Snacking Ettiquette

NOTE: You might have read earlier about my recent commitment to a healthy food and fitness routine, and I'm currently no longer on a strict diet or exercise plan. I'm eating what I like, but considering the costs of each thing I eat (i.e. a lot of grapes versus one piece of chocolate).

Every sandwich deserves something crunchy on the side. It's pretty much a rule.

Tonight, we picked up a sub from Wegman's and ate it at home, saving money by pouring our own drinks and eating from the large bag of chips we have in the pantry. I pulled out about ten chips to go with my sub sandwich.

As I ate, I balanced the ratio of sandwich to chip. And when I finished my sandwich, I had three leftover chips on my plate. And what a moment I found myself in. What should I do? What do you do? What are you supposed to do?

1. Eat the three chips even though you aren't that hungry
2. Toss them in the trash with your napkin and onions that fell out of the sandwich
3. Put them back into the bag of chips

I was almost embarrassed that I did the last of the options. I found myself not hungry and aware that those three chips had about 50-75 calories. I found myself thinking that I shouldn't eat them - especially because I wanted to split some Twizzlers with Bryan. I found myself thinking I'll just throw them away. And then I worried that at some point in the future, I would go to get chips for my sandwich and wish that there were just a few more. So I put them back.

I can't decide if this makes me thoughtful or just plain crazy.

Stand by Me?

Reading my blogs this morning, I read this from The Frisky:

A study in the medical journal Cancer found that a man is seven times more likely to leave his partner if she is seriously ill than if the tables are turned. This might be due to women’s conditioning to be caretakers of their loved ones. Times of London — Insert tasteless John Edwards joke here.

Pretty disappointing to hear.

I love Google.

This is the new theme of my email. I love it. The Google Labs released four new themes and they talk about them here in the Gmail blog. Another reason I'm still in love.

What the Tech?!

This video is awesome. It clearly and awesomely shows how information and technology has progressed. Some awesome facts: The US Department of Labor estimates that today's learner will have 10-14 jobs by the age of 38. AND There are 31 billion searches a month on Google. In 2006, that number was 2.7 billion.



It was created by my friend, designer and hilarious improviser Jeff Brenman. Who is just as awesome as this video.

Lady Movies

This new movie Amelia about pilot Amelia Earhart that will be released October is advertised as a woman-feel-good movie. Some people are already motivated by this movie. I am excited because I love movies about women: Amelie, Alice in Wonderland, Wizard of Oz, V for Vendetta, All About Eve, Little Women and Erin Brockovich. I'm hoping this one is as good as people say that it will be, and that I can add Amelia to my list of great lady movies.

Amelia said (I hope it's in the movie):
Women must try to do things as men have tried. When they fail, their failure must be but a challenge to others.

We're all individuals. Just because a man can't do something, doesn't mean a woman can't. If a woman fails, everyone (men and women) should keep trying until we find success. We're a community of individuals, of men and women, and we're all capable of incredible feats. So do it.

Wedded Bliss

There is nothing more admirable than two people seeing eye-to-eye keeping house as man and wife, confounding their enemies, and delighting their friends.

Homer, 9th century BC

I couldn't have said it better myself. I love the classics.

Falling for Fall

Fall is here in Philadelphia. The leaves are changing, and the tree right outside our home has lost the majority of its leaves. When I drive home from work, red and orange leaves fall onto my windshield like rain - like beautiful, not annoying rain. Anytime I leave the house, I have to grab a jacket because the air is crisp. At night, my toes would freeze off unless I wear fuzzy socks. And hot chocolate has never tasted so good.

Fall has always been my favorite season. In Florida, fall is the time when you wear jeans, short sleeves and flip flops; it's the celebration of the end of summer. In the Carolinas, it was cooler, and it was the time to break out your sweatshirts and rock some lace up kicks. Now, I'm learning that Philly's fall is the same as Florida's winter. I don't know what winter will bring, and to be honest, I'm quite scared that I'll hate it. For now, I'll just enjoy the fall. I'll sip my hot chocolate, pull on soft socks and just live in my jacket. Because that's what you do when the weather of fall is stuck in 50 degree weather.

It's Not Easy Eating Greens

Recently, I completed a 30 Day Fitness & Diet Challenge out of Biggest Loser coach and fitness extraodinaire Jillian Michaels' newest book Making the Cut. It should be called Jillian Kicks Your Ass and You Hate Her and then You Tone Up and then You Love Her. Because that's what happens.

Before my 30 days, I talked to my doctor and did a month of my own workouts to prepare my body. I took her test - and passed. Then, I set aside the month of September to do it. There were days I left the gym feeling so week. My mouth watered on every commercial for cookies, Outback steakhouse, yogurt, Coke, hell, some tv shows even got me. Driving past Chickfila on my way to work was torture. There were mornings when I hated every bite of my Kashi Go Lean (no crunch) cereal. There were days I cried on the arc trainer because I just felt like I couldn't do it.

And then came the good days. At my first weigh in, I'd dropped four pounds and lost an inch. At my second weigh in, I another pound less and another inch skinnier. At the final 30 day mark, I'd lost six pounds, three and a half inches from my waist and 4% of my body fat. And I looked fit! I felt fit. I was stronger. I was better.

This month, I'm off the challenge. I've had two Dr. Peppers, one CFA sandwich, a piece of chocolate, a cheeseburger and pasta. None of them as delicious as I remembered. I'm still working out hard - with a new workout thanks to my trainer AJ and eating right with lots of protein, healthy snacks and as many veggies as I want. Today, I'm nine pounds less than I was when I moved to Philadelphia, swimming in some of my pants and a hell of a lot happier with my body. Thankfully, Bryan was on board for the latest challenge. Together, we've shrunk our waists, grown our relationship and ignited a new lust for each other's bodies.

If you need a kick in the ass to get fit, this is THE book. I owe my health to Jillian Michaels.

ZOMBIES

Another one of my favorite parts of fall: zombies. October is prime time for movies about brain cravings. Thankfully, there's a new movie out which promises to be great.


A CNN article took time away from their less important worldly matters to talk about why zombies are so damn lovable:
According to experts -- and, yes, there are zombie experts -- it's because for all their limitations, the brain-rotted, animated corpses are so darned versatile -- helping reflect whatever our greatest fears happen to be at the time.

I think I'd have to agree. No matter the situation, zombies are terrifying. Indoors? They could get you. Outside? You better be running. In a car? Watch out. Hiding? You're stupid. You just can't get scarier than a zombie. It's terrifying: a has-been human reaching out with a literal death grip for your face, bleeding from other once-living human brain munchies.

Zombie prep enthusiast Max Brooks, author of the Zombie Survival Guide and World War Z (which is about to be a movie!) says, "You can't shoot the financial meltdown in the head -- you can do that with a zombie. All the other problems are too big. As much as Al Gore tries, you can't picture global warming. You can't picture the meltdown of our financial institutions. But you can picture a slouching zombie coming down the street."

Brooks also says (which I know my husband, despite his years of higher education, agrees with), "I'd say 90 percent are saying, 'We all know it's fake; we're playing along.' The other 10 percent are saying, 'We're ready!' And I'd say 10 percent of that 10 percent can't wait for it to happen."