Switched at Birth TV Show

Has anyone been watching Switched at Birth TV show on ABC Family show?  Even though this show is geared towards preteens and teenagers, I've been enjoying watching it mainly because the writers put in few important issues related to Deaf community and Deaf Culture.  One issue from first season brought up this topic of hearing/deaf relationships. My husband is hearing who signs fluently.  Believe me, I would not marry a man who does not sign fluently as communication is the most important thing in any kind of relationship.  Even though some Deaf people believe that a deaf person should have a relationship with another deaf person because of that "bond," I disagree on this belief. Any marriages or relationships all boils down to TRUST and COMMUNICATION. (well, chemistry too. lol)  Any marriages or relationships can work as long as the couple works hard to keep it alive regardless of their religion, politcal beliefs, and  cultural backgrounds. During last night's show, a character named Travis (I hope I was right) brought up that Daphne's boyfriend doesnt even sign well. How can you have a relationship with someone who cannot sign well and ASL is one of most important part of your life? 

On another topic that was brought up in last night's show was Travis's parents not bothering to sign.  This is the MOST common problem everywhere in the world.  That is the part I cannot ever understand.   If I was a hearing person, I would give everything in my power to learn everything what's the best for a Deaf child.  I would learn sign language to be able to communicate with my kid.  Why are there so many parents who don't bother to learn ASL?  I was glad that issue was brought up in last night's show and I hope that has hit some parents out there that they should LEARN sign language. I'm blessed to have parents who can sign. I have a very good relationship with them. 

I hope that the viewers will continue watching this great show and the writers or producers can keep bringing up all kinds of issues that the hearing world has no idea that existed.  I don't know the deaf actors but they are all doing a great job! Its important we all keep watching this show to give our support! 

The Derrière Diet

I know I may seem a bit obsessive on butt. I just think butt is an indication of your health. They are also tough to shape as you age especially women.  Butts go south and flat like a pancake because most of us sit down in a long period of time.  As I saw "Butt-Blasting Plan" on the information summary of Dr. Oz's show, I had to record it! (I have no patience for commericals) This show had a lot of good information. Luckily, most of it are already on his website. I plan to make his no-bake brownies but add my one scoop of Chocolate Shakeology (to put more nutrients in it!) in it too! Here's the recipe: No Bake Butt Blasting Brownie Recipe
His website has other great recipes too.

Dr. Oz also has 7 day workout plan.  This fitness program from Beachbody would be a GREAT addition! I've used it twice already and will use it again.  Even Victoria's Secret Angels use this workout too!

10th Wedding Anniversary Goal

Our 10th wedding anniversary is coming up this summer. This picture was taken nearly 10 years ago on our honeymoon. I've SWORN I will be in my BEST shape ever including looking the best in a bikini! I've always struggled with weight as long as I can remember. I did not even try to excerise much during college. Just an occassional aerobics here and there. I did not really watch what I ate during college. Once I found a job after college, I did not really focus on working out either. I fell in love with my hubby of 9 years and gained 20 more pounds because we dined out a lot (that's common for dating, right?)  I lost about only 10 lbs before I got married. I just did not work out enough or eat clean for some reason. I guess a light bulb did not go off in my head yet. I remember clearly as we were blissfully happy at Sandals St. Lucia on our honeymoon, there were those skinny young ladies in their bikinis everywhere.  I was wishing I had done a boot camp or something at that time! Few years later, we vacationed at Orange Beach, Alabama. I hated the way I felt on the beach in a tankini instead of a bikini. I did own a pair of bikini but I never felt comfortable in it. I remember the day the light bulb went off in my head and I said, "THAT IS IT!"  It was after the walk on the beach and my thighs actually developed a rash because they rubbed together!  After that experience, i was on a path to excerise and eat right for life.  I eventually lost 40 pounds through careful eating and walking/jogging on my treadmill. ( I still have it!) I felt GREAT when I was finally at my goal weight. This was taken in Jamaica at Sandals Whitehouse.  



After treadmill workouts



After Brazil Butt Lift program



Somehow, I regained 10 pounds over a few years. I kept on working out and watched what I ate. (That is how you keep most of your weight off! Fad diets do not work at all) . Even though I lost weight, my body shape stayed the same. Just smaller. I realized I needed to reshape my body through toning exercises. That is how I ended up with BRAZIL BUTT LIFT before we went to our Jamaican vacation last summer. I rememer I could barely walk after BBL because my muscles were so sore even after using the treadmill and elliptical.   I LOVED the way it reshaped my body.  I intend to use it again before we go to our 10th wedding anniversary vacation!  After BBL, I did Chalean Extreme and I liked the toned look but still needed to lose those pesky last 10 lbs.  Chalean Extreme is more like a strength training program. I joined a challenge group last November and it helped me so much by keeping me on track and not gaining so so much weight during the holidays because I have a major sweet tooth! I loved how guilty I would feel knowing others in the group have worked out and I haven't so I had to force myself and do the workouts.

 I'm into 5th week of TurboFire. It is a 90 day program so I still have a long way to go but Im pretty sure I will lose those LAST ten pounds after the program! So JOIN me for the 90 day Challenge Group and get in your best shape by SUMMER! You can help me and I can help you!  It will start on Feb 27th so HURRY!   Contact me if you want more information at

www.teambeachbody.com/mintfreak 

Good News!

Dark chocolate has good health benefits for us! (Of course,  we have to keep this in moderation) Dark chocolate boosts your mood, decreases your blood pressure and cholesterol. It even improves your eyes. Don't believe me?  Go read this article and it explains in depth. http://www.livestrong.com/article/519274-can-dark-chocolate-improve-eyesight/

This recipe of SKINNY double dark chocolate chip bundt cake  looks so yummy. I definitely will try to make this whenever we have visitors because this would be too much for just two of us!

http://www.recipekitchen.net/recipe/double-dark-chocolate-chip-bundt-cake%E2%80%A6simple-skinny-and-delicious

Fishy Stuff

A study has reported that the mix of Vitamin A and Omega 3 can slow down Retinitis Pigmentosa. http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-retinitis-pigmentosa-20120213,0,7497651.story?track=rss

After reading this article, I dove into a research mode. Luckily, I love fish and eat that at least once or twice a week. I take fish oil supplement. Of course, fish is not the only source of Omega 3.  Walnuts and flaxseeds are great. Beans (navy, kidney beans, soybeans), winter squash, and extra virgin olive oil are good.  I looked into Shakeology and see what items provided Omega 3. The items were flaxseed, chia seeds, and sacha inchi. Perfect! Other health benefits of Omega 3 are heart, brain, skin, cholesterol, diabetes, allergies, immune system, and digestive system.

As for Vitamin A, Shakeology already provides 5000 of this. (that is recommended for anyone) Good sources of Vitamin A Palmitate are eggs, milk, cheese, butter, liver and fish as well as vegetables that are dark green, like spinach, or orange like carrots or sweet potatoes.  Foods of a plant origin do not contain Vitamin A Palmitate but are rich in sources of provitamin A, a class of compounds called carotenoids, which are involved in photosynthesis. B-Carotene is the most important of these compounds. That means I'll add more spinach into my shakes or make spinach salads for lunch. (my favorite is strawberry walnut spinach salad!) 

Eating clean is important so you can have all the nutrients you need!

I'm STILL on one can of Diet. Diet Pepper so far this week!

NEW flavor of Shakeology (Vegan)  has came out yesterday!


I'm hosting a 90 day SUMMER beachbody challenge group that will start on Feb 27th. Summer will be here in about 3 months! Don't we all want to look better in a pair of shorts or a swimsuit? The challenge packs include a fitness program of your choice, Shakeology, free month of club membership, private group in Facebook (support system!)  and FREE coaching from me! If you want more information, email me or go to my website at
www.teambeachbody.com/mintfreak

Update

An update on my diet soda addiction! It's harder than I thought.  I'm so tired and I want some diet soda like NOW!  But I promised myself that I'll wait and use that ONE soda later into the afternoon when my energy is at its lowest. Yep, it's now 1 soda a day. Let's see if I can last this long this week but I am determined.

Some of you thought Shakeology was pricey.  Let me show you this picture and you'd see it's worth every penny!  AND you can't even taste those veggies at all. I never liked those V-8 drinks! Ew. Shakeology is also not always a meal replacement drinks. If you do not need to lose weight (I'm so envious if you dont!) then you can drink this as a snack or even a dessert. (tastes like it!) 

Give it a try!  If you want more information,  just go to my website, www.shakeology.com/mintfreak    One more thing, it also boosts your immune system. My hubby had a bad cold last month and I even did not get any cold from him! I've not been sick YET for such a long time. 

Diet Soda Addiction

I've always had a love for Diet Dr. Pepper for so many years. As I've written about being stuck in a plateau to lose those pesky last ten pounds, my friend (thanks!)  asked me if I was still drinking diet soda. I usually drink about 3 a day! (Diet. Dr Pepper, of course)  I actually thought diet sodas were free passes because they don't  have any calories. Sadly, the artificial sweetners in these sodas can lead to obesity and diabetes. Therefore, that means I have to wean off from my diet soda addiction. This week, I've succeeded at having only 2 a day. Next week, I will cut down to 1 a day. Hopefully, it will be an zero a day! I always had a Diet. Dr Pepper sometime in the morning but that hasn't been really hard because I usually drink my chocolate Shakeology. (if you guys have no idea what Shakeology is, go to www.shakeology.com/mintfreak and find out more!! It's like 5 salads in a drink but tastes like a dessert.  Vegan tropical strawberry Shakeology is coming out on Feb 14th. (Valentine's Day!) 

Reference about diet soda:

http://www.ourhealthcoop.com/blog/hugo/2008/05/diet-soda-also-makes-you-gain-weight.html

Hunger Games Trilogy

When I was reading the Twilight  series several years ago, I looked up on Stephenie Meyer's website just to check on her background. While being on her website, Stephanie raved on Hunger Games so I checked out the summary of Hunger Games and just wasn't impressed with it for some reason. When I kept seeing Hunger Games trilogy popping up everywhere in the news especially that a movie based on it is coming up next month. Intrigued, I decided to buy Hunger Games. I got hooked to it and I could not put it down! I ended up finishing ALL 3 books in a week. It's that good!  These books are actually for young adults but it's entertaining for adults as well.  I was obsessed with the trilogy and literally drove my husband crazy for days afterwards when I pondered on several issues.  It is not a series based on romance. It's based on survival and war. The war (aka Hunger Games) involves kids from 12 to 18 years old to fight until only ONE lives and is a winner.  While the kids are fighting, the entire world is watching as it is in a reality show. That is the one of the issues that made me think. There were a lot of reality shows that we watch people starve, cry, fight, etc.  This book is based on a FUTURE era so what if we get desensitized to emotions shown from reality shows and they can lead to more violent reality shows? Scary! I am not going to go into details so you can enjoy reading the trilogy.  No spoiler alerts here.  Peeta, one of the main characters in the book, is my favorite! Peeta reminds me a lot of my husband. I actually feel bad for Josh Hutcherson who is going to act as Peeta because all the young girls will be all over him after the movie is out.  Everyone would want a Peeta. I think Josh Hutcherson fits the character very well.  I'm looking forward to see the movie! Of course, books are always BETTER than the movies because of a limited time and limited budget. So go and buy/borrow these books if you haven't!

I

The Meaning of HIIT

Few people asked me what HIIT meant.  Here's an explanation below. You'll see why I love them!  TurboFire has several HIIT DVDs varying from only 15 minutes to 25 minutes. You can get a natural "high" from the workouts too.

From Wikipedia
High-intensity interval training (HIIT), also called High-Intensity Intermittent Exercise (HIIE) or sprint interval training, is an enhanced form of interval training, an exercise strategy alternating periods of short intense anaerobic exercise with less-intense recovery periods. HIIT is an effective form of cardiovascular exercise. Usual HIIT sessions may vary from 9–20 minutes. These short, intense workouts provide improved athletic capacity and condition, improved glucose metabolism, and improved fat burning.

www.teambeachbody.com/mintfreak

3 Minute Granola Bars

I LOVE this recipe!  You don't have to consume any kind of chemicals you could find in store=bought granola bars.  Only 3 minutes!

Microwave Chocolate Peanut Butter & Oat Snack Bars

by Averie @ Love Veggies & Yoga

**I added what I used** Mindy

Microwave Chocolate Peanut Butter & Oat Snack Bars
2 Tbsp Chocolate Chips
2 to 3 Tbsp Peanut Butter (or other nut butter)
2 Tbsp Milk (or nut milk) (I used Almond Milk)
1/2 C Oats
Optional:
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Tbsp Sweetener (Brown/White Sugar, Agave, Maple Syrup or Stevia to Taste)
1 Tbsp Other Dry Ingredients (coconut flakes, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, nuts, more chocolate chips, raisins, scoop of protein powder(I used Chocolate Shakeology!!) , etc.)
Directions:
Melt the first three ingredients together in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring and checking
Then add the Oats and any optional ingredients, stir to combine.  (You want this mixture to be fairly dry.  If it’s not dry enough, add more oats one tablespoon at a time)
Press mixture into bars or balls.   Using a piece of plastic wrap on the inside of a square plastic container will save on dishes and cleanup.
Put in refrigerator or freezer for 10 minutes, or until bars have set up.   Slice or break apart.
Yields 3 Larabar-sized bars that are also vegan and gluten-free.

Enjoy!!!

News!

I've finally became a beachbody coach for few reasons.   1. I just love Beachbody products ever since I bought Brazil Butt Lift.  At first, I was very skeptical at their stuff. It did show results after I used the workout program for four weeks before I headed to Jamaica last May.  I would use it again before any beach vacation or summers! 2. I  love helping other people. Money is not my motivation. It's all about being healthy.  As I have a degree in counseling, it's just a nature to me to help others.  3. Fitness has been my longtime hobby; tt has helped me in many ways.  4. I got hooked to Beachbody's Shakeology. (Chocolate!!!!)  I've tried other protein powders but they all didn't taste as great as Shakeology! (Honest!)

I am into week 4 of TurboFire now.  I love it so far! HIITs (High Intensity Interval Training)  are my favorite now because they are short!  You don't have to spend hours working out to burn more calories. I think HIITs are great for any busy schedules.

I will update my results from Turbofire as I go. (it's a 90 day program) 

www.teambeachbody.com/mintfreak
www.shakeology.com/mintfreak