Independence Day

Happy Independence Day.

Its over now, but in a way, it’s just beginning. I broke up with my boyfriend mentally and am just waiting on the physical meeting to confirm it… I cant really pinpoint a time Ive felt so disrespected by just a minor incident. Well I guess these are multiple minor incidents. I’m really just over the whole “putting my all into an empty vessel.”

What tha fuck kinda gratitude is texting bitches behind my back?  When we first went on break (which I declared in august of 2010), I made it clear that I was NOT coming back on a bf/gf-title level until he had 2 of the 3: Job, Car, School. Those arent horrible things to ask of someone you are dating. Definately not much to ask of someone you love.

So the first 6 months of our break seemed to prove its use. I focused on me more, I gave less of a fuck about him and his whereabouts, and I got a good chunk of my peace of mind back. Somewhere in that break and in his cryin on the phone about how much he missed me, I fell back into the scheme of things. That’s probably on me.

But regardless of how great we were doing, how secure everything felt, how much “better” we were doing, there was no going back on my 2 out of 3 rule. I wanted to stay true to that. And at one point when I decided that it didnt matter since we were actin back like bf n gf, he tells me that he wouldnt even not want to live up to that…It was a necessary standard/boundary put in place for a reason, and he wanted to “make me proud’. Riiight.

Well im proud right now, but its not of his ass. Im proud of me. You textin bitches good morning messages and shyt like “i love to make you smile. nothin much more I’d rather see…” Is that so, nigga?

Well lets see if there’s anything else you love to see that you won’t be seeing anymore… I hope it was worth it. No really, at least LIKE these hoes. Go on dates! Build something. U sacrificed me for it so at least get more than ass out tha deal (unless ya standards stop at ass, then by all means, no longer my concern…)

Unless u tryna come back, in which case, a SMART nigga would try to improve on himself and come CORRECT….but why do I even want you to want that? My b. Do you, pimp.

And as much as I love him and feel like bein wit tha same person for 5 years should not necessarily be ended over small issues, DISRESPECT can not be tolerated. It is not somethin I consider to be minor.

What’s the point of respecting me if you disrespect me behind my back? At least have some balls about it. I honestly feel like he’s lucky I even wanna keep contact with him…guess thats to be determined, anyway.

Everyone seems like love is failing on them… Like the obstacles are overpowering the purpose. I didnt even know my obstacles were there…. Apparently they are tho. And they send pix. Ugly ones. In dirty bathroom mirrors and dimly lit bedrooms.

I don’t wanna cry about this anymore. Once was enough. And a couple tears here and there of course.

And if a pity party will be hosted in the near future, I wont be attending. I’m good, really. It hurts and of course the days go defiantly slow when you want them to just move the hell on to the day where waking up doesnt feel like theres an empty hole in your stomach…. Soon enough tho.

Maybe someone out there is getting over an empty hole in his stomach so he can be better for the next person, who may happen to be me. I’ve always been realistic. I’ve always believed in love. And ironically, those ideologies conflict.

“The only thing constant in life is change.”

Well, u bring on the constant. I’ll bring the change.

Globalization: Good or Bad for Your Health?

According to Dictionary.com, Globalization is “worldwide integration and development” (Dictionary.com). Because of this concept, the world is able to share ideas and products throughout the world. As great as this may be, this can also be a negative thing when you are trying to lose weight. For example, you have been working hard for the last six months to eat healthy, exercise daily, and change your mental habits in order to gain a healthier lifestyle. You decide to take a trip to celebrate your hard work and accomplishments. Where should you go? London? Japan? How about Australia? Ahhhhh yes, the down under! (In my best Australian accent). Great choice.

You pack, lie to your job about a death in the family, and book your flight. One long plane ride and two bags of peanuts later, you arrive in Australia. You did not eat the in-plane meal and you are starving! Then you look on the map of restaurants to eat and what do you see? There is a McDonalds 10 miles from the airport. This is possible because of globalization. Your temptation can follow you thousands of miles thanks to globalization. Getting away does not necessarily mean you can escape the problems, therefore you have to develop a strong mentality to conquer the problems that may arise anywhere.

Various McDonald’s Throughout Australia

Globalization can also be a great concept that can be to your benefit when losing weight. Dictionary.com defines yoga as, “any of the methods or disciplines prescribed, especially a series of postures and breathing exercises practiced to achieve control of the body and mind, tranquility, etc.”(Dictionary.com). Yoga is a practice that derives from India. Yoga is a great exercise that can help you to develop a strong mentality and focus on your centering your energy. Bhole Prabhu says, “…yoga, with its powerful techniques for creating a sense of inner peace, harmony, and clarity of mind, is absolutely relevant to the modern world–both East and West” (http://www.swamij.com/yoga-meaning.htm).

Various Yoga Positions

 http://photopostcards.blogspot.com/2008/02/yoga-in-india.html

International communication is beneficial when trying to lose weight and get a new mentality on living healthy. No matter what country you live in, you can still learn different practices that are done by people in different parts of the world. In addition, technology makes globalization easier and more efficient to learn new tips and tools to reaching your goal. Not only can globalization help cultures to trade secrets to getting healthy, but it also is beneficial when travelling. People can experience first hand  different areas of the world and experience a various types of  foods and exercises that may not be available to their living environment.

McDonald’s in Lithuania

This link has pictures of various McDonald’s around the world, so feel free to click if you’d like to see how globalization even affects the construction of the buildings versus American McDonald’s:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=112844&page=15

                                                                                                  McDonald’s in Russia

McDonald’s has different menus based on the area in which the McDonald’s is located. Let’s get back to focusing on your trip to Australia and that appetite that you just have to satisfy! McDonald’s is a familiar restaurant so you decide to go there and order something off the menu. Just because you are on vacation does not mean you should give your healthy eating habits a vacation. However, McDonald’s and many other restaurants tend to tailor the menu according to the location of the restaurant. McDonald’s is an American establishment, but drawing in customers in foreign countries requires a bit of a change to the foods that are available. In Australia,  you may find yourself a little confused by some items on the menu that are not located on an American McDonald’s menu. Let’s focus on their breakfast menu since that has the most difference in the American breakfast Mcdonald’s menu.

An Australia breakfast delicacy off of a McDonald’s menu is the “Bakehouse Brekkie Roll,” which is a sandwich on sourdough bread that has two rashes of bacon, a freshly cracked egg, a slice of cheese, and a golden potato “rosti”, which I believe to be a mini hash brown.

Another breakfast item is the “Boston Deli Bagel”. This sandwich is composed of: a lightly toasted bagel, a fresh tomato slice, rasher bacon, a fresh cracked egg, and seasoned avocado.

Even though you do not have the option of ordering these foods in America, this would be the perfect time to try something new and fairly healthy to satisfy your hunger for a healthy breakfast food. Do you know what makes this experience possible? You guessed it, GLOBALIZATION!!! As long as you continue to use the tools that you have learned to build a strong mentality and will to be healthy, your journey to a healthy life does not have to end beyond the borders of your home. Use globalization to your advantage. Learn new exercises from different places and try different foods that you would not typically try. As long as you keep your goal sin mind, globalization can only be an asset to your health!! 🙂

http://mcdonalds.com.au/our-food/menu/#/breakfast

http://www.swamij.com/yoga-meaning.htm

Gigabytes=Micro Bites: Technology and Getting Healthy

Do you think losing weight and living healthy is hard? I know it is. However, there is always a silver lining. Just imagine trying to do it 100 years ago, without the assistance that is available today. Living in the year 2012 may provide you with one of the best advantages to losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle: Technology! Not just any type of technology, but advance technology that is becoming more advanced with every passing day.

                                                                                                                                                          

Eating healthy is almost not as big of a problem, thanks to the advances in technology.Getting healthy (Gigabytes) is also a lot easier because of technology (Megabytes), especially in regards to eating.  All of the resources available for tracking the amount of calories and researching the foods that you consume are also perks that technology presents. However, technology provides more avenues for getting healthy besides addressing your eating habits.

While you may already be aware of this, there are venues that can be accessed through technology that can be key components in your success at healthy living. Obviously, there are blogs that can serve as a way to track your progress, relate to others on a similar journey, or just serve as educational tools. In addition to online journals, there are websites that are dedicated solely to healthy living, including those websites that are based on books, movies, and magazines about how to live healthy. 

Weight loss programs, such as Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, and NutriSystem have become more technology oriented in order to help those busy customers who would benefit from online applications to track their progress. Many programs have also been adapted as application on cellular phones, which makes tracking progress only one data-plan subscription away. Smart phones allow people to create photo albums, video logs, and voice notes about any issues that the user desires. This media can then be transported onto a computer, if needed.

Technology does not have to be limited to websites and internet use. Technology also encompasses CDs, DVDs, and other visual aids that are commonly used to help people succeed at losing weight and learning new things. While attending a Georgia Southern Program, a hypnotists sold his CDs in which he was hypnotizing people to gain a sense of motivation and determination to lose wait. The CD was approximately 20 minutes long. The speaker would tell the listener to close their eyes and envision themselves in different scenarios. The power of mental manipulation while the listener was asleep was apparently supposed to be good enough to cause someone to get up and go to the gym. Thanks to technology, motivation and willpower do not even have to be authentic!

                        

Television is also a method of how technology influences the lives we lead. Commercials and infomercials plague the downtown in which we are watching our favorite shows, especially late at night. I guess television programmers think the only people up late at night (after 12AM) are fat people who fail to get the right amount of sleep and MUST be up eating something. The commercials advertise different products, ranging from exercise tapes all the way to “As Seen on TV” products, like the ShakeWeight and Ab Rocket.

However, while technology makes our lives easier on our weight loss journey, it can also be a hindrance. Technology has surely affected our generation. As a result, there is a higher percentage of obese, lazy youth, as well as adults. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “During the past 20 years, there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States and rates remain high”(http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html). The creation of video gaming systems and a multitude of television shows only increases the inactivity in our country.

      The amount of gaming systems grows every year with each new system that is introduced. Even the use of smart phones could contribute to inactivity due to the amount of technological features, including games, music, videos, and the texting capabilities. Other elements that are accessible through the television can aid in inactivity, such as Netlix and cable companies with unlimited programming (once you pay for it). The concerns associated with inactivity include an awareness that health related issues can arise. In order to living a long life, you must remain as healthy as possible. Technology, while an asset to our society as whole, can be detrimental if there is not at least some effort put forth to become active.

On a more positive note, game systems have noticed the negativity associated with playing video games and have become active participants in the war on obesity. They have developed gaming systems that require the user to get involved physically. This is possible thanks to the advancement in gaming systems that have figured out a way to include sensors to pick up on human motions in real time. Some popular examples are the Wii and the Xbox Kinect. The games are still advancing and growing to include various sports, including volleyball, tennis and soccer. Some systems have even created dancing games to serve as a type of cardio, like Dance Dance Revolution and Just Dance.

These companies are smart for developing programs that incorporate activity beyond just using your thumbs. They also make the games accessible for every age, from young kids to active grown ups. Technology can be both positive and negative, depending on how users choose to utilize these advancements. Overall, advancements in technology have become a high point in the easiness to getting healthy and gaining the longevity that will allow you to continue to partake in the wonderfulness that is technology. 🙂

HAPPY HANGERS :) = SAD HANGERS!! :(

It’s a beautiful day outside! You realize you can pull out your skinny jeans and blouse that are so conveniently hanging in your closet, ready for your picking. However, when you go to pick through your clothes, you notice that all your wire hangers with your jeans on it are smiling at you, like so—>  😀  or if you need a better example, I drew one for you below.

That’s right, smiling. Your wire hangers have lost their “hanger shape” and are now bending in the middle, forming a shame that is similar to a wide, happy SMILE. Ironically, this smile should not make you happy. If your hangers had feelings, they would be trying to convey that they are SO sad because they have to support the massive amount of weight of caused from your CLOTHES. The bigger you are, the more material is needed to make your clothes, and therefore, the more smiles your wire hangers will produce!!

Of course, the quick fix to this is to just stop using wire hangers or to limit the amount of clothes per one hanger. HOWEVER, I know you are not looking for the easy, quick way out. The harder, better way would be to focus on the areas that cause you to need more fabric. So, what kind of clothes are making your hangers smile? In this case, we will assume it is you jeans and pants that are causing the issue, so our focus today will be LEG EXERCISES.

~Frog squats~ 

*even though they are called FROG squats, you do NOT squat ALL the way down like a frog.

Irony again, I know.*

1) First, stand with your feet shoulder length apart.

Tip: If you stand with your legs too close, you will not be able to squat adequately. If your legs are too far apart, you may injure your groin muscles or other muscles that are not intended to be worked with this exercise.

2) Place your hands together in a praying position, with both palms touching each other.

Tip: This helps you focus on centering your energy and concentrating on still maintaining a solid core, which will help you as the exercise becomes more complicated.

3) Keeping your back straight, bend your legs at the knees in the squat, but do not let your knees pass your ankle.

Tip: Doing so could make you lose your balance and cause injury, not to mention cause strain on the ankles and calves.

4) While you are raising up from squatting position, you will hop forward instead of standing straight up.When you are hopping, you will be in the air for no longer than two seconds (unless you’re a great jumper!). Be sure to keep your hands centered with your chest, palms still touching.

Tip: The amount of time you hop is entirely on you, however, for maximum results, the recommended amount of hops will be about three big hops.

5) Once you have hopped forward three times (or the amount that you choose), you will do the same exercise BACKWARDS, so that you end up in the same general area that you started.

Tip: Do not do this exercise in a cluttered area. Remove objects that can be tripped on or cause you to run into them. You should not need to look backwards to hop, but if you feel the need, be sure to stay focused on your form and the bend of the squat.

6) Repeat this exercise in reps in an amount that you feel is really working your thighs, calves and glutes.

WARNING: THIS EXERCISE WILL BURN IF YOU ARE DOING IT RIGHT, BUT DO NOT GIVE UP! PUSH IT OUT AS LONG AS YOU CAN.

Tip: BREATHE, BREATHE, BREATHE!!! I can not stressing breathing enough. The easiest way would be to inhale before going into squat position, then exhaling as you are entering squat positions.

These frog squats target the hips,  thighs, butt, and calves so that you will develop firm muscles, in addition to getting cardio from the constant back-and-forth motion. Your arms may also burn from holding them in the praying position during your exercise, but this is not your main focus and therefore, should not alarm you if you do not feel the burn.

Your hangers will not only thank you for it, but they will no longer smile at you in such a mocking manner as you begin to shed those pesty extra pounds (and fabric!)

Good luck!

….Oh, and happy hanging! 🙂

(No wonder the mom from the movie Mommie Dearest was so angry! YIKES!)

LafFIToff: Humor and Health Blog Idea

My idea for a blog was to write about weight loss using humor as a means of motivation or for pure entertainment about reasons why losing weight is now a priority on my list of goals.  I titled my domain name “LafFIToff” because it is a pun on laugh and laughing off the pounds and becoming fit. The blogs that I found all dealt with different spectrums of weight loss. Some blogs were weight loss journals that tracked the progress of the writer. Others had tips on losing weight, working out, body building, etc.  There was also a significant amount of blogs that dealt with the emotional side of working out, which included personal stories in relation to weight and factors that are encouraging their personal weight loss goals.

I did not see any blogs that emphasized humor in their blogs as the central idea. Some were written in quirky ways, but the subject matter was not really one of a “laugh at me” frame like I have in mind for my own blog. With my blog, I want to provide the reader with a sense of urgency by pointing out factors that I observe to be the humorous side of losing weight. The motivations, while attempting to be humorous, would set the basis for why I feel losing weight is important. I may tried to incorporate some health/exercise or food tips so that my blog can become more technical writing than just entertainment.  The blogs I found about weight loss could be categorized as follows:

Weight loss Journals

1. http://lasttimeweightloss.wordpress.com/2012/01/30/1-month-in/
2. http://fittofatandbackagain.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/22-days-ago/#comments
3. http://fbgmcoaches.com/2012/01/29/mrcharm-srs-24-day-challenge/
4. http://3dhealthforlife.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/juice-fast-diary-day-17/
5. http://thefatquotient.com/2012/01/29/day-18-early-to-bed-early-to-rise/
6. http://bodyrockmylife.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/day-040-perfect-little-punching-bag/

 

 

Emotional Blogs

1. http://debbyweighsin.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/different-but-the-same/
2. http://towardshealthylife.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/tiny-victory/
3. http://paradoxnutrition.wordpress.com/2012/01/30/life-personal-post/
4. http://weightlossandcorinne.com/2012/01/29/cant-make-you-love-me/

 

 

Motivational Blogs

1. http://christinaville.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/finding-inspiration/
2. http://kuhmeelyun.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/day-13-must-get-motivated/
3. http://xtramilefitness.wordpress.com/2012/01/30/one-of-five-things-you-must-know-to-lose-body-fat/
4. http://loseandwin.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/editing-the-weight/
5. http://skinnybritches.net/2012/01/29/slacker/
6. http://kayceemcg.wordpress.com/2012/01/30/whered-the-groove-go/

Weight Loss Challenges

1. cofaffg.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/challenge-yourself/
2. http://bestfriendsfightfat.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/sit-up-challenge/

 

Body Image Blogs

1. http://thingirlsrus.wordpress.com/2012/01/30/holy-moly-nothing-fits/
2. http://laymansstrength.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/bodybuilding-com-100k-transformation-week-3-update/