TODAYS' NEWS: PETTY THIEF GETS ATTACKED BY RAGING SWEDISH GIRL

I got robbed today! Yes, proper, for real robbed. You know, thief sneaking his hand into my bag taking my wallet scenario, but that's not the end of the story...

I'm still a bit shaken by the incidence that occurred today. I was browsing some socks in a store, engrossed in my own world of stripes, colours or dots. All of a sudden I felt a tug on my handbag, like someone had walked into me from the side and accidentally gotten something caught in my bag. I turned around and saw a small man in his mid 30's standing behind me, looking dumbstruck at me. Actually, he looked very surprised. So I looked down at my bag as a precaution and saw it had been opened. Me being absolutely meticulous with checking my handbag is safe and seeing this suspicious man behind me, standing awfully near to me, I connected the dots and realised what had happened. And I couldn't believe it. So I said in a very as-a-matter-of-a-fact voice:
"You just took my wallet!"
He looked so shocked and perplexed at me, like I had just caught him doing something red-handed, which I had. I quickly looked down at his hand furthest away from me and there it was, my beautiful, faux-crocodile, deep vine coloured wallet... clenched in his hand. I reached down and snatched it back from him, now clutching it hard in my own hand. I stared at him angrily and then said boomingly so everyone in the store could hear:
"He just took my wallet!"
The thief's eyes widened as I raised my voice again:
"I can't believe it. He just took my wallet!"
Obviously I must've been in shock, otherwise I wouldn't be stating the fact over and over, but it was true. I couldn't believe it. I had been roobed. The cheek of him to rob me. ME!
He started backing away as I attacked him loudly with my words once again while walking towards him:
"You just took my wallet!"
At this point he panicked, threw the clothes he held in his arms and legged it out the door, with me, the angry customer behind him shouting:
"Stop him. Stop him!"

And so it goes... he vanished onto the busy street. I turned around, walked back into the store and started shaking. Adrenalin hit me full force! I was shocked. And in disbelief. And then angry. I wanted to strangle the thief. And had he given me resistance to give my wallet back, I think I would've kickboxed the pulp out of him. But I'm fine. I have my wallet back and I have a story to tell as well as be extra thankful for life today.

Could be interesting if I see him again though... I'll keep you posted.
But for now, TOODLES!

TRUTHS AND FALSEHOODS ABOUT FAT LOSS

Before Embarking On a Fat Loss Programme You Should Read This:

Daily energy expenditure consists of 3 components:

1. Resting metabolic rate (energy required for basic living) total of 60-70%

2. Diet induced Thermogenesis (energy required to breakdown food) 10% of total

3. Energy cost of physical activity 20-30% of the total.


Question:
If we create a caloric deficit of “X” amount – we will lose “Y” amount of fat? (i.e. the calorie deficit = fat loss, a 3500 calorie deficit = 1 pound)
True or False?

False!

In a study of meal frequency, it has been show that a group eating 6 meals per day lost more fat than a group eating 2 meals a day, despite the calories being equal. The study showed that adults who were accustomed to eating 4 meals per day switched to 3 meals a day actually gained body fat and weight despite the calories remaining the same.


Question:
A calorie is a calorie. With the same meal frequency, as long as we adjust the “calories in v. the calories out” we will see the same fat loss; that is proteins, carbohydrates and fat (macronutrients) do not really matter.
True or False?

False!

At the same calorie intake a low carbohydrate diet resulted in significantly greater fat loss than a low fat diet.

Summary:
Low carbohydrate, high protein diets favourably affect mass and composition independent of energy intake


So what Should We Be Doing?

• Increase meal frequency

• Eat meals at regular times

• Lower carbohydrate intake/increase protein

• Moderately reduce calories.


Question:
The addition of aerobic (jogging/gentle running) exercise to a caloric deficit (through diet) will increase calories burned and therefore increase fat lost.
True or False?

False!

In a 6 month study of 2 groups: 1 on diet only and 1 on diet plus aerobic exercise (50 minutes 5 days per week) There was No additional effect of aerobic exercise on body composition that is to say, adding aerobic exercise had no effect over dieting alone.


Question:
If diet (total caloric and macronutrient intake) is a constant, then the more calories you burn during training, the more fat you will lose.
True or False?

False!

A group was divided into 2 smaller groups:

• Group 1 exercised for 15 weeks doing 20 minutes of interval training per session 3 times per week

• Group 2 did 15 weeks of 40 minutes steady state aerobic (jogging) exercise per session 3 times per week

• Both groups burned the same calories over the 15 weeks and ate the same diet.

• The steady state group actually gained on average 1lb of fat.

• The interval training group lost 5.5lb of fat and increased lean mass.

• The interval group also increased aerobic capacity more than the steady state group.


So NOW What Should We Be Doing?

• Increase meal frequency.

• Reduced carbohydrate diet

• Interval training – this should only become part of your training programme once you have developed a foundation of steady state running.

• Resistance training – introduce a controlled well planned weight training programme.


Taken from Running4Women.

Check out The Truths and Falsehoods About Fat Loss

Take a look at: The Truths and Falsehoods About Fat Loss 

HAPPY & FIT HAMPSTEAD HEATH

Hampstead Heath map

Woke up this morning feeling a strong urge to go out for a run. I usually plan my workouts and BodyCombat was on the schedule for today, but when a sudden urge for an unplanned workout hits me, I smile and embrace the extra fitness benefit.

With Murphy trotting beside me, I ran into Hampstead Heath, one of the most beautiful and versatile parks I've ever experienced. It's also a huge pool of motivation as people run, do exercises, boot camps, PT and other training day and night. I love the buzz! I love the dedication!

After the run and a few hill intervals, I found a spot in the grass where I could go mad doing my BodyCombat. It's an exhilirating feeling being outside in the free, with my beloved dog roaming around me, while I'm punching and kicking my way through the choreography. I felt so strong. So focused. So energised. And best of all, so happy!

Hope you're ALL having as good of a Saturday as I'm having. Toodles! =))

BEING GRATEFUL

Begin your day by feeling grateful. Be grateful for the bed you just slept in, the roof over your head, the carpet or floor under your feet, the running water, the soap, your shower, your toothbrush, your clothes, your shoes, the refrigerator that keeps your food cold, the car that you drive, your job, your friends. Be grateful for the stores that make it so easy to buy the things you need, the restaurants, the utilities, services, and electrical appliances that make your life effortless. Be grateful for the magazines and the books that you read. Be grateful for the chair that you sit on, and the pavement that you walk on. Be grateful for the weather, the sun, the sky, the birds, the trees, the grass, the rain, and the flowers.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!


From the Secret Scrolls

SUNDAY FUN

A few days have passed and I am still tired from the trip. The whole house is sick with the cold and I am trying desperately not to catch it.

Had a good day yesterday watching the Kilkenny vs. Tipperary in Irish Hurling, and as always where there are Irish people in the pub, it's bound to be good fun.

Might have gotten a great extra gig as a Swedish translator. Not too bad to have a job like that on the side. Doing the Freelance test right now and hope I will be accepted. Keep your fingers crossed from me!

Watching the Kilkenny vs. Tipperary game in Irish Hurling.

After match entertainment - Good singer with unknown side kick dancing and playing on the tables. Haha!

Enjoying the delicious cider Bulmers. Yum!

24 HOURS TORTURE

Wow, what a trip. Left Sweden around noon yesterday and several hours later I am thrown back into London and its hussle and bussle. The journey was a torture to say the least. Never seen so many road works, bad drivers and poor road directions. In Germany it all of a sudden came to a complete stand still and no car or truck was moving. We covered about 300 metres in 3 hours. Didn't do much advantage to making it to our ferry from Calais to Dover and we ended up missing it with just 3 hours. Hmm, wonder why?! Gas leak. Baah, bad excuse...

But now I'm here. London! Love the vibe. Hate the arrogance. And I got here in 25 hours with less than 2 hours sleep, a fully packed Saab, a dedicated doggie and the love of my life. Let a new chapter begin. :)

Stand still on the motorway for 3 hours...

Trying to keep the attitude happy and cheerful, as always. :)

The white cliffs of Dover.

Tired and pale, but thankful the trip's almost completed.

Entering the City Centre of London via Tower Bridge.

HIIT AND PLYOMETRICS WORKOUT

My new workout passion is definitely bodyweighted HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) and Plyometrics. It's amazing how empowered and weak you can feel at the same time, all during the same workout. I've been changing up my gym routine a lot lately and do exercises like scorpion plyo push-ups, knee tuck jumps, loads of jump squats and lunges, full body exercises incorporating cardio, and I've really seen a difference in my muscle structure. What's so good about them is that you can take it anywhere. There are always benches outside, or rocks to jump on, stairs, playgrounds, etc. But they're definitely not easy exercises to do when the goal is to burn as much fat as possible, which means the intensity is through the roof! And you know what? I absolutely LOVE it. Yeah, I feel weak when my body is screaming for me to stop pushing it, but once you do that little bit extra, that you didn't think you would be able to do, the endorphins and adrenaline shoots up and I want to go again. Which is good, coz after all I'm doing hardcore circuit training. Haha!

If you don't know much about plyometrics and HIIT, here are some videos you can check out to get an idea of circuits you can do for yourself:

UFC Plyometrics workout


HIIT and Plyometrics outside the gym

HEALTHY BANANA ICE CREAM

This recipe is just amazing! Healthy, delicious and only consisting of 2 ingredients. Is this possible you ask? Of course it is. And you will love it. I got the recipe from Rachel Ray show and this is how you do it.

Slice ripe bananas and freeze them. (Calculate about one banana per person, depending on how greedy they are... hehe.) Take the frozen bananas and put them in a blender or food processor, pour some milk into the container (depending on how many bananas, I used about 50-100ml semi-skimmed milk for 2 bananas). Whizz/mix/blend it until the bananas have been disolved into the mixture (about 1 min) and there you go... your own soft Whippy style ice-cream.
DEEEE-LISH!

HORMONES & NUTRIENTS: ZINC

I'm sure you haven't been able to surpass all the hallabalooza about the issues on hormones and why it damages our health. How the food industry pump our poor cows, chickens and pigs full of hormones and antibiotic just to make extra profit. This later finds its way to our plates, or glass of milk, and into our bodies to disrupt the fine mechanism we already have inside of us. Due to changes in farming methods and the sad state of our soil, even our whole foods is not nearly as nutritious as it once was. Beside making sure that we eat proper food (as we say: if it had a mother or came from the ground, it's ok.), we can also make sure to eat foods that help our bodies to stay balanced, although it gets rocked by our environment. And whenever you can, go organic.

I do believe in supplementation, especially if you're on a diet and working out as much as I do, but I also believe you should do your best to help your body cope with all the outside toxicity that finds itself into our cells. My first nutrient I like to keep tabs on is:

ZINC
Zinc is one of the most important minerals used by the body for various functions such as maintaining a sense of smell, keeping a healthy immune system, building proteins, triggering enzymes, and creating DNA. Zinc also helps the cells in your body communicate by functioning as a neurotransmitter. A deficiency in zinc can lead to stunted growth in children, depression, impotence, hair loss, eye and skin lesions, impaired appetite, and lower immunity defense. Zinc levels tend to be lower in older people, anorexics, alcoholics, people on diets, children with ADHD and diabetics. Zinc levels are related to leptin, the hormone that helps us feel satisfied. Studies also suggest that restoring deficiencies of zinc, helps people increase lean body mass while maintaining or losing weight.

Recommended daily dose is 15 mg. You can find high levels of zinc in oysters, lobsters, crab, wheat germ, liver, dark meats, cocoa powder, baked beans, peanuts, pumpkin and squash seeds.

TUNA MEATBALLS

What a revelation! I have discovered tuna meatballs. Sooo delish! Here's my recipe:

Mix all these ingredients together to make about 7 tuna meatballs: Canned tuna in water (make sure to squeeze out all the water prior), 2 egg whites, 50gr/0.5dl milk, wheat bran to bind it together. Spice it up with chopped fresh red chilli, 1/2 chopped medium yellow onion, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, then ground black pepper, paprika and garlic powder or fresh garlic to taste.

Fry it in rapeseed oil until brown. Serve on a bed of fresh spinach and some salsa. Yummy!

Minus the oil, each meatball is about 30 kcal each. Wow!

Enjoy!

10 FITNESS MYTHS

Fitness Myth 1:
No Pain, No Gain
Exercise does not need to hurt to be good for you. In fact, if it does hurt you’re probably doing something wrong. Some soreness is common for a first time exerciser, but if that continues, you are pushing way too hard. Delayed onset muscle soreness, in which pain occurs up to 48 hours after exercise, results from inflammation and microscopic tears in the elastic tissues that surround muscle fibers. To give muscles time to adapt, don’t do much too soon, or you will risk injury.

Fitness Myth 2:
Excessive Sweating While Exercising Means You’re Not Fit
In fact, it's just the opposite. Sweating during exercise is a sign of an efficient cooler. An athlete who has adapted to keep the body core cool during exercise will shunt blood to the skin’s surface more quickly and release heat from the body. At the same time, the sweat glands increase their output and thus cool the body during sweat evaporation. While fit people produce more sweat than sedentary folks, they lose less sodium, because more of it is reabsorbed by the body. The result is a more efficient cooler.

Fitness Myth 3:
If You Stop Exercising, Your Muscles Will Turn to Fat
Fat and muscles are two different tissue types. One can not convert to the other. The truth is that muscles atrophy when not used. Therefore, if you continue to eat as you always have, but stop exercising, you will see an increase in body fat and a loss of muscle mass. Of course, the real question is why are you stopping exercise in the first place?

Fitness Myth 4:
You Can Increase Fat Burning By Exercising Longer at a Lower Intensity
It really isn't important what percentage of energy during exercise comes from fat or carbohydrate. What matters at the end of the day is how many total calories were expended. The higher the exercise intensity, the more calories are burned per minute. Many new exercisers, however, are encouraged to exercise at a lower intensity because high-intensity exercise is difficult to sustain, and safer.

Fitness Myth 5:
If You Exercise, You Can Eat Anything
If you try to make up for poor nutrition by exercising, you are going to be disappointed. While eating poorly and not exercising is far worse for your health that eating poorly and exercising, you will get the most out of your workouts if you fuel them with high quality foods.

Fitness Myth 6:
If You Don't Work Out Hard and Often, Exercise Is A Waste Of Time
Nothing could be farther from the truth. Research shows that even moderate exercise, such as walking and gardening a few times a week, can have tremendous benefits. One study found that gardening for as little as an hour a week reduced the risk of heart disease.

Fitness Myth 7:
Exercise Can Fix All Your Health Problems
While consistent exercise can make a huge difference in quality and quantity of life, it can't fix everything. Individuals with other health issues and diseases still need to follow a physician's advice when it comes to disease management protocols. And although exercise alone can not guarantee your health, or cure you of illness, regular physical activity has been shown to help everything from arthritis and heart disease to asthma and diabetes.

Fitness Myth 8:
Weight Training Will Bulk You Up
Many women use this excuse to avoid weight training. What they don't realize it that weight training is often the easiest and quickest way for women to lose body fat and increase muscle definition.

Fitness Myth 9:
To Build Muscle Requires Massive Amounts of Protein
There is no scientific evidence supporting the popular belief that athletes require massive amounts of protein. According to Dr. Suzanne Nelson Steen, head of the University of Washington Huskies Sports Nutrition Program, strength athletes require just slightly more protein than other individuals and still need adequate carbohydrate to replenish muscle glycogen. She points out that all high intensity, powerful muscle contractions (such as weight lifting) are fueled with carbohydrate. "Neither fat nor protein can be oxidized rapidly enough to meet the demands of high-intensity exercise. Adequate dietary carbohydrate must be consumed on a daily basis to restore glycogen levels." To build more muscles, you simply have to follow a good weight training program and eat a well balanced diet consistently.

Fitness Myth 10:
The More Exercise The Better
Of course you can get too much exercise. Many top athletes give in to this myth, and many pay the price with injury, illness and depression. When it comes to exercise, you need an appropriate balance of training and rest in order to perform optimally.


Taken from About:Sportsmedicine.

JACKIE'S 10 TIPS FOR GETTING IN SHAPE

1. It’s not how long, it’s how strong. Incorporate 20 minutes of high intensity cardio each day. Walk fast on a treadmill for 2 minutes at a 15 incline then sprint for 2 minutes on flat ramp. Cool down for 1 minute and repeat this cycle 3 more times until you reach your 20 minute goal.

2. Women, make sure to include weight training at least 3-4 days a week. If you add 3-5 pounds of muscle to your body, you will burn 250-500 extra calories per day which equals 3-5 pounds of fat loss per week.

3. Visualize the muscles you are working on - this is called the mind muscle connection and it will actually increase tone.

4. Your body hits a plateau with cardio and resistance training in one month so change your weight, reps and exercises accordingly.

5. The fastest way to get the body you want is through my power circuit training. Combine 3 upper body exercises and 3 lower body exercises together to make one big set. Do not rest in between and alternate quickly from upper to lower for maximum fat burn.

6. The only muscle groups that really burn fat are the primary muscles like the chest, back, quads, glute and hamstrings. Focus hard on those!

7. You have to eat within an hour of working out to make sure you’re not eating into the muscle for energy. Make sure that you combine proteins and carbs like a blended protein shake with fruit and peanut butter or a piece of fruit with a low-fat string cheese.

8. Don’t just set a weight goal, set a physical goal too like running a 3k or training for a charity marathon. Human beings are competitive and you will spark that inner competition by trying to reach a difficult physical goal.

9. A little thing like changing your music playlist every week can go a long way. The more your mind is stimulated during your workouts, the better your results will be.

10. Instead of focusing on being fat, you’ve got to focus on being fit. If you think healthy, it eventually becomes reality to you. I always push my clients to focus on how strong they’re getting, how well they’re sleeping, and how happy they’re feeling by exercising.


Take from Amazon Exclusive: Read Jackie Warner's Ten Tips for Getting in Shape, from Her Book This Is Why You're Fat.

THOSE LAST 10 POUNDS AND LEPTIN

Why do those last few pounds of fat seem next to impossible to shed? You’ve been painstakingly following a weight reduction program for the past few months. You look and feel better than you can ever remember, but one thing is wrong - that last bit of fat is clinging to you for dear life.

Almost anyone who has tried to lose excess body fat can relate to this problem. Why do those last few pounds seem next to impossible to shed? The secret may lie within a little-known hormone called leptin.
A hormone produced by our fat cells, leptin plays numerous roles in our biochemistry. One of these is to regulate bodyweight by sending satiation (fullness) signals to the brain. Another is to increase our overall energy expenditure - our body’s ability to burn fat.

When we lose body fat, leptin levels decline along with the excess fat. When we gain fat, leptin levels rise.
In fact, leptin does its job so well that one human study presented in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that moderately overweight healthy women following a low-calorie diet over a three-month period actually increased their appetite two-fold. The subjects who experienced the greatest decline in leptin levels also experienced the greatest increase in their desire to eat.

Leptin also has the ability to lower our metabolic rate by negatively affecting the conversion of thyroid hormones when we skip meals or severely restrict our calories. The end result is we find it next to impossible to lose any more fat.

A human study presented in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism proved that the thyroid-lowering effects brought on by declining leptin levels - through weight loss and dieting - could actually be reversed by administration of “replacement” doses of leptin. But before you go asking your family doctor for an injection of leptin, let me explain how you can naturally stimulate its production.

Don’t be deceived by the “fad diet promise” of losing tons of weight in minimal time. Severe caloric deprivation will send leptin plummeting. Instead, teach yourself to eat smaller meals five or six times a day. Whatever you do, don’t skip meals because that only leads to lower levels of leptin and negative changes in your thyroid hormones.

Another little trick is to supplement with the mineral zinc (10 to 30 milligrams, depending on individual needs). Zinc has been shown in studies to raise leptin levels. In fact, a study published in the journal Life Science showed that zinc was able to increase leptin production by a whopping 142 percent.

So try a little zinc and say ta-ta to those last 10 pounds.

Written by Brad King for Alive.com .

BEYOND RIPPED: ENTER THE SHREDDED ZONE THIS SUMMER

Photo: SimplyShredded.com

"Life, they say, is full of contradictions, so why shouldn’t that also apply to working out? You train regularly with both weights and cardio and carefully watch what you eat, which together are supposed to produce a ripped, muscular physique.

There’s the catch: supposed to. But what if you do practically everything you can truly giving 110% to your training and nutrition efforts and you’re still a little soft around the middle? Are you forever doomed to wearing tank tops on warm summer days so friends can see your big guns without knowing there’s an inch to pinch?

This being SimplyShredded.com, we’re not going to recommend an expensive liposuction operation. (Unless, of course, your beloved and rich Uncle Fred left you with several hundred thousand dollars, in which case you can skip this article and call your plastic surgeon.) Rather, we’ve complied a series of tips, tweaks and techniques for you to add to what you’re already doing during the course of a day. Instead of asking you to drop your workouts and follow some one-size-fits-all program, we’ve come up with a list of ways you can increase your caloric deficit each day.

All of the tips presented here use one or more of three bodyfat-fighting strategies: reducing the amount of food you eat (the calories you take in), increasing the amount of exercise you perform (the calories you burn) and boosting your metabolic rate (the number of calories your body requires for body weight maintenance).

Added together, these tips and strategies could theoretically help you synergistically burn up to 3,650 calories a day, but most individuals will want to pick and choose items that allow them to burn up to 1,500 calories* a day without requiring a significant change to diet or training regimen. You can still perform the same weight-training exercises and routines just add our training and nutrition tips to the mix."

(To read the full article and the shredded tips, go to: SimplyShredded.com )

PEN & PAPER TO MANAGE STRESS

Some of my journals

Ever had one of those days when you have so much to do that you don't even know where to begin? Or when you have so many thoughts and emotions swimming in your head that you don't know which end is up? Or you have no clue what, when or where your time and effort is being spent? I know what it's like...

When you're stressed out or something is bothering you, sit down and write. Getting your thoughts on paper helps to identify stressors and to come up with solutions. Plus, it just feels good to get it all out!

If you don't do so already, I recommend keeping a journal and writing in it regularly. Writing for just 10 to 15 minutes a day can make a huge difference in your stress level and your mind-set. Many people do it online, but also consider it doing it the old-fashion way, pen and paper. Get yourself a notebook and write away.

Need some ideas to get started?

• Your day. Simply writing down a play-by-play of your day can get your thoughts flowing and steer you to other topics.
• Your goals. Writing about the person you want to be and the life you want to live can help you visualize your dreams and come up with a plan for making them real.
• Food & Exercise. Here's a perfect opportunity for you to monitor and see how much and what you eat and exercise during the days. It can be a way for you to find out if you're really putting in the effort that you think you are, or just keeping track of it to see what works and what doesn't.
• Specific problems or worries. Write about the things that stress you out or events that have upset you in the past. Describe how these things make you feel, and why, and brainstorm a list of actions you can take to counter these problems and feel better.
• Priorities and to-do lists. This is a must for all us multitaskers and responsibility jugglers! When you feel overwhelmed, write down all the things you have to do and prioritise them.
• What you're thankful for. This might sound cheesy, but trust me, it can help you think more positively. Your life will always have room for improvement, of course, but taking time out to acknowledge and appreciate the good things can help you put everything else in perspective.

When you're writing, resist any perfectionist urges. Don't edit yourself, and don't worry about spelling or how your prose sounds. You're not writing for posterity, or for anyone else's sake, you're doing it for youself.

#1 WORKOUT TIP

What's the #1 tip to make your workout the most successful you can possibly make it. Well, it's clearer than what you might believe. HYDRATE: Drink plenty, plenty of water! Not only does it help pull your big guns out when working out and make you sustain and burn more calories, but it also helps with with digestion as well as making your skin, hair and nails, well your whole body, feel better.

So reach for at least 8-10 glasses of water each day. If you lose count or don't know how much it is, fill a 2-3 litre jug up with water and keep it in the fridge. By the end of the day that jug should be empty and you feeling great as a result. :)

BOB HARPER CORE CHALLENGE

Do you want, and need, to challenge your core muscles to the absolute max? Try this Bob Harper core routine out.

EGG YOLK USES

If you're like me, using loads of egg whites to bump up your protein intake and keep your calorie count down, and on top of that have run out of options on how to use up all those egg yolks instead of dumping them down the drain, then here's a great tip in boosting your hair health.

Egg yolk acts as a natural moisturizer for dry, damaged hair. Egg yolk contains vitamins A, E and D---all nutrients that nourish hair. Vitamins A and E prevent hair loss, including thinning of hair. Vitamin D helps improve the health, texture and luster of your hair. And all three vitamins protect hair from harmful UV rays, chlorine and pollution. Egg yolk can also help you prevent dandruff and maintain a healthy scalp.

For an all natural and nourishing hair mask, mix or whisk egg yolks together with olive oil and apply on newly washed, towel-dried hair. Put a shower cap or dry towel around your head to trap heat inside and keep it on for a minimum of 10 minutes. Rinse hair thoroughly with luke warm water and finish off with cold water to close hair follicles. And voilá, shiny, healthy hair and no egg yolks thrown away in the rubbish. Win-win situation! :)

Other egg yolk uses:
- Feed 1 egg yolk/day (for large dogs) to promote shiny and healthy fur.

- Beat egg yolk and apply on face as a vitamin rich mask. Helps acne prone faces.

DARE TO CHANGE

Personal training is the stuff to be doing if you love fitness as much as I do. But what about myself? It's so easy to take care of others when you have a caretaker personality, and in that spin it's easy to forget about yourself because you live vicariously through others and fulfilling their dreams while yours is put on the shelf.

It's almost gone a week since the first training session with my "victim" and I think it's going really good. When exercising hard, don't be surprised if you get overwhlemed with emotions of all sorts, as hardcore pushing yourself to your limits triggers all kind of mechanisms in your body and can also trigger emotions you didnt know you had. Just go with it, dust yourself off and up you go again.

I'm entering a new phase again. I feel like a snake that sheds its skin during the year. It feels good. Feels uncertain. And it feels a bit scary. But if you never go out of your comfort zone, then how the heck are you suppose to grow and develop new sides of yourself. I say go for change! Go for doing something you never do. I say break free from your own personal chains. In true Wallace spirit: FREEDOM! haha :)

Nite nite. Peace out.

DIZZINESS WHILE WORKING OUT

Are you like me one of the many people who suffer from dizzy spells or light headedness during exercise? Many people seem to suffer from dizzy spells either during exercise or afterwards. If you are one of these people then check the list below to see where you may be going wrong:

1. Running on empty - if you exercise in the morning after maybe 10 hours since your last meal then your body is low on many of the nutrients and energy required to get you through your workout. If your carbohydrate stores (glycogen) levels are low then your body will use your muscles and fat for energy and this can be a strain on your system. Consider eating muesli, fruit, porridge about 1-2 hours before exercise depending on exercise.

2. Lack of fluids - our body's natural equilibrium of water is very crucial - as you perspire you lose water and this can tip you over the edge. Drink water before, during and after exercise but don't overindulge.

3. Low blood pressure - fast movements from standing to lying can cause dizziness in people suffering from low blood pressure. Take your time between transitions or better still perform all your standing exercise and then all your floor exercises.

4. Blood pooling - after heavy leg exercises (squats, deadlifts) blood rushes to your legs in order to fuel your muscles. Ensure you take time to recover after these exercise and give the blood chance to recirculate. Don't sit down, moving around on your feet will help you return back to normal quicker.

5. Anaemia (iron deficiency) - because you have a lack of red blood cells you have less carriers for your oxygen and so can make it harder when exerted to return oxygen back to your brain.

6. Correct breathing - starving your body of oxygen by shallow breathing or holding your breath during exercise is a definate no-no. Concentrate on your breathing and this will not only get you through your exercise session but can improve your lung capacity and control your heart rate too.

7. Too much too soon - if you have been away from exercise for sometime or are trying something new then the shock to your body can cause spells of dizziness.

If after following this advice, or you still feel concerned about your dizzy spells, then consult a doctor.

MINT SUPERFOOD HEALTH BENEFITS

Peppermint tea is one of the most popular herbal infusions. It's refreshing, the flavor is clean and sweet, and it feels good to drink after a heavy meal. But did you know that mint holds some of the best health benefits?! Recent studies have even showed that if exposed to the peppermint scent a few times a day, it actually lowers your appetite and in return makes you consume less calories per day.

Soothe Your Tummy With Peppermint
In the world of health research, trials have repeatedly shown the ability of peppermint oil to relieve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, including indigestion, dyspepsia, and colonic muscle spasms. These healing properties of peppermint are apparently related to its smooth muscle relaxing ability. Once the smooth muscles surrounding the intestine are relaxed, there is less chance of spasm and the indigestion that can accompany it. The menthol contained in peppermint may be a key reason for this bowel-comforting effect.

Potential Anti-Cancer Agent
Interest in peppermint has extended well beyond the digestive tract, however. Perillyl alcohol is a phytonutrient called a monoterpene, and it is plentiful in peppermint oil. In animal studies, this phytonutrient has been shown to stop the growth of pancreatic, mammary, and liver tumors. It has also been shown to protect against cancer formation in the colon, skin, and lungs. These animal-based studies have yet to be matched by equally sound human studies, however.

An Anti-Microbial Oil
Esssential oil of peppermint also stops the growth of many different bacteria. These bacteria include Helicobacter pylori, Salmonella enteritidis, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). It has also be found to inhibit the growth of certain types of fungus as well.

Breathe Easier with Peppermint
Peppermint contains the substance rosmarinic acid, which has several actions that are beneficial in asthma. In addition to its antioxidant abilities to neutralize free radicals, rosmarinic acid has been shown to block the production of pro-inflammatory chemicals, such as leukotrienes. It also encourages cells to make substances called prostacyclins that keep the airways open for easy breathing. Extracts of peppermint have also been shown to help relieve the nasal symptoms of allergic rhinitis (colds related to allergy).

A Rich Source of Traditional Nutrients
Peppermint also delivers a wide range of traditional nutrients. Peppermint is an excellent source of manganese, vitamin C and vitamin A, the latter notably through its concentration of carotenoids, including beta-carotene. Both vitamin C and beta-carotene seem to play a role in decreasing colorectal cancer risk. Vitamin C, the main water-soluble antioxidant in the body is needed to decrease levels of free radicals that can cause damage to cells. Some studies have shown a link between increased vitamin C intake and a decreased risk for colon cancer, possibly by as much as 40%, while other studies have shown that vitamin C intake can help to decrease the incidence of colon tumors. Beta-carotene and other carotenoids have been shown in some studies to decrease the risks of developing both colon cancer and rectal cancer. Carotenoids have also been shown to increase cell differentiation and protect cells against carcinogenic chemicals that could damage DNA. Vitamin A, which is structurally similar to beta-carotene, may help to decrease risk by preventing excessive colon cell proliferation and tumor formation.

In addition to all of the above healing properties, peppermint is a very good source of dietary fiber, folate, iron, magnesium, and calcium, vitamin B2 (based on its few calories and high nutrient density). This high nutrient density and low calorie status qualified peppermint as a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins B2, potassium and copper.

Information taken from The World's Healthiest Foods website.

HOW MUCH TO EXERCISE EACH DAY

You may have heard the U.S. Surgeon General's recommendation of 30 minutes of physical activity a day. This is intended for people who want to maintain the most basic level of fitness — but not for people who want to lose weight. In a week, 30 minutes a day works out to an expenditure of about 1,000 calories, which is fine if you are looking to maintain your current weight. But if you want to lose, you're going to have to be prepared for a bit more work.

I much prefer the World Health Organization's recommendation of 60 minutes at a time as a starting point for my clients — an hour is ideal to get the most out of your workout and see significant results. Your 60-minute workout sessions should always include a 5-minute warm-up, followed by 50 minutes of your primary cardio or strength-training exercises, followed by at least 5 minutes of cooling down and stretching.

Of course, putting in more time will get you more results — but there's a limit. Excessive intense physical activity releases stress hormones, such as cortisol, into the body. This can actually inhibit weight loss, causing your body to react by storing fat and retaining water out of self-protection. So, to reach your goal, I recommend limiting intense exercise to no more than two hours a session.

Taken from Losing It! with Jillian Michaels.

CHALLENGES PRODUCES RESULT

To strive for something in life, whether that be your career, health or fitness, it's not always an easy task. No, it might actually come as a shock to you how hard you have to work in order to achieve something you really, really want. It might even frighten you how hard or exhausting the task at hand can or will be. Now, you have choices. Is it so hard, frightening and exhausting that you choose to quit the journey. OR... Or do you find your motivation, dedication for the desire of your goal, dig deep inside of you and keep the fight going. It is your choice!

After all, it's your fight. Your desire. Your dream. Your goal. Your journey. People can help you walk down the path, but they can't walk it for you. That is where your own strength will show itself. How much do you want it? How much are you willing to challenge yourself in order to produce the results you want?

Yes, it is YOUR choice!

FEEL ALIVE WITH EXERCISE

Me getting ready for my morning cardio run.

Amazing how much exercise can make you feel awake, feel alive, feel better in general. No it's not fun when the alarm rings early in the morning and you have to drag your sorry ass out of bed, but once you're out there, after the first couple of kilometres, your body wakes up, you get that rush of endorphines, and once you've completed more than what you set out to do during that run, THAT feeling is what we all strive for. Set goals, dig in, complete them and feel proud of yourself accomplishing yet one more thing in life.

FEEL ALIVE!

WORLD'S BEST AB EXERCISE

We're always on the hunt for the best ab exercise, the one that will give us the flat tummy we've always dreamt about. Could this be it? American Sports Council have named the Captain's Chair the most effective ab exercise since it hits the ab muscles from all around. The best part is, you can do it while sitting in your chair at work.

The way to do a correct Captain's Chair:

- Sit in a chair high enough where your feet come off the ground when flexed.
- Sit on your hands.
- Put your body weight onto your hands (as if you're about to lift yourself up off the chair).
- Lift your thighs at least 6-8cm (2-3 inches) from the chair. Hold! Then lower them down again SLOWLY and controlled. Repeat for at least one minute.

You won't get a flat tummy just by doing this exercise, but it will tighten and strengthen your core muscles and it's a good complement to other ab exercises. Cardio is the key to losing fat on your body. I, myself, like running, but find anything that gets your heart rate up to 85% of your max pulse and just go mad with it.

NEW FITNESS PROJECT

Missing in action for a while. Sporadic blog updates. Yep, that's me. What can I say, I've been busy. :) But I've got a new fitness project starting which I will be sharing with you. This project of mine is actually a human, a girl who wants to get in shape and I'm gonna train her. My first pro-bono client! Haha! I've got 5 weeks to reduce her weight, body fat and tone her up. She's gonna look smoking HOT when I'm done with her.

I'm really excited about this, as this will be my chance to see if what I've learnt over the years, from others and my own experience in losing a total of 35 kilos (75 pounds), can be adapted to others as well. I'm sure it can, but it will take hard work, discipline and desire... on both parts. I will be joining her as well. Won't hurt me to tone up even more. ;))

If you have any questions during the process, comment away. Or even better, join us you too. Wherever you are in the world, follow us. Isn't the internet great?! haha.

That said, my feed day is over and I'm looking forward to a nice early run tomorrow morning. Hope Murphy feels up for it. Will get up real early before the heat strikes so he doesn't suffer too much. See ya'll tomorrow. Nite!

BUILD YOUR UPPER-BODY STRENGTH WITH THESE PUSH-UPS

Now that you've been training for a while, you can do sets of push-ups without even breaking a sweat. Feels good, right? Well, maybe it feels a little too good. It might be time to push yourself a bit by introducing some push-up variations to further train the chest, triceps, and shoulders. And that is on top of the Walking Komodo Dragon Alligator push-ups you're already doing in my BodyCombat class... ;)

Here are two advanced push-ups to add to your workout:

Plyo Push-up
Start in your usual push-up position. Slowly lower yourself to the floor. With an explosive burst, exhale and push yourself up, bringing your hands off the floor and clapping them together. Land in the push-up position and repeat. The plyo (for plyometric) push-up increases muscle power by adding extra difficulty. An easier alternative to this move is to do the push-ups on your knees instead of your toes.

Close-Grip Push-up
Start in a push-up position but keep your hands directly under your shoulders instead of out to the side. Your legs should be extended straight out behind you, your feet slightly apart, so you are balancing on the balls of your feet as well as your palms. Keep your elbows pressed firmly against your torso as you slowly lower yourself down. Exhale, press back up to the starting position, and repeat. This close-grip push-up places more emphasis on your anterior shoulder muscles and triceps as well as your chest.

Now, get going! :)

OWN NATURAL MIX

What's this then?! I look like a bumpy toad, huh?! It might look frightening, but this is completely back to nature. All the stuff on the market nowadays say they are good for your skin, and then they are full of chemicals, alcohol, parabens, propylene glycol... and the list goes on. So, in my own search for a non-harsh, non-abrasive scrub and mask, I simply made my own.

I looked around to what others had tried and decided to mix up a blend of oatmeal, sugar, honey and some water... and voilà! We got ourself a mild scrub and mask that is kind to your skin, completely natural and even tastes good...

Give it a try. You'll love your post-smooth skin.

YUMMY SAUCE

Sure, you can! To eat delicious food, that is, while eating helthy. It doesn't have to be boring. Just use your imagination and your taste buds (and calorie counter) to create some excellent tasting foods that suits your palate.

For me, I love my broccoli, green beans and chicken for dinner, all cooked up in a frying pan with water and loads of herbs and spices. However, I miss my sauces, so I came up with a very low-fat, low-calorie, yummy tasting sauce. I mix 1dl of Organic low-fat Yoghurt with some Dijon and regular mustard. DELISH! And only 45 calories for the whole serving. Can it get any better?!

Now, dig in! :)

HOW TO TAKE OFF THOSE LAST 10 POUNDS

You know what I like to call those last 10 or 15 pounds that won't come off no matter what you do? Vanity pounds. The term describes our desire to lose weight that, as far as our bodies are concerned, actually feels healthy. Today's society pressures us to want to look a certain way, so for aesthetic reasons we try to be thinner than our bodies want us to be. Personally, I have gained and lost the same 8 vanity pounds more times than I care to admit.

Losing your first 50 pounds might have been tough, but believe me, dropping those final few stubborn pounds is a whole different challenge. The body struggles to hold on to that last bit of fat for survival purposes. Now, don't get me wrong — you can lose the weight if you want to, but it will require you to muster a tremendous amount of restraint and willpower. If you're really up for it, do the following for 30 days:

1. Cut your sodium to 1,000 mg a day.


2. Drink at least 80 ounces of water daily.


3. Cut out processed foods.


4. Abstain from alcohol.


5. Train at 85 percent of your MHR (maximum heart rate) for 1 hour 5 times a week.

You can do a lot in 30 days — in fact, I can pretty much guarantee you will lose at least 5 pounds. And you'll feel like a rock star!


From LOSING IT! With Jillian Michaels

FAT BURNING INTENSITY MATH

Ever notice the colour-coded exercise "zones" listed on cardio machines? There's a "fat burning" zone, an "endurance training" zone, and so forth. The colors look nice, but how many times have you chosen the "fat burning" zone and watched as your fat stayed put? That's because fat-burning programs keep you at a lower intensity level, when to lose weight you really need to burn big calories. That only happens when you exercise at a higher-intensity level.

Let's look at the math. In a half hour of low-intensity exercise, you might burn 100 calories. Of those 100 calories, roughly 80 percent will be fat calories, meaning that you've burned 80 fat calories. In a half hour of high-intensity exercise, you might burn 300 calories. Of those 300 calories, roughly 33 percent will be fat calories, meaning that you've burned around 100 fat calories.

Get it? Even though the percentage of fat calories burned is higher during a low-intensity workout, you're burning so many more total calories during a high-intensity workout that, percentages aside, you are still burning more fat calories — not to mention the 200 additional carb calories.

So if you only have 20 minutes to work out per day, would you rather burn a minimum of calories altogether strolling on the treadmill? Or would you rather burn a whole bunch of calories RUNNING?! ...and keep the fat furnace burning several hours afterward as well...? Your choice. I know I would sprint it out! :))

THE ART OF WHAT?

Serenity

Feeling a bit overwhelmed having a day off. Restlessness is creeping in my soul and I'm trying to restrain myself. What can I do to be resting optimally? But that's what rest is, doing nothing... or is it? There's so much I could be doing, being productive with my day and then I realise I never get any rest, when I need it. Everyone needs to chill now and again. It's my own fault and maybe it would be easier if I didn't get a huge guilt trip over the fact that I'm not doing anything... Something! That could probably be a start... not to feel guilty when trying to relax. The art of serenity.

I suppose it's a work in progress. A progress I have to figure out. We all have our stuff to deal with and today I'm gonna try to conquer this one of mine.

Have an amazing day all of you!

COMMON DIET & EXERCISE MISTAKES

Many things can go wrong when you under estimate the importance of being meticulous. Before I start mentioning some common mishaps, I want to remind everyone who is JUST starting changing their lifestyle that if you right now have a lot of bad habits, been eating too much for too long time and have many many pounds to lose, you are up for a treat: in the beginning whatever good change you make will show on the scale and in the mirror. Just changing some meals from bad to better, maybe add some walking to the daily regimen you will see changes. However, as the weight drops, so do the results from doing those SMALL adjustments. The less you have to lose the more meticulous you need to be. It always gets harder and harder the better conditioned you are.

Common mistakes:

1. Reading labels on condiments, sauces etc about the calorie content but not the ingredients. In America a serving which has 5 calories or less can be called calorie free. So let us say a little tablespoon of some delicious sauce has 1 gram of SUGAR, it counts as 4 calories and thus voila calorie free. Since you forget that you think it is a free food. You heap up maybe 5 tbsp and suddenly it is 5 grams of sugar. That is 20 calories. If you do that every day for 30 days it comes up to 600 calories. That is a pound of fat in a year you might hold on to due to the little spicy sauce.

2. Forgetting that the fat burning zone doing cardio is not challenging for your body. You are just doing your time. You need to kick it up regularly or your body will get used to the routine. If it gets used to it you will see no further progress.

3. Not counting vegetables. Well, this I understand if you are following any regular diet plans where a cup of broccoli with your dry rice and chicken breast is considered calorie free due to the tiny serving of it, but when you are on the Fighter Diet you better count; 1 pound has about 100 to 150 calories. So if you eat five pounds a day it is a lot. How could you not count that?

4. Thinking you are not having carbs because you are not eating grains at lunch and dinner or after workout. Veggies have carbs. Yoghurt has carbs. There is some carbs in most protein powders. You won’t die ok?

5. Falling into the belief refeeds is a cheat day. it is not. Refeed is carb loading, not junk loading. If you spike your insulin levels with lots of carbs, then add fats, you are getting yourself in trouble since that opens up the fat cells pretty well and you can just scoop in the fats there quickly.

6. Not eating enough vegetables and then get hungry and cheat. Fighter Diet is all about preventive eating. You eat yourself FULL so you won’t SNACK later. If you just cannot stomach a lot of volume, well, then just divide it into smaller meals or snack all day on the veggie amount. However if you just don’t eat you will get too few calories and then comes the craving attack.

7. you change your weight training regimen that built your body because you believe you should do so to get leaner. No, most likely not. You need to diet and do lots of cardio. Don’t change the weight training so drastically because if you change that stimulus you will change your body’s muscle development. you want to keep it but just tighten up? CARDIO and DIET.

8. If you are well trained at a high level, you must keep on pushing the limit in the gym. In cardio too. It is not “dangerous” to get out of breathe, you are supposed to if you train intervals etc. If you can keep a poker face you are not training hard really…

9. Forgetting that in order to train hard you need to take care of your body. massage, stretching, foam rolling. Your body does not “owe” you to keep up with your demands. You have the obligation to take care of it. you do have one body only, treat it with respect.

10. relying to much on your emotional ups and downs. You should not let your emotions run your fitness life. If you don’t want to go train, ask yourself why. because you had a bad day? what are you going to do instead: watch tv?….. Stay committed. Don’t just do what you want but what you should to get to where you want.

11. Not measuring your protein sources. A lot of people read “oh a heaping scoop” and make it one an a quarter scoop just because it must be ok amount. It’s “just protein”. Well that is more calories than the scoop said on the label. Same thing with chicken, meat etc. you don’t KNOW how little 3 oz cooked is until you actually weigh it. it is ridiculously little. Protein is not calorie free.

12. Believing that protein snacks are ok to add to a restricted diet. well, no, not if you are right on spot with how many calories you are supposed to take in. protein is not less calorie rich than carbs. And if you overdo the protein, well, how good is that for your health or the environment for that matter?

13. believing that protein bars are healthy. No they are not. Seriously, check the ingredients. Does it look like health foods? Unless you use the bar for energy needs (which means you are not a dieter, you are into performance or NEED extra calories, for instance you are a distance runner going into hard workout) or it is some kind of fiber supplement bar (I am creating one without crap!), then there is no reason to eat bars. Tastes good? well, hell yeah, check the crap in those bars and you see why!

14. Being afraid of being full. Hey, those fibers and veggies add bulk in your stomach and intestines momentarily. it does not mean you are getting fat. And don’t you dare weigh yourself throughout the day with all that. Seriously. If I did I would be around 130 lbs and I weigh in at 115 on a good day….

From Fighter Diet Blog.

GLYCEMIC INDEX VS GLYCEMIC LOAD

What is the difference between glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL)?

Your blood glucose rises and falls when you eat a meal containing carbs. How high it rises and how long it remains high depends on the quality of the carbs (the GI) and the quantity. Glycemic load, or GL, combines both the quality and quantity of carbohydrate in one ‘number’. It’s the best way to predict blood glucose values of different types and amounts of food. The formula is:

GL = (GI x the amount of carbohydrate) divided by 100.

Let’s take a single apple as an example. It has a GI of 40 and it contains 15 grams of carbohydrate.
GL = 40 x 15/100 = 6 g

What about a small baked potato? Its GI is 80 and it contains 15 g of carbohydrate.
GL = 80 x 15/100 = 12 g
So we can predict that our potato will have twice the metabolic effect of an apple. You can think of GL as the amount of carbohydrate in a food ‘adjusted’ for its glycemic potency.

Want to know more about this subject, go to:
FAQs Common GI Questions

HOW TO PET AWAY THE PET HAIR

For all of you cat and dog owners, who are having problem with the shedding seasons... When you can't believe your eyes how much hair is being rejected from your beloved animals body and stuck to your clothes, furniture, bedding, and winds down on the floors and rugs like a lovely carpet of fur. Well, I have a tip to share with you in order remove some of those stubborn hairs off of your animal's body that sometime don't get stuck in the brushes, and it's a bit more pleasant to the animal than brushing.

Arm yourself with a vacuum cleaner standing by to hoover it all up and get out your gorgeous dishwashing gloves. Slip the gloves on and "brush" away. The rubber material will extract the hair off your pet's body and either stick to the gloves or gather up somewhere where you can hoover it up. Excellent! I tried it today and it worked like a charm. Plus they both enjoyed the attention. :) Good Luck!

CONCERT SAMUEL LJUNGBLAHD

Cousin M. was nice enough to take me to the concert. Thanks Cuz!

Went to Samuel Ljungblahd's concert last night and it certainly was an experience. Maybe it's not the kind of music I listen to everyday, but it sure lifts your heart, spirit and soul. I loved it! The reason why is simple to explain. Here's an artist that gives, gives and gives. He's generous with his feelings and passion to music and performing, and it rubs off immediately. Not to talk about the amazing voice he's got and good songs to match the persona. I recommend checking him out! Here's some clips from last night:

NO RACE DAY

The day I have been longing for, the goal I had set up, the atmosphere I was craving to feel... all gone! Sometime you have no power in the outcome. I will simply bury my head in the Nutella jar (only sniffing of course...!), have a bit of a moan, wipe my tears with my startnumber tag and then bounce back. Next time. Next race. I'll be there. But for now, I have to cure myself and make sure I regain my health for real. No pneumonia for me!

WHEN MIND TAKES OVER

Last night, I just had enough. I felt so much energy and motivation for my fitness and health that I would take no "NO" for an answer from my body. I know that a thought can conquer everything if you put you mind to it. As the saying goes: Mind over matter! It's true, and I know it. But after being sick for a week and realising the only thing I want is health, it just drove me to push myself that extra inch and something just switched in me. My mind had taken over.

Although I hardly got any sleep last night, because of horrible fits of coughing, I sprung out of be at 5:45am when the alarm rang with Cassie Davies singing Do It Again, threw my running clothes on, downed a protein shake with some caffeine and off I went with Murphy trotting along beside me. No music, no sounds to distract me. And yes, it was hard, but I didn't give up. The feeling afterward was priceless. My face was beaming all day long! I had conquered my body. And I conquered it again instructing my Zumba class tonight. Spiritual energy with a strong mind and some god-damn-it! Awesome recipe for today.

3 WORDS

Love this song! Great collaboration between Will.I.Am and Cheryl Cole.

FOOD LOVE

Did I mention I love vegetables? Tonight's dinner. Yum!

As I haven't been able to do much exercise lately because of injury and sickness, I have had to refocus my game completely toward my diet. Calories in, calories out. But also, making sure the quality of my food is really good. I am still keeping strong with eating lots of organic foods which are naturally affected by hormones, such as eggs, milk, yoghurt, etc. It's crucial to eat those products organic. Was extatic when I found organic eggs from outside hens. Yay! Finally. No more inside hens. And remember, raspberries are vital to eat organic, as is coffee and cacao as they spray these produce to death!

Tried making those oatmeal chocolate pancakes I wrote about yesterday. But of course, I made it into my own recipe, as always. They were delish. Had a big pancake for breakfast together with a tablespoon of my own homemade raspberry jam. Yum!