Vienna and TJ's breakup excuse!

Today is the day of Vienna's party. The Dukan Diet, the BCBG dress and fishnets, my Mom's Louboutins... they all come into play tonight. I'm walking around the house with rollers on. I don't want to take them off out of fear my hair will go straight down again. My Mom doesn't believe me when I say there are going to be no guys I have a crush on there. "Too much lipstick and too tight a dress to claim there is no guy involved." She is kind of right. I'm secretly hoping TJ is going to be there or if not, some other hot guy.

I'm also going to ask Vienna directly why she broke up with TJ (or the other way around). I wonder if I'd get something like...

- "I'm not good enough for you." "I'm glad you finally realized it." ......or
- "You look better in skinny jeans than I do." ........or
- "John's sister is single again, so good bye!" .....ouch :)
- "A psychic told me we aren't good for each other."

I'll keep you posted :) Wish me luck tonight!

Nutmeg and Ecstasy / Salvia or Marijuana

Did you guys know that Nutmeg contains two chemicals that are used to make the drug, Ecstasy? In small amounts it's perfectly fine to eat but in large amounts it causes diarrhea and hallucinations for 24-48 hrs. With all the Thanksgiving and Christmas foods, I'm surprised I haven't overdosed. Not that I want to... it just sounds lame to say that you got high on Nutmeg. It's like saying you got drunk after eating chocolates filled with cherries in liquor. It's simply not bad-ass enough and it loses the whole appeal of getting high. I also read that Miley Cyrus gets high on Salvia, a kitchen herb, by smoking it. The effect is supposed to be the same like from weed but faster. Wow, addicts are always ahead of the drug drama, aren't they? If anything, I'd only try weed. At least it's partially legal and is not physically addictive.

Who Pays on Dates?

I've been wonder if I should be paying for myself on dates. I love guys who are gentlemen and open doors for you, take care of the check, hold your coat, etc. The last think I want, though, is to make a great guy feel used because of it, and you really don't know if the guy you are on a date with is a great guy until later on. The good thing is in my college there are plenty of rich boys. They just put it all on a credit card and their parents deal with the expenses.

I also don't want to end up with a cheap guy or with a guy who doesn't think I'm worth spending money on. I've learned growing up that the people who truly care about you share their money with you, even if that means they'd go without. I don't expect sacrifices from guys right away, but it's reasonable to at least get them to pay for me on our first date.

My Mom says you can track the progress of the relationship by whether or not the guy spends money on you. If he used to pay for stuff and now he is hesitant that means he is starting to question the value of being with you. She also says you should let the guy pay 60-70% of the time and you should pay the rest. This way you make sure he wants to be with you and is not just there for the convenience. What about equal rights? Mom says that for every dollar a man makes, a woman doing exactly the same job makes 65 cents. It's not fair for women to be exposed to sexism either but they are.

Merry Christmas! How Can You Get What You Want for Christmas?

... or if you are not Christian, enjoy the holiday spirit. Manhattan is unbelievably romantic this time of the year with all the lights, Christmas carols, and of course the giant Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Center. Come see it!

I love celebrating the holidays with my family. I feel like a baby kangaroo that's going back to its mom's pouch. Since my Mom has given herself the title of a main holiday-maker of the family, we follow the traditions of her ancestors. Honestly, I don't even think Dad knows how to celebrate. His family was never very united or affectionate, so he is happy to leave things in my Mom's hands and just help around. We made 7 meat-free dishes for Christmas Eve. We also have incense that the oldest person in the home has to light up and carry around the house to clear the energy. We normally make a traditional pie and stick small objects in it like a quarter or a piece of wood. We give each object a particular meaning, the coin is "money", the wood is "new home", etc. Then we bake the pie, spin it around with the pot 3 times and we all get a piece. The first thing you look for is your fortune for the new year. I made sure we put a wooden heart for "love" and a metal 4-leaf clover for "wish fulfillment." I really wanted to put more love-related symbols but was afraid to admit that's what I wanted the most. I'm dying to end up with the heart. Will let you know...

The Dukan Diet - Day 11

I was so tempted to eat carbs last night, you have no idea. My Mom came home with a big box of raspberries and cherry filled crepes. I didn't even eat one, because I knew I wouldn't be able to stop.

The good thing about Phase II is that you at least don't gain weight while you are still consuming a pretty much normal diet of meat, salads, and dairy. I'm pretty sure that if I had gone from the Attack Phase to regular food, I would've gained all the weight right back. Phase II doesn't feel like a low-carb diet but I'm still ready to go back to regular food for a day or two before starting the Attack Phase. It needs to be a day when I can exercise a lot, though. I want to make sure all the calories will be gone right away.

Today is the last day of Phase II for me and probably the end of the diet for now. I've lost 1cm off my hips during the Attack Phase and 1/2cm during Phase II. The bottom line is the diet works. It's not difficult to follow. I found the all protein phase to be easier since I felt no hunger at all. The second phase is harder to stick to since you are allowed to eat a bigger variety of food and you are always tempted to add something extra. I also found myself craving food more often.

The main problems I experienced on this low-carb diet were moodiness and lack of energy. I found a solutions to both and blogged about both of them so if you are going through the same, read my previous posts. I still don't get tons of energy like I'd like to, but it's significantly better, no comparison. For the people who can be on a low-carb diet and exercise, great job! I cannot make myself do it. When I start eating carbs again, I'll return to my normal workout routine.

The Dukan Diet - Day 9

My weight hasn't changed since the Attack Phase ended. I hope I'm not in a plateau. I ate veggies and lean protein yesterday. The salads had very little oil.

I admit, though, I had green sugar snap peas as a snack and they have as many carbs as carrots... not allowed during Phase II. Also, I put Vidalia onion in my salad (also not allowed during Phase II). I had some oil in the salads and kept eating stuff all day long, even though the rest of what I ate was fine according the Dukan Diet rules. I was also cranky and pissed off at the world the whole afternoon.

I noticed diet pepsi/coke make me hungry. It keeps happening over and over again. I drink it occasionally when I go out. It happens every time, even if I've eaten an hour before having Diet Pepsi. It must be something about Aspartame. I'll try Pepsi One, which has Splenda and see if there is any difference.

Apart from that, though, I feel like I can stay on salads, protein, and some dairy for a really long time... And I used to be such a carb-lover. I should add some exercise to my diet today to speed up my metabolism.

The Dukan Diet - Day 6

I think the diet works by curbing your appetite. I'm simply not hungry when I eat all protein. If I count the calories in my food, I'd come up with no more than 1200 for the whole day. High protein/low fat/low carb food is simply not tasty and it doesn't cause blood sugar fluctuations that normally make you hungry. I feel like eating every 2-3 hrs when my brain gets a signal that my stomach has shrunk and there is no food in it.

I completed 5 days on the Dukan Diet. The Attack Phase is over for at least another 5 days. I can fit in my size 6 clothes except for the really tight ones. I've lost a dress size. That's clear.

The Dukan Diet is not exciting but it's effective. I wasn't hungry at all at any time. Whenever I felt like eating something, I had turkey hot dogs, grilled chicken breast, a couple of scrambled eggs, or protein shakes. Days 4 and 5 I ate some pickles since they barely have any carbs. I barely had any yogurt but had the maximum allowed, 250ml of milk, per day and once I had miso soup. The only cheating happened the second day when I forgot I was on the diet and at a piece of candy. The diet still worked. The only side effect was low energy and I felt cranky in the evening.

I'm not looking forward to the end of the diet. I feel like I can do the protein and veggies phase for a long time. I don't go to sleep with the though of, "I can finally eat whatever I want tomorrow." It's about as easy as a diet promising fast weight loss can get. The easiest one I've tried so far. I still think the main reason why it works is that the protein curbs your appetite and since you cannot eat anything rich in oil or carbs, you consume very few calories.

The Dukan Diet - Day 4

This a summary of the first 4 days of my experience with the Dukan Diet. I should be on it until Christmas, so I can look hot for the New Year's party. I hope this is helpful for you, who are reading my blog, as well.

First let me make something clear, I do not do hunger. Hunger is the enemy. Hunger turns me into the "bitch from hell." Those people who can do 2-week fasts on water and lemon juice, that's way past my competence. That looks like some New Age mind-over-matter achievement to me. What I normally do is eat whatever I want whenever I want and expect to lose weight. It's proven that my body loses weight when I skip dinner, but I simply cannot skip dinner regularly, my body goes insane.

That being said, I decided to try the Dukan Diet, the high protein/low carb/low fat diet that brings you results yesterday. I have one dress size to lose, from 8 back to my usual 6. I had tried more cardio, walking briskly for an hour every day, eating light dinners, trying the apple cider vinegar trick. I suspect I increased my food consumption or started to build muscle, because the results were simply non-existent. It was clear that either I had to fit in my regular clothes or had buy a whole new wardrobe, and most importantly admit defeat. Oh, hell no! I have lost a battle... or two... but I shall win the war.

After the long intro, let me share with you the most important part. I only ate meat, eggs, turkey hot dogs with mustard, decaf or regular coffee with 2% milk (no more than 250ml per day total), Nektar protein shakes (they are the tastiest and have no carbs), sugar-free jello, and a high fiber drink (very important to speed up your intestines while on a diet).

Amazingly, I wasn't hungry at all the first day. I ate less than 1200 cal. I felt a little weak in the afternoon and for those of you who drink coffee, you will need to spend the afternoon at Starbucks or sleep half the day. I recently cut down to 1 cup a day, so I just took my vitamins and a protein shake and tried to relax. I had problems falling asleep, but Melatonin saved the night. I had bought it for my upcoming trip to Europe (it's great against jet lag), but it came in very handy last night. I have friends who swear by it and they were right. I woke up refreshed, happy, and very proud of myself for making it through day 1 of the Dukan Diet.

The second day, I was a little fed up with all the protein. There were cherries and strawberries all over the place. I wasn’t happy about all the meat I don’t even like eating. I didn’t complain when I was packing on the lbs, though, so I better suck it up. The good thing was I wasn’t hungry.

The third day was successful. No hunger but experienced low energy. I spent the first part of the day eating grilled chicken breast. I had some yogurt for dinner and it felt good. I bought miso soup with tofu (5g of carbs and 45 cal) and really liked it. The Nektar protein shakes are a blessing. They taste like fruit juice but have 0 carbs. I can only imagine the chemicals that are in it to make it that tasty. Oh, well...

Today has been going well. I'm sticking with the diet today too. I'm not trying any clothes yet but will soon. I don't want to jinx it :) Cross your fingers!

Are you like Gabby Sidibe?

I'm a little depressed school is almost over and everybody is going away for the holidays. My social life had just started to pick up. Fortunately, there is something to look forward to before next semester, Vienna invited me to a NYE party. I am already planning on what I'm going to wear and how I'm going to style my hair, red lipstick or pink lipstick... I also started a high protein/ low carb diet, so I can look like a knockout in sexy clothes. I'm not sure if I'm being a bit insecure about my weight, but I think my pants don't fit me like they used to. I've gained about a size, which needs to go before Dec 31st. I wish I were as comfortable with my figure as Gabby Sidibe is.

"Between the models who are too skinny by health standards and the many American women whose expanding waistlines put them in the obese category, how can you reliably judge your own weight? Maybe you can't.

In a new study, nearly 25 percent of overweight and obese women rated themselves as normal or even underweight, while a good chunk of female participants who were normal or underweight reported practicing dieting behaviors, some of them  unhealthy, to peel off the pounds.

"Overweight individuals who do not recognize that they are overweight are far less likely to eat healthfully and exercise," One of the reasons for the gap between perception and actual poundage: "If more people are overweight who are around you, you're more likely to perceive it as normal."

More than 2,200 U.S. women ages 18 to 25 answered questions about self-perceived weight, actual height and weight, and socio-demographic variables. For instance, the survey asked, "How would you describe your weight?" and participants were given the choice of the following answers: "very underweight, slightly underweight, about the right weight, slightly overweight and very overweight."

Participants also reported the number of days over the previous week they had exercised for at least 30 minutes continuously, as well as their unhealthy weight-related behaviors over that stint, including using diet pills, diet powder or diet liquids; laxatives or diuretics; inducing vomiting; skipping meals; dieting/eating less or differently; smoking more cigarettes (which suppresses the appetite); or avoiding carbohydrates.

The participants were categorized according to their body-mass index as normal weight. Overall, 52 percent of the study participants had BMIs they classified them as overweight or obese.

The shares of overweight Hispanics and African-Americans who thought of themselves as normal-weight (nearly 25 percent and 30 percent, respectively) were significantly greater than for white respondents. Fifteen percent of the overweight white women thought they were normal or underweight.

At the other end of the spectrum, 16 percent of the white women and 20 percent of the Hispanic women who were either normal or underweight thought they were overweight.

Individuals who didn't know they were fat were significantly less likely than others to engage in healthy or unhealthy weight-related behaviors. Meanwhile, those who mistakenly thought they were overweight were more than twice as likely as women who recognized their normal weight to diet, skip meals and smoke more cigarettes." - livescience.com

How Gisele Bundchen Lost the Baby Weight

The Dukan diet was all the rave in Europe. My Mom lost 17 lbs on it, and now it's my turn to lose a dress size (whatever number of lbs that is). Gisele Bundchen and Jennifer Lopez both claim the diet helped them lose the pregnancy weight, so I'm going to let you know if it works or not.

The Dukan Diet (after Dr. Pierre Dukan) is supposedly a revolutionary slimming plan that has taken France by storm. It promises fast, effective weight loss, followed by an eating plan that ensures you stay slim, while allowing you to enjoy unlimited quantities of real food. it reminds me a lot of the Atkins diet except you have to eat lean protein, not the typical for Atkins extra fat. The claim of losing close to 10 lbs in a week sounds amazing, but I read on the internet about people who lost 6-7 lbs during Phase 1 with no problem at all, and they weren't obese (obese people initially lose more weight than those who aren't obese and are following the same diet).

Phase 1: Also known as the Attack phase. You eat low-fat protein only. And drink a lot of water (coffee, tea and diet sodas or OK too but they have to be zero calories and zero fat).

Your protein is likely to come in the form of meat (low-fat beef, chicken, turkey, fish), but there are also dairy possibilities (e.g. zero-fat yogurt and cottage cheese, etc) and vegetarian/vegan options (e.g. eggs, tofu and seitan). You can season your protein with anything that is zero fat and zero carbs, like salt, vinegar, onions, mustard, normal spices (oregano, basil, pepper, etc.) and so on. You also add some oat bran (1.5 tablespoons) to the mix and a 20-minute walk every day.

In the attack phase, the only thing that will passing your lips is the protein, the oat bran and the water.

Unlike the Atkins diet, the goal is low-fat meat. The article claims that in the first 5 days of eating nothing-but-protein, you could lose between 7 and 10 pounds. See the second article above for details.

- Phase 2: Also known as the cruise phase. You have days of nothing-but-protein alternated with days of nothing-but-protein-and-vegetables. Salad is included as a vegetable. You continue the oat bran (2 tablespoons), the water and the walking (which increases to 30 minutes a day, briskly). You can see why the Dukan diet is also known as the French protein diet.

You get to pick how you mix the nothing-but-protein days with days of nothing-but-protein-and-vegetables. Some of the mixes you will read about are 5 days of protein only alternated with 4 days of protein and veggies. Or 4/3. Or you could try other combinations.

Phase 2 could last for months if you have a lot of weight to lose. How do you know how long you need to be in Phase 2 and when it is time to switch to Phase 3? Also, how do you calculate your correct target weight (which is what marks the end of Phase 2)? You use the calculator on Dukandiet.co.uk. One stone equals 14 pounds, by the way. So if you weigh 140 pounds, you weigh 10 stone. If you weigh 142 pounds you weigh 10 stone and 2 pounds.

What does the menu look like in Phase 2? The vegetables you are allowed to eat are pretty limited, because some things that we consider “vegetables” actually contain a lot of carbs. Things like carrots, peas, corn and potatoes are out, therefore. Green is in. So anything you might normally find in a salad is OK, including: Lettuce, spinach, broccoli, cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms, onions. Also allowed are things like green beans, cabbage, cauliflower, asparagus and celery. You can eat them raw, or steam them, or boil them. Your menu could include soups or stews that combine protein and vegetables. The menu will definitely include salads. This site has some recipes for salad dressings, including Vinaigrette Salad Dressing and Creamy Salad Dressing.

- Phase 3: Also known as the consolidation phase, this phase starts once you reach your target weight. You don’t lose any weight here – you just maintain your new weight. The consolidation phase adds a little fruit, bread and cheese to the mix, as well as one “celebration meal” per week. See article 3 above for details. If you mine through the article you find that a typical menu for the week looks like this:
1) Continue eating protein plus vegetables to your heart’s desire. They are always on the menu.
2) You get one fruit a day, but you are looking for the watery fruits like watermellon, cantelope, apples, etc.
3) You get two slices of whole-grain bread. If you must have butter, make it low-fat. Be stingy with the butter.
4) You get one serving of carbs per week. This might be pasta or rice.
5) Your menu expands to include one “celebration meal” per week, where anything goes. But really, if you are losing a significant amount of weight, it has been 6 or 8 months since you had real food. Do you really want to blow it now? I guess if you travel, this meal would allow you to eat one normal restaurant meal a week. As you move to the second half of Phase 3, you get two of these “celebration meals” per week.

- Phase 4: The article is a little ambiguous here. It says, “Go back to eating whatever you like, but continue to use the basic rules of the Consolidation Phase as a safety platform (eat unlimited protein and vegetables, one piece of fruit a day, two slices of wholemeal bread, a portion of cheese, two starchy foods and two celebration meals a week).” There is a huge difference between “eating whatever you like” and eating the Phase 3 diet. So let’s summarize: Eat a phase 3 diet, except on Thursday. On Thursday you eat nothing-but-protein. You continue walking every day.

If you take a look at How the Atkins Diet Works, you will notice an eerie similarity between the Dukan diet and the Atkins diet. The 4 phases are the same. The emphasis on protein and the lack of carbs is the same. The Dukan diet looks a lot like the Atkins diet minus the fat that the Atkins diet allows. See this page for the benefits and drawbacks of the Atkins diet. -- howstuffworks.com

Can Friends Become Lovers and Lovers Friends?

Jill, Vienna, and I watched The Notebook. It was the most romantic movie I'd ever seen. We used up a box and a half of Kleenex and couldn't stop sniffling. The idea of finding your true love, somebody who completes you, is so dominant in our culture. Many countries and even the US in the past used to see marriage as a symbol of safety and security. Now it's all about happiness and romantic love. I wonder if this constant search for the perfect love story is not Nature's way to make us sleep around and thus diversify our gene pool.

Mike and I are "friends" but I'm not sure if we can cross the "lovers" barrier. I'm willing to give it a try only because he is so loyal and sincere. We made out yesterday, and I liked it... but I liked it more when I closed my eyes and ignored the fact that I was with him. Other activities are great, though. I like Art and he likes Art. I'm into Indian cuisine and so is he. We love watching comedies together.

TJ's been sending me videos and messages on FB. I'm pretty sure he is interested in me and it's not just to make Vienna jealous. I love the way he smells, like leather and cologne, and I love the way he pouts his lips when he is weighing different options. I want to be friends with Vienna, though. I like her. I like her parties. I like her friends. I really need to figure out what's going on between her and TJ, and I need to figure out if he actually likes me, I mean as a girl...as a female... you know what I mean.

Why Did Vienna and TJ Break Up?

I'm using the Vienna/TJ affair to get close to Mike. We've been trying to find out when and why ViennaTJ broke up and meanwhile we talk and text all the time. It's great because we don't have to talk about us, which is uncomfortable. We don't have to look for topics to fill unwanted silence, the topic is ViennaTJ. We don't have to wonder if we should be doing something else like kissing or making out, because we are already doing something, we are on a mission.

I decided to ask Jordan first. Jordan gave me some vague answers like, "They didn't get along." and "I think it was a mutual decision." Clearly, I had to find somebody who didn't like Vienna as much to get the truth. Meanwhile Mike found out that TJ cheated with some model who was not a student but was hanging out at his fraternity party. I told my Mom and she thinks it sounds like a typical guy's story to make himself look more popular, desired by women, and admired by men. I'm back on FB to see if Vienna or TJ and I have friends in common who might know and are willing to gossip.

...and the truth comes out - Vienna and TJ

Surprise! Vienna and TJ used to date last year. I saw a whole FB album with them being all over each other. Now I can't help but wonder if TJ wanted them to break up or if Vienna was fed up with him for some reason. That's kind of a big deal because it would tell me if TJ's attention at the party meant he liked me or if he was just using me to make Vienna jealous. Vienna didn't seem happy that I was talking to him but then again, maybe she still felt something even though she knew he wasn't the right guy for her. I'd love to know the real reason for the breakup. I don't know if asking Vienna or TJ directly would give me some truthful information. I've noticed people tend to twist every story in a way that makes them feel cooler and overall presents them in better light. How should I approach this?

Tony Robbins - Do you know who he is?

Finals are coming, which means I'm not ready to dedicate sufficient time to socializing and/or blogging, so today I'm leaving you with some great quotes I found on the Internet. I'm definitely going to check this guy, Tony Robbins, out and let you know if I find him useful. For now, wish me luck with my grades!

“Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more.”

“Our beliefs about ourselves are among the strongest forces that shape our lives. We will always act consistent with our view of who we truly are – whether that view is accurate or not. In other words, the strongest force in human personality is the need to remain consistent with how we define ourselves.”

“The balance in life is between satisfaction and dissatisfaction and between fulfillment and drive. The ideal state is to be happy and driven, where you have enough satisfaction to enjoy where you are (who you’ve become, what your life is like, the process you’re in) and feel enough dissatisfaction to want more, to feel the drive to grow and contribute.”