Have Several Seats

If you have never watched the show The Braxtons, then you've never seen the entertainment that is Tamar. She is by far the most hilarious, over the top dot com character on television. And I love it. One of her many catch phrases is "have several seats."

There are a few people in my life who need to have a seat. Cuz honey, that ain't the move! 

1. The person (who I will refer to as Crazy Lady) whose reply to my saying, I don't want anymore  any chips, I'm trying to lose weight was : "I'm trying to lose weight too, just eat the rest." When I made it clear I didn't want to eat them, Crazy Lady put them in my hand and said just eat the rest....Um 'cuse me? Didn't i JUST say I wanted to lose weight? Anyone who tries to sabotage me, needs several seats. Crazy Lady needs all of the Staples Center right now. 

2. People who believe high temps are an excuse to get nekkid. Take a seat-wait, cover your hoo ha, then take a seat. Excuse me while I wipe it down as you leave. 

                         

3. People who use social media as a way to get at somebody indirectly. If you have something to say to someone in REAL life, then tell them....in real life. The whole indirect, I'm talking bout you but I ain't talking bout you though....um, just sit down. Now. 

                                      

What about you? What are some situations that make you say, have several seats? 

                                     

The Zero Calorie Myth

So as you may or may not know, I wrote about myths before and it seems there are a lot of them. One myth that's been in heavy rotation is the negative calorie myth. Allegedly, some foods require more calories to digest, than they're actually worth. Insert Michelle Obama side eye here. 

                                                           

According to Time Magazine: 

"You may have heard that some foods, because they are difficult to  digest, will make you lose weight. Dubbed "negative-calorie foods," citrus fruits and celery have both basked in this flattering light in fad diets over the years. The problem is that it's not true. The calories your body burns in fueling the digestive cycle are minuscule compared with the calories in the food itself. Although chewing celery might seem like a strenuous activity, it burns about the same amount of calories as watching grass grow."

                                                          
Over at Mayo Clinic you'll find the same thing: 

 "Here's the reality. Throughout the day, about 5 to 10 percent of your total energy expenditure goes to digest and store the nutrients in the food you eat.Foods that contain few calories, such as celery and other nonstarchyvegetables, provide a small number of calories but still require energy todigest. That means it is theoretically possible to have a negative-calorie food,  but there are no reputable scientific studies to prove that certain foods have this effect."

I think the Mayo Clinic doctor  said it best:  

   "The bottom line: Following extreme diets that promote eating only a few foods can cause you to miss out on important nutrients. The key to successful weight loss is adopting a healthy lifestyle that includes a balanced diet and regular exercise.  "

What do you think? Let me know, below! 

Say What?- Horse Burgers

Unfortunately, it seems just about all meat in this country is processed. And now they wanna start serving up horse meat. Yes, I said horse meat.

                  

Obama recently signed a bill which allows for the slaughter of horses for food.

          But, as if that's not enough, the majority of seafood in this country is from other countries and they put all types of wrong in it. NBC reported on it: 

“Not to break your heart – I know you love seafood, but most of it – even though we eat a lot of it in this country – most of it doesn't even come from here,” Rossen said. “In fact 80 percent of fish and 90 percent of the shrimp actually come from overseas. This morning our ‘Today’ investigation has found some of your seafood may have toxic chemicals causing serious health issues. Sautéed, fried or fresh, we love seafood – appetizing for sure, until you see where some of it comes from. This video shot by a U.S. advocacy group shows dirty sewage water used to raise seafood in Vietnam. The fish pumped with toxic antibiotics and drugs just to keep them alive, boosting production and driving down costs.”

-Jeff Rossen, NBC News

                                           

Does this turn you off? Let me know, below.  

Weight Loss-It's a Journey, Not a Destination

Check out my youtube channel: QueenxofxthexBurbs 

White Bread is the Devil

Now I realize I said that fast food was the devil in an earlier post, but hear me out. The truth is, there are many foods that are....shall we say, a bit questionable. They're not really the best choice, but they're not the absolute worst either. And then there are those foods that are just a no ma'am. White bread is one of them.
Before I continue, I must tell you that the reason for this blog was to document my journey to better health, while educating others in the process. 
                                                        
I am not the food police, I just want people to know what they're putting in their mouths.
What you decide after that, is on you boo. Now back to my original point.
        Bread in and of itself is not bad. It's what's done to it that's the problem. White bread is stripped of fiber and this means it has zero nutritional value. Fiber is extremely important because it makes you feel full. When you eat something without fiber, you have to eat more of that substance (yes, we're calling it a substance at this point) in order to feel full. Also, it's easy for the body to absorb this kind of food which means whatever energy your body doesn't use, is stored as fat. (source)

Oh and please don't fall for this trash. "Made with" doesn't mean they actually preserved that wheat. Food companies are just that-companies. They care about your money, not your health. 

In white bread the outer layers (endosperm and bran) are removed.

Want more info on why "doughy food makes you doughy"? Click here.

I know from experience, the bread habit is hard to break. I loved white as a kid then we switched to wheat, which made me a sandwich queen. What about you? Are you a bread lover? Wheat, white, or other? 

Two for You: Easy Steps for Better Health

Welcome to my first Two for You, where I'll give you 2 tips on being fit or chic. Today, here are some easy steps you can take to improve your health.
                                                         
       It's taken me years to get to the point I'm at. I've had to make a change in how I think before I could change how I eat. The truth is, for whatever reason, not everyone is ready or willing to eat clean. And that's okay, especially if you're willing to keep an open mind. With that said, here are few ways you can contribute to your health, without making major changes yet.

• Wake up with water. A recent study found that drinking chilled water as soon as you wake up boosts metabolism (the amount of calories burned) by 24% for the next 90 minutes after. source
• Drink one cup of green tea daily. It's been studied for decades and it's been shown to help burn fat, lower cholesterol, help to fight the cells that lead to cancer, and prevent diabetes and stroke. Now even if only half of this were true, wouldn't that little cup still be worth it? And if you don't like the flavor make sure you use warm, not super hot water, which makes it more bitter. There's also lots of flavor combinations available.  (source) 

The Secret to Weight Loss

I've found the secret to lasting weight loss! It's fast, easy, and cheap! Are you ready? Drum roll please.................

Clean eating! 

What is clean eating? 

Clean eating is often described in terms of all the things you can't eat. But who likes that? 

Instead, let's focus on what clean eating is, rather than what it isn't. 

Clean eating, simply put, is eating foods that are from nature. All the things in the picture above, clearly are not. So what can you eat? All things that grow. Fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds. I also eat chicken, turkey, and fish. There are a lot of things you can eat, it all comes down to planning. So Monday I stood in my kitchen and cooked 3 meals-turkey chili, turkey burgers (on lettuce "wraps") and salad. This is lunch/dinner. Breakfast has been raw cashews (I LOVE them like Bobby Brown loves the white stuff) and fruit, like watermelon or mangoes. I'm investing in a juicer later this month as well. Also, due to an allergy to wheat and milk I've cut out both. 

   Clean eating also means drinking water like it's your job. Alcohol? Not so much. I had some wine earlier this week but as of today, that's cut out too. Clean eating is not about a diet. It's about a lifestyle change. That phrase has become so cliche but the reality is, clean eating makes you look great and feel great too. 

What are the benefits?

• Weight without the wait-Eating clean helps the body shed weight but for those who are not overweight, it won't cause you to lose weight. 
• You don't have to count calories or carbs! Just eat! 
• More energy-You're eating complex carbs (fruits, vegs, etc.) rather than simple ones (processed food, candy, sugar). The body uses the energy from complex carbs rather than quickly breaking down the simple ones...which turn into fat. 
• Better skin-Water helps the body to get rid of toxins which can mess up your sexy. 

source

Does this work? 

In the last three days, I've lost 4 pounds. My bathroom breaks have been going quite well, and I feel great to be doing something that will make my life better. We often make it seem as if being healthy or losing weight is harder. The reality is that it's not a gimmick, a pill, or a diet. Eating the food the grows from the ground and exercise is the key. Don't complicate it. Don't make it harder so that there's an excuse. Just live the life you deserve. I will update as I continue.




Have you tried clean eating? Leave a comment below.

Fast Food is the Devil

There are several reasons I don't eat fast food, but there's one that takes the cake (pun intended). Aside from the fact that is has no nutritional value, makes me feel crappy, and causes gas and bloating, there's this:

     The video was part of research that really shed light on something. Just from the still shot you can see a difference. But wait, before I go further, let's just agree on a few things. The digestive system's function is to break down food into a form which can be used for energy. That's a fact. So when foods can't be broken down in the body, they simply pass along the digestive tract. Why does that matter? Well considering the fact that the purpose of eating is nutrition (energy, minerals, vitamins, etc.) there's nothing beneficial to eating something that's not going to be broken down an won't provide any.
    So yeah, I don't eat McDonald's, Wendy's, or Burger King and haven't for about two years now. But is this just a phase? I mean, we constantly hear that something is good for us, then we hear that it's not. Well let me assure you, there is NOTHING good about the processed crap that gets handed to us out of windows. Consider a piece of paper. You leave some paper in a container and a few years later, there's no difference. Okay, great for the paper. But would you eat that same piece of paper? Well of course not because who eats paper? I mean other than someone on TLC's My Strange Addiction..... Yet fast food eaters eat things that are not breaking down. They're not actually food. I mean, anything bugs won't eat, ain't for me.

Burgers & Fries....2 Years Later 

Photo: Blisstree




What about you? Do you love fast food? Leave a comment below. 

At Home Workouts...Pequot Warrior Edition

These workout moves can be done at home and they're great for beginners. Let me know how they worked for you.....once you stop laughing. 

Just Pics...

While on vacation I spotted this in a restaurant....

In the Bedroom

I saw this on Ah...Me So Hongry! and decided to answer the questions too. Once you read the post you'll see it's probably not what you had in mind.

1. Do you set an alarm clock? If so, for what time? 
Yes, although I usually get up a few minutes before it goes off. I set it for 5:30. 

2. How many hours of sleep do you get on average a night? 
Only 5 or 6.....I'm working on improving that. I function more normally on 8. By the middle of the week I'm struggling.  

3. Do you bring your laptop to bed? 
Sometimes but usually no.  

4. How many pillows do you require to sleep? 
One 

5. Do you sleep with socks on?
No. It actually drives me nuts. 

6.  How often do you change the sheets?
Once a week.  


7. Do you remember your dreams?
Yes! I usually do. And they're always SO realistic. 

8. What side of the bed do you sleep on? 
On the right...although I don't stay there. 

9. How often do you take naps? 
Maybe once or twice a month before I have to go out in the evening. I always get ridiculously tired around my "lady time". 
10. Do you sleep soundly? 
Yes...maybe. My family talking wakes me up but they're pretty loud and right by my room. 

A Link to Make You Think

This post was just sooo true! I love this blogger for keeping it so real. Click the link to read: ...sAvE yOuRsELf...: