During my dedicated eating time (yes, I must make a meal break away from my computer, according to my Bestie Evie‘s birthday advice), I actually HIIT before I sit!
While I wait for my chow to cook ~ simmering in the crock pot, boiling on the stove, or nooking in the oven/microwave/toaster ~ I do the following quick set(s), to induce more calorie-burning even after I’m done exercising:
Pepperidge FarmPumpkin Cheesecake dessert cookies & Pumpkin Spice Milano + Blue DiamondPumpkin Spice Almonds from CVS | Quest BarPumpkin Pie energy bar (which we used to give away from Pretty Fit) from Market Street
Now I’m somewhat relieved that this weekend’s Halloween party has been canceled/postponed due to t-storms (Hurricane Patricia’s just further down south) ~ so in addition to preparing for my next round, I also can have some down time …
To stay in the spirit for this season, I decked out with a little bit of my autumn aesthetics ~ ringing in the old with the new!
My little splurge to bring me cheer this time of year: this rad-in-plaid deer because plaid is on-trend (this one somewhat resembles Burberry) + it’s deer season (not that I’m a hunter) & reindeer season‘s just around the corner ~ so I’ll adorn it with special ornaments! Just to add to my eccentricity, I named this bad boy DOC to keep me motivated as I keep trucking along (more in high-speed) toward my doctoral degree! Along with Doc are A&A‘s *Dallas Cowboys* TD toy for football season & my classic Halloween decor ~ including Badtz-Maru pillow ~ on this plaid spread that accompanies autumn yet also is appropriate for winter as we approach CHRIS†mas in red & green!
What’s the best fall memory you have? ~ football games, both when I was in h.s. & when I’d see my *Dallas Cowboys* live (everything’s BIGGER in TX)
What’s your favorite book you’re reading (or have read) this fall?~ Guts Grace & Glory (football devotionals) that I received during Lent & am reading through football season
Which makeup trend do you prefer: dark lips or winged eyeliner?~ both (winged liner above in Exhibit B)
Best fragrance for fall? ~ Bath & Body WorksSweet Cinnamon Pumpkin (above in Exhibit A)
What is autumn weather like where you live? ~ we’re still as ☼sunny☼ as Indian summer but anticipate a cool-down soon
Football games or jumping in leaf piles? ~ BOTH! (see No. 1 for football & Exhibit B for leaf piles)
Skinny jeans or leggings? ~ either or, as long as I don’t have a muffin top in the denim or camel toe in the tights
What is something that nobody knows about you? ~ I don’t mind digging into Ramen even if there’s other food in the panty (especially as comfort food now that we’re entering a colder climate), which I actually ate for lunch this afternoon while watching Wong Fu‘s majorcook-off!
Combat boots or Uggs? ~ bringing on my Docs, baby!
What song really gets you into the fall spirit? ~ oddly enough, ♫Taylor Swift‘s ♪Wildest Dreams♪ because it could describe any desire (i.e., “tall” could be a tall order of StarbucksSalted Caramel Mocha), fulfilled or fantasized about
However, my motivation to not shed pounds may somewhat have to do with vanity as some who wish to slim down. While I’ll still tone up and didn’t mind once upon a time when I may have been to-an-extent slim ‘n’ trim/light and tight (yet always curvy ~ even at size 0) ~ I prefer to glorify what GOD gave me, inside and out…
Now I’m not saying that I want to be identified with the likes of celeb beauties complete with their bodacious assets:
Yet I’m more about maximizing my physical fitness potential in what I have than investing efforts on minimizing it. Here are a handful of reasons why:
I actually feel more happy and confident when I’m not going out of my way to limit my eating portions and excessively (once-referred-to-as religiously) exercising ~ I’m not depriving myself, so I’m not moody or irritable
I’m simply cool and comfy in my own skin ~ I’m not trying to be a sex symbol just because I refuse to reduce my blessings of endowment through an abundance of ♥cardio♥ (which simply relieves stress for me nowadays)
I wish to stick with what makes me a woman ~ GOD created me this way, and I’ll take care of this temple to the best of my ability (an added boost from The Sweet Life also helped)
I must take advantage of having this soft yet stocky build while I’m still younger ~ I’ve seen the effects that aging (such as osteoporosis) has had on all of my grandparents☼ and more recently my parents
Yes, I’m keeping it real. I’d much rather keep my T&A any day than give up my lovely lady lumps & rump bumps. #DISPObustAFlow
Now, onto the nitty gritty part of this segment that doesn’t make me happy but in hopes that it may help: I’m addressing heartburn’s
symptoms
solution attempts
speculations of causes
Last Labor Day weekend, despite putting in a full time job’s week-worth of hours on my dissertation
Heartburn reared its ugly head in my tummy
For those of you who’ve experienced heartburn, indigestion, acid reflux or GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), I’m sure that you can empathize with me in terms of those unwanted abdominal aches and pains.
My Heartburn (and Similar Symptoms) History
After visiting my paternal grandmother, my beloved ☼Mama Eufemia‘s death bed (during which I reached the utmost humility by bathing her once-healthy-turned scrawny body), only to return to the Bay to bury her a couple of weeks later, I went back home to wrap up my students’ first summer session and prepared myself to take my second round out of three written candidacy comprehensive examinations for my PhD (I already took my leadership test, had my management next, followed by my research then my oral/spoken exams to become a PhD candidate) ~ the night before test day, I felt sharp sensations along the left side of my chest, and upon consulting my sister, a RN-turned nurse practitioner, she wondered whether I was having a heart attack, so I checked into the ER and (eventually) was diagnosed with and treated for GERD … Since I had an overnight stay in the hospital, I didn’t make it to my exam and was able to make it up
Before and during most of my menstrual cycles these past couple of years, I tend to cramp way more considerably, coupled with dull crumminess between my breastbone and waist ~ double trouble unpleasant combination
After Mami Aya cooked her special scrumptious southwest chili a week ago and took our family to Miguel’s Mex Tex for my Airman cousin’s birthday, I underwent the infamous inflammation that lasted several days and led to sleepless and vomit-induced= nights *yikes*
My Heartburn Attack
Chili Ziti: This hearty recipe combined with penne regate, boasts healthy goodness, including ~ wait for it …SQUASH! {YUM} I love the spice, but unfortunately, my tummy didn’t.
Loosen my clothing* to prevent confinement when I already felt like I was going to burst (into flames) *ouch*
Pop in those TUMS (I dig the Smoothie and Tropical Fruit flavors) ~ NO more than 6/day ~ I, of course, wouldn’t want to be chemically dependent on quick-fix pills
Chew chicle**+ (gum *yum*)
Consume calcium ~ like drink milk or eat yogurt (I’m partial to Dannon Activia)
Consume aloe vera+ ~ I’m all about this (I personally love Alo-Drink)
Drink lemon-infused water (I’ve done this yet wonder how it matches up with the next tip, as it has citric acid)
Avoid heartburn triggers, such as: caffeine (there goes my coffee and tea); chocolate** (see y’all later, my Nutella, candy and cookies); fatty*** (e.g., fried) food (until next time, my smiley eggs, among other YOLOs); spicy*** food (adíos, my Mexican comida); tomatoes** (say it ain’t so, my Italian cuisine), other acidic content and alcohol** (so much for drinking to help me snooze smoothly)
Stand or sit up straight* instead of slouch ~ so my stomach doesn’t slosh all of those acids
Sleep in an elevated position*** ~ with my head and torso raised, possibly with wedge pillow(s) (laying down flat only leads to more pain)
Sleep on my left side** to alleviate bowel movement in my intestines
Last resort: =up-chuck/throw up/hurl/barf (most definitely not my favorite ~ especially since I’m not one to binge and purge ~ yet absolutely vital to relieve myself of toxins)
Overall, adjust my lifestyle to only include some of my fave foods that trigger heartburn at a minimum level.
The Mini Ravioli & Breadstick are from Trader Joe’s!
My Heartburn (and Related) Causes’ Guesses
I kept my stress bottled up and felt like I needed to explode ~ losing my last surviving grandparent with whom I was close while studying for the biggest test of my life at the time was a real low point; the events that followed all involved my new form of test anxiety: my dissertation
With the exception of my time of the month, the other events ~ that ranged from moderate to severe levels ~ all involved me indulging in YOLOs (wild wings, battered [_fill-in-the-blank_] topped off full of spicy flavor, to be exact)
Let’s face it: chowing down on crazy combinations doesn’t suit my bod very well ~ hence feeling bloated on the inside and like all of my clothes fit tightly on the outside
H2O conservation: we drain dish water from the kitchen sink into a bowl, then pour it into buckets for our grass during the drought!
Back to the D …
Interesting timing that after I received my reminder to consume Vitamin D, an encore episode📺 of Dr. Oz features that problems caused by not getting your Vit-D intake and solutions to improve our health!
Right dose: starting points 1,000 IU multi, up dose if symptoms don’t improve in few mos 💉
*Reference📺
📲Context Media Health. (2015). Text message notifications.
😷Dr. Oz. (2014). The Vitamin Americans Aren’t Getting Enough Of.”
Addendum
Deluxe Pizza to kick off my Vacay ~ complete w/Mushrooms for Vit. D!
MORE Mushroom Madness
*Papa Jun* read my mind before I did: Fazoli’s ~ that includes Vit.D-rich Mushroom Ravioli ~ on the brain for my Bday! #StudyBreak Added BONUS: my dream NutellaCheesecake
Welcome/Mabuhay/¡Biénvenidos! I am a USAF brat who was born in Germany and grew up State-side while celebrating my Catholic and Filipino heritage. ☼Sunny☼ DISPOsition Elaine’s Eye Candy/DISPhotos ~ I love GOD & His creations, so I take photos @ any given opportunity. Elaine DISPOrts ~ I am passionate about sports, which is my research focus on my ... Continue reading →
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