 calories per serving, but what’s set in front of you may actually contain 4 servings. Split it with three friends, and save 1,050 calories.
24. Beware the healthy-food trap. People let their guard down when the menu is full of healthy fare, underestimating calories by as much as 35%, research by the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab shows. You’re also more likely to order drinks, sides, and desserts with up to 131% more calories when you have a healthy entrée. Skip caloric sides—a cookie, chips—to save 500-plus calories.
25. Build a lean burrito—and you’ll save 630 calories.
26. Think small at the ice cream shop. Even if you indulge in your favorite full-fat flavor, you’ll save as many as 550 calories with a 5-ounce size instead of a 12-ounce.
27. Think thin when it comes to pizza. Eat 2 slices of a medium thin-crust veggie pizza (360 calories) instead of 2 slices of a large, meaty deep-dish pizza (940 calories) and save 580 calories.
28. Beware hidden oils. Ask to have your food cooked with a little stock instead of oil, or order steamed or poached entrées: you’ll save 124 calories per tablespoon of oil. Also, have the kitchen skip oils added at the last minute like basil oil or chive oil, and save another 40 calories per teaspoon.
29. Order spaghetti with meat sauce instead of spaghetti with Italian sausage and save 560 calories. Even better: Order mushroom ravioli (670 calories) or pasta marinara (430 calories).
30. Nix that smoothie a day. A large 32-ounce smoothie can have 800 or more calories. That really adds up if you’re having on-the-go breakfast several times a week. Instead, try a filling lower-calorie starter of oatmeal with brown sugar and banana slices, and a cup of black coffee. You’ll save 518 calories.
31. Help a friend move. You’ll burn more than 600 calories in 1 hour of carrying boxes and furniture up and down the stairs.
32. Shovel snow. Clearing the driveway and sidewalks for 1 hour and 15 minutes will torch 510 calories.
33. Ice-skate for 1 hour and 5 minutes and burn 516 calories. (Or go inline skating and slash 562.)
34. Tap your foot. Your skinnier friends are probably fidgeters, who burn up to 350 calories a day just by tapping their feet or being restless. Try it for a few days. Walk around while you’re on the phone, or tap out a tune with your hands or feet (in the privacy of your own office, of course).
35. Be the hostess with the mostest. Go grocery shopping for 1 hour, put away your groceries, spend 2 hours cooking a fabulous holiday feast, set the table, and serve. Then toast yourself for the awesome 640 calorie-burn. (A glass of Champagne is only about 106 calories, so you’re still ahead.)
36. Go window-shopping. Whether you buy anything or not, an afternoon of walking around and trying on clothes can torch 548 calories.
37. Hit the pool. Do 1 hour of laps or 55 minutes of jogging in the water to burn 500 calories.
38. Stroll your way slim. Spend an afternoon pushing junior from the giraffes to the sea lions at the zoo (or around the aquarium or museum) and burn 523 calories.
39. Head to a county fair or amusement park. You’ll slash 612 calories in 3 hours from the casual walking and standing in lines. (Subtract 105 calories if you have cotton candy.)
40. Play a game of touch football or basketball with your kids for 1 hour and burn 500 calories.
41. Head for the nearest hill. Go sledding with the kiddos for 1 hour and 5 minutes. You’ll burn 500-plus calories.
42. Do an hour of circuit training and you’ll burn 544 calories.
43. Tackle the garage. Clearing out junk for 1 hour and 30 minutes will burn 510 calories.
44. Rake the leaves. Do yard work for 1 hour and 45 minutes and burn 512 calories. (Jumping in the leaf pile won’t hurt, either.)
45. Kickbox. Sign up for kickboxing and burn 510 calories in a 45-minute class.
46. Go cross-country skiing for 1 hour and 5 minutes and sizzle off 516 calories.
47. Exercise at home. Pop in a 1-hour aerobics DVD, and finish with 20 minutes of yoga—500 calories, gone.
48. Walk or run a 10K and you’ll burn up to 680 calories.
49. Go hiking. Just 1 hour and 15 minutes will burn 510 calories.
50. Cut down your own Christmas tree. Hike out, find the perfect tree, cut it, and take it home. Put it up and decorate it for 1 hour to burn 519 calories.
Some are silly but most are very doable and things that you probably didnt even realize were adding those extra calories to your day!
Here are their wonderful tips:
1. Shake your groove thing. Dance for just 2 hours and torch 500 calories. (A little air guitar will burn a few extra calories, too.)
2. Get enough sleep. A lack of shut-eye can make you snack, new research from the University of Chicago shows. People who got only 5 1/2 hours of sleep noshed more during the day. Snooze more and save about 1,087 calories.
3. Don’t eat in front of the TV. You’ll eat up to 288 calories more, according to research from the University of Massachusetts. Instead, eat at the table, and trade 1 hour of TV for a casual walk. Together, that’s 527 calories burned.
4. Get in tune with your tummy. Pay attention to how full you feel, and put down your fork when you’re satisfied. Listen to your body’s cues—instead of looking at whether the plate is clean—and save up to 500 calories a day.
5. Limit dinner guests. Eating with seven or more other guests can make you eat 96% more food, says Brian Wansink, PhD, author of Mindless Eating. That’s like doubling your dinner! Dine with fewer guests to save 500 or more calories.
6. Simple tricks to fill up (with less!). For breakfast, eat 2 boiled or poached eggs. (You’ll feel fuller and eat about 416 fewer calories the rest of the day.) Before lunch and dinner, enjoy 1 cup low-cal soup. (You’ll eat about 134 calories less at each meal.) And save a total of 684 calories for the day.
7. Limit salad toppings. A big salad might seem healthy, but all those goodies on top can make it more calorie-laden than lasagna or fettuccine Alfredo. Cheese crumbles, caramelized nuts, bacon, avocado, dried fruit, croutons, and vinaigrettes can add lots of calories. Save 500 or more calories by having just one topping, adding flavorful but lower-cal veggies (roasted bell peppers, grilled onions, or mushrooms), and using half the dressing.
8. Don’t clean your plate. Leave 25% of your food on the plate at every meal, says weight-loss expert James O. Hill, PhD, author of The Step Diet. If you normally eat 2,000 calories or more each day, you’ll cut 500 calories.
9. Use smaller plates. Swap your 12-inch plate for a 10-inch one. You’ll eat 20 to 25% less—and save up to 500 calories. You won’t feel any less full, either, researchers say.
10. Serve and sit. Family-style meals, with platters and bowls of food on the table, invite people to go back for seconds and thirds. Cut hundreds of calories by filling plates before bringing them to the table; leave serving dishes in the kitchen, too.
11. Make a swap. Use 1 cup plain fat-free yogurt instead of 1 cup heavy cream in a favorite baking recipe. Save 684 calories.
12. Make mine a mini. Check out menus for small versions of great desserts, so you can dodge calories and end your meal on a sweet note. P.F. Chang’s Great Wall of Chocolate (designed for one diner!) is 1,440 calories. The Mini Great Wall? A chocolatey yet svelte 150 calories. You’ll save 1,290-calories.
13. Ditch that buttered movie popcorn. Yes, the large popcorn at the concession stand weighs in at a whopping 1,005 calories. Smuggle in your own (microwave-popped, 94% fat-free, of course) and save more than 700 calories.
14. Count your chips (and crackers). No, you can’t eat your snacks from a large bag or box because it’s waaaay too tempting to eat until the bag is empty. (Remember Oprah’s blue corn–tortilla chip confession?) A chip-bender to the bottom of a 9-ounce bag is 1,260 calories sans the dip. So stick to 1 serving, about 15 chips—that’s 140 calories—or pick up some 100-calorie snack packs and save 1,120 calories.
15. Step away from the nuts, especially if they’re in a big bowl. The bigger the serving bowl, the more you’ll eat, Cornell University researchers say. Nuts have heart-healthy fats, but they’re also high in calories: 1 handful (about 1 ounce) of oil-roasted mixed nuts has 175 calories; 3 handfuls have 525. Cut out nuts altogether and save more than 500 calories. Can’t resist ’em? Eat pistachios: 2 handfuls are just 159 calories, and the shelling will slow down your munching.
16. Skip the whip—or at least size it down. Dessert-like coffee creations can contain as many as 670 calories, with large sizes and options like whipped cream, whole milk, and syrups. Craving whipped cream? Try it on a shot of espresso for a total of just 30 calories. You save 640 calories!17. Kick the soda habit. A 12-ounce soft drink has about 150 to 180 calories. If you down two or three a day, you’re getting lots of extra calories. Quench your thirst with water and save as many as 540 calories.
18. Drink sugar-free. A 20-ounce tea with added fruit juices can have 400-plus calories. And Southern-style sweet tea isn’t much better than soda: a 16-ounce bottle of syrupy sweet tea has 180 calories; three of those are 540 calories. Choose sugar-free sips and save more than 400 calories.
19. Skinny up cocktails. Syrups, sour mix, sugary fruit juices, and creamy additions turn drinks into desserts: an indulgent Mudslide can have more than 800 calories. Order drinks mixed with club soda, tonic water, cranberry juice, or a squeeze of citrus; or try distilled liquors on the rocks. You’ll save up to 800 calories.
20. Eat less pasta. One cup of pasta is just 220 calories. But typical dinner portions at restaurants can be as much as 480% larger than that 1 cup, according to New York University research. That’s 1,056 calories. Even if you eat 2 whole cups of noodles, you’ll still save 616 calories.
21. Get out your knitting needles. An afternoon of knitting can burn more than 500 calories (at a rate of about 100 an hour).
22. Clean house. Tidy up for 2 1/2 hours and burn 510 calories.
23. Check the number of servings in a dish. The calorie count on the menu for Shrimp Fried Rice may say 350 calories per serving, but what’s set in front of you may actually contain 4 servings. Split it with three friends, and save 1,050 calories.
24. Beware the healthy-food trap. People let their guard down when the menu is full of healthy fare, underestimating calories by as much as 35%, research by the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab shows. You’re also more likely to order drinks, sides, and desserts with up to 131% more calories when you have a healthy entrée. Skip caloric sides—a cookie, chips—to save 500-plus calories.
25. Build a lean burrito—and you’ll save 630 calories.
| Instead of this: | Order this: |
|---|---|
| Flour tortilla | Lettuce |
| Cheese | Guacamole |
| Ground beef | Shredded pork |
| Black beans | Pinto beans |
| Rice | Corn salsa |
| Salsa | Pico de gallo |
| 1,120 calories | 490 calories |
26. Think small at the ice cream shop. Even if you indulge in your favorite full-fat flavor, you’ll save as many as 550 calories with a 5-ounce size instead of a 12-ounce.
27. Think thin when it comes to pizza. Eat 2 slices of a medium thin-crust veggie pizza (360 calories) instead of 2 slices of a large, meaty deep-dish pizza (940 calories) and save 580 calories.
28. Beware hidden oils. Ask to have your food cooked with a little stock instead of oil, or order steamed or poached entrées: you’ll save 124 calories per tablespoon of oil. Also, have the kitchen skip oils added at the last minute like basil oil or chive oil, and save another 40 calories per teaspoon.
29. Order spaghetti with meat sauce instead of spaghetti with Italian sausage and save 560 calories. Even better: Order mushroom ravioli (670 calories) or pasta marinara (430 calories).30. Nix that smoothie a day. A large 32-ounce smoothie can have 800 or more calories. That really adds up if you’re having on-the-go breakfast several times a week. Instead, try a filling lower-calorie starter of oatmeal with brown sugar and banana slices, and a cup of black coffee. You’ll save 518 calories.
31. Help a friend move. You’ll burn more than 600 calories in 1 hour of carrying boxes and furniture up and down the stairs.
32. Shovel snow. Clearing the driveway and sidewalks for 1 hour and 15 minutes will torch 510 calories.
33. Ice-skate for 1 hour and 5 minutes and burn 516 calories. (Or go inline skating and slash 562.)
34. Tap your foot. Your skinnier friends are probably fidgeters, who burn up to 350 calories a day just by tapping their feet or being restless. Try it for a few days. Walk around while you’re on the phone, or tap out a tune with your hands or feet (in the privacy of your own office, of course).
35. Be the hostess with the mostest. Go grocery shopping for 1 hour, put away your groceries, spend 2 hours cooking a fabulous holiday feast, set the table, and serve. Then toast yourself for the awesome 640 calorie-burn. (A glass of Champagne is only about 106 calories, so you’re still ahead.)
36. Go window-shopping. Whether you buy anything or not, an afternoon of walking around and trying on clothes can torch 548 calories.
37. Hit the pool. Do 1 hour of laps or 55 minutes of jogging in the water to burn 500 calories.
38. Stroll your way slim. Spend an afternoon pushing junior from the giraffes to the sea lions at the zoo (or around the aquarium or museum) and burn 523 calories.
39. Head to a county fair or amusement park. You’ll slash 612 calories in 3 hours from the casual walking and standing in lines. (Subtract 105 calories if you have cotton candy.)
40. Play a game of touch football or basketball with your kids for 1 hour and burn 500 calories.
41. Head for the nearest hill. Go sledding with the kiddos for 1 hour and 5 minutes. You’ll burn 500-plus calories.
42. Do an hour of circuit training and you’ll burn 544 calories.
43. Tackle the garage. Clearing out junk for 1 hour and 30 minutes will burn 510 calories.
44. Rake the leaves. Do yard work for 1 hour and 45 minutes and burn 512 calories. (Jumping in the leaf pile won’t hurt, either.)
45. Kickbox. Sign up for kickboxing and burn 510 calories in a 45-minute class.
46. Go cross-country skiing for 1 hour and 5 minutes and sizzle off 516 calories.
47. Exercise at home. Pop in a 1-hour aerobics DVD, and finish with 20 minutes of yoga—500 calories, gone.
48. Walk or run a 10K and you’ll burn up to 680 calories.
49. Go hiking. Just 1 hour and 15 minutes will burn 510 calories.
50. Cut down your own Christmas tree. Hike out, find the perfect tree, cut it, and take it home. Put it up and decorate it for 1 hour to burn 519 calories.
Some are silly but most are very doable and things that you probably didnt even realize were adding those extra calories to your day!
No more bloat
As I previously mentioned, Health.com is one of my favorite websites, and here is yet another wonderful article I found from them. If you are someone who gets very bloated, gassy or blocked up and are looking for a nice natural solution, then they say the solution is drinking peppermint or green tea because "they help keep your digestive system running smoothly."
Here's what they suggest:
Here's what they suggest:
- Sip on some every day to banish bloat.
- Enjoy your tea hot or over ice.
- After lunch, drink at least 8 ounces of caffeine-free peppermint tea.
- Before bed, drink at least 8 ounces of caffeine-free ginger tea.
- In addition to tea, down at least 48 ounces of water throughout the day—it’ll reduce water retention and keep your metabolism revved up.
Want to Banish Cellulite?
So I was perusing one of my favorite websites, Health.com and found this fabulous article on how to fight cellulite in your thighs and butt. Guess what the secret is? Yoga! Another great reason to practice yoga!
So here are their 8 recommended moves to help banish your cellulite that take 20 minutes and they recommend doing this workout at least three times a week.
1. Standing forward bend
2. Chair Pose
3. Eagle Pose
5. High lunge with twist
8. Supported Shoulder Stand- this also helps to alleviate stress in the neck and shoulders.
In addition, they suggest adding a 30 minute cardio workout four days a week. Within 6 weeks they say you should see a substantial difference!
The reasoning behind these exercises helping to banish your cellulite is: "Rebuilding muscle tone in these trouble spots and burning excess fat can help smooth out cellulite and prevent future dimpling."
Try it out and let me know if it works for you!
So here are their 8 recommended moves to help banish your cellulite that take 20 minutes and they recommend doing this workout at least three times a week.
1. Standing forward bend
3. Eagle Pose
4. Brave Warrior
6. Cow Face Pose
7. Bridge Pose- this is one of my personal favorites, it also helps those love handles!
The reasoning behind these exercises helping to banish your cellulite is: "Rebuilding muscle tone in these trouble spots and burning excess fat can help smooth out cellulite and prevent future dimpling."
Try it out and let me know if it works for you!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Winery of the Month
A couple of months ago when my mom came to visit me we went down to Napa and acquired quite a few of our favorite wines. One of our favorite wineries, for price and quality, was V.Sattui. From there we purchased the Russian River Valley Zinfandel, Dry Johannisberg Riesling and the 2007 Henry Ranch Pinot Noir. We have finally re-tasted them all and I am still very impressed with these wines and how well they pair with foods! Here's a little more about each:
The 2007 Henry Ranch Pinot Noir is $36 a bottle and has tasting notes of: "Subtley earthy and seductive with savory herb, mushroom, bay leaf and exotic spice." I paired this with a traditional heavy tomato pasta and salad and it complemented it very nicely. It is light and easy to drink but still very flavorful. 
The 2007 Russian River Valley Crow Ridge Zinfandel is $30 a bottle and has tasting notes of: "80-year-old Russian River Valley vines make this single-vineyard Zin taste of ripe raspberry, dried plum and cherry cola flavors." I paired this with seafood, which I know is generally paired with white wines, but the soft suppleness of this wine really brought out the buttery sweet flavors of the seafood. It was truly delicious and I will have to be acquiring another one of these!
Lastly, we tried the 2007 Dry Johannisberg Riesling that is $18.95 a bottle and really very similar to a dessert wine. It was "Named “Best Riesling in California” at last year’s California State Fair! This Dry Riesling is an extremely versatile white wine with excellent body and supple acidity. Much like a German halbtrocken (half-dry), it has aromas of peaches and tangerines that fill the nose with a delicate fruitiness." We paired this with spicy thai food, which worked perfectly with the sweetness of the riesling to offset the spiciness of the thai dishes. I have had this one before, and it still remains one of my favorite rieslings!
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Holiday Season
We all know that the holiday season is not only full of fun-feasting and merry drinking but also is notoriously bad for our waistlines. In fact, on average, Americans gain around 10lbs from thanksgiving to New Years. How do we help this from happening while still enjoying the festivities? Here are some easy things you can do to help keep the pounds off, without having to sit on the sidelines!
1. When it comes to alcohol, the key is MODERATION! But also, stick to wine, champagne and light beers, mixed drinks add alot more calories than you realize!
For instance:
1 glass (5oz) red wine around 127 calories, white wine 120 calories
1 light beer around 100 calories
1 glass (4oz) champagne around 78 calories
COMPARED TO
1 glass rum and coke around 182 calories
1 frozen margarita around 246 calories
1 long island ice tea around 276 calories
1 whiskey sour around 175 calories
1 vodka cranberry around 172 calories
1 cup of egg nog (without liquor) is around 340 calories
2. If you know you're going to a party where there will be food served, the most important thing to do is to EAT BEFOREHAND. Have a light dinner, such as a salad, before you go, which will keep you fuller and help you to eat less! Those little appetizers really add up and people tend to overeat by underestimating the amount of food they have eaten.
3. If you have to have a dessert, try to stay away from certain baked goods! One slice of pecan pie (not including the whipped cream or ice-cream you'd have with it) is around 500 calories!! One slice of apple pie has 250 calories, and a slice of pumpkin pie has 350 calories. Try to pick a fruit dessert instead!
4. If you do in fact have a day where you completely splurged, there's no need to panic. But make sure that the next few days you take it a lot easier! Ramp up on exercise and increase your vegetable and low calorie foods intake. Weight loss and weight maintenance is all about an overall decrease or balance in the number of calories in vs. number of calories out.
5. If sports are a big part of your holiday season, as they are for a lot of us, it is very important to NOT EAT WHILE WATCHING THE TV. Snacks, like chips and dips, seem to disappear so much faster when we are watching tv. This is simply because you are not paying attention to how much you are eating, and since these types of snacks are rarely filling, we end up consuming wayy too many calories above and beyond.
6. Lastly, the most important part of not gaining weight this season will simply be to WATCH WHAT YOU EAT. When making a plate at a buffet, don't pile up and don't go back for seconds. If you are having appetizers, make sure you keep count of just how many you've had! Same with your alcoholic drinks. If you know you are going to be eating out, earlier in the day don't snack and eat lighter.
These are all easy and simple tricks, it just makes sure that you must be mindful this holiday season!
1. When it comes to alcohol, the key is MODERATION! But also, stick to wine, champagne and light beers, mixed drinks add alot more calories than you realize!
For instance:
1 glass (5oz) red wine around 127 calories, white wine 120 calories
1 light beer around 100 calories
1 glass (4oz) champagne around 78 calories
COMPARED TO
1 glass rum and coke around 182 calories
1 frozen margarita around 246 calories
1 long island ice tea around 276 calories
1 whiskey sour around 175 calories
1 vodka cranberry around 172 calories
1 cup of egg nog (without liquor) is around 340 calories
2. If you know you're going to a party where there will be food served, the most important thing to do is to EAT BEFOREHAND. Have a light dinner, such as a salad, before you go, which will keep you fuller and help you to eat less! Those little appetizers really add up and people tend to overeat by underestimating the amount of food they have eaten.
3. If you have to have a dessert, try to stay away from certain baked goods! One slice of pecan pie (not including the whipped cream or ice-cream you'd have with it) is around 500 calories!! One slice of apple pie has 250 calories, and a slice of pumpkin pie has 350 calories. Try to pick a fruit dessert instead!
4. If you do in fact have a day where you completely splurged, there's no need to panic. But make sure that the next few days you take it a lot easier! Ramp up on exercise and increase your vegetable and low calorie foods intake. Weight loss and weight maintenance is all about an overall decrease or balance in the number of calories in vs. number of calories out.
5. If sports are a big part of your holiday season, as they are for a lot of us, it is very important to NOT EAT WHILE WATCHING THE TV. Snacks, like chips and dips, seem to disappear so much faster when we are watching tv. This is simply because you are not paying attention to how much you are eating, and since these types of snacks are rarely filling, we end up consuming wayy too many calories above and beyond.
6. Lastly, the most important part of not gaining weight this season will simply be to WATCH WHAT YOU EAT. When making a plate at a buffet, don't pile up and don't go back for seconds. If you are having appetizers, make sure you keep count of just how many you've had! Same with your alcoholic drinks. If you know you are going to be eating out, earlier in the day don't snack and eat lighter.
These are all easy and simple tricks, it just makes sure that you must be mindful this holiday season!
Monday, November 23, 2009
"Hot New Bakers Hit Washington D.C."
My wonderful and talented friends, Jane and Leyla, have been inspired by the holiday season and decided to try their hand at an inventive "face cake."
Topped and decorated with walnuts, it truly is an exquisite masterpiece. They are in the talks of starting their own business, so please contact them with your next order! But seriously, this really awesome and I wish I could try a piece now. Keep on baking my friends, a job very well done!! Saturday, November 21, 2009
Bri's Birthday Feast
My wonderful boyfriend Brian turned 27 this past week and to celebrate I made him an eclectic but delicious birthday feast! Paired with a fantastic napa cabernet sauvignon and ending with strawberry shortcake, it was a fantastic meal. Here's what I made:
Jalepeno- bacon wrapped shrimp with a siracha cayenne glaze served on a bed of mixed greens and accompanied by three dipping sauces: spicy citrus, sweet mint-yogurt cucumber and an orange glaze.
Grilled sweet potatoes with poblano chiles and onions. The sweet potatoes were baked in a special barbeque spice rub and then grilled and basted with a molasses barbeque sauce.
Indian rice pilaf with lots of spices (cumin, tumeric, cloves, cinnamon, coriander etc.) and raisins, peas and shaved almonds. (Sorry the picture is fuzzy!) 
St. Supery Cabernet Sauvignon. On our last trip to Napa with my dad, we visited this little winery St. Supery and it plesantly surprised us with this succulent gem. My dad got us a bottle and it went splendidly with the spicy and savory mix of this birthday dinner.
Jalepeno- bacon wrapped shrimp with a siracha cayenne glaze served on a bed of mixed greens and accompanied by three dipping sauces: spicy citrus, sweet mint-yogurt cucumber and an orange glaze. 
Grilled sweet potatoes with poblano chiles and onions. The sweet potatoes were baked in a special barbeque spice rub and then grilled and basted with a molasses barbeque sauce. 
Crispy crouton sticks with goat cheese and fresh basil and chives
Indian rice pilaf with lots of spices (cumin, tumeric, cloves, cinnamon, coriander etc.) and raisins, peas and shaved almonds. (Sorry the picture is fuzzy!) 
St. Supery Cabernet Sauvignon. On our last trip to Napa with my dad, we visited this little winery St. Supery and it plesantly surprised us with this succulent gem. My dad got us a bottle and it went splendidly with the spicy and savory mix of this birthday dinner.Happy Birthday Bri! Love you!!
Class Presentations
So this last class has been really time consuming and very fun! We've made dishes from ostrich to venison to thresher shark. We've started plating everything, so here's a little peek at all the stuff we've been making!
Eggplant Parmesan
Polenta Napoleon
Tournedos Rossini (Filet Mignon with Foie gras and truffles)
Braised Short Ribs
Pork Tenderloin with Mashed Potatoes
Osso Bucco
Venison with Berry sauce
Buffalo Steak with thyme mashed potatoes
Braised Thresher Shark with lemon pesto
Poached Sole
Blackened Catfish
Eggplant Parmesan 
Polenta Napoleon
Tournedos Rossini (Filet Mignon with Foie gras and truffles) 
Braised Short Ribs
Pork Tenderloin with Mashed Potatoes
Osso Bucco
Venison with Berry sauce
Buffalo Steak with thyme mashed potatoes
Braised Thresher Shark with lemon pesto
Poached Sole
Blackened Catfish
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Pay attention ladies!
To pull out a few poignant quotes from the article:
"We now know that strength training is absolutely essential if we wish to create visual changes in our bodies, and we've discovered that the benefits of strength training extend far beyond the visual."
"Strength training enhances quality of life, as it enables us to better perform daily activities that require lifting, pushing and pulling."
"Women further benefit from strength training because of the increase in resting metabolism created by strength training. Because of this increase, women who are trying to reduce bodyfat will do so more easily."
Check it out!
http://www.newellness.com/physfitn/strntrng.htm
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