Acai Diet, Supplements: What You Should Know (Chickspeak.com)

October 25, 2009 by Kristin Larmore

We now better understand the benefits and risks associated with pomegranate supplements, but what about acai? The dark purplish bluish fruit has drawn some serious attention in the past few years; whereas in the past, Brazilians were enjoying it in the far-off reaches of the Amazon rainforest.

Apparently, acai has become even more popular this year, as Dr. Nicholas Peritonea deemed it the top “super food” of 2009. Since then, we’ve seen this fruit from the Amazon featured on the news and on shows like Rachael Ray and Oprah, with Oprah trying the diet herself.

And research certainly shows the fruit seems to have some wondrous benefits, including those good old antioxidants, along with vitamins and metabolic enhancers. Not to mention, acai is great for your intestinal tract, cleaning out toxins to support colon regularity. And one of the biggest things people like about it in this stressful, sleepless time is it claims to provide a serious energy boost.

Agro Labs dietary acai daily cleanse supplement claims, “Feel lighter, slimmer, free to move and energized. NO bulk, bloating or discomfort.” The bottle advertises the product contains pure young green coconut water, green tea, aloe vera, hibiscus and ginger. The ingredient list boasts a “proprietary super cleansing blend” with 18 grams of acai juice, as well as green tea, artichoke, senna, cascara and bearberry leaf extracts.

Despite media attention and advertising by some of our favorite celebrities, does it really work?

Like any other diet or supplement, it probably largely depends on the body. It might have great effects on one person, but might have no effect on another. After a recent review of acai berry products, CNN said most of the products didn’t have much of an effect, while a few select ones were highly beneficial, namely Acai Fit, Acai Elite Blast and Acai Slim. They recommend purchasing all three to see which one works best for you. Spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association Keri Gans also cautioned not to depend on random Internet acai products.

And as always, consult a physician. The main concerns are currently just taking the recommended amount and not a bit more or solely using a supplement for a nutrient source.

“Do not use if you have or develop diarrhea, loose stools or abdominal pain because senna and cascara sagrada may worsen these conditions and be harmful to your health. Consult your physician if you have frequent diarrhea or if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or have a medical condition,” Agro Labs’ daily cleanse warns.

And remember- as in the case with pomegranate, large amounts of antioxidants aren’t always positive if you’re only getting them from one source. As that old saying says, “variety is the spice of life”- and also for your health! There’s no liquid dose or pill that’s going to ensure a perfect body or slim figure on its own, so it’s never an excuse to stop exercising and eating right. Get your fruits, grains and vegetables, too, for those delicious antioxidants!

Still, the research continues. Even the experts don’t know everything for sure.

Kristin Larmore is a recent Journalism graduate. She loves super fruits like pomegranates, blueberries and acai, but doesn’t personally believe in any dietary supplement aside from a multivitamin because it provides a variety of nutrients and not just one type.

Pomegranate Dietary Supplements: Can You Ever Get Enough? (Chickspeak.com)

October 16, 2009 by Kristin Larmore


Ah, that complex matrix of shiny, ruby red seeds with a pop of sweetness, yet a burst of tang. For some, pomegranates are just so utterly irrisistable. And with what doctors and scientists are telling us, they’re also guilt-free.

As the years go by, more and more research is developing about the positive and negative effects of pomegranate dietary supplements and the blend of substances found in the fruit.

So what can a pomegranate supplement do for you? It’s all about the antioxidants! Agro Labs’ 100% natural Naturally Pomegranate dietary supplement indicates this super fruit has two primary contributors.

Punicalagin: Punicalagin is a tannin that is now linked to the presence of antioxidants in a pomegranate. ”Recent university research has shown that this tannin punicalagin contributes significantly to the powerful antioxidant activities found in pomegranate and have been identified as the active compound responsible for maintaining and promoting optimal cardiovascular health,” according to Agro Labs.

Resveratrol: This is simply the powerful antioxidant also contained in red wine, minus the alcohol of course.

These antioxidants not only support cardiovascular health and strengthen your body’s defenses, but also neutralize cell damaging free radicals. Other research indicates the fruit can help heal dry skin, unclog arteries, reduce high blood pressure, alleviate tumor severity and curb weight loss. There’s no doubt about it; pomegranates are definitely good for you.

But this doesn’t answer the most important questions: Does consuming huge amounts of antioxidants or a fruit like pomegranate actually prevent disease and health issues? Are dietary supplements the way to go? After all, a serving size (only two tablespoons) of Agro Lab’s pomegranate supplement contains the antioxidant equivalent of the pulp of 15 pomegranates!

Is too much of anything, regardless of health benefits, a bad thing?

Researchers’ stand on this issue seems to continue to vary. A series of studies in the 1990s testing the effectiveness of antioxidants in large doses found the supplements actually increased risk of disease in some cases. Scientists disagreed on the conclusions made through those studies. However, a singular conclusion seems to remain: it is a combination of antioxidants working together, not one standing alone, that contribute to health, according to the George Meteljan Foundation.

The problem with always seeing antioxidants as “good” is that they have the potential to be prooxidants, meaning they can have the opposite effect in the body. Antioxidants serve to lend compounds an extra electron to neutralize reactivity in free-radicals, as electrons need pairs. When compounds are reactive, they can damage the wall of a blood vessel or cell membrane.

Once antioxidants give their extra electrons away, however, they are then uneven, too; they no longer serve the same helpful purpose, the Foundation indicates.

This is where the need for a variety of antioxidants comes in; the minute one antioxidant loses its electron, it needs to find another antioxidant to lend it an electron. And this sort of “ping pong like” effect continues throughout the body, so you need that teamwork to ensure your body’s health.

The dietary supplement’s bottle does say, “These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.”

So there you have it. Though there are some good things at work in pomegranates and pomegranate supplements, they can’t promise a disease-free life alone. Therefore, “It’s a mistake to think about antioxidant supplements as a kind of ‘insurance program’ or ‘safety net’ where we’re just building up our army of ‘good guys.’”

Once again, it’s all about balancing our antioxidant sources.

“You don’t get the complete antioxidant team when you take a dietary supplement, no matter how high in quality. Nor do you get the complete antioxidant team when you eat processed foods with artificial flavors and colorings in place of natural flavonoids and carotenoids. It takes a whole, natural foods diet to provide you with complete antioxidant teamwork,” according to the George Meteljan Foundation.

So don’t depend on one singular nutrient to salvage your health; there are no guarantees here.

Kristin Larmore is a recent graduate of Appalachian State University who is very interested in nutrition research, good and bad, surrounding super foods. She loves enjoying a good pomegranate when they’re in season, but has never bought the juice because of the price tag.

Photo from http://www.ayurvedictalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/pomegranate.jpg

Spicy Scent of Pumpkin Indulgences Compliment Autumn Air - Chickspeak.com

October 9, 2009 by Kristin Larmore

That crisp, cool wind hits, along with the gradual floating of crunchy leaves in the air: yep, the smell of fall is in the air. Once I embrace this all-too-infrequent coming of fall, my nose is simply searching for those spicy inside scents, from candles to air fresheners to food, to compliment it.

The aromatic drifting of nutmeg, cinnamon, baked apple, allspice and ginger brings back memories of warm kitchen mornings and evenings, Halloween preparation and Oktoberfest. And pumpkin incorporates and compliments all of these flavors so well that it has become a staple for the average household. The anomaly is the richness and enduring strength of tradition; we never seem to tire of that plump, off-the-vine taste. Year after year, we still return to it.

Pumpkins actually date back to somewhere around 5500 B.C. in Mexico, where seeds resembling pumpkins were found. The name “pumpkin” comes from the Greek word “pepon,” which means “large melon.” After translations by the French and English, American colonists eventually adopted the term we use today.

Before the coming of the Pilgrims, however, pumpkins were part of the common diet and mat making practices of Native Americans. Our Thanksgiving pie favorite is believed to have started when the American settlers cut off the pumpkin top and scooped out the insides to fill it with milk, spices and honey. This culminated in a bake on the dying coals of a fire, according to pumpkin-patch.com.

Try these three delicious recipes to cure your pumpkin fix. Of course, you can get more complicated, but the beauty of using pumpkin is the effectiveness of simplicity. I share the first two recipes because they’re ones I’ve made over and over, ones that are a big hit. The first one originated from a small but fancy winery in the NC mountains that offered hors d’oeuvres. The second one has been in my family for years, submitted to community and church cookbooks. The third, however, is more of an indulgent, sweet sensation taken from pumpkin-patch.com.

Pumpkin Dip

1 16-ounce can pumpkin

1 8-ounce package cream cheese

1 box confectioner’s/powdered sugar

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon allspice

1 bag fresh gingersnaps

Directions

Mix the pumpkin and cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Then, add spices and follow with the powdered sugar, stirring in gradually. Dip in ginger snaps and enjoy! It’s best if chilled.

Pumpkin Bread

1 16-ounce can pumpkin (about 2 cups)

1 cup oil

4 eggs

3 ½ cups flour

3 cups sugar

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 ½ teaspoons ground allspice

1 ½ teaspoons nutmeg

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees or 350 degrees, depending on your oven heat. Combine the pumpkin, oil and eggs. Sift together the dry ingredients. Combine the two mixtures, blending thoroughly. Pour the batter into two greased 9×5x3-inch loaf pans and bake for one hour. Add cup of chopped nuts to the batter before pouring it out of the bowl, if desired. Men apparently love this, so try something new for that special guy in your life, whether it be your brother, dad, boyfriend, husband or even just best friend.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar

Cheesecake:
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
15 ounces pure pumpkin
2/3 cup evaporated milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Topping:
2 cups sour cream, at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla


For crust:
Combine graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar in medium bowl. Press into bottom of 9-inch spring form pan. Bake in 350 degree oven for 6 to 8 minutes. (Do not allow to brown). Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.

For cheesecake:
Beat cream cheese, sugar and brown sugar in large mixer bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs, pumpkin and evaporated milk. Add cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg. Beat well. Pour into crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes or until edge is set but center still moves slightly.

For topping:
Combine sour cream, sugar and vanilla in small bowl; mix well. Spread over surface of warm cheesecake. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Chill for several hours or overnight.

Kristin Larmore, a recent Journalism graduate, loves making pumpkin bread during the fall. Her favorite scents to smell while working at Pier One Imports are the apple cobbler, ember and autumn spice cake. However, she has never been a fan of pumpkin pie.

Photo from http://nowmorethanever.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/pumpkin_cheesecake_7034.jpg

Watch Your Level of Sensitivity and Avoid Hurtful Situations- Chickspeak.com

October 5, 2009 by Kristin Larmore

Let’s say someone, it doesn’t matter who, isn’t all too interested in what you have to say or doesn’t make time to see you at all on a particular Friday evening.

Ouch…right? Well, it just depends.

If this is one case out of many, you’re probably being way too sensitive. After all, oversensitivity leads to over thinking; and over thinking leads to needless anxiety and even low self-esteem.

It’s tough to deny; we all probably do it at some point or another. Sensitivity, in itself, is a key element of any healthy relationship, romantic or not. The better we can relate and lend an ear to another, the stronger our emotional ties can become. But everyone can get a little too in touch with their feelings at times. Here are some situations you might find yourself in on a regular basis.

Situation one

Your boyfriend comes over to see you, but he’s distant and quiet. You try to talk to him about your day, but he’s sticking to one-word answers and staring off into space. He’s totally disinterested.

This is the point where you should attempt to find out the root of the issue. If he’s not typically this way when he’s around you, maybe his behavior has nothing to do with you. We females naturally internalize his lack of response or enthusiasm as “He doesn’t like me” or “I did something wrong.”

This is the biggest mistake we can make. Ask him how his day was or how he’s feeling, and you’ll either discover the root of the issue or he’ll say he doesn’t want to talk about it. Respect his response, and patiently wait until he’s ready to talk. After all, you’ve had bad days before, too. And I’m sure your man heard about it.

Situation two

Your boyfriend breaks up with you unexpectedly, and never really gives you much of a reason.

Unfortunately, all of us will probably experience as least one rejection or “dumping” in our life. It’s a necessary experience that opens our eyes to the realities of dating and eventually helps us grow in security and confidence. In this case, it obviously seems personal. He’s not just having a bad day. He really doesn’t want to be with you, and that might be a slap in the face at first.

But in the end, it’s most likely not because you didn’t have a perfect figure, fussed at him occasionally or made mistakes. It’s about his insecurities in the relationship- his struggles, fears and doubts. Remember, he’s the one who wants to break up, not you. So let him go without a fight, without doubt, and don’t engage in hours of worthless self-abuse for something you didn’t do or didn’t say. Though sensitivity is the immediate reaction on your part, he’s not sitting around thinking about you after he walks away. So, respond with the same insensitivity in this case.

Situation three

Your friends promise you they’re going to come to your birthday party or get-together, but they never show and never make a phone call. Or, they call at the last minute.

This is something one must deal with her entire life. This classic situation requires a constant refocus on the motives behind this type of behavior so as not to feel hurt. Even my mother experiences this with women in their forties and fifties, and she searches for affirmation and encouragement from me, even as a much younger woman.

Maybe it’s because they’re tired and just want some alone time or special night with their significant other. Or maybe they got distracted and forgot. C’mon now, is it really because they don’t “like you?” It’s doubtful. Perhaps it’s not about their opinion of you, but a matter of poor manners or a lack of personal organization on their part. And if they lie to you about their plans, it’s possible they’re just afraid to hurt your feelings. Regardless, you don’t want them there if they don’t want to be there, right?

The first step is always to step back and put your particular situation into perspective. It’s not always easy when you’re personally involved, but ask the help of a well-grounded and possibly older friend who has been there. Ask, “Am I taking this the wrong way?”

But what if a person makes a derogatory comment directed solely at you? What’s the appropriate reaction? They might be making it personal, but don’t give them the luxury of knowing you’re peeved or offended. Simply brush it off your back like a little fly you barely noticed. It’s inevitable you’re going to disagree with people, so accept it now and be prepared for disagreement, especially if you’re more on the opinionated side.

An annoyed Kathleen Kelly played by actress Meg Ryan said in the film You’ve Got Mail, “And what’s so wrong with being personal, anyway? Whatever else anything else is, it ought to begin by being personal.”

We females thrive on being deeply connected and emotionally close. When someone denies us of that feeling, it shrouds us in doubt and concern.

Remember this, ladies. Sometimes, “It’s not personal. It’s business,” as Tom Hanks’ character Joe Fox says. In regard to men especially, they don’t make other plans, spend the night alone or even run us out of business (as Tom Hanks does) simply to tick us off.

Ok, maybe it’s not always “business,” per say, but bottom line is it’s not always about us.

Don’t let a busy friend, an ex boyfriend or a sarcastic comment erode your self-esteem. Move forward.

Kristin Larmore, graduate of Appalachian State University, has learned the art of patience in all types of relationships over the last four years in college. Her motto is to let it bounce right off. Though her strengths and interests lie in food and health topics, she finds relationship writing occasionally intriguing.

Mackinac Island: The Story of a Town with a Different Set of Wheels- Chickspeak.com

September 21, 2009 by Kristin Larmore


Imagine replacing your four automobile tires in for four carriage wheels, four horse hooves or a set of bicycle tires.

Or what if you just used your own two feet? Sound crazy? Not for Mackinac Island residents, who live on a surprisingly mountain-like island around an area commonly known for it flat elevation.

The road looks like a typical one with a yellow dotted line, yet absent of traffic flow as the bikes weave in and out of the carriages and slowly walking tourists, drifting from one side of the street to the other. Colorful, flowered houses with tin signs and occasionally drifting music line the road eight miles around, and you find yourself curious of their daily lifestyle. After all, living on an island only accessible by boat can be difficult to imagine.

My waiter at a restaurant on Main Street explained the name has two spellings, the French Mackinac and the British Mackinaw, but the same pronunciation, which is Mackinaw.

The island was originally called Michilimackinac by Native Americans, meaning “place of the great turtle” because of its hump-backed shaped. They travelled there every summer to catch trout, pike, sturgeon, herring and whitefish, considering it a sacred place.

French settlers adopted this name, as well, but it was shortened in the 1820s to Mackinac. Then, it was changed to Mackinaw by the founders of Mackinaw City to distinguish it from the spelling used for the bridge, straits and island itself.

Sites include Fort Mackinac, Arch Rock, the village business district, Grand Hotel, cottages on the East and West Bluffs and the 1814 battlefield.

French soldiers constructed a fort near present-day Mackinaw City around 1708 as a center for fur trading until the British won it in the Sevens Years War in 1761. They transferred the fur trade to Mackinac Island, and constructed a fort on the steep limestone for better defense from American soldiers. After an eventual British defeat in the Revolution, the island became United States territory in 1814.

And though my pocket guide tells me of the historical significance, it is not what one observes first glance on this little getaway in the middle of Lake Huron. No, it’s the food, the smells.
Once desensitized to the strong odor of horse after a few minutes, your nose is graced by the smell of warm, sweet caramel and melting chocolate. Mackinac Island’s first candy shop opened in 1889 by Henry Murdick, and fudge quickly became the top island sweet by the 1920s.

A plethora of fudge shops, about a dozen or so, dot the main street on the edge of town and lure visitors away from the gift shops and restaurants between them. And there’s no doubt about it; the competition is fierce.

Drifting from one shop to the next, fudge flippers adored in brown-smeared aprons must explain why theirs is the best. We actually chose the original Murdick’s by accident, where one of the fudge makers was kind enough to show off his skills for us. Keeping hot fudge on a narrow wooden table is no easy task, but he made it look easy. Of course, he didn’t forget to mention their confections were recognized on Food Network and used all-natural ingredients without any additives for additional flavoring and color.

And though the smell of cherries doesn’t waft in the air like it would in Traverse City, the amount of cherry trees in the state of Michigan is considerable. One can’t enter any restaurant without the word “dried cherry” appearing a few times on the menu, at least in this section of the state.

Yes, this beautiful island could certainly be my home away from home.

The visitor’s guide explains, “One of the best things that ever happened to Mackinac Island was the automobile ban beginning in 1898. The absence of cars and the resulting benefits- exhaust-free air, quaint and narrow village lanes, no auto noise and picturesque horse-drawn carriages- have created a unique, charming and historic ambiance.”

Not to mention, it makes us sit back and enjoy the scenery a bit more instead of focusing on simply “getting there.”

Living on an island year-round without cars might be too inconvenient, and I certainly wouldn’t want to be stuck there when the snows hit Michigan.

But life is all about the ride; if you spend time thinking only of the destination, how will you enjoy today? So grab an old-fashioned bike or some reigns and let the wind blow you toward a renewed appreciation for your surroundings.

Kristin Larmore, a recent Journalism grad of Appalachian State University, visited Mackinac Island on Labor Day weekend this year. She spent much of the day racing her brother-in-law on old fashioned bikes the eight miles around the edge of the island. Her favorite feature was the steep trek up the side of a tree-covered cliff which culminated in a gorgeous view. It reminded her of being back in her North Carolina mountains.

Helping Out for Credit? Put Your Whole Heart into Volunteering- Chickspeak.com

September 14, 2009 by Kristin Larmore

So many love the feeling of that check or cross off the old’ daily to-do…it’s productive. It says we’re doing something. But that little mark doesn’t indicate how we completed the task.

Were we quick and sloppy? Were we distracted? Did we put every ounce of effort and attention into it? Did we do it with love or out of a sheer desire to say “I did it?”

Volunteering is not something you can just cross off a chore list and say, “It’s taken care of.”

It’s not a tangible object, something you can touch or own. Rather, it’s a feeling, a warm sensation in the pit of your stomach that says, “I can.” It’s not about “me;” it’s about them.

The minute you thought your two hands weren’t enough is the minute you see they’re the key to changing lives.

A young college freshman I spoke with the other day is a dedicated volunteer and organizer in his own community, and has actually started his own organization to bring about understanding in teens of the social and economic situation going on around them. This is what he had to say about the average volunteer:

“I think a lot of people see volunteering as kind of a one-time experience where you go to lend a hand, help someone hands-on for one day or a certain amount of time. You go home and that’s pretty much the end of it. I think that kind of thing is important, but it doesn’t move anything towards bringing social change of any kind.”

And you know what? He’s absolutely right. Talking to this young man who is years younger, but has already made so much more of a difference than I have ever imagined making in my own life, made me realize how much of a cop-out volunteering can become. And then it hit me- I’ve been that person, the one who helped out and thought she felt good about it, but then forgot about those specific people and never went back.

You reassure yourself you don’t have time to make a weekly or monthly commitment and you’ve done your good deed, or the thought of returning to help again in the same place simply doesn’t cross your mind.

You help out once somewhere for a club, for a church, for a class when your friends are around to socialize with you and keep you company while you fulfill this requirement….and then it’s over.

But how rewarding is that? Don’t we ever wonder how that soup kitchen, that poor neighborhood, that sick child is doing later on? My young college friend finished by saying,

“When they do that [volunteer,] they need to keep it in the context of a bigger picture and understand the more significant issues that are going on around them. And try to plug them into that, which is why we make sure to do a whole lot of community organizing.”

Here are some ways to volunteer with your whole heart and be in it for the long-term:

Return

Go back to the same place over and over to volunteer. It’s about a relationship with this specific group of people, and that can’t be developed in a few hours’ time. See it through, and have a vested interest in providing continuing support. It will be so much more rewarding than going here and there for short visits.

Go alone

Not to say that you shouldn’t go with people to help out- the more the merrier- but going alone a few times might help you evaluate if you’re there for the right reasons. If you still have a great time without anyone else there and it feels rewarding, then bring along your friends, peers and coworkers the next time around.

Seek

Don’t wait for people to come to you asking for help or for a group volunteer project to surface. Offer your help when it’s not required, even during a time when you might prefer doing something for yourself, like on a weekend or during the holidays.

Research

Seek out places that aren’t right on the map and maybe off the beaten path a bit. These are the locations that don’t receive nearly as much support. There’s no money to “advertise” the need, and they don’t have a large organization or corporation backing them up and asking for volunteers.

Organize

Consider gathering your own group together for a specific cause you’re passionate about, which could even turn into your own organization if you get enough followers. Educate teens and college students your age about local social and economic issues in an inviting way. Encourage and inspire them to make change happen.

None of these things are easy to do, but they leave us something to think about. I often talk to high school kids who have started volunteer organizations on their own, and I’m in awe of their dedication and initiative.

Let’s all truly evaluate ourselves and be honest. How often do we help out when it’s not required? How often do we give of our time on a beautiful Saturday afternoon without signing some sort of sheet afterward where we check our name off a list and say we’ve “served?”

We can’t pull the support system out from under those who need our help to eat, to sleep, to get an education, to live the life we’ve always had. Let’s be in it for the long-run.

A graduate from Appalachian State University and a dedicated columnist, Kristin Larmore finds encouragement and strength in talking to teens who are making their mark on society. She writes for the volunteer section at Relate Magazine, relatemag.com.

Image from cainekisses.com.

Eat Fast Food Without Spoiling Your Eating Habits - Chickspeak.com

September 10, 2009 by Kristin Larmore


You’re sitting in the car sharing conversation with the talking box and you’re torn. Numbers one through five are all battered in a couple layers of grease. Some random items are advertised as grilled or broiled, but the lettuce is sometimes wilted, the tomatoes are discolored almost to a white tint and the “freshly baked bun” is wrinkled and soggy.

But it doesn’t matter. You’ve got nothing in the car to nibble on, and it’s meal time. You’re not willing to give up your favorite pair of jeans again for some excess weight, yet you have no choice….it’s fast food or no food.

And you’d be surprised. After some research, I’ve discovered even the grilled chicken sandwiches can be worse than a basic, single burger, sometimes even more calories than a Big Mac.

Of course, this is hopefully under the most undesirable of circumstances. Fast food joints, though still more for convenience rather than health, have improved when it comes to freshness in the face of continuing media emphasis on better food choices.

I wouldn’t recommend eating any of this stuff on the average day. Even eating hamburgers and French fries at home is better than this. But, travel and last-minute trips sometimes call for more convenience. Maybe you don’t have an oven or a stove or even a refrigerator to store basic perishables.

I wouldn’t say your focus would be getting the right nutrients, but more avoiding the wrong ones if you’re going through that drive-thru. So as far as fat and calorie content is concerned, here are your best bets to avoid unnecessary consumption of fatty foods and keep the weight off. If you’re going for something fried, make sure to stick to the smallest size. The larger ones are off-the-charts bad (as in 460 calories and 29 grams of fat for ten chicken nuggets.)

If you’ve got more of an appetite, I wouldn’t recommend the fries or nuggets at all. Keep in mind: the nutrition facts don’t include any dressings or sauces, and calories from fat are estimated to the nearest ten.

Top Five at McDonald’s:

*Honey mustard or BBQ snack wrap (grilled): 260 calories, 9 grams of fat, 80 calories from fat

*Small French fries: 230 calories, 11 grams of fat, 100 calories from fat

*Premium Caesar salad with grilled chicken: 220 calories, 6 grams of fat, 60 calories from fat (minus the meat, it’s 90, 4, 35)

*Snack size fruit and walnut salad: 210 calories, 8 grams of fat, 70 calories from fat

*Hash brown (150, 9, 80), scrambled eggs (170, 11,100) or an English muffin (160, 3, 30) for breakfast

Top F-ive at Wendy’s:

*Mandarin chicken salad: (180, 2, 20)

*Side salad (35, 0, 0), mandarin orange cup (80, 0, 0), or small chili (190, 6, 60)

*Jr. Hamburger: (230, 8, 70)

*Grilled chicken go-wrap: (250, 10, 90)

*Four-piece chicken nugget: (190, 13,120)

Top Five at Chick-Fil-A:

*Chick-n-Minis: (260, 10, 90)

*Char grilled chicken sandwich: (260, 3, 25)

*Char grilled chicken garden salad: (170, 6, 50)

*Spicy Chicken Cool Wrap: (400, 12, 110)

*Fruit cup: (100, 0, 0)

Top Five at Taco Bell:

*Fresco grilled steak soft taco: (160, 4.5, 40)

*Crunchy taco (170, 10, 90) or crunchy taco supreme (200, 12, 100)

*Grilled chicken soft taco: (200, 8, 70)

*Cinnamon twists: (170, 7, 60)

*Mexican rice: (130, 3.5, 35)

So have hope, ladies. With moderation and a good eye, it’s possible to find items that aren’t over-the-top. You might find you’re still hungry after eating some of them, but that’s because there’s not enough fat to make you feel satiated.

If it was me, though, I’d stick to making the greasy food at home as often as possible to avoid preservatives and extra salt supposedly needed for preservation. At least you know what’s going in it…..and it’s not sitting in “the back” on a counter for hours.

Kristin Larmore just graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in Journalism and a minor in English. The only fast food she really enjoys is Chick-Fil-A, but she occasionally will eat a salad from Wendy’s now and again. She literally can’t remember the last time she had a fast food burger, but her weakness is a basket of sweet potato fries at a restaurant or made at home.

Last Chance for Tomato Appetizers: Bruchetta - Chickspeak.com

September 9, 2009 by Kristin Larmore


Those ripe rubies were sagging from the vine, just begging to be picked. My mother carefully retrieved the maybe half dozen or so beauties, and cradled them in a straw basket all the way back to the house; another great harvest.

What can I say? My parents are proud of our vegetable garden….not to mention our basil, parsley and mint that was thriving on our back porch until cold nights set in.

My dad is so proud of his tomatoes, in fact, that he refuses to share them….at least the good ones. If mom uses the cream of the crop for an appetizer down the street, I wonder if “the end” is near. Those were for our family and our family ONLY, apparently.

Talk about stingy! Don’t we have enough to go around? Still, I guess I can’t blame anyone for wanting to take advantage of tomato season before it’s gone for months on end. Those nasty winter white-tinged ones aren’t exactly worth the price….or worth it at all for that matter.

There’s one exception to my dad’s rule, however; if we’re entertaining at our house, tomato use is fair game-especially for family.

My grandparents were visiting, and apparently those ol’ Floridians don’t advertise their bruchetta well enough because they’d never had it…or even really heard of it.

“Wow. That’s pretty good,” my granddaddy said with a surprised look on his face, in lieu of his dislike of garlic. My dad let out almost like an evil little “grunt chuckle” if that makes any sense, something you’d really have to hear, and scooped up another heaping portion for my granddaddy’s plate. Needless to say, the seasoned home entertainer was pleased.

Try making this bruchetta at home because you’re going to pay a lot less for it than you would at a pricey Italian joint out on the town. Even if you don’t have the basil leaves or tomatoes right outside your door, it’s still worth a try in your own kitchen.

Maggiano’s has some seriously good bruchetta, but trust me when I say this rivals. Keep in mind: this isn’t one of those exact recipes, so go with your gut on amounts.

Ingredients

Baguette or French bread, sliced and toasted

Fresh diced tomatoes

Couple cloves of garlic

Fresh basil leaves, chopped

Balsamic vinegar

Salt & pepper

Olive Oil

Parmesan cheese

1. Start with your bread. Slice it into thin pieces, drizzle with a mixture of olive oil and garlic and toast at 350 degrees till golden. Or, you can grill them, a minute or two on each side, if you’re already using the grill for the rest of your meal. If you’re feeling lazy, buy them pre-made at the grocery store.

2. Mix the tomatoes, two or three fresh garlic cloves (I recommend getting a garlic press because it makes this so much easier than chopping), chopped basil, vinegar and salt and pepper in a bowl. Make sure to get the tomato juice in the bowl, too; this will meld the flavors a bit.

3. Top each baguette round with a spoonful of the tomato mixture; drizzle with olive oil and shredded parmesan cheese. It’ll be a bit spicy with your garlic and pepper, but a bit sweet.

If you’re not a big bruchetta fan but love tomatoes, try making a sandwich with them as your star ingredient. Use a whole wheat bun, sub roll or the bread of your choice. Start with a layer of tomatoes, add some basil and feta cheese, along with your favorite fruity salad dressing like raspberry pomegranate or sweet poppy seed.

Take advantage of this healthy treat before the warm days are over!

And make sure to share yours…your friends will thank you.

Kristin Larmore, a graduate of Appalachian State University, plans to find a full-time job writing in a beautiful city like Chicago, Columbus or St. Louis as soon as possible. She hated tomatoes and anything with tomatoes in it until mid high school. At Olive Garden, it was always, “Buttered noodles, please.”

How to Analyze a Film Based on More Than Starring Actors- Chickspeak.com

August 24, 2009 by Kristin Larmore

“That movie was terrible. Don’t go see it.”

When people say a movie is “bad,” what do they mean? Was it boring? Was the plot too slow or nonexistent? Or, is the excuse simply, “I just didn’t like it?”

I’m sure if we’re passionate at all about film, we can recall a heated argument we had about the quality of a movie after leaving the theater.

Whatever your personal reasoning, it’s important to know the quality of a film, whether it becomes classic or forgettable, is about so much more than the plot or the presence of your favorite actors.

What about the shooting?

One of the most basic camera angles, still used in many films but overwhelming used in soap operas, is the over-the-shoulder shot. What makes soap operas so boring and forgettable is the camera angles remain the same; you shoot a close-up of actor one’s face talking by placing the camera over the shoulder of the person they’re talking to (actor two), so it’s like the audience is in the point-of-view of actor two. Then, you move behind the shoulder of actor one when it’s time for the second actor to respond. It makes for “drama.”

Next time you watch a film, consciously observe the camera angles and how they were achieved. Is the view swooping over tree tops or amidst high-rise buildings? Is it closely following a high-speed car chase or an underwater explosion? Filmmakers will often go to great lengths to get complicated shots, managing not to shake the camera; and they’re obviously moving or travelling on a crane or other device if they’re right in the action!

What about lighting, costumes and set equipment?

Mute the audio and observe the background, the color, the style and feel of the set. It should only contribute to the mood rather than distract you from the dialogue. Observe any shadow, fog or lighting effects; think about how the key light, fill light and backlight are working together. They often have to bounce off a reflective surface to create the right effect. If you’re having trouble ignoring the actors, that’s a thumbs-up to the filmmaker!

What about dialogue?

Is it natural, believable and true to the character, not the actor? Or is it forced or distracting you from the overall plot?

What about nonverbal behaviors?

What’s not said is just as important as what is; are other non-talking actors in the scene contributing to the overall feel and providing something for the main character to work against? They should always be in character.

And the most important of all: structure.

Believe it or not, just about every filmmaker actually sticks to a particular structure, or paradigm, every time they make a new movie. And there’s a very good reason for that: it sells. They don’t deviate because that’s what viewers want to see. We never get tired of it.

There’s always (or most of the time, unless you’re going out on a limb and don’t care about making money) three acts: act one is the setup, act two is the confrontation and act three is the resolution. In a two-hour film, acts one and three are about 30 minutes; act two is about 60.

So, check this out. About halfway through act one, there’s always an “inciting incident,” or basically the event that starts it all, that gets the plot going. Then there’s something called a plot point, which serves to push the plot forward or reverse its direction completely and lead into a new act, often throwing the audience off guard. This is what keeps us hooked; we don’t know what’s going to happen next.

There’s two plot points in most films; one occurs at the end of act one, marking the point when the hero takes on the conflict. The second one occurs at the end of act two, leading to act three’s conclusion. And last but not least, we have the climax, which the most heated, high-tension moment physically or emotionally in the last act that brings us to the final scene.

The story line is always very similar, with similar types of characters, similar action sequences.

For example, in the third act of a romantic film, there’s always the same falling action: there’s some type of relationship conflict. The couple separates, and in most cases, they always find a way back together at the conclusion.

So what exactly happens in each act? Here’s a breakdown:

Act I

The exposition, which introduces us to the main character

The “dramatic action,” or what it’s about

The “dramatic premise,” or the events surrounding the action

And, of course, the inciting incident.

Act II

The obstacles

The “first culmination” where the protagonist comes “close” to reaching the goal

The midpoint, where the protagonist seems furthest from the goal.

Act III

The climax

The denouement, an ending point of calm

Apply this structure to any of your favorite films and see if it matches up; I’m almost certain it will. Does every film have a happy ending or a complete resolution? Nope. However, the overwhelming majority still contain this paradigm.

To learn more about screen writing, read SYD Field’s “Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting.” It’s a truly in-depth analysis, complete with breakdowns of the three-act structure applied to some of the most classic films. Hey, you and your friends will still have a difference of opinion; but at least you can now have a more competent discussion about why you like a film and why you don’t.

Kristin Larmore graduated from Appalachian State University this past Spring, where she took several film classes, including a screenwriting course for fun. She’s considered writing screenplays, but realizes it’s not her passion. However, she has an extensive movie collection which she plans to further develop, loves watching films over and over again, new and old, and always visits Redbox for the latest new releases.

Oh, Those Yummy Yellow Kernals....Boiling in a Pan

Think about the way it looks in the light of the sun as you pull back the tough husk, like golden beads gleaming. The brief crispness of a buttery kernel...the way it pops in your mouth in such an oh-so-pleasing way.
Oh
my
gosh.

Yes. I have a severe obsession with corn. Hey, it doesn't have the nutrients that a green vegetable might, but it's better than eatin' a cupcake! I eat it like candy in the summertime...and with fields and fields of corn surrounding me on this flat turf, Ohio is good for something, right? We get that "gold" straight from the field.

Sadly (and I say sadly because the topic of this conversation is a bowl of corn,) I felt the need to write this evening about a dish my Nannie made tonight for us at home. She and Granddaddy are visiting from Florida, so she always makes those few wonderful dishes that only Nannie McCurry can make when they make the hike up here. Tonight, it's creamed corn, and it's something she has been making for us for years...something that never seems to get old. And it's so funny to watch her make it, standing at the stove with her slippers and robe reading a trashy romance novel, the potholder on the top of the pot next to her. It might seem like she's engrossed in the text, but she's got that boiling pot in the corner of her eye.

Nannie's mom called it fried corn, though it's really not fried..more like boiled.
The natural sweetness without a hint of sugar, just a brief bite of crispness, creamy smoothness.......an old southern favorite. I don't know, there's just no other way to describe it.

I had to try it again and again... No matter how full I got, it just wasn't enough! My dad even asked about the possibility of getting another two dozen ears or so and making a huge pot to freeze for a winter "stockpile"....we're like Midwest chipmunks. But hey, you can't blame us, considering how darn long winter lasts here.

Here's how you make this awesome concoction....simplicity at its best. It takes some practice, I will tell you. I still can't make it taste like hers!

You'll need 10-12 ears to make a smaller batch
Cook time: about 45 minutes
You'll need around 20 or so ears (wow!) to make a huge batch as seen in these magnificent photos, (and keep in mind these were taken AFTER the five of us dug in)
Cook time: about an hour and a half 1.Remove the husk, and clean the corn well. You don't want any leftover silks in your pot because they will mess up the texture and make it stringy.
2. With a very sharp knife, cut the very tips of the kernels off and NOTHING more into your pan. This with basically open up your kernels and access the creaminess inside instead of keeping them whole.
3. With a table knife, scrape the rest of the kernels off thoroughly....as much as you can off of there. This is the good stuff- it makes the thickness and texture of the dish.
4. Then, add enough water to make it look soupy, probably a few cups, plus about a 1/2 stick of margarine cut into small pieces, plus salt and pepper to taste.
5. Now, turn on that burner! Start on a high temperature to bring the mixture to a boil. Then, immediately bring it down to a heavy simmer/bubble. Keeping the lid on will help to quicken the process.
6. KEEP AN EYE ON IT. (That's why Nannie was at the stove.) You want the water to cook out and be absorbed, but not too quickly. If you run out of water, add more so it won't brown.
7. Follow the above cooking guidelines. Keep it covered and "hydrated" until it's the right consistency of creamed corn- thick, creamy, but not watery.

I'm telling you...it was out-of-this-world good! Of course, you probably don't have cornfields surrounding your house....but if you do, you're in luck!

Lifeless after nine

It's 8 p.m. in the middle of summer, and the sun begins to descend from the scene.
While most Findlay families have had a leisurely meal, the young kids are showered and reading a delightful book in bed while the parents are snuggling together on the couch by now....the Larmore family is still struggling to sit down and eat a darn meal before it's time for bed. We just didn't get to it; mom was working on her newest piece of jewelry and doing laundry, dad was mowing the lawn and washing the car and the younger sisters are out and about sucking up every moment before school starts. Dinner is never a set time...in fact, nothing happens at a set time around here.
OH, the joys and sorrows of living in a small town with a family that belongs in a place like Brazil; time is always subjective, parties are unorganized and when we say "come over at 7," we won't be eating till 9.
Mom and Dad (well more like Mom, really) say we're "European," that we follow foreign customs as a joke, but I say we're just distracted and sometimes far too social. I mean, they know how to throw one heck of a family party, professional entertainers at heart. But everything is so complicated, so elaborate...contributing to serious delays. They get out their fancy wine glasses with the cute lil wine charms, the labored-over appetizers sit gleaming on table and my dad is going on and on with the men about this and that fancy attachment on his sweet grill.
Don't get me wrong, though; the culture in this small Ohio town isn't quite my cup of tea, either. Let's say you're laying flat on your chair at the neighborhood pool; the music is blaring, the kids are screaming, the water works are flying as the kids weave in and out of the sprays with delight.....but when 5 rolls around, the crowd lifts and the waterside is as vacant as a grazed-over field. You look up from your chair, and you've got the place to yourself. It's no longer "happening" at Lakeview pool because the families had to make their prompt dinner hour. We don't want to turn into pumpkins, now. When the clock strikes 5, it's feeding time.
...Which brings me to my next point. After our usual conclusion of the family meal around...I don't know...I guess it was 8:45 or so? Dad decided we were going to partake in a family custom they seem to have started while I was off studying hundreds of miles away: late-night Dairy Queen. We drive all the way downtown- a good 15 minutes, which in Findlay time is quite a distance. And mind you, it's summertime. But as we drive around the corner, the local DQ decided it's lights out. Did they close early?" I could have sworn those closed at 1o in the summer," my sis piped up. We try Dietz's, the better choice anyway for its local homemade cream. As we coast down mainstreet at nine in the evening, the dead and lifeless town illuminated only by old fashioned street lights, a family accustomed to the big city Charlotte life laughs at the "down-homeness" of this place. Everyone's sleeping? Only in Findlay, we think. But really, it's just how small towns are. But for a group of people so opinionated, loud and "all over the place," it just doesn't seem to work sometimes.
My family is one of the most unorganized I know...but in the end, I wouldn't have it any other way. It's why I've learned not to take things so seriously, why I don't freak out when everything doesn't go just perfectly my way. If a glass breaks, it can be replaced. If something like red wine spills on the carpet, there's no way to go back in time and fix it. They're just possessions, and we're never going to miss them once we're gone.
I'll never be one of those moms who gets the meal on the table at a prompt 5:30 with quiet, perfectly obedient children, but they'll certainly know they're loved and certainly get the best nutrition I can provide them.
But the most ironic part? There's a big "simplify" sign in our kitchen! We're not simple people, but we certainly enjoy ourselves in the end.....just "go with the flow," people. GO WITH THE FLOW.

The Treasures and Timeouts of Sisterhood- Chickspeak.com

August 14, 2009 by Kristin Larmore

Put away the footballs, sports magazines and golf clubs and pull out the makeup, funny nicknames and jewelry.Welcome to the world of sisters.

Believe me, I know what it’s like. I’ve had three of them since I was 12.

So what does it mean to have three sisters? Well, it’s nothing like having one or even two, especially when we’re all living within two miles of each other. It’s three times the confusion, but three times the treasure. It means constant photos, plus reshoots and poses.

The days of daddy begging for us to stand still for a quick click are long gone; in fact, he often wearies of holding that dang thing while we decide where we want the next shot, which is just a hair different from the previous. As the years go by, each new event is deemed “the most photographed event of the year,” even though they all are.

It means jewelry parties with punch and endless purchases where women sit around and model all these silver and gold beaded beauties so they’re tempted enough to buy their own stash.

It means chasing each other around the house with cherry pie filling in hand and wiping it on like war paint.

It means singing and playing one of her favorite songs to her at her wedding reception, but then making her join in halfway through when you’re embarrassed.

It means learning how to relax and share the floor in an estrogen-filled, opinionated room and re-apologizing over and over when we realize we hurt the other’s feelings. Because mother raised us to speak our mind (balanced with a good measure of kindness, of course,) we sure did take that advice and run with it!

No one said it better than my now nine-year-old sister. All four of us were sitting in mom and dad’s car one hot summer day waiting for them to leave a store. My other younger sister and I were engaging in our temporary bicker about something dumb, like we always do, irritating the other two in that claustrophobic excuse for a “spacious vehicle.” The oldest piped in, feeling it was her duty to put us in our place and “shut it already.”

And with the adorable sincerity of a half-bald two-year-old my youngest sister turned around in her car seat and sternly said, “Chill guys, chill.” Somehow, it managed to echo above the loud shouts; suddenly, the fight was forgotten and we laughed till our sides hurt. Like they always say, children can be wise beyond their years.

It continually reminds each of us to remember, to relate, to another’s personal challenges. And the older you get, the harder it is because you forget the younger ones aren’t going to fully understand; they haven’t been where you are. So you patiently wait and when they finally do, you’ve hit your next big phase.

Because of the wide span of ages from 24 to nine, not one of us is experiencing the same stage of life.

There’s the innocence and yet simultaneous hyperactivity of a nine-year-old combined with a struggling sense of self and the longing to belong of a 17-year-old. I constantly need to look back, to recall what it was like when boys were nothing more than “cooties” except in the privacy of your own room and then when Friday night and driving off alone under the city lights was the biggest freedom in the world.

And then there’s the young, but career-oriented and exciting life of a 24-year-old woman, the one my older sister has carved out for herself.

So though I can’t look beyond to the days ahead which promise more rocky phases and a new set of challenges, I envision what’s it’s like to go home to someone every night while planning every week around another’s schedule. That has to be an adjustment!

If I’m with the youngest of the clan, it means brats and Disney movies and letting out the silly that I’ve been holding in while focusing on writing and responsibility. Or even swimming back and forth on a kickboard in my grandparents’ pool counting 71 laps to the Five Dollar Footling song is some good entertainment. (Yes, we actually did that a few weeks ago.)

If I’m with my high school sis, it’s all about the boys, the clothes, the parties and head-bopping to rap music. With an older sister, it’s talking about the future, serious relationships and learning from past experiences. It’s bouncing ideas off of one another and being black-and-white honest with advice.

Customizing your thought process and even your mood is often a crucial part of switching from sibling to sibling.

Let me tell you it’s far from easy, especially when your typical thought process is almost night and day compared to the others, a young woman just out of college without a job in a new town.

But the hardest part is when we all hang out together, a clashing and confusing melding, if you will, of all these personalities literally rolled into one.

Well, at least when someone suggested we take pictures laying in the grass before dinner a few weeks ago, which turned into somewhat of a wrestling situation. It started as formal posing, maybe just cute Christmas card material, but resulted in joking and organized, pyramid-style silliness. What an opportunity for my dad to grab some candid shots.

These are the memories that will live in your heart forever, this one marking the first time the whole family spent an evening at my sister and brother-in-law’s new house…..I swear that wrestling picture will make it into the Christmas card if I have anything to say about it!

So what does it mean to be a sister? It’s everything all in one. It’s understanding; it’s willingness to let someone else have the spotlight; it’s patience and self-analysis; it’s constantly reaching for that unconditional love.

Kristin Larmore is a Journalism graduate. She recently rejoined the sister clan after college, now living with her two younger sisters Brittany and Hayleigh, her older, married sister Allyson a mile or so down the road. She hopes to always live close to them, though living apart is something she expects with change. She enjoys going to the gym with Brittany, playing Mario Kart Wii with Hayleigh and indulging in wine tastings and sushi with Allyson.

Dirty Vegetables: the only way to go

I've never been able to grow my own carrots, mostly because my parent's backyard has no sun and all that will emerge is tomatoes and sometimes a kirby cucumber or two. But the inner workings of my best friend's father's and uncle's vegetable gardens in North Carolina have taught me it's quite simple, really. They're farmers, you see. And they enjoy sharing their crop, especially with someone who appreciates the process as I do. I transported this small crop of dirty carrots all the way to Ohio from my college town in Boone. My friend kind of scrunched her nose at them sort of as an "apology" for the filth, but that's just it. The dirt is a good thing. It means it came from the ground....straight from the ground. You can get these 4094's (bunch carrots) at the grocery with the leaves still on, but there's still no comparison. They're not as sweet as I was expecting; still wonderful, but NOTHING like a pre-washed baby carrot. My dog Riley and I (or the family dog I should say) cut off the stems outside on the porch. She didn't think they looked too appetizing...oh well, more for me!











And then I washed all the grime off with some nice cold water...sure the dirt is great, but not to eat, people! So it's my plan.......to start my own vegetable garden and grow my own carrots (along with peppers, green beans, maybe some brocilli) to not only help the environment, but to be as natural as I can be without going completely organic....I'll admit I don't have the money as a poor, out-of-college "student" to buy everything that way! I'm sure an apple or cherry tree would help, too. There's the second part of the plan!

Trying the Healthy Approach? Forget the Word Diet (Chickspeak.com)

July 28, 2009 by Kristin Larmore, photo by Chickspeak.com




Frankly, I think the word ‘diet’ should be removed from the English language, if you’re referring to the type that requires you to stop eating.

I’m not sure when this word meant anything more than the types and varieties of food you eat, but now it apparently refers to the amount. This word has caused turmoil- from eating disorders to weight obsession or general low self-esteem. It leads to an obsession, a nit-picky, mental consumption with outwardly appearances. And when used in casual conversation, it’s never welcome, never taken well.

“Hey girl, you need to go on a diet.” Now let’s get real. You’re immediately thinking, “I don’t look as sexy as her” or “My thighs are bigger than hers” or “What does she do to make her stomach look like that?” and the list goes on.

So I need to know. Why did this idea of dieting ever come about?

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’ve always thought “diet” indicated a temporary condition or practice, a necessary evil only endured for a set period of time? But if we’re looking to be healthy and look great on the outside too, then why would we only do it temporarily?

Wait, let me answer this one. It’s because dieting isn’t fun. Who wants to eat like a bird? Not to say every diet requires you to avoid eating, but who really believes those commercials on television that advertise “Eat anything you want and STILL lose weight?”

The more I see my family, friends and relatives diet, the more I see that dieting isn’t conducive to long-term weight loss. The minute you go back to your beloved Ben and Jerry and your Budweiser, the weight comes right back.

My uncle had amazing willpower. He avoided junk food for months on end. We offered him a potato chip and it was a “no thank you.” But he missed his indulgences so much later on, he couldn’t get enough of them. His weight came back to haunt him- twofold.

I can make an example of myself. The summer before my first year of high school, I religiously used Pilates videos every day and denied myself all dessert for about two months. I was almost unrecognizable when I walked into school that day, always known as the chubby kid, but I’m certainly weighing down the scale more than I did then.

At that time in my life, if I wanted a chocolate-covered cherry, for example, I would feel bad about eating the whole thing. So I cut it in half. Can we say obsession?

It doesn’t matter if you’re size two or size 12 or if you’re trying to lose five pounds or fifty; when the body is filled with “regular” food again, it will move toward its original size. In other words, if you lose weight by eating an extremely healthy diet every day and return to occasional frozen meals and fast food, your body isn’t going to respond well.

The fact of the matter is we need to make a lifestyle change. That means a consistent, 365-day awareness of health rather than a summer-length deprivation. Good eating habits are not about denial, but about limiting indulgences. Discipline yourself every day, but only to a point. You can’t eat anything you want all the time; if some muscular bimbo on the television is telling you that, it’s either because she was paid or because she’s taking some type of crazy pill that shouldn’t even be allowed on the market.

You can’t eat solely salad, fruit and vegetables or binge only on bacon, eggs and meat and avoid all carbohydrates. You need the nutrients you get from ALL foods, fat included, except the sugary candies and desserts, of course.

Here are some myth busters, inspired by NetDoctor, about dieting.

Low-fat dieting is healthy

Fat is essential in the diet because it helps repair tissue, provides energy the body needs to function and carries vitamins to tissues. It’s more about the type of fat you’re eating. Just because something is low in fat, doesn’t mean it will make you lose weight. Often, the fat-free items contain more calories, just less from fat. Plus, if something is fat-free, we all know how our brains work: “Oh it’s less of a splurge, so I can have more.” And that defeats the entire purpose of buying the healthier option!

A slow metabolism prevents you from losing weight

Surprisingly, the trend found in studies is that metabolism increases the heavier someone is, so a “slow metabolism” is not the real reason someone can’t lose weight. The reason for this a logical one- the more you weigh, the more calories your body needs to stay moving and the more you’ll obviously burn when you’re at rest.

Fattening foods make for rapid weight gain

Just because you go out for a burger and fries doesn’t mean you gain five pounds, ladies. If you step on a scale and you’re heavier within hours, it’s due to water weight and it will balance out. It takes an extra 3,500 calories to gain a pound of fat, so one day doesn’t do the trick. It’s when the diet is continuously filled with high fat foods that weight increases.

Fasting makes you lose weight

NetDoctor explains losing fat over the short-term instead of the long-term from dieting eats away at muscle tissue, too, and this muscle loss decreases total caloric need. So, when the person stops the diet, it’s easier to gain the weight back. Plus, the body needs nutrients and fuel to function at its best. It’s never good to deprive it of that.

So stop stepping on the scale and obsessing over every little number, but at the same time pay attention to what you’re eating. The important thing is that you love yourself, that you feel comfortable in the body you wake up to every morning.

Kristin Larmore, a recent Journalism graduate, is considering culinary school to become a food expert, splurges with a scoop of ice cream instead of two or three and is highly anxious about trying new recipes after reading Cooking Light. She would love nothing more than to become the next Rachael Ray, but she’ll happily settle with critiquing food or writing restaurant reviews.

Summer Exercise Variety Best Found Near Water (Chickspeak.com)

July 24, 2009 by Kristin Larmore, photo property of Chickspeak.com

The winter months are long gone, and we can no longer make excuses. The days of “It’s too cold outside, “I don’t want to drive in this weather” and “I’m not going to wear a bathing suit anyway” drifted away with the cold fronts. Opportunities for activity and fitness abound!

Luckily, it seems our motivation increases anyway with warmer weather because we don’t have to do the same type of exercise repetitively. Typically, our appetites decrease with the heat, and we want to get out and do something with our day. Even if it’s just taking a walk or going to the park or visiting a landmark in town, there’s a lot more moving involved.

Summer offers a greater variety of ways to keep fit, instead of snuggling under a warm blanket eating and watching television, essentially sluggish and inactive. Inside exercise like pilates, yoga, or gym training is still an option, but motivation decreases with darker, colder days. Especially in a place like Ohio where I live, getting out of the ice-encrusted driveway is hard enough! Unless the equipment is sitting in a basement corner a set of stairs away, it’s not happening, people. There’s always something “more important” to do.

But the desire to be inside on a windy, sunny day in Ohio with zero humidity comes with great difficulty. The sheer presence of the sun improves the mood and cures that nasty seasonal effective disorder rampant earlier in the year.

However, summer is a time to not only take advantage of exercise opportunities, but to monitor their frequency. Heat, harmful UV rays and dust, pollen or allergy-inducing particles in the air can take a serious toll. Plus, the experiences of exercising outside versus sweating away on a gym treadmill are night and day, almost. Breathing is labored and surfaces are slanted, uneven or covered in pot-holes, unkind to the knees and back, especially. What do you think health professionals have to say about that?

Some doctors can be overly protective and overly cautious sometimes, right? At least in our minds. But they still know much more about how to stay healthy than we do. A physician told me recently that running outside in the summer, especially in a humid, sticky place, is not recommended for anyone at any time of day.

Well, that answers why I almost passed out a couple summers ago jogging around in the muggy middle of Charlotte! I was sucking up all that pollen into my nose from heavy breathing. I thought exercise was supposed to be a release, an ease of tension?

So how do we take advantage of the sunny outdoors and avoid these types of threats?

From my experience, typical methods of physical activity such as running- ones you can do all year round inside- should generally remain inside because they induce heavy breathing that can irritate allergies. Even if you’re not one who’s prone to allergies, I’ve learned new ones can develop unexpectedly and without warning. Five years ago I had zero noticeable reactions, and today quite a few bother me daily.

Not to say you shouldn’t participate in a bike race or a marathon, but focus on other activities you won’t have come fall and winter, ones that work other body muscles and don’t induce heavy breathing. What about water sports? They offer a different type of workout, focusing more on arm strength and overall body control, and often give nasal cavities a break from enduring frequent sprinkles from overhanging trees. Here are just a few examples.

Kayaking: Make arm fat disappear

Not only is kayaking relaxing and reflective, but it eats away at our sagging winter arm fat. Even if you go out for an hour or two of continuous arm movement, you’ll certainly feel it the next day. For you ladies who skip weight training at the gym, this is a great way to make up for it.

Waterskiing: Test upper body strength

This one requires a bit more skill and concentration, but it’s certainly tests your biceps, triceps and shoulders. Waterskiing is a great way to test your upper body strength because the key to staying afloat is keeping your arms locked and out; otherwise, you’re going to topple forward and possibly incur a massive bruise like I did on my leg two summers ago. As you stand there with the wind soaring through your ear cavities, knees slightly bent and quadriceps working, it’s a feeling unlike anything else. Just like your first time up a rock climbing wall, you know if you’re where you want to be arm strength-wise once you try it. If you can’t get yourself up, upper body might be an area you’ll want to work on.

Tubing: work overall body control

Tubing is a unique experience unlike any other; anyone who’s ever experienced it knows. It takes some control drifting between strong waves and currents to keep your body safely situated on a slippery piece of inflatable plastic- interesting custom if you think about it. Of course, tubing still demands the most from your arms, as gripping the handles is the only thing keeping you on.

Swimming: work overall body strength and condition

It’s hard for anyone to refute that swimming is one of the best workouts for your body because it works just about everything. Plus, it keeps you cool. Even though you’re breathing hard in the end whether it’s at the local YMCA or a beautiful lakefront, you finish knowing it wasn’t so bad on your limbs.

Kristin Larmore is a recent graduate of Appalachian State University. She avoids running outside, but takes full advantage of summer waterskiing, tubing and kayaking at her grandmother’s lake house in Michigan. She can’t wait to try whitewater rafting and rock climbing.

Peaches: July's Perfect Pick (Chickspeak.com)

July 12, 2009 by Kristin Larmore

The fuzzy flesh, the sweet and carrying aroma, the dripping juice that trails down the chin after just one bite: how can anyone resist a fresh, summer peach?

There are few things, to me at least, more enjoyable than picking fruit on a Sunday afternoon. Peach picking is more relaxing, too, as you can bask in the shade of a droopy, green canopy instead of baking in the heat of a berry field. For some, it relives childhood memories of climbing trees in the sticky heat of summer months.

For some reason, one of my fondest memories of peaches comes not just from fruit farms, but from that classic film James and the Giant Peach. Sure, it’s animated and for kids. But it’s a grand representation of how succulent a peach can be- as he’s crawling through the tunnel of the peach, he grabs one moist and goopy handful after another. James and his bug friends basically live on peach as they eat and travel in it at the same time. Now that’s how you love a peach.

Peaches have been cultivated longer than any other fruit, according to The Nibble magazine’s website. It’s no wonder we have songs about them. As a kid, I remember my sisters and I would burst out in melodic odes whenever we’d buy or pick the fuzzy fruit, singing “moving to the country, gonna eat a lot of peaches.” Or what about, “Millions of peaches; peaches for me. Millions of peaches, peaches for free?”

For any of you history buffs, did you know that the Chinese were the first to grow peaches as a symbol of unity and immortality? What about the fact they were then discovered in Persia and brought to Greece by Alexander the Great?

We might like to say that peach cobbler is a great finish to an American meal, but we can’t take the credit, guys. We have Christopher Columbus to thank for that one, who didn’t get a hold of peaches until later. Though California’s got more than a 50 percent handle on our country’s peach production and we have a southeastern state named after them, China ranks first and Italy ranks second in global production.

Next time you visit the grocery store or market to find a good buy on some fruit, check out all the varieties of peaches. Even though they look the same, they’re slightly different. Except the donut peach, mind you; it resembles the pastry, but without a hole.

Or the red, grey-fuzzed peches de vigne, the finest peaches mostly found in French vineyards; unfortunately, those might be off-limits.

And we complain about the steep prices now? When peaches were the new delicacy in Rome, those armored men sold them for what would today be about $4.50.

For you health nuts like me, you can breathe a sigh of relief here. They might taste like dessert, but peaches are high in vitamins A, B and C with only about 37 calories a serving. Even though it’s sticky, the juice serves as a great moisturizer and is used in a variety of cosmetics, according to The Nibble.

Consider the versatility, the easy creations you can whip up!

Liven up a party

Try a peach martini or peach margarita. Or get a taste of Italy with the Bellini: fresh peach puree, spumante, and a sparkling wine or Champagne. Consider fresh peach and mango salsa served with either a snack chip or even the main meat dish, if you’re making one. Good add-ins would be tomatoes, green onion, red bell pepper, cilantro, ginger, garlic powder, pineapple or lime and orange juice. If you like it sweeter, add in honey or sugar to taste.

Warm up the kitchen

These are going to be the more time-consuming recipes because of baking times and exact measurements. Bake peach muffins or peach bread. And a perfect compliment to a warm peach pastry is obviously peach jam! Easily add flaxseed, walnuts, pecans or oats to any baked good to contribute healthy fats and fiber. Try Southern Living’s tipsy peach bread recipe on myrecipes.com, which actually calls for frozen peaches if you want something easier. The dark rum creates a nice twist, of course.

Satisfy your sweet tooth

This is probably a favorite for most peach lovers. Relive the taste of peach pie or cobbler. If you’ve got more time on your hands, make some peach ice cream. Celebrate Independence Day again with Cooking Light’s featured cover dessert for this month: berry-peach cobbler with sugared almonds. Try something as simple as peaches poached with honey, vanilla and orange juice served with vanilla ice cream. Poaching will bring out the aroma and flavor, soften the fruit and add a syrupy and saucy consistency. Add a store-bought crepe, peach brandy or peach schnapps and a sprinkling of cinnamon and brown sugar to the mix, and you’ve fancied it up with little effort. Your friends will think you’re a chef.

Kristin Larmore recently graduated from Appalachian State University. She plans to familiarize herself with Midwestern culture and cuisine this summer, does most of the baking for her mother at home and fills half her cart with produce at the grocery before she reaches the aisles.

Solitary experimentation in the kitchen

One quiet night, a few weeks ago, I was packing up my apartment alone. This was a frequent occurance since graduation with a roomate-less apartment, one that I was starting to really tire of. And when I'm stressed or needing relaxation, I cook. Craving Japanese food and not wanting to dish out the money for my beloved Hokkaido, I decided to make a dish inspired by the little joint, but with my own twist. With my Japanese white sauce nestled safely in my refrigerator door, an exact replica of the restaurant's shrimp sauce, I started chopping. I tossed green and red pepper,mushrooms and carrots in a pan with some water and simmered up, the shrimp boiling in another pot alongside. Without any idea what my mind was planning, I poured in orange juice and soy sauce, sprinkled in ginger (without the fresh root on hand) and a bit of flour to thicken it up a bit. Less than 10 minutes after pouring in the ingredients and adding the shrimp, I had a thick, aromatic concoction. Cous-cous, as you might know, is a very simple procedure, but I sprinkled in pepper, Greek seasoning and more ginger for that flavor. Drizzled with the Japanese white sauce (which you can find in many grocery stores with the Asian products), I was very surprised how much I enjoyed it. My mother would have been proud! I didn't have many people around that night, but I definitely had good wine and good food.

Think Refined Sugar Only Hides in Junk Food and Dessert? Think Again. (Chickspeak.com)

June 15, 2009 by Kristin Larmore, photo property of Chickspeak.com




I’m walking down the well-lit aisles, rows of colorful containers stretched out a narrow expanse. Elevator music serenades me in the background as I round my first corner and hit the canned fruit section on aisle one.

I’m compiling a mental list for a summery salad. I turn around and see the craisins.

“So many healthy, delicious reasons to grab this 100 percent natural snack. Made with real fruit. Cholesterol free, fat free. Good source of fiber. Surprisingly sweet and tangy,” the back reads. “A 1/3 cup serving of craisins sweetened dried cranberries = 1 full serving of fruit.”

“MMMM. Craisins would be good,” I think to myself. “With a few walnuts and some raspberry dressing.” Surprisingly sweet?

Yeah right. That one serving contains 26 grams of sugar. What a downer.

“Only about eight teaspoons per day,” she said to the class with her index finger and glasses down to her nose. You’re only supposed to get about eight teaspoons on a 2,000 calorie diet, around 32 grams, according to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The average person gets far more than that.

Who knew those little cranberries packed more than that?

My nutrition professor conducted a long lecture that day about the dangers of sugar, causing me to want to throw out about every single box of my cereal. The reasonable dosage for cereal, she said, was about six grams per serving. The frosted mini wheats, the Quaker oat squares, resting on my counter had about twice that much. The only thing I was safe with at the time was Crispix and plain Cheerios.

I wouldn’t realize until later how truly sugary my diet was.

It’s almost impossible to avoid; it’s in so many different types of food these days. They tell you not to eat it, yet it’s in many things considered “healthy.”

You think you eat healthy? You think you wouldn’t fall into this category? I thought the same thing. Well, let’s just see. When you’re finished reading this, you might think twice about some of your food choices.

First of all, we subconsciously trust manufacturers with our health; when they say it’s healthy, we believe it. Ok, ladies. I’m going to tell you something that might change your life. Listen carefully.

Just because they say it’s healthy, doesn’t mean it completely is.

The bottom line is not about health, it’s about making money; manufacturers never have and never will have your best interests at stake. Now that might sound a bit cynical, but the reality is we must stay well-informed and smart, not depending on others for information but digging it up ourselves.

I was comfortably sitting in my living room this morning, enjoying my little cup of light French vanilla Yoplait yogurt. It has only 100 calories and no fat. After thinking about sugars all week and recalling some customers at work mentioning the high sugar content, I perused the label. “It couldn’t be that bad,” I thought to myself. “Yogurt is healthy, right?”

Fourteen grams of sugar. I had even added in a few white chocolate chips for a little added flavor. Wow. I almost spit it up. I scoured my kitchen and freezer for more, disgusted at the realization. Even just a fat-free, 100-calorie Minute Maid soft frozen lemonade has 18 grams of sugar. But wait: that’s only one third of the container. And the entire thing is about the size of a small frosty. Who’s eating only one third? So, you’re actually getting 54 grams of sugar.

And those classic, colorfully frozen popsicles your mom used to give you on Saturday afternoons when you were running through the sprinkler aren’t much better. Glad that little frozen treat wasn’t mine…

But the Bacardi strawberry daiquiri mix in the door was. Oops. Thirty grams of sugar in a fifth, only eight ounces, of that little can-sized container of guaranteed hyperactivity. You’d be bouncing off the walls.

I went over to my best friend’s apartment across town to raid her pantry and fridge. This is what I found.

Del Monte sliced pears? Twenty three grams of sugar in a half cup, which is only half that tiny can.

That new V8 V-fusion parading all over the television boasting one full serving of fruits AND vegetables? It’s not so hot: 25 grams in eight fluid ounces. That’s the same amount in a handful of her roommate’s Sour Patch Kids.

And what about the classic Sunmaid raisin? It beats them all: 29 grams of sugar in ¼ cup. That’s more than the 27 grams you’ll find in a serving of full-calorie Coke.

Even the Special K cereals are a threat. But, wait. The front says only 120 calories, two grams of fat, 35 percent daily Vitamin c and 45 percent iron. The minimum sugar you will see, aside from the original Special K with four, is nine grams per serving.

Oh, it’s low in calories and fat. It seems to have vitamins and minerals. It’s advertised as healthy. You grab it off the shelf. Of course, you could probably get away with eating things like Special K because there’s still room for a bit more sugar. Still, you’re probably going to get more than nine grams because the serving size is so small. We all know that!

My friend grabbed the cocktail sauce as a dipper for her shrimp and saw 13 grams per ¼ cup. I don’t know about you, but I would have never guessed. Just because it doesn’t taste sweet, doesn’t mean it’s not.

It’s funny that advertisements never mention, “WARNING: high dosage of sugar. May lead to diabetes, inflammation and aging over time.” Hmmmm. I wonder why? They won’t make as much money that way. If people really read the entire label, they might think twice about buying it. Here’s the reality of the situation: we’re supposed to limit our sugar as much as possible.

A magazine editor of a food, health type publication was on a morning show the other day talking about, coincidentally, sugar. I already had sugar on the brain, but here’s what she said. Sugar can cause better athletic performance and sustain you during a workout, as proven by a study of women who took a sugar supplement and followed up with exercise.

However, she cautioned going over the limit over time leads to quicker physical aging and wrinkles, and health experts say it should make up no more than 10 percent of calories from the diet.

Some people might not care if there aren’t immediate effects, but I’m all about protecting your health in the long-run. It’s just like tanning or caffeine; you’re coasting in the short-run, but it’ll come back to bite you in the face later. And it will certainly show.

Organic Nutrition Ltd, striving to inform about unnatural chemicals and additives in the diet, reiterates that sugar is for one, addictive. It contributes to dental deterioration, heart disease, damage to the pancreas, liver and adrenal glands, hypertension, anxiety, fatigue and the list goes on. It can even aggravate PMS symptoms.

This is what I learned in health class. It contributes to diabetes in adults by keeping blood sugar levels elevated. But the pancreas already can’t make enough insulin to control glucose levels. Sugar doesn’t necessarily cause diabetes like a lack of exercise or obesity, but it irritates it.

I mean, let’s face it. Sometimes you’d be better off just eating the chocolate and cookies instead of reaching for the popsicles. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it’s true. You might have to spend a few more calories and fat, but you could definitely make up for those during the rest of the day. Once that sugar’s in your system, you can’t go back.

My Slim-a-Bear ice cream sandwiches have 10 grams of sugar, and I believe my friend’s packaged cookies had only about 8 grams per serving. At least you’re not hitting the 20 range.

One suggestion? Be open to some sugar-free products. Sure, the sugar-free ice cream might taste a little funky, but try sugar-free, instant chocolate pudding. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

“The average American now consumes approximately 115 pounds. of sugar per year. This is per man, woman and child,” Organic Nutrition Ltd. warns.

It’s scary, really. We need to start keeping track of the sugar we’re consuming because it adds up fast. We might be in a little over our heads, don’t you think?

Kristin Larmore is a recent graduate of Appalachian State University and hopes to write for a food publication, along with becoming a food critic and running her own winery in the future.