Generic Christmas Presents on the Cheap

What can I say? I'm not rich, but I like nice stuff. I also believe in giving nice stuff, mostly because I have received not-nice stuff as presents, and we all know how that makes us feel.

Every year, I end up doing a little bit of Christmas shopping for people I don't really know. Usually, it's for someone at work, or someone at my husband's work, or an acquaintance who I just haven't gotten to know well enough to have an idea for a present. So, here are my Top 5 Cheap Christmas Presents which I find acceptable to give, as well as to receive.

5.) Coffee - Unless the person you're giving this to doesn't like coffee, this is a pretty good go-to gift. You can put together a quick present with a little sampler sized bag of coffee (about $2 -$3 dollars), a nice coffee mug (please, they're cheap and available everywhere - usually about $3), and a candy cane or some cinnamon sticks tied with ribbon. Voila! You've got something nice, presentable and useful for under $10.

4.) Music gift cards - I don't care if it's iTunes or just a gift card to Best Buy. I haven't met anyone who doesn't like music of any kind. If you know what kind of music to get them, great. If not, they can go shopping at their leisure.

3.) Food - It won't take up space (for long), it's a nice treat, and it's something they didn't have to get themselves. Think small treats like an individual sized rum cake, a box of special cookies, a tin of sipping chocolate or cocoa, or a nice panetonne. It can be dessert, breakfast, a snack or just an anytime treat. Thanks to places like Trader Joe's, you can pick up a nice foodie gift for $5 or less.

2.) Alcohol - Not the cheapest item on the list, but a great generic sort of present. There's such a great range of products to choose from. You can get a decent bottle of wine for around $8 or $9. Try a six pack of lager from ...some place (try Red Stripe from Jamaica, or maybe Grolsch from the Netherlands). Or stop by a liquor store (BevMo is a good place) and pick up a small assortment of mini bottles (like the kind they have on airplanes). They're usually around $1 to $2 per mini bottle, and you can get a few different kinds of vodkas, or liqueurs, or mix and match them all.

1.) Photo frame - My all time favorite generic gift. You can get a photo frame anywhere. Target, drugstores, even 99cent stores carry them. Pick a nice looking frame, wrap it up, and it's an instant gift. If you're giving it to a friend, you can print a picture at most drugstores, and stick it inside. The entire gift will probably be around $4 or $5 bucks.

Attention Animal Lovers!!!

Hi Animal Lovers.

This is pretty simple. The Animal Rescue Site is having trouble getting enough people to click on it daily to meet their quota of getting free food donated every day to abused and neglected animals.

It takes less than a minute (more like 20 seconds) to go to their site and click on the purple box "Click Here to Give - it's FREE!" This doesn't cost you a thing. Their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate food to abandoned and/or neglected animals in exchange for advertising.

Here's the website! Pass it along to people you know.

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/

Nature is Mean and Vindictive

We are renting a house at the moment. There is a mini rose bush in the front yard. (It is a mini-rose bush, not a mini rose-bush. That is, it is a rose bush with small, mini roses. The bush itself is not small in the least.) When we moved in, it was so horribly overgrown that it was growing through the fence, slowly bending and breaking the wooden planks. It hung over the driveway, and we couldn't park near the fence because if we did, we would get a face full of thorns when we opened the car door. The wind would blow off the rose petals which would stick to our cars and ruin the paint. It was a mean, thorny, prickly, woody bush which seemed to scream, "Go Away or I will Pierce You!"

This didn't work for me. I am more social and inviting than the bush. I enjoy the occasional visitors to our home. I also like the option of parking in my driveway with the ability to exit my car without being blinded. At first I tried reasoning with the rose bush, but it was very negative and unwilling to compromise. Then I thought, "This is silly. This is our home. That rose bush needs to comply with our standards of living." So, I pruned it back. Way back. I hacked off everything which hung over and through the fence, and I trimmed it down so that it was level with the fence top. Lovely! No thorns in the face, no petals and leaves everywhere, no broken fence, and no scary thorn bush to intimidate people. Everything nice and neat.

Although it had a thorny, scratch fit at the time of it's pruning, I thought the rose bush had learned it's lesson. However, I now know that it was merely biding it's time and plotting it's revenge. Can you believe it had the audacity to grow? And it didn't grow out into a lush and full flowering lawn ornament. It grew up and over the fence ~ again! I know it was doing this just to spite me. So I kept trimming it so that it stayed level with the fence. Unfortunately, the rose bush got cocky and grew very large, very thick, and very thorny branches which I couldn't snip through. I'm quite certain that it spent much of last fall formulating this strategy, which it put into effect quite quickly once the weather became warm.

Today, I realized that it was already as tall as me, and that it had an arsenal of rose buds ready to burst into bloom above the fence line. This rotten bush had prepared a rose petal ambush for my car! So I decided, "This plant needs to be put in it's place." I picked up the secateurs, and went into battle. Now, anyone who thinks I'm going overboard here, has never had to prune a vicious and recalcitrant thorn bush. (Don't believe me? Read about this poor grandmother who had all her toes amputated because a rose thorn stabbed her.) This mean plant drew blood! At one point, I had half a branch hanging from my arm by the thorn embedded in my flesh. My fingers were stabbed and pierced, and I dripped blood on the secateurs as well as on the plant. I had to retreat briefly, and I went to the house where I washed off my blood, and my husband poured hydrogen peroxide over my wounds.

And now, I have to give thanks to my husband, who saw blood pouring out of my fingers, and decided that no uppity plant was going to treat his wife that way. .....Or possibly it's because he felt sorry that I was being speared and gouged during my pruning activities. (Chivalry is alive, my friends!) Firstly, he denied my request for the large cleaver to hack the bush into submission. Instead, he brought out heavy duty pliers (I didn't know we were allowed to use those tools for gardening activities), and he hacked and trimmed until that mini-rose bush became a mini rose-bush.

The plant has definitely been put in place. It is about 2 feet shorter, and a great deal thinner all over. I can say that it is now a proper lawn ornament, petite and groomed. However, I don't for a moment think that it's spirit has been broken. Even though it looks welcoming, I know that it is sitting there gathering energy for a huge growth spurt. It will sit there and heal, and it will quietly plot it's revenge.

Meanwhile, I am going to put Neosporin on my stab wounds, and I will sharpen the secateurs. I'm not fooled, you vicious rose bush. I've got my eye on you.

Time Out for a Pick-Me-Up

Do you ever feel like you just need a lift? Something cute and cuddly, or warm and fuzzy, or just happy and fun? After a week and a half of being sick, taking care of sick people, and just generally dealing with non-stop illness, I am ready to sit back and be entertained. I don't know if you need a pick-me-up, but I know I can use one!





See a Different Side of an Elephant's Personality

A Welsh Comedian's Lost Luggage Experience in Australia

Win a FREE Ice Cream Party for 100 People! Yum!

March of the Penguins in 30 Seconds and Re-enacted by Bunnies

I Don't Have a Magical Wonder Baby

I am sick. This means that my child is also sick. I tried to save him from this vicious bug. I washed my hands repeatedly, I used Purell in between, I used the Kleenex Anti-Viral tissues, I sprayed Lysol everywhere. He got sick anyway. At first I felt guilty, then I realized: this is my child who likes to sneak up when I'm not really paying attention and bite my toes and fingers. This is my child who cuddles into me lovingly, then licks my nose and laughs hysterically while I splutter, gag, and search frantically for a sanitizing wipe. There was no way he was NOT getting sick.

Having a sick child is difficult for many reasons. It's very hard to see my child crying and rubbing his nose because he can't breathe. He doesn't sleep well, he's excessively cranky, he doesn't want to eat or drink, he has the most incredibly foul, toxic farts, and he has the runs which no diaper in the world can contain. Also I end up sleep deprived and without energy, which doesn't help because I need my full concentration when dealing with Mr. Baby.

But I must say, my main frustration is that all the tools I have to work with are designed for a Magical Wonder Baby, which my baby is not. My little guy is super congested, but he doesn't know how to blow his nose yet. People have told me to use that nasal aspirator (otherwise affectionately known as the snot bulb) and saline spray. These are very useful tools ..... if you happen to have an MWB (Magical Wonder Baby). An MWB will tolerate these things being shoved up his nose so that they may aid his breathing. My boy fought me like ... like ... well, like I was shoving things up his already clogged nose. When MWBs are ill, they are lethargic and they sleep a lot. My boy is ill, and he won't sleep .... or sit still, or rest, or take comfort in anything that would help him feel better. He is irritable from fever, lack of food, lack of fluid, and lack of sleep, but he insists on staying awake and feeling worse. My Mr. Baby has a fever which hovers around 103.5 degrees, and this makes him very uncomfortable and irritable. MWBs are still and quiescent while having thermometers inserted in various places. They instinctively know that it's for their own good and nobody is actually trying to skewer their brains through their ears. They also rest, nestled into the loving embrace of their parent, and wait patiently for the thermometer to finish reading their temperature. My child sees the thermometer and buries his head into whatever is close. If, by some miracle, I manage to get his head in the correct position, he moves before the thermometer is able to get an accurate read. This usually results in a recorded body temperature of around 92 degrees, even though I could fry an egg on my boy's blazing hot head. MWBs would happily ingest the dropper full of cherry flavored Tylenol or Motrin so that their fevers would drop, and they would feel better. My boy prefers to scream and shake his head wildly as I wrestle him into a position where I can hastily squirt the medicine in the general vicinity of his mouth, then hope that some of it made it in. I then chase him around for a few minutes trying to wipe the red, sticky medicine smear off his face and hands, and the chair, the rug, the blanket, and the pillow.

I don't have a Magical Wonder Baby, and doing anything to help my poor, sick guy is a struggle. But one look at Mr. Baby's flushed tomato-red cheeks and his glassy eyes, and I get ready to pin him down again. Who knew that love is always being ready to put your child in a half nelson for his own good?

Yes! Another Parental Triumph!

My baby is going through a super picky phase right now. (At least, I hope it's a phase.) The wonderful veggies he used to eat have suddenly become Baby-Kryptonite. His morning ritual of Cheerios and/or Puffins cereals is no longer welcome. The last two evenings, my last-resort standbys "rice" and "noodles" were completely unpalatable.

I was on the verge of a breakdown. I couldn't get him to eat cereal, crackers, rice, noodles, or anything remotely food-ish. Now, I realize that my baby is not starving. He is, after all, in the 90th percentile as far as weight. He's quite a healthy boy, actually. I realize he's not going to starve if he decides to skip a meal or two, but that doesn't stop me from worrying about his health and nutrition, his calcium and protein intake, or his blood sugar and energy levels!

And then I realized: even though he turns down every type of food, he always drinks! He will drink juice, milk, and water at all times of the day. BINGO!!

Now, on occasion, when he's decided he doesn't want any dinner, I have given him a PediaSure instead of regular milk for his last drink before he goes to bed. It is a complete source of nutrition, and a good way to make sure he gets enough healthy calories. However, I also like to give my boy options and get him used to different tastes. So, I've started giving him different smoothies and shakes. He loves them!! All kinds of fruit, soft tofu, soy milk, and even some Benefiber to help fill him up. I control what goes in, and I feel good about giving him something healthy, delicious, and filling.

I realize I'm not the first parent to think of this, but I'm sure there are other parents out there who are struggling. If your baby is really picky, maybe try one of these easy recipes. Hopefully, your little food critic will give it two thumbs up!

Mango Lassi
Anyone who has been to an Indian restaurant will likely recognize this.
1 cup plain yogurt (I use fat free 0% Total Fage Greek yogurt)
2-3 large ripe mangoes, peeled and stoned
1/2 cup plain or vanilla soy milk
Sugar to taste

Throw it all into a blender and blend for 2-3 minutes, or until smooth. If your fruit is very ripe and sweet, you may not need any sugar. Serve immediately. If you use fat free Fage, and no added sugar, this recipe is about 380 calories for the entire blender of lassi, and is also quite rich in protein, calcium, and vitamin C.

Soy & Fruit Smoothie
1/2 cup soft silken tofu
1 cup plain or vanilla soy milk
1 cup of the fruit of your choice. I like to use frozen berries (strawberries, blueberries, etc.), and bananas or other pulpy fruits work very well.
Sugar to taste

Throw it all into a blender and blend until smooth. Depending on the fruits you use, you may have to add more soy milk. This recipe is also rich in protein and calcium.

Feel free to experiment with this, as it is such a versatile smoothie. Try a chocolate-peanut butter-banana smoothie, or a strawberry-orange-banana smoothie. My favorite flavors are frozen blueberry smoothies (for the antioxidants), and pumpkin smoothies, which are very rich vitamin A, and good sources of fiber, potassium, vitamin K and iron. If you don't like the soft tofu, use plain yogurt. The point is to give your baby a protein, calcium, and vitamin-mineral rich meal replacement. It's also a great dessert for the whole family!

I wish my boy would eat his spinach, chicken, noodles and other food. But since he's quite set on being finicky right now, I'm happy to let him drink up a yummy smoothie. When babies get picky, parents adapt and slip in the nutrition any way they can. Ha! Another point goes to the parents!

I've Lost My Son - Two of Him Actually!

Soooooo......... I have lost quite a bit of weight. (I'd say 62 lbs. is quite a bit.) While it was a gradual weight loss, and a healthy weight loss, it happened in a relatively short period of time - less than a year. I know that I am smaller than I have ever been in my entire life, but I still have a hard time seeing what I've lost.

To put things in perspective, I've put together a list of what I lost from month to month, and what that equates to in real, tangible objects.

























When I see numbers on the scale, I'm not always that impressed, especially when I think of how much more I need to lose. But when I think that I used to carry as much weight as TWO of my son, I am astounded! Perspective is a great thing.

What have you lost? Even if it's only 2 lbs., aren't you glad you're no longer carrying around two Chihuahua puppies on your body any more?

The Cookie Made Me Do It

Have you had a tough day? Did you give in to temptation? Did you skip your workout? You're not alone, and if you're like me on my weak days, it's completely not your fault. These are some of my favorite diet excuses. Some I've used, some I've heard, some came to me through email. Feel free to share your excuses. And remember: A good, hard laugh burns calories.

• I have to eat something sweet to get the taste of (fill in the blank) out of my mouth.
• We're so close, we might as well stop in for a nummy!
• I had a dream where I turned down chocolate cake and something bad happened. Better safe than sorry.
• The cookie made me do it.
• It's not just my birthday. It's my whole birth-month!
• But I'm still hungry.
• You can't go out for dinner and NOT have a dessert!
  
• Well, I'll just cheat tonight, and I'll start my diet again tomorrow.
• This cookie is broken, so the calories fell out of it.
• But I'm sharing this cake, so that means all the calories are cut down by 75%.
• This is a 100 calorie chocolate bar, so it's ok if I eat five of them.
• Popcorn doesn't weigh much, so it can't make me gain much.
• I couldn't say no to birthday cake. That would be rude!
• But it's just not a bagel without cream cheese!
• The donuts were lonely.
• Drinking a diet soda cancels out the calories in dessert.
• I was just showing the baby how to eat an ice cream sandwich.
• The brownies were calling my name.
• I'll only eat the pie and the ice cream, I'll leave off the whipped cream.
• I needed something to go with my coffee.
• Life is short. Eat dessert first.
• The baby didn't finish the cookies, and I don't want to waste them.
  
• You're supposed to eat foods of different colors. Carrots, spinach, jelly beans, Skittles, M&Ms.....
• I'm working out more, so it's ok if I eat more.
• I'm getting in shape. Round is a shape.
• I'm just tasting it. .....All of it.
• Chocolate comes from beans (cacao beans), and sugar comes from plants (sugar cane or sugar beets). So Chocolate is a vegetable.

I know I'm not the only one using these excuses. And I know my excuses are lame and cheesy, but I use them anyway. At least when I see them in print, it's harder to justify my bad eating habits. *sigh* It's so hard to be healthy when being unhealthy tastes so much better!

Hina's Fave Breakfast Cereals

Cereal is one of life's great comfort foods. It's a "Saturday morning cartoons" breakfast. It's the happy snack with prizes in the box. It's the late night, movie watching, popcorn alternative. It's the best milk-flavoring device ever! (Chocolate cereal goes into the bowl, plain white milk goes over the cereal, eat all the cereal, and PRESTO! Chocolate milk! Just like magic. And you know you only ate the fruity cereals so that you had that fruity pink milk left over to slurp up.) I love that there are so many different varieties of cereal available out there!

As I grew older, I moved away from the super sweet kiddie cereals laden with marshmallows and frosted with sugar. Instead, I focused on super sweet adult cereals laden with nuts and berries and frosted with sugar.

My absolute favorite cereal of all time is Trader Joe's Super Nutty Toffee Clusters. It's loaded with Brazil nuts, pecans, almonds, and delicious toffee flavored granola clusters. This is the most delicious, most uber-fabulous cereal in existence. .....However, a serving size is ONLY 3/4 cup and contains 250 calories and 9 grams of fat. And that's before adding any milk!

Quaker also has a great cereal called Cranberry Macadamia Nut cereal. This fruity-crunchy-nutty combo is one of my favorite movie time snacks. It's the perfect mix of sweet, rich and crunchy. Unfortunately, 1 cup is 245 calories with 5.9 grams of fat. *sigh* The best tasting cereals are the most calorie rich.

Now, I must confess that while cereal is a lovely start to your day, many cereals are loaded with sugar and fat. So I have some back ups which I munch on periodically.

Cheerios
Plain old original flavor Cheerios. At only 100 calories per cup, this is a winner. .....But I like to tweak things to suit my sweet tooth. My favorite way to eat it: Add 2 tbsp. roasted, unsalted sliced almonds (90 calories), 1 tbsp. Blue Agave Sweetener (much like honey, but it's low-glycemic, so no blood sugar spike - 60 calories), and 1/2 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze (20 calories). Total 270 calories. I suppose you could just buy Honey Nut Cheerios, which has lower calories at only 110 calories per 3/4 cup (about 147 calories for 1 cup), but adding nuts and sweetener of my own is extra yummy!

Trader Joe's Organic Morning Lite
Sooo yummy! High fiber, low fat, low sodium. "A Delicious Crunchy Blend of Organic Whole Grains & Honey." 1 cup = 130 calories. This is a great start to the morning. It's sweet and crunchy, it resists soggies fairly well, and if you mix in a 1/2 cup of Fiber One Original, you only add 60 calories, plus you get 14 grams of fiber! I like mixing the two together because I get my fiber for the day, and the Organic Morning Lite tastes great and makes the Fiber One bearable.

Kellogg's Special K Chocolatey Delight
A 3/4 cup serving is 120 calories. This mixture of crunchy rice and wheat flakes has chunks of chocolate. It's a good sweet breakfast, or a nice low cal dessert.

Soooo....... everybody share. What's your favorite cereal?

Another Confession Monday ..... *sigh* A True Foodie Weekend

I am hoping that since this past weekend was Easter, I wasn't the only one who splurged on food. And I don't mean, "Oh, I ate too much." I mean, I really splurged on food. Not only did I eat too much food, I ate too much really, really good food.

It started on Saturday morning, with a 5.4 mile walk, which really kick started my appetite. So I got home and had a tasty smoked salmon sandwich with cream cheese, caramelized red onion, Thai chilies, roasted tomatoes, and capers. In addition to my large nonfat latte, that was a tasty start to the weekend. Saturday evening was even better. One word: Tapas. We went to a nice, small tapas restaurant and proceeded to order half the menu. My favorite dishes were the Baked Garlic (two whole roasted bulbs!) with bread, Octopus in Spicy Tomato Sauce (fabulous! the sauce was garlicky and had grated almonds!), and the Spicy Lamb Strips in Garlic Sauce, served with a side of rice. And how can you eat Spanish cuisine without imbibing sangria? We had a porron of sangria, which was not too strong, over ice and fruit. Very tasty. However, I could not end the evening without a nummy! We stopped at a grocery store and picked up a pint of Ben & Jerry's Dublin Mudslide, which I finished off at home while watching Alien vs. Predator Requiem. So, not only did I rot my insides, I rot my brain cells as well. (But I love ice cream, and I love cheesy monster movies! What can I say? It's my shameful weakness!)

Then Sunday was Easter, so of course we feasted! My mother cooked Easter lunch, and what is better than mom-food? This year, mom made a pork loin roast, stuffed with bread crumbs, thyme, and king oyster mushrooms, with a side of apple-ginger-Cointreau sauce, accompanied by grilled asparagus and lemon (prepared by mom, and cooked courtesy of dad, the grill master), and mom's fresh homemade bread rolls. What did I contribute to this feast? Three different varieties of tulips arranged in vases, and .....Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies from Extraordinary Desserts! (Come now, you didn't think it would be an Easter feast without a nummy, did you?)

I wish I could say that was the end of my weekend decadence, but we got home, puttered around the house, then started preparing dinner. My husband had a craving for "really good cheesy pasta." Well, far be it for me to deny a craving of the man I love! I whipped up a dish of wide whole wheat noodles (that's a plus, isn't it? whole wheat noodles?), and I made a Garlic, Cream Cheese and Irish Cheddar Cream sauce. It was to die for!! (Damn you, Irish Cheddar!! Why do you taste so divine?!?!) Of course, by this time, foodie guilt was engulfing me, so even though I had a healthy green salad (after the pasta), all I had for dessert was a tiny 90 calorie Soy Creamy ice cream sandwich. Not the most satisfying of nummies, but certainly a tasty little snack.

Anyway, the result of all this glorious food indulgence, is that I must haul myself out of the house to run up and down stairs and power walk for hours in an attempt to appease the Fitness Gods. I wish to please them with my cardio sacrifices so that they do not smite me with whole body cellulite. Wish me luck and a strong will to stick to my 1200 - 1500 calories per day. I will be counting every last crumb I consume!

A Happy Monday to All, and to All a Healthy Week of Spring!

Foodie View: Vanilla Ice Cream - AKA a Blank Canvas

I am a chocolate lover first and foremost, and vanilla isn't exactly a stand up and take charge flavor. Sometimes, I want my ice cream to take the lead, rather than being an "I dunno, what do you want to do?" sort of flavor. Generally, I want my ice cream to be a flavor that "shows up with dinner reservations, has a wine recommendation, has plans for a movie, and has a lot of scintillating conversation swirled into the whole mix." I like my flavors akin to Ben & Jerry's Urban Jumble (a metropolitan merger of chocolate and coconut ice creams, mingled with white and dark chocolaty chunks, pecans and roasted almonds), now sadly retired to their Flavor Graveyard. Now, that was a take charge kind of flavor!

Vanilla is a good "river" ice cream - it just goes with the flow. As my wise and hilarious friend says, "It's like tofu in that it embraces whatever flavor you add to it. Kind of like the zen ice cream, or the ice cream that gives in to peer pressure!" Given its placating and complaisant nature, vanilla tends to be the perfect blank canvas on which to create a palate masterpiece. Below are some of my absolute favorite Vanilla-and-(fill in the blank) creations. I fully encourage you to buy some vanilla ice cream and have a creative night. This is also a great activity for children. Have them create their own personal flavor and give it a name. For those of us counting calories, you may want to start with Dreyer's Slow Churned Light or Dreyer's Slow Churned No Sugar Added ice creams. They're super creamy, very tasty, and only 100 or 90 calories, respectively.

Fruity ~ Vanilla Ice Cream topped with:
Fresh Passion Fruit
Fresh Mango
Raspberry Preserves
Blueberry Preserves
Guava Jelly
Grilled Pineapple and Sugar Free Coconut syrup

Pies and Cakes ~ Vanilla Ice Cream mixed with:
Pumpkin Pie - 100% Pure Pumpkin Puree and Pumpkin Pie Spice or Cinnamon (or both)
Apple Pie - Chunky Applesauce and Pumpkin Pie Spice or Cinnamon (or both)
Blueberry Cheesecake - Blueberry Preserves and Ricotta Cheese
Strawberry Shortcake - Strawberry Preserves, Shortbread pieces, and whipped cream

Exotic ~ Vanilla Ice Cream topped and mixed with:
Ginger Preserves (or chopped candied ginger) and Roasted Cacao Nibs
Green Tea powder sprinkled on top
Sweet Red Beans and Coconut Gel

Alcoholic ~ Vanilla Ice Cream mixed with:
Blood Orange slices and Cointreau
Toasted Coconut Shreds and Malibu Rum
Chocolate Covered Coffee Beans, Baileys Irish Cream and Kahlua
Super Nutty Toffee Crunch Cereal (Trader Joe's) and Amaretto
Limoncello
Rum-soaked Rasins, Cinnamon and Dark Rum
Baileys Irish Cream, Butterscotch Schnapps and Ladyfingers

Wanna-Be Chocolate ~ Vanilla Ice Cream mixed with:
Graham Crackers, Mini Marshmallows and Dark Chocolate Syrup
Toasted Almonds, Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Dark Chocolate Chips
Warm Caramel Syrup, Dark Chocolate Chips, Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
Dark Chocolate Ganache

Don't be shy. We've all taken vanilla to new heights. I'm always looking for more decadent ways to tweak my ice cream. Share the joy!

Baby Loves Disco - A Great Place for ... Adults!

It is hard to be a parent, or a kid, in an adult's world. Remember when you used to hang out and mingle at the restaurant's bar, or get your groove on at a club? If your baby is with you, many bars won't even serve you alcohol - and really, you probably shouldn't have your kid at a regular bar anyway. Going dancing at clubs is also out. The blaring music with questionable lyrics, lots of drunk people hanging around creating drama, and the crush of hundreds of bodies isn't conducive to a fun family night out.

Don't you wish there was a place where a kid can be a kid, and an adult can be an adult? Believe it or not, it exists! You may have read my previous post about Baby Loves Disco. I really can't say enough about it. In a nutshell: a real nightclub deep cleans and baby proofs its interior for an afternoon. Parents (and grandparents, too!) can bring kids ages 7 years and under to mingle. Older siblings and other children are also welcome, but everyone must realize that this event is planned with the 7 years and under crowd in mind. Parents mingling with other parents, kids mingling with other kids. It's the all important socialization that we need as human beings!

Kids
Look, bubbles! Wanna see how many you can catch? How about playing catch with a scarf, or playing with egg shakers? I know! Let's run around and see how many balloons there are! There are hoops and toys, pillows and stuffed animals, and I bet you'll meet lots of new friends in the play tents. How about a juice box and some crackers? I saw lots of healthy snacks at the bar. Wanna sit on the tall barstools like a big kid? You can munch away while mom or dad reads you a book. I saw rubber duckies on the tables, and aren't these kazoos funny? Or lets dance and dance and dance all afternoon!

Parents
This is your night out - during the day! No need to sacrifice important quality time with your baby-love. Are you worried about having to dress to impress? You're with other parents with their kids and it's a very casual setting. Many moms and dads arrive in shorts, sneakers, and Crocs. There are also the parents in dresses, dress shirts, heels and slacks. Wear what's comfortable for you, but remember that you're in a confined area with kids. Kids bring mess with them wherever they go. Are you worried about poopy pants? There are diaper changing stations in the restrooms as well as in the hall, and wet wipes and sanitizing liquid are provided.

Are your babies bouncing off the walls? Bring your kids and let them get their wiggles out on the dance floor. Are you missing your gym time? Get your booty out there, too, and shake and shimmy the calories off! The DJ is out there spinning and mixing for everybody. And while we all appreciate Skip to My Lou and The Wheels on the Bus, you won't find any kiddie songs here. Music selections are generally a mix of 70's, 80's, and some 90's hits.

And what's a dance club without your favorite drink in hand? There's a full bar available for the parents. Kick back with a cocktail while the little ones play with toys or in tents. Have some wine while your baby has cheese and crackers. And make sure you keep that security band tab in a safe place! When you enter the club, kids are given a numbered security band to wear on their ankle or their wrist. You keep the tab with matching numbers. Security checks everyone on the way out to make sure you've got the ticket to claim your baby. You know your baby is the greatest in the world. This way, other people looking to upgrade their kid won't be able to walk off with your little angel. It seems like the good people at Baby Loves Disco have thought of pretty much everything!

We were able to check out the Baby Loves Disco Valentine's Day Super Dance Party in San Diego. My little 17 month old boy had such a blast at Aubergine on 4th in the Gaslamp Quarter downtown. He danced and danced, and I have to say, I'm pretty proud of his groovy moves! But his favorite distractions were the bubble machine raining bubbles on the dance floor, and the play tents in the Chill Out Area. He doesn't have any siblings, so I was happy that he got to be around other kids. And my husband and I had a good time being out of the house. We had a couple of drinks each, and we were able to chat and mingle with others, and we had some great quality family time with our boy.

The great and innovative people at Baby Loves Disco really hit on something special here. Check out their website for more information and to check for a location near you. I have to say, given the great time we had, we'll definitely be attending more of these. It's parent friendly, kid friendly, entertaining, safe and easily accessible. I have to give Baby Loves Disco my highest rating. On a scale of 1 to 5, this is definitely a 5 Happy Babies event!


Get your tickets early! These events sell out!
Upcoming Baby Loves Disco events in SoCal:
Los Angeles: Saturday, April 5th at Social Hollywood
Orange County: Saturday, April 12th at Shark Club
San Diego: Sunday, April 13th at Aubergine on 4th

My Friends are Supposed to Protect Me from Myself!!

Ok, I thought I had great friends. I thought we had a very real "friendship bond" kind of thing with each other. They're my friends. They're supposed to protect me from my own innate stupidity!! Why weren't they there???

Problem #1 - They deluded me.
So, I thought, "Hmmm... There is this 8K race coming up. It's for a good cause, and maybe this will be the kick I need to lose the last 10 lbs. Sure, I can do an 8K. How hard can it be?" And my friends were supportive of me, and they said, "Absolutely, you can do it! I believe in you! You signed up, hooray for you!" Maybe it's my mistake. I didn't pick up on any sarcasm, and I didn't hear them laughing their heads off.

Problem #2 - They encouraged me in my madness.
I started training for the 8K, and I thought, "Yes, I will train and prepare. I am reasonably fit, and training will be good for me. How hard can it be?" And my friends were supportive of me, and they said, "You will feel so much better for doing this. You are healthy, and you will feel empowered. This is such a great thing that you are doing for yourself. You can train, no problem! I believe in you!" Again, I didn't hear sarcasm, but perhaps it's because my muscles were screaming too loudly.

Problem #3 - They didn't stop me when my stupidity gained ambition and momentum.
So, I'm out walking and jogging my little heart out (no, literally, I think my heart is coming out of my chest), and I stop at the Convention Center steps. Grandiose visions of a super fit and athletic me, running to the top of the steps, and just like Rocky, doing a very triumphant jogging dance filled my head. However, I can't leave Mr. Baby in the stroller because I am afraid of being arrested by some police officer, so what did I do? I put him on my shoulders and I ran up and down the first two flights of steps at the Convention Center - all seven sections. That's four times going up, and four times going down. I felt like my legs and butt were about to implode. And the first flight of stairs was fine, but with each flight after that, I became less and less like Rocky, and more and more like a beached whale trying to heft itself up the stairs. It was so sad.

I think I may need leg and butt transplants. Something has definitely gone terribly wrong with mine. Where were my friends???? Why didn't they stop me and say, "You know, this is not such a great idea." (And yes, I would like some cheese with my whine. As long as my cheese is cheesecake and my whine is a huge glass of Merlot with morphine!)

So I complained to my friends, and I told them that they let me down. These are a few of their responses:

"Are you trying to be Rocky?"
"Are you training for the Marines?"
"Well, quite frankly, you're crazy!"
"I would've chanced being arrested for child abandonment."

I was so upset! And then they got all supportive on me, and I lost my righteous indignation.

"I am so impressed!"
"You rock! I wish I was there to cheer you on!"
"You go, girl!"
"I still believe in you! And you will be so ready for the race."
"I know you can do it."
"I'll bring you some aspirin."

~And the one that broke me:
"Let's go walking, and I'll do the steps with you!"

Not only did my friends rally around me, comfort and sympathize with me, one of my friends actually came out and ran steps with me! How can you argue with friends who support you in your decisions, cheer you on through the pain and discouraging moments, and even volunteer to torture themselves right alongside with you?


............I have such awesome friends!

Shopping with a baby can save you money

I know I am not the only parent who finds it difficult to go shopping with a child. I know this because I see other parents in stores, and they're huffing, puffing, and some of them are yelling and losing it, too. Maybe it's wrong, but that makes me feel so much better because I know it's not just me.

I remember when shopping was a fun pastime. Shopping for clothes, for towels, for gifts, and even regular grocery shopping was an enjoyable activity. Even after the baby was born, it was fun to take him to a store and watch him look around with wonder.

.....Then he grew. And he developed curiosity ..... and manual dexterity. He hasn't developed any finesse or concinnity, but he's got speed and a long reach. This makes shopping much less fun, and much more of a timed-scavenger-hunt-obstacle-course chore. Please allow me to elucidate.

Clothes Shopping
Child in the stroller: Mr. Baby reaches out and grabs clothes hanging near the stroller. He puts the fancy, expensive blouse into his sticky mouth and proceeds to chew on it. Within 5 minutes, he is bored beyond tears, and he starts crying and flailing, and tries to climb out of the stroller. I haven't even made it to the fitting rooms, but the evil looks are coming from customers and staff, so I put the two tops back on the rack and leave the store.
Child out of the stroller: Mr. Baby runs around the store, almost cracks his head open on the corner of the glass display case, wipes his mouth on some hanging clothes, grabs some sweaters from a table and drags them behind him on the way to chew on shoes or jewelry. I pick him up, apologize profusely while Mr. Baby starts crying because I have prematurely halted his fun, and leave the store. Never even got to check out the merchandise.
Grocery Shopping
Child in shopping cart: Trying to buckle in Mr. Baby with the attached shopping cart safety belt results in a panicked, shrieking child, so we just pass over that. Mr. Baby sits in the shopping cart, while I steer the cart down the very middle of the aisle, which earns me a few glares and mutters about how I'm being rude. When in a crowded aisle, I am forced to pull to one side, which enables Mr. Baby to grab random things from the shelf, some ending up in the cart, while other items send me diving to the floor to prevent broken glass. At this point, Mr. Baby has usually started sucking on the shopping cart safety belt, or the shopping cart handle, or he begins climbing out of the shopping cart because he's tired of sitting. Either way, this is my cue that my time is running out. I grab the next two items on the list, and save the rest of the groceries for later.
Child in stroller: I plop a shopping basket on top of the stroller, and hope I can keep it balanced while shopping. As we go around the store, Mr. Baby reaches out and grabs whatever he can reach, dropping and spilling some things, while other things end up in the stroller with him. I always have to do a double check to make sure I haven't inadvertently become a shoplifter. By the time I have quickly wheeled him past two or three things he can't grab, his patience shreds, the tantrum starts, and our shopping trip is cut short.
Child out of stroller/shopping cart: Are you kidding me? Mr. Baby took off the moment we entered the store, I had to chase him down, and I just managed to catch him before he started eating avocados in the produce section. I didn't manage to get a cart, and holding Mr. Baby and a basket is out of the question. Grocery shopping aborted.

To my credit, I have never lost it and started screaming at my boy. I have, however, left without buying anything. On one hand, I didn't get my shopping done, and we're out of milk, bread, and cheese, and I will remain sockless for the next month. On the other hand, hey! I didn't spend a dime. It's almost like saving money! .....Or so I tell myself.

I've seen other parents in stores going nuts because their kids are climbing the carts and shelves. I'm ok with that. .....It makes me feel better knowing it's not just me.

My Baby Loves ... His TV Friends!

I'll be completely honest, I have a love/hate relationship with "Children's Television Edu-tainment." I love that these programs teach numbers, the alphabet, and socialization skills like sharing and saying please and thank you. I love that my son gets so happy and excited when Blue's Clues or Elmo show up on the screen. And I REALLY love that I can sneak away for a few minutes to grab a bite to eat, clean up the kitchen, or start another load of laundry.

However, after the fifth straight day of Sesame Street and The Backyardigans, I'm ready to watch an action movie like The Bourne Identity or a few episodes of Bones or House. Pretty much anything that has a mildly complex plot line, and isn't full of primary colors makes me feel more like a person again.

Anyway, Mr. Baby is learning and singing along with his TV friends. He's talking more, and copying dance moves, and these are all good things. So here are Mr. Baby's Top Five Favorite TV Shows of the moment.

1) Elmo's World
This comes on in the second half of almost every Sesame Street episode. We also bought The Best of Elmo's World DVDs.

2) Blue's Clues
It's all reruns now, but whenever Steve or Joe starts singing the "Here's the mail" song, Mr. Baby's face lights up and he runs to the tv to copy the whole dance and sing along. We even bought him a Blue and Sprinkles hide and seek toy.

3) The Backyardigans
I have more tolerance for this show than any others, mostly because the music and choreography are so great. Mr. Baby copies the dance moves, and sometimes tries to sing along.

4) Sesame Street
The gold standard of quality edu-tainment, Mr. Baby loves the muppets and the animations. Elmo is still his favorite, but he focuses whenever any of the muppets are talking.

5) Choo Choo Soul
Could I be any happier about my little guy's love for music? Choo Choo Soul comes on, and he dances around the whole living room. Currently, it's on the Disney Channel weekday mornings after Handy Manny.

The Importance of Friendships ... With Other Parents

Before I was married, I had a free and fun social life. I took off for concerts, went out for dinners, hung out at clubs and bars, and visited friends at all times - even around 2am on a week night. There were no restrictions. Then I met my wonderful husband, and "we" had a fun and varied social life. We went to movies and concerts, explored restaurants, hit happy hours and dinner parties, and visited friends. It was just on a slightly more scheduled basis.

Then we had our baby, and he became the center of our universe. I left my job in order to be a full time mom, we cut back to one income for the family, and we moved to a new city to be close to relatives. We left our social network, our favorite hangouts, and most aspects of our former life. I must say that in the first year of parenthood, our social life dwindled to practically nothing.

This is not to say that we completely lost contact with our friends. We weren't close enough to visit, but we chatted on the phone and emailed frequently. However, when your friends are still single, and you are married with a child, there are some big differences in your lives. You no longer talk about the same things, and you don't have the same things in common anymore.

Once you become a parent, and especially if you don't have friends or relatives with children, you either talk endlessly to your own parents, or you start up random conversations with people you meet at playgrounds or the supermarket. These are your new peers, after all!

I have found myself comparing developmental milestones with parents, while standing in line at the store. It becomes socially acceptable for men to discuss their wives' bizarre pregnancy cravings and (alleged) moodiness. While on vacation (without our baby), we somehow met other parents on vacation (without their babies), and sat and talked for hours about how much we miss our kids!

I LOVE my single and DINK (double-income-no-kids) friends. However, as much as they love and support me, and much as they listen and sympathize with me, they cannot relate to the reality of parenting. Only parents can truly commiserate with the sleeplessness during a newborn's first few months. Only parents will understand deeply the frustration of the fourth leaky/poopy diaper of the day, and how that equates to a child, who is only a fifth your size, ending up with the majority of the household laundry. And only parents, who are sleep deprived and haven't showered in two days, can sit and watch the children of other unshowered, sleep deprived parents eat grass and playground woodchips, while their parents look on with mild concern, and instinctively understand that, unless the kids are choking on the woodchips, there's really no reason to get up off the park bench.

With other parents, there's a sort of instant camaraderie, as though you've fought alongside each other in the same war. It's as if they were with you in the jungles of "Teething Troubles," or diving to the floor with you during the "Climbing Phase."

I love all of my friends, whether they have children or not. A note to my single friends, I can't wait to hang out with you again. .....And I can't wait to recruit you for babysitting. Heehee! To all my parent-friends, thank you for your support, your insight, and your confessions. I'm glad to have found someone who can relate to my new reality! Also, to my single and DINK friends, don't think for a second that you aren't getting married and having kids. And don't think for a second that I won't be there for you when you are ready to celebrate your child's first tooth, or are seeking relief during your baby's second week of teething.

In Hina's Low Cal Kitchen...

If you are on a weight loss journey, chances are you're working on reducing your caloric intake. And if you're a foodie like me, you've already realized that it is hard work to keep those calories down!!

Here is a list of some low calorie foods I keep in my kitchen and pantry. They really help me eat foods I like, while keeping my daily caloric intake within my 1200-1500 range.

• Unsweetened Almond Breeze - a milk substitute with only 40-45 calories per 8 oz. Great for drinking and for cooking, too!
  
• Guinness Draught - gotta love stout. When you need a beer fix, this is what you drink. Although it's rich and filling, Guinness is actually a rather low cal beverage. 12 oz. is only 120 calories.
• Sara Lee Delightful Bread - only 45 calories per slice.
  
• La Tortilla Factory Low Carb Tortillas - regular size tortillas are only 50 calories, and the larger ones (for wrapping burritos and things) are only 80 calories.
  
• House Foods Tofu Shirataki Noodles - a tofu noodle in Fettuccine, Spaghetti, and Angel Hair shapes. Each bag contains 2 servings, each serving is only 20 calories!!
• Boca Burgers - a vegetarian burger patty substitute. Quite tasty, and depending on the size, only 70-100 calories.
• Lean Cuisine noodle entrees - any dinner with noodles, the Shrimp with Angel Hair, the Fettuccine Alfredo. I'll heat it up and add Tofu Shirataki Noodles to it. It makes a nice large meal for minimal calories.
• Reduced Fat and Fat Free Cheese - light cream cheese, deli style sliced mozzerella and swiss cheeses, and string cheese. They're great snacks, and usually between 50 and 70 calories per serving.
• Laughing Cow Light Cheese Wedges - my all time favorite go to cheese. Spreadable, mixable, great for making dishes creamy. Each wedge is only 35 calories. The possibilities with this stuff are endless.
• Fage Total 0% Fat Greek Yogurt - excellent for cooking and making things creamy, especially sauces. Also great on cereal, or mixed with fruit for a healthy snack! 1 cup is only 120 calories!
• Trader Joe's 100 Calorie Belgian Dark Chocolate Bars - enough said.
• Vitalicious VitaTops and VitaBrownies - the best dessert to satisfy your sweet tooth. Each brownie or muffin top is only 100 calories and super-packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber. Healthy never tasted so chocoliciously good!
• Sugar Free-Fat Free Jello Pudding Cups - each cup is only 60 calories, and they come in great flavors like Dulce de Leche and Double Chocolate.
• 100% Pure Pumpkin Puree - it's such a versatile ingredient. Great for smoothies, baking, or add it to desserts. It's also packed with vitamins and fiber.

For a more comprehensive shopping list, check out Hungry Girl's UPDATED Supermarket List. She has info on all the latest and greatest diet friendly foods!

5 Sandwiches Under 300 Calories

I am a busy mom. I am also a woman with a weight loss goal. My lifestyle requires me to eat healthy, low calorie meals that are quick to prepare, quick to eat, and quick to clean up. All parents know that their children are capable of getting into five different escapades in the fifteen minutes it takes to grab a quick lunch.

So here are my Five Current Favorite Quick-n-Easy, Low Cal Sandwiches. The best part? They are all under 300 calories!! Yummy and healthy, and an easy part of a low calorie lifestyle. I wish you Happy and Healthy Eating!!

Turkey & Cranberry Sandwich ~ Total Calories = 238
90 cal - 2 slices Sara Lee Delightful Bread
70 cal - 2 wedges Laughing Cow Light Cheese
28 cal - 1 tbsp. Trader Joe's Orange Cranberry Sauce
50 cal - 6 slices Hillshire Farms Deli Select Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
- Spread 1 wedge of cheese on each slice of bread. On one side, place turkey slices. If desired, toast both slices until turkey and cheese are warmed through. Spread cranberry sauce on turkey, top with second slice and enjoy. *Note: Sprinkling a little cayenne pepper on this sandwich gives it a pleasant kick which goes very well with the sweetness of the cranberry sauce!

Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese ~ Total Calories = 266
90 cal - 2 slices Sara Lee Delightful Bread
70 cal - 2 tbsp. light cream cheese or 2 wedges Laughing Cow Light Cheese
80 cal - 2 oz. smoked salmon
10 cal - 1 slice red onion, diced
11 cal - 1 plum tomato, sliced
5 cal - 2 tbsp. capers
- Lightly toast bread if desired. Spread 1 tbsp. or 1 wedge of cheese on each slice of bread. Sprinkle 1 tbsp. capers over cheese on each slice of bread. (It helps to push them into the cheese slightly, so that they don't roll out of your sandwich.) Top one slice with onion, tomato slices, and smoked salmon. Top with second slice of bread and enjoy.

Boca Burger Sandwich ~ Total Calories = 250
90 cal - 2 slices Sara Lee Delightful Bread
100 cal - 1 Boca Burger Patty
30 cal - 1 slice Kraft Singles Fat Free American Cheese
4 cal - 4 leaves lettuce (0.8 oz)
11 cal - 1 plum tomato, sliced
15 cal - 3 tsp. Dijon mustard
- Prepare burger patty according to package directions. Lightly toast bread. Spread mustard on one or both slices of bread. Place burger patty and cheese on one side. Top with tomato and lettuce. Top with second slice of bread. Eat up.

Tuna Salad Sandwich ~ Total Calories = 243
90 cal - 2 slices Sara Lee Delightful Bread
99 cal - 3 oz. tuna (packed in water and drained or dry - NOT packed in oil)
12 cal - 3 slices onion, diced
7 cal - 2 waterchestnuts, diced
11 cal - 1 plum tomato, diced
24 cal - 1 oz. fat free mayonnaise
- Lightly toast bread if desired. Mix tuna, onion, waterchestnuts, tomato and mayonnaise. Add black pepper and salt to taste. Spread on bread, top with second slice. Enjoy.

Melty Pastrami Sandwich ~ Total Calories = 282
120 cal - 2 slices Sargento Deli Style Reduced Fat Swiss Cheese
90 cal - 2 slices Sara Lee Delightful Bread
60 cal - 7 slices Hillshire Farms Deli Select Pastrami
12 cal - 4 tsp. mustard
- Spread 2 tsp. mustard on each slice of bread. Cut each cheese slice in half. Layer cheese and pastrami on one slice of bread (a little cheese, a little pastrami, a little cheese, a little pastrami). Put both sandwich halves into a toaster, and heat until pastrami is warmed through and the cheese is melting. Top with second slice of bread and enjoy while it's warm!

My Baby Loves ... Amusing Websites!

Seriously, what did our parents do without the internet? I have sung, danced, read stories, played, turned on the tv, made silly faces, and done practically everything short of juggling bowling balls to make my Mr. Baby smile. However, on some days, he is just an inconsolable baby! When my Mr. Baby turns into my Mr. Crankypants, due to teething, diaper rash, a runny nose, etc... these websites can distract, soothe, and calm him down like nothing else!







Badger Badger Badger
I don't know what power these repetitive cartoon badgers have over children, but we have spread this hypnotic and soothing site to many parents. We have also heard that we're not the only ones using it to calm our baby! This site gets a 5 Happy Babies rating for it's awesome and universal Baby Chill Out Power!

Mango
Another repetitive toon from Weebl's Stuff. This one really gets stuck in your head, but the dancing fruit seem to make our baby laugh and dance.




Giraffe in my Loft
A song from the days when giraffes roamed the UK. This one gets 4 Happy Babies for it's happy tune and cute visuals. Weebl's Stuff is truly a fount of addictive and funny toons.

Dugong
Also known as the manatee! Also from Weebl's Stuff, an ode to the sea cow. Not as cute as Giraffe in my Loft, but still a catchy tune. I caught myself singing it while changing Mr. Baby's diaper. Even with my poor voice, he smiled and recognized the song. It made him laugh, and kept him still long enough to get changed.

The Llama Song
Another repetitive song which may get stuck in your head. It's makes absolutely no sense, but that doesn't bother me. Mr. Baby was amused by the constant flow of llama pictures, but he waits for the duck to show up, then yells, "Duck!"

We Like the Moon
Ok, it's not cute, and it may even scare some children due to the freaky looks of the Spongmonkeys. But my boy likes it! What can I say? It's catchy! I sing it, too. It's just a crazy, silly song.




Pat & Stanley - The Lion Sleeps Tonight
This is a 5 Happy Babies trophy winner! It's a great, easily recognizable song that many people love. Now take that song and have a Hippo sing it while a Dog dances around. Even I can sit around and watch this repeatedly! The cuteness factor is through the roof, and this is my personal favorite Pat & Stanley clip. Not all of them have music, but many of the clips are fun and amusing - for me as well as Mr. Baby. Check them out!


This is by no means a comprehensive list of great sites for your crying babies. And it should be noted that these are not just for kids. I love all of these sites! They're fun and silly, and if you're having a blah day, one of these will probably bring a smile to your face. If you have a site that makes your child smile and calms them down, please share!

Hungry After Exercise?

Dear Hina:
I am having a problem with my exercise. I was thinking you might have some advice. Every time I increase my level of exercise, I just get WAY hungrier. Makes sense, I'm increasing my metabolism .... but then I find myself pigging out and I think it's not going to do much if I exercise more and then just eat more. I like that it's healthier and makes me feel good, but I hate the way it makes me feel like I'm starving. What do you think?

Anonymous


Wow! This is a GREAT point, and I've been battling this problem for the last two weeks. I am not a dietician or a physician, but I did some Googling and learned a few things. If anyone has corrections or clarifications, please enlighten the rest of us! After some research online, here's what I've found out: Your body prefers to run on glucose, the sugar in your blood, which gets used up when you exercise. If you exercise to the point where you use up the glucose, glycogen (another sugar, and the main form of carbohydrate storage in the body) from the liver is released to resupply body. This leads to low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia. Some symptoms of hypoglycemia are very similar to hunger, and it's easy to confuse the two. Try the following:

*Eat a light meal at least 2 hours before, but less than 4 hours before, your workout. Don't eat a heavy meal, but do have some protein and something starchy with a little fat.

"This type of snack would allow for a slower metabolism and sustain the glucose flow at a slower rate compared to juice or a candy bar, which would bring about an immediate demand on insulin to lower the blood sugar and create an even greater dip in blood sugar when the individual begins to exercise." ~ As explained by Gail Frank, DrPH, RD, professor of nutrition at California State University, Long Beach in Hungry or Hypoglycemic by Natalie Swisher. Read the complete, and very informative, article here.

*Stay hydrated! It is very important to drink fluids before, during and after a workout. Try drinking an enhanced sports beverage with low calories, and low sugar, such as Propel Fitness Water or Glaceau Smart Water. Did you know that even a 2% drop in hydration can reduce your endurance?

*REMEMBER!! The only way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you take in. Many people overestimate how many calories they burn during exercise, and underestimate how many calories they consume. If you find yourself pigging out after a workout, plan for that. Eat smaller, more frequent meals during the day. Make sure you have a light meal about 2 hours before your workout. Stay hydrated. Above all, be accountable for what you put in your body! A bite here and a sip there can add up pretty fast. Know how many calories you eat, and adjust accordingly. If you're hungry, definitely eat something. Just don't sabotage all your hard work by eating a ton of food! Also realize that as long as you are eating enough calories, your body will adjust to the new higher burn and lower intake regimen.

If you're unsure where to start, check out these Diet Resources. Also check out this Healthy Body Calculator from Ask the Dietician to see where you rate in terms of health. If you're having trouble with your weight loss, drop me a line! I'm all for supporting and inspiring people to get healthy!

Confession Monday! .....Aack!

For me, living a healthy lifestyle is like a full time job. I've got to work at it all the time, because it's so easy for me to slip back into my Super-Snacking-Sloth habits. I will readily admit that I would prefer to sit on my butt, nursing an entire table of snacks and food, while watching tv/movies or reading a book.

This past weekend, I indulged in good food. I attended a party where the tables were loaded with Sprinkles cupcakes (read about my favorite drool-inducing cupcakes here) AND a chocolate fountain surrounded by trays of delicious dippables. It would have been fine if I had behaved myself after that, but I got home and I was greeted by a table full of Chinese take out. How could I resist a plate full of Beef Chow Fun and Salt and Pepper Ribs? ....Well, I just couldn't! The next day, I promised myself I'd be better, and I made a great start. My breakfast, lunch and snack were less than 700 calories. .....Then we went to my parents' house for a barbecue. Steaks, bratwurst, sauces, beers, and there's just no finish like an ice cream finish!

So now comes Monday, and the scale is once again my vile nemesis. Still, there is a silver lining, and the sun is shining through my cloud of cream cheese frosting: I am working on my healthy lifestyle. I could get discouraged and find solace in an ice cream filled waffle cone, but instead I have a plan. I am committing to three days of power walking, along with two trips to the park with my baby. I am going to count every last calorie I consume, and I will stay within my 1200-1500 daily caloric intake range.

Have you ever had an all out weekend splurge, then felt foodie guilt afterwards? I had a weekend of indulgence, but it isn't the end of the world. If you've been munching away, and you need some motivation to get started, I'm always ready to be a weight loss cheerleader! I'm ready to walk, run, and kick the numbers back down the scale!