Weight Loss Tips from the Ladies of Georgetown Cupcake

 

Right about now, you're probably craving a cupcake. Just reading the name Georgetown Cupcakes practically has us salivating for one of those melt-in-your-mouth, adorably decorated sweets, perfectly topped off with a swirl of icing. Which makes us wonder: How exactly do owner-sisters Katherine Berman and Sophie LaMontagne—also the stars of TLC's DC Cupcakes—stay so slim? Turns out, it takes some work. Over the past year, after struggling with pregnancy weight gain (and sympathy weight gain), the two woman shed a combined 100 pounds. And they didn't even have to give up their famous cupcakes! We got the scoop straight from Berman and LaMontagne on how they lost the weight—and kept it off.
How It Happened
Berman: Ever since we were young, we’ve been extremely active and played a lot of sports—our weight was never a concern for us. Even when starting Georgetown Cupcake and being surrounded by fresh-baked cupcakes every day, we never struggled with our weight. However, when I got pregnant, things changed dramatically. During my pregnancy, I ate—a lot. Before I knew it, I had gained 60 pounds. My husband got a big kick out of the fact that I weighed more than he did. Like many other pregnant women, I did not feel like I was in my own body, and I found myself feeling emotionally overwhelmed by my weight gain. (How Much Pregnancy Weight Should You Really Gain?)
LaMontagne: Katherine and I spend all day, every day, together, and that definitely did not change during her pregnancy. Suffice it to say, being around a pregnant sister all day did not help my personal eating habits. Katherine was eating for two, but the problem was that I was eating as much as Katherine. After Katherine gave birth and started lamenting about her weight gain, I got on the scale for the first time in a long time and saw that I had gained 40 pounds. It was obvious how it happened, but I didn’t want to believe it. I suddenly found myself wondering how to get back to the “old me.”
How We Did It
Berman: After I gave birth, Sophie and I decided to become focused on getting our weight back on track—and we decided to do it together. However, “diet” was not a word that was in our vocabulary. Working in the food world, we love to eat, we love cupcakes and all things sweet, and we knew that we didn’t want to be miserable and give up all the things we love and replace them with diet foods and shakes. What’s the point of life if you can’t enjoy it? We wanted to lose the weight in a realistic way that was going to work for us.
LaMontagne: We decided that if we didn’t want to give up our favorite foods, we would find a way to burn the calories. And most importantly, we needed to burn the calories in a way that we knew that was doable for us, so we wouldn't give up after a couple of weeks. So, how did we do it? One simple thing: walking. We walked 6 miles a day. Five days a week. That’s it.
Berman: Some people might think, “Six miles? I can’t possibly do that!” and other people might think “Walking? That’s it?” The truth is, walking six miles a day is extremely doable—and yes, that’s it. We ate balanced diets of all of our favorite foods and desserts (including cupcakes) and we walked six miles a day—within nine months, I lost 60 pounds and Sophie lost 40 pounds! (And if you can master the 6-mile walk, then you can definitely accomplish these 10 Ways to Lose Weight Without Even Trying.)
Why It Worked
Berman: One of the main reasons that Sophie and I were able to do this was the fact that we did it together. Having a buddy who can be your support system through this journey makes a huge difference. When people who can be unhealthy influences surround you, it can make sticking to your routine so much more difficult. When you surround yourself with people who are in it with you, you can support and encourage each other and keep each other accountable. Try to find a friend or family member and do it together. (Not only will you lose weight, but you’ll also score major health perks! Here, 12 Ways Your Best Friend Boosts Your Health.)
LaMontagne: Try to approach it as a permanent lifestyle change—not a “crash diet” with a particular target date or special event in mind. Being active by walking six miles a day and eating sensibly is not a “crash diet”—it’s a conscious choice to lead a healthy lifestyle. And it doesn’t mean giving up all of your favorite foods. You can have your cupcake and eat it too!

Be Happy: Happy as You Want to Be

Happy as You Want to Be

Almost everyone have heard the hit single 'Don't Worry, Be Happy' by Bobby McFerrin. The song has a very catchy way of conveying its message of being happy to everyone. Bobby Mcferiin's simple message surely made a lot of people by telling them not to worry.

Living a happy, resilient and optimistic life is wonderful, and is also good for your health. Being happy actually protects you from the stresses of life. Stress is linked to top causes of death such as heart disease, cancer and stroke. 

One of the better things ever said is - 'The only thing in life that will always remain the same is change', and in our life we have the power to make the necessary changes if we want to. Even if we find ourselves in an unbearable situation we can always find solace in the knowledge that it too would change. 

Social networks or relationships are essential to happiness. People are different, accept people for who or what they are, avoid clashes, constant arguments, and let go of all kinds of resentments. If arguments seem unavoidable still try and make an effort to understand the situation and you might just get along with well with 

Happiness is actually found in everyone, increasing it is a way to make a life more wonderful and also more healthy.

To be happy is relatively easy, just decide to be a happy person. Abraham Lincoln observed that most people for most of the time can choose how happy or stressed, how relaxed or troubled, how bright or dull their outlook to be. The choice is simple really, choose to be happy. 

There are several ways by which you can do this.
  
Being grateful is a great attitude.  We have so much to be thankful for. Thank the taxi driver for bringing you home safely, thank the cook for a wonderful dinner and thank the guy who cleans your windows. Also thank the mailman for bringing you your mails, thank the policeman for making your place safe and thank God for being alive.

News is stressful. Get less of it. Some people just can't start their day without their daily dose of news. Try and think about it, 99% of the news we hear or read is bad news. Starting the day with bad news does not seem to be a sensible thing to do.

A religious connection is also recommended. Being part of a religious group with its singing, sacraments, chanting, prayers and meditations foster inner peace. 

Manage your time. Time is invaluable and too important to waste. Time management can be viewed  as a list of rules that involves scheduling, setting goals, planning, creating lists of things to do and prioritizing. These are the core basics of time management that should be understood to develop an efficient personal time management skill. These basic skills can be fine tuned further to include the finer points of each skill that can give you that extra reserve to make the results you desire. 

Laugh and laugh heartily everyday.  Heard a good joke? Tell your friends or family about it. As they also say -'Laughter is the best medicine'.
  
Express your feelings, affections, friendship and passion to people around you. They will most likely reciprocate your actions. Try not to keep pent up anger of frustrations, this is bad for your health. Instead find ways of expressing them in a way that will not cause more injury or hurt to anyone.
  
Working hard brings tremendous personal satisfaction. It gives a feeling of being competent in finishing our tasks. Accomplishments are necessary for all of us, they give us a sense of value. Work on things that you feel worthy of your time.

Learning is a joyful exercise. Try and learn something new everyday.  Learning also makes us expand and broaden our horizons. And could also give us more opportunities in the future. 

Run, jog, walk and do other things that your body was made for. Feel alive.

Avoid exposure to negative elements like loud noises, toxins and hazardous places.

These are the few simple things you can do everyday to be happy. 

And always remember the quote from Abraham Lincoln, he says that, "Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."

Diet and your health

Diet and your health

In recent years, we have heard more and more about how our diet affect our health , especially in relation to the production of cancers. Research has shown that our diet contains an enormous variety of natural mutagens and carcinogens. It is also apparent that we are ingesting vastly greater qualities of these substances than was previously suspected. Perhaps this natural chemical product should be primary concern rather than the mutagenicity of industrial chemicals, food additives and pollutants in our environment. For example, in 1989 the United States had a big publicity –generated scare concerning the plant growth regulator Alar, which is used to delay ripening of apples so that they do not drop prematurely. Alar was said to be carcinogenic, but when put in perspective with chemicals in our daily diets , it does not to be so bad. For instance, the hydrazines in a helping of mushrooms are 60 times more carcinogenic than the Alar consumed in a glass of apple juice or 20 times greater than a daily peanut butter sandwich, which frequently contains aflatoxin B. Our diets contain literally millions of natural chemicals; intact it is not practical to test them all for carcinogenicity.

Animal tests and the and the Ames test have been used to evaluate cooked foods for their potential for inducing cancers; and it has been found that browed sugars or breads contains a variety of mutagens. In addition, caffeine and its close relative theobromine found in coffee, tea, cocoa, and some soft drinks may increase the risk of tumors by inhibiting DNA repair enzymes. Plants synthesize many carcinogenic or teratogenic chemicals as delense mechanism to ward off the animals that want to consume them. Examples of plants plant carcinogens include psoralen and its derivatives, which are widespread in plants and have been used as sunscreen in France; solanine and chaconine are teratogens and are found in greened potatoes. Other food that contains natural cicargens includes banana, basil, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, horseradish, mustard turnips, and black pepper. In addition, red wines are believed to be responsible for the high incidence of stomach cancers among the French people, although red wine also seems to decrease the incidence of coronary heart disease. It seems that nothing can be consumed that does not contain mutagen!

Another big problem with American diet is the consumption of excess quantities of fats. The average American consumes 40% of her/ his calories in the form of fat. Comparisons of cancer death rates in different national populations have provided important clues to the nutrational causes of cancer.  Very different types of cancers appear in the United States than appear in Japan. In United States, colon, breast, and prostate cancer are most prevalent, whereas stomach cancers are in excess in Japan.  When the amount of dietary fat intake is plotted against the number of death by breast cancer, the results are striking; the more fat in the diet, the more higher the rate of breast cancer. How might fat intake cause cancer? It may be caused by rancid fat because it represents a sizable percentage of the fat are very prone to oxidation, which produces a variety of carcinogenic compounds. Another likely explanation is that may carcinogens are soluble in fats and accumulate in the fat of the animals we eat.




Summary:
In recent years, we have heard more and more about how our diet affect our health , especially in relation to the production of cancers. Research has shown that our diet contains an enormous variety of natural mutagens and carcinogens. It is also apparent that we are ingesting vastly greater qualities of these substances than was previously suspected. Perhaps this natural chemical product should be primary concern rather than the mutagenicity of industrial chemicals, food additives and pollutants in our environment.

Hatha Yoga

Hatha Yoga

Hatha yoga is an ancient hindu system of working with the human nervous system. Because it releases tension and endows one with renewed energy, far too many 20th century people, yoga teachers included, have come to look upon the venerable Indian physical science as solely an exercise for health and vitality of mind and body. It is that, but it is also much more. Hatha yoga practices are more spiritual than physical, more subtle than gross, more a means of understanding than an exotic way to relieve stress or limber up the body.

The sages who developed hatha yoga designed it as a way to gain conscious control of our life energies, a way to go within, to harmonize the external so the innermost Self could be encountered. To them, it was about states of consciousness, about living a divine life, and it was a preparation for meditation.

As you perform the asanas, concentrate on feeling the energies within the nerve currents. Sensitize yourself to knowing when the body has been in each position long enough to tune the nerve currents involved. Then shift smoothly into the next asana. It's like a dance, a deliberate, fluid dance. During all postures, inhale using the diaphragm, not the chest muscles. Do not stretch unduly or force the body. Relax into the poses. Don't worry if you can't perform them all perfectly. In time, you will find the body becoming more flexible and supple. Free the mind of thoughts and tensions. You will be more aware, more alive, more serene.

While there are many more complex hatha yoga routines, these twenty-four asanas provide a balanced system for daily use. For the simple purpose of quieting the mind in preparation for meditation, this is all you will ever need. For best results, hatha yoga should be taught personally by a qualified teacher. These instructions and drawings are meant only as a rudimentary aid. For more elaborate regimens, inquire at a recognized school specializing in hatha yoga.

The scene of hatha yoga has a spiritual purpose - to balance physical and physic energies in preparation for meditation. It is not only meant to make us young, beautiful or creative, but to aid us in quieting the mind, body and emotions that we may awaken enlightened consciousness & know the Self within.

Unleash your creative thinking

Creative Notions

People seem to have the misconception that only a select few are able to unleash a steady flow of creative genius. That is not true at all. The fact is, creativity is very much like a muscle that needs to be exercised in order to consistently give out great results. If you don't practice harnessing creative thinking, this skill will very much atrophy into inexistence. But keep working and this skill will soon come to you in a snap.

So how do you unleash your creative thinking? Well, the first thing is to become a human leech. No, we're not talking about just sucking the blood out of every living being available, we're saying that you should take in as much knowledge and learning you can find. Read everything available -- good and bad, and keep your mind open to the infinite possibilities of the universe. The more you know, the more you'll want to know, and the more your faculty of wonder will be exercised. Prepare to be amazed at little facts that add a bit of color into your life.  

Focus on a creative activity everyday. Yes, it's an effort. Even doodling is a creative activity. Don't let anything hinder you. Mindlessness may be a creative activity, but for people who are just starting out to unleash a little bit of creative thinking in their lives, it is helpful and encouraging to have concrete evidence, that, "hey, what I'm doing is getting somewhere." So why don't you try it. Practice drawing for a couple of minutes each day. Bring out your old camera and start snapping photos like crazy. Keep a journal and make a point to write in it religiously. Another cool idea is to write by describing something with your five senses. Try to avoid vague adjectives like "marvelous," "amazing," and "delicious." Before you know it, you'll have built yourself a tiny portfolio, and you'll be amazed at the growth you've undertaken after amassing all those works of art. Who knows, you might actually take to liking those things you do everyday. Pretty soon those things will become a part of you and you'll be addicted to these creative exercises.

Think out of the box -- or don't. Sometimes, constraints are actually a good thing. Limitations discipline you to work within your means. It enables you to be more resourceful. Creative freedom is great, but limitations enforce discipline.

Try something new everyday and let your experiences broaden your perspective. Explore a new district in your neighborhood. Spend an afternoon in a museum to which you've never been before. Chat up someone on the bus. Open up to the people around you. As you thrust yourself out of your comfort zone more and more each day, your sense of adventure grows and so does your zest for life. Think about it. When was the last time you did something for the first time? If it's been a while, I tell you, you've been missing out on a whole lot of experiences that could've added to your growth, emotionally, mentally, physically, or spiritually. Why don't you try bungee jumping today? Not only will you learn, but you will also have plenty of stories to share, enabling you to practice your storytelling skills and making you the life of the party. 

Embrace insanity. No, not to the point of practically admitting yourself into the mental ward. As John Russell once said, "Sanity calms, but madness is more interesting." Exactly! Every creative thought was once deemed insanity by other "normal" people at one time or another. Luckily, that didn't stop the creative geniuses from standing by them. The thing is, sanity or being normal confines people to think... well, normally. Withink limits. Creativity is essentially breaking through barriers. Yes, this includes the bizzarre and the downright strange. I'm not saying that you yourself should develop a creative personality. That might go haywire. An example of a creative personality would be George Washington, who often rode into battle naked, or James Joyce, who wrote "Dubliners" with beetle juice for an intense fear of ink, or Albert Einstein, who thought his cat was a spy sent by his rival (or in thinking creatively in this case, the term could probably be "archnemesis.") It's important that your creativity doesn't get you detached from the real world completely. 

I hope this article has inspired you to start thinking beyond your "limits." If you follow these steps pretty soon you'll be living a life full of interesting adventures. Unleashing your creative thinking  will bring about a new zest for living life. 

BUILD YOUR SELF ESTEEM, A STARTER GUIDE TO SELF IMPROVEMENT

BUILD YOUR SELF ESTEEM, A STARTER GUIDE TO SELF IMPROVEMENT

So how do you stay calm, composed and maintain self esteem in a tough environment? Here are some tips you may to consider as a starter guide to self improvement.

Imagine yourself as a Dart Board. Everything and everyone else around you may become Dart Pins, at one point or another. These dart pins will destroy your self esteem and pull you down in ways you won’t even remember. Don’t let them destroy you, or get the best of you.  So which dart pins should you avoid?

Dart Pin #1 : Negative Work Environment
Beware of “dog eat dog” theory where everyone else is fighting just to get ahead. This is where non-appreciative people usually thrive. No one will appreciate your contributions even if you miss lunch and dinner, and stay up late. Most of the time you get to work too much without getting help from people concerned.  Stay out of this, it will ruin your self esteem. Competition is at stake anywhere. Be healthy enough to compete, but in a healthy competition that is. 

Dart Pin #2: Other People’s Behavior
Bulldozers, brown nosers, gossipmongers, whiners, backstabbers, snipers, people walking wounded, controllers, naggers, complainers, exploders, patronizers, sluffers… all these kinds of people will pose bad vibes for your self esteem, as well as to your self improvement scheme. 

Dart Pin #3: Changing Environment
You can’t be a green bug on a brown field. Changes challenge our paradigms. It tests our flexibility, adaptability and alters the way we think. Changes will make life difficult for awhile, it may cause stress but it will help us find ways to improve our selves. Change will be there forever, we must be susceptible to it. 

Dart Pin #4: Past Experience
It’s okay to cry and say “ouch!” when we experience pain. But don’t let pain transform itself into fear. It might grab you by the tail and swing you around. Treat each failure and mistake as a lesson. 

Dart Pin #5: Negative World View
Look at what you’re looking at. Don’t wrap yourself up with all the negativities of the world. In building self esteem, we must learn how to make the best out of worst situations.

Dart Pin #6: Determination Theory
The way you are and your behavioral traits is said to be a mixed end product of your inherited traits (genetics), your upbringing (psychic), and your environmental surroundings such as your spouse, the company, the economy or your circle of friends. You have your own identity. If your father is a failure, it doesn’t mean you have to be a failure too. Learn from other people’s experience, so you’ll never have to encounter the same mistakes. 

Sometimes, you may want to wonder if some people are born leaders or positive thinkers. NO. Being positive, and staying positive is a choice. Building self esteem and drawing lines for self improvement is a choice, not a rule or a talent. God wouldn’t come down from heaven and tell you – “George, you may now have the permission to build self esteem and improve your self.”   

In life, its hard to stay tough specially when things and people around you keep pulling you down. When we get to the battle field, we should choose the right luggage to bring and armors to use, and pick those that are bullet proof. Life’s options give us arrays of more options. Along the battle, we will get hit and bruised. And wearing a bullet proof armor ideally means ‘self change’. The kind of change which comes from within. Voluntarily. Armor or Self Change  changes 3 things: our attitude, our behavior and our way of thinking.

Building self esteem will eventually lead to self improvement if we start to become responsible for who we are, what we have and what we do. Its like a flame that should gradually spread like a brush fire from inside and out. When we develop self esteem, we take control of our mission, values and discipline.  Self esteem brings about self improvement, true assessment, and determination. So how do you start putting up the building blocks of self esteem? Be positive. Be contented and happy. Be appreciative. Never miss an opportunity to compliment. A positive way of living will help you build self esteem, your starter guide to self improvement.

Guidelines in Finding A Fitness Club

Guidelines in Finding A Fitness Club

You would like to join a fitness club but there are so many choices! And then you will just end up having a headache! Fitness clubs are effective motivators. They should motivate us and not frustrate us. Before you choose on a fitness club, make sure that it suits your needs and goals. And before you do that, you should first learn and decide on what is your priority. By then, you will know what you really need in a fitness club. Here are some guidelines you can consider in choosing a fitness club that is best for you:

1. Where is it located?

The location is the first thing that you should consider when finding a fitness club. If the club is far from your home, you will just another excuse not to work out. It is best to find a facility that is near your home.

2. Are the employees friendly and nice? Will they be able to help you reach your goals?

Make sure that the instructor has the necessary experience to work with you. The instructor should be a certified professional that can work with you safely and effectively. Your instructor should also know if you have physical limitations or you may find an instructor that is well trained to work with you. You can also check the age of the instructor especially if it is one factor for your motivation and learning. The staff should also be helpful, friendly and professional. You can also ask the services they offer and find what is important for you. Some facilities have their own dietician and physical therapists that can offer services for you.

3. What kind of programs does it offer? 

Find time to see what programs are there for you and check if they suit your interests. Do they offer group classes? Choose the facility that offers the classes you really like. You can do a trial class to check it out if you want.

4. Are the facilities and equipments good and will they be available anytime that is most convenient for you?

Check if the equipments are enough for all members. Otherwise, you will waste your time falling in line and waiting for your turn. Also make sure that the facility is open during the time you are most likely to do work outs and exercises.

5. Is the entire facility well maintained, clean and safe for you?

Machines and other training facilities should be in clean and in good order. If you see a lot of "out of order" signs, it could be something to think about. Modern equipments are safer and more comfortable to use, so you may also want to consider that. Are the floors cleaned regularly to avoid accidents? Is there enough room for everyone? Also check if the facility is located in a place away from danger, consider also if the location is well lit.

6. Are the members of the club friendly and can they be your friends?

The fitness club is also a venue for social interaction. Take time to drop by and meet the members of the club before you enroll. Other members can be your buddies in the near future and should be considered.

7. What is the schedule of classes and will they be convenient for you?

Find out what classes are offered at a specific time and consider if you will be available at the schedules given. 

8. How much would it cost you?

It is important to know the monthly membership fee and what it covers. Some fitness clubs have hidden charges and you should be keen in checking that. Check if they have promotions or discounts and do they offer services at an extra fee. It is also important to know how long the club has been and how often they increase rates.

9. How is it different from other fitness clubs? 

Don't just stick into one fitness club. Try to visit as many facilities as you can and make a comparison. Then you can just narrow down your choices to the facilities that met your needs and priorities.

10. What do people say about it? Take your time to gather feedback from other members. Ask them what they can say about the club and let them tell you about the experiences with the facility.

Choosing a fitness club is just like shopping on the best shirt for you. Do not be pressured and do not try to contact them right away. You can take your time to review and gather enough information if you are still not sure which one to choose. Once you have made your choice, enjoy and make the most out of it.