Spice Girls

Oh how I love the Spice Girls...

Pedophilia in the Entertainment Industry

If Pimples Had A Purpose

Peggle

This is just a free online condensed version of the game, soon I will buy the full version for my PS3. Good luck living a normal life now!

PEGGLE

Why boys won't watch movies with me...

Flower Garden

Having a hard time deciding which flowers I should purchase to accent my herb garden that I will begin growing in the next few weeks. The choices are:

Columbine Seeds - "McKana Giant Mix"

Sulphur Cosmos Seeds - "Bright Lights"

Cornflower / Bachelor Button Seeds - "Tall Mix"

California Poppy Seeds - "Ballerina Mix"

Poppy somniferum Seeds - "Double Mixed"

Zinnia Seeds - "Peppermint Stick Mixed"

Zinnia Seeds - "Candy Stripe Mixed"

All of them are just so beautiful. I'm not too knowledgeable on the different flowers and different growing conditions that each of them require. So if you have any suggestions or input, please leave a comment below!!

Jungle Friends

I got these warm fuzzies while watching Animal Planet today, and since I can't own a giraffe or monkey, I figured I'd just draw them. 

Happy Jungle Friends Day!

Love McMuffin

Ok, I decided to post a quick little recipe for one of my favorite breakfast/lunch meals. I call it the 

Love McMuffin

1. Preheat oven to ~176C/350F

2. Bake 3 pieces of BACON for 15 minutes, remove and wrap in paper towels to remove grease

3. Use a muffin tray, spray one hole with cooking spray, crack egg into it (add seasoning to eggs as necessary)

4. Bake in same temp. for 15 minutes

5. Cover both sides of the English muffins with shredded cheese, one half with Canadian Bacon on top, place in oven for ~5 minutes to let cheese melt, take out of oven

6. Spread some honey mustard (or condiment of your choice) on Canadian Bacon

7. Break bacon into 3 pieces each, place strips on other half of English Muffin into a triple layer

8. When egg is done cooking, use a spoon to scrape the edges of the tin to remove egg, place on bacon and place other half on top

9. Smoosh it down to make it flat enough for bite size

10. ENJOY!

Child Psychology Interpreted By Parents

The Wine Party

My first attempt at a comic strip...

Exercise = Happiness??

WARNING: this is an actual journal/diary entry... I need to get stuff off my mind.

Today I woke up in a bad mood, I think it was caused by a dream I had. The dream pretty much was based on actual events in my life (plus some random nonsense) and brought my subconscious thoughts about the given situation to my conscious. It was a very uneasy feeling, and I woke up wishing my life wasn't the way it is. This happens from time to time, and usually I am good about bringing myself back to reality and appreciating all the positive I have in my life. Don't get me wrong, I still appreciate every little aspect of my life, with no regrets (well, kind of), and I really have nothing to complain about, I just had a hard time shaking the deep emotional feelings I got from my dream. All day long.

Anywho, I also woke up realizing that I had a homework assignment due tonight, which entailed reading a lot of pages from my textbook. Being a slow reader of books that I enjoy sucks; when it comes to textbooks, I take that slow reading pace and multiply it by a million, so it literally takes me ~10 minutes to read one page from my textbook. So that stressed me out a lot today. I had maybe close to 80 pages to read, so basically I ended up skipping around the chapters getting the gist of the info. Ended up completing my assignment around 12:30am. Not bad.

THAT MEANS, I had no time to work out today. My body feels like crap, my mood was crappy, everything was poop. I have noticed that no matter what mood I am in before I work out, I always leave the gym with an immensely positive outlook on life, and I feel great about my body. So I wonder if I am relying my happiness too much on exercise, or if I can use exercise as a positive outlet to relieve stress in my life. The thing is, I have worked out every day for the past week at least, so today was my first day off from working out and my day was shitty. I don't want to HAVE to work out every day, just so it's a good day. I want to WANT to work out because I just want to get healthy. Maybe I'm becoming addicted, because even looking at myself in the mirror today made me want to punch someone... in the face... hard. Not really, because honestly I'm a wuss and my fist would probably shatter before I bruise someone's face... and I'm not really a violent person. But you understand; I was feeling inadequate and had negative thoughts about my physical appearance. Which is strange for me, because usually my self esteem is semi-high/average, even when I'm out of shape; and I'm currently in the best shape that I've been in in easily over a year or two, yet I just feel... not good enough.

And back to my dream again. It left me wanting more out of my life. I feel like I am doing a perfectly good job of going through the motions of becoming something; I'm currently working on my master's degree and working on loving my husband the best way that I know how to. Yet, I still feel so unhappy and unsatisfied with the direction I see that my life is headed. I used to have hopes and dreams that would make me intrinsically happy (if that makes sense), but I feel like I have pushed those dreams so far down into my subconscious so that I can obtain the false, shallow happiness, to the point that I just have no real meaningful purpose anymore. Yet I am so afraid of changing my current situation to obtain my internal happiness. Besides, by bringing the things I want into my life would be selfish and unfair to my husband. I won't explain what they are, but don't get any crazy ideas. I want to make my husband happy, yet I am struggling internally. So, there's my painfully boring dilemma.

I'll stop blabbing, now. I'll just blame my crap day on my stupid dream. And maybe because of my awkward sleep schedule. Going to bed at 3:45am and waking up at 12:45pm can't be good for my mental health. I need to learn to push my sleep schedule forward a few hours. But at the same time, I don't want to. I enjoy staying up late. I have no reason to wake up at 9am every day. I don't have a job!! Meh.

Ok, really... I'll shut up now. I apologize to everyone who just wasted 5 minutes (or 20 minutes, if you read like me) of their day to read about my pItY pArTy. I really just needed to vent.

Good night!

Apologetically,

Lauren

Tom Hardy Appreciation Day!

It is coming up (or has already passed) of my 1 year Tom Hardy obsession... some time between late-January/early-February. So in honor of his great beauty and talent, I have provided a poll (with pictures!!). It is your choice:

WHICH TOM HARDY LOOK IS YOUR FAVORITE?

Inception:

Lawless: 

 

This Means War:

 The Dark Knight Rises:

Bronson: 

 Mad Max:

Warrior: 

Casual Tom: 

No pressure... they're all great choices.

Happy Birthday, Pop!

Just want to give a big shout out to my favorite Dad, and biggest inspiration, in the world!

HAPPY  BIRTHDAY, POP!!

Wish I could celebrate with you today!

I love you so much

Today's ACTUAL workout

Ok, so we didn't do the "Booty Circuit" like I had originally planned. Instead we did a better circuit which contained one circuit of cardio, one of arms, and one for butt. This is the order we did them in:

Cardio

Each 1 Min.

High Knees

Mountain Climbers

Jump Lunges

Burpees

Lateral Jumps

"Brazilian Butt"

25 Squats

25 Plie Squats

25 Donkey Kicks (left)

25 Donkey Kicks (right)

20 Split Jumps

50 Backwards Lunges

45 Sec. Wall Sit

"Lean Arms"

10 Push Ups

30 Alternating Bicep Curls

20 Tricep Dips

60 Sec. Plank

40 Reverse Crunches

30 Alternating Hammer Curls

40 Oblique Crunches

30 Front Dumbell Raises

And then we repeated the Cardio workout one more time through.

Overall, it was a great workout. We got our heart working and were building stronger muscles. Although, I have to say that the "Brazilian Butt" workout really did a number on our thighs, and the original circuit was to do 50 regular lunges, but we switched it up to backwards lunges to work different muscles today.

AND big news, I finally switched from knee push ups to regular push ups. We'll see how long that lasts, I was feeling daring today. My form is still a little off, but I'll get there!!

This workout lasted about 45 minutes, to make it more effective we probably could have done a couple of reps of each circuit, but we were a little pressed for time. There's always tomorrow...

Butt and Thighs

Ok, provided is today's workout, focusing mainly on butt and thighs. I did this workout one time through before I went to brunch on Friday, just so I didn't feel completely useless. Today I think we might attempt a 2-3 time repetition to get the full effect. I call this the

BOOTY CIRCUIT

30 jumping jacks

20 lunges

10 squats

10 plie squats

20 side lunges

20 glute kickbacks

15 short bridges

10 side leg circles (each)

20 glute kickbacks

15 squats

10 plie squats

20 jumping jacks

I'm thinking about starting at the beginning and for my second repetition just reverse the workout since it starts and ends with jumping jacks. Or I can just suck it up and do 20 jumping jacks then 30 jumping jacks. DO WORK!!

Interesting facts about Abs

Here's some facts about abs. Don't be discouraged if you are not getting the "body builder" abs that you so admire in the magazines... there are healthier, more useful ways to build abs, and every BODY is different. Check it out!

Original Source: Interesting facts about Abs

Health Benefits of Tea

Tired of drinking water? Try drinking tea! There are many different kinds of tea, each with their own special health benefits. Thanks to WebMD, I will provide you their list of teas with benefits!

Here's what some studies have found about the potential health benefits of tea:

• Green tea: Made with steamed tea leaves, it has a high concentration of EGCG and has been widely studied. Green tea’s antioxidants may interfere with the growth of bladder, breast, lung, stomach, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers; prevent clogging of the arteries, burn fat, counteract oxidative stress on the brain, reduce risk of neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, reduce risk of stroke, and improve cholesterol levels.
• Black tea: Made with fermented tea leaves, black tea has the highest caffeine content and forms the basis for flavored teas like chai, along with some instant teas. Studies have shown that black tea may protect lungs from damage caused by exposure to cigarette smoke. It also may reduce the risk of stroke.
• White tea: Uncured and unfermented. One study showed that white tea has the most potent anticancer properties compared to more processed teas.
• Oolong tea: In an animal study, those given antioxidants from oolong tea were found to have lower bad cholesterol levels. One variety of oolong, Wuyi, is heavily marketed as a weight loss supplement, but science hasn’t backed the claims.
• Pu-erh tea: Made from fermented and aged leaves. Considered a black tea, its leaves are pressed into cakes. One animal study showed that animals given pu-erh had less weight gain and reduced LDL cholesterol.

Chamomile tea: Its antioxidants may help prevent complications from diabetes, like loss of vision and nerve and kidney damage, and stunt the growth of cancer cells.

Echinacea: Often touted as a way to fight the common cold, the research on echinacea has been inconclusive.

Hibiscus: A small study found that drinking three cups of hibiscus tea daily lowered blood pressure in people with modestly elevated levels.

Rooibos (red tea): A South African herb that is fermented. Although it has flavonoids with cancer-fighting properties, medical studies have been limited.

THANKS, WEBMD!

Homemade Chips

So, I use this website called Lose It! (thanks again to Haley for introducing me) to track my calorie intake and calories burned. I am on a 1400 calorie plan, including my exercise (so really it's more like a 1700 calorie plan), and I decided since I had 800 calories left to consume, I would splurge a little with carbs. I made some homemade potato chips... take a looksie:

In hindsight, I could have added a few more cloves of garlic, and maybe sprinkled a little salt. Also, for crispier chips, I could have let them go about 5-10 minutes longer. But overall, they're pretty tasty and very filling! By eating all of them, I consumed probably around 400 calories. Like I said, this was a splurge since I was so under my calories for the day. Potatoes = unnecessary carbs. Stay healthy!

Two Foods

When you are having trouble deciding which is healthier between two foods, use this website to solve your dilemma! Bagel or English Muffin? Mango vs. Peach? Give it a shot...

TWO FOODS

Calves and Quads

Today, Haley brought us an exercise to work our calves, quads, and back muscles. I've noticed that my quad muscles have been getting much bigger in proportion to my calves, so I was thankful for this workout. We started off on the treadmill, looking like this:

20 MINUTE TREADMILL

Incline: 8-12      Time: 20 min.      Speed: 5

(or speed: 4, depending on the machine configuration)

Min.     Incline

0-1           4

1-2           8

2-3           9

3-4         10

4-5         11

5-6         12

6-8           8

8-9           9

9-11         10

11-12       11

12-13       12

13-14         9

14-15       10

15-16       11

16-17       12

17-18         8

18-19       10

19-20        12

Even though it's at a walking speed, you will get a killer calf workout due to the inclines and will work up a sweat by the end of it.

If only I could remember what exactly we did next.... We worked our shoulder and back muscles and then moved on to quads. Since I don't remember the workout exactly, nor the names of the workouts, I'll post a few examples of what I do remember.

Back: 
Bent over rows
Bow and Arrows
Single arm rows (I believe?)

We did a lot more stuff for the back, which I can't remember for the life of me right now. Most of which we did sets of 15.

Legs/Cardio:
Jump Overs
Squat Splits (?)
Donkey Kicks
and one other I can't remember the name of...

We did each for 2 min. with 1 min. rest in between.

Overall, it was a good workout and we were activating our muscles and pumping our blood.

After workout meal: Protein smoothie!! Yay! I used a couple of ice cubes, ~1/2 cup water, ~1/2 cup strawberries, ~1/2 cup peaches, and 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder. If you don't have one, invest in a blender!!


Side note: If you read this, feel free to leave a comment correcting me and adding missed exercises, Haley! I thought today's exercise was great and would like to have it logged for future reference.

Alcohol

Today marks the one-week point that I have abstained from alcohol. My goal isn't to abstain completely, but  to moderate my intake. From being a 2-a-day (at least) drinker to not having one drink in a whole week is a HUGE improvement. Not just for my physical health, but my mental health as well. 

As for the physical, according to LoseIt.com (my daily calorie and exercise tracker), "Our bodies respond to alcohol much as it deals with excess carbs. Alcohol isn't necessarily evil because it's always stored as fat, but because it reduces the amount of fat your body burns for energy." This could explain why my body has been slimming down so quickly already.

As for the mental, well we all know how we get when we drink a little too much... cloudy judgement, absence of mental to verbal filter, etc. Maybe it's because of my increased amount of exercise, or maybe it's because of my lack of alcohol intake (or possibly both), my mood has been extremely upbeat and hopeful. This is also a big deal for me, being a girl who struggled with depression for so many years and commonly thinking about things in, not so much a negative light, but not an extremely positive one, either. I tend to think of myself as a realist, and my reality has recently become a lot more hopeful and inspired!

Food for thought: next time you crave alcohol or need help to relax from a stressful day of work, try getting 10-minutes of exercise (crunches, push-ups, jumping jacks, etc.) or drawing a nice warm bubble bath with a fruit smoothie or something! Just don't make alcohol you're go-to stress reliever and don't make it a habit.

If I had a scale...

A few weeks ago I weighed myself at about 132 lbs. My ultimate goal is to get down to 120 lbs by April 1st (vacation time!) in a healthy way. That means I have to lose 12 lbs in 8.5 weeks, that's averaging about 1.5 lbs per week. It's a stretch, but it's obtainable. I started working out and minding what I eat about two weeks ago and have not weighed myself in about three or so weeks. So I estimated that I started this journey at about 132 lbs.

I have to say, if I had a scale, it might possibly tell me that I weigh around 130 or even slightly below! Even if the scale doesn't say so, my body is shedding fat and flab and starting to tone up. Within TWO weeks I've noticed a huge improvement in my body image. SO, even if the scale doesn't agree with me, I know that I am getting healthier and leaner. So stay encouraged and don't get down if the scale is not making you happy. What matters is how you feel when you look in the mirror. Of course we may not always be completely satisfied, but progress is what we're looking for! Set obtainable, HEALTHY, goals and don't quit until you reach them.

If I can do it, you can DEFINITELY do it!



...and get lots of rest! Ok, goodnight!

January 29 - Workouts and Foods!

Ok, well I suppose I will get back to blogging. I may as well start writing about my time here in Bahrain and my daily activities. So I've been on a fitness high for the past week or so, so I guess I will begin by blogging about my exercise routines and eating habits. Here we go!

Today we did the "Trouble Area" Circuit, to blast our inner thighs, triceps, and love handles. They look like this:

INNER THIGHS
15 plank jacks
20 plie squats
10 side lunges (each side)
15 squat with knee ups (each)

TRICEPS
50 mountain climbers
20 dips with legs out
10 pike presses
1 minute reverse plank

LOVE HANDLES
40 speed skaters
50 Russian twists
15 side plank hip lifts (right side)
30 bicycle crunches
15 side plank hip lifts (left side)

Repeat this routine 3 times for the full effect!

We made some adjustments when our bodies couldn't tolerate certain exercises. For instance, we started out with the dips with legs out and made the adjustment to bring our knees in to a 45 degree angle after the first set. Eventually we'll work our way to the extended leg dips. But to make up for our deficiency, we added 5 lb weights to our Russian twists for a more effective ab/love handle work out. Also, don't underestimate the speed skaters, as cheesy as they look, they are killer on the muffin top! The lower you get your butt, the deeper the burn!

I try my hardest to maintain proper form, but usually by the end of round 2, my body is shaking and my muscles are aching. So I may not always keep good form, but I make sure that I always finish the exercise!

Side note: do not eat hard-boiled eggs or sweets, like a cupcake, within 1 hour before exercise. You will want to puke. It is not a comfortable feeling while you are already stressing your body over exercise. Now onto the food part...

I have found a few different meals and snacks that I thoroughly enjoying eating throughout the day that are either full of protein or are light on the stomach. I will map out what I consumed today:

BREAKFAST:
Homemade egg mcmuffin: whole wheat English muffin, poached egg, Canadian bacon, a LITTLE bit of shredded cheese, and spicy brown mustard.

LUNCH:
Hard boiled egg: with a dash of pink Himalayan salt (the difference between that and sea salt is beyond me).

Funfetti Cupcake: made with yellow cake mix and nerds for the funfetti, and a vanilla glaze on top. I usually don't eat sweets, so I treated myself to something nice today. Unfortunately it was right before I worked out so it left me wanting to throw up.

DINNER:
Chicken Phad Thai: If you don't know what it is, you're wrong! I know I splurged by eating noodles, but to make up for it I only ate about 1/3 of the serving. Also, I ordered it really spicy to get my internal organs working over time!

BEVERAGES:
Cranberry Juice: about 8 oz. If I'm going to have juice, I may as well make it a healthier choice.

Coffee: yes, with LIGHT cream and sweetener.

Water: LOTS of water... flush the nasty coffee creamer out of my system.


FAVORITES:
I did not consume them today (yet), but here are a couple of my favorite snacks when I want to eat healthy and still feel full.

Cucumber-Avocado Salad: I just chop up half a cucumber and half an avocado and drizzle it with some Lite Italian Dressing. It's so delicious and refreshing.

Apple and Cinnamon: Exactly how it sounds, I chop up a large sweet apple and sprinkle a little cinnamon over the top. If I want or need the extra protein, I get a spoonful of peanut butter (preferably chunky). If the peanut butter runs out on my spoon, I am SOL! Don't overindulge! It may be high in protein, but too much of anything is not good for you. Limit yourself to one spoonful.

Cherry Tomatoes: The smaller the tomato, the better, in my opinion. I prefer my tomatoes to be less sweet and more fresh and crunchy. I chop my cherry tomatoes in halves and sprinkle a little bit of salt over them. DELICIOUS!

Greek Yogurt and Strawberries: I'd say 4 oz of Greek yogurt and a handful of chopped strawberries mixed is a perfect breakfast or snack. Unfortunately, I haven't seen any Greek yogurt at the store on base here lately. But if you are a yogurt eater, try switching to the Greek, it is super high in protein and low in sugar, it is much better for you than regular yogurt.