Here it is folks.. my very first video blog! I first got the inkling to v-blog several months back when my blogger buddy Terri from Terri Terri quite contrary made her first attempt at doing so. Arranging your thoughts into sentences is one thing, but talking into a video camera and coming up with dialogue on the spur of the moment was a lot tougher than I though it would be. Anyway, here's the video in all of its two minutes and twenty seven seconds of glory...
This is one of my favorite commercials. It seems like this kid is channeling me. LOL!
The verdict - excellent
The verdict - Excellent
My bride and I have always loved Capri Sun for the sheer convenience. The kiddos love Capri Sun for the taste, not to mention those fun pouches. In April, Capri Sun started making their drinks with 25% less sugar, and no artificial flavors or preservatives. Capri Sun also contains no high fructose corn syrup and is a good source of vitamin E.
The tweaking of this drink by KRAFT foods obviously didn't mean sacrificing taste. The new healthier version of this drink tastes every bit as good as the original. Trying to get the kids on board with our new goal of eating healthier, I made sure to stress to them that less sugar doesn't necessarily mean less taste, and they wholeheartedly agreed after sampling the new and improved Capri Sun.
It's scary how easy it is for kids to eat unhealthy at school these days. What's really sad, is that kids actually stand the chance of eating less healthy when bringing lunches from home! In this day and age of convenient meals of the processed kind, you come to some harsh realizations when you start reading the nutritional facts on the back of food packaging.
All three of my kids take their lunches to school with them, so my bride and I recently began buying healthier foods for them to eat. Chips have been replaced with yogurt, white bread replaced with wheat, and we've been actively searching for healthier beverage choices. We already bought Capri Sun by the boat load, but we now have a little more peace of mind knowing that the kids are eating healthier lunches all the way across the board.
Check out the official Capri Sun web-site
Oh yeah..
Today I spent yet more time perusing music videos. When I came across this Amy Winehouse performance from about five years ago, I could only shake my head and sadly wonder.. "What the heck happened to this extremely talented and beautiful girl?"
I was surfing You Tube for a few hours awhile tonight, reminiscing about my younger years and the music I loved so much. Anyway.. while searching through Gap Band videos, I found this little gem. It's my favorite Gap Band song "Party train" paired with a clip from my favorite Laurel and Hardy movie "Way out West".
The verdict - Excellent
I'll admit it.. I'm a compulsive snacker. I never know when the urge is going to hit, but when it does.. I need to satisfy my craving immediately. This is causing problems for me as I'm trying to live a healthier lifestyle. We have a fully stocked fruit bowl located on the kitchen counter, but you can only snack on so much fruit. I'm more of a salty snack kind of guy, so I was ecstatic when I discovered Corazonas chips!
The good folks at Corazonas sent me a couple bags of heart healthy chips to try out, and I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical about how they'd taste. I've tried so many heart healthy snacks and foods over the years that simply didn't taste very good, I wasn't setting my expectations very high. However, I was more than pleased with Corozonas!
I tried both the Jalapeno Jack and Salsa Picante flavors and loved them both. The consistency was thicker than your average tortilla chip and seemed to be more filling as well. I can't tell you the satisfaction I felt snacking on these delicious chips, all the while knowing they are also good for you!
The chips are made from 100% natural whole oats and fiber, have no trans fat or cholesterol, and are made with natural plant sterols which have been proven to reduce the risk of heart disease. They're also a great source of fiber, providing 12% of your daily allowance per serving.
I've found the story behind the company to be a touching one. Founder and CEO Ramona Capello lost her father and both of her grandfathers to heart disease. This was her motivation to make healthy snack options available to the public without compromising taste and enjoyment. Her hopes and dreams have become reality, and her passion and dedication to heart health has culminated into some superb products. I can't wait to try more of Corozonas products very soon.
Check out the Corozonas web-site
Have you ever gotten into a rut when it comes to your nightly dinners? I just learned about the wonder that is Woman’s Day recipe finder.
Need to make a fantastic meal but only have chicken in your freezer? No sweat! You can browse the Woman’s Day recipe database not only by dish, but by ingredient as well! The site is even optimized for iPhone, and allows you to save your favorites when you're on the go.
Check it out.. they allow Dad's to use it too!
"The 2nd day of a diet is always easier than the 1st. By the 2nd day you're off it."
-Jackie Gleason
I don't use the word diet anymore. Diet's don't work, and over the years I've found it's more about lifestyle change than anything else. For the last month, I've been dieting eating better, and it's actually going pretty good.
When you get near forty, you start looking at life a lot differently. Recently my wife and I took a long hard look at the way we're eating, and came to the conclusion we needed to make some big changes. What prompted us to take a closer look at our lifestyle and eating habits? One word.. Genetics.
My wife's relatives have a really bad history with cancer, while mine are prone to high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart problems, and diabetes. As your loved ones age and succumb to these awful health issues, it really starts to weigh on your mind. It's quite obvious to my wife and I, that if we don't take care of ourselves and our kids, the odds are not in our favor.
I'm happy to say that I've lost about 5 pounds in the last month, and it wasn't very hard at all. Simply becoming more active, and making small changes in my eating habits have accounted for my weight loss. For instance, I stopped taking sugar in my coffee, have been eating fruit every day, have stopped drinking soda, and am slowly cutting back on my red meat consumption. This has also helped me to shed a couple inches from around my mid rift! I can actually fit into shirts I couldn't wear two months ago. Does the shirt fit exactly the way it should? No.. but they fit good enough that I can wear them without embarrassment!
There's something else.. I can feel my energy levels surging as the weeks pass. A month ago I would come home, eat dinner, and park my rear on the couch until bedtime. Now I get home and enjoy an afternoon of activity like washing the car, doing yard work, or walking the dog.
Our next step is to consistently start eating healthier at dinner time. Chicken, pork, and turkey are starting to replace beef in our diet. Processed dinners like "Cheesy hamburger helper" are being replaced with meals like Barilla multi grain pasta and chicken. Vegetables at every meal are starting to become the norm as well. Let me tell you.. it's not always easy to eat this way. After a long hard day, I'd like nothing more than to throw a couple of frozen pizzas in the oven, crack open some soda's and call it good, but deep down I know I've got to stick with this healthier lifestyle.
I've abused my body for a very long time when it comes to the fuel I've been feeding it, and it's time to start undoing the damage. I'm hoping to shed about twenty pounds by the middle of summer. If I can, I'm going to have a heck of a before and after picture to show you all.
