Cheap Eat, Full Happy Tummy

I have found a new love in Century Corned Tuna and Skyflakes crackers. They are just an amazing combo to eat and it was a eureka moment for me when I discovered this what seemed to me as the perfect pair if you are too lazy to whip up a decent meal using the best kitchen ware and table ware that you own. Of course, when I say best, those are the kind you keep inside your cupboard (ahhh, typical Filipino household). Kidding aside, you may be wondering how I discovered this "cheap eat" to give a full happy tummy.

I was on my rest day and all the flat wares at home are on the sink waiting to be washed by the diligent soul in me, but I digress. The lazy has overpowered me and wanted to indulge so I would rather go online and scour through websites offering same day delivery for flat wares (which is remotely impossible). Fail! So, hungry as I am, I used the only pot available and the wooden spoon (the big one) to reheat the tuna and be my food. Ah and I feel I should tell you this, I actually do not like using the can opener when opening up canned products. I would much rather prefer to use the purple knife. It's just one of my skills to open a can with utmost precision and control with a knife (thanks to Girl Scout camping and cookouts). And so after reheating the tuna, I flopped myself in the couch, powered the TV on and munched on the crackers to my content. It was so flavorful (I couldn't possibly name the spices that were used, I am no spice connoisseur). Even then, I have a whole army of spice containers at home (sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano among others).

After eating the whole bowl of tuna and two packs of crackers, I suddenly had the conviction to clean my mess; kitchen ware and flatware and pots and pans. Maybe that's what a happy tummy can do to you. It could give you a sudden jolt to act like a grown-up and look after yourself. Maybe then I would try to whip this combo up when I am feeling lazy and see if it will make me do household chores yet again...

In the meantime, I have another wish...a free five year supply of spices! How does that sound to you?

Weight Loss Wonders

Here are some simple, no-brainer things you can do to lose some excess baggage my comments after every entry:

By Liz Vaccariello, Editor-in-Chief, Prevention

There's nothing like a weight loss strategy that takes almost no time or effort--but still works like a charm! Here are 10 successful strategies to cut calories and burn fat that literally take 60 seconds or less.

1. Mix a juice spritzer

Combine your favorite juice (half of your usual amount) with plain or sparkling water. You can cut up to 85 calories per glass--and lose 5 pounds or more a year. - I love doing this with lemon slices and water. It makes water less boring and juice less sweet.

2. Walk while you talk

Burn calories while you talk on the phone: Do the laundry (68 calories), set the table (85), or water plants (102). - Ahhhh the magic of walking...

3. Study the wrapper

At a quick glance, that candy bar appears to contain 220 calories. But a closer look may reveal that it (or a bottle of juice, bag of crackers, or bag of nuts) provides two or more servings--which more than doubles those calories. - Yes, you really should not lose that keen eye and investigate before popping that little candy inside your mouth.

4. Sip green tea before a walk

The caffeine frees fatty acids so that you burn fat more easily. And the polyphenols (antioxidant compounds) in green tea appear to work with caffeine to increase calorie burn. (If you have high blood pressure, skip this tip.) This I should and will do.

5. Pack a lunch

Dining out more than 5 times a week may make you eat more--nearly 300 calories a day--than if you dine out less frequently. - I need to pack lunch as well but my schedule all screws up the plans. I should try to get over any excuses I have and do this plus I'm sure I'll save a few hundred pesos at the end of the day.

6. Dip your bread

Use olive oil in place of butter. It's healthier and may also help you eat less. In a recent study, dippers ate a total of 52 fewer calories, on average, than those who used butter. - That's why Italian restaurants do this. You can add a few sliced basil to make your dip more interesting.

7. Sprinkle flax on cereal

High-fiber ground flaxseed can help curb your appetite and eliminate calories. Add it to yogurt or muffin and bread mixes--it's available in health food stores. - My oatmeal has this so I think I am on the safe zone.

8. Schedule a blood test

About 1 in every 12 women (most of whom don't know it) has an underactive thyroid, which can slow down her metabolism. - I have this penciled in.

9. Supersize your H2O

Buy the big bottle when it comes to good-for-you stuff such as water: You'll drink more. - I make it a point that I drink at least a liter of water at work and then 2 glasses as soon as I wake and before I go to bed.

10. Eat a chunky salad

Chop carrots, celery, sweet potatoes, zucchini, or other veggies instead of shredding or slicing. It takes more effort to munch bigger pieces; you'll do more chewing and eat less during the main course. - Yeah, chew, chew and chew.

Chronicling My 14-Day Journey

NOTE: This will not be a short post. Please make sure you have plenty of time to spare before you start reading. I, however, guarantee that this journal will be one of the best journal entries you will read that I have written as I attempt to chronicle the 14 days I have to go through for the Nestle 14 Days to Show Off Your Shape Challenge. This journal will include the food I ate, the cravings I successfully and unsuccessfully resisted, the exercises I was able to do and then some...

Day 1 November 15 Sunday: Timex Run (5K)

Breakfast
1/4 cup Fitnesse Whole Grain, 1/4 cup soymilk, 1 granny smith apple, 1 hard boiled egg, 1 cup coffee
Snacks
energy drink
Lunch
1 cup garlic rice, 1 sweet ham, 1 sunny side up egg (egg white only)
Snacks
none
Dinner
none (I slept because my knees and legs hurt)

Day 2 November 16 Monday: REST DAY (muscles need to recuperate)

Breakfast
1/4 cup Fitnesse Whole Grain, 1/4 cup soymilk, 1 banana
Snacks
12 oz mango carrot juice, 1 Fuji apple
Lunch
1 serving tofu with chicken slices and bell pepper
Snacks
330ml Del Monte Fit and Right Watermelon
Dinner
1/4 cup Fitnesse Whole Grain, 1/4 cup soymilk, 1 pear

Day 3 November 17 Tuesday: 1 hour jog/walk around MOA approximately 5-6km

Breakfast
1/4 cup Fitnesse Whole Grain, 1/4 cup soymilk, 1 kiwi
Snacks
1 Natures Valley Honey and Oats Bar, 1 bottle energy drink
Lunch
1/2 cup rice, 1 serving fish salad, 1 serving pork innards, 330ml Del Monte Fit and Right Grapefruit
Snacks
none (spent the afternoon sleeping)
Dinner 1/4 cup Fitnesse Whole Grain, 1/4 cup soymilk, 1 pear

NOTE: The first three (3) days were the most critical days of the challenge as my taste buds were really craving for rice and some days pasta. I was able to thwart off the cravings by eating more fruits and vegetables. I was also able to increase my fiber intake so visits to the loo have been more regular and around the same time of the day. This is especially notable for me as I have a very irregular schedule of loo trips. It is very noteworthy as well that I do not feel nauseous or light-headed. I'm in perfect condition.

Day 4 November 18 Wednesday: 30 minutes swimming, 30 minutes treadmill, 10 minutes stepper, 10 minutes rowing - cardio overload :-)

Breakfast
1/4 cup Fitnesse Whole Grain, 1/4 cup soymilk, 1 pear
Snacks
1 banana, 1 bottle energy drink
Lunch
1 beef taco from Mexicali (soft taco)
Snacks
1 pear
Dinner
1/4 cup Fitnesse Whole Grain, 1/4 cup soymilk, 1 pear

Day 5 November 19 Thursday: Ran around MOA approximately 6K

Breakfast
1/4 cup Fitnesse and Fruit, 1/4 cup soymilk, seedless grapes
Snacks
1 banana
Lunch
1 cup mushroom soup, 1 deep-fried chicken
Snacks
1 pear, 1 Clif Chocolate Chip Peanut Crunch Energy Bar, 1 bottle electrolyte-loaded drink
Dinner
1/4 cup Fitnesse and Fruit, 1/4 cup soymilk, 1 pear, 1 plum

Day 6 November 20 Friday: Rest Day

Breakfast
1/4 cup Fitnesse and Fruit, 1/4 cup soymilk, 1 pear
Snacks
1 granny smith apple
Lunch
missed lunch - slept like a baby, too tired from the run last night
Snacks
1 granny smith apple
Dinner
1/4 cup Fitnesse and Fruit, 1/4 cup soymilk, 1 pear, 1 banana

Day 7 November 21 Saturday: 30 minutes light jog around the neighborhood

Breakfast
1/4 cup Fitnesse and Fruit, 1/4 cup skimmed milk, 1 kiwi
Snacks
1 fuji apple
Lunch
1 serving squash with string beans and coconut milk
Snacks
1 granny smith apple
Dinner
1 slice of cake --- guilty pleasure!, 1 serving oriental noodles

Day 8 November 22 Sunday: Dare To Be Fit n Right Fun Run (5K)

Breakfast
1 granny smith apple, 1 pack sports beans, 1 scrambled egg, 1 cup rice
Snacks
1/2 can soda - was a welcome treat after the race (no water or any other drink available)
Lunch
1 serving baked salmon, 1 serving mango royale salad, 330ml Del Monte Fit n Right Watermelon
Snacks
1 granny smith apple
Dinner
1/2 cup Fitnesse and Fruit (without milk) - just snacked on it while watching TV

NOTE: I exceeded my previously recorded 5K time because of a few walks along the race. I felt some cramps creep up my legs that made running very uncomfortable. I also have read from a reliable source that the route was more than 5K. So, I'm still happy even if I clocked in 00:41:25. I know it was a slow race for me but the good thing is that I didn't injure myself and I was able to finish it...

Day 9 November 23 Monday: REST DAY

Breakfast
1/4 cup Fitnesse Whole Grain, 1/4 cup skimmed milk, 4 peach halves, 1 blueberry yogurt, 330ml Del Monte Fit n Right Four Seasons
Snacks
none
Lunch
none - slept off the tired muscles
Snacks
1 granny smith apple, 1 banana
Dinner
1/4 cup Fitnesse Whole Grain, 1/4 cup skimmed milk, 1 banana

EVALUATION: I feel healthier. I feel lighter. I feel stronger. I've met my goal.

Day 10 November 24 Tuesday: 30 minutes treadmill, 10 minutes stepper

Breakfast
1/4 cup Fitnesse Whole Grain, 1/4 cup skimmed milk, 1 banana
Snacks
1 fuji apple
Lunch
1 salted egg, 1 tomato, 1/2 medium-sized cucumber, 2 tbsp pickled papaya
Snacks
1 fuji apple
Dinner
1 serving penne pasta with tuna and tomato sauce

Day 11 November 25 Wednesday: 30 minutes swimming, 30 minutes treadmill, 15 minutes sauna

Breakfast
1/4 cup Fitnesse Whole Grain, 1/4 cup skimmed milk, 1 pear
Snacks
1 granny smith apple
Lunch
2 slices of wheat bread with tuna spread, 330ml Del Monte Fit n Right Four Seasons
Snacks
1 fuji apple
Dinner
1/4 cup Fitnesse Whole Grain, 1/4 cup skimmed milk, 1 plum

Day 12 November 26 Thursday: 30 minutes treadmill, 15 minutes sauna

Breakfast
1/4 cup Fitnesse Whole Grain, 1/4 cup skimmed milk
Snacks
none
Lunch
1 cup Nido Oriental Soup, 1/2 cup rice, 1/2 cup mixed carrots, peas and corn
Snacks
1 cup baby carrots
Dinner
1/4 cup Fitnesse Whole Grain, 1/4 cup skimmed milk

Day 13 November 27 Friday: 30 minutes swimming, 45 minutes treadmill, 10 minutes stepper, 15 minutes sauna

Breakfast
1/4 cup Fitnesse Whole Grain, 1/4 cup skimmed milk, 1 granny smith apple
Snacks
1 banana, 1 electrolyte-loaded drink
Lunch
1 cup rice, 1 serving pork liempo, 1 banana
Snacks
1 cup baby carrots
Dinner
1/4 cup Fitnesse Whole Grain, 1/4 cup skimmed milk

Day 14 November 28 Saturday: 30 minutes sauna, WEIGH-OFF DAY

Breakfast
1/4 cup Fitnesse Whole Grain, 1/4 cup skimmed milk, 1 granny smith apple, 1 electrolyte-loaded drink
Snacks
none
Lunch
1 serving chopsuey, 1/2 cup rice
Snacks
1 sampler of Fitnesse Whole Grain at the Nestle Office
Dinner
Chicken Pepper Lunch (to celebrate the success of Team Earthlingorgeousness at the weigh-off), ice cream for dessert

It has been three days after the weigh-off and I have maintained the diet and regular exercise. I am still energetic and I have no signs of severe craving for any food - one of the sure signs that my body has adapted to the challenge.

STATISTICS: I have lost 5.4lbs as of this writing (despite all the indulgence and some treats in the form of food). I however like the continued decrease of fat percentage in my body as recorded by the body analyzer I use.

I know I am on the right track and there's no turning back...I am happy that I have summoned myself to start this healthy lifestyle, the weight loss has been the cherry on top. The best thing I have gotten out of participating in this challenge is when some friends told me that I have motivated them to start living a healthy lifestyle as well as finding and forming a friendship with my teammates, Earth, Belle and Wena. :-)

You can still vote for our team (voting officially closes on December 3, 2009).

Days 7-9 of the 14-Day Challenge

Time ticks so fast. Nine days is over and today is the 10th day of the diet. Can you feel how nervous I am? Can you feel how tensed I am? Can you feel how lighter I've become? I bet no...but people at work have been noticing wee bit of changes everyday and I could not complain. Keep 'em compliments coming.

I have a confession to make: I ate a slice of cake. Sue me for all it's worth... It was Y-U-M-M-Y! while I was eating it but hell I could not seem to get over the guilt I felt after. When I woke up around lunch, I didn't have any appetite for food but I felt like I need to eat else I'll unintentionally starve myself. I snacked on about half a cup of Nestle Fitnesse while watching Stylista on television. Yes, no milk. Just the cereal au naturel and it tasted unbelievably delicious. That happened on Day 7 and good thing I was able to compensate for it by running my second 5K race. That was an awesome calorie-burning run I did again. I can tell I did burn a lot. Despite the setbacks that happened during the race, I was able to zone in and enjoy every minute of it, every sweat-bud that fell felt amazing. I can't wait for my next race. I didn't meet my goal this time (time to finish) but I read from somewhere that the route was more than 5K (it was .104 more than 5K) so I guess I met my target after all. Count to that the time I had to weave through walkathoners. Whew!

I only had a granny smith apple and a bottle of electrolyte drink before the race plus a pack of sports beans to get me through. After the race, I had quite a big breakfast. I met Olive for lunch at Conti's Greenbelt and I had Baked Salmon and we shared a plate of Mango Royale (salad greens, mango slices and carrot strips). I enjoyed the food I ordered (I can still feel my mouth water every time I think of them) and then we headed to the movies. Because I was too tired, I feel asleep reading the book I just bought which made me cry while reading just the first line. Such a crybaby! Does crying and squeezing one's lachrymal glands with tears make you burn calories too? If it does, then I could tell I burned a lot. Then again I went to bed without eating anything. I felt like if I eat anything more, it was already gluttony.

I woke up to a wonderful Day 9 and I had breakfast buns, Nestle Fitnesse and Fruit and lots and lots of water. I also downed a bottle of DM Fit and Right Four Seasons. I then had fish and chips for lunch (I was not able to take a picture though). I needed all the calories from the food I ate to sustain me while I do my laundry. LOL!

EVALUATION: I feel healthier. I feel lighter. I feel stronger. I've met my goal.

Here are some tips I wanna share to you:

1. Portion control. You can't go wrong with this.
2. Chew your food well. You usually get the feeling of fullness at the 20th minute. So don't rush it. Enjoy your mealtime. Savor every morsel.
3. Do not starve yourself. Enjoy your food.
4. If you don't want any sagging skin after you lose weight, exercise. Tone 'em muscles. Resistance training will be your best friend.
5. You are your bodies ally. Love the way you look. It'll motivate yourself to do better.

Days 4-6 of the 14-Day Challenge

This journal is the collective update for Days 4-6 of the challenge and a second installment to my promised update.

I am liking the changes, the routine, the food and the feeling of losing it to win it. I love how light my body feels and how energetic I am despite the cut in calorie-intake. My only worry right now is my skewed sleeping pattern (I work graveyard that is, I am a call center baby). Even then, I always see to it that I always get the most number of sleep hours I could ever get, if not then I compensate with work-out hours.

Day 4 saw me smiling from ear to ear. Imagine my happiness when I got digitally weighed in at Fitness First RCBC. I told the physical trainer about what I am aiming at and why I am so hell-bent at knowing how much I weigh, my current BMI and all other items the machine could possibly measure. I liked what the digital weighing scale has told me. My efforts are paying off: Nestle Fitnesse and regular cardio exercises are working! The combination works for me bigtime. I know if I stick to it I am on my way of not just losing 2 pounds. Did I give you too much hint already? Okay, so after weighing my self, I went to the pool, did a few laps for an hour. I then eased my leg muscles by staying in the jacuzzi, sweat some more at the sauna and steam room, showered and then headed home. When I got home, I found out that my grandmother who is already 94 years old died. I was grief-stricken but I know she's in a happier place now. I was not able to go to work, I was sad beyond compare, I cried like a baby. (Lola, you are one of my inspirations and my motivations, for you I will not give up in this challenge, I will summon all the hurdles and come out a loser (of pounds) and yes of course a winner (of self-confidence and fashionable wardrobe. Be my angel!)

Despite the bitter pill that I had to swallow, life goes on and has to surely move on. I woke up quite positive and Lola's passing away has already sank in to my system. I am now ready for the next of the days to come. I sticked to my diet except that I didn't have vegetables during lunch because I had chicken. I had to eat it slowly but surely so I get the fulling of fullness with just little amount of indulgence as possible. The mushroom soup I had was heaven, it was ohhhh soooo yummy! I had an energy bar, electrolyte-loaded drink and lots of H2O after the early evening run I did with some takbo.ph members. I had fun trying to keep up with them. I ran a total of six (6) kilometers at least (with several walks). It was fun. Can you tell I am now starting to get addicted to running? I went to work energized and ready to take on any challenge. A pear and a little bowl of Chinese noodles kept me up through the night.

Yes, today is officially Day 6 of the challenge. I had my usual Nestle Fitnesse breakfast which is essentially my dinner if you think about it and after almost an hour I headed to bed. I don't know if it was enough time to digest the food but I was already feeling extremely sleepy. I just had to close my eyes. No hunger pang has kicked in yet but I am going to raid the kitchen and check if I still have a granny smith apple to snack on while I blog hop.

You like what am I doing? Do I get your vote? Please head on over to http://tinyurl.com/nestlek to show your support. :-)

I Made A Quick and Easy Dinner

Making a decent meal when you just got out of bed feeling a little dizzy still is no easy feat. But I think I should. I have a very long night at work tonight and I needed some fuel to get me going. Else I will all be stressed out and relapse into the sick bed again. I checked out the pantry and all I saw were energy bars and pasta and granola bars, oatmeal and stuff. I looked at the back part of the pantry and there were few boxes of couscous standing proud as if begging for some attention. LOL! It got me all confused as to what I should choose so I enlisted the help of my dear little purple bear. And so I chose the Couscous Wild Forest Mushroom Flavor.

The couscous was cooked by boiling two cups of water with two tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Once mixed, removed from heat and covered, allow the couscous to soak in all the flavors (about five minutes) and then fluff with a fork and serve. I did not fluff it anymore. Instead I filled in a small ceramic bowl and put it in a big plate.

I then opened a can of lite tuna and a can of pineapple and now it all looked so inviting and it seems all of a sudden I got my appetite back. I just drained the water from the tuna can and then pour all the contents around the couscous. I did the same with the pineapple slices. It was really quick and easy.


What do you whip up when you don't seem to like any food and you don't have any craving for anything?

When You Can’t Go 100% Organic

By Natalya Podgorny, Yoga+

Even if you can’t afford to buy everything local and organic, the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a watchdog and research nonprofit, has identified the “dirty dozen”–those fruits and veggies that contain the highest amounts of pesticides. For these, it might be worth paying for the organic versions. Among conventionally grown, try sticking to the “cleanest 12.” The produce ranking was developed by EWG analysts based on the results of nearly 51,000 tests for pesticides on produce collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration between 2000 and 2005. An EWG simulation of thousands of consumers eating high and low pesticide diets showed that people can lower their pesticide exposure by almost 90% by avoiding the top 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables and eating the least contaminated instead.

DIRTY DOZEN(Buy These Organic)
1. Peaches

2. Apples

3. Sweet Bell Peppers

4. Celery

5. Nectarines

6. Strawberries

7. Cherries

8. Lettuce

9. Grapes

10. Pears

11. Spinach

12. Potatoes

CLEANEST 12(Lowest in Pesticides)
1. Onions

2. Avocado

3. Sweet Corn (frozen)

4. Pineapples

5. Mango

6. Sweet Peas (frozen)

7. Asparagus

8. Kiwi

9. Bananas

10. Cabbage

11. Broccoli

12. Eggplant