I just recently downloaded a bunch of new apps for my iPod. As many of you know, I have been trying to lose weight. 22.3% of my weight to be exact. And as luck may have it, there are lots of apps out there that are designed to help.
C25k (Couch to 5k in 9 weeks)
This program is designed to take a completely sedentary couch potato and have them running a 5k in 9 weeks. Perfect for a beginner like me. I have long wanted to start running again, but I continually run into over-use injuries like shin splints and bad knees because I start too aggressively. This program only calls for 3 runs a week, and they start out very, very low. One minute of jogging at a time for some of the early runs. You can create a playlist of your own music to play while you're running, and a voice will intermittently let you know if you should be warming up, walking, jogging, or cooling down. I'm counting on this app to help me warm up to jogging without creating any knee problems.
BODY FATE
This app is like having a personal trainer with a great sense of humor. First of all, it's fully customizable. You can enter how long you want to work out, the equipment you have access to, and your overall fitness level. Once you have done that, you click "Begin your Fate" and different exercises are thrown at you. You'll either be given a number of reps to complete or a time limit, and cheating is tough. It can sense if you're wimping out and are not allowing enough time to complete the full set. There are options to spin the Wheel of Torture or make a deal with the devil that make your workout feel more like a game you're trying to beat than just another boring workout. Also, each exercise you are expected to complete comes with pictures illustrating how it should be done and a back-up text description if the picture is unclear. More than anything else, this app stresses the benefits derived from interval training. You will definitely keep your muscles guessing with this app, and you might even look forward to working out. A must-have if you are losing interest in working out or are hitting a plateau, although I think it would be beneficial for anyone.
TargetWeight
This app is very simple, but helps to keep you on track. All you do is enter your height, weight, pounds to lose, and timeline for losing that weight, and this app will track your progress. It also tells you your BMI, although I don't find a BMI score all that helpful. It's always nice to have a graph to show you that you are attaining some downward progress even if you do have a bad day once in a while.
That's all I'm going to review for now. I did download a few habit-checking apps, but I'm still trying them out to see which one(s) I like the best.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Milk is... gross. (Warning: polarizing content)
What I'm about to say will make mothers gasp in horror and cover their children's eyes. I hope it's received a little better than that, but had I heard someone say two years ago what I'm about to say now, I probably would have tuned them out as some kind of flake. And while I may be the color of a flake, I don't think I'm a total flake or even part of a flake.
Before I say it, let me say that I love milk. The creamier the better. I would have milk eleventy times a day if I could. However...
MILK IS BAD FOR YOU.
Hear me out, because this is coming from the granddaughter of a dairy farmer, and I do love milk. I just have a few problems with milk.
Imagine, if you will, that you are sitting down with a bowl of your favorite sugary cereal and you take that first freezing cold, crunchy, sugary bite, when some woman comes running into the room and hollers, "Stop! That isn't milk, it's breastmilk!"
Hey, I warned you that this might be polarizing.
What would your reaction be? I know what mine would be. I can imagine that most people would be disgusted, that they'd spit the bite out and scrub their tongue clean, and maybe forever have an aversion to milk because of that incident. Am I being a little dramatic? I'm not sure. I just think that the idea of consuming human breastmilk is disgusting to almost everyone.
Why is that exactly? Probably because we know that it came from a human body and went through no purifying or homogenizing or separating process. But even if there were a process for human milk, it wouldn't ever be sold by the carton, we know that for sure. Human milk is designed for the baby whose birth initiated the process of making that milk in the first place. Right?!?!??1/??
So why is it not weird that we take milk from a COW instead? Think about it. These poor dairy cows spend their whole lives nursing.. humans. Not literally. But really when you think about it, that is what they are doing! Is this weird to anyone else?
I want to dissect some basic 'truths' about milk, and show you why they are actually just myths.
MYTH 1: MILK HAS ALL THE NUTRITION YOU REQUIRE
Correction: Milk has all the nutrition that CALVES require. What nutrition do calves require? They need a substance that will enable them to pack on weight quickly, hence the saturated fat in milk. I don't think I even need to point out why humans shouldn't be drinking this same substance.
MYTH 2: MILK IS A GREAT SOURCE OF CALCIUM
There is calcium in milk, yes. But not only is it not the best source of calcium out there, it's not even that high on the list. The calcium from milk is not easily absorbed in our bodies. The best sources of calcium include greens, seeds, nuts, beans, and sardines. More on this in myth four.
MYTH 3: MILK IS A BEVERAGE
Milk is not a drink. It's a food. When your doctor tells you to drink plenty of fluids, milk is not and should not be on that list.
MYTH 4: MILK CONSUMPTION WILL PREVENT OSTEOPOROSIS
This is my favorite myth of all. This ties back to the myth that milk is a great source of calcium. It's the calcium in milk that you are led to believe will prevent osteoporosis. Not only is this not true, the opposite is true! More on that in a minute. First of all, what causes osteoporosis? The main cause is the leaching of calcium from your bones. What causes calcium to be leached from your bones? The consumption of alcohol, caffeine, sugar, excess sodium, and excess animal protein. So the real question is this: does NOT drinking milk cause you to consume alcohol, caffeine, sugar, excess sodium, and excess animal protein? No. Not drinking milk does not lead to osteoporosis. Can drinking milk help prevent osteoporosis? Actually, it can help contribute to it. Milk contains a lot of animal protein. Simply by drinking milk, you are causing your body to leach calcium from your bones. Do you see the irony in this? There's more. Everyone always hears about the connection between milk and calcium. People probably hear more about calcium than they do any other mineral. It's true, calcium is an important mineral, maybe even the most important mineral. However, it is CRITICAL that you take calcium in conjunction with magnesium. Your body's process of making calcium useable actually depletes your body of magnesium. You must replace that magnesium, because magnesium is the second most critical mineral in your body. But no one ever hears about magnesium and the importance of it. All they ever hear about is calcium. So they rush out and buy calcium supplements, which further deplete the magnesium that they don't know they need to be supplementing as well, and this leads to a whole host of problems. What happens when your body is depleted of magnesium? Osteoporosis. Among hundreds of other things. Ask my mom, I could go on and on and ON about magnesium.
Let's take it a step further. It is now common knowledge that many people suffer from a milk intolerance. In fact, the official percentage is somewhere around three quarters of the population of the world. How can we still believe that milk is good for us when so many people have a bad reaction to it?? Milk is also linked to heart disease and prostate cancer, and is one of the known causes of IBS, allergies, chronic ear infections, sinus problems, eczema, and constipation. Know what else is linked to all of those things? Magnesium deficiency.
MYTH 5: MILK IS WHOLESOME AND NATURAL
At one time it was. But now over 80% of milk samples contain antibiotics, bovine growth hormone, and pesticides. On top of that, the fat in animal tissues stores environmental toxins forever, and that is passed on to us when we drink the saturated fat in milk. I know that organic milk is an option, and I have tried it. But organic milk doesn't address the other issues with milk.
If anyone is still reading this, you may be wondering what you should drink instead of cow's milk. I have soy milk and I like it, but soy is no better for causing magnesium deficiency. You should NEVER give soy milk to children. Adults should have only small amounts of soy as well, because soy blocks your body's absorption of magnesium. I'm astounded that they still make soy formulas for infants. If you do eat a lot of soy products, make sure you take your magnesium supplement at a time that soy can't interfere with it. I take mine right before bed, about three hours after I have eaten.
All I really want to say is that a mother's milk (whether that mother is a cow or a human or whatever) is ideal for her babies and not for anyone else.
Apparently the USDA was asked by the Federal Trade Commission to compile a group of scientists to analyze the statements they make in their Got Milk? ads, and none of them were found to be true (and some were found to be blatantly false). I haven't seen one in a while, so perhaps they were asked to discontinue these ads, I'm not sure. But the damage is done. People everywhere are convinced that milk is a good source of protein and calcium and that it will help them lose weight, and while I have no problems with anyone else drinking milk, I do wish I could make that decision for my children without facing the judgment of a million Americans who think I'm a bad mother for questioning whether or not my child should drink cow's milk. And my children will drink milk. It's unavoidable. I'm not going to create any waves in the school system (since milk is all they offer children at lunch), but you better believe that this momma will be giving them a magnesium supplement when they get home, and a bedtime story about vitamins that will put them right to sleep every night.
Next week: why vegetables are bad for you! (kidding..)
Before I say it, let me say that I love milk. The creamier the better. I would have milk eleventy times a day if I could. However...
MILK IS BAD FOR YOU.
Hear me out, because this is coming from the granddaughter of a dairy farmer, and I do love milk. I just have a few problems with milk.
Imagine, if you will, that you are sitting down with a bowl of your favorite sugary cereal and you take that first freezing cold, crunchy, sugary bite, when some woman comes running into the room and hollers, "Stop! That isn't milk, it's breastmilk!"
Hey, I warned you that this might be polarizing.
What would your reaction be? I know what mine would be. I can imagine that most people would be disgusted, that they'd spit the bite out and scrub their tongue clean, and maybe forever have an aversion to milk because of that incident. Am I being a little dramatic? I'm not sure. I just think that the idea of consuming human breastmilk is disgusting to almost everyone.
Why is that exactly? Probably because we know that it came from a human body and went through no purifying or homogenizing or separating process. But even if there were a process for human milk, it wouldn't ever be sold by the carton, we know that for sure. Human milk is designed for the baby whose birth initiated the process of making that milk in the first place. Right?!?!??1/??
So why is it not weird that we take milk from a COW instead? Think about it. These poor dairy cows spend their whole lives nursing.. humans. Not literally. But really when you think about it, that is what they are doing! Is this weird to anyone else?
I want to dissect some basic 'truths' about milk, and show you why they are actually just myths.
MYTH 1: MILK HAS ALL THE NUTRITION YOU REQUIRE
Correction: Milk has all the nutrition that CALVES require. What nutrition do calves require? They need a substance that will enable them to pack on weight quickly, hence the saturated fat in milk. I don't think I even need to point out why humans shouldn't be drinking this same substance.
MYTH 2: MILK IS A GREAT SOURCE OF CALCIUM
There is calcium in milk, yes. But not only is it not the best source of calcium out there, it's not even that high on the list. The calcium from milk is not easily absorbed in our bodies. The best sources of calcium include greens, seeds, nuts, beans, and sardines. More on this in myth four.
MYTH 3: MILK IS A BEVERAGE
Milk is not a drink. It's a food. When your doctor tells you to drink plenty of fluids, milk is not and should not be on that list.
MYTH 4: MILK CONSUMPTION WILL PREVENT OSTEOPOROSIS
This is my favorite myth of all. This ties back to the myth that milk is a great source of calcium. It's the calcium in milk that you are led to believe will prevent osteoporosis. Not only is this not true, the opposite is true! More on that in a minute. First of all, what causes osteoporosis? The main cause is the leaching of calcium from your bones. What causes calcium to be leached from your bones? The consumption of alcohol, caffeine, sugar, excess sodium, and excess animal protein. So the real question is this: does NOT drinking milk cause you to consume alcohol, caffeine, sugar, excess sodium, and excess animal protein? No. Not drinking milk does not lead to osteoporosis. Can drinking milk help prevent osteoporosis? Actually, it can help contribute to it. Milk contains a lot of animal protein. Simply by drinking milk, you are causing your body to leach calcium from your bones. Do you see the irony in this? There's more. Everyone always hears about the connection between milk and calcium. People probably hear more about calcium than they do any other mineral. It's true, calcium is an important mineral, maybe even the most important mineral. However, it is CRITICAL that you take calcium in conjunction with magnesium. Your body's process of making calcium useable actually depletes your body of magnesium. You must replace that magnesium, because magnesium is the second most critical mineral in your body. But no one ever hears about magnesium and the importance of it. All they ever hear about is calcium. So they rush out and buy calcium supplements, which further deplete the magnesium that they don't know they need to be supplementing as well, and this leads to a whole host of problems. What happens when your body is depleted of magnesium? Osteoporosis. Among hundreds of other things. Ask my mom, I could go on and on and ON about magnesium.
Let's take it a step further. It is now common knowledge that many people suffer from a milk intolerance. In fact, the official percentage is somewhere around three quarters of the population of the world. How can we still believe that milk is good for us when so many people have a bad reaction to it?? Milk is also linked to heart disease and prostate cancer, and is one of the known causes of IBS, allergies, chronic ear infections, sinus problems, eczema, and constipation. Know what else is linked to all of those things? Magnesium deficiency.
MYTH 5: MILK IS WHOLESOME AND NATURAL
At one time it was. But now over 80% of milk samples contain antibiotics, bovine growth hormone, and pesticides. On top of that, the fat in animal tissues stores environmental toxins forever, and that is passed on to us when we drink the saturated fat in milk. I know that organic milk is an option, and I have tried it. But organic milk doesn't address the other issues with milk.
If anyone is still reading this, you may be wondering what you should drink instead of cow's milk. I have soy milk and I like it, but soy is no better for causing magnesium deficiency. You should NEVER give soy milk to children. Adults should have only small amounts of soy as well, because soy blocks your body's absorption of magnesium. I'm astounded that they still make soy formulas for infants. If you do eat a lot of soy products, make sure you take your magnesium supplement at a time that soy can't interfere with it. I take mine right before bed, about three hours after I have eaten.
All I really want to say is that a mother's milk (whether that mother is a cow or a human or whatever) is ideal for her babies and not for anyone else.
Apparently the USDA was asked by the Federal Trade Commission to compile a group of scientists to analyze the statements they make in their Got Milk? ads, and none of them were found to be true (and some were found to be blatantly false). I haven't seen one in a while, so perhaps they were asked to discontinue these ads, I'm not sure. But the damage is done. People everywhere are convinced that milk is a good source of protein and calcium and that it will help them lose weight, and while I have no problems with anyone else drinking milk, I do wish I could make that decision for my children without facing the judgment of a million Americans who think I'm a bad mother for questioning whether or not my child should drink cow's milk. And my children will drink milk. It's unavoidable. I'm not going to create any waves in the school system (since milk is all they offer children at lunch), but you better believe that this momma will be giving them a magnesium supplement when they get home, and a bedtime story about vitamins that will put them right to sleep every night.
Next week: why vegetables are bad for you! (kidding..)
My current list of songs I never pass by. In alphabetical order. Because that's the order in which they appear on my iPod.
I love lists. So here's your first list: the songs on my iPod currently that I can't skip past, no matter what music mood I'm in. Just wanted to share. Hope you dig.
#1- "Back Against the Wall" - Cage the Elephant
Now I know that a lot of people make a big fuss about "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked", but I prefer this song. It has a bit of a Red Hot Chili Pepper feel, no? Particularly at the beginning.
#2- "Colossal" - Wolfmother
I really dig the 70s sound of this band. You would never guess that this song was written in 2006 by a couple of young men who weren't even around to experience the 60s/70s sound that they have been believed to emulate. I particularly like the turn the song makes starting at 1:44.
#3- "The Delicate Place" - Spoon
I love this band. One of my top five right now, for sure. This song is a little raw, but surprisingly beautiful. If you don't give it at least fifteen seconds, you'll never know what I mean.
#4- "Dimension" - Wolfmother
Another song by Wolfmother. Other favorites by this band include "Woman" and "Witchcraft". No more by them on this list, though. On to the next..
#5- "E-Pro" - Beck
I love Beck. I love how weird he is. I love that the album this song is from [Guero] is Mexican slang for "white boy". This song gets really good at around the :30 mark.
#6- "The Geeks Were Right" - the Faint
I'm pretty sure these guys are LSD personified. But I still like their music. They have a few other songs that I like as well, including "I Disappear", "The Conductor", and "Posed to Death". I won't post videos for those.
#7- "Go It Alone" - Beck
Can't go wrong with a little help from Jack White. Good stuff.
#8- "Got Nuffin" - Spoon
I absolutely love this song. I cannot get my speakers loud enough to do this song proper justice. And here's some little known trivia about this band.. every time I type it, I spell it with 2 p's instead of 2 o's and I have to backspace and start over.
#9- "Headfirst Slide Into Cooperstown On a Bad Bet" - Fall Out Boy
With their outlandish song titles and even more ridiculous lyrics, you can't help but write off Fall Out Boy from the start. But then you start picking up on their sheer genius, and before long you realize you can't turn them off! They may be a bunch of boys in skinny jeans, but they are lyrical wizards. It's fascinating. "I don't want to be a footnote in someone else's happiness." Come on, that's gold. Or at the very least, tarnished silver.
#10- "Heads Will Roll" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Very unique sound. I like this group a lot. And then I say something else about them that's less bland and more witty. Oh, except it's my bedtime and I'm bored with this project. Part Two coming.. soon. Good night.
#1- "Back Against the Wall" - Cage the Elephant
Now I know that a lot of people make a big fuss about "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked", but I prefer this song. It has a bit of a Red Hot Chili Pepper feel, no? Particularly at the beginning.
#2- "Colossal" - Wolfmother
I really dig the 70s sound of this band. You would never guess that this song was written in 2006 by a couple of young men who weren't even around to experience the 60s/70s sound that they have been believed to emulate. I particularly like the turn the song makes starting at 1:44.
#3- "The Delicate Place" - Spoon
I love this band. One of my top five right now, for sure. This song is a little raw, but surprisingly beautiful. If you don't give it at least fifteen seconds, you'll never know what I mean.
#4- "Dimension" - Wolfmother
Another song by Wolfmother. Other favorites by this band include "Woman" and "Witchcraft". No more by them on this list, though. On to the next..
#5- "E-Pro" - Beck
I love Beck. I love how weird he is. I love that the album this song is from [Guero] is Mexican slang for "white boy". This song gets really good at around the :30 mark.
#6- "The Geeks Were Right" - the Faint
I'm pretty sure these guys are LSD personified. But I still like their music. They have a few other songs that I like as well, including "I Disappear", "The Conductor", and "Posed to Death". I won't post videos for those.
#7- "Go It Alone" - Beck
Can't go wrong with a little help from Jack White. Good stuff.
#8- "Got Nuffin" - Spoon
I absolutely love this song. I cannot get my speakers loud enough to do this song proper justice. And here's some little known trivia about this band.. every time I type it, I spell it with 2 p's instead of 2 o's and I have to backspace and start over.
#9- "Headfirst Slide Into Cooperstown On a Bad Bet" - Fall Out Boy
With their outlandish song titles and even more ridiculous lyrics, you can't help but write off Fall Out Boy from the start. But then you start picking up on their sheer genius, and before long you realize you can't turn them off! They may be a bunch of boys in skinny jeans, but they are lyrical wizards. It's fascinating. "I don't want to be a footnote in someone else's happiness." Come on, that's gold. Or at the very least, tarnished silver.
#10- "Heads Will Roll" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Very unique sound. I like this group a lot. And then I say something else about them that's less bland and more witty. Oh, except it's my bedtime and I'm bored with this project. Part Two coming.. soon. Good night.
Blither Blather.
My husband likes to read in bed. Uninterrupted. This is very hard for me to comply with. I don't know what it is, but as soon as I see him all cozy in bed with his book, I have this compulsive urge to crawl into bed and start chattering about my day.
It's a problem.
One such night, I started in on my usual nightly monologue, but I decided that it rubbed me the wrong way that he was more enthralled with his book than with what I had to say. I harumphed and flopped on my side and sighed loudly, which is all girl code for "I'm mad at you until further notice", but when I surreptitiously peeked back over my shoulder to see if he was concerned, I saw him cheerfully lick his finger and turn the page.
Curses.
I fumed for a while, and thought about all the dramatic things I could say to make him feel guilty for finding a New York Times bestseller more interesting than the ins-and-outs of MY life. Finally I rolled back toward him and heaved a great sigh and the following well-thought-out words tumbled forth:
"I just...."
Well, it didn't come out exactly how I had practiced it in my head, but he turned to look at me nonetheless. "What's up?" he asked, seemingly oblivious to my mental torment. I earnestly responded, "I don't know... I just wish we talked more. I don't see you all day, and sometimes..... sometimes I just want to get into bed and blither-blather about my day."
Jason started to squeak out, "Well as riveting as that sounds...", but then he snorted with laughter, and suddenly we were both laughing so hard we were wiping away tears and grabbing at our backs, and then one or the other would say "...blither blather about my day..." and we'd shriek with more laughter and hysterics. This went on for twenty minutes. I never did tell him about my day that night.. but I'd still rank that conversation as one of our top ten. Top five, even.
Since then I have realized that whether or not someone is listening, sometimes I just like to blither blather. I have lots of opinions about lots of things, and my poor mother has five kids to call. I can't keep her on the phone her whole life. So it finally dawned on me to start a blog. People who want to tune in, can. People who want to tune me out can do that as well.
But either way, I'll get to blither blather all I want.
It's a problem.
One such night, I started in on my usual nightly monologue, but I decided that it rubbed me the wrong way that he was more enthralled with his book than with what I had to say. I harumphed and flopped on my side and sighed loudly, which is all girl code for "I'm mad at you until further notice", but when I surreptitiously peeked back over my shoulder to see if he was concerned, I saw him cheerfully lick his finger and turn the page.
Curses.
I fumed for a while, and thought about all the dramatic things I could say to make him feel guilty for finding a New York Times bestseller more interesting than the ins-and-outs of MY life. Finally I rolled back toward him and heaved a great sigh and the following well-thought-out words tumbled forth:
"I just...."
Well, it didn't come out exactly how I had practiced it in my head, but he turned to look at me nonetheless. "What's up?" he asked, seemingly oblivious to my mental torment. I earnestly responded, "I don't know... I just wish we talked more. I don't see you all day, and sometimes..... sometimes I just want to get into bed and blither-blather about my day."
Jason started to squeak out, "Well as riveting as that sounds...", but then he snorted with laughter, and suddenly we were both laughing so hard we were wiping away tears and grabbing at our backs, and then one or the other would say "...blither blather about my day..." and we'd shriek with more laughter and hysterics. This went on for twenty minutes. I never did tell him about my day that night.. but I'd still rank that conversation as one of our top ten. Top five, even.
Since then I have realized that whether or not someone is listening, sometimes I just like to blither blather. I have lots of opinions about lots of things, and my poor mother has five kids to call. I can't keep her on the phone her whole life. So it finally dawned on me to start a blog. People who want to tune in, can. People who want to tune me out can do that as well.
But either way, I'll get to blither blather all I want.
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