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For frugalists, bargain hunting is a lifestyle

tdsollog — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 12:09:08 -0700

For frugalists, bargain hunting is a lifestyle
For these extreme anti-consumers, your trash is their food, furniture
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24879628

By Allison Linn, Senior writer,MSNBC
updated 2:39 p.m. ET, Tues., June. 3, 2008

For Rebecca, browsing Dumpsters also is a way to protest the country’s rampant consumer culture. She has salvaged furniture, clothes, art supplies and even appliances.

It’s an unseasonably cold day in Seattle, and Rebecca is standing in her kitchen, preparing for her regular Sunday afternoon outing. As she gathers her backpack and grocery bags, her dog sniffs around excitedly, anticipating the long walk and treats that await.

In the course of their errands, Rebecca and her dog will visit several stores and coffee shops, a bakery and a chocolate factory. But instead of walking in the front door, she plans to head out back and go Dumpster diving.

Rebecca, 51, owns a small duplex and has a job running an art program for a health care organization. She’s also an artist in her own right whose accomplishments include a piece that hangs in the Seattle Art Museum.

And she gets 99 percent of her food from the Dumpster.

“It’s so easy to eat for free,” she says. “The only things I buy are butter and milk.”

It’s no secret that American culture is a consumer culture. We like big cars, big houses and big bags of things bought at big malls and big-box retailers. On the opposite end of the spectrum are the few people who call themselves anti-consumerists, freegans, frugalists or just plain Dumpster divers. Whatever the moniker, these people delight in drastically reducing their consumer spending, finding life’s essentials at bargain prices or paying nothing at all.

“I like getting stuff free. It’s like a treasure hunt,” says Ran Prieur, 40, who lives in Washington state and whose extremely frugal life includes occasional Dumpster diving. “It’s kind of similar to what you get from gambling.”

It’s hard to say how many people are trying to live this way, but frugal communities say they are seeing more interest. A couple years ago, a group of friends in San Francisco made a compact to try not to buy anything new for a year; now there are “Compactors” all over the world. The Freecycle Network, through which people give away stuff they no longer need rather than trashing it, boasts thousands of participants.

Freegans - whose efforts to live outside the conventional economic system may include hitchhiking, foraging for food and eschewing regular jobs - say there is growing interest in adopting at least parts of their philosophy.

“A lot of people are recognizing that there are a lot of ways that people can provide for their needs,” said Adam Weissman, a spokesman for the main freegan Web site.

Being thrifty
Rebecca, who asked that her real name not be used because she worries she could lose her job if her employer knew about her Dumpster diving, doesn’t need to get food for free.

She says she likes the thrill of the chase, and the surprising bounty of good food she finds. And despite holding a steady job and having grown up in an affluent family, she says she sometimes worries she won’t have enough money. She also likes to “save a little here, save a little there,” so she can afford splurges like a laptop computer and keep funding her art.

For Rebecca, browsing Dumpsters also is a way to protest the country’s rampant consumer culture. She has salvaged furniture, clothes, art supplies and even appliances. Still, even she isn’t totally immune to the culture she avoids - feeling blue recently, she went in for a little retail therapy and bought a new pair of sneakers.

Rebecca grew up in Greenwich, Conn., the daughter of an ad man. As early as high school, she remembers searching through garbage while walking the streets of New York City. Her mother would walk ahead, pretending not to know her. Nobody else bothered her.

“That’s when I really started liking things cheap,” she says.

After high school, Rebecca went to art school, but in 1979, she decided to drop out and head to Seattle. Her artwork includes materials she’s found in the garbage or on the street.

To many first-time Dumpster divers, the most surprising thing is how much good stuff is out there.

Prieur, for example, says his trash bin excursions have netted him smoked salmon, high-end bacon, olive oil, plenty of produce and other goodies. Prieur, who owns a piece of land but has no permanent home, estimates that when he’s staying with his sister in Seattle, he gets 20 to 30 percent of his groceries from garbage bins.

His habit elicits mixed responses. A favorite item at his sister’s house is “Dumpstered” apple pie. But he’ll sometimes invite people over for dinner and get the cautionary response: “Just promise not to put any Dumpster food in it.”

Says Prieur: “There’s a big emotional thing attached to not eating out of the garbage.”

Baby squash, popcorn and granola
When Rebecca reaches the grocery store, she moves with purpose across the parking lot to a fenced-in Dumpster. With practiced nonchalance, she opens the gate and walks in, closing it behind her. On the ground, she immediately finds a bag of baby squashes. They go in the backpack to be steamed up for dinner.

Next, she hikes herself up and peers in the Dumpster itself. Out comes a bag of popcorn, a bag of granola and a package of rice. All are torn, but the contents appear clean.

“Aw darn,” she calls from within. “A box of chocolates - but they’re empty.”
Rebecca passes up pasta and a few other items, explaining that she prefers ready-made food because she doesn’t like to cook.

The granola isn’t her taste, either - she’s a self-described picky eater - but she can give it to her boyfriend.

She also passes up a bag of flavored potato chips, explaining, “I don’t like salt and vinegar.”
Climbing out of the Dumpster, Rebecca opens the gate again and heads out.

In 10 years of serious Dumpster diving, Rebecca says she’s never gotten sick eating food from the trash.

She has only occasionally been hassled by a store manager, but she will usually talk her way out of it by spinning a story that she recently lost her job. People sometimes lecture her, telling her eating out of a Dumpster isn’t good for her. She generally plays along with the spiel, “because most people assume that’s who you are - either homeless or mentally ill,” she says.

‘I hope that Starbucks has some decaf’
As she heads further into Seattle’s University District, Rebecca’s on the lookout for coffee.

“I hope that Starbucks has some decaf because I’m out of decaf,” she says.

But after rifling through several garbage bags, she only comes up with a pile of breakfast sandwiches. She feeds one to her dog.

In her escapades, Rebecca has found CDs, a $100 bill, an answering machine and a five-pound bag of coffee. It often amazes her to come across perfectly good things in the trash, and she will find herself speculating about what personal decision - a fight with a boyfriend, maybe? - would cause someone to throw out something like a CD.

Around the end of the school year, Rebecca will spend more time in the neighborhood near Seattle’s University of Washington to forage for things that people throw out when they move - art supplies, coffee makers, that sort of thing. She also likes to hit the fraternity houses.

“Good God,” she says, “they’ll throw out everything.”

251 million tons of trash
The same could be said for Americans in general. Americans produce about 4.6 pounds of waste per person per day - or nearly a ton a year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

For many who get their essentials secondhand or for free, one motivation is that they are disgusted by such waste. But their lifestyle is dependent on the consumer culture that they reject.

If Americans didn’t demand pristine produce and bread baked fresh daily, there would be little for Dumpster divers to find. And if we didn’t lust for new couches long before the old springs had gone soft, and new jeans months before their current ones had developed holes, there would be little for thrift store aficionados and garage sale lovers to buy.

Frugalists say they there are plenty of places to find stuff, if you know where to look. They get things on the sidewalk, through Internet posts and at organized giveaway events.

Laura Thompson, 57, does most of her “shopping” in the bathtub, with a stack of catalogs that she never orders from. When she really needs something, she either goes to a thrift store or tries to find it for free. Recently she lamented that she needed a raincoat, and a friend who likes secondhand shopping gave Thompson the one she was wearing.

Thompson is most meticulous about one thing: paper towels. She’s had the same roll of Costco paper towels since March 2006, and she estimates that there’s still about an inch left. If a houseguest asks for a paper towel, they most likely will be turned down.

Thompson only uses paper towels for “icky” jobs, like getting oil off anchovies. She relies on rags and cloth napkins for most other needs. She does have a little bit of a cheat, though: If she goes to a restaurant and is given a stack of paper napkins, she will take those home and use them.

Thompson, who also lives in Seattle, has been trying to conserve paper towels for about 10 years, motivated by a combination of environmental activism and lifelong frugality.

‘Down to the underwear’
Jacqueline Blix and David Heitmiller once held high-powered telecommunications jobs and were self-professed yuppies. Then in the mid-1990s, they read a book called “Your Money or Your Life” and had a revelation: They could just stop working.

Since then, they have lived on investments, occasional sales of Blix’s crafts and, in recent years, Heitmiller’s part-time work as a handyman. They are so enamored of their simple lifestyle that the Seattle couple even wrote their own book about it: “Getting a Life.”

One day in early spring, Blix was dressed in a pink sweater, turquoise turtleneck, khaki pants and knit socks. Everything she was wearing had come from a secondhand shop, “down to the underwear,” she noted - except the socks, which were knit by a friend.

When Heitmiller asked his wife whether everything he was wearing had come from a secondhand shop, too, she looked him over quizzically and said she didn’t know what underwear he was wearing.

Blix and Heitmiller started their post-regular work life living on about $30,000 a year. Lately, their budget has crept up to about $45,000, largely because of rising costs for health insurance and a decision to eat more organic food. They also travel more often to California now to visit their grandchildren.

To maintain their lifestyle in a comfortable three-bedroom, two-bathroom duplex, the two have become avid secondhand shoppers, as well as what Blix calls “curbside shoppers.” That means that they find things, like their coffee table, sitting outside with a “free” sign on it. Other items, including a television and kitchen table, were inherited.

The hardwood floor in their house was salvaged from another house, and Heitmiller bartered his handyman skills in exchange for some leftover carpeting they used elsewhere in the house.
Blix keeps a list of things that they would like to have, and she says she’s often surprised at how things fall in her lap. Recently they were considering buying some items for their front yard when a friend called with some mulch to give away.

“If you put a need out there in the universe, you’ll be surprised,” she said.

Blix doesn’t think she spends more time shopping than most Americans spend at the mall - the very mention of which makes her physically shudder. The couple goes out for a meal about once a month, and they’ll occasionally visit a coffee shop. Heitmiller has a cell phone for his handyman business; Blix does not want one.

‘A leftover from previous thinking’
Blix, 58, and Heitmiller, 62, say that, in deciding to live simply, they also are forced to talk honestly about money, something many couples don’t do. Still, like any couple, they have the occasional financial disagreement. The difference is that their most memorable disagreement is one that most couples wouldn’t remember at all.

What happened is this: Blix took a Costco gift card she’d received and bought a new set of flatware, to replace the set Heitmiller had had since his first marriage in 1968, without so much as a word of discussion beforehand. To Heitmiller, it was an “oddity” that she would buy something new to replace something that worked just fine. To Blix, it was her money and she wanted new flatware.

On the rare occasions Blix has spent money like that, she calls it “a leftover from previous thinking,” when she was more beholden to money.

The idea of not working sounds great to a lot of people, but there are downsides. Health care costs have risen substantially, and without an employer the couple is left to foot the bill themselves until Medicare kicks in. They have a high-deductible policy that doesn’t cover prescription medication.

Over the years, the couple also has noticed that they have grown away from many of their old friends, although now they have a new group of friends who think more like them, including those active in what is called the Voluntary Simplicity movement.

Blix says another problem she has is “time management,” meaning what to do with all the time she has because she doesn’t work. “You really are faced with, ‘What am I going to do with my life?’ ” she says. “It’s something that I definitely work on.”

Three Dumpsters of bread
It’s looking more and more like rain as Rebecca walks along the water and through a park, pausing briefly to admire the view of Seattle’s downtown. The aroma of rosemary and yeast fills the air. She is nearing one of Seattle’s favorite artisan bakeries.

Behind the bakery sit three tan Dumpsters, each filled with nothing but bread - every type you can think of, bagged and looking as mouth-watering as they do on the shelves at Whole Foods. It doesn’t even smell bad here - the store’s other Dumpsters, containing actual trash, are around the front of the store.

Rebecca pulls out a loaf of ciabatta for herself, and then roots around for a whole-grain loaf for her boyfriend of 18 years. He’s not much of a Dumpster diver himself, but he will eat some things she finds.

A white hatchback pulls up and three young guys get out and head for the Dumpsters. Methodically, they begin gathering bread for themselves and their friends. They pause, arms and mouths full of bread, to discuss the merits of ciabatta vs. olive bread. No one comes out of the bakery to bother them.

Next, Rebecca heads toward an outpost of the local food co-op. Behind the shiny new building are two large Dumpsters, and next to those someone has set aside produce boxes. Rebecca says the good fresh fruits and vegetables are usually in there, but today they are empty. No matter; hiking herself up on the large Dumpster, she finds the mother lode - a breakfast burrito, samosas, pulled pork sandwiches and vegetarian burgers, all individually wrapped in tinfoil and some still warm. They aren’t set to expire until the next day.

“This is a nice catch today,” she says.

It’s raining as she begins the long uphill trek back to her house, her backpack filled with enough food to last a couple of days, until her next trip through the city’s Dumpsters.

“I’m a working girl,” she says. “I have a job. I own my own house. And I Dumpster dive. So there you go.”

What's in your cup of coffee?

cosmogirl — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 22:39:42 -0800

So girls. We all love our Starbucks. But do you know exactly how many kilojoules are going into that beautiful cup of heaven? I did a little reading to help you out a little.

Espresso, long black- 67kJ (A fave of Jessica Alba's...hmmm...wonder why?)
Venti Chai Tea Latte- 1256kj (A fave of Sienna Miller's)
Skinny caoouccino, no sugar- 242kj (A fave of Kylie Minogue's)
Chai Tea Ice Blended- 418kj (The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf- A fave of Mischa's)
Grande White Chocolate Mocha- 2093kj (A fave of Paris')
Grande Non-fat Cafe Latte- 544kj (A fave of Carmen Electra's)
Tall Vanilla Latte- 921kj (A fave of Adam Brody's)
Grande Iced Vanilla Latte- 795kj (Just one of the faves of the ultimate starbucks fans, the lovely Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen).

Enjoy Your Starbucks ladies and drink-up!

Cosmo xx.

Outsmart Your Cravings

Bettyesque — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 06:02:16 -0800

Outsmart Your Cravings
Sneaky snack tricks to keep your cravings from sabotaging your diet

By Merritt Watts Prevention Magazine

Research finally proves it: Food cravings are a fact of life. At the start of a Tufts University study of cut calories, 91% of dieters desired decadent foods. After 6 months of cut calories, the same percentage still had food cravings. But don't despair--plan well, and you'll lose.

You crave: Chocolate 1 Snickers Bar (280 cal)
So...Have a small portion: 2 squares Lindt Excellence 85% Cocoa Bar (110 cal)
Or...Try a bigger low-cal substitute: 1 c Silk Chocolate Soymilk (140 cal)

You crave: Salty snacks 1/4 canister Pringles Original (240 cal)
So...Have a small portion: Pringles Original 100 Calorie Pack (100 cal)
Or...Try a bigger low-cal substitute: 1 bag Smart Balance Low Fat Popcorn (120 cal)

You crave: Ice cream 1 scoop Baskin Robbins Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream (290 cal)
So...Have a small portion: 1 McDonald's Kiddie Cone (45 cal)
Or...Try a bigger low-cal substitute: 12 oz Starbucks Raspberry Chocolate Frappuccino Light Blended Crme (140 cal)

You crave: Baked goods 1 Mrs. Fields Walnut Fudge Brownie (360 cal)
So...Have a small portion: 2 Mrs. Fields Bite-Size Nibbler White Chunk Macadamia cookies (120 cal)
Or...Try a bigger low-cal substitute: 2 Vitalicious Vita Brownies (200 cal)

The Winning Drink: The "Caramel Mochatini"

justjaime27 — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 00:23:06 -0800

The "Caramel Mochatini" Winning Drink Recipe:

What you'll need:

Martini Glass
Shaker & Ice

1oz.- Stoli Vanilla Vodka (Or whatever your favorite Vanilla Vodka is)
1oz.- Baileys Caramel Irish Cream
1oz.- Godiva White Chocolate Liquor
1/2oz.-Starbucks Liquor

1 packet of Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate Powder
1 bottle of caramel ice-cream topping
1 dark chocolate bar

Directions:

Rim martini glass with Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate Powder.
Drizzle Glass with caramel ice-cream topping.
Shave dark chocolate bar onto plate.

Pour liquor into shaker.
Shake liquor well over ice.
Strain into martini glass.
Garnish drink with dark chocolate shavings.
Serve and enjoy!

The Caramel Mochatini - Serve in a martini glass and enjoy!

Martini Glasses I'd serve these in:

Martini Chiller 4-pc. Set
$12.99 -www.target.com
• Keep drinks cold without the melted ice
• Includes two 5-1/2-oz. glasses and two 3" chillers
• All glass
• Dishwasher safe

Stylish Shaker I'd use:

Metrokane VIP Cocktail Shaker - Black
$19.99 -www.target.com
• Wrapped in faux leather, this 23-oz. cocktail shaker mixes things up in high style
• Made of stainless steel
• Includes a strainer and 10 drink recipes
• 8.5Hx3.25" dia.

Healthy Ginger Spiced Hot Cocoa

cherr — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 15:46:16 -0800

On days when I really want a red holiday starbucks cup, but do not want all the heavy calories, I run home and make a pot of my favorite winter drink. I love it as a snack or in the mornings with some added espresso. Its only about 150 calories a cup and 3 grams of fat.

8 ounces 1 percent low-fat milk
1/4-inch piece peeled, fresh ginger, sliced into 2 rounds
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons water
1/4 teaspoon dark chocolate shavings (about 1/8-ounce)
In a small saucepan heat the milk and ginger over a medium-low heat until scalding, about 4 minutes. While the milk is warming, put cocoa powder and sugar into a mug. Add the water to the mug and stir until the mixture has the consistency of a paste. Remove the ginger from the warmed milk. Add the chocolate mixture to the milk and whisk until slightly frothy. Pour the hot chocolate into the mug and top with chocolate shavings.

FREEBIES FOR FEB 17th

Shiloh Jolie Pitt — Sat, 17 Feb 2007 07:25:49 -0800

BAUSH & LOMB - free trial pair of Purevision Contact Lenses
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CRAYOLA - free sample of Twistables for Educators
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ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION - free 2007 Arthritis Today Drug guide
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OASIS MOISTURIZING MOUTHWASH - free sample from Walmart
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JUST LIKE SUGAR - free sample
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POST IT - free sample of Post-it flags and notes
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ENFAMIL - free sippy cup, diaper bag, etc.
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THE CHOCOLATE GUY - free Imatra Chocolate fondue sample
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JUICY JUICE - free sippy cup
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DOVE - free sample of Pro Age
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FREE BIZ MAG - free 1 year subscription to Art in America
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DIGESTIVE ADVANTAGE - free sample from WalMart (lactose int)
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THE MELTING POT - free chocolate fondue for 2, w.purch of dinner
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HCP - free diabetic derm samples
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FIRST RESPONSE - free Planning a baby? brochure & coupons
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MARIE CLAIRE - free sample of Always Clean
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L'OCCITANE - free sample of Very Precious cream
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EARTH'S BEST - free Rice Cereal sample for baby
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PERUVIAN CONNECTION - free fashion catalog
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CESAR - free dog food sample
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PET STYLE - free reversible bandana
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STARBUCKS -Free customized t-shirt-visit daily,limited supply exp.2/28
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BILLY & MANDY - free cartoon DVD
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ARBOR DAY - free Celebrate Arbor Day guidebook
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CANADA

CET - free two handled cup
https://ns1.resp-canada.net/en/TwoHandledCup.asp

JUST LIKE SUGAR - free sample
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CESAR - free sample bag of Cesar Dry for small doggies
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CET- free kid's drawing board
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ALURA WHITE - free sample
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WILKINSON - free exercise band and plan
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AUSSIE - free 3 minute Miracle Reconstructor
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WOLDWIDE

PLAY TOAD - free games
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KLM - free luggage labels
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A to Z of Healthy Holiday Habits

ces016 — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 02:13:48 -0800

The holidays should be about friends, family, and a healthy portion of pumpkin pie, not guilt over gaining weight. Dr. Grigory Sadkhin, weight loss expert and founder of The Sadkhin Complex, shared with us a few ways to go from Thanksgiving through New Years without gaining a pound (or a guilty conscience).

A - Alcohol

It may be the social lubricant of choice for awkward family or work events, but alcohol is rich in sugar and carbohydrates. Skip sweet cocktails and go for champagne, dry wine, or drinks straight up.

B - Breakfast

Instead of buying a cinnamon roll on the way to work, wait until 11 a.m. to eat a healthier alternative (like an apple). According to Dr. Sadkhin, this is when your body is first able to digest properly.

C - Chew Slowly

When you’ve got a table full of delicious (but rich) foods, ward off overeating and aid digestion by taking smaller bites of food and chewing slowly. Try to chew 25 to 30 times before swallowing.

D - The Day After

So you ate a few too many helpings of stuffing or knocked back more cups of eggnog than you planned - don’t worry, it’s not the end of the world. The next day, try to eat your first meal as late as possible (wait until noon, at the earliest) so that your digestive system has time to recover from your holiday feast.

E - Exercise

While exercise is important year round, during the holiday it’s best to do it in the morning so that you won’t feel hungry at night. If your busy schedule won’t allow for a morning run, opt for a static activity in the evening, like yoga or pilates.

F - Fasting

Avoid overeating by fasting the day of a big event. This will help cleanse your system and curb hunger, but it doesn’t mean go hungry; you can drink as much water, seltzer, and tea as you need, and should eat a small snack before heading out.

G - Go Organic

Skip cranberry sauce from the can and go for the fresh and organic alternative. “Use as few canned products as possible,” urges Dr. Sadkhin. If you’re hosting an event, make sure that your turkey or chicken is free-range.

H - Honey

Resist the urge to dump sugar in your coffee or tea and go with honey instead. Not only is it easier to digest, but honey also goes perfectly with apple pie and roasted pears. “I love honey,” declares Dr. Sadkhin. “It will help you feel satisfied for longer.”

I - Interrupt Yourself

Whether it’s a bathroom trip or a lip-gloss touch-up break taking a breather from eating will help your body digest better and make you feel full sooner.

J - Joke Around

“Joke, talk and laugh more during food intake,” suggests Dr. Sadkhin. “Happy conversations during dinner will get you eating less but feeling just as satisfied."

K - Keep Your Hands Busy

Finally, an excuse to hold onto that wine glass all night long. If you’re clutching a cup you won’t be able to carry a plate at the same time.

L - Leftovers

The thought of free food for a week may be tempting, but taking home leftovers is more trouble than it’s worth. Food loses its nutritional value with time and it takes up too much space - both in the fridge and in your stomach.

M - Massage Your Ears

Get your digestive system going before you even start eating by giving your earlobes a quick thirty-second rub. It will this stimulate the brain, relieve stress, and lower your appetite, all while sitting at the table!

N - No, No, No!

Enjoy the foods that you love (hello eggnog) by giving up the foods that you don’t need. Stay away from particularly harmful and unsavory foods, like bread, pasta, coffee, beer and anything that comes from a can. Balance indulgences with a hearty helping of fruits and vegetables.

O - Outfit

Who knew that a cute dress and sexy underwear could help you stay healthy? According to Dr. Sadkhin, wearing tight or body-conforming clothing will make you feel fuller quicker because of the slight pressure it puts on your stomach.

P - Pre-Party Snacks

While Dr. Sadkhin suggests fasting the day before a party, you shouldn’t go hungry. “Remember to eat a small but satisfying meal before you go to the party.” Apples or yogurt are both good options.

Q - Quit Coffee

Not only does that daily Starbucks suck money from your wallet, it also has no nutritional value and makes your insulin levels go crazy. If you need a shot of caffeine to help you through dinner with aunt Edna, try a healthier alternative, like green tea.

R - Go Raw

When filling your plate with feast-worthy foods, include as many fresh fruits and vegetables as possible. “They’ll help stimulate the digestive system and improve absorption while promoting proper organ function,” says Dr. Sadkhin. Raw foods are also often richer in vitamins and minerals than anything cooked.

S - Sex

Nothing says holiday cheer like an early-morning romp. Sex in the morning is a great substitute for exercise and will help relieve holiday-related stress.

T - Tea

Go from black coffee to green tea during the holidays. It helps you with pre-event fasting, decreases your insulin levels (which, in turn, promotes weight loss), and gives you a much-needed jolt of caffeine.

U - Under-Serve

Prevent out of control eating by under-serving yourself. One way to do this is by eating off of a smaller plate, which helps with portion-control. Another way is by trying a couple different types of foods. Digging into whatever is placed in front of you usually leads to overeating, whereas sampling allows you to enjoy a more satisfying range of flavors and will fill you up faster.

V - Veer Away From The Table

Standing next to the dessert table at your office holiday party means that you’ll be thinking about dessert. And if you’re thinking about dessert, you’ll probably start eating (and then overeating) dessert. Instead, station yourself as far as possible from any tempting food spreads.

W - Walk It Off

While a quick cab ride home may sound tempting after a holiday dinner, opt for a leisurely walk instead. Even if you’re just walking to your car, this quick bit of exercise helps to get your digestive juices flowing without affecting your sleep habits.

X - No Xcuses

Just because it’s the holidays doesn’t mean that you should throw your healthy eating habits out the window. Approach every chocolate Santa or slice of pumpkin pie as you normally would during the year.

Y - Yoga

The holidays are as much about stress as they are about indulgence. Yoga helps you get both under control by relieving stress and decreasing feelings of hunger in the evening. Try relaxing and breathing exercises after 6 p.m., when your body enters its rest zone.

Z - Zzzs

Getting enough sleep during the holidays is tough, but don’t let rest go to the wayside. Enforcing a nightly bedtime not only gives you an excuse to leave the office karaoke party early, but also ensures that you’ll be getting enough sleep throughout the season. Dr. Sadkhin recommends aiming for 10 p.m. during the winter, pointing out that your body makes up for a lack of sleep by overeating.

DAZBOG's Mocha Chiller

Tiffa — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 15:58:38 -0700

Had the Mocha Chiller at Dazbog's today... and you know what, It was REALLY good! It was the first time I'd tried anything from the local coffee shop (I usually get Starbucks), but I think this was much better! For those who like coffee and chocolate and are in the Denver area: You've gotta try this one.

Total Calories 243 kcal
Calories from Fat (italics if estimated) 30.4 kcal
Calories from Carbohydrate (estimated) 176 kcal
Calories from Protein (estimated)

I'm, uh, going to go back... y'know just to make sure it wasn't a fluke. ^_~

DAZBOG: Bold Russian Coffee!

8 Great Fitness Tips

fitnessgrl — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 07:45:25 -0700

I was reading through all my fitness blogs this morning, and stumbled across these great fitness tips created by Valerie Waters. If you have never heard of Valerie Waters, she is personal trainer to stars such as Jennifer Garner, Jessica Biel, Cindy Crawford, Richard Gere, Elizabeth Berkley, Benicio Del Toro, Jim Carey, etc... She has also put together one of the best workout programs, The Red Carpet Ready System.

Valerie Water's Top 8 Fitness Tips

* Decide This is the most important step. Decide right now to adopt a healthy lifestyle and then put some energy behind it. You might have been wishing you had a better body for a long time but the moment you truly decide to do something about it you are on your way. The more clear you are on where you are going, the more the universe conspires to help you.

* Just Do It! - Nike said it best and I reiterate it! Jump in. Get started. One step leads to many feet forward. So just move. Dont wait for the perfect diet or perfect trainer. Put down the cookie and go for a run. Do it now. Do it right. Do it right now.

* Have a Plan and Stick to it Schedule your workouts like you do any other appointment. Put it in your book! Cindy Crawford scheduled it M-W-F 10am for 10 years. Plan your workouts- know what you are going to do before you get there. This takes the guess work out and makes your time more efficient. Lay your gym clothes out the night before or pack your gym bag and leave it by the door. Plan your meals. Dont wait until 7pm to think about dinner. If you eat out a lot, know which restaurants you can order healthy choices. If dinner is going to be late have a snack 2 hours before.

* Have a Plan B Okay, sometimes the best laid plans dont work. This is when you need a back up plan. I work with actors and often the time they have to be on set changes at the last minute. We thought we had an hour, now there is only 20 minutes to squeeze in a workout. Thats OK because we adapt. We will do a 20 minute circuit that focuses on the major muscle groups and use exercises that work more than one muscle at a time.

* PRE Prepare your food and buy a cooler This is essential in sticking with your diet. You cant leave your meals to chance. When making dinner make a little extra so you have lunch tomorrow. Pack it right then. Organize some snacks such as an apple or string cheese and put that in your lunch and some water in a cooler that you take with you in the morning. If you think this is uncool, know that some of your favorite actors bring their food to the set this way.

* Drink more water This is so incredibly important. I feel many people are walking around dehydrated. There are so many benefits to drinking water. Your skin will look better, you will feel less bloated, and you will metabolize fat better. Drinking water also helps you feel full. You want to drink 64 oz of water or 2 big bottles (not med.) Its hard for me to believe, but I know some of you dont like the taste of water. If you are home make spa water. To make spa water fill a glass pitcher with spring water and add a couple of slices of lemon and cucumber. Very Refreshing! If you prefer fruity try slices of strawberry, orange and apple.

* Eat Breakfast. Studies show that people who eat a healthy breakfast are skinner than people who dont. I know you think you dont have time but somehow you make time to go to Starbucks. Buy a coffee maker and with the time you save you can make breakfast. My favorite on the go breakfast is plain instant oatmeal with 1 scoop of chocolate protein powder or 1 piece of Ezekiel whole grain bread, toasted with almond butter on it. Add a couple slices of strawberry for extra yummy! If you have 5 minutes 2-3 scrambled egg whites with a tiny bit of cheese on Ezekiel toast.
Hint: Use Eggology pure egg whites and this will take no time at all.

* Seek an attitude adjustment. I like to say, You are just one workout away from a good mood. You are working to get in shape, lose 10lbs or improve your 5K time but sometimes this isnt compelling enough. Use your workout to feel better. I often adjust my clients workout to the mood they are in with the end result being feeling better.

Example: if you are mad at your boyfriend or your boss you might get the Get out of your head workout a high circuit program that includes running intervals. If you are sad or maybe a little depressed we do a gentle circuit with some Pilates type moves and extra stretching. I also have the hangover workout", the "jet lag workout", the "PMS workout", the "had-a-bad-day workout" and the "I-didnt-sleep-last-night-workout. At the end of any of these workouts you will say, I feel so much better. I am so glad I worked out. So next time you want to blow off your workout, remember you are just one workout away from a good mood.

Starbucks Facts

LaylaCams — Sun, 17 Sep 2006 07:57:16 -0700

Starbucks is my guilty pleasure. So I figured if I look up enough bad stuff about it maybe I will stay away from it?

How many calories does a 24 oz. double chocolate chip Frappuccino blended cream drink with whipped cream have on average? 750

According to a study by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, having one large coffee Frappuccino milkshakes is like drinking 2 McDonald's Quarter Pounder burgers. True

Which classic favorite has the highest calorie content? White Hot Chocolate - whip

Which Iced Espresso has 420 calories? Iced Caramel Mocha

Another helpful hint is to always hold the cream. It has no flavor and will save you tons calories.