Live Healthy

I found a brilliant article in the Huffington Post written by Mark Hyman called The Last Diet You Will Ever Need. Read it! If you don't have time, here's a compilation of some astounding statements from it: 

a French fry has more than 20 ingredients and almost all of them are not potato

the average teenager consume 34 teaspoons of sugar a day

modern cookies last on the shelf for years

 industrial processing. addictive, fattening, metabolism-jamming chemicals. metabolism is blocked and weight gain and Type 2 diabetes ensue

choose real, whole, fresh, live foods.

effortless weight loss, reversal of high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, clearing of brain fog, lifting of depression and fatigue and even better skin, hair and nails.

In short, the article discusses the fact that no one can be healthy or lose weight if their diet consists mainly of processed, chemically altered foods. There's no need for diet and weight loss programs if you stick to natural foods that we were intended to eat...foods that aren't full of MSG and other chemicals that our bodies reject. 


I think Mark Hyman hit it read on the head. I have tried a million and one diets and nothing ever works (unless it's temporary.) In the past six months, I have really cleaned up my diet... and it all revolves around natural foods. I have lost weight, kept it off, and I feel much more energetic and healthy. :)


For those of you who are intrigued and want to read all of the horrifying and enlightening facts in the article, Click here!
 

 

LIVE HEALTHY! <3 

 

Hyman, Mark. "The Last Diet You Will Ever Need." Huffington Post 3 June 2012. Web. 7 June 2012. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/food-industry_b_1559920.html?ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false>. 

Birthday Boy

This little guy turned 1 year old today. 

The tiny puppy is all grown up! And in only one and half short weeks, my mom will have to turn him in to Paws with a Cause to complete his training at "college".  It was a sad experience when my mom turned in her first Paws dog, Fisher, but this is a much bigger deal for me. Fisher was a great dog, but I didn't know him as well. I lived on my own, and only saw Fisher during visits home.

Hogan is a different story. He's a part of my household... a crazy, psychotic, and annoying part of my household. He thinks he's a lap dog. He pushes Riley around. He barks and barks and barks when he wants to play. Just yesterday my mom spent a half an hour taping together an instruction sheet that he ripped apart.

But he never fails to come running for an "ice cookie" every time he hears anyone get a glass out of the cupboard. He chases his tail round and round and never seems to get sick of it. He brings your shoe to you and looks at you with adorable guilty eyes because he knows he shouldn't have it. He nudges your arm and puts his paw on you when you're reading because he simply wants to be close to you. He lays his head in your lap and cuddles up close whenever you're watching T.V.

He's the most crazy, energetic, loving, and adorable dog I've ever met and I'm going to miss him so much.

“Such short little lives our pets have to spend with us, and they spend most of it waiting for us to come home each day. It is amazing how much love and laughter they bring into our lives and even how much closer we become with each other because of them.”
― John Grogan, Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog 

**Photo credit and puppy-raiser credit to my mom, Kristy Roeser

I'm back (again.)

I'm back by popular demand!

I haven't written a post since Christmas break. Despicable. After having the flu and being busy at work, I kind of let this hobby slip away. But all I needed was a little inspiration from my own blog to get me started again. After two requests to keep writing, I visited my little corner of the web and realized how much I missed it.

I clearly need to update the Christmas theme I have going on here... but in the mean time I'm here to tell you that I'm back and you can expect more posts to come :)

Good Grief.

So... I got a new car a few months ago, and I've been trying to sell my Jetta ever since. The car ran perfectly when I had it...I loved it. But suddenly, all of these problems started coming up. Typical. I have put SO MUCH money into it in the past few months...new starter, spark plugs, coils, rims, etc...  and my selling price keeps going down and down and down. I'm starting to think it's costing me way more trouble than it's worth...especially after what happened today...

I had two people coming to look at it today at 10 and 11. At 9, I went to put some gas in it and get a car wash. Two men greeted me and wanted to inspect my windshield, look at my tires, blah blah blah. I wasn't in the mood to buy anything. While I was in the car wash, I noticed that my heat wasn't on. Then, as I was under the dryers, the battery light started flashing. OH. GREAT. IT'S. DEAD. I was so worried! I kept thinking that if my car is dead, it won't move...so the car behind me will smash into it! Luckily, it rolled a little and got out of the way. I tried starting it again and again, but it was dead. Completely. I reached into my pocket to grab my phone and realized I had left it at home. The one time I actually need it for something important, I don't have it.

I grabbed my purse, locked the doors and speed-walked back over to the guys who tried to lure me into spending even more money on my car. "Do one of you have a phone I could borrow? My car died and I left my phone at home." I called my dad, and one of the guys offered to look at my car. Then, he jumped it for me. I called my dad back and told him he didn't need to come. Thanks car wash guy!

I pulled out of the driveway and into the turn lane, waiting to get in the right lane to be on my merry way. But then...it died again. At this point I was still rolling, and hoping to be able to roll across the street and onto a side street...but of course, there was no break in the traffic. So I was stuck in the middle of Plainfield. I grabbed my purse and locked the doors again and ran across the street and into a tanning salon. I asked to use the phone, and then I told the girl behind the counter how frustrated I was. I was especially frustrated because I had to call both of my prospective buyers and tell them that the car was dead! Her cheery response was... "Do you want to tan while you wait?" ... ... ... really??? I decided to go stand near the street instead of wait in the salon.

A nice woman pulled up and asked "Is that your car in the middle of the street?" Why yes, yes it is. "Do you need some help? Why don't you go wait inside where it's warm?" With the annoying tanning girl? No thanks. "How long have you been out here? You'll get sick in this cold!" Appreciating her kindness and concern, I replied with, "Yes, that's my car. I'm fine waiting out here, and my dad will be here soon." My dad showed up seconds later. "See...he's right here. Thanks for stopping, though."

After deciding not to hook up the tow strap for fear of an oncoming car rear-ending mine and crushing my dad, and after I insisted we did not push it across two lanes of busy traffic, we jumped the car again. It started and ran just long enough to get it into a nearby parking lot, where it was picked up by a tow truck just a few minutes ago.

After those shenanigans, I needed some retail therapy...so I bought this Charlie Brown tree.
What a morning. Good grief.

Not-so-crafty Cookies

*It's the most bu-u-u-sy time of the year*
I am very much looking forward to my eleven day break from work!

The weekend was a nice little preview of what's to come. I got to see Brad, went out with friends, went to a work Christmas party, attended the candlelight Christmas service at church, decorated the tree, and spent a whole day baking cookies and wrapping presents.

It's funny though...I imagined the outcome of the cookie baking day to be platters of delicious and beautifully decorated cookies like I see on other blogs. Well...they sure are delicious, but faaaar from beautiful (as far as cookies go...) I don't think I'll ever be crafty. But that's ok! It was lots of fun making them with my mom and sister :)

Baked Chocolate Doughnuts

I crave sweets sometimes all of the time...hence the reason for my beat the treats post.Tonight, I had a tough decision to make....  mint, dark, or caramel Ghiradelli chocolate. But then, I had a brilliant idea! Why not roll up my sleeves and bake something instead? I visited (never home)maker's blog because I think her recipes always sound interesting and healthy, and I wanted to make something that I wouldn't feel that guilty eating.


I found a recipe for baked chocolate doughnuts. They are healthy(er) than regular doughnuts, and are very rich, moist, and delicious. The frosting is very sweet, but the actual doughnut is not, which gives it a nice balance and doesn't make your stomach feel like it's going to rot. I made mine as cupcakes because I don't have mini bunt cake pans.


Doughnut Recipe: 

• 1 cup rolled oats, processed into flour 
• 1/4 cup pecans (processed with oats) (Note: I used extra oats instead because I didn't have any pecans.)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup 
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• pinch salt
• 1/2 cup almond milk (Note: I used half percent milk because sadly I think I am allergic to almond milk) 
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Ener-G egg replacer (plus required water) for one egg (or egg/other substitute) (Note: I used one regular egg)

Preheat to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together. Put in greased mini bunt pans (5) or separate into greased muffin tins. Bake for 12-14 minutes.

Frosting Recipe: 

• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 to 2 tablespoons almond milk

Mix all ingredients together with a fork. 

To see (never home)maker's full recipe, blog, and photos of what the doughnut version looks like, click here. 

~ ENJOY ~

Secret Santa

About a month ago, I signed up to be part of the secret santa gift exchange on Reddit. For those of you who don't know, Reddit is an online community devoted to social news. Users can submit content in many different categories, choose what information they want to read about, participate in discussion, build a profile, etc. Brad loves this website and visits it daily. He participated in a Halloween gift exchange and encouraged me to sign up for the Christmas one. It's a HUGE exchange...like 80,000 people or something like that. I had a very hard time choosing a gift for my recipient, but I ended up buying an anime book because that's what he's interested in. I paired it with some chocolate and a nice card.

A week ago I got a message saying that my present was shipped to me! I spent the following few days wondering what it could be. I had to fill out an interest form when I signed up, but I was kind of vague. I listed: travel, photography, Italy, chocolate, the color purple, coffee, and dogs. I wondered how someone who has never met me and knows virtually nothing about me could pick out a gift for me...but my gift arrived on Friday and I LOVED it.

Taped to the front of the box was a card that not only wished me a happy holiday, but told me all about the sender, who's name is Jamie. When I opened the box, I was so surprised...she got me something relating to  each of my interests on the list: a dog calendar, a book about Italy, purple gloves, purple duct tape, two boxes of chocolate, a package of Stabucks coffee, a picture frame, and to top it all off...a picture that her daughter painted!

It just really touched me that someone would put so much time and thought into a present for someone that they don't even know. True holiday spirit :)  Thanks Jamie!

Beat the Treats!

Yesterday the first of the holiday treats arrived in my office, and I know there will be many more to come. Let's face it...food is a big part of the holiday season. Christmas cookies, truffles, peppermint mochas....... great, now I'm craving sweets :)

For those of us who consistently try to eat healthy and stay fit, but L.O.V.E. sweets, Christmas time is a huge deterrent. Who wants to give up the delicious holiday treats? Not me! But guess what, we can still enjoy treats without gaining weight. The main idea, is DO SOMETHING. Whether it's a full fledged cardio and weight lifting workout at they gym, pilates when you wake up, or the choice to drink a glass of red wine instead of a stout beer. Every change will contribute to your health!

Here's some ideas I have come up wtih improve/maintain your health during the season (and beyond!):

1. Workout videos - this time of year is very busy. I personally find it a struggle to get to the gym. Luckily, you can get just as good of a workout at home. Find a DVD that's sitting around, or find a video on youtube...anything that gets your heart rate up and your muscles hurting will work! I recently came across this website. Haven't tried it yet, but I plan to! http://www.bodyrock.tv/category/daily-workouts/all-workouts/

2. Fitness classes - If you do have time to go to the gym, but can't find the motivation, join a class! They're really fun and they mix up your routine. Also, there's a sense of accountability when you are working out with others on a weekly basis.

3. Less lattes and more coffee. I have been buying peppermint mocha flavored creamer for my coffee. It usually satisfies my latte cravings, and by avoiding them I'm cutting out a lot of calories and sugar.

5. Eat oatmeal or a fruit smoothie for breakfast (or put oatmeal IN your smoothie.) These foods are healthy and filling.

 From (never home)maker

6. Drink lots of water! Lately I have been horrible with drinking water, but it's very important! It flushes out toxins and keeps you full. If you struggle like I do, try adding some crystal light powder to it. Or, as my dad says, just chug it!

7. Keep your eye on the prize. Here's some motivation for you (and me):

 

More ideas and tips? Share them in the comments box :)

Angel Tree

I know I change my blog theme a lot... but it's December 1st... time to get in the Christmas spirit! There's no decorations in our house yet, but the lights are up outside and the Christmas music is on!

As you are doing your holiday shopping this month, consider adding another recipient to your list. As we go about our usual Christmas traditions, it is easily forgotten that there are families who can't afford to Christmas shop. They can't celebrate with presents, lights, trips to see the family, etc. While Christmas isn't about all of these extra luxuries, I think we all know how comforting they can be.

Help those in need experience a little extra joy this holiday season - donate time, money, or gifts to someone in need, and make a difference in their lives. One way to help, is to choose a tag from an Angel Tree.

Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, but over the years the holiday season has also become a time to give, love, and celebrate. Donating to a family in need is great way to spread God's love, share some compassion, and celebrate the season.

Angel Tree

*Edit: I just found this convenient website (from Hollie Takes Notes) where you can see angel tree lists online! Check it out! Angel Tree Online

San Francisco

Recently, I was lucky enough to be able to attend a conference in San Francisco. My friend and co-worker, Susan, and I, flew in the morning of the conference. Forgetting about the ridiculously steep hills that characterize SF, we decided to walk the few blocks to the hotel instead of taking a cable car. Bad idea - it took us forever to climb the hills in our heels, dragging our suitcases behind with the sun beating down on us. But we had quite the laugh! After a quick lunch at the hotel - I will never forget how good that grilled cheese tasted - we made it to the conference just a tiny bit late!

The couple days that followed were awesome. I learned a lot of new things that are applicable to higher education marketing and the office that we work in. (I won't bore you with the details.) On top of the learning experience, I was able to meet new people, spend a few nights in a very luxurious hotel, and explore Nob Hill.

After the conference on Friday, Susan and I took a crazy roller-coaster-of- a-cab-ride  to our other hotel. We spent the second part of the trip in Fisherman's Wharf (thanks to her Dad, who got us two free room nights!) We visited the famous Boudin Sourdough factory, had some delicious hot chocolate at Ghiradelli Square, toured Alcatraz, ate at a couple of seafood restaurants, had a night out on the town, and I even got to see my uncle Todd :)

If you ever make it to San Fran, I recommend eating at Alioto's in Fisherman's Wharf. Oh, and a salted caramel hot chocolate from Ghiradelli is a must!

 

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! 

In a Fisherman's Language

Sorry for the lack of posts...I've been in San Francisco! (Post to come.)

Last night I watched the news for a few minutes while working out. Among all of the depressing stories about crime, terrorists, and lack of heat in Michigan homes, a very inspirational story grabbed my attention.  A 98 year old man published a book! But that's not the exciting part... he became literate only two years before, at the ripe age of 96. What an amazing story...sure shows how dedication and courage to try something new can make a difference in your life! Imagine the sense of pride he must have felt when people asked him for book signatures :)

http://fishermanslanguage.com/

Recipes!

This weekend I made two meals that I found while browsing Pinterest. I am not much of a cook...I find cooking very tedious and time consuming. However, Pinterest has given me a lot of ideas, and I need to learn to cook eventually, so I started building a collection of recipes to try. 

Brad stayed at my parent's house with me this weekend while my parent's are in Africa (yes, Africa!) It was the perfect time to experiment with my new recipe collection. Cooking for someone else always makes it more enjoyable.

Roasted Tomato Sauce with Tortellini

Clearly, I'm not a very talented food photographer, but I started with this... 

And ended up with this... 

I was pretty proud of myself :)

You can find the recipe here. Don't let my bland, non-garnished photo fool you... it tasted amazing. I ended up mixing a little bit of jarred tomato sauce in with mine because the garlic really overpowered the tomatoes. I suspect this would be a better recipe to make in the summer, when tomatoes are more flavorful. Also, I would recommend using only one garlic bulb (I used two.)

Beer Bacon Pancakes

When I saw the title of these pancakes, I immediately knew I had to make these for Brad, even though he doesn't like pancakes very much. Just as I suspected... he liked them! I used Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and the flavor was delicious. Not only did these pancakes taste amazing, but they smelled like a fresh loaf of beer batter bread straight out of the oven.  To.  Die.  For. 

P.S. I'm proud to say that this was my first time making pancakes from scratch instead of from a box :) Success! I highly recommend trying these! Click here for the recipe.

Southern Charm

Those of you who know me well know that I love the south. Why? Hospitality. Charm. Scenery. Weather. Southern Accents. Whether it's a beach town on the east coast, or New Orleans during Mardi Gras, I love it all. Although I will probably never acquire a southern accent or learn to like clams, I hope to call myself a southerner someday....particularly a resident of North Carolina. Although it's a very random hobby, I love traveling to the south, reading about the south, and looking at photography from the south. So, I wanted to share some of my pictures with you. Maybe you can relate - or maybe this will inspire you to travel south someday!

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Before I went to NC, I was already in love with the lowcountry, (I read a lot of beach books :) and when I got there it far exceeded my expectations. Yes, it was a humid 90 degrees every day, and yes it stormed every day, and yes we found a cockroach in our condo...but I loved every minute of it. It was just like the books...beautiful, charming, laid-back and peaceful. It's full of charming towns, welcoming people, and gorgeous beaches. This is Atlantic Beach, NC...

Although Myrtle Beach was a little commercial, it was a lot of fun. I have to admit that my favorite part was sitting on the balcony every morning with a cup of coffee, a book, and a beautiful sunrise! We also made it to Charleston, which is an awesome town because, as one of the oldest cities in the nation, it is full of fascinating history. 

New Orleans is a city with it's own unique style and culture. Of course we Mardi Gras, but it was also amazing to see the reconstruction and the friendliness of the city despite the disaster. The architecture in the city is amazing, the creole food is delicious, and New Orleans history is something I never want to stop learning about.

Try to look past the giant party going on and observe the distinct New Orleans architecture...

 Ok, this one might work better :)

Hope you enjoyed my blabbering about my weird obsession with the south :) Have a good weekend!

Relax

Everyone could use a little relaxation...which is why I suggest getting a massage. I had my second professional massage today and I can't even begin to describe how great it felt. It really took my mind off of EVERYTHING, which is exactly what I needed. Afterwards, I could tell that I was loosened up, calmed down, and care-free.

There are really good massage deals on Living Social and Groupon. I suggest checking them out if you want to save a little money. The deals are typically around $30 for an hour-long massage. I think I may have to buy myself another massage as a Christmas present to myself :)

Fall Colors

This weekend I went to visit Brad in Ann Arbor. I always have fun when I go there, but this time was extra fun! I got there Friday night and Brad cooked me steak quesadillas. We watched X Files while eating them :) Saturday morning we got up and worked out at the gym, went to Beircamp House (a beef jerky place,) made lunch, and watched the (disappointing) U of M game. For dinner we went to Cottage Inn Pizza (DELICIOUS,) but not before doing a little shopping downtown.

After dinner we met up with friends for drinks and more football. Today was gorgeous, so we went downtown and got FroYo (frozen yogurt) and attempted to walk around the arboretum (unfortunately I was unprepared...I wore heeled boots, so we didn't make it very far.) The leaves are still colorful in Ann Arbor (unlike GR,) so I was able to enjoy one last beautiful fall weekend before winter comes. I love AA, and I love my boyfriend! 

Hope everyone else had a good weekend too! 

Christmas is Coming!

Christmas cups at Starbucks always put me in the spirit! The holidays are coming...are you ready?

As most of you know, I have a bias towards Biggby, but after many years of trying Starbucks' lattes, I finally found one that I enjoy. I highly recommended the Salted Mocha Caramel! Visit 52 Kitchen Adventures for a homemade recipe that I found while browsing Pinterest.

Happy Friday!

Focus on the Postives

Worry Wart...that's what people call me. I freak out over everything. I can't help it...it's just how I am. I don't even have anything major to stress out about, but the smallest of issues can make me crazy.

If anyone saw the episode of Modern Family last night, you might compare me to Haley Dunphy. She wast trying to write a college essay about an obstacle that she overcame, yet she couldn't think of any. So, naturally her mom creates an obstacle for her by dropping her off in the middle of nowhere, leaving her to find her way back home by herself. Gotta love Claire's parenting techniques :)

I realized that I haven't really had any major obstacles to overcome either. So, why do I worry so much about stupid little problems that don't have any effect on my future or my life? I need to stop stressing about insignificant things and focus on the positives!

 

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11. 

"Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy."  ~Leo Buscaglia

Going the Extra Mile

I absolutely hate speaking in front of people...all throughout school, I would worry myself sick over giving presentations or being on stage. It's gotten better over the years but I still would rather not do it. So, you can imagine that I was a little freaked out when I was asked, on Friday, to give a motivational speech the following Monday. Granted, it was for 7th and 8th graders, but it was still scary!
The motivational speech was for a pep rally at Harrison Elementary, a Grand Rapids Public School. Grand Valley has partnered with Harrison Park to help with raising kids' awareness of college and getting them motivated to work hard. My speech was about success and how to achieve it. I also talked about what college is like (dorms, food, classes, etc.) Afterwords, the kids asked a lot of good questions.
The speech was a big success. The kids were very interested in what I had to say, and were extremely excited to meet someone fresh out of college. They are truly interested in college and just need the tools and the help to get there. They have even been begging for mentors to help them stay focused in class. It really inspired me to do what I can to help kids reach their goals. Sometimes stepping out of your comfort zone can truly pay off!

I'm back!

Hi everyone - I started this new blog (used to be the Bitter and the Sweet,) because I went SO long without blogging that I forgot my password. Ridiculous...I know. I ended up figuring it out, but I got a new e-mail address by then, so I just decided to create a new blog. Since I stopped writing in my last blog, a lot has happened! I started a full time job at Grand Valley, my boyfriend (Brad) moved to Ann Arbor to be a programmer for a large company, and a lot of my friends moved to different states/cities to pursue their dream jobs! Although these are huge changes for me, I'm adapting well and I couldn't be happier. 


I wanted to start blogging again because I love to write and I wanted a way to collect my thoughts. Pinterest also helped to inspire me. Daily, I find inspiration for cooking, crafting, decorating, and exercising. Most of the pins come from blogs, which I end up reading. I think it's awesome that people take the time to share their interests and discoveries to inspire other people. Although I am not a photographer, an artist, or a chef, I hope that maybe the words about my normal, daily life can bring you inspiration, laughter, or lessons.


Thanks for reading!