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General Weight Loss Tips

Mini Food

Hors d’oeuvres, appetizers, finger foods…whatever you call it, I love them. For some reason, I think the variety, I love food served in bite-size portions. Last week I went to an event for a local women’s magazine and was just so smitten with the variety of single-serving food that I had to take pictures and share with you guys.

This plate is small, about 6 inches in diameter and check out those shot glasses! Here’s what was on my plate: blueberry salad which had some sort of vinaigrette mixed in. A slight basil flavor and tangy with olive oil. In the other shot glass you will find a bit of lettuce at the bottom, then a layer of egg salad topped with a few thin slices of smoked salmon and a sping of dill. A little cucumber and cream cheese tea sandwich wedge. It was light and crisp. A banana bread sandwich, right beside the blueberry salad. I loved this idea. Two thin slices of banana bread with a  layer of cream cheese in between. A couple of vegetable chips. And then a flaky almond galette. I tasted almond paste, which is one of my most favorite things in the world.

I made effort at this event to only eat what I truly wanted and to share dessert with my friend. But, what I really love is that it was a small sampling of really good food. It wasn’t a buffet gorge sort of thing, just nice little treats that were well executed and delicious. I want to apply this mentality more to my everyday life. Having a taste and moving on. It’s difficult for me because when something is really delicious, I want a lot of it, and then it isn’t special anymore. This food felt special to me like an indulgent treat and not in an unreasonable amount. Eating this plate of food in its white flour, sugar and cream cheese glory would not make anyone overweight. This plate is not the problem. It’s only when you multiply this plate, add guilt, and secrecy that it becomes a problem. And I want to learn this lesson over and over if I have to. Special food should remain special.

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General Weight Loss Tips

Breakfast of Champs

I woke up this morning so very hungry and in need of a hearty, delicious, quick and healthful breakfast. This one fit the bill.

Oh my. Where has pink grapefruit been my whole life? I spent most of my youth loathing the bitter and sour nature of this fruit, but now I couldn’t believe how naturally sweet it is. Instead of stabbing at it with a spoon or fork I just quartered the whole thing and ate it like an orange. Grapefruit might just be a new morning staple for me.

Served with a couple  slices of nitrate-free bacon and organic eggs, I was in heaven.

And of course a tall mug of ice water which is all I ever want in the morning anyway. And those paper straws are my very favorite new purchase from Rock, Paper, Scissors in Charlottesville.

How did you start your day?

 

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Weight Loss Exercise

Natural Face Moisturizer And Its Ingredients



Natural face moisturizer is an important addition to your home. Everyone learns when he or she is growing up they need to use some kind of moisturizer on their skin, from head to toe. However, as we age, our skin types change and begin to mature, necessitating a different formula of skin cream and moisturizers at times. While most will opt for a cream moisturizer that attempts to reverse the aging process, others will opt for a more natural solution, especially on the facial skin where it is more delicate and requires more attention to detail.

Natural Face Moisturizer And Its Ingredients

Natural Face Moisturizer

Natural face moisturizer can be made with many different ingredients. It’s important to read the labels of the moisturizer to make sure you are getting a natural product. Most natural face moisturizers do not contain any chemicals, such as stearates, alkyl benzoate and glyceryl stearates, methylparaben, propylparaben, diazolidinyl, Dicaprylyl, maleate, tetrasodium EDTA, and others, all of which are synthetic and can cause allergic reactions or dermatitis, an inflammation of the skin.

Best Natural Face Moisturizer Ingredients

While every manufacturer of natural moisturizers claim that their brand is the best, it is impossible to believe any of them just on sheer word alone. Instead, do your research because one ingredient that is good for someone else may not be the best for you.

For example, some moisturizers contain natural compounds that act as chemicals do, such as retinols, or vitamin A compounds, but if you have sensitive skin, these moisturizers will irritate the skin even though the ingredient is natural. The same is true of other compounds such as some B vitamins like Panthenol. While most claim this vitamin does not irritate the skin, cases have been reported in which Panthenol was the cause of irritation.

The best natural face moisturizer ingredients are typically natural oils such as almond, olive, and Vitamin E and A. Cocoa butter is also great for the skin.

Always make sure the ingredients in natural face moisturizer agree with your specific skin type before using it as it will prevent any possible reactions.

Natural Face Moisturizer Shelf Life

Because natural face moisturizers are made from natural ingredients, it contains nothing to help preserve its shelf life such as preservatives normally found in non-natural formula moisturizers. It is very delicate and can “go bad’ just as any food would go bad if kept on the shelf for too long. This is why it is recommended that natural moisturizers and other natural beauty products be replaced in the following conditions:

  • If it is discolored
  • If it smells bad or sour
  • If it is sticky or goopy when it is supposed to be a liquid
  • If you can see any impurities or cloudiness

If your bottle of natural face moisturizer shows any of these signs, it is time to stop using it immediately and replace it with a new bottle.