Tag: Health & Wellness

UG! Bathing Suit Season Has Begun

On By ls1228In Extreme Blonde MomentsLeave a comment

thiongNot that it ever ends in Southern California, we maybe take a few days off here and there when the temperature dips into the 50’s & 60’s, but, with the arrival of Memorial Day weekend, there is no mistaking that bathing suit season has officially begun.

There is really no excuse for me not to be in  peak bikini shape, having taken 12 days to bask in the Caribbean and Mexican sunshine in March, but what can I say?  I got lazy, I let my tan fade, I fell back in love with my sweatpants, I HAD to test the recipes and visit the restaurants I’ve been reviewing on my food blog: This Girl Loves to Eat, the excuses go on and on…

Now that I’ve made my confession it’s time to repent.

For a while it’ll be:

That’s a lot of goodbyes.  These are some of my very best friends and sources of comfort and joy. 😦

Have no fear my friends, you will be back (in better moderation) in no time!

In their places I commit (grudgingly) to:

  • Eat no fast food for the next 4 weeks
  • Cut out all processed foods
  • Increase my fruit and vegetables
  • In my world Wine is both a Fruit and a liquid – I am not getting rid of my glass of wine and won’t beat myself up for it.  I will drink 2 additional glasses of water for every glass of wine
  • Eat more salad with lean protein
  • Reduce my red meats and add more fish and chicken
  • Have a solid breakfast (oatmeal, fruit, high fiber cereal with skim milk, hard boiled eggs, etc.)
  • Add two snacks a day (late morning/late afternoon)
  • Don’t skip meals
  • No carbs after 5:00 PM
  • Finish eating my last meal of the day by 8:00 PM
  • Cut out desserts and sweets
  • Get off of my butt, dust off my treadmill and re-hang my TRX straps – THEN USE THEM at least 30 minutes a day
  • Become part of the “Gallon A Day” club

What is the Gallon a Day Club?  The Gallon a Day Club is a commitment to drink 128 US Gallons of Water every day for 4 weeks (28 days).  Today is my day 1.

gallonwaterDid you know that a gallon of water weighs 8.34 Pounds?  Right now you are probably thinking the same thing I am: WTF??? I am trying to lose the pudge, not add to it!  Patience young Jedi 😉 there is supposedly a method to this madness.

  • Drinking a gallon of water a day leaves less room for food, or idle snacking during the day, which prevents overeating.  Hmmm
  • Skin becomes smoother, more supple, glowing.  Less acne, fewer wrinkles, less dullness?  Sign me up!
  • Water helps you flush more of the toxins that tend to build up in your body.  128 ounces in will push themselves, and some more to boot, out in your many trips to pee.  In addition, being well hydrated makes constipation a memory and helps push out more poop too!
  • Cold Water Burns Calories.  Your body has to work harder (i.e. warm up/use calories) when you are drinking 128 ounces of ice cold water.
  • Metabolic rate increases about 30% after drinking 2 cups of water.  Boost your metabolism+burn more calories=lose more weight.
  • Drinking more water means fewer headaches since headaches can be triggered by dehydration.
  • Proper hydration: gets rid of puffiness and dark eye circles, helps you wake with more energy, and reduces acne flare ups.
  • All of this has been said to remove up to 10 years from your face!  I’ll take that.

Day 1 photos have been taken and fingers are crossed that day 28 photos reveal all of these good things plus the loss of a few pounds, some puffiness and the return of the angles in my face!  Hmmm indeed.

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Rare Treat: paid iPhone apps for FREE

On By ls1228In Extreme Blonde Moments, SafetyLeave a comment

I’m always on the lookout for technology I can run from my iPhone or iPad that will make my life easier, safer or more fun.  The apps listed below will help me free up space on my devices, help me find my way to safety if I’m lost without a signal or in an area unmapped by traditional navigation apps, capture an entire website in one screen shot, and will help me get back into 5K form in just 7 weeks.  The bonus is that, for a limited time, the apps are Free!  Hmmm

Free Up Space – Normally $4.99   It recovers wasted space on your iOS device by:

  1. Finding duplicate photos: If you take a lot of photos/selfies you should use this feature often. This helps you find duplicate photos of all levels ranging from least similar to exact duplicates.
  2. Resizing Photos: You can save a lot of space by resizing large photos. Quality is maintained while reducing the size.
  3. Compress Photos & Videos: You can save storage space by compressing large photos & videos. Once you’ve compressed them, you can easily share them with your friends via attachments, messaging apps etc.

SwiParty – Normally $1.99

  1. Easy-to-use music map.  Swipe to stream your personal party playlist!
  2. SwiWorkout classifies and recommends workout music for you.
    Fast tempo on the right, slow ones on the left; New on top, old on bottom.
    SwiWorkout gives you a playlist immediately!
    You can suggest/add workout music you love by contacting Swibeat directly: http://www.swibeat.com/Contact.p

Run 5K Pro – Normally $1.99   Train to run a 5K in 7 Weeks!

EASY TRAINING PLAN

  • 30 minutes a day, 3 times a week – and you’ll be able to run 5K in 7 weeks;
  • Effective training plan from professional coaches;
  • Use outdoors and on a treadmill;
  • Audio cues during all workouts to keep you focused;
  • GPS maps saved for each training session;
  • Apple Watch support.

NEVER GET BORED

  • Gradual increase of workout intensity for best result;
  • Inspirational quotes keep you motivated while running;
  • Motivational tips on running with each training session;
  • Listening and managing your favorite music from the app;
  • Sharing results with Facebook & Twitter friends.

MUSIC TIMED TO YOUR WORKOUT

  • Unlimited access to the best running music right from the app;
  • Music tempo adjusts to your workout rhythm – music plays faster as you run faster;
  • New mixes from talented DJs are available every day;
  • All genres – from Classical and Oldies to Rock, Hip-hop and R&B;
  • Convenient search and suggestions to find perfect mixes.

TRACK YOUR PROGRESS

  • Calorie counting;
  • Detailed statistics: pace, distance, time and other parameters;
  • Synchronization of your stats & logs with an upgrade from the free version;
  • Synchronization with Apple Health app;
  • Integration with Runkeeper, Fitbit, MapMyRun.

WebpageShot – Normally $4.99   

  • A simple tool to convert a webpage into an image.
  • It captures the whole web page not just what you see on the screen.
  • It also provides a screenshot extension for Safari on iOS 8.

iarrowiArrow – Normally $1.99   iArrow provides navigation where there are no roads. The app will lead you back to your car, campsite or hotel and help you reach the nearest settlement if you get lost. This app features a built-in database of 2,000,000 localities around the world and does not require internet or cellular connection.

Unlike navigation systems that show a blank map, iArrow instantly launches and very clearly indicates the direction and distance to the destination. The app consumes little energy and saves battery power.

Great for travelers, fishermen, hunters, extreme or off track athletes and anyone who works in remote locations. You can save the coordinates of key points along your route to your clipboard to share via SMS, Email, Twitter, Airdrop, etc..

APP FEATURES

  • User Guide
  • You do not need an Internet connection *
  • 2,000,000 settlements in the database
  • Built-in online map
  • Ability to search for objects by address
  • Automatic detection of the address of the current position
  • Indication of GPS accuracy
  • Determination of direction using magnetic compass
  • Determination of direction using GPS coordinates
  • Radar mode that displays Favorites, History and settlements
  • Displays full information about position, speed, altitude, etc.
  • Lock screen
  • Settings
  • Metric and Imperial Units
  • Low energy usage
  • Support for iOS8 and iPhone 5/5s/6/6+

WORKING WITH COORDINATES

  • Support for the latitude/longitude, UTM and MGRS coordinate formats
  • Support latitude and longitude as decimal degrees, degrees/minutes/seconds etc.
  • Easy input of coordinates – special keyboards for each format
  • Setting destination using azimuth and distance
  • Convert GPS coordinates between degrees formats, UTM and MGRS on the fly
  • Viewing coordinates on an online map
  • Sending and receiving coordinates via SMS
  • Import and export coordinates via SMS, Email, and Airdrop
  • Import and export list of coordinates
  • Import and export links to Google, Apple, Yandex, and OSM maps
  • Import coordinates from the clipboard
  • Automatic determination of format of imported coordinates
  • Easily add, delete, or edit coordinates
  • Automatically save the coordinates in History
  • Search in Favorites and History
  • Sorting Favorites/History by new and nearest points
  • List of nearby settlements

I am not anxious to need the iArrow app, but I am going to load it in the off chance I ever get lost and need to find my way out of the wilderness. You can find all of these in your App Store.

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Doesn’t Play Well With Others

On By ls1228In Extreme Blonde MomentsLeave a comment

doesntplaywellIt may come as a surprise to some people, but adding more supplements to your diet when you already take prescription medications may do more harm to your health than good.

Some combinations you should be particularly careful with:

  • Fish Oil:  The omega-3 fatty acids are heart healthy, but for some people, fish oil capsules can elevate the risk of excessive bleeding when combined with a common anti-coagulant, Warfarin, (A.K.A. Coumadin and Jantoven).  Warfarin is frequently prescribed to reduce the chances of heart attack and stroke.
  • Ginko Biloba:  With it’s reported ability to support memory and cognitive function by increasing blood flow in the brain, Ginko Biloba is a popular supplement.  But, as with Fish Oil, be careful when taking when you are prescribed Warfarin.  This supplement also increases your chance of internal bleeding if you are on the popular blood thinner.
  • St. John’s Wort:  This herbal supplement is intended to help those with mild depression, but it is not intended to be taken if you are already on a prescription anti-depressant like Prozac, Zoloft and Paxil.  If you mix the herbal supplement with any of these drugs, you are at risk for a dangerous condition called serotonin syndrome. Serotonin syndrome can cause diarrhea and shivering in its milder forms, but it can escalate to mental confusion, fever and seizures and can even prove fatal.
  • Vitamin D Supplements:  taking water pills), drugs that include hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), chlorothiazide, chlorthalidone, indapamide and metolazone, used to treat hypertension and edema; combining them with vitamin D supplements can lead to high calcium levels and possible kidney stones, weak bones and cognitive problems.
  • Ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil) or Naproxen (Aleve) can have some scary consequences if you are on a prescription antidepressant.  A Korean study published in July 2015 found that combining them and any class of antidepressant can increase your risk of intracranial hemorrhage (bleeding inside the skull). In some people, this type of bleeding can lead to permanent brain damage and death.
  • If you take any type of prescription nitrate for a heart issue, be aware of potential risk of natural erectile dysfunction supplements which often contain ginseng, L-arginine, tribulus, yohimbine and even horny goat weed.  One study found that more than 80 percent carry traces of phosphodiesterase-5-inhibitors (PDE5Is), the active ingredient in drugs like Viagra and Cialis, which commercials say can cause a potentially fatal drop in blood pressure.
  • Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) can react negatively with blood pressure mediations, with blood thinners or daily aspirin intake, and can cause your blood sugar to drop too low.
  • Niacin (B3) can cause a spike in blood sugar, so be careful if you’re diabetic, and can cause liver damage if you are taking cholesterol lowering medications.

As with anything you take while under a doctor’s care, it’s worth at least a phone call to make sure you aren’t adding anything to your daily routine that can cause harm to your health.  Hmmm

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