What To Eat

Last week I featured Cucumber, Baby Carrots, and Bell Pepper. This week let's have a little more variety by adding some fruits. =)

First stop, Kiwi!
I like kiwis because they help your digestion and clean out toxins. They also boost your immune system with high Vitamin C content and antioxidants

Grapes!
I always liked grapes so I was so excited to learn that you get a lot of benefits when you eat them. It improves your brain, protect you skin, helps fight diabetes, and aids in weight loss too!

Lettuce :)
I don't know why but I have always been fond of Romaine Lettuce. I like that it's crunchy and bland in taste so it is easy to pair with any dressing or other more flavorful ingredients. It is high in fiber and it also helps in digestion, so it meas it is definitely going to be helpful if you're planning to lose weight.

So, instead of grabbing a bar of snickers or chips when you feel like snacking, try these healthy eats that are easily found in your local supermarkets.

DIY Easy Crochet Earphones Pouch

You have tons of stuff in your bag and when you need it, you can't seem to untangle your earphone from all the other things inside. This is the very reason why I thought it would be nice to have a small pouch to put your earphones in when not using them.

Here's a project that is both easy to do and looks cute too =)

What you'll need:
1. Crochet needle

2. Your choice of yarn and color. Here I'm using plain black. 

Start with the Foundation Chain. Make a loop and pull the yarn through like so. Make as many chained loops to reach the width you like. This will be the bottom of your pouch. 

Then continue with treble crochet like so until you were able to create one layer across you foundation chain.

Continue to make another layer on the other side.  This will form the bottom.  


Keep on building your way upwards until you reach the desired length. 

I changed my yarn twice to achieve a striped effect.

Do another one with more layers so your charger would fit.

Here's a reference for crochet beginners:
www.purlbee.com/crochet-basics/

Happy Crocheting ;-)

What to Eat

It is good to know what food you take when you are starting to live a healthy lifestyle. I have attended a nutrition seminar a few months back and learned that the key to proper diet is MODERATION, DISCIPLINE, and VARIETY. Yes, variety! Because no one food item contains all the nutrients that your body needs.

For this week, I have chosen these food items as main components of my meals.

CUCUMBER is a good way to take in nutrition and since it is 95% water, it has fewer calories. It also helps to hydrate your body and eliminate toxins.   Do not leave out the skin for it has Vitamin C. It is also known to reduce the risk or certain types of cancer. 

BABY CARROTS are high in fiber which cannot be digested easily. As a result, you will feel full for a longer period of time so it helps manage your weight. 

GREEN BELL PEPPERS have fiber and vitamins C and E. They also help to lower the risks of chronic illnesses

APPLES, as they say, keep the doctor away. It is mainly because it is one of the healthiest that you can eat. It can help reduce cholesterol, prevent high blood pressure, protect your brain from Alzheimer’s, protect against colon cancer, and protect your heart, lungs, and bones.

A combination of cucumber, baby carrots, and green bell peppers

My Weight Loss Program: Day 1 Gone Bad

Not a very successful diet day. Although I was able to limit my food intake I am not sure if I can say the same about the calorie count.

Here is what I planned for my meals for this week. 

Breakfast:

1/2 cups muesli (230 calories)

1 cup coffee (90 calories)

Lunch:

Fresh cucumber and baby carrots (200 calories)

grilled fish (123 calories)

Dinner

corn on the cob (365 calories)

These can also be substituted with other food items of the same kind. You can replace muesli with oatmeal and add some dried fruits and nuts to it. You can have other veggies to go with a lean protein for lunch.  And salad for dinner instead of corn as long as you keep your calorie intake to 1,200 in a day at a minimum. Taking less can be harmful to your health. Although, some people might be doing it but you have to be sure to get a doctor's advice first.

This meal plan is only 1,008 calories so I can still sneak in 100 calorie snacks in between. You can use this site to check the calorie count of the food you eat. caloriecount.about.com/calories-bobs-red-muesli-old-country-i126945

So this is my planned calorie intake for today which didn't really happen. =( I ended up consuming a lot more calories in the morning, skipping lunch, having fastfood at 4:30 in the afternoon. Dinner was the only meal I can be proud of. I had fish and vegetables.

I felt quite guilty eating fastfood earlier so I went to do a ten minute jump rope to help burn 135 calories in 10 minutes. It is also a good cardio workout for me. www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/arms/express/jump-rope-workouts/

So, day one did not exactly went as planned. But I am sticking to this meal plan and will try to do the jump rope workout regularly along with this diet and let's see what happens.

Facts:

Muesli is good for breakfast because it is high on fiber and energy. the combination of oats, barley, various nuts and seeds makes it a god alternative to cereals which usually has high sugar contents.

My Weight Loss Program: The Night Before

I was never a skinny girl. I love food. I love to eat. And desserts have always been my favorite. I love to bake for my friends and family. I am fascinated with the techniques and knowledge that comes with baking like when making pate a choux and creme patissiere. And l love how I can make people smile with the food I make.

Weight had never been an issue for me. I guess I was able to receive the much needed love and affection from my parents when I was growing up so I never really had to try hard to feel accepted. Plus, I have a loving boyfriend who appreciates and accepts me for who I am. So, it was never an issue until I began to feel the effects it has on my health.

When you start to notice that you easily tires and experience shortness of breath after short walks, you'll know that you'll need to do something to change the situation. At this time in my life, l want to be able to enjoy my youth and do things I want. It would be such a  waste not to, won't you agree?

I have created this blog to chronicle my journey to a healthier lifestyle. And maybe inspire others to do the same. l am not a doctor, nor a licensed dietitian. So, if you decide to follow my routine and diet, please consult your doctor first especially if you have certain health conditions.

What I will be sharing is based on my own research and personal experience. I would definitely appreciate you commenting for advice and stuff that would help improve my regimens and routines.

Also watch out for my other DIY projects which I will be posting here as well.

health and fitness (found this photo on Google)