I Normally Don't Like Contributing to Republicans Making $$$

zzzzzzzzz

I wanted to try a Gluten-Free Diet next. I promise to last more than 1 week this time. I'm a quick reader so in doing some research man y people spoke highly of Wheat Belly. So I read it and I think if you're a technical person it gives a great explanation on the evolution of wheat processing. ZZZZ Then proceeds to give a list of what not to eat mainly prohibiting any kind of carb or sugar. Too much for me.

GRRR THE REPUBLICAN'S BOOK IS MUCH BETTER

So I found a GREAT BOOK on being Gluten Free and imagine my shock when I discovered the author was Elisabeth Hasselbeck. I normally disagree with most of the stuff she says on the View, however it's a really good book so far and full of things you Can eat like rice, potatoes, most foods in their natural forms and suggestions for substitutions that are gluten-free.

Still Deciding on What to do For Exercise.

I'm deciding between going back to Yoga, although it always makes me sleepy, maybe if I was somewhere pretty doing yoga.

Maybe Pilates... there are a lot of studios near my place 

I probably should start going to Curves again since I'm still a member. Benefit there are no sweaty boys.  Not the trendiest place to be seen sweating though.

EXTRA LAZY WEEKEND EDITION: GET A HAIR CUT TO LOOK SLIM

THE BEST DIET TIPS ARE THE ONES THAT MAKE YOU LOOK SKINNY WITHOUT DIETING!

I've noticed that when you get a hair cut that shows some "neck" it makes you look skinnier. For example, I chopped off 6 inches over the holidays and probably gained wait from all the tasty Chin family treats. However, people said I looked slimmer. I think it must be the hair. 

ME:
Before Haircut

After Haircut

I don't think this pic does it justice, but the extra inch of neck helps. 

J-LO

Long hair... Not sure that most o fit is real and curly

flatter and shorter hair.. this is not the best picture, her makeup looks a bit fug but pretty good. 

LEIGHTON MEESTER
My favorite character on Gossip Girl... how I miss it
Long hair, pretty adds a bit of bulk.

Short hair... she just got a new hair cut and it is FIERCE!

My friend Megan...
longer hair, cute... outfit cute.  I was too lazy to cut out her boyfriend from the picture, sorry Todd.

She just cut her hair into a sleek bob!

Her hair is alot shorter, not the best picture to illustrate (hard to find pictures of her without numerous animals or food) but it's a sleek and short haircut very cute. 

Last but not least 
CHARLIZE THERON
Always looks good, longer hair.

Now shaved head, showing lots of neck and looking great. Yes I know there's a hat but the other pics were awful.

lastly to illustrate Natalie Portman

1. Long hair

short bob-cute, showing neck

a bit shorter, not her best cut but looking delicate

And no hair: 

dropped 10 lbs from the first pic, right?

Spotted: R cheating on her Diet in the Valley!

I've Broken Down. I can't take this anymore! I have to eat some Carbs after 5 p.m.

I was in the Valley at the mall and I was memorized by this beautiful sight. I had to eat something sweet. I did order a small with no cone which shows some restraint. I have learned some things from not eating carbs after 5pm this past week. I do tend to snack on carb filled snacks like crackers and popcorn. I can live without eating these, but I need some kind of carb to eat with dinner otherwise I feel like I'm missing something.

No more Carbs after 5pm but I will try Gluten-free starting next week. That should make for some saucy entries. 

MORE URBAN HIKING
This is made more difficult when shoe shopping because there is a lot of bending to try on shoes.  Also, the mall was crowded so there was alot of dodging of people which works your core. 

APPROPRIATE URBAN HIKING ATTIRE- they keep your feet warm and feel like you're walking on little cloud. 

Now time to relax from my Urban Hiking and Watch the marathon on my DVR of Toddlers and Tiaras while I practice my stretches from earlier this week. I'm only keeping the cat-cow stretch and side leg lefts though. 

I know this show is creepy and wrong but much like this picture I stare in horror and can't look away. 

Didn't blink at the "Jesus" standing on Santa Monica because I was thinking about Popcorn

CARB-O-DREAMING WHILE DRIVING IN L.A.

So Used to Living in L.A. that I passed this on Santa Monica... 

and was really thinking about this...

Carb Front-loading at Lunch

I am so missing carbs at night that I've been eating more carbs at lunch. Case in point frozen pizza for lunch. I think it should count as healthy because it was eaten earlier in the day and was purchased at Whole Foods.

The best lazy dieting tip is having a healthy friend who knows how to make healthy food taste good and sets a pretty plate. Here's Red doing her best impression of Rachel Khoo http://www.rachelkhoo.com

My Friend Planned and Cooked my Healthy Dinner because I was too lazy to Cook

Gluten-Free Turkey Meatloaf

The Turkey meatloaf was great! 1 lb organic ground turkey, mix Trader Joes ketchup and bbq sauce, 1/2 cup of sweet chopped onion and 1/2 cup organic oatmeal. See Mini loaf below:

Mini Salt and Pepper Shakers stolen from First Class + Kale + Christmas Decor + Troll with face chopped off/Plant = Nice Dinner Place Setting 

STRETCH OF THE DAY: SIDE LEG LIFTS

See the picture do 30 leg lifts on your left leg. Switch and do 30 leg lefts on your right leg. This is supposed to help strengthen legs. 

Exercise: Urban Hiking with Red @ the Grove

NO CARBS AFTER 5PM IS AWFUL--losing weight though

So I'm going a bit cray-cray from not eating carbs at night. I didn't realize how much snacking I did at night. This does make me more mindful of what I eat at night. However, I was drooling and fantasizing over carbs and also trying to sneak in extra carbs before 5pm hits. I've been dreaming about sprinkles cupcakes. Lick the picture...

Also, I recently explained my lazy exercise blog with my bff Geo who said she wanted in on the action. Unfortunately I told her after she ate a sammy (little sandwich) this evening. But after I mentioned this she is all on board and suggested my favorite kind of cardio ever "urban hiking"

URBAN HIKING @ THE GROVE IS EXERCISE

I walked around the Grove for about an hour but had so much fun shopping at all the cute stores so it did not seem like exercise at all!

No Carbing after 5 Sucks

NO CARBS AFTER 5PM IS FREAKING HARD

OMFG I wanted to go crazy last night around 7pm without eating any Carbs. I seriously wanted to choke someone (my poor hubby).  I thought the easiest thing to do is go to Whole Foods and buy more protein friendly snacks for after hours. I went with buffalo meat, organic chicken, smoke flavored gouda, brie and blue cheese for snackies... I'll include other recipies

Thank goodness this morning I had toast for breakfast. 

Also, dinner tonight is a Chin family favorite: Mapo Tofu. Really easy to make, just stir fry ground pork, garlic, onion, peppers and tofu. Super tasty and carb free.

EXERCISE OF THE DAY:  "Turtle"

I was looking up stretches for my neck... I found this which I'll just call the "Turtle." Pose and hold for 30 seconds. It felt relaxing, I would keep this stretch. 

NEW YEARS DAY-- Brunching and Wheat Belly + More

Happy New Year, as I started my voyage into lazy dieting last night, I feel I'm already ahead of the game--a first. 

STRETCH OF THE DAY: "Cat-Cow"

• I'm going to focus on a different stretch and/or exercise each day for the next couple of weeks and decide what's easy and worth keeping and what I'll never do again. 
• Technically "Cat Cow" is a yoga pose. I'm doing it because it's supposed to be a good lower back stretch and it's for beginners which makes it easy. It targets core a bit also.
• This video is not too annoying to watch as a demo, I'm totally ignoring the part where it says to make it harder as a core pose. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqnua4rHVVA 
• Below "A" is the Cat and "B" is the Cow

I Googled the Benefits of Cat-Cow and agree with the following but was annoyed I had to do it 20-30 times. I will probably keep this stretch and do it 15 to 20 reps. 

• Improves posture and balance
• Strengthens and stretches the spine and neck
• Stretches the hips, abdomen and back
• Increases coordination
• Massages and stimulates organs in the belly, like the kidneys and adrenal glands

 NO CARBS AFTER 5 

• (I chose 5 pm because I have a New Years Day Brunch Today:)Going with my blog yesterday, I'm going to spend these first couple of weeks not eating carbs after 5pm and then make a decision whether it's a helpful easy diet trick and basically whether I should keep it or leave it. More on "What is a Carb" tomorrow.

• Book in Review: Wheat Belly (New Reading for Diet in review Next Month) I thought to go along  with my "Carb Reduction" I should start some new reading. My Aunt Amy recommended Wheat Belly. I like the first two chapters because it basically states that being overweight is not anyone's fault and that it has to do with how the processing of wheat has changed in the last 50 years. This is actually a  "Gluten Free" book FYI. However, love the catchy title. I will be doing gluten-free in February. According to this book, written by a Dr., he saw patients lose 20-50 lbs from cutting out gluten alone.