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!

Veggie Sushi :)

I have never been a fan of sushi. Mainly because tuna fish is the only kind of fish I have ever eaten, so why would I go and eat some raw nasty stuff?? Well just this year, my friend David made me go to one of his favorite sushi restaurants. I was a little hesitant, but I figured I would give it a shot! I ended up ordering cucumber and avocado sushi, and I loved it!

I still do not eat sushi very often, but every once in a while I will grab it from the grocery store for a quick, healthy meal. I recently discovered this vegetable sushi from Plum Market, and it is absolutely heavenly! The sushi is made with brown rice, so it is very healthy and has all natural ingredients! Personally, I eat it plain, but it also comes with a packet of low sodium soy sauce which is great to spice it up. This particular one has cucumber, avocado, asparagus, and red pepper. At first I thought it sounded like a weird combination, but it was the only veggie one I could find, so I bought it.

Glorious.

It is literally one of the best things I have ever tasted. For 12 rolls it is originally $8, which is kind of a lot. However, if you go in the evening, the "after hours special pricing" is only $5.50. Also, they generally have 10-15% off coupons in the mail if you hold on to them! I ended up paying about $5 for the most delicious veggie sushi I have ever had. Quite a steal if you ask me!!

Peanut Butter, Banana, and Honey

When I got back from my workout the other day, I was not super hungry, but definitely needed a sandwich to hold me over for a few hours. Lately, I have been eating MorningStar chic'n nuggets a lot, but I wanted to avoid too much soy, so I figured a peanut butter sandwich would do! Since I do not like jelly, one of my favorite sandwiches to make it a peanut butter, honey and banana sandwich.

Ever since my sophomore year in high school, I have always eaten natural peanut butter. At first, just looking at it kind of creeped me out, but I figured it doesn't hurt to try! Natural peanut butter is a lot healthier for you since it does not have all the added chemicals and preservatives, and it tastes so much better! Since I switched to natural, I can not even look at "regular" peanut butter anymore. Personally, I have always gotten the Organic All Natural peanut butter from Trader Joe's. Even when I am at school (which does not have a Trader Joe's for a 60 mile radius), I make my mom mail me my Trader Joe's peanut butter. It is the best I have ever had, and I refuse to switch brands!

Another trick I have learned over the years is that even though a loaf of bread may say "wheat", it does not mean that it is whole wheat. Often times producers will try to trick you, because white flour is still "wheat". I now only buy 100% whole wheat bread, in order to ensure I am truly getting the necessary ingredients! Personally, I love the sandwich thins because they are nutritious and only 100 calories each! They make for great sandwiches, toast, and hamburger buns.

Hold the Mayo!

My mom introduced me to this new way of making tuna fish this summer, and it is absolutely AMAZING! I had been looking for something to replace the mayonnaise in my tuna to make it healthier, but I was plumb out of ideas until my mom gave me this crazy idea: hummus. Now at first I looked at her like she had gone insane- that just sounded nasty! Little did I know, the tuna she had put in the fridge that I had previously been munching on was made with hummus!

I made this variant of tuna today for lunch and threw it on top of my salad, and it was both healthy and delicious, so I figured I would share!!

Generally, people add a few vegetables to their tuna to add a little flavor and some crunch. With this recipe, however, I cut up a ton of vegetables and then add some tuna on top. Therefore, rather than having a gooey mess like they serve in restaurants, you get several servings of vegetables while still getting the protein and without too much mercury! I add a dash of pepper on top to spice it up a bit, and viola!

This tuna is very good eaten straight out the bowl, on top of a salad, with pasta, or even on a sandwich. Since it makes a lot more than the standard tuna with mayo, I put the leftovers in a tupperware in the fridge so I can enjoy it again tomorrow :)

Yuummmm!!

Another new found glory: Kefir. When my sister first told me about Kefir, I was pretty hesitant. She warned me that it does not taste very good, but it is very healthy. I had never even heard of it before, and in 20 years of my life, I have never drank milk. I figured I would at least give it a shot.. how bad could it be??

Whole Foods was having a sale, so I stopped by and grabbed a liter. Now if you know me at all, you know that I am obsessed with Pomegranate. Anything flavored with pomegranate will be in my cart in a split second. So obviously I grabbed the blueberry pom acai flavor! I went home, shook it up, and drank it straight from the bottle. No lie, it is probably one of the best things I have ever tasted! It is just like drinking a smoothie, it is AMAZING!! I promptly went and texted my sister telling her it is the best thing I have ever drank. Props to my sister for the introduction and props to Whole Foods for healthy, delicious dairy products!

Share.Love.Inspire. Sweat

I have never been fat, I spent 16 years of my life swimming competitively- I was always in shape, working out 4 hours a day. However, when I got to college and eventually stopped swimming, you could definitely say I packed on the pounds. I still tried to eat healthy and work out, but you could say I let myself go a bit. So I have been wanting for a while now to get back in shape and start eating healthy again.

For me, it’s not about losing weight. I think that is one of the things that bothers me the most about all these diets and fads. People want to lose weight in order to look thin, which then makes them “beautiful”. Bullshit. For me, it is about feeling good and being happy. I do not want to lose weight, I just want to be healthy in order to be the best that I can possibly be.

Moral of the story: I found the Tone It Up girls on youtube, and I have been so motivated recently! I am starting to work out again and have been making much healthier choices. One of the main things is to drink more water. I know people say this all the time, but for some reason I just let it go! I used to drink about 5-6 nalgenes a day, but recently I had barely been drinking any water at all. I plan on documenting my journey towards a more healthy me in order to motivate other people and also hold me accountable!

Get Naked!

Naked juice that is. This stuff is miraculous!! First of all, it is delicious. I have yet to try one that I don't like! Second, it has so many vitamins and minerals in it, that it is a very healthy breakfast on the go! Granted, eating fresh fruits and vegetables are always a healthier option, but if you are in a hurry or (in my case) you do not like to buy everything because you can't eat it all before it goes bad, then it is a great alternative. Naked is a little on the pricier side, but hit up Sam's Club or Costco and get a large jug of it. It will last a lot longer and will save you a lot of money in the long run!

Coconut Water... Ew. But Good!

Coconut water. First of all, I do not like coconut. That stuff is nasty and there is no way you could ever shove it down my throat. However, as I begin my new health surge, one of the things I always hear about is coconut water. It has so many health benefits, and tastes nothing like coconut! So the other day I begin my trek to Whole Foods to pick up some coconut water and Naked juice (yumm!!). I have heard such great things about coconut water and how delicious it is, I couldn’t wait to try it! The second I walked in my door, I cranked out a glass and took a sip.

Vomit.

That is the nastiest thing I have ever tried. Who would ever drink this?! It’s so healthy though, maybe I should give it another try??

Nope. Still gross.

Well... I bought this container, I need to at least finish it. How can I mask it?? Then, as I was sipping my tea, it came to me- TEA! I poured some of the coconut water in my tea, and sure enough- splendid! I get all of the health benefits of the coconut water but do not taste it at all! So now, I share with you my blessed idea: throw some coconut water into your tea, your morning smoothie, your Arnold Palmer- anywhere! Depending on how much you add, you may or may not be able to taste it, but you are still getting the nutritious vitamins with low calorie intake and no fat.

The Wonderful World of Hookah

Ahh, it’s the summer of hookah!! So what is so great about hookah anyways?? Isn’t it just like smoking? A slow method of killing yourself??

First off, Hookah is not that bad for you! Granted it is not the healthiest habit to get in to, but it is not horrible! It contains very low levels of nicotine, so you will not get addicted unless you smoke a LOT! And I mean a LOT!!

I’m not about to get into the science of it though, it is just a fun pastime! It is not necessarily the act of smoking that draws me in. I love hanging out with my friends, relaxing and catching up, and for a cheap price! I am very into saving money (we will get into that later) but that is so hard to do living in the city! I feel as though the city has so much to offer, it should not be that hard to find something to do for cheap, but somehow it is almost impossible. Clubbing is fun every once in a while, but when you are not 21, just driving around dancing with old, drunk creepy men can lose its appeal. Nothing against dancing, of course! Everyone needs their night to dance with creeps, let lose, and have some fun. However, when you are done losing your virginity on the dance floor and are ready for some chill nights to catch up with friends, hookah is your answer!

One of the greatest things I love about hookah is that you can hang out and catch up with your old friends without just sitting on your couch and being boring. You can get out of the house and stay occupied without running around trying to find something to entertain you. When I am home from school, my friends and I will go and sit for 3-4 hours. Some people think this is absolutely crazy, “how do you smoke for that long?!” Well, it is not the smoking that brings us there, it’s the atmosphere! We can sit there and talk while passing the hookah around, or we can set it down and take a break. Either way, it is a great atmosphere to just relax and catch up, for old times sake J

Stronger :)

One Step.

You Can, If Only You Will

Conceive. Believe. Achieve.

Smooth Sailing

Online Dating?!

Our entire childhood we are taught not to talk to strangers. “Stay away from people you don’t know!” or “If a man looks sketchy, run!” However, when we stop to think about it… isn’t everyone a stranger? Am I supposed to not talk to the woman checking me out at the grocery store? Is it bad for me to make friends with the guy behind me in line at Starbucks?? I mean, really, what’s the worst that could happen?

I am the type of person who likes to make friends. I can not explain why, or even when it started- I used to be the shyest little kid you had ever met! Somehow I became one of the most outgoing, talkative person you will ever meet. I am the one making friends at the grocery store, walking downtown, at the movie theater… you name it! So, granted, when online dating came into the picture, I thought “what’s the big deal?”

Personally, I don’t share personal details at all. My screen name does not include my name, my birthday is a few days off, and my hometown is a couple towns over. As long as I am careful about who I talk to and how much information I give out, then I don’t see any harm!

I used to think that the only people online were those desperate people. I would judge people because I thought they had no social skills at all or something had to be wrong with them! I then realized that there is nothing wrong with it at all! It’s just another form of meeting people. In all, it is not that differently from meeting someone at a coffee shop or out at the mall. It was then I decided I would give it a try. If the relationship doesn’t work out, then hopefully I have at least made a few new friends!

Dream. Live

A Positive Attitude

Through the Eyes of a Child

Rainbows!!!