Coffee Addiction

It is 3.051am and I finally found a decent template for my blog! For two hours I was trying to alter slides on some magazine templates, but I failed to do so. I don't see any meaning when I look at the template coding. Its very confusing, so I just give up!

After my second cup of coffee I lost count- I might have drunk three or four more. I have a habit of eating chocolate while drinking coffee. I prefer 71% dark chocolate with Turkish coffee. When I don't have the time to cook Turkish coffee I drink Nescafe Rich with antioxidants. Who wouldn't want to drink coffee with antioxidants? (sarcasm)

I am a big time coffee drinker. I used to drink from five to seven cups a day. Shocking, I know. I cut down to two a day to none. I guess today was the day to break the coffee strike again.

For those of you who still believe in the famous saying, "coffee stunts your growth," you are wrong! There is no single study stating that coffee stunts the growth. Coffee only stimulates the nervous system. High doses of caffeine causes dizziness, anxiety and sleeping disorders- insomnia.

Coffee is the world's most widely used drug, caffeine is a stimulant and has no nutritional value. It is a diuretic, so it drains the calcium out of your body; it gets excreted from your bones. Caffeine is also implicated as a contributor to osteoporosis. Caffeine also elevates the blood pressure causing hypertension, dehydration, heart rhythm disturbances; irregular heartbeats and bad cholesterol, because of the two cholesterol raising compounds; cafestol and kahweol.

As for the good contributions of coffee, Harward research department stated that it can greatly lower the risk of developing diabetes, the Parkinson's disease and the kidney stones; coffee increases the urine volume, preventing the crystallisation of the calcium oxalate, most common component of kidney stones. Caffeine is related to theophylline, an old asthma medication which can also open airways for patients with asthma. We all know the most known contribution of coffee is that it provides mental alertness.

If you are trying to cut back on caffeine, do it gradually. Stopping suddenly can cause headaches and fatigue.

Eating in Moderation

How do you overcome the writers block?

I have been working on this blog entry for a few days. It is now 11.35m and I am tired, but determined to put an end to this post. Not that anyone reads my blog, I enjoy writing about the ways to maintain a balanced life. This is sure to be a short entry...

This post should be about moderation. That is how I ended my first post, "everything in moderation, even moderation in moderation."

Do you want to lose weight- or maintain a healthy, balanced life? The golden rule to be healthy is to eat regular meals. This means, three meals and two snacks a day- snacks are to be in smaller portions than regular meals.

How would you determine the portion size of the foods you consume? Having a mental image of the foods on the plate could determine the normal serving sizes. A plate should be composed of 50% vegetables and fruits, 25% starch and 25% protein.

How do you measure up the foods you eat? Here is an easy way to measure portion sizes:

3 oz. meat= deck of cards or the palm of your hand- minus fingers

1 cup raw vegatables or cooked rice= light bulb

1 medium fresh fruit or 1/2 medium bagel= tennis ball

1 bagel roll= 6 oz. can Tuna or a hockey puck

1 teaspoon of oil= quarter in diameter

1 portion of cheese= 4 dice

1 portion size of peanut butter= 2 tbsp or a golf ball

It takes time to adapt living a healthy lifestyle. How do you think Food Network's Italian American Chef, Giada De Laurentiis stays skinny? She too eats in moderation!

Eating on the Run

How many times have you caught yourself eating in front of the TV, while talking on the phone or even while on the run to school or work? I seriously have done the same mistake over and over again. It is better to have a breakfast on the run than, not to have any, right? The answer is NO! Instead, why don't you wake up ten or twenty minutes earlier and enjoy your breakfast while you are actually tasting it.

Lets examine the risks of eating on the go:
1. Increases the cortisol levels- stress hormone that allows the weight gain in waist and abdomen area.

2. The brain does not get enough time to receive the signal that it's full- it takes only twenty minutes to feel full. So eat slowly and actually taste the food your are eating.

3. There is no portion size control- try to eat while sitting down and also use a small plate, instead of a big plate. You are likely to fill up the plate without considering it's size. Bright colours trigger you to eat in bigger portions, while dark and muted coloured plates makes you feel fuller faster.

4. Do not eat or drink while standing. Drinking or eating while standing makes the liquid fall in the bottom of the stomach and strike's its wall. This pressure will increase the extension of the stomach. The repetition of this will cause problems in the digestion.

Some things to help you on a busy schedule:

If you are always in a hurry carry a granola bar with you. They are high in fibre, which can keep you full for a long period of time and high in protein.

Brands to consider: Kashi, Nature Valley Fibre Source, Kellogg’s All-Bran Bite Size Bars(4 grams of Fibre per bar). Vector bars for protein; contains 200calories and 15 grams of protein.

Always check the nutrition label for fats; it should not be more than 5% and aim for 150 or less calories and stay away from the bars with high sugar and saturated fats. The saturated fat content should be less than two percent. Always check that oatmeal is the first ingredient, not the sugar. So you can also benefit from the whole grains; which can decrease the risk of heart diease and diabetes. It should contain less than 8grams of sugar (two tbsp).
I would stay away from the yogourt covered bars, because it is not yogourt, but flavoring, palm oil or colouring.

Look for five grams or more fiber. Each gram of fiber burns seven calories. It will also release sugars slowly into your blood stream. So you will get a slow and constant energy, instead of a massive high at once.

Protein bars are loaded with protein. The protein is sure to keep you feeling full. For the best results eat in the break between lunch and dinner. Protein also aids in repairing bones after an exercise and stabilize the blood sugar. Protein bars can be full of calories and fat. Look for less than 200 calories and 10 to 15 grams of protein per bar. Never buy a protein bar as a meal replacer. A granolar bar or a protein bar can never replace good, balanced meal.

My Reason For Writing

Blame it on the school system, the weekend I took to write a fitness and cooking blog, the fact that I have been wanting to become a dietitian has flunked, due to my failure in science classes. For a while, I devoted myself to reading blogs on health and fitness and healthy cooking. Today, I finally had time to write up my own blog entry.

What I mean is, blogging is a form of communication, I can use it to write about my passion to cook healthy vegetarian food. Exploring the scientific facts about healthy eating is mostly what "Eat.Drink.Shrink" is about. Introducing foods that boost energy, metabolism and mood will help you have a better lifestyle.

Why do I want to write a blog about living a healthy lifestyle? My main motivation is to help people with ana and mia. To clarify, they are short forms for anorexia and bulimia. Anorexia is the self intended starvation, for unhealthy weightloss. Individuals who have anorexia can also have bulimia; it is binge eating and then feeling guilt and depression followed by self induced vomitting. As horrible as it sounds, maintaining a healthy weight is not as hard as you might think. It just takes some time and dedication but, you will love the results!

Followed by this blog entry, I will start posting ways to live a fit and healthy life. I have my own diet plan that I follow. I have lost eight jean sizes in just four months. By following a healthy diet plan and a daily fitness routine you can trim away inches also save some money. Believe me, you won't starve yourself or feel depressed because you can not eat the foods you used to. My first advice to you is always do EVERYTHING IN MODERATION, EVEN MODERATION IN MODDERATION!