Monday, January 16, 2012

Nutrition




The human body is like a complex machinery that require constant maintenance, its full of pumps, motors, gates, sensors cells and enzymes the must constantly be replaced or repaired, power plants and factories must be fueled and serviced and errors in the cell's master program (DNA) must be found and repaired. These and other life processes require a great deal of fuel to power them and and raw materials with which to work. We get these fuels and raw materials from our food, which  supplies the body with the elements and compounds it needs for energy, repair, and growth. All that in mind its really important to supply your body with proper nutrition such as eating whole grains instead of processed grains, eating whole fruits and vegetables, avoiding foods that are high in sugar and fats. There are 6 main kinds of nutrition:  proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. The combination of these nutrients provide the following for the body, fuel for the energy, the basic building blocks for growth and maintenance, and substances that act to control body processes. The carbohydrates, fats, and proteins are called energy nutrients because they provide energy for the body. Make sure you're getting you're energy from  foods with natural energies instead of energy drinks, caffeine and sugars, I drank a monster in about tens minutes and was practically bouncing of the walls, not a good idea. My body was not use to having that much energy in my system in that short of time. Don't do it its not worth the energy rush you get afterwards I crashed hard and was wiped out and left with a pounding headache.



 Proteins: 
  Proteins is an essential part of every cell in your body, the largest portion existing in the muscle tissue. You supply protein to your body cells by eating foods that contain protein. protein is the only source you body has nitrogen which is needed for building new tissue. Proteins help form muscles, bones cartilage,skin, antibodies, some hormones, and all enzymes. Eating lean meats. fish, poultry, milk, cheese, eggs, whole grain cereals, soybeans and other legumes and certain vegetables is a great way to get a good source of proteins. I decided to try to be a vegetation and its great if you're ready to put some study into what other foods have proteins in it to eat in place of meat, I got tired of eating rice and beans so it only lasted a couple months.



Carbohydrates:  Are the most important energy producing compounds in the cell, serve as the cell's primary fuel supple. Carbohydrates provide energy for the body, help control the breakdown of proteins, and protect the body against toxins. Carbohydrates should take up at least three fifths of our total calorie intake. Cereals, bread, potatoes, pasta and rice are rich in starchy carbohydrates and  fruits, honey, and cane and beet sugar are rich in sugary carbohydrates. Foods excessively high in refined sugar such as frosting cake, candy and pastries, are not the best source of carbohydrates because they lack vitamins,minerals or other nutrition the body needs. Many highly processed starchy foods such as macaroni, white spaghetti, white rice and white bread lose some of their vitamins and minerals during the refining process. A lot of people who are conscious about their weight make the mistake of cutting all carbohydrates out of their diets, you need carbohydrates in you diet for energy. 
    

Fats:
 When you hear the word fat most people automatically think its bad, and yes to much is bad for you but having a small  amount can do you good, the problem is Americans eat far more fat then the body even needs. Saturated fats and trans fats are bad for you because they raise your cholesterol and increase your risk for heart disease. But monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats are good for you. Some things fats are good for: Growth and repair, maintaining body temperature, cushioning vital organs, insulation of the body though the stored fat in tissues, keeping the skin from becoming dry and flaky, manufacture of certain hormones. Fats provide more than twice as much energy as carbohydrates do. Some good foods to get the fat you need is from most cooking oils, fish, nuts, and seeds, be sure to use sparingly. 


Here's to happy eating! 
xoxo 
Cameron Ashleigh





Friday, January 13, 2012

Shamrock run!

Hey guys! My work is participating in the Shamrock run( http://www.shamrockrunportland.com/ ) and I decided that I wanted to try it this year, I've been running for about a year or so, off and on, but this will be my first time actually running in an event and not just on my own so I'm super excited about it! I was trying to decide whether I should do the 8km run or the 15km( 8km being 4.97 miles, and 15km being 9.3) but I think I'm actually going to push myself to do the 15km, I'm kinda nervous because I've haven't really run that much before and its in a very hilly area. I have about about 2 months to train for this event, its going to be a lot of hard work but I think I'm up for the challenge! Some of the benefits I have noticed from running are my legs have become a lot more defined and toned, Running can raise your levels of good cholesterol while also helping you increase lung function and use, Running is one of the best forms of exercise for losing or maintaining a consistent weight, Running relieves stress, and get you looking great! Do you like running or hate running? What do you like or dislike about running? Have any good ideas for me about training?

xoxo
Cameron Ashleigh

Friday, December 9, 2011

The importance of eating.

I can't believe its almost Christmas!  I love Christmas time! All the decorations, Christmas music, cookies, presents,  friends and family and food! lots of food! With the holidays here, I wanted to share something that I had been struggling with, which is not eating, Now this may sound strange to some people, but I think its pretty common among teenager girls, more then we like to talk about. This was never a problem for me until this year, especially the summertime, when my schedule was at its busiest. It was easy just to drop a meal, once or twice I'd forgot to bring a lunch with me to work or I wouldn't bring enough to fill me, as I kept this up, it became a bad habit, I started getting used to not eating much at all, a little breakfast, a couple of snacks and then a really late dinner, I started craving crabs, sugar, and caffeine because I wasn't getting enough protein to give my body the proper energy it needed, after a while of this I had become accustomed to not eating much at all, I didn't think this was a problem for me until my parents began to notice my eating patterns and talked to me about it, they told me I was not fueling my body properly, I quite frankly felt annoyed at them, because I thought I just wasn't hungry, As the days went by I realized I didn't have enough energy to bike to work, teach young children swimming lessons, lifeguard a shift, and make a rescue if needed, I was not giving my body the nutrition it was needing. I started realizing that my parents had been right, so I tried to eat more healthy food on a regular basis but I found this extremely difficult because I just wasn't hungry, I found after a period of time of really just not eating anything, I had thrown off my metabolism completely, my body thought I was starving myself so instead of burning calories I was saving them. Our bodies get the energy they need from food through metabolism, the chemical reactions in the body's cells that convert the fuel from food into the energy are needed to do everything from moving, to thinking, to growing. When you eat infrequently, your body recognizes a "famine" situation and your entire endocrine system (powerful hormones produced inside your body that control how you grow, recover, and produce energy) is thrown for a loop, then too much of the food you consume is stored as body fat in preparation for the "famine" to come. So where do I find myself now after all of this, I'm trying to get back into eating nutritionally balanced meals  regularly and even though I'm eating more then I used to I still sometimes find myself not wanting to eat, I'm fighting against the bad habit I had started and it can be very difficult sometimes, but I can say I am doing much better then I was during the summertime. Here are some tips to help you speed up your metabolism...

 (1) Eat Breakfast: Your mom was right, it really is the most important meal of the day, eating just a small bowl of oatmeal, cereal, Greek yogurt with berries or plenty of others will help get your metabolism started off on a good track.

(2) Drink lots of water: 8-10 8oz glasses a day, more if you're working out.

(3) Sleep!( My favorite!) Try to get at least 8hrs of sleep.

(4) Exercise: Try to exercise at least 3 times a week.

(5)Eat smaller meals more often: so Instead of just eating 3 big meals a day try to eat at least 5-6 small meals a day.

Have a merry Christmas and a happy new year!
Cameron Ashleigh

Monday, November 21, 2011

Kiehl's Face wash!

First off I gotta say I love Kiehls! I haven't tried to many of their products but the products I have tried I have been very pleased with, about a week ago I bought one of their skin care systems for drier skin and I absolutely love it!  To save myself some money ,I was buying my face care products from my local drugstore (cleanser, toner, lotion spot treatment and makeup remover) which isn't a bad thing at all, there are some really great products out there! The only problem is that as a lifeguard and swim instructor I'm in the chlorine water 2-3 times a week and my skin was getting eaten alive and over the counter products just weren't cutting it for me also I was being rather sloppy with caring for my face, I was doing a bad job of taking off my makeup up at night, skipping washing my face just because I wasn't wearing makeup that day)and  I have to say probably my biggest mistake was not putting a moisturizer on at night because I thought my face didn't need it! boy, did I learn that lesson that hard way! my skin was so dry that a makeup artist who was doing my makeup, mention to me how dry my face felt .




                                 Kiehl's Cleanser, $18.00
                                Kiehl's  Moisturizer $16.00                                     
                                Kiehl's Toner   $16.00
                                MAC Makeup wipes $28.00 for 100 sheets
                              Total $78.00






                       Toner helps to pick up whatever your cleanser might have missed and leaves your skin feeling fresh and clean!






                               This has got to be the best moisturizer I have ever tried!! The first night I used it my family members saw a difference, I absolutely loveee it! I was a little doubtful at first if it was going to be enough of a moisturizer so I only got 2.5 oz (for $16,00) of it instead of the bigger size which I kinda regret because its such a wonderful product! I highly recommend it especially if your face tends to be a little dry!

                        The cleanser cleans my skin well and clears my face of any make up leaving my face feeling so much cleaner and softer!


                                     Love these wipes! they remove make up so easily, its like a dream come true!



Heres some tips for taking care of your face...


  • Wash your face: twice a day (morning/evening),




  • Skin cleansers: use gentle cleanser to not irritate your skin,



  • Skin toners: are refreshing but not needed by normal skin type, avoid toners with alcohol,

  •  


  • Skin moisturizers: helps to maintain proper hydration, excellent if contains sunblock of at least SPF 15, use skin moisturizers in winter



  • Drink water: plenty of water helps keep body hydrated,




  • Healthy diet: Eating healthy can really affect your skin, I know when I fall off the track and eat rough for a couple of days my skin can suffer from it,  causing you to be pron to breakouts and  also eating healthy helps to provide important vitamins for your body and skin that you need.






  • xoxo
    Cameron Ashleigh




    Sunday, October 30, 2011

    Surviving Halloween

    Hey Guys! So Halloween is just around the corner, and I bet most of you are excited for it, Now when I hear Halloween I think "CANDY!"  ( now be honest, I'm sure some of you agree) But its true, around Halloween there are more sweets available and the temptations are bigger, but here are some tips from weight watchers I found that will help out...



    "Its hard enough to avoid eating to many sweets but when you have bowls of candy sitting out in front of you its rather difficult to not indulge in all the candy, The occasional indulgence is OK, but eating too many of these little treats can add up to weight gain.
    Luckily, we have a few tricks for how to handle Halloween treats. Next time you pass a jar of candy, it won't be scary!

    1. Indulge in moderation
    A snack- or fun-size chocolate bar (the usual trick-or-treat booty) typically has about 100 calories, which is a sensible treat. However, eating multiple fun-size bars on a regular basis can lead to lots of extra calories. Choose wisely, watch your portions and not overdo it.
    2. Keep count
    Studies show that diners at barbecue joints tend to eat more wings when waitresses continually take away their bones, says Dawn Jackson, RD, nutrition and exercise specialist for the Wellness Institute at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. There's no reason to think that those mini-Butterfingers are any different. So while it's tempting to toss the wrapper as soon as you pop one in your mouth, keep the evidence on your desk as a visual tally.
    3. Make a smarter choice
    If you know that there's no chance you'll nibble a couple of Starbursts without tearing through the whole pack, it may be best to avoid them altogether. Steel yourself against temptation by pulling out a guilt-free snack you brought from home while everyone's flocking to the treat table, says Leslie Bonci, nutritionist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Fruit cups, Jell-O cups, meringue cookies and light hot chocolate are all sweet and satisfying alternatives.
    4. Don't throw in the towel
    We've all been there. You start the workday with a virtuous egg-white-and-veggie omelet and maintain monk-like self-control until your office manager hauls out a small truckload of mini-Mars bars at 4 p.m. You figure your diet is ruined for the day, and next thing you know you're in a booth at the burger joint inhaling a double cheeseburger dinner. "The all-or-nothing mentality is what hurts people the most," says Jackson. "If I buy a dozen eggs and I break one, I clean the broken egg up and get on with my day. I don't break the 11 other eggs!"
    5. Rate your hunger
    "At 3 p.m., often we don't really want to eat, we just need a drink of water and a breath of fresh air," says Jackson. Listen to your body, and then follow its prompts. If all you want is a little reward for finally finishing the report you've been slaving over, instead of making a self-congratulatory trip to the treat table, go for the grown-up equivalent of a "gold star" and splurge on a new CD, book or DVD. Find something you can look forward to enjoying after work.
    6. Enlist reinforcements
    "No man or woman is an island," says Jackson. So decide with your coworkers to put the candy in an opaque container in the kitchenette this year — out of sight, out of mind. Or, Bonci suggests, rally the team to pool a couple of bucks a week from everyone for the month of October. Invest in fresh flowers or a Halloween happy hour instead of candy."






    Hope these tips help!


    xoxo
    Cameron Ashleigh

    Sunday, October 9, 2011

    Sweet 16 here I come!

    So as some as you might know I've been working as a lifeguard and swim instructor and I had worked really hard all summer and saved up lots of money!  so I decided that for my 16th birthday I wanted to go to New York City!I had been talking all summer about going to NY for my 16th but I wasn't really looking at airline prices or anything until I realized I had less then a month before the dreary, cold, weather would come, So with a little over three weeks notice I bought a ticket with the money I had earned, I packed my bags and was off, first time being gone that long from my parents, first time ever ridding on an airplane and first time ever going to NY, and I felt rather grown up as I boarded my plane. The first flight was awesome, I had never seen Portland from 2000 ft up in the air, it was an amazing sight! The clouds were gorgeous! They looked like big clumps of cotton!   






     I had a 3 hour flight into Kansas city and once I got into Kansas city I had a 4 hour layover, Yes I sat in the airport for 4 whole hours doing nothing, I almost went crazy! once that horrible wait was over I boarded my next plane and made one more stop in St Louis and then was one my way in to Newark NJ where my aunt and uncle was waiting for me and drove me home









    I was pretty sneaky and no one saw me taking this picture! (:













    Now the  family who I was staying with is more like a second family to me then friends  I call them aunt and uncle and  they had 3 boys, They were amazing! I had a lot of fun with them, They actually put up with me for 2 whole weeks and showed me all around nyc!


    My first couple of days there it poured!  of course they made a joke of it  and said I had brought the rain with me, but rain or shine they wanted to show me times square so in the pouring rain with lots of umbrellas and jackets, we started the walk though times square, there were some pretty crazy people one guy was trying to give out free hugs, and some people were handing out big candy bars and of course we had to make a couple of rounds ( I got 8 candy bars by myself) all together we got 30, it made  pretty good loot (:







                                           ohh the buildings...they were a sight!



                                    Not all of Ny is build up, by seaport there were brick roads!




                                                 Lots of bridges in New York


                                             And yes, there were a lot of yellow taxi's


    I rode the subway for the first time! 



                                  and I also went to Hawaii! No I'm kiddin, this was the beautiful Jersey Shores 




                  
     While I was in NY I got in touch with my dad's side of the family that lives up there, now I hadn't seen any of them since I was at least 5 and I didn't really remember them but they all remembered me! My aunt and uncle brought my all the way over to Washington DC  and spent the day getting to know me better, I got to go on top of those big touring buses which was awesome!! I've always wanted to go on top of one! It was super cool getting to know my dad"s side of the family, I defiantly had a lot of fun! 
                                           Me, in front of the White house



                                                             A fancy museum( that I didn't get the name of )



                                            Yes I got to go on top of the bus!!

                                                 The white house!


     Thank you Aunt Marie, Uncle Vito, Aunt Betty and Uncle Frank!! I enjoyed getting to know you!
                  

                                               Me in front of Rockefeller Center(:
                                                                        Jersey Shore!
            




    Some pretty cool people (:

    I defiantly had a ton of fun while I was in NY, I got to meet new people, see new places and  learn         new things, but now I'm back home in good old Portland Oregon.... trying to get back into school, work  and also trying to eat better, exercise and get my self back into shape so stay tune for tips on  eating better and exercising !!








     xoxo
    Cameron Ashleigh



                            

    Saturday, August 20, 2011

    Summer!!

      Hey Guys! Can you believe its august already?!  I'm sorry I haven"t post in a while, the reason for this is my mom had surgery a few weeks back, it was an extremely painful surgery so she was on bed rest for a while, but with my mom in the hospital my whole family had to get on board and help out because as some of you  know I come from a large family of 10 so trying to run a house with that many people going in different directions can be pretty hectic, my dad stayed in the hospital with  my mom to help her out, so me and my older sister watched the younger kids, but 6 of them got sick with fevers,infections and some were puking, my 13 yr old sister got the worse of the sickness, she had 4 different infections, lung, ear, eye, and throat, pretty bad, So make sure you guys are taking your vitamins ( especially vit C it helps keep sickness at bay)  so for about 3 days we took care of them and stayed up sometimes past 1 with them, until my parents got home, But now about 4 weeks after the surgery my mom is almost done with her recovery time (6weeks) she is still in a lot of pain, especially lately but she has starting driving again, but she's not suppose to lift anything over 5 lb which is actually harder then you might think, but because she was feeling a little  better we went to the coast for 2 days and stayed at a friend's beach house and even though the water was FREEZING  I got in and tried to boogie board, its was lots of fun but kinda hard at first hard! but now that summer is almost over its time to go back to work, yard work, house cleaning and easing back in to school soon (gahh!) My older sister just got a job at Salvation Army  but she also cleans houses and is a self employed photographer who is trying to start her own business,here's her blog (http://lindsayfrostphotography.blogspot.... ) check it out its pretty cool.


    Let me know if there is anything you'd like me to do a post on!
    Have a amazing summer!
    xoxo Cameron Ashleigh