Daily Archives: April 30, 2010

Riding the Elliptical

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Elliptical

The husband got me one last weekend as I am dead set on losing weight more than ever. I am averaging one hour on usual days, paced 25 minutes three times a day. Four days into using it, I cannot feel my legs anymore. Seriously! :) A friend told me pain is a good thing, it means it is working. Now to get through the pain so I can increase my time. Maybe next week. In the meantime, I’m due for a facial – time to get rid of blackheads!

The low impact nature of these machines greatly reduces stress on the joints of the lower body (ankles, knees, and hips).

Since it is a weight-bearing exercise, elliptical training promotes cell growth in the bones of the lower body and spine thus helping ward off the debilitating effects of osteoporosis. This is a distinct advantage that elliptical trainers have over other exercise devices that are not weight-bearing such as rowing machines and stationary bikes.

The other great advantage that elliptical trainers have over other exercise machines is that most models work the muscles of both the upper and lower body. This results in a cardiovascular efficiency that produces an equivalent training effect as other forms of exercise, but over a shorter period of time.

Chicken Curry

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All my calorie counting flew out the window today because of this yummy dish:

Chicken Curry

One serving of this delicious meal is a whopping 614 calories!!! Look at the oil, which is the main culprit why it is so delicious in the first place! Good thing I do not have oily skin, I’d need a natural acne cleanser for this!

Ingredients :

  • 2-3 tbsp. oil
  • 3 potatoes, peeled, quartered and fried
  • 1 lb. chicken, cut into serving pieces
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large onion, quartered
  • 1 tbsp. patis (fish sauce)
  • 3 tbsp. curry powder
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into big squares
  • 1 green bell pepper, cut into big squares
  • 3 celery stalks, cut into 1-1/2” long
  • 1 cup coconut milk or evaporated milk

Cooking Procedures :

  1. Pan fry potatoes. Set aside.
  2. In the same pan, fry chicken pieces and brown a little.
  3. Add garlic and onion. Sauté for a few minutes until soft.
  4. Pour in patis and season with curry powder, salt and pepper. Stir for 2 minutes.
  5. Add water. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat; add celery, bell peppers and fried potatoes. Simmer for 3 minutes or until half done.
  6. Add milk and stir occasionally. Cook for another 7 minutes (or lesser when using evaporated milk because the liquids will curled).
  7. Remove from heat. Serve hot.

Vanity is a Good Thing

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Self-love is essential.

I saw this post from a friend and that made me realize a little vanity (or self-love) would not hurt. It means you love yourself to take care of yourself FIRST. Make time for your needs FIRST so you can take care of other better. This is something I have realized in the last few weeks. It is easier said than done, because as a mother, there is a tendency to stop thinking about one’s self. Your heart is outside your body, it’s with your kids. But you need to have your individuality intact. You still need to grow, so your kids can look up to you better.

I am thinking of attending a cosmetology school in Tennessee when the kids are older. I have always loved dressing up and prettifying myself before, it would not hurt if I start now, ten years late :)

Planning a Family

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Planning a family, or when babies will come into a marriage, is an important matter. While getting married is a serious decision that needs a lot of thinking and soul-searching, with a lot of self-maturity, planning a family involves two individuals taking more responsibility by bringing children into this world. That is why many couple forego having kids until they can really say they are ready and willing to sacrifice everything for their kids. Mothers are usually left with the big decision to leave their careers and stay at home to take care of the baby, as baby sitters and day care cost a lot.

Families today have so many personal differences and intricacies that they are complicated as a custom house plan. And it should be noted that no two families are the same, no matter how strong their similarities are.  There are so many things to take into account when deciding if you want a family and how large of a family you can support. The cost of a child is amazingly high during this time in history. It is quite ironic that there are couples who badly want and are capable of having kids but cannot have one. Couple go to fertility doctors, husbands try levitra, they risk and invest in intrauterine pregnancies but are unlucky. Yet there are couples, as young as teenagers still in high school, having babies left and right, and they consider abortion. It breaks my heart to hear stories like that. While I believe that family planning should be pro-choice, I feel strongly against taking one’s life. One should accept the consequences of one’s actions, and even if there would be complications, I am sure there is still more options than to terminate a life that is innocent in the first place. Adoption is one thing.