I have been complaining off and on in this blog about weight and weight loss, but one thing I will never, ever do is take diet pills. I came across this non-biased article on the new weight loss drug, Phentermine and it really freaked me out.The way the drug works is it inhibits your hunger signal. In my personal opinion, any drug that inhibits your body’s natural signals is a problem. I know that obesity and weight problems affects so many of us, especially Americans but there are other, safer, healthier, better ways to lose weight.

Here’s just a few that I have found effective, and they don’t include inhibiting my natural signals.

1. Exercise-the number one way to lose weight is to get off your duff. Walk around the block, or just walk a little bit every day. While you might not get as thin as you want, you’ll be in the healthy range.

2. Change of diet-I don’t mean diet as in starve yourself or only eat soup. I’m talking about taking a good look at the food you eat, and what ingredients are in it. Don’t eat food full of preservatives or other additives that can make it addicting. Switch from soda to water, trust me you’ll feel much better.

3. Get happy-change your life in a positive way. Happy people are generally healthy people. When you’re sad, you tend to gain weight because you’re depressed. Then you’re depressed because you gained weight. It’s a vicious cycle.

The biggest thing I’ve learned from my quest to get my figure where I want it is knowing that nothing happens over night. It’s all about persistance and a good attitude, not taking a pill.

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Technorati Tags: diet pills, phentermine, weight loss

So my dear friend, The Queen as she’s linked on my page, told me that she sent me a birthday present. She told me way ahead of time that she was having something made, and that she was getting all of these things together, so of course my anticipation was mounting.

Well yesterday when I got home, guess what was waiting for me? I couldn’t grab my box cutter fast enough! I ripped the package open, and there was a postcard, with my “guide” to everything she’d sent me.

1. Bag-to help you carry your burdens

2. Hoodie-to keep you warm on cold days

3. Book- to escape reality if need be

4. Candy-to thank you for all the times you’ve saved my life.

5. Slippers-to remind you I’m here for you if you ever “slip” or fall.

I seriously had tears in my eyes when I read it. She is for sure one of my best friends, even though we don’t see each other that often. She’s always been there for me, with a card, with a silly text message, or an amazing book that changed my life (TWILIGHT!!!). I told Dill Pickle that we HAVE to go visit my fellow Coast Sister and her hubby in North Carolina. Now I can rock my sweatshirt and feel like a local. Hahah!

So what do you think of all my cool gear? I should explain we call each other Coast Sisters because we both live on opposite coasts. How great is my bag? The only drawback of the slippers is that my dog thinks they are furry playthings. He keeps chasing my feet around the house.

Technorati Tags: birthday, coast, north carolina, present, sister, slippers

I was so amped about the Grey’s Anatomy Premiere-especially after seeing the previews! They made it look so intense: Rose tells Derek she’s pregnant, Derek casually pops the question, and then Derek was hooked up to industrial clamps and all of this medical equipment, while Meredith was screaming.

The thing is, it was a classic case of the writers teasing us and then slapping us in the face with something a lot less dramatic. Still, it was Grey’s so it still drew me in. I’m still hoping for some of what captured me in the beginning, and maybe this season will be it.

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Technorati Tags: Fall Premieres, Grey's Anatomy

The Office Season Premiere was fantastic! Spoiler alert!!!

The Scranton branch gets in shape! This episode was so in sync with my get healthy mindset. Of course like any Office episode, some of the employees take it to an extreme. Kelly and Michael both pass out from not having anything to eat for days. Kelly takes what she thinks is a tap worm from Creed in order to lose weight, ew! It might have been more believable if she took a supplement like Phentermine. Michael tries to flirt with his new HR woman, Holly, and things seem to be well for the first part of the episode. Then he, in typical Michael fashion, ruins it.

I loved most of this episode, but I do not like where the writers are taking the story line of Jim and Pam. I hate when sitcom writers do this. They start with making you wait and wait and wait for a couple to get together, and when they finally do, they try to break them apart. Pam moves to New York to go to school, and now she’s sitting right next to a Jim look alike class clown, and of course they’re flirting. I was more than a little annoyed at the writers call on this one. Bad form NBC writers, bad form. For once, can’t they focus on something else besides splitting up couples? Turk and Carla made it work on Scrubs and I loved them for it. They can still have drama, and other such nonsense without bringing cheating into it. Seriously writers…sometimes romance really does work out.

So I wrote that last bit about Pam and Jim before the end of the show. I won’t give it away, but you’re gonna LOVE IT!!! I’m so excited. Yay.

Technorati Tags: Fall 2008, season premiere, The Office

Anyone that knows me knows that I think of my two pets as my babies. I’m the proud Mama of a 5 1/2 year old dusky headed conure (parrot) and a mischievous 5 year old blue heeler/jack russell puppy. I say puppy because he’s still a baby, even though he’s 5. I struggle sometimes with their behavior, they can both be such brats! But I love em to pieces. I came across zootoo, a great community where they have everything a pet lover could ask for.  I’m excited to explore the parrot forums, because I need tips on what to do when the little booger won’t stop screaming! Bird owners are special people, we put up with a lot! It’s worth it though, look at this lil guy! He was on a time out and he was supposed to be under the cover, but he’s sneaky.

It’s strange-I feel like I’ve been a real slacker lately fitness wise-but on the days where I’ve been too tired to work out, I find myself less hungry, and I’ve been cutting back on my portions. I am eating healthier, and cutting way down on my sweets, and I’ve noticed a difference already. I also admitted that I just need to accept the fact that I’m not the same size I was in high school, and that it’s ok that I’m not super thin. This is something I’ve struggled with off and on for years, so I’m finally accepting it. I’m getting curvier as I get older, but the important thing is not how much I weigh, or what size my jeans are, but how I feel, and my health. I’m so much healthier now than a year ago, when I was drastically underweight. I just realized this morning that my hair doesn’t fall out like it used to, and that to me is a huge improvement.

What is up with the crazy skinny girls on the new 90210? They look like coked out druggies in dire need of a drug treatment facility. Look at the difference between the old and new cast.

The old cast were in shape, but there weren’t rail thin with an obvious need fordrug rehab or anorexia treatment. Am I wrong here? I shudder at the thought of having a baby girl, who is going to grow up and look at these girls as role models. I just hope that I can convince her that looking like a coat hanger for the clothes you’re wearing is not sexy.

Technorati Tags: 90210, anorexia, drug problems, eating disorders

I’m going to be an auntie AGAIN! I’m so excited for my little brother. While I don’t know how in the world he can afford to support one kid, let alone two, I know it will work out somehow. I am also hoping it’s a girl, as I’ve already been drooling over cute pink crib bedding. I already have a little niece, and it breaks my heart that she’s eight hours away from me, and I can’t watch her grow up. I have been lucky enough to see my lil nephew Ayden who lives just a few hours from me, and I manage to see him about once a month. Either way, boy or girl, I just hope this new little bundle is healthy and as happy as his/her big brother.

Anyone who knows me knows I love taking pictures. I’m ridiculous about it, but people thank me for it later. I don’t have any sort of fancy equipment, I just use my little Canon Powershot but the lil guy takes some great photos! I have my flickr account on the sidebar, so check out some of my scenery pictures. I also love this one that I recently captured of my parrot and Dill Pickle bonding. Is that not the most adorable thing you’ve ever seen?

Technorati Tags: boyfriend, canon, digital camera, parrot

It’s almost that time- Fall Premieres of all my favorite shows! I know, I’m such a TV sitcom junkie…but hey, I work hard, I work out, give me my tv time. Plus with every major network posting their shows online, I can watch them at my leisure, which is what I prefer to do. Dylan talks too much during the shows, hehe, so I have to rewatch to see what I missed.

Here’s a list of the shows I can’t wait to watch:

1. Grey’s Anatomy: While it’s definitely gone downhill, I think the finale last season really helped pick it back up. I can’t wait to see how Mer and Der get along living together. Reminds me of my situation.

2. Scrubs: ABC is picking it up for it’s final season. This show used to be my very favorite, and it also went downhill, but I want to see how the end it. Hopefully JD and Elliot will get together for good.

3. Eli Stone: This is a cool new show about a lawyer profit. They left us with Eli in a coma after brain surgery, and he had just opened his eyes. I love cliffhangers.

4. The Office: Oh my god Jim just propose to Pam already, I’m sick of the waiting. What a little stinker. But this show never fails to make me laugh.

5. How I Met Your Mother: This show just plain rocks. I can’t wait to see what happens with Ted. I hope that this show actually has a shelf life, just because it will be so frustrating if we never get to meet the one that Ted ends up marrying. He proposed to Stella but it was after a breakup, so we’ll see if that pans out.

6. Desperate Housewives: The writers really threw us for a loop this last season by fast forwarding 5 years. I hope it’s as chock full of drama as last year.

7. Samantha Who?: Christina Applegate is just adorable. I love watching her in movies and now her new sitcom. I love the premise-Bad Sam turns good after she gets amnesia. I love how she has this childlike innocence at times. Such a cute show.

8. 30 Rock: I love Tina Fey, she is adorable and so good at playing a geek. She’s cute and funny and I hope this series stays on the air for a good long while.

9. Private Practice: It’s not as good as Grey’s, but I like their medical stories. They are always heart wrenching. And the guys on the show, FU-ineeeee. Yum.

10. Pushing Daisies: I like this show, it’s kind of fun in a weird, almost eerie kind of way. The cinematophy is beautiful as well. It’s very sad how the two main characters aren’t allowed to touch. This show might get old after awhile with that premise though, so we’ll see.

Technorati Tags: 30 Rock, Desperate Housewives, Eli Stone, Fall Premieres, Grey's Anatomy, How I Met Your Mother, Pushing Daisies, Scrubs, The Office, TV Shows