Hmmm

So, I stumbled across this article today: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/9091628/Test-tube-hamburgers-to-be-served-this-year.html

What do y'all think?

Ready...

Go!

Rant

I posted this evening, over on my main blog. The post could belong here as well. So, if you feel up to it, and aren't cowering in fear because I was quite hot when I wrote it, wander on over to here and join me in discussion.

If it's not there when you see this post, it'll be back after the SOPA protest is over on 1/19/2012.

Now That The Resolutions Are Waining

Hi guys...It's BEC here. So kindly invited by Cdn to contribute.

Here we are in the middle of January already, the 'newness' of the New Year already starting to wain...

Are those get fit resolutions dimming in memory?

Myself...I've been hitting the gym pretty regularly for the past few weeks. Mostly working on the weights.

I haven't noticed any dramatic disappearing of cellulite dimples on my backside yet (sigh) and my old nemesis, the sore shins are flaring up (oww!), but on the upside...

The back, shoulder and arm pain I was suffering from is about 99% better. If for no other reason...the relief from that pain will keep me going back at least 3 times a week.

Right now, I am still in the muscle building phase. Trying to get my back and arm muscles balanced (got about a 10 lb. difference going on) and start building some leg, hamstring and glute strength.

So are there any other weight lifters or body sculptures here? Anyone interested and just not sure how to get started?

Being an Angel

About a month ago Pie & I watched the Victoria's Secret fashion show... that holiday one they always air late November.  While I will never be a smoking hot, sexy, leggy model, and don't aspire to be, I do like the show.  I like the creativity behind it.  And the wings, gotta love the wings lol

There was one segment though where I paused it and turned to Pie to say "What the hell  were they thinking?" 
There was a song playing that to me just seemed wrong.  Sure it was a catchy song, but with all the focus on the fashion industry/modelling and eating disorders/body dysmorphism I just didn't get why they would put a song like that in.  The lyrics that caught my attention were:

"You make me wanna die.  I'll never be good enough.  You make me wanna die."

I actually do like the song, its by Pretty Reckless (I've never heard of them, clicking the link brings up the lyrics)  I just don't get why the show producers would pick a song where the most discernible lyrics are those ones.  And I have to wonder, if I found the song online and listened to it would it play the same way?  Or did they pump up those lyrics in the show?
Anyway, enough about the song.  Still want to be an Angel?  Not only do you have to be genetically gifted - face it, no matter how much a person diets & works out, if you don't have the genes to achieve it certain things won't happen. But it gets pretty extreme.  Adriana Lima, pictured above (via Google image search), dished on what it takes:

Daily workouts starting months before the show

Workouts become twice daily a few weeks before the show

A gallon of water a day

No solid food for 9 days before the show

2 days before show she will start drinking water 'normally'

No water for 12 hours before the show

Daily workouts, that's not so bad.  Twice daily doesn't sound bad either.  But from what I read of Lima's interview those aren't just workouts, they're hard-core w.o.r.k.o.u.t.s  Water is a good thing, but chugging a gallon a day?  That's approximately double the "drink 8 glasses a day" standard (don't even get me started on that lol)

The parts that really concern me are the no solid food for 9 days and no water for 12 hours.  How many young girls (boys, women, men) with eating disorders saw that advice?

Yeah I want to lose weight, I want to be in shape.  But doing that?  Not healthy.  And that's my main goal!

Wow

By Mrs Mom

So.. a funny thing happened the other day ago. As I was helping in setting up my mother in laws Christmas tree, she giggled.

"This is probably not the right time to say this, when your butt is sticking up in the air and all, but you've lost a lot of weight!"


Well guess what? In my eyes, ANYTIME someone says that is a good time, whether or not your butt is sticking up in the air, know what I mean?

I have lost weight. My mother in law asked what I was doing to drop the pounds and honestly? I have no clue. None. I eat what I want, when I want it. And as much as I want. But I've found.. I'm not eating MUCH. A bite here, a bite there, and I am good to go. Go we do too- I've had more energy, which means more is getting done, which makes me happier, which means going and doing more makes me feel even BETTER, soo.... the circle continues. And the pounds are dropping.

I wish I could say how much exactly, but we still do not own a scale.
I wish I could tell you exactly what to do or not to do, but I can't.

All I can say is rock on. Move. Find a happy. And see what happens.

Merry Christmas!

It was a trainwreck...

a sweaty trainwreck.
Have I mentioned that I'm a stereotypical "white girl with NO rhythm"?  And I can't dance?
Yep, I am.
Which is why this is tragically funny.  I've decided that first things first is to get my butt moving.  The best way to keep it moving is to have fun.  So I dug out the Wii

(I had 'grounded' myself from it until we got some unpacking/organizing done, which we have)

and put in the new game I picked up on my way home from work:

The result?  Fun, yep.  And a trainwreck.  But a sweaty, fun trainwreck.  And one that I will be feeling tomorrow.

Just gotta keep in mind to only play this 
when I'm home alone! lol

The Fruit of the Dead, but its good for you!

Pomegranates... It is fitting that they are in season from October - January (well at least around here, in supermarkets)
According to Greek mythology Persephone was kidnapped by Hades and taken to live in the underworld as his wife.  Her mother, Demeter - goddess of the harvest, was so grief stricken that in her mourning all the green, living things stopped growing.  Zeus commanded Hades to return Persephone.  However the Fates decreed that anyone who ate or drank in the underworld was doomed to eternity there, and Hades had tricked Persephone into eating 6 pomegranate seeds.  Because of this Persephone must return for 6 months every year and rule the underworld alongside her husband.  While her daughter is in the underworld Demeter goes into mourning and ceases giving fertility to the earth. 
That's how it all fits together, pomegranates are a winter fruit and the reason for winter... well at least according to the ancient Greeks ;)
Ok so that's why they are "the fruit of the dead" but why are they good for you?

There are a host of benefits to pomegranates: high in antioxidants (up to 3x that found in red wine & green tea!), combats LDL cholesterol, studies show it helps reduce risk of certain cancers, reduce the inflammation from arthritis, improves heart health & lowers blood pressure.  On average a pomegranate has 105 calories.

You can get the benefits of pomegranates by drinking the juice, however if you want to eat the fruit things can get a bit messy... to help keep things a bit cleaner my father-in-law taught me to do the following:
Cut off the crown and score the fruit, but don't cut all the way through!
Place the fruit in water (sink, plastic tub, etc)
Break apart the rind & membranes and discard
Scoop out the arils/seeds and enjoy!

Things to do with those arils... sprinkle them on your oatmeal, add them to cookies, bake them into muffins, add them to salads, use them in a salsa, add them to yogurt.  Seriously, there are SO many things you can use them in, just google pomegranate recipes!