The Truths Behind High Fructose Corn Syrup

Seeing as I am a Nutrition fanatic, I enjoy reading any and all articles about nutrition. Since I am a Biology minor, the second I heard there was going to be a new Nutrition class, I was the first to register. I have been looking forward to this class for almost an entire year, eagerly awaiting the assigned readings and class discussions.

Naturally (pun intended), I have always been against high fructose corn syrup and avoid it completely. I understand that it is cheaper to produce, but is it really worth risking our health? On Monday, my class divided into groups and we approached different issues of High Fructose Corn Syrup. We went home to research our given issue and then we were allowed to decided whether we were pro or con. Of course I was obviously against it.

My roommate and I decided to be our own group so we would be able to do all of our research at home and not worry about any other members. As we were researching, I noticed there was no true reason to be against it. Obesity has been increasing worldwide, while HFCS is limited in most countries outside the US. I agree that HFCS is not good, but is it any worse than sugar?

Chemically, sucrose and HFCS are made up of the same monosaccharides. HFCS is unbound fructose and glucose, while sucrose is chemically bound. You would think that HFCS is therefore easier for your body to metabolize than sucrose! My roommate and I also managed to find a charge which portrays the processing that both sucrose (table sugar) and HFCS go through. The two go through the same amount of processing steps, meaning HFCS is no more processed than the everyday sugar you are eating.

I am going to work on not going too intense biologically, but the moral of the story: There is still much debate about HFCS, but personally I believe it is not the cause of obesity. I think that due to the cheap cost of production, it is being put in more and more products. People are led to believe this is causing the obesity, but in reality people are just being lazy and eating more. I do not see a direct correlation, just an increase in the failure to recognize satiety.

I would still recommend staying away from HFCS, though I also believe sucrose should be avoided. I guess what I am trying to say is that HFCS is not as bad as people are making it out to be. Be aware of what you are putting into your body, but do not become scared of ingredients just because of the scary name they are given. Try to lean more towards natural sweeteners like Stevia when available and then you will not have to worry about it!

Is Dressing In Sweats Inconsiderate?

As I was getting lunch today with one of my friends, Chris, he brought up the subject of fashion and how few students at my school care actually care about their looks. Personally, I have never worn a pair of sweatpants to class, but I also am not the preppiest individual. I generally like to look presentable, but also I like to be comfortable which helps me concentrate.

A majority of my school is made up of those students who wear sweats and work-out clothes to class almost every day. They way up five minutes before they need to leave, throw their hair in a bun, forget the makeup and run out the door. I always considered this a personal choice- if they do not care what other people think of them, then good for them! However, as I was eating lunch with Chris, he mentioned how he thinks it is inconsiderate towards other to dress sloppy. I was slightly confused at first, but as he started to explain himself, it actually made some sense! If other people have to look at you all day, then shouldn't you do them a favor my dressing nice? You do not have to look at yourself, so why would it matter how you dress. Nobody else wants to look at your butt hanging out of saggy sweatpants, or have to stare at your zits all day.

Some people prefer to avoid the preppy looks because they do not want to be seen as arrogant. Are they actually being inconsiderate of others though?

Personally, I am still not sure how I feel about the whole conversation. I completely see his point, though I had never considered it all. I enjoy wearing my hair down and putting make-up on, so I very rarely leave the apartment without it. However, there are times when I rush to class and throw some running shorts on with my hair is a bun... Am I offending others? I will definitely be more observant now, and probably more self-conscious as well! I would like to know, though.... Are you offended by others who dress sloppily? Or do you think it is merely a level of comfort for an individual?

My Lip Gloss is Popping!

So I am sorry I have been the absolute worst at updating! Senior year has been keeping me quite busy thus far, but hopefully I will be able to keep up on here more than I have been! So first off, I ran to CVS today and got some of the BEST deals!! I am SOO so excited! I actually totaled my car last weekend (long story, and I'm still a little emotional about it), but I ended up walking to CVS since it is not too far from my apartment anyways. I'm not going to lie, I was a little self-conscious about it, I just felt weird for some reason! Then I realized that I really could care less what other people thought, so I grabbed my coupons and set out on my trek!

One of my all time favorite deals this week is the Revlon Colorburst Lip Gloss. I bought this a couple weeks ago in Rosegold and ended up absolutely loving it! It is about $7.50, which personally I think is a little pricy. However, this week it is on sale for $6.50 and you get $5 back in ExtraCare Bucks, so it is only $1.50!!!!! Seriously, I do not know how it gets any better than that... The limit is 6, but I only picked up 4. My bank account has been seriously diminishing, so I do not have much money to spend, and a lot of the colors are fairly similar anyways. Moral of the story: it is already Wednesday, so if you have not gotten to CVS this week- GO! (By the way: the four new ones I purchased are Sunset Peach, Peony, Strawberry (Kaitlin's favorite!), and Rosepearl. I have not tested any of my new ones yet, but I will also do a review later to let everyone know how I like them!

I ended up walking around CVS just to see what other deals they had going on. I did not find anything else that was too spectacular, but I did end up picking up Tom's of Maine deodorant. It is an all-natural, aluminum free deodorant which is normally priced around $5.50 or so. It was on sale for $3.50 (ish) and you get $1 back in ExtraCare Bucks. For this product, that is a very good deal, so I picked it up even though I do not necessarily need deodorant at this time. Lastly, there was Arm & Hammer laundry detergent on sale buy one, get one free. I also had a $1 off manufacturer's coupon, so I figured I would use that now! Laundry detergent is also something I have plenty of right now, but since it was a good price, I figured I would stock up. Laundry detergent is always something you will need eventually!

So that is all I picked up this week- since I do not have my car, this is really the only place I was able to get to. I also checked coupons. com this week and printed off about 35 coupons- I felt like they had some awesome ones on their site! I am hoping I will be able to pair the coupons with some awesome sales, so I will let you know if I manage that as well! For more coupon deals and beauty tips, check out my best friend Kaitlin's YouTube channel, Kouponing with Kait!

PS: I apologize my pictures were taken with PhotoBooth... I'm a college student, how classy can you expect me to be??

Sunday is Maskday!!

One of my favorite days of the week is Sunday. First off, because PostSecret is published on Sundays- WOOHOO!! Second, because I always take Sundays to relax, rejuvenate, and prepare for the week ahead! One way I accomplish this is by applying a deep-clean mask to my face every Sunday. I love to keep my skin looking fresh and clean, and it just feels amazing! As much as I would love the $17 alba face mask, I currently have been busy a cheap $3 mask from CVS. It lasts a couple months, and works very well. I always set Sundays aside as my mask day so that I do not apply my masks too often or too seldom. Applying a mask too often will just dry out your skin, and no offense, but that just looks nasty. Once a week leaves you with the perfect deep-clean your pores need! I encourage you to make it a weakly routine in order to benefit both your skin and yourself! If you are super busy, you can just apply the mask while getting your studying done or while eating a meal. If you have an easy day ahead, then just relax, apply your mask, paint your nails, and watch a good movie :)

Are We in Third Grade Again??

One of my all-time favorite workouts is jump roping. When I was training for swimming, jump roping was always incorporated into our weights and plyos circuit. I used to think it was sooo third grade- isn't that just what all the kids do on the playground?? It is actually a great workout though! It really gets your heart rate up, and trust me- it is HARD. All of your leg muscles will get the workout they need, and even your arms (particularly your traps) will feel it. You may be surprised how hard it is when you first get started, but if you slowly work your way up, I promise you won't regret it. It is a quick, fun way to get in a nice workout without having to leave the comfort of your home. I usually grab my jump rope and do a few sets on my back patio and boy can I feel it.

For my birthday this year, my mom gave me a new jump rope with weighted handles (when I first opened it, I ACTUALLY thought I was eight). However, it is one of the best presents I have ever gotten! All throughout high school though I used a jump rope I had ordered online off of lifelineusa.com. It lasted many years, and I still use it every once in a while. The one downfall is that when you wear it out, the beads start flying off in all directions! For a cheap, quality jump rope though, I would definitely recommend it.

Coconut! Who had coconut?!

First of all, I really hope that everyone got that Rat Race reference! If not, then you must take a couple hours of your day and watch that movie- I promise you won't regret it :)

Anyways, I did not get on here to talk about Rat Race. If you have read my previous posts, you heard me talk about coconut water, or "Nature's Sports Drink". It naturally has electrolytes and a TON of potassium, so it is great for a post-workout drink! (or during-workout?). Well, seeing as I am a picky eater, I was not exactly a fan. However, I found fun ways to mix it up by pouring some in my tea or in a smoothie so that I can get all the nutrients without the horrid taste. This morning I decided to try a different flavor and see if it was any better- it's always worth a try!! I grabbed the passion fruit zico from plum market, popped in a straw and sipped it after my workout this morning... WINNER!!! It definitely has won my vote! So I encourage you- if there is a healthy treat that you are not a fan of, keep on trying different flavors or brands, or get creative and mask it into another treat!

Go Greek

Last summer my mother introduced me to greek yogurt. At first I thought it was sort of gross, but I soon learned to love it and am now OBSESSED with it! Greek yogurt has a ton of protein, unlike regular yogurt, and is naturally low fat. It is a lot thicker than regular yogurt, but tastes amazing when mixed with fruit. My mom generally eats the plain, but personally I prefer the pomegranate or vanilla. They make for a great breakfast, snack, or smoothie throw-in. Greek yogurt is generally more expensive, but if you find coupons and stock up when it is on sale, it is well worth it!