The Human Timepiece, Water Intake Calculator

I watched a really neat show last night called The Human Timepiece on the Discovery channel. It went through a day in two hour segments, breaking down what the body is naturally doing biologically at those times. It even said when the best time to eat and workout would be according to the body's biological clock. Here are some interesting tidbits I picked up from the show:

- Exercise in the late afternoon or early evening. (Around 4pm.)
Most athletic records have been set and broken during this time. They studied various athletes who did the exact same workout at different times of day and found out that those exercising around 4pm were up to 10% more effective than those working at other times of day. The morning is the lest effective time to work out because your blood vessels and arteries are less flexible. It even increases your chances for things like heart failure since your blood is also "thicker" for a few hours right after you wake up.

In other words: do you want to burn 10% more calories doing the same amount of work? Try to exercise around this time. Your body's core temperature is naturally slightly higher so you get extra benefits. I wish I didn't have to work graveyard. I'm two or three hours from waking up during this time. :/

- Eat the majority of your calories shortly after you wake up.
I use the term "morning" very loosely because I know that's different for everyone. For me it's usually around 7pm! Right after you wake up your blood pressure is naturally at its highest and stays that way until about mid day. If you eat your calories early on your body has the entire day to burn through them before putting the remainder in storage. On the show they gave people the exact same meals adding up to the exact same amount of calories, but they ate the meals at different times. Those who had a large breakfast (50% of their daily calories,) a moderate lunch (35%,) and very little for dinner (15%) used their caloric intake most effectively. For those who prefer to snack between meals, subtract calories from your dinner allowance.

Eating causes your glucose levels to go up and if that happens right before a period of relaxation (like sleep) your body is much more likely to store the fat for a time when you need it. I guess this is why I've always heard you shouldn't eat ____ hours before you go to bed.

Following a calorie plan like this one would be very difficult for me. I normally eat a huge amount (if not all of!) my calories right before bed for a bunch of reasons: I'm home and done rushing around so I actually have time to dedicate to a meal, I feel like relaxing and having something to eat, I have nothing to do so I get bored and eat, plus I usually feel tired after eating a decent meal. My weight struggle also comes into play here. I can't help but think that if I'm going to eat, at least I can do it right before I peace out from the world for a while. That way I know the food has hours to digest before I have to look at the scale again.

I also find that I feel more hungry if I haven't had a chance to really acknowledge and comprehend a meal. How do I do that? Do I sit there and have a conversation with it? Do I read into it? Do I practice active listening while the food communicates with me? What I mean to say is that I really need to remember the experience of eating. I want to have something that I enjoy the taste of and take a while to consume it. If I rush through a meal that isn't very stimulating to my senses I think I'm more likely to forget that I ate or feel like I've cheated myself in some way. This goes back to some of my cardinal rules, one of which is...

"I have to love it. This applies for everything from now on. If I'm going to put it inside of me and risk all the calories, fat, weight, and stress... then it better be super delicious and exactly the way I like it. If there's something I don't like about it then that's just another excuse for me to stop eating it."

-Drink a ton of water.
I never ever used to drink enough water. I would have sodas all day, and maybe some juice, chocolate milk, or other flavored beverage if it came my way. It's no wonder that I was 50lbs+ / 23kg+ heaver than I am today. Even today I struggle with it because I feel like I'm going to put on a ton of weight. This show reminded me that water is totally neutral and has no calories. It's what most of your body is made of and it needs a lot of it to function at its peak. If you're not hydrated, you won't burn as many calories by doing normal activities (breathing, sleeping, etc.) I have to tell myself that it'll be worth it in the long run. (Plus... I'm a creep and I weigh myself every time I use the restroom at home. It's neat to see how much weight I can lose just by doing it.)

There are also so many zero calorie things that can be done to water to give it flavor. You can have it at a variety of temperatures and textures (0 calorie gelatin, anyone?) This cool calculator will tell you exactly how much water you need in a day. Not everyone needs the recommended 64 ounces. It says I should have 90 ounces a day... bleh.

Theme for thinspiration is before and after. It's probably my favorite, along with scene/alternative/emo/whateveryouwannacallit. [:


















I've mentioned my roommate a few times (she's with me in some of my MySpace pictures.) My height, 90lbs, vegan, constant reminder that I need to lose some weight? Here's what she looks like.



Don't forget about the giveaway on this blog! It ends soon! [:

Giveaway?

I had this up on a different blog of mine, so don't mind the ghetto image. I might take a new one later if I'm not feeling lazy. I've never done a giveaway before so this is new for me. If you have any suggestions please send them my way. [: Since this is my first one and I'm super anxious to figure out how it all works, I'm going to accept entries only for a week. The contest will be closed on Sunday, August 1st, 2010.

+1 entry ► comment this post with your name/nickname and e-mail. I need the e-mail address so I can contact you if you win. If you'd rather give your e-mail if/when you when, then please say so. I'll announce the winner at the end of the contest.
+1 entry ► become a follower. If you're already a follower, let me know.
+1 entry ► include what you want to see more of on this blog (pictures, stories, diets, giveaways, etc.)
+2 entries ► post a link to this entry somewhere on your blog or site. Give me a link to your post.

If you are the winner you can earn an extra two entries in a future giveaway by taking a picture of yourself with your prize. Each participant may have up to five entries. International entries are accepted.

I really enjoy the Gatsby / Mandom line of products. I use a variety their items: hair, face, body, and even feet. This giveaway package will focus on some of their hair and face items that I have used and enjoyed.

^ Gatsby - $20USD - Silver Dye
As shown in the pictures below, this is meant to be a lightening product instead of an actual hair dye. It has different affects on different shades of hair. Of course, the product was designed to work with medium to dark hair. On the package it is described as part of the "natural bleach and color series."


This is an example of what someone with very dark brown to black hair can expect to see after using the product.


This is what it would look like on someone with very, very light blond hair (or on hair that has been bleached before applying the dye.)

^ Gatsby - $18USD each - Hair Styling Wax (Moving Rubber)
A set of three products from their wax series will be given: Air Rise, Spiky Edge, and Technical Design Clay. I tried to include a variety that can be used to create different styles. These are great for keeping bangs in place, especially since it can easily be restyled without flaking or making your hair appear stiff.


^ Gatsby - $8USD - Facial Powder Sheet
These are a life saver. I keep them with me wherever I go. Just blot your face with the paper and it will get rid of any excess oil. This helps to gets rid of extra shine on your face. These are even cool to use with makeup. (Make sure you dab instead of wipe.)


^ Gatsby - $12USD - Oil Clear Wet Paper
This is nice to use after going to the gym, before bed, or any time you want that clean and fresh feeling. This can't be used over makeup. It gets rid of all the excess oil, sweat, and dirt on your skin easily.

^ Gatsby - $10USD+ - Mystery Item
I think I'll try to include one related mystery item with a value of at least $10USD in each of my giveaways.

Seven items with a total value of around $90USD. I wanted my first giveaway to be an interesting one. These are all Japanese products, but they have a sticker with English instructions on the back. Good luck to everyone who enters! Winners will be chosen via random.org.

Expect a donation button to make its way on to this page soon. I'll use all the funds to put together giveaway packages. You don't have to donate to enter, but I'll give you 3 entries on the giveaway of your choice for every donation you make. Just put a random phrase in the PayPal note and include it in a comment so I can keep track. [:

Thinspo, Eating out of Bordem

I eat a lot because I'm bored. I really wish I could stop doing that. I love to tell myself, "Why don't you do something more productive instead of eat? Go to the gym. Clean something. Do yoga. Play with the cat. Change the water in the fish tank." Even when I'm feeling particularly lazy I'll try to tell myself, "Call a friend. Read a book. Play a video game. Make a bracelet. Go online. Do ANYTHING besides eat!"

What do I end up doing? Eating.

I'm pretty good at winning that battle when I'm at home. My ultimate weapon is to jump in the shower. (I'm so nuts that I've even done it with clothes on. It's a great waste of time and really gets your mind off food.) Even if I get straight out, I have to worry about getting dressed... doing my hair... all the stuff that getting soaked entails. Most of the time I'm a normal person who gets undressed and runs through the motions, but sometimes I get scared that the tuna in my cabinet will beat me to the bathroom or something.

It's really effective when I dedicate an hour or two out just to spoil myself in the restroom. I'll give myself a manicure and pedicure, do a deep conditioning treatment on my hair - whatever keeps me locked up and away from food long enough for me to forget that I'm hungry. It also has the added benefit of making me look and feel better. This is one of the best and healthiest coping mechanisms I have.

But when I'm at work or school I have to change my tactics. It annoys the hell out of me that there are vending machines every where I go. It bugs me even further that both places allow me so much time for lunch (more than an hour.) If I only had a half hour or twenty minutes it'd be simple to tell myself that I just don't have time to run somewhere and get a bite to eat. BUT NO... with a glorious hour and a half I could sit down at a restaurant, have a meal and take my time getting to my destination.

It doesn't help that my classmates and co-workers tend to do exactly that. They're always going out to eat. When I started all of this I thought I was such a sneak. I always had an excuse up my sleeve. Well... after a year you start to run out of excuses. People start to think that you're sick, weird, or paranoid. That's when I resorted to the fail safe: I'm poor. It works like a charm. Every so often you'll run into a nice person who insists that they buy you something, but even then you can weasel out of it without making too much of a scene (thank you prideful American culture!) Every so often I'll throw in a curve ball of: I promised ______ that I would eat with them after this OR ______ already offered to buy me something. For the most part I just stick to pretending to be poor as dirt. It works wonders.

Theme for today is movement. [:

Aromatherapy for Weight Loss

I looked into some scents that might help curb hunger, increase metabolism, improve weight loss, or anything along those lines. The results were pretty interesting. There is actually a wealth of information on the topic. I think it's because the weight loss and fitness industry are in such high demand these days - even holistic medicine methods are starting to jump on board. That works to my benefit so I don't mind. [: Here is a list of scents and what they're reputed to be good for. Most scents can be used for more than one property, so I've tried to place them in the area where they're strongest.

Improved Digestion

Fennel - this is an herb that has been used in many different culinary dishes. It is also the main ingredient for most kinds of absinthe. It can also be found in a wide array of toothpastes. Fennel tea is used to reduce bloating and is a natural diuretic. (It also has a lot of natural phytoestrogens which support the growth of breast tissue. Woo!)

Lemongrass - this is also known as barbed wire grass, citronella, or fever grass. It has a light citrus flavor and is commonly used as a seasoning. Citral, a molecule found in the plant, has been proven to fight cancerous cells.

Increase Metabolism

Cinnamon - this is also great for relieving stress and relaxing the body as a whole. Cinnamon oil becomes darker and stronger as it is aged.

Apple - this scent is great for regulating bowel movements and jump starting your digestive system. Apples themselves are also great snacks as they are very low in caloric content. One large apple contains only about 30 calories and has a ton of fiber.

Decrease Appetite / Curb Hunger

Bergamot - many native Americans used this plant as an antiseptic, and also as a spice to flavor various meats. It is used as an ingredient in most commercial mouthwashes today. A tea made from the leaves is good for treating sore throats. It tastes bitter and has a smell somewhat similar to peppermint. This is great for curbing hunger.

Peppermint - peppermint itself is known to decrease appetite. If you find yourself about to binge, try eating a couple extra strong mints. The scent is known to have the same affect.

Banana - research shows that the smell of banana stimulates the hypothalamus (area of the brain that helps regulate hunger.) Eating a banana for breakfast is also a neat idea since they are filling, low in calories, high in good stuff and will help you resist the urge to eat for the rest of the day.

Improve Confidence / Increase Will Power

Lavender - this oil can also be used to treat acne and headaches. It is soothing, calming, and stimulates the mind in a peaceful way. It was used during WWI to disinfect hospitals and comfort patients.

Orange - this citrus scent stimulates the nervous system and makes you feel awake and energetic. Orange blossoms are considered a sign of good fortune and good health. They are often used in floral wedding arrangements. Orange blossom essence is a base used in most perfumes.

Vanilla - this increases adrenaline production and is actually considered to be mildly addictive by medical standards. It is considered to be a natural aphrodisiac (increases sexual desire.) Vanilla can make you feel motivated.

You can make use of these plants in a variety of ways. Scented candles might be hard to come across in some of the more abstract scents but they're always a good bet. Finding essential oils is a great idea because they can be used in a ton of different ways. Boiling water and adding a few drops of an oil extract would let the steam carry the scent around your home. Taking a hot bath with a bit of the oil would work in the same way. Incense are good, as are fresh herbs that you burn to allow the smoke to release the scent. Please do not ingest any of the oils. That's (usually) not what they're made for. These are to smell, not to eat!

Layout Change, Thinspo

I messed around with my layout just a little bit. I made everything wider so my pictures and polls would stop getting chopped off. I tried to keep the whole thing within an 800 pixel width so people of every screen resolution could be happy. My profile changed slightly. I considered joshing the colors around but I quite like the gloomy atmosphere in here. It makes me think of rainy days. [:

The poll regarding topics of interest closed a few weeks ago. Here are the results in case you missed it:

I guess I need to start posting more pictures! I have a pretty large collection but I usually hoard them all to myself because I'm a greedy little devil. (That's not true. I just don't want my blog to turn into one of those 100% thinspiration photo ones.) There's nothing wrong with a site that caters to that sort of thing - Heaven knows I have a thousand of them bookmarked - but this place is supposed to be about documenting my ascent into something better. I'll do my best to combine the two.

I think I do pretty well with tips and useful sites. They're sort of thrown in together since they go hand in hand. "This is what you can do to lose weight and this is where I learned about it" is the usual format. Personal entries came in third place. It's good to know that I can safely continue that without losing too many readers.

I'm trying to do some research about scents that help to curb hunger. I'm not talking about things that are so repulsive they'd make anyone want to stop eating (dirty-cat-litter-box scented candles, the next new thing)... just subtle scents that subconsciously lead the mind in a different direction. See this post for my findings. [:

Now for the pictures! The theme is "buddies." [: