Today I created an L Family Rule: Always go to Ross first. Whatever clothing or household item you are getting you can probably find at Ross for a better price. We mostly only bought stuff that we actually needed, even though we entered the store intending to buy pants. I did buy one pair of pants, and we got a fair amount of other stuff too.
And it was fun. I don't normally like to shop, but I rather enjoyed myself today. Plus! As we were leaving Ross, I saw the light on at Krispy Kreme! So, we went and bought one doughnut for Eric, and I got a free one for myself. Never mind the fact that I had already had ice cream before Eric came home from work.
Let's hope I can still fit in the pants I bought.
(This post just goes to show you that I really do have a problem with consuming too much sugar).
31 March 2009
28 March 2009
Join Me in Support of Brian Regan
Brian Regan is currently my favorite comedian. He's absolutely hilarious, and BONUS! He's really clean. His humor is never raunchy, and his language is okay to play on network television (if that means anything these days).
Part of his humor is in his facial expressions, which is why I recommend watching him. BUT! I did discover today that some people with too much time on their hands have animated some of his bits and put them on YouTube. Here's one worth watching:
Part of his humor is in his facial expressions, which is why I recommend watching him. BUT! I did discover today that some people with too much time on their hands have animated some of his bits and put them on YouTube. Here's one worth watching:
27 March 2009
One More Thing
I know you are probably sick of my diatribe about healthy eating after yesterday's ridiculously long post. But, I thought you ought to know about the Healthy Eating Pyramid. This is not the same thing as the Food Guide Pyramid. They are different, although only slightly. The Food Guide Pyramid is influenced by lobbyists. The Healthy Eating Pyramid was created by students and professors at Harvard, and it is based on a lot of different studies.
Go check out the link. If you are not eating according to the Healthy Eating Pyramid, set a few goals and work toward them. I know it's not easy to change your eating habits, but it can be done, and it's so worth it to eat well and feel good.
Go check out the link. If you are not eating according to the Healthy Eating Pyramid, set a few goals and work toward them. I know it's not easy to change your eating habits, but it can be done, and it's so worth it to eat well and feel good.
26 March 2009
You Are What You Eat
A long time ago (in January) I read a really great book that Eric's dad recommended to me. It's got the longest title known to man: The Culprit and the Cure; Why Lifestyle is the Culprit Behind America's Poor Health and how Transforming that Lifestyle Can be the Cure by Steven G. Aldana.
It was not necessarily an entertaining read, but it was definitely quite interesting and enlightening. The book is not just about how important it is to eat healthfully and have a healthy lifestyle; it was about WHY fruits and vegetables, whole grains, certain types of fat, and exercise are good for you. And it was about WHY refined grains, excessive sugar, simple starches, and a sedentary lifestyle are bad for you. Yet, despite the technical nature of nutrition, the book was easy to read and understand. Aldana explains the whys of healthy eating without getting too technical (read: boring).
That's my book review. Here's how it's changed my lifestyle:
Whole grains. We only buy whole wheat bread. Yes, it can be more expensive, but it is so much better for you. Do you know what the glycemic index is? You can read about it here, but a quick definition is simply that some carbs travel through your body faster than others. The faster it goes, the higher the index number. The goal is to eat carbs with LOW glycemic index values because they stick with you longer and provide you better energy. Now, the point- a piece of white bread has a HIGHER glycemic index than a spoonful of sugar. That means a spoonful of sugar will give you longer lasting energy than a piece of white bread. Grains come in three parts: bran, endosperm and germ. Refined grains (white rice and white flour) take out the bran and germ, leaving only the endosperm. This is bad because the healthiest part of the grain is in the bran and germ. In other words, white bread isn't necessarily BAD for you, it's just not as good for you as it could be if it were brown.
With all that said, we do not eat brown rice. Eric just hates it. So, we eat white rice. But, we do spend the extra money to have whole wheat bread and whole wheat pasta. If we catch the wheat pasta on sale, then we stock up. It is worth it to us to spend the extra money to have longer, healthier lives.
Trans fats. There is absolutely no room in a healthy diet for trans fats. I am doing everything I can to eliminate them.
Meat. You don't need to eat meat every day. It's better for your health (and the environment, and the starving people of the world) if you cut back your meat. It's recommended that you only have red meat a few times a week. Other than that, focus on chicken and fish. Also, a serving of meat is the size of a deck of cards, not a plate.
Yes, we still eat meat. We are not gung-ho animal-rights vegetarians. But we do try to have a few vegetarian meals each week.
Legumes are great! We each try to have at least one serving of legumes every day. We especially focus on legumes when we are having a vegetarian meal. They are an excellent source of protein and fiber, and they are very cheap in most forms. Usually we eat a lot of beans, but lentils are also an option, as are nuts (usually in the form of peanut butter).
Low-fat dairy products. Skim milk makes me want to have convulsions on the floor. But! I find 1% milk highly tolerable. Also, I buy low-fat yogurts and non-fat sour cream. Dairy products have a lot of calcium (in case you weren't aware) and proteins, but I get enough fat elsewhere in my diet, so I can skip the fat my lovely dairy products provide.
Fish. Hello, like we can actually afford fish. Our fish is called tuna. It's not fancy, but it provides us with the nutrients we need, and it is affordable. Plus, we keep our eyes peeled for good fish deals.
Fruits and vegetables. I work really hard to get five of these a day. It is difficult for me. My favorite snack is a piece of bread, not a piece of fruit. But, I'm working on it.
With all that said, I still have areas that definitely need improvement. Like physical activity. I was doing the Couch to 5k program, but then Eric and I moved, and now I have no treadmill. So, clearly that means I cannot run. Like, ever. At all. I do walk to work sometimes. Or home from work. But that's going to end pretty soon. So, yes. I need to exercise more.
I eat too many sweets. There's really not another way to put it. I will not decline a bowl of ice cream or the offering of candy or pie or cake or brownies. I'm working on this, though, and I really try to limit my desserts to no more than one per day. Usually I don't even have that much. The real problem lies with the SIZE of the dessert.
And, one more thing. Despite how this sounds, we are not super meticulous about what we eat. We are more meticulous about what we BUY. If you do not buy junk, then you have no junk to eat. And of course, if we are over at your house and you cook us up steaks or give us white hamburger buns, we will not refuse to eat; that would be rude. We want to be healthy people, but we don't want to be food elitists.
It was not necessarily an entertaining read, but it was definitely quite interesting and enlightening. The book is not just about how important it is to eat healthfully and have a healthy lifestyle; it was about WHY fruits and vegetables, whole grains, certain types of fat, and exercise are good for you. And it was about WHY refined grains, excessive sugar, simple starches, and a sedentary lifestyle are bad for you. Yet, despite the technical nature of nutrition, the book was easy to read and understand. Aldana explains the whys of healthy eating without getting too technical (read: boring).
That's my book review. Here's how it's changed my lifestyle:
Whole grains. We only buy whole wheat bread. Yes, it can be more expensive, but it is so much better for you. Do you know what the glycemic index is? You can read about it here, but a quick definition is simply that some carbs travel through your body faster than others. The faster it goes, the higher the index number. The goal is to eat carbs with LOW glycemic index values because they stick with you longer and provide you better energy. Now, the point- a piece of white bread has a HIGHER glycemic index than a spoonful of sugar. That means a spoonful of sugar will give you longer lasting energy than a piece of white bread. Grains come in three parts: bran, endosperm and germ. Refined grains (white rice and white flour) take out the bran and germ, leaving only the endosperm. This is bad because the healthiest part of the grain is in the bran and germ. In other words, white bread isn't necessarily BAD for you, it's just not as good for you as it could be if it were brown.
With all that said, we do not eat brown rice. Eric just hates it. So, we eat white rice. But, we do spend the extra money to have whole wheat bread and whole wheat pasta. If we catch the wheat pasta on sale, then we stock up. It is worth it to us to spend the extra money to have longer, healthier lives.
Trans fats. There is absolutely no room in a healthy diet for trans fats. I am doing everything I can to eliminate them.
Meat. You don't need to eat meat every day. It's better for your health (and the environment, and the starving people of the world) if you cut back your meat. It's recommended that you only have red meat a few times a week. Other than that, focus on chicken and fish. Also, a serving of meat is the size of a deck of cards, not a plate.
Yes, we still eat meat. We are not gung-ho animal-rights vegetarians. But we do try to have a few vegetarian meals each week.
Legumes are great! We each try to have at least one serving of legumes every day. We especially focus on legumes when we are having a vegetarian meal. They are an excellent source of protein and fiber, and they are very cheap in most forms. Usually we eat a lot of beans, but lentils are also an option, as are nuts (usually in the form of peanut butter).
Low-fat dairy products. Skim milk makes me want to have convulsions on the floor. But! I find 1% milk highly tolerable. Also, I buy low-fat yogurts and non-fat sour cream. Dairy products have a lot of calcium (in case you weren't aware) and proteins, but I get enough fat elsewhere in my diet, so I can skip the fat my lovely dairy products provide.
Fish. Hello, like we can actually afford fish. Our fish is called tuna. It's not fancy, but it provides us with the nutrients we need, and it is affordable. Plus, we keep our eyes peeled for good fish deals.
Fruits and vegetables. I work really hard to get five of these a day. It is difficult for me. My favorite snack is a piece of bread, not a piece of fruit. But, I'm working on it.
With all that said, I still have areas that definitely need improvement. Like physical activity. I was doing the Couch to 5k program, but then Eric and I moved, and now I have no treadmill. So, clearly that means I cannot run. Like, ever. At all. I do walk to work sometimes. Or home from work. But that's going to end pretty soon. So, yes. I need to exercise more.
I eat too many sweets. There's really not another way to put it. I will not decline a bowl of ice cream or the offering of candy or pie or cake or brownies. I'm working on this, though, and I really try to limit my desserts to no more than one per day. Usually I don't even have that much. The real problem lies with the SIZE of the dessert.
And, one more thing. Despite how this sounds, we are not super meticulous about what we eat. We are more meticulous about what we BUY. If you do not buy junk, then you have no junk to eat. And of course, if we are over at your house and you cook us up steaks or give us white hamburger buns, we will not refuse to eat; that would be rude. We want to be healthy people, but we don't want to be food elitists.
24 March 2009
And Then My Head Exploded (And Donkeys Came Out)
One thing I asked my friend, Alli, about my new job: Do people talk politics much there?
Fortunately, the answer was no.
Don't get me wrong. I quite enjoy politics. I especially enjoy talking politics. That is, I enjoy talking politics in a civilized way. You know, where two or more people can express their opinions in ways that the others in the conversation can begin to understand why the participants believe the way they do. I don't even mind if the participants get a little flushed or maybe even frustrated. It's important that we, as members of the political process, understand why we believe what we do, and that we can back up our statements with facts.
I do not like conversations held in Maher versus Hannity style. Is anything gained from those sorts of discussions? Lines are drawn more clearly. Liberals jump eagerly on the liberal side; conservatives willingly rush to the conservative side. Neither side better understands the motives and beliefs of the other.
I work in a particularly conservative place. I, by Utah standards am rather liberal, by nation-wide standards rather moderate (although slightly liberal), and by Kiwi standards rather conservative. It took all of my will-power to just keep my mouth closed, and only raise my eye-brows when I was looking down and nobody could see my facial expression.
Here are a couple of things that I heard that caused much deep breathing and counting on my part:
"I was listening to him the other day, and I just realized what an idiot he is." This sentence was said referring to President Obama. And maybe it wasn't meant literally, but I thought, "The guy went to Harvard Law, I'm pretty sure he's not an idiot." Perhaps that was a poor choice of words, but then somebody else said:
"I just hope he fails so America will realize what a terrible choice they've made." So, let me get this straight? You WANT our country to do poorly just so your political opinions can be validated? Sounds like a great plan.
I think I was bothered, not just by the things they said, but the general assumption that everyone around agreed with them. I guess, what I'm really trying to say Nem said best back in November.
Fortunately, the answer was no.
Don't get me wrong. I quite enjoy politics. I especially enjoy talking politics. That is, I enjoy talking politics in a civilized way. You know, where two or more people can express their opinions in ways that the others in the conversation can begin to understand why the participants believe the way they do. I don't even mind if the participants get a little flushed or maybe even frustrated. It's important that we, as members of the political process, understand why we believe what we do, and that we can back up our statements with facts.
I do not like conversations held in Maher versus Hannity style. Is anything gained from those sorts of discussions? Lines are drawn more clearly. Liberals jump eagerly on the liberal side; conservatives willingly rush to the conservative side. Neither side better understands the motives and beliefs of the other.
I work in a particularly conservative place. I, by Utah standards am rather liberal, by nation-wide standards rather moderate (although slightly liberal), and by Kiwi standards rather conservative. It took all of my will-power to just keep my mouth closed, and only raise my eye-brows when I was looking down and nobody could see my facial expression.
Here are a couple of things that I heard that caused much deep breathing and counting on my part:
"I was listening to him the other day, and I just realized what an idiot he is." This sentence was said referring to President Obama. And maybe it wasn't meant literally, but I thought, "The guy went to Harvard Law, I'm pretty sure he's not an idiot." Perhaps that was a poor choice of words, but then somebody else said:
"I just hope he fails so America will realize what a terrible choice they've made." So, let me get this straight? You WANT our country to do poorly just so your political opinions can be validated? Sounds like a great plan.
I think I was bothered, not just by the things they said, but the general assumption that everyone around agreed with them. I guess, what I'm really trying to say Nem said best back in November.
20 March 2009
New Job
In a few weeks, I will be embarking on a great American tradition:
Commuting.
I have just accepted a job offer for a genealogy company in Salt Lake City, and I'm pretty excited. Of course, I do live in Provo, so I'll have a really lovely commute- about 45 minutes each way. On the up-side, there may be carpooling involved. We'll see how it works out.
Meanwhile, I'm really excited about this job. It is a great career opportunity for me (hello, actually working in the field of my training). I'm excited about working with some of my old classmates (this one in particular), and I'm excited about the hands-on genealogy training I'm going to get.
As I have mentioned a couple of times, if you are a psychologist who specializes in working with schizophrenics, it's not something you really want to use in your personal life. But a genealogist trained in Irish research? Yes, please, I WOULD like to use that in my personal life. Bring on the training.
Commuting.
I have just accepted a job offer for a genealogy company in Salt Lake City, and I'm pretty excited. Of course, I do live in Provo, so I'll have a really lovely commute- about 45 minutes each way. On the up-side, there may be carpooling involved. We'll see how it works out.
Meanwhile, I'm really excited about this job. It is a great career opportunity for me (hello, actually working in the field of my training). I'm excited about working with some of my old classmates (this one in particular), and I'm excited about the hands-on genealogy training I'm going to get.
As I have mentioned a couple of times, if you are a psychologist who specializes in working with schizophrenics, it's not something you really want to use in your personal life. But a genealogist trained in Irish research? Yes, please, I WOULD like to use that in my personal life. Bring on the training.
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