This and That and how to Give Back

Sorry for the hiatus, let's get back into it shall we.

First of all this week is National Volunteer week.  So many vital organizations run on mostly volunteer man-power, like the Arkansas Rice Depot of the American Red Cross.  How can we help this week?  Or better yet, how can we make a long-term plan to help this week? I love volunteering, because it's incredibly easy, ridiculously appreciated, and I come away feeling embarrassingly good about myself.  Oh and it actually HELPS PEOPLE!  Want to help? Visit this site if you don't know where to start or want a fresh idea on where to pitch in: http://www.handsonnetwork.org/


What's the new trend this season? Bright-colored stripes!!!  How fun and cheerful is that?  Also, wedges making an appearance again this year, but with a fun twist...patterns on the wedge itself.  (A great way to play on something everyone already has....just enough to make the ones we have null and void, thanks).  I found these in Real Simple's April Edition:

Not only are they patterned, but they are also brightly striped, making them quite possibly the trendiest shoe in the world right now.  (plus they're nine west which totally rocks my world.)
Or how about these:

no fun stripes, but could totally match some fun striped little dress.  I've got to admit, I think I like it.  Let's be honest, some are just plain obnoxious:But, if that's your thing, don't let me stop you!!

Ok, so the April Issue of Real Simple is totally rocking my world.  It's got so much.  Martha Stewart is either the most brilliant person on the planet, or she hired them, which I guess still makes her brilliant.  Just check out these article titles: "Speed-clean your refrigerator in 20 minutes"  "Spring-cleaning shortcuts"  "Trends worth trying" "15 minute dinners"  "10 ideas for eggs"  and that's just a few.  I will post as much as I can that I find post-worthy.  But we all know I had to start out with the shoes!!

Project: LGN--The skinny on fad diets and rumors

I am anti-diet.  You will never find anything on my blog promoting any kind fad diet. Most diets I have watched people undergo have resulted in some kind of health issue or massive weight gain as soon as they finish with it.  Hey Dr. Atkins, you realize that eating little to no carbs for several weeks causes severe bad breath AND your body needs carbs to work.  I'll say it again....calories in, calories out.  That's really all you need to know.  But I understand that we like to feel like we are following some kind of food and work-out plan that keeps us on track and that we know has worked for others.  For me, this usually just means I spend more time reading about it, shopping for it and preparing for it than I actually do exercising or losing weight.  If only I had jogged instead of reading that 200 page book then I would have actually lost weight.  Glamour magazine's February 2011 issue puts some of the myths to the test once and for all....it's very interesting:

"Will __________ help me lose weight?"-Cynthia Sass, R.D. tells what's fast, what's healthy, and what's not. (Her quotes are, in fact, in quotes, my personal narration in parentheses)

• A Juice Fast: No. "You will gain it back when you eat real food again."
• The Master Cleanse: No. "Subsisting on a mix of cayenne pepper, maple syrup, and lemon juice is like an extreme juice fast--but it doesn't contain any substantial food. At least with juice you're getting some calories and antioxidants."
• Going Raw: Maybe, all the veggies will keep your calories intake low, but many people eat too many nuts and seeds and end up gaining.  Plus, it's very hard to stick too.
• Cutting out "white" stuff: Yes. "Refined foods like white flour and sugar have been stripped of vitamins and minerals, not to mention fiber--which leaves you with a more compact grain that has more calories bite for bite. cutting these out means you'll cut your total calories." It's quite possibly the healthiest, fastest way for any woman to lose weight.
• Drinking Milk: Yes, A new study found that dieters who consumed at least 12 oz of milk or other dairy lost more weight over the course of two years than those who had less. How this works isn't clear but the protein in dairy (stick to low-fat) may help keep you full.
• Spicy foods: Yes. "It boosts metabolism, and the more you eat, the more effect it has. It could take off up to 10 pounds in a year. (I was totally shocked to hear this, you can bet I'm adding spice to more things these days)
• Paying with Cash: Maybe. A recent study found that people who use a credit card made more impulse junk food buys.  And tend to buy more food in general.  (I would think it also makes us run through the drive-through more, it does me)
• A Gluten-free Diet: No, "Eliminating gluten--a grain protein in wheat, rye and barley--has nothing do with weight, even among people who are truly intolerant to it.
• Eating Breakfast: Yes. boosts you metabolism, keeps you from getting hungrier later and making poor choices.  Best bet is a mix of a sustaining protein, a little fat, and fiber.
• A Low-Carb diet: No. You may lose in the short term, but mostly water weight. "Carbs are the body's preferred fuel--that's why they're so plentiful in nature. Eliminate white carbs, and you'll likely lose weight, but take away whole grains, and you risk mood swings and cravings" (not to mention heart disease and halitosis!)
• Small meals; yes. nibbling something every three to five hours keeps your metabolism at a constant high and prevents the dips in blood sugar that lead to cravings and binges
• Taking Adderall--(personally I can't believe this even made the list....how stupid and dangerous to take an ADHD drug to lose weight...I don't believe I need to dignify this with the explanation.  Just don't be stupid)

So there you have it.  I thought a lot of that was pretty interesting.  So design your very own way of eating to achieve your goals...and speaking of goals, how am I doing??  Let's just see!!

Long-term Goal: 38 pounds by December 31
Short-term Goal: 10 pounds by May 1
Total weight loss to date: 7 pounds

Prescription: Friendship!

I've always been a pretty happy person.  Of course there have been times when I've been down in the dumps for an extended period, but it usually revolved around some sort of situation that eventually passes as do the blues.  It seems like I'm happier than ever overall in my present stage of life.  I contribute this to a combination of factors: strengthened relationship with Christ, growth in marriage, addition to family, and of course, an irreplaceable, incomparable circle of friends.  Come to find out, having friends is scientifically proven to make us healthier and happier.  Better Homes and Gardens published an article with some really interesting facts and research on the subject.  Allow me to share:

First of all, loneliness is on the rise. According to surveys conducted by Duke University, our social circles have shrunk by one-third between the years 1985-2004.  Nowadays the average person has just 2 close confidants (down from 3 in 1985), who are far more likely to be family members than unrelated pals.  And that only counts people who confide in anyone at all. 25% of the survey respondents in 2004 admitted to having zero close relationships at all--family or friends.

This is unfortunate since studies have also shown that social interaction significantly reduces cortisol levels (the stress hormone), and physical touch of friends increases activity of dopamine and oxytocin (feel-good brain chemicals).  In addition to this, loneliness was shown to lead to increased blood pressure, higher morning rises in cortisol and less restful sleep. If that's not enough, people with ample friends showed less symptoms when exposed to the cold virus and more effectiveness with flu vaccines.--BH&G April 2011

Now these scientists, though brilliant, can come up with the most absurd reasons why this occurs.  Like this is an inherited trait from our ancestors who were in physical danger if alone and tended to live in clusters for protection.  Really, so I feel better around my friends because my caveman ancestor might not get eaten by a saber toothed tiger or a woolly mammoth hanging in a crowd? Please.  It's how we were designed by our Creator.  God is relational.  He designed us to love and to be loved.  So obviously, when we are doing this, we are healthier and happier.  I can attest to this.  I've always had a lot of friends.  I've always enjoyed hanging out with people.  But in this stage of my life, God has surrounded me with a new breed of friend.  A group of women who would literally do anything for me I feel like.  And I would bend over backwards to do what I could for them.  Yes, they enjoy just hanging out, but it's more than that.  There is a genuine love for each other, a wish for the best to happen to each other, hurt when each other hurts.  No selfishness, no pettiness. 

The result: happiness, healthiness, support, and the overwhelming feeling that no matter what I take on....I am never alone.

Heart Healthy

I'm 32.  I'm stating this because I have felt like this number means I don't really have to worry about things like heart disease and blood pressure yet.  That's for older people right?  50? 60?  The fact is, if we don't take preventative measures in our 30's and 40's, it will not just be something for us to worry about later, it will be a reality, a problem, and possibly our outcome.  Yesterday, a dear friend of mine died of a heart attack.  A healthy, active man in his early 60's.  This is not an eye-opener, this is American reality.  Cancer or heart disease, and it happens younger and younger.  So I thought I would post some heart healthy alternatives just to help us make better choices, no matter what our age is.

Most of these are from Good Housekeeping February 2011 (I'm not sure what they mean by some of these percentages so I'm just writing them as is)

• A little Dark Chocolate (up to three 1-oz servings a week) can lessen the odds of heart failure 32%--Holla!
• Fill your plate with veggies and fruits to lower your heart disease risk and drop blood pressure
• Substituting seafood for beef cuts chances of heart disease (24 % for each day you make the substitution)
• Sweet Potatoes, oatmeal, dried apricots, and spinach are all rich in potassium and magnesium-two minerals that help promote healthy blood pressure levels (Family Circle June 2010)
• Try to stick to a DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension developed by the National Institute of Health and proven to lower blood pressure): Each day-3 servings of whole grains, 2 servings of low-fat dairy, 7 servings of fruits and vegetables. Each week-3 servings of nuts, seeds, and legumes. (Family Circle June 2010)

For more in depth info on DASH go to http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/dash/dash_what.html.

And don't forget to exercise.  Even 20-30 minutes a day of walking can help lower your risk of heart disease.  Also be mindful of your family history.  Some forms of heart disease can be genetic meaning you have to start working on it earlier. Thanks for listening to me babble about this.  It's therapeutic in a way to try and keep this from happening to other people I love.

Project LGN: Progress

I wrote last week that I had really been slacking and wanted to wait a week before weighing.  I'm glad I did because I weighed today and my weight is unchanged.  This probably means I gained a little during my bad week and lost it again during last week. I can totally live with that.  This week will continue in the downward direction and hopefully next Monday I'll have a better weight loss report.  I have to be honest, this blog is one of the reasons I made myself get back on track.  The cyberworld is holding me accountable, whether they know it or not.  I read in one of my mags that discussing your weight loss goals and your methods to achieving them online was a great way to stay on task.  I got to put a big check mark next to that helpful hint cause I'm already doing it and it actually works.

Long-term Goal: 38 pounds by December 31
Short-term Goal: 10 pounds by May 1
Total weight loss to date: 4.4 pounds

Bring on Spring--part 2

Martha Martha Martha, everybody loves Martha!  And for good reason.  She has some amazing, easy to follow ways of getting just about anything house or craft related done.  She has published a book called "Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook" that writes it all out.  744 pages of "how to" and "you wish".  That's longer than a Harry Potter book AND the print's smaller.  Everything from "How to dust sculptures" to "Types of air fresheners" and even "How to Move". I know what you're thinking and no, I didn't read it all.  But there is a fantastic little section in the front about cleaning with a checklist for daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal tasks.  Figured I'd give you all the Spring Cleaning list and see how we all measure up to the incredible Martha:

Kitchen

1. Vacuum refrigerator grill and coil
2. Wipe the inside of the freezer

Living Room

1. Rotate heavy curtains, rugs, and throws for lightweight ones

Bedrooms

1. Replace cool-weather bedding with warm-weather bedding
2. Launder or dry-clean blankets

Bathrooms

1. Discard expired cosmetics, beauty products, and medications

Home Office

1. Clean out files
2. Review ad update insurance policies, contracts, and household inventories

Closets

1. Reorganize closets, giving away unwanted items
2. Replace cool-weather clothing with warm-weather clothing

Utility Spaces

1. Remove line from the hose attached to the back of the clothes dryer
2. Clean the attic and basement, giving away or discarding unwanted items
3. Vacuum and mop attic and basement floors

Outdoor Spaces

1. Scrub porch ceilings and walls
2. Scrub porch floors, decks, patios, the driveway, and walkways
3. Scrub outdoor furniture, umbrellas, and awnings
4. Wash light-fixture covers
5. Clean gutters

Throughout the House

1. Vacuum and wipe walls and ceilings
2. Shampoo wall-to-wall carpets and area rugs with backings
3. Send area rugs without backings out for professional cleaning
4. Steam-clean upholstery
5. Dust radiators
6. Reseal stone surfaces
7. Reseal grout
8. launder machine-washable window treatments
9. Dry-clean non-machine-washable window treatments
10. Take books off shelves, dust shelves and books
11. Polish metal door and window hardware
12. Oil window and door hinges
13. Wax wood furniture
14. Wax wood, stone, concrete, brick, and unglazed tile floors
15. Strip and rewax vinyl and linoleum floors
16. Wash windows and window screens
17. Remove, wash, and store storm windows.

Intense isn't it.  I'll probably do about 8 of these things.   Maybe. OK Ok, probably 4 of them.  She's a beast!  But I've got news for her "Homekeeping" is not even a word, so there.

Bring on Spring--part1

I love the beginning of each season.  The welcomed change of temperature, the new smells in the air, the memories each season brings back, and of course the decorating.  Spring is no different.  Now we can start worrying about our tans, our waistlines, cute spring clothes and colors, and of course the dreaded spring cleaning.  Thankfully our generation has Martha Stewart to help us through the cleaning part which I will get to in my "Bring on Spring--part 2" post coming soon.  For now, let's focus on the super fun part of spring: NEW STUFF!!

I've found a ton of cute ideas and potential purchases in magazines so far this spring and I can't wait to pass them on.

• Super cute flower dress from Simply Vera.  Meshing all the popular spring colors: sun yellow, cobalt, a hint of purple *smile*.  Best part: it's actually on sale at Kohl's right now for $48 (reg. $68) Better Homes and Gardens April 2011

• Ponytail weather!!!  Two 15-year old girls have designed their own line of hair ties that won't rip or dent your hair.  On top of that, they give a portion of their proceeds to Operation Smile. Check them out at emi-jay.com Better Homes and Gardens April 2011
• Spring is when I start looking at changing out my make-up.  Throwing out the old stuff, getting some new shades, maybe a little tanner?  Saw these super cute make-up brushes and can't wait to go get them.  Sonia Kashuk's (designs for Target) high-quality/low-cost brushes in a gorgeous cobalt-colored tile print.  5-piece set for $15.  They are not out yet, but you can pre-order them on line: http://www.target.com/Sonia-Kashuk-Brush-Set-piece Better Homes April 2011
• Fitness!!  Springtime is the time to get skinny right? April 7th is National Start Walking Day.  You can find new local routes to walk in USA Track & Field's database--just search by city and state and check it out (or share your own route). www.usatf.org Better Homes April 2011
• Easter craft.  Ok, I'm not personally gonna do this one, but I am totally intrigued and am dying for someone to try it and let me know:  Line your Easter basket with cellophane, add vermiculite (available at garden stores), sprinkle grass seeds, and mist with water.  Sprouts should appear in 10 days and Voila! real grass in your basket....sure beats that fake stuff I feel I'm still vacuuming up in July. Better Homes April 2011
• Spring decor craft.  The in color for Spring decorating.....Lilac!!!  woo hoo for Purple.  Love this idea, Baby-food jars become gingham-banded, light-infused hanging vases for pansies.  Suspend in a window at staggered heights using craft wire and ribbon.  *love*Good Housekeeping April 2011

That's all I have time for, but I could go on and on.  And may do a part 3.  We shall see. :)