Is Miley really the biggest harm on TV???

I tried my hardest NOT to watch the Video Music Awards, but after my entire Facebook newsfeed was filled with rants and pictures of Miley Cyrus, I watched it. Ok, I will agree, not her finest moment! BUT...I will also just add her to the list of the female performers that have shocked us throughout the years; Brittany, Madonna, Lady Gaga, and so on!

just doing what MTV expects...

 

remember this hot mess????

Is this any better???

 What I cannot understand is the crazy reaction from parents who feel like Miley has now harmed our daughters, or ruined our kids lives. This was a performance on MTV.  It was for adult viewers, not on a kids channel. And as history has shown...nothing on MTV is PG or G rated!!! This appearance actually got more attention from social media and from US! We posted picture after picture on Facebook and Twitter, where our pre-teen kids spend more time than they should! Now, this doesn't offend me, it doesn't worry me, my son who is 10 did not watch this, he does not go on Facebook or twitter, he has a block on his TV so MTV is off limits. BUT...let me tell you what the real harm on TV is:

my son sees this commercial everywhere!!!

 because fast food is cool & sexy?????

this is poison with a cheap toy!

so terrible and loaded with sugar!

not something we need to feed our kids...sugar & GMOs

There are millions of advertisements on TV for food...and not food our kids (or adults) should be eating! I have never actually counted how many times a McDonalds commercial comes on during a one hour show, but it is a lot! And why does every kids movie end up on a Happy Meal?? And  how often do we see Pepsi, Coke, hotdogs, Lays chips, sugar cereals, cookies, or Sonic on TV...you see where I am going with this, right??

The most harmful thing on TV is not celebrity making a silly performance, it is the food industry! It is the major advertisement deals celebrities get (Beyonce received millions from Pepsi),  it is the athletes who tell our kids to drink Gatorade (even though it is filled with nasty chemicals) or to eat at Subway, it is their favorite cartoon characters on sugary cereal boxes.

The most offensive, harmful, and disturbing thing on TV are the food advertisements, not a 6 minute performance by Miley (on a show kids shouldn't be watching)! That's what should piss us off! That's what we should be flooding social media with!!! If parents threw this kind of fit about food advertisements, GMOs, and the quality of our food, as they did over Miley...we could change our kids lives! Instead we focus on the wrong thing. We focus on a twenty year old performer, acting like a (wild) twenty year old performer. Maybe it wasn't classy, maybe it was not something you enjoyed, but if THAT is what you are bothered by when you watch TV...then you are ignoring the real harm or just not paying attention! I was more offended by Beyonce's Pepsi commercial getting played over and over again, selling poison to the people!

Find Yourself In The Hoop...

Ever watched little kids hula hooping? It is a beautiful sight. Smiles, laughter, and just pure joy. They don't hold back, they have no insecurities, and they give themselves the freedom to move.

Most adults haven't picked up a hoop since they were kids. It isn't their fault. Hoops for a long time were only made in kids sizes. Most adults who are confident enough to try it, quickly get discouraged because the hoop just falls to the floor. We assume we have lost our ability to hoop, not realizing the hoop is just too small. Thankfully, some amazing people discovered that if the hoop is adult size, hooping is fun again!

I discovered hooping about 4 (maybe 5) years ago. I saw a video on Youtube of Christabel Zamor hooping! And I knew I had to try.

I have been hooked on hooping ever since! The first few weeks, I hooped for hours and hours straight! I was determined to learn it all, waist, hips, chest, shoulders...all of it! I grew more confident in myself. I began to hoop at any given opportunity. I began to feel happy, amazing, and wanted to share it with the everyone I knew!

Here are some benefits of hooping:


~Boosts self confidence!! This is huge! There aren't many activities that will make you feel so good! The hoop allows you the freedom to let go and just BE. You become more confident as you give yourself permission to move in a beautiful and feminine way. You will find yourself looking for people to hoop with, sharing tips and advice, and making new friends!

Hooping in my wedding dress at my 10yr vow renewal!

~It is great exercise! Hooping burns up 600 calories in one hour! It works all the muscles in your core, helps reduce back pain, and tones and tightens your entire body!! The hoop can be used to preform all sorts of workouts, stretches, as well as improve your flexibility!

~ Hooping will make you happy!!! You will find yourself smiling, laughing, and having a blast! You will even let go of the fear of looking silly, and just have fun! In an hour hoop class, we laugh the entire time! Exercise has never been so care-free and fun!



~Helps improve your coordination! Each hoop move (trick) is designed in a very specific way, it requires exact movements. As you practice, your coordination will improve! Moves that once seemed impossible...left arm here, right arm there, turn right, now left...will become natural!


~Hooping may jump start your new fitness habit!! Many people who begin hooping, have never exercised on a regular basis. Getting into hooping and watching your body transform, encourages many to take part in other workouts. I have seen this happen!! Taking a hoop class is a great way to get into a fitness routine! Start with hooping, then add a weight-training class, and then maybe a Spin class!!



The benefits are amazing! Many have discovered weight-loss, which encouraged better eating habits, which changed their lives!! Hooping is not just for kids...but you can feel care-free like a kid again!! Grab a hoop (adult size of-course) and get hooping!!!

Christabel, before and after hooping changed her life

The unhappy, 'happy' people

"I'd rather be fat and happy" 

Every now and then, someone will say something that really gets my mind going. Really gets me thinking and wondering what on earth does that really mean....

"I'd rather be fat and happy"

Sometimes people say things that are meant to be hurtful or insulting; while pretending to be confident in their lifestyle choices, but actually do the exact opposite. 

The statement "I'd rather be fat and happy" is probably the saddest thing I have heard in a long time. Not because it was rude or meant to be an insult, but because shows a lack of self-worth, it is saying your happiness is based on your food addictions, and that your health isn't important.

 I have met and spoken with hundreds of people (if not more) about weight and health, and have never met a person who is overweight, obese, or fat, who is truly happy and wouldn't change their weight. Most start out defending their bad lifestyle choices, but eventually admit they are unhappy, and fear getting sick. Unhappy with the way they look, unhappy about the way they feel, unhappy about the situation they are in, and unhappy about their health issues. And all wish they could make changes, but feel they are stuck or it is too difficult. BUT none say they are happy with the way they feel or look. NONE.

The point of this statement was to point out how unhappy we are because of our healthy lifestyle...right...that makes NO sense at all. Healthy = happy! No matter how much you argue it, no matter how much you HATE it, the truth is, HEALTHY people are generally HAPPY people. Choosing a healthy and compassionate lifestyle is a joy. The decision to eat or NOT eat certain food does not make a healthy person UNhappy. The choice comes from loving oneself enough to NOT put food-stuff in our body, because we know how awful you feel after...we've been there and done that.

Living a happy life is not eating junk food, fast food, or fake food. Living a happy life is having the ABILITY to be active, to feel amazing, to have a clean bill of health, to feel confident, and to wake up everyday knowing you LIVE the best life you can!

"I'd rather be fat and happy" or "I'd rather be happy & healthy"

I choose to be happy & healthy.

Being Vegan...Restaurant Edition!

One thing I didn't think about when changing my lifestyle, was going out to eat! Really, how hard can it be??? Pretty darn hard, lol! It becomes a game of 20 (or more) questions. Do you say you are vegan or claim to be allergic to everything? Well, if you are honest and say you are vegan, they may not take you seriously and serve you food cooked in butter....but if you say you have an allergy, the wait staff may panic, lol! It is all about talking to the wait staff, asking the right questions, and NOT being too aggressive. Many people don't understand the diet, not even realizing butter is an animal product (sad, I know). Some just don't care.

So this is how it works:

1. Begin by feeling out the waitress, ask a simple question like: 'does the batter you use contain any dairy or eggs'? She might simply say...'I don't know, let me go check' or she might just answer (without caring one bit) 'I don't THINK so'. If she says I don't think so, and doesn't offer to find out, say you have an allergy. This will let her know it is important to KNOW or find out ;) There are so many people with allergies these days, saying you have an allergy isn't really a big deal!

2. Look over the menu and READ all the descriptions! Check the appetizers and sides options, you can probably create a healthy vegan meal using those options! There are always steamed veggies, side salads, roasted potatoes, rice and soups (ask about ingredients first) that can be ordered in larger portions to make a filling meal. Salads are great, ask for no meat and cheese, and check the dressing options (ask for lemon slices if there are no vegan dressings) and enjoy!

3. Call ahead and ask if they offer vegan dishes :) That makes it so much easier!

4. Vegan pizza can be ordered at MOST places! Pizza dough is vegan (but double check just incase), ask for fresh veggies and some tomato sauce! So yummy!!!

5. Items to double check: bread, tortillas, batter, dressing, rice, fries, pizza dough, and pasta. These items can have some strange ingredients like milk in tortillas (seriously) or fries soaked in beef broth, butter in rice, milk in pizza dough, etc. Ask the waitress to double check, and let her know you could get sick (or be visiting the bathroom frequently, lol)

6. Don't be afraid to ask and double check ingredients, something my husband is really good at! He is actually better at it than me (due to years of working in the restaurant business), I assume certain things are vegan...and then he asks and we learn they are not!

7. Don't get discouraged! Ask the waitress for help, they can talk to the cook/chef and see what options you have. There are always options :) It may be upsetting...everyone else is ready to order, the menu is full of meat & dairy...but take a closer look and you will find some yummy things! Eventually you will get better and better at it!

8. OR...look for a Vegan restaurant!!! You never know, you might find one in your area :)

Restaurants that are easy to veganize:
Mexican
Thai
Indian
Chinese
Pizza (double check the dough)

Cake is a carb...right?

We have all heard the rumor...remove carbs and lose weight! We probably believed it as well. The truth is, most people don't know what carbohydrates are, what they are used for, and why we need them. Most people will think of bread, fruit, veggies, and cake as carbs...though fruit and veggies are NOT even slightly similar to cake. French fries are carbs...and so are steamed  potatoes...but they are not the same at all. We are very confused here...are carbs making us fat, or is FAT< PROCESSED FOOD< AND SALT making us fat?

Let's take a look at French fries verses steamed potatoes:

Do you see the real problem here...the potato or the FAT?

The average French fries (3oz) has about 267 calories, 123 calories from FAT 13.7grams of FAT, 1.8grams of saturated fat, 247mg of sodium, and only 32.7grams of carbs. So is the carb an issue here? Or is it the insane amount of FAT and salt?

Steamed potatoes have about 80 calories for 3.8oz, and NO FAT< NO SALT!

Freshly steamed potatoes!! Add fresh herbs and enjoy!

So even though both steamed potatoes and French fries are carbohydrates, the potato itself is actually a great food choice! The French fries are ONLY bad because they are soaked in oil and drenched in salt! The fact that potatoes are carbohydrates is not an issue. They will not make you fat. Many cultures around the world eat potatoes as their staple, NONE of these cultures have a weight problem. I eat potatoes a few times a week. I do not have a weight problem.
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Another carb we are so confused about is cake/cookies etc. Yes, these things are placed in the carb category because they are made out of flour. BUT, cake is really more of a fat, salt, & refined sugar than it is a carb.

The average piece of cake has about 506 calories, 204 from FAT, 22.6grams of fat, 6.6grams of saturated fat, and 461mg of sodium! That is A LOT of fat! Now is it fair to even call this 'food' a carb? I think it is a fat...don't you?

This is pure FAT

Cookies and cakes are full of fat, refined sugar, additives, preservatives, and not a food. They should not be placed in a category with real food like rice, potatoes, fruit, corn, wheat, etc.

Natures sweet goodness! Skip the cake!

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Carbohydrates when cooked or eaten raw are the best source of energy for humans. They are also low in fat (or have zero fat), provide numerous vitamins and minerals, keep sugar cravings away, keep our mood stable, and make us feel good. Real carbs are not making us fat...fat, salt, junk food, meat & dairy are making us fat!

Take a look at a plate of chicken Parmesan. People are convinced, if you remove the pasta, and eat the chicken slathered in cheese and sauce that it is the healthier option. But is it?

This is a HIGH FAT meal, skip it!

The chicken is probably seasoned heavily with salt, most likely cooked in oil, maybe even fried, coated with breadcrumbs which have more salt, and then loaded with cheese which is high fat & salt! Now the pasta, well that is a simple food, usually just flour (sometimes whole wheat or corn) and water! Pasta is not the problem here...the high fat & salt chicken and cheese are the problem. Pasta, especially when it is gluten free, is a great high energy food!

Another food with a bad reputation is rice. Now, brown rice or even white rice has been a staple for many Asian cultures (Spanish as well) for centuries. These cultures are also some of the slimmest people out there, with long life spans. Steaming a bowl of rice and adding some veggies is a wonderful meal, it definitely won't make you fat! NOW...when Americans think of rice, they imagine fried rice, loaded with greasy sauces, chicken, beef or shrimp. This is also loaded with salt! Again, it is not the rice or 'carb' which is making you fat, it is the grease, the meat, and the salt!

Perfectly healthy brown rice and steamed veggies!

 I am 100% confidant anyone eating a LOW fat, high carb diet will stay slim and lean, as long as they understand what is a carb and what fat & salt are! Bread is not a problem, bread loaded with processed meat, high fat cheese, mayo, or oil is the problem!

For about a year, I have been testing this theory! I have been eating loads and loads of fruit, rice, potatoes, and pasta for dinner every night, and actually lost weight! I even eat vegan pizza weekly, without a single pound gained! I have energy, I am leaner than ever, I have seen improvement in the workouts, I have a steady mood, I feel amazing! No more stomach aches after a meal, no more feeling tired after a meal, and no more counting calories!

So lets go over the good & bad:
Fruit...fruit is king! Loaded with vitamins, water, and PURE energy!
Cookies...are fat & refined garbage
Cake...fat
French Fries...fat
Potatoes (steamed, baked, roasted)...awesome & healthy
Fried Rice...loaded with fat, salt and unhealthy
Rice (steamed, boiled)...yummy and healthy
Pasta...great option, especially if you pick gluten free and add some steamed veggies
Mac & Cheese...FAT, the cheese is the issue here, not the pasta
Bread...good, but pick a sprouted one, whole grain, fresh, and vegan! Low sodium is key!
Veggies...awesome!!! eat them up, skip the salt and butter!

Don't let society confuse you! Don't be fooled by fad diets trying to sell you a high fat meat diet, that will have you craving sugar all day! Carbs are not only healthy, but they will help you keep the pounds off and look leaner than ever! JUST make sure you understand what is a real carb, and what is being disguised as one!

Eat up!