Clementine, darling

I love food. I like my vegetables raw, and any kind of fresh herb or spice. I dislike running, treadmills or roads, not my thing. I like to attend all different gyms to for the aerobics classes, spinning, yoga, you name it, ill try it at least once. Trying to keep my body healthy, I am recording my thoughts and experiences on everything from eating healthy (and sometimes not so healthy), to the latest motivational quote that im currently obsessing over. Oh, and everywhere in between.

living on a roller coaster,
Clementine Darling.




Roadblock number 9: You take a three-minute drive to run an errand two blocks from home. What’s wrong with that? Labor-savers like automobiles decrease the amount of calories you burn daily. Get this: research recently showed that car-happy suburb dwellers have higher BMIs (Body Mass Indexes) and blood pressure levels than people who reside in urban areas where walking is necessary for day-to-day tasks. Oh, and the studied suburbanites weighed six pounds more.  The average American now drives 73 minutes daily and uses the car for almost 90 percent of trips regardless of distance. We walk or bike on errands only 6 percent of the time! Detour: It’s not just cars that are making us fat. Elevators, computers, dishwashers, and plenty of other machines have all decreased the amount of energy we expend daily. Saving time is great; getting chubby, not so much. We’re not suggesting that you get rid of your TV remote, Facebook page, or even your new energy-efficient Prius.  Instead, buy a pedometer and aim to get 10,000 steps daily. You can burn 200 calories, and rack up a major amount of steps, by taking a 30 minute-stroll to get your morning coffee. Do this for just over two weeks and you’ll lose a pound (3,500 calorie deficit = a one pound loss).  Performing simple chores rather than hiring someone else to do them will also help you rack up steps and burn calories. For example, a 140-pound woman can burn quite a few calories in 30 minutes with these activities:    Leisurely bike ride to the post office: 254 calories Weeding your garden: 143 calories Cleaning the house (dusting, taking out the trash, straightening up): 95 calories (if you vacuum: 111 calories) Bathing your dog: 173 calories Walking quickly to meet your friend for lunch: 200 calories

Roadblock number 9: You take a three-minute drive to run an errand two blocks from home. What’s wrong with that? Labor-savers like automobiles decrease the amount of calories you burn daily. Get this: research recently showed that car-happy suburb dwellers have higher BMIs (Body Mass Indexes) and blood pressure levels than people who reside in urban areas where walking is necessary for day-to-day tasks. Oh, and the studied suburbanites weighed six pounds more.  The average American now drives 73 minutes daily and uses the car for almost 90 percent of trips regardless of distance. We walk or bike on errands only 6 percent of the time! Detour: It’s not just cars that are making us fat. Elevators, computers, dishwashers, and plenty of other machines have all decreased the amount of energy we expend daily. Saving time is great; getting chubby, not so much. We’re not suggesting that you get rid of your TV remote, Facebook page, or even your new energy-efficient Prius.  Instead, buy a pedometer and aim to get 10,000 steps daily. You can burn 200 calories, and rack up a major amount of steps, by taking a 30 minute-stroll to get your morning coffee. Do this for just over two weeks and you’ll lose a pound (3,500 calorie deficit = a one pound loss).  Performing simple chores rather than hiring someone else to do them will also help you rack up steps and burn calories. For example, a 140-pound woman can burn quite a few calories in 30 minutes with these activities:   

  • Leisurely bike ride to the post office: 254 calories
  • Weeding your garden: 143 calories
  • Cleaning the house (dusting, taking out the trash, straightening up): 95 calories (if you vacuum: 111 calories)
  • Bathing your dog: 173 calories
  • Walking quickly to meet your friend for lunch: 200 calories