Health is Love

Plateau :(

Tina — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 20:48:15 +0000

So, by easing up and strength training I’ve significantly reduced my knee pain. I feel almost nothing now. And I’m now down to 142.5 pounds… but I’ve reached a plateau. I felt guilty eating so much, and I wanted to see more progress, so lately I’ve been eating around 1520 – 1650 calories every day, which is right around my BMR, as I’ve said before. I thought that I cracked my craving problem that would always strike every week or so, but I just had one today! No major damage done, but still. Bothersome. I’m wondering if I need to eat more calories again? I’ve been exercising regularly and strength training and working my butt off as best I can, trying to avoid further injury. I’m thinking about going with the KERF method (lol), more movement throughout the day and more unprocessed, unpackaged foods that are low in calories and high in volume and nutrition.

I’m dying to try spaghetti squash…

Oh, and this week! Hiking for like five days! And sailing on my dad’s boat The weather’s supposed to be beautiful. What a great way to spend Spring Break

:(

Tina — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 21:19:29 +0000

My knee still hurts. It’s been three weeks. This STINKS! I have a feeling that it’s because my quad/hamstring muscles are weak. I’m going to try walking again today with a stroll around the neighborhood, and then again tomorrow on a treadmill, slightly increased pace. Then Tuesday I’ll do strength training, and then more walking… ugh. I hope this works. I really want to start running soon. Oh! And yoga on Thursday, perhaps?

Being injured is just terrible.

But, on a brighter note, I’ve been eating SOOOO healthy lately! Like, the past three weeks, I’ve been eating fantastic foods. Sure, some occasional treats, but mostly it’s all been nutrient dense. Today has probably the most healthy day I’ve ever had.. which rocks!! This morning, I had some quaker oats with all natural peanut butter, honey, and carob chips, along with a banana. Then, for lunch, I had some lowfat Activia vanilla yogurt with some honey bunches of oats cereal, along with a cup of strawberries, and a chocolate chip peanut odwalla bar. For a snack just now, I made a smoothie with 3 cups of spinach leaves (vegetable win!), a cup of strawberries, a cup of blueberries, and a banana. It was soooo delicious! It tasted like ice cream to me Yummm! And then for dinner, I’m planning on having an egg white omlette with lean deli ham, turkey bacon, WW cheddar cheese, and then carrots & celery eaten with a LC wedge. Gotta get my protein in there

AND I HAVE GREAT NEWS!! Eating around 1600 – 1800 calories a day made me lose MORE weight! I lost two pounds this week, compared to my .5 last week from eating in the 1300-1550 range! I feel really content eating around 1700 calories every day. It honestly feels like a lot to me, since I’m so used to practically starving myself when I diet. But nope! It worked great And I bet results will be even better when I can run again.

Healthy food makes me happy! I feel so full, and by the end of today, I’ll only have had 1550 calories (pretty much my BMR right there). Since I feel like that’s a little low, especially if I go for a 30 minute walk today. I’m probably gonna treat myself to a girlscout cookie for dessert.

I want to runnnnnnnnnn! argrgraghrgrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!

Healthy Livin’! — In the South?

Tina — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 08:26:18 +0000

So, for the past month, I’ve been trying to change my eating habits. I’ve lost about fifteen pounds in the past year (YES!), but I still have about fifteen more to go to reach my goal weight. However, I would be okay if I didn’t reach my goal weight but instead gained muscle mass.

I’ve tried Tim Ferriss’s Diet. Crashed and burned about two weeks in.

I’ve tried counting calories. Crashed and burned in less than a week.

And now… what? My exercise routines have been skewed due to a knee injury. I think I’m going to be able to start up again in the next few days, but I’m going to have to take it nice and easy. What am I going to do? Today and yesterday I haven’t counted calories, and my intake has been around 1700- 2000. Which technically isn’t terrible. But I’d still like to strive for losing 1 pound every week. It’s not as easy as I’d like it to be, but I’m not going to give up. Not a chance.

I think exercising will help. I’m scared to count calories again, to be honest. Knowing that I only have X number of them left freaks me out a little, and triggers me to want to eat more. And then, it’s so difficult to maintain healthy eating, because everywhere I go, there are temptations! Sights, smells, everything. At school, the food they serve is junk. And everyone eats it. But it smells sooooo delicious. And my southern family has little concern for nutritional values. I’m gradually starting to make things better and incorporate better, healthier foods into the house, but it doesn’t always work out as I’d like it to.

I’ve picked up a lot of inspiration from blogs such as eat, live, run and krista’s kravings. But I think I still have issues with portion control… I just don’t know how much to eat without counting calories. And yet, counting calories freaks me out. I was previously on a 1547 calorie diet (based on my BMR, or basic caloric needs, from some calculator).. perhaps my body needs more than that. Eating 1600 – 1800 calories a day and burning around 300 off every day would give me the same results with more potential for nutritional goodies. Perhaps that’ll be enough. With, say, a reward day of 2100 calories on Saturday? I gotta have my pancakes )

I think I’ll give this a try. And I’m going to try running tomorrow. Lightly. I just bought new shoes from Fleet Feet Sports in GA. They look at your feet, watch how you walk, and then give you a shoe that works for you. They gave me some orthotics for extra arch support, along with some kickin’ orange shoes that are light and comfortable — it barely feels like I’m wearing them! So, there’ll be that tomorrow. I’ll probably walk for 30 minutes, no incline, at 3 or 3.5 mph and see how my knee feels. Fingers crossed.

I’ll be sure to post updates on how this all goes.

Gunfights & Laser Shows

Tina — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 05:45:22 +0000

Saw a laser show with a Beatles theme today @ the Museum of Science in Boston. Kind of lame. I mean, half of it was awesome… like an acid trip. But the other half was just pictures of clowns and the band and really weird, lame stuff. I like the trippy stuff I actually looked up pictures of laser shows on google images before I went, and I have to say, the pictures looked a LOT cooler than the actual show. When you take a picture during a laserpalooza, you can see the full beam of light in the image, which looks sick. But in real life, you only see the projection onto the screen / wall / ceiling, rather than the full beam. Tiny bit lame. See this picture? That’s not what it looks like. Haha. Whatevs

HOWEVER! We also went on a Boston Duck Tour. I lived in MA for 8 years and never went on one. I DEFINITELY recommend it. It’s a really cool experience. The tour guides / duck drivers that work there are really interesting people, who know how to entertain. We went in the Arborway Alex duck. They all have adorable names.. like one was Red Sox Nathan, and Beacon Hilda. CUTE! Apparently there is a challenge for all the Boston area schools to find a name whenever the company gets a new duck. I say duck.. but they’re basically trucks that can drive around and go into the water. They were used in a bunch of US wars as supply vessels. Check it out if you ever hit up Boston

I’m going home in four days. I feel ready. I did what I came here to do, and I have my full dose of the Boston atmospehere. Hopefullly it’ll last me till next summer. It’s been a really fantastic vacation.

Tomorrow I plan on having a photoshoot with my friend Mike and myself with his birthday present.. He has an inability to grow out a full, decent looking mustache, so I bought him.. er.. a solution If everything works out, I’ll post some pictures!

Goodnight, world!

Cellular Obsessions

Tina — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 03:33:35 +0000

I have problems. I have big, BIG problems. I don’t know why, but I’m a huge technology freak. Especially when it comes to phones.

THE BACKSTORY:
A few months ago, I wanted a Blackberry. DESPERATELY. And when I heard that the new Curve 8900 was coming to T-Mobile, I jumped at it. I became absolutely obsessed with the device. I would spend hours on the internet looking at pictures, reviews, videos, anything I could get my hands on. It became my obsession, and I couldn’t break loose from it. Finally, after saving and waiting, I purchased the phone. And it was AWESOME. By far the best phone I had ever owned. While I could type much faster on my Sidekick 2008, the phone had so many great features, that typing a little slower wasn’t really an issue.. however, I was plagued with guilt. I dished out $500 to buy this phone retail with no contract extension (I’m not available for an upgrade for another year). The idea of this phone costing me half of one thousand dollars… I couldn’t shake it off my conscience. And also, with 3G phones being the latest and greatest, I was slightly disappointed with the Curve not being able to support the faster speeds. So, I marched my butt back to the T-Mobile store and traded it for a Samsung Behold.

I was told it was a smartphone, but the Samsung Behold is by far the stupidest smartphone I have ever seen. It can’t applications such as google maps — a necessity for me — and it has poor multitasking capabilities. I don’t like how it takes me fifteen seconds to look up a contact. That’s WAY too long. The email client is poop. It does a terrible job of keeping up with my dates and tasks, the browser is poor and inefficient to navigate, and overall, is not the kind of phone I need. However… being a 3G phone, it does have its perks. I can access YouTube videos on an instant and with decently clear quality and great sound. Despite the suckish browser, it’s quite speedy, and now that I’ve been spoiled, I’d hate to have to take a step backward.

SHOPPIN’ TIME!
So, I’ve been phone shopping. T-Mobile is in the process of releasing the new MyTouch 3G, the latest in the Google Android series, and predecessor to the Google G1. This phone is characterized by a sleek new look, complimented by a bright touchscreen and the latest and greatest version of the Android OS. The Android operating system for the phone is a turn on for me. I love the idea of a google-centered phone, because frankly, I’m a google addict.. google maps, google news, google email, google calendar… google I’m a fan. It has a browser with the beef to compete with the iPhone’s Safari (they are based on the same platform foundation) and has the 3G speed to boot. That, along with a fantastic array of fun, free applications from the Android Market (hellooo geolocational uber exclusive Sherpa app!) that can (kind of) compare to the Apple App Store = yum. This looks like a fantastic phone. However, unlike the G1, the MyTouch lacks a full qwerty keyboard, and instead, uses a virtual one. My main concern is the lack of a qwerty keyboard. Virtual keyboards, to me, are a hassle, and hitting the right letter is typically a big problem for me. I have a feeling I would miss the ergonomically pleasing feel of a Blackberry’s qwerty keyboard, and that sending texts and emails (I send a lottttt) would become a hassle.

The next option would be the Blackberry Bold/Onyx, two different but similar devices. I like the Bold because of the unbeatable awesomeness of the keyboard, but the design looks a little goofy to me. The Onyx looks like the perfect combination of the Bold, Curve 8900, and Tour, but it is still in the pre-production process. Sexy form factor, 3G and Wi-Fi capabilities, easy-to-use keyboard, and the Blackberry name, all wrapped into one device. Yeshkamesh! I like Blackberries, but some of their software/OS quirks worry me. The Google G1 and the MyTouch 3G have a better browser. The Blackberry App store is a disappointment, with more focus on brand names and prices than the free, fun, open source apps from the Android Market. I understand that Blackberry is more of a business phone, but I still wish that they would loosen up a little bit.. it seems so much more locked down in comparison to the iPhone & Android phones. Hopefully they will someday. Maybe even in the near future!

A lot of people have told me that both Blackberry and Android phones are prime choices, but that it just depends on what I’m planning on using it for.. but in reality I have no idea what I would use it for. The seriousness of the Blackberries keep me in check, and I actually feel more productive when I use them to their fullest extent. But I also want a toy with lots of fun, free apps & a great browser. I just can’t choose. And THAT, friends, is my dilemma.

I’ll let you know if I ever figure this out.

the face of the streets

Tina — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 03:33:19 +0000

I’m in Boston right now. And that’s saying a LOT for me. I moved from the city more than a year ago to the suburbs of Georgia, east of Atlanta, and quite frankly I despise living there. I moved to be around family, but my heart longs for the city. I miss being able to take the T anywhere I want, I miss all of the festivals and events and things to see & do. I miss the people, I miss the culture… the hippies of Cambridge, the young professionals, even the bums (the bums in ATL will mug, rape, and kill you). Yesterday I was able to witness the extravagance of the tall ships visiting Boston’s harbors on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. I stood in line for an hour to tour the United States Coast Guard Barque Eagle Ship, and got to meet and speak with many of the cadets training on the ship for the summer.. USCG Sailor boys = HOT After that, we walked home to my brother’s girlfriend’s apartment and feasted in a high rise apartment by Mass General Hospital with a gorgeous view of Boston’s skyline. It was a simply perfect day.

I can say the same for today. My brother and I spent the day together in Cambridge, exploring Harvard Square. While there was significantly less excitement than the previous day, I felt much more at home running around the shops, witnessing the true essence of the smart-kid Bostonian hippy, and eating awesome mexican food at the Border Cafe. We tried the mango bubble tea at Tealuxe (would NOT recommend it), and stopped by Urban Outfitters, a local comic store, and the Harvard Co-op to check out the merch. As tech lovers, we managed to stop by every cellular retail store in the area to oogle at some of the new phones out on the market (Blackberry Tour, I want you). It was just fantastic.

I love Boston. I love how it makes sense. The chaos of NYC is charming for a little while, but it soon begins to seep into me, and I found myself tangled up in the mess. I understand Boston. It’s beautiful. It’s safe. And everything is nearby. I don’t know any place I would rather live in the US. And yet, I find myself stranded in Nowhere, GA. I’ve been sucked in, and I have a miserable feeling that I won’t be able to get out of it for .. oh, 10 years +. That scares the SHIT out of me. Atlanta is no Boston. There are no nice beaches an hour away. No mountains to snowboard on. No safe public transportation.. who am I kidding? I wouldn’t dare to walk alone on those streets. I just.. I miss this. This atmosphere. And I’m sad that I won’t be able to stay here for very long. It’s like, when I’m here, I’m home. I don’t want that to change.