Health Post

I should be doing homework right now, but since i know that's not gonna happen, i might as well blog.

I was a health nut my senior year of high school. i was very careful about what i consumed, and i exercised everyday. as a result i was in really good shape. somewhere between now and then, it's been a downward spiral. i'm talking pizza, french fries, entire batches of cookies, chocolate, and many other things of equally bad nutritional value. and now i'm ready to turn it around and be healthy again. i'm still struggling to get myself exercising. food-wise i've been doing pretty good, but i still have a lot to do. so far i've completely cut out any and all junk food. that means absolutely no chips, cookies, soda, candy, etc. and i've been strictly counting calories.

what i still need to do: refrain from noshing on bread at work, get fiber pills and vitamin D and E pills.

this isn't just about food and losing weight, it's about overall health, including taking care of hair, skin, and immune system. I'm no expert but here are some tips if you're trying to lead a healthier lifestyle:

food:

-peppers boost your metabolism. cayenne pepper is a popular choice, but any kind is good. sprinkle a little bit on your food for a kick

-green tea boosts your metabolism. have a cup a day (or more if you want), preferably after a meal. i add a little milk and splenda

-use a 0 calorie sweetener instead of sugar. i recommend splenda. personally. i think equal and sweet-and-low taste like shit.

-switch from white rice to brown rice, from white bread to whole grain wheat bread (or at least regular wheat bread), and from from regular pasta to whole grain pasta

-look for healthier alternatives in general. low fat spread instead of butter.

WARNING: after some research i discovered that FIBER ONE Honey Clusters, FIBER ONE bars, and Nutri Grain bars are NOT good for you. between the 3 of them, you'll find high fructose corn syrup, trans-fat, and ethanol. some foods advertise themselves as being healthy when they really aren't, so make sure you read the ingredients very carefully. for a snack, have a fruit or a fruit smoothie.


hair:

-use pure vitamin E oil on your hair everyday. it strengthens and protects your hair. don't go to the hair store and get that bottle that says "Vitamin E", and its really only like 20% Vitamin E. Go to the convenient store, and buy vitamin E softgels. bust a pill (as many as needed) and squeeze the oil into your hand. distribute evenly all over your hair. this might seem tedious, i'm sure you can find bottled pure vitamin E oil on eBay. the pills are like $10 a bottle, but you get 100. that lasts you 2-3 months.

-grapeseed oil. there are a number of natural oils, and they all work well. grapeseed is just my personal choice, and a good heat protectant. this is also a great way to replenish and restore your hair, and add shine. Whole Foods, $9. (big bottle, though)

-coconut oil works wonders. use it as a pre-conditioner before washing your hair. Whole Foods, $7. (big jar, though)

-whatever products you choose, stay away from fragrance. Look for plant, fruit, and seed extracts. the more natural the product, the better. in other words, go to the grocery store, not the hair shop.


skin:

-use a good body lotion

-get a really good cleanser and moisturizer for your face. it sounds simple, but most people don't do it. its important to scrub your face during or after you shower, and before bed, and follow up with moisturizer. don't use your body lotion on your face

-don't buy cheap makeup. invest in the quality stuff. it's worth it. and never sleep with makeup

-take 1 or 2 vitamin E pills daily. these are good for your skin as well.

get a good night's sleep every night.

Put Some Pants On

when it comes to apparel, I'm a slight tomboy, and very simple, yet unconventional if that makes any sense. i don't know or care about what's in season, out of season, general fashion do's and don'ts, etc. But every now and then, some huge trend comes along, and girls begin to look like a bunch of clones. i was in center city the other day, and everywhere you look, EVERY SINGLE girl is wearing tights or leggings. at first i dismissed it as a passing fad, but this has been going on way too long! i'm tired of seeing every crevice of people's lower halves. i just don't get it, especially when the person does not have the body for it, and everything's jiggling all over the place. Please do us all a favor, and put some pants on.

and i'm not alone on this. visit www.tightsarenotpant.com

Operation: Slim Down

I dont wanna be a twig, but something needs to be done, because my jeans ripped today, making them the...i dunno, millionth pair i have to throw away! that's an exaggeration of course, but i honestly think that was my last pair of jeans. ive been doing pretty well at eating right, but ive been putting off exercise due to laziness. my goal is to lose 10lbs. by my brother's wedding which is in 2 months. ive never liked gyms, but i have free access to the 12th street gym for the month of April, and im thinking about using it. i'll keep u updated on the progress.

Belated B-Day recap

On my birthday, C and I went out to dinner at Giorgio on Pine, and it was sooo good! It was the perfect little Italian BYOB. the atmosphere was very relaxed and intimate, since it was a thursday, and the place isn't super popular. afterwards, we went to my job for dessert and drinks. plus i was all glammed up which was so much fun!, cuz im a tomboy, and my bday is the one occasion where i make some type of effort to look nice. it was one of those fairy tale nights, that u wish wouldnt end. i wish i had pics :( o well, then saturday my mother came down!

My mother and i didnt have nearly enough time together :( but it was good to see her nonetheless. We walked around the gallery for a little bit, and then i had to go to work. i was able to leave early enough so that we could still go to dinner. we went to El Vez: best food ive had in a long time. cant wait til the next time i can afford to go back.



it was sad seeing her go the next morning, but thats what i get for moving 6 hours away. now i just have to look forward to the wedding in 2 and a half months when i can see everyone! i already have my dress picked out.

Alice Smith Show!!!

I'm just getting home from the Alice Smith show. I went with Andrea and it was AMAZING. So on Thursday i found out that the show was sold out, and I had pretty much given up on any hope to see her :( but Andrea still came anyways. Then we decided, why not just go and see if they'll let us in? and we got in!!! we had to sit all the way in the back, but The Tin Angel is so small that we still had a good view. my phone died, so i couldn't take any pics or video with that :/ then my camera is old and barely works, but i managed to get a short clip before that died too, lol. sorry it's shaky and blurry, i could only zoom in so much. i really need a video camera, or at least a digital camera with a sharper recorder. This song is called "Far Away".

i found a full-length version on YouTube. i like the live, acoustic sound better than this recording, but at least u get to hear the whole thing.

My SUPERDOPE! Birthday

Raven Lounge

DJ PHSH providing the fresh tunes!


me on the dance floor. a very rare occurrence

VLOG #1

This is my first vlog (video log). hopefully they'll get more interesting over time. sometimes it's just more fun to talk, rather than type. and this way, those of you that i dont see anymore can see me and hear me. sorry it's a little repetitive of the previous post.
to make it bigger, hit "Command" + "+" on a Mac, or "Ctrl" + "+" on PCs, or if you wanna get crazy just hit that little button with the arrows in the lower left-hand corner to make it full-screen.