I'm buggin out!!!!

Ok, well I'm not going crazy, but I did invest in a BodyBugg. The BodyBugg is a personal calorie monitor (worn on the tricep) that works alongside Myapex.com. I must say in the 24 hours I have owned this little contraption I am mighty impressed.

Yesterday, I started the installation process that involves signing yourself up for the myapex account, setting up your bodybugg and charging the armband. I was impressed right off the bat. Though answering the questions and going through the set up process is tedious, it is extrodinarily thourogh. I was not only asked questions like how tall I am, how much I weigh currently, and what my weight loss goals are, but strange things like Do you consider yourself nervous/anxious, do you smoke, and how bad is your PMS. The question battery was around 60 questions long! However, from your answers, the online program creates a nutrition program for you and sets up realistic goals for you as well. The nutrition program is optional to follow, as long as you monitor your calorie intake. And of course, calories are calories, but fat and carbs count too, just like any other diet situation.

After setting up my account and pluggin in the Bugg. I left it to charge overnight. The manual says that the battery should be fully charged after 3 hours. You charge it similar to an iPod, it plugs into your computer via the same USB cord (included) that you will upload your calorie burn from.

I am now through an entire day of wearing the Bugg. It is comforable, but you definatly know that it's attached to your arm. It takes a little getting used to. But what the hey, it's going to give me a 90% accurate reading of my calorie burn for the entire day!

I put it on at about 8:10am this morning. I splurged and got a little digital display so I can see how much I am burning. I don't know what I would do without it. This little display monitors where I am in caloric burn, as it is synced to the armband. This way I don't have to be plugging in my armband every two seconds to see how much I've burned. Nice added bonus.

It is now about 9:30 and I'm about to take it off. According to my little digital display, I've met my 10,000 step goal. It beeps and tells you you have a message! Nice little incentive. It also says that I've burned 2,590 calories today! :)

My target burn, as set up by the website, for my goal of loosing 2 lbs per week, is 2,400 cals. I exceeded it! But getting there was more difficult than I expected. I'm currently following the ChaLEAN Extreme program and I'm sad to say that after doing Burn 1 (35mins) I burned maybe 150 calories if I was lucky. Bummer. However, just to compare, I did Turbo Jam's Fat Blaster (30mins) right afterwards. I burned just over 300 calories!!!!! Sweet!

Knowing just how many calories I am burning during my workouts encourages me to push harder, or tack on more activity. If I wouldn't have been so shy of my caloric burn goal today, I probably wouldn't have bothered to do Turbo. So that was a good motivation in itself. Anyways. Time to upload my data. More to follow.

Chocolate Frosting Sandwich?????

I discovered something new the other day. Something I dub the chocolate frosting sandwich. Given it's name you would think that this is horrid for you. However, it really isn't. AMAZING. Let me explain. Here's the recipe:

1 Arnold Slim Thins Bun (100cal)
2 2Tbsp Nutella Spread (190cal)

For a not so whopping total of 290 calories!

I never gave much thought to Nutella. The name always put me off. However, it's a hazelnut spread with hazelnuts, skim milk, and cocoa. Similar to Peanut Butter. If you like Ferreo Rocher chocolates, you'll love Nutella.

But what's really amazing about this snack is how filling it is.
There's fat from the nuts.
There's fiber from the bun.
And there's the richness of the chocolate.

When you're done eating, your chocolate cravings have subsided and you feel so full, almost sick. All from this less the 1/2 inch thick, about 6 inches round little sandwich. Now go satisfy your chocolate cravings. :) I'd subsistute a piece of cake or a brownie with this anyday.

I Jump, You Jump Jack.....

At sporting events, you jump, scream, boo, shake your MGM Casino sponsored Pom-Pons.
At church, you sit, stand, kneel, pray, sing.
In class, you sit quietly, raise your hand, and follow the guidelines outlined in the syllabus.
What do all three of these situations have in common? Large groups of people. And not just large groups of people, but large groups all engaging in the exact same activity. Enter Mob Mentality.

In America we like to think of ourselves as unique and one of a kind individuals. But are we really? Yeah, sure some of us cut/dye our hair, or dress, or pierce/tattoo ourselves. But if you're in Joe Louis, wearing red, aren't you all going to scream when the Wings score? Don't you all delight in the same moment of joy?

So the next time you find yourself in a sea of people, look around you, chances are you're all doing slight variations of the same thing regardless of what you look like, think, or believe. So are we all really so different after all? Or are we just genetically hardwired to be "herded". Is this collective behavior good for the whole? Or the individual?

Honestly, I don't know. It's probably a little bit of both. But the next time the wave is traveling around a packed sports arena, you can bet I'll be a part of it. And chances are, you will be too. Cuz' I jump, you jump Jack.

RIP Dr. Izzy Stephens and Dr. George O'Malley

I laid agast and tearful in my bed at 11 pm last night. Reeling from the tradgey that struck prime time drama. Grey's Anatomy has apparently commited suicide. In the last 5 minutes of the show, it appears that both Dr. Izzy Stephens and Dr. George O'Malley were killed off. However, if Katherine Heigl were removed from the series, it would be nothing short of suicide for this drama. As proven by other shows that have killed off a main character, such as the OC, when Misha Barton's character was killed off, there went the show right along with her.

It saddens me that the writers of Grey's would do something that could dramatically affect thier ratings by killing off a character as beloved as Izzy, not to mention the hearts of thier viewers. While it seems plausible that George would be one to go, his role seemed to have been diminshing post Izzy Stephen's break up, it is utterly heartbreaking that Izzy would be going with him.

However, I do see the potential for a plot twist, if K. Heigl is not leaving....here's what I hope happens......

Okay, so the entire episode George was telling Izzy that she needed to fight, that she made that decision and that is what she should do. Therefore, I see the potential, that once Izzy and George begin talking in "heaven" or the elevator, or wherever in deadland they are that George will tell Izzy to go back and fight, and then she will be back and ready for action.

At least this is my hope. In the meantime, I will say a tearful goodbye to my two favorite characters...

What do you think I am? A five year old?!?!?!

Attempting to write a children's book is quite possibly the most daunting task I have ever set off to do. I finished my first draft the other day (Charlie the Crawdad's Library Adventure), and reflecting back, I have no idea how the hell I am going to pull this off. The manuscript is 5 pages long, single spaced, and in Calibri 11 font! That's closer to an adult short story, than a children's picture book! Not to mention "the big words". I didn't realize how difficult it is to transform an educated adult vocabulary into "kid speak". Whoa. It's mind bloggleing to try and change the way you have written for an entire academic career, into something comprehensible to a five year old. I want to educate my audience, yet I want them to understand me as well. Can anyone provide me with a five letter or less word for aneurysm? Back to the drawing board.....

Living A Better Life

For a long while now, I have been sick. Really sick. Like in and out of the hospital tons of labs kind of sick. And the "sickest" part about the whole thing is that I never received a diagnosis for my illness. So after the past 2 plus years of being ill, I became fed up. Tired of feeling like crap 24/7, and tired of looking like a slob, I decided to take matters into my own hands. And let me tell you, that is probably the best decision that I have ever made. I've taken the initiative to eat better, and began to work out again. I have never felt better in my life. I'm loosing weight, my hair and skin are glowing with new life. I have a new life. I'm even making new friends that share my love of Turbo Jam. Shouts to Cat! :) I have a new outlook on life, and it is changing everything. I am happy, finally; and I have a new loves and healthy addictions, TurboJam and eating well. I finally know how good it feels to put yourself first.