The Battle of Movement

Everyone knows that to lose weight you take in less and move more.  What 'less' is of course is in a terminal debate.  Less fat, less carbs - either way less calories always works as long as you don't lower your caloric intake to the detriment of your metabolism.

I personally don't like regimented exercise and really need motivation.  I have found that devices such as the Fitbit were helpful in supplying me that push I needed.  When I had my last Fitbit - I had friends and challenges and found that I moved a lot more as a result of having the device keep me in check.  But after walking into the ocean with the first one and losing the second one somewhere on a park hike I was done with the investment.  As a consequence I find that I am moving less.

While perusing the Windows Store last week I came across the Misfit Shine - another device that happens to work with my Windows Phone.  It is beautiful, waterproof and does everything I am looking for in this type of device.  You can even accessorize it with necklaces it fits into or an upgrade to a leather band.

And it is a watch so it actually serves a purpose that the Fitbit didn't.  Just got it so I will let you know how it works after using it a bit.

The Windows app that comes with it is nice and it has a progress bar in addition to step - meter that I like a lot.  Oh and it has a real battery so there is not a constant charging issue and it synchs to my Windows phone automatically!  The charging and synching were both pains with other devices.  If you have an Android or Apple you can get by with the MisFit Flash - half the price but not available in the subdued metallic colors of the Shine.

The long path to Windows Phone

Ah the explosion of the phone!  I remember my first mobile phone - weighed 8 lbs and was hard wired into my car.  We have come a long way since then haven't we?  My own current history has included 3 iPhones then a progression to at least 3 Android phones, each of them a bit better than the last.  When I moved from iPhone to Android I remember missing a few features but felt it was justified to not be tied to iTunes and Apples control.  
I have just taken another phone venture leap by purchasing my first Windows Phone, a slick Nokia 635 for a 5th of the price of the new iPhone and every bit as comparable, except for one thing ... it runs Windows!  And the Windows 8.1 interface runs circles around the competition!
I read an article the other day about Steve Jobs and his affection for Picasso and the simplicity of design and he should think about getting a Windows phone because this new phone is exactly what I needed.  
Gone are the scads of icons cluttering up my brain, if I want to see all my 'icons' or programs I can slide once to get a clean, alphabetized, filterable list that is readable!  For the 5 or 6 programs I use daily - I have them in large active tiles on my first page and it makes up the fabric for the things that I am really interested in... I have the Active Fitness App - which keeps track of what I am doing, okay I have myFitnessPal too ... cause I love the way I can track food and exercise all in one place.  Then the other things that are important to me ... I have a 'People' app which ships with Windows and keeps me updated on my people (you know Linked In, Facebook, Skpe friends etc).  I have Mail (both gmail and exchange in little icons), Weather, Skype, Mint, Music,500px, driving app and bank app and you would have to see my screen to appreciate how uncomplicated it is.  Very clean and doesn't hurt your eyes like the iPhone and Androids interfaces.  The phone is fast, the software seamless (so far) and I love the voice recognition which is practically flawless.  Some of the other built-in features I appreciate - helping you keep track of your data usage, reminding you (if you want it to) when you are speeding and the live tiles.  

I don't cheat often, but when I do I cheat with tacos

If you like Mexican food - there are two different flavors - Authentic and well what we call Tex-Mex.  I think the way my family prepares tacos would probably fall in the latter.  It is a staple for our family and the one thing my daughter prefers I make when she visits.  I have never met anyone who prepares tacos quite the same way.  So here goes -

Ingredients

• Corn Tortillas - the thinner the better - I like Mission extra-thin - not cold - room temperature
• Hamburger Meat
• Cheddar Cheese - grated
• Lard - like crisco
• Toppings - hot sauce, lettuce, tomato and onion
• Guacamole (optional)
• Sour Cream (optional)

Directions

• Cook the hamburger until browned and drain.
• Heat the lard up  - you want it as hot as you can get without it smoking
• Spoon a large spoon of the meat into the tortilla and holding it like a taco, place it into the hot grease and hold it there for a second so that the crease will stay when you lay it down
• Brown on one side then turn and brown on the other side.  Tortilla should be crispy before turning it.
• Pull out and place on a paper towel to drain any residual grease and put a generous amount of cheese in it.
• Lightly salt the outside of the shell
• Top with whatever you like and enjoy!

Where's the Atkins crunch

I was talking to a friend yesterday who struggles to stay on the Atkins diet. He said what he misses most is crunchy foods. If you've followed my posts you know I am a big low-carb proponent. So James, here us the crunch without the carbs.

Pork skins - use them ground up as a breaking for vegetables or cheese

Ground almonds are great as a cheesecake crust

Fried bacon in salads beats croutons any day

Brown coconut as a topping

Coat Kale with olive oil and make a big bowl of Kale chips instead of potato chips

Shrimp salad with real mayo and crunchy celery

Grate zucchini add egg and fry as a crispy hash brown substitute

Add walnuts to salads

I am sure I can think of some more .., stay tuned

Please chime in in the comments if you can think of more crunchy Atkins options

The Battle of Information

Are you a good 'filer'  or are you more like  Einstein and myself... do you walk out of someones office with business card in hand and immediately add it to your contacts?  Yeah, me neither.  Let me tell you about a couple of iPhone apps I found that are making organization a little easier. The first one (currently only available for iPhone but coming soon for Android) is  "Card Munch".  It works with LinkedIn and if you don't have a LinkedIn account then you probably need one anyway.  Here is how it works.  You install the program and the next time someone hands you a business card you use Card Munch to take a picture of the card.  It allows you a place to take notes if you want to add them to the contact.  It then adds all of the information into your Card Munch view and you can email or add it to your iPhone contacts.  It is a brilliant program that seems to work flawlessly.  It is easy to identify the records later as it adds the date it was scanned into the notes of the contact.

The other app 'World Scan' is very nifty for snapping a picture of a document or image - receipt from your HVAC guy, notes from your boss - whatever you want - it crops and converts to a PDF which you can then store or send. It is loaded with a ton of features such as image enhancement - sizing the PDF to a specific print format - etc.

Hope these tools help you reduce your clutter and maybe give you more time to be your brilliant self!

The Battle of Clean Floors!

Picture of the 560 model that I have.

In the "things we don't really need" category - but don't want to live without, I put my Roomba at the very top of the list. I can honestly say that my Roomba has changed my life.  I have two dogs and a cat.  They all shed terribly.  I have a lot of tile and wood floors and if I don't sweep every single day it is very obvious.  I got my Roomba about two years ago and recently a part broke on it and I went several days without it - it was then that I realized how much my life had been changed by this efficient little robot.  I have my Roomba on a schedule (if you get one spend a little extra for scheduling) and it goes off every day after I leave the house for work. It spends 1-3 hours going through my house - under the beds, under the couch, along the baseboards - picking up hair, dog food, crumbs, dust - in the evenings I empty the bin, clean the brushes and it is ready to go the next day!  The point is that I come home every evening to a freshly swept house.  The iRobot company is awesome too in terms of support.  They are a bit pricey but thoroughly sweeping my house every day is worth it and if something happened to my Roomba you can bet I would spend the money again. If anyone would like for me to test and review the Scooba  (hint hint)  I am more than willing - the other thing I hate is mopping!

Who are these Walmart Stalkers?

So we have all received the emails with the pics of 300 lb women in shorts we wouldn't let our daughters be seen in. The endless barrage of tattoo's, funky hair, mini skirts, house shoes and other oddities, which seem to be attracted to Walmart like a magnet, have flooded our mailboxes. They all flashed through my mind last Sunday morning as I made a 7:00 am run to Walmart for dog treats (why I am purchasing dog treats at Walmart should be another blog but we won't go there now). I was getting out of the car and lo and behold I saw it - a genuine Walmart viral email candidate.

She was mid thirties, way over weight with spiky, dirty platinum blond hair with at least an inch of black roots - not sure if that was what she was going for or not. She had on ill-fitted shorts and .99 cent hot purple flip flops and a tight black T-shirt emblazoned with an invitation to ask her out - honestly I don't recall exactly what it said, it made me laugh inwardly but it was something along the lines 'single and available'. Well my immediate reaction was YES - I have the opportunity to take a picture and add to the growing annoying emails of Walmart shoppers. I couldn't do it. I wouldn't even know how someone could possibly do it. Exactly how do you whip out your camera phone and point it at a total stranger and take a picture of them? I thought about getting in front of her and being coy and pretending I was on the phone - but that was out of the question. It was not possible because I would be too embarrassed if I got busted AND my phone makes a camera clicking sound when it goes off and God forbid the flash decided to work! And beyond that it dawned on me that "there but for the grace of God..." So my question is not who are these novelty people at Walmart but who is it that is taking pictures of them?

Miracle Noodles

Well I got my "Miracle Noodles" tonight. The package says NO SUGAR, NO GLUTEN, NO CARBS ... and that is pretty exciting. To beat that >> 36% Fiber (9 grams). I was reluctant when I first saw the package, they looked frail, clear and see through and frankly they looked a little mushy. But they were good! I sauteed some celery, onion and a mushroom in a little butter, added the noodles and some baby shrimp. Seasoned with some cajun spice and WOW! I ate the whole thing which should have legitimately been at least two servings. I have missed pasta and this is truly a great substitute. Bon Appetit!

Pasta.... long, lost pasta

Most of you low-carbers are probably getting pretty used to living without Pasta.  Today I ordered some carb free, gluten free, wheat free pasta.... Yeah  - I am anxious to see what it tastes like too!  The reviews look pretty good.  I found a recipe but thought I would try them first to see if it is something wonderful or not.  I found this one with 4 separate bags of the Angel Hair Pasta for $10 - and free shipping.  I will post back and let you know what I thought.

I picked up this tidbit from wikipedia (not so much about the weight loss as it is for the love of pasta):

" Glucomannan is also the main ingredient in shirataki noodles and konnyaku which are traditional Japanese foods. These products are made from the ground corm of the konjac plant. These natural products have been eaten in Japan for centuries. Because of the fiber content and health benefits, they are known as the "broom of the intestine" in Japan. They are now being marketed for weight loss and other health benefits in the United States and worldwide due to the low calorie count."

The Battle of the Bulge

 I just started reading this book a couple of days ago but it is riveting.  William Davis, Cardiologist discusses the history of wheat and why the wheat we are consuming in mass quantities today is not the same as the wheat our parents grew up on.  The myriad of issues is astounding and I suggest everyone pick up a copy at your library or from your favorite book store.