More OXO goodies

I first heard about OXO while wedding planning a few years ago and have been obsessed a huge fan since 2010.  (If anyone from the company is reading this, I'd love to be a OXO product tester!)  Since then, I've purchased quite a few of their products.  Here are my top 5 must-have, makes-your-life-easier kitchen products from OXO.  GG = Good Grips

1. OXO GG Silicone Cooking Colander.  Found here.  I have the gray one but it apparently also comes in red AND there's a larger version!  Also in red.  I might have to add that to my next shopping list...

This is great for boiling corn, edamame, noodles...anything that requires a colander afterwards.  You place your food in this, then place the whole thing in your pot.  Once it's done, you just lift it out and your food is instantly drained.  No need to take out a separate colander, pick up your hot pot of boiling water, then pour it over a colander in your sink.  Genius.  OXO deserves a round of applause for this one. Plus you're reducing the amount of dishes you have to wash after cooking, and thus also reducing water usage. This thing will save you time and money!

Workout like a Victoria's Secret model

I found a great (i.e. short) workout video by trainer Andrea Orbeck, who has trained many Victoria's Secret models.  FitSugar promises it will work your entire body in just 10 minutes.  Enjoy!

Healthy Lifestyle - Breakthrough

I don't want to call my new healthy eating habits a "diet" since I am looking for a lifestyle change, not a quick weight loss fix.  I started this new "life" the second week of January (2012) and it's been great so far.  I've stuck to my chopped salad for lunch every single day this past week (Mon-Fri and still loving it), and I've ended each day under 1,200 consumed calories for the last two weeks - even when DH and I had dinner plans!  And lastly, I've lost 6 pounds!  So to motivate myself, I decided early on that I would allow one freebie day a week or every two weeks (depending on how the week went) where I would not limit my calories and not even guilt myself for it since I wouldn't track it on MFP.  This may seem a little counter-productive, and yeah yeah yeah, moderation is always best, but I knew just having such a day would motivate me.  And it worked!  But today is my "free" day, and I'm not really enjoying it.  Let me explain. 

Yum Series: Enjoying the Fruits (veggies?) of my Labor

So in my last post, I neglected to mention a few kitchen tools I use almost daily - mainly a wonderful tool called the Vidalia Chop Wizard.  Yes, you probably saw it on TV.  And no, I'm not one to buy anything I see on infomercials, but this one caught my eye a few years ago.  I was literally in the middle of telling DH (who was just my cute boyfriend then) how I need some sort of easy chopping device for veggies, when the ad for Vidalia came on.  I took it as a sign and bought it, and guess what?  I love it!  It does exactly what it advertises, and it's ridiculously simple.  It comes with 2 different blade discs you can use:  One with really small squares and one medium-sized squares (for lack of a better description).  You place your food of choice (veggies, cheese, etc.) on the blade and press the top handle down.  As cheesy as it looks, this little tool has saved me a lot of time in the kitchen.  I can cut a bell pepper into lovely little bite-sized squares instead of awkward, uneven pieces.  OK that sounds unconvincing and a little unappetizing, but the bottom line is, the Vidalia is awesome.  If you're convinced and want one for yourself, it's available here and here.

Photo courtesy of Amazon

Sunday Food Prep

One of the best ways to ensure I don't stray off the health food path during the week is if I pre-prep my foods during the weekend.  DH and I will go grocery shopping once a week or once every two weeks, and I start washing and cutting the veggies immediately after we get home. If I decide to sit on the couch or check my email, the window closes, I get too lazy to prep, and end up avoiding the veggies during the week since it's not easily accessible. 

Photo courtesy of Jamie Oliver

I've been trying hard to bring my lunch to work and not eat out, but I've been really busy the past few weekends and unable to pre-prep anything.  Luckily I have many healthy options around me at work, but it really pains me to pay $$ for a salad that would cost next to nothing to make.  I wanted chopped salad for lunch this week, so we went to a local Korean market on Sunday and stocked up on veggies and fruits.  If you're not familiar with Korean markets, they have ridiculously low prices on produce, and the biggest sales are usually
Thurs-Sun.  Their produce is fresh and the prices ensure a large crowd, so it's best to go earlier in the weekend.  We were busy all weekend and were restless at home on Sunday night, so we actually went at 11pm (the market closes at 12am everyday!).  Luckily, they must have restocked everything from the weekend because there was an abundance of yummy veggies for great prices.  Here's what we bought for around $20:

Target

Target is a dangerous place.  Not physically (well, maybe a little on Black Friday), but it is definitely a threat to my wallet.  A typical trip to Target starts with me and a very specific shopping list, then ends with me buying a lot of other stuff I didn't know I needed.  And now that I've recently started to buy groceries and even some electronics at Target, there's no telling what may end up in my cart.  Grocery shopping used to be such a big event for me, since I would go to my neighborhood Ralphs, then Trader Joe's, then specialty markets and Costco (honestly it gets out of control).  But I'm making an effort to cut that out since it's such a time and gas waster, so Target has really become a convenient one-stop shop for me. 

I'm really impressed with how they've branded themselves and become so popular in the past decade or so.  And with the introduction of their own brands, like Up and Up and Market Pantry, and designer collaborations (like the ever-so-popular Missoni for Target), there's clearly no slowing down for Target.

I came across a fantastic website called Target Savers a few months ago, which lists current Target deals and prices for each week.  (Target's sales/prices change every Sunday.)  I make sure to browse TS before my trips to Target so I don't lose out on any amazing deals, especially those that will get you an item for free.  Recently I've noticed a recurring post called Target Deals:  Healthier Options, which is super helpful when you're about to venture to a place that sells enormous bins of cheese balls (Seriously, who needs that much? I clearly don't, but I've put it in my cart several times, then turned around and put it back before I leave the aisle because I just can't get myself to take it home. I love cheese a lot, but the bin is a bit daunting).

Photo courtesy of Target.com

I still love love love Trader Joe's, and they obviously have a lot of specialty health options that Target does not offer, but it's too far from my house so I stock up on all the items I can't get elsewhere when I have a chance to shop there (like Cinnamon Almonds. A great snack as long as you don't eat the entire bag in one day. If you haven't tried it and have a TJ's nearby, go buy it now. You won't be sorry...unless you're allergic to or really hate almonds and cinnamon...although I wasn't a fan of cinnamon at all until I tried these. But I digress).

Target is great for standard health food staples like salad greens and fruits.  Any other Target lovers out there?  Share your favorite Target item!

New Detox and Cleanse Program

Photo courtesy of Healthline

I was walking by the kitchen at work yesterday when I overheard a coworker talking about a 21-day cleanse she signed up for on the recommendation of her friend, who had just completed the program and loved it.  She mentioned it was also loved by various celebrities, including Gwyneth Paltrow.  Then this afternoon, one of the blogs I follow posted a link to a caramelized brussels sprouts recipe (posted below), so of course I clicked on the link and it turns out the blogger is on a modified version of the 21-day cleanse, also mentioning that Gwyneth was a fan of the program.  Hearing about a 21-day cleanse endorsed by Gwyneth twice in one week, I did some research this afternoon.

The cleanse is called the "Clean Program," which you prepare for with what's called the "Elimination Diet," all of which is designed by a cardiologist and cleanse specialist (Dr. Alejandro Junger MD), and is the supporting cleanse to the book "Clean," which is apparently a New York times best seller.  There's endless information on the website, but from I gathered, the program consists of a shake for breakfast, supplements throughout the day, lunch (there's a list of specific foods you can and cannot eat), and then a shake for dinner.  My coworker mentioned a stricter program where you don't eat lunch (I'm assuming you drink another shake?) that's more expensive, but I didn't see it when I went on the website.  The program that I saw will run you about $425, which in the grand scheme of things is not horribly expensive, but if you

I Love Shoes

Pumps, flip flops, wedge heels, sandals...I love them all.  I really don't need any new athletic shoes right now, since I have about 5 semi-new pairs in my closet, but I purchased the last one in early 2010 and I've heard enough about the new lightweight, minimalist shoe trend to want to try it out.  Since I'm starting on a new fitness venture this year, and I received several retailer gift cards this past Christmas, I'd like to give a new pair a try.

Photo courtesy of Vibram FiveFingers

I'm not quite ready to go Vibram yet, but a minimalist-type shoe might be the perfect way for me to eventually ease into barefoot sport shoes.  Something like the Nike Free 3.0 v3 might work.

Photo courtesy of Nike.com

I'm loving the Bold Berry color.  According to Nike's description, the Free 3.0 v3 offers the benefits of "barefoot-like freedom [with] shoe-like support."  That sounds pretty spot-on to what I'm looking for, and the reviews are fantastic.  My only hesitation is that I have a low arch, and I'm not sure if this shoe would provide adequate support.  I guess a trip to the Nike store will answer that question.  I like to try on clothes and shoes before purchasing, but it's also important for me to read reviews and compare prices online.  For brands I'm not familiar with (for sizing purposes), or for shoes (regardless of brand, for fit and comfort purposes), I'll try the product at the store, then purchase directly from their website online when I get home. 

One of the gift cards I received is from DSW, currently having an Athletic Event where they are offering 500 Bonus Points with any athletic shoe purchase (now through January 16th, no code necessary).  If you shop online frequently, I highly recommend using a cash back website.  I use BigCrumbs or Fatwallet, but heard great things about Ebates as well.  BigCrumbs is currently offering 6.4% cash back on all DSW purchases. 

Happy shopping!

My Fitness Pal

This is embarrassing to admit, but for years, when people would talk about tracking calories, I interpreted it to mean that 1) they only ate in (as in at home), because 2) they would have to measure and weigh every ingredient that would go into every carefully crafted meal that they meticulously prepare to figure out the exact number of calories they're ingesting.  I have no clue where that thought came from, but that was my idea of calorie counting.  So when a colleague told me about a free calorie tracking website called My Fitness Pal, I told her I wasn't interested.  After hearing enough people rave about it, I logged on to check out the website and instantly realized what a dunce I'd been.  If you're not familiar with My Fitness Pal or calorie trackers in general, they are free websites with an extensive nutrition database and simple tools to help you track your daily caloric intake and exercises.  I've found MFP to be very user friendly and easy to access.  It's ridiculous that I didn't hear about it until mid-2011!

Once I downloaded the iPhone app, I no longer needed to write down what I had eaten or remember it until I could get to a computer.  For me, logging as soon as I'm done with a meal or snack ensures that it gets tracked.

When you log in, MFP will tell you how many calories you have remaining (or the total number of calories you have for the day, if you're logging in for the first time that day).  From the home page, you click on

Resolution Update

Chocolate berry cake ~ YUMMM! (Personal photo)

Maybe it's just me, but whenever I resolve to make a positive change to my life, my mind and body, "they" do everything in their power to make the change that much harder.  I hardly ever crave cookies and chocolate, but I've been snacking on exactly that for the past 7 days.  And I normally do not snack!  Since the 1st, I've eaten brownie bites, Nutella, maple syrup cookies (it was a gift...), chocolate chip cookies, dark chocolate bars, and chocolate-covered almonds.  OK, so I took maybe a bite or two of each, but that still puts me further away from my weight loss and healthy eating goals.

Also challenging have been my trips to the gym (or lack thereof).  On my way home from work I'm super motivated and excitedly planning my workout regimen for the evening, then flash forward a few hours and I'm being woken up from a peaceful nap by my DH, after having fallen asleep while thoughtfully waiting for him to come home from work (aka watching TV on our couch) so we can go to the gym together.  And we never end up going.  le sigh.  I have, however, been really good about shopping recently, so at the least, I've been burning calories on my power walks in the mall.

Gym memberships increase quite a bit in January, with high attendance in the early months and a slow decline throughout the year.  I'm glad I didn't exercise insanely last week (or at all, actually) only to burn out and demotivate myself for the rest of the year. See? I was doing myself a favor.  Haha!  Kidding.  I had an L.A. Fitness membership for 7 years but canceled 2 years ago after moving to an area where it wasn't convenient for me to drive there anymore.  While, coincidentally, I stopped working out almost completely after canceling my membership, I don't think it's the membership that keeps me accountable.  I still have access to a gym - it's small but has ellipticals, treadmills and weight equipment, as well as a sauna and individual TV's on each machine, just a few steps away from my house.  But getting there feels so much harder than stopping by L.A. Fitness everyday after work like I used to.  I swear, the closer you are in distance, the harder it is to get there.

On a positive note, I was able to accomplish one goal this week:

Resolving to Keep My Resolutions

Photo by Missy of So You Think You're Crafty

Happy New Year!

I love the start of a new year. The possibilities seem so refreshingly endless - no broken resolutions, no skipped exercise sessions, no failed attempts at dieting...yet. My resolutions have been the same since junior high: lose weight, exercise regularly, eat healthy foods. Usually after breaking all the resolution rules on Day One - where I would partake in unlimited snacking and what I call "second dinners" with my food-loving, extended family - I would start a promising routine of planned meals, strategic food shopping, and daily workouts. Then, one by one, each resolution would fade away and I would find myself 10 pounds heavier at the end of each year, wondering where I went wrong.

2011 marks the most weight I've ever gained my adult life. While I renewed my love for veggies - even trying brussels sprouts for the first time and loving it - I ceased exercising completely and stopped going out as much as I used to. This new sedentary lifestyle has not boded well for me in 2011 and ended in a 20 pound gain in just 1 year, totaling 40 pounds over the last 6 years. Sigh. To end this vicious cycle of weight gain, I've come up with a few starting points to help me (and you) stay on track in 2012 and on.