Thursday, October 3, 2019

5 Undeniable Benefits of a Liquid Diet


Sticking to a diet is a common goal across America. On average, an estimated 45 million US citizens try a new method each year, which is about 10% of the population. If you find yourself in this position, the chances are you aren’t having a good time. Whether you want to lose weight, gain muscle or protect your vital organs, finding the ideal diet is tricky.

So, should you turn to a liquid diet instead?

What Are They?


For the most part, liquid diets replace the foods where you get the majority of your calories with liquids. They can range from water to smoothies and milkshakes, depending on the method. Liquid diets don’t always eliminate food one-hundred percent. Lots use both food and fluids, but place a higher emphasis on getting the majority of your nutrients from liquids.

For example, you might drink a shake for breakfast and lunch and return to a regular, healthy dinner in the evening.

The Benefits


There are plenty, but this post will only focus on five of the most popular benefits of liquid diets. You can find them outlined underneath.

Water Is Filling


It seems counterproductive to drink water to lose weight, yet it works. The reason is simple: H2O doesn’t contain any empty calories. Sure, it might make you feel bloated from time to time, but this effect wears off very quickly. Replacing food with water only makes you more hydrated, which is a good thing.

What makes drinking water incredibly effective is the way it fills the stomach. When you’re hungry, you need a way to relieve the pangs of hunger without reaching for an unhealthy snack. H2O is an excellent solution as you don’t feel like eating anything once the water reaches your belly and starts swirling around.

Smoothies & Shakes Contain Healthy Nutrients


Don’t assume a shake-orientated diet will remove the healthy nutrients you usually get from your standard regime. There are two things to consider here. Firstly, your typical eating patterns can’t be too healthy if you want to try a diet to lose weight. So, it’s not a risk to switch from three square meals a day to a couple of smoothies.

Secondly, shakes contain lots of vitamins and minerals as they combine fruits and vegetables. So, they’re a useful way to ensure you get your daily allocation of five pieces per day. When you buy Isagenix weight loss packs, you also get milkshakes that focus on cleansing. A cleanse gets rid of the harmful toxins in your body and nourishes your body, making weight loss more straightforward.

They’re Simple And Accessible


How often do you spend trying to buy ingredients that you transform into tasty meals? Then, how many times do you complain about making the same dishes all the time? Or, do you get frustrated because, despite your best efforts, you can’t seem to include the nutrients you need? Anybody who has attempted a food-based diet will understand how difficult it is to find the perfect balance between being healthy and enjoying the process.

With a liquid-based diet, there is no need to worry. For starters, you can change the flavors so that you deliciously consume calories. Whether you like banana, apple or mango, the world is your oyster! Also, shakes are packed with healthy nutrients because they mix healthy ingredients with more healthy ingredients.

Temptation Is Negated


The temptation to break is everywhere, and it’s hard to resist. Unless you have a solid foundation, it can be challenging to turn down fatty foods and sweet treats. That’s why so many people regularly quit and start new diets. Thankfully, this never-ending loop doesn’t happen with a liquid diet. As there is no food involved, you don’t have to fret about portion control.

You should try and regulate how many shakes you drink in a day to optimize weight loss. However, it’s not a problem if you err on the side of consuming too much liquid. After all, it’s mainly fruit and vegetables, and they’re low in calories. Also, remember that everything is weighed, which takes the guesswork out of portion control.

Food Is Included


Please don’t panic about never eating food again. Not only are they short-term programs, but liquid diets include food. If you use a shake as a meal replacement substitute, you’ll only eat one meal per day as a rule.

Still, it’s more than you would if you drank three milkshakes! Of course, you can use a shake as a replacement for breakfast and then eat two healthy meals for lunch and dinner.

What are your opinions on liquid diets?

Tuesday, October 1, 2019

How To Sleep Better At Night



There are a few things you are required to do if you want to get a good night sleep beside, sleeping at the right time. If you are having problems sleeping, then you might want to try these five tips to help you get quality and consistent sleep each night. Moreover, if you struggle each night to get a good night sleep and no longer interested in doing the things you like then you might be suffering from more than just a sleeping problem.



You can try and find out whether you are suffering from sleep apnea which affects more than 1 in 6 women and 1 in 3 men. Sleep apnea usually affects people aged between 30 and 70. You can consult a health specialist about being tested for sleep apnea. The test can be conducted in your home or in a medical facility that has a sleep lab.



Make sure you have enough time to sleep. Most people forget that sleeping is also important as exercise and good diet. That is why you need to make sure that you have enough time to rest. That means make sure that you sleep for at least 7 hours or 8. School-aged pupils are recommended to sleep for 10 hours, while pre-school aged children are advised to sleep for 11 hours or 12. Teens should sleep for 9 hours or 10.



Make it a habit of creating consistent sleep. It is easier for human beings to succeed when they are following a routine. The same care applies when it comes to sleeping. It will be easier for you to fall asleep when you are consistent with your sleeping routine. That is getting in bed on time and waking up after sleeping for seven or eight hours.



Make sure you have a comfortable environment to sleep in. The only way you can get consistent sleep is by sleeping in a comfortable and quiet environment. Therefore, make sure that you have comfortable pillows as well as a bed so that it can be easy for you to fall asleep. If you need a new mattress, don’t put it off, take a look at American Freight mattress reviews. Get rid of anything that may distract you while trying to sleep and make sure the room is cool.



Turn the lights off when you sleep. Light can easily distract you when trying to sleep. That is why you should switch off all the lights before you get into bed. Also, switch off other elements that produce light such as television and self-phones. Moreover, gives you self time to relax and rest your mind before bedtime. This will help your body and brain to relax making it easy for you to fall asleep.



Take advantage of sleep technology. With advanced technology, various gadgets have been introduced to help people improve their sleep. A good example of such technology is the S+, which is the first non-contact sleep sensor in the world. The brand behind this great technology is ResMed.



With this new technology, you can now use your smartphone as well as a web-based app and bedside sleep monitor to understand your sleeping cycle. The app then gives you results inform of suggestions and personalized feedback on what you need to do to get a good night sleep.


Monday, September 30, 2019

Tuba Christmas: A Holiday Tradition

Monday, December 2 and Friday, December 6, 2019
Tickets available beginning October 1, 2019

I remember seeing a picture of my friend Liz and her beautifully dressed children at Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts at Christmastime 2014 and I was so envious of the fact that she got them all together to do something so cool and expensive. We had never been to Kauffman Center, let alone for anything CULTURAL and cool. I was afraid it would all cost too much money anyway.
Well, she told me it was called Tuba Christmas. And it's FREE. She got 10 tickets (general admission) and I was able to secure enough for my family for one of the Friday noon performances for 2015. Here are some pics from the under-an-hour performance (which counts toward homeschool fine arts, by the way)! Here is the link to get your free tickets, but note the venue change. 


About TubaChristmas

The first TubaChristmas was presented on December 22, 1974 at Rockefeller Plaza in New York City, making this the 40th anniversary year of MERRY TUBACHRISTMAS. The first Kansas City TubaChristmas was in 1979 when the group performed for the lighting of the Crown Center Christmas tree. TubaChristmas in Kansas City has happened annually since 1979, often bringing together over 500 tuba and euphonium players from all walks of life, and sometimes multiple generations of the same family who have made TubaChristmas an annual tradition. For more information see www.tubachristmas.com
TubaChristmas concerts are presented with permission from the Harvey Phillips Foundation, Inc.,  founded by Harvey Phillips in memory of his teacher, William J. Bell. Harvey Phillips is a distinguished professor emeritus of the Department of Music, Indiana University, and one of the most acclaimed tuba players in the world. He has commissioned more than 200 solo works for tuba and in 2008 was inducted into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame. Phillips is a native of Aurora, Missouri and attended the University of Missouri prior to being accepted to the Juilliard School of Music in New York. Harvey Phillips received an honorary doctorate from the University of Missouri in 1987, in part for his national efforts to establish TubaChristmas as an annual tradition. 






UPDATE FROM 2017
DO NOT BE LATE, because in 2017 we were late and even though we had tickets, they would not let us in. There were a bunch of others who were also late and they herded us into some stuffy room to watch the whole thing on a tiny television. We did not stay because there were not enough places to sit, it was hot, there were crying babies, and nobody could see or hear what was going on. Although with the 2018 venue change, I wonder how this might change.

2018 pictures from when they achieved the World Record for number of tuba players  and duration of playing a specific song.



Saturday, September 28, 2019

Kansas City Field Trip: American Royal


One of the best Kansas City field trips is to take an educational tour of the American Royal! I remember doing this back when I had maybe 3 little kids and they loved it, so it's definitely time to do it again! It's not too late to check out the Arabian Horse Show December 7-8!

Here's the website for the American Royal. And check out this hilarious Welcome to our (AR) Farm video!


The school tours program is built to educate students in the 2nd through 4th grades and consists of an educational tour and Invitational Youth Rodeo. With many old favorites and new additions that will delight both students and teachers alike, there is something for everyone at the American Royal!"

Even though it says for grades 2nd through 4th, I would totally take all of my kids, ranging from 2nd through 11th, because I know they would all enjoy it!




Have You Fallen in Love with #CoconutOil Yet?



Holy crap! According to this page of WebMD.com, “Coconut oil is used for diabetes, heart disease, chronic fatigue, Crohn's disease,irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Alzheimer’s disease, thyroid conditions, energy, and boosting the immune system. Ironically, despite coconut oil’s high calorie and saturated fat content, some people use it to lose weight and lower cholesterol.”


Sounds like a miracle drug! Below I have a link to a bazillion uses for coconut oil, and I haven’t even read it; just wanted to make sure you have a great place to go once you’re done reading my post!

Not all coconut oils are the same, and some are more healthful than others. According to Body Ketosis, there are 3 main types of coconut oils: partially hydrogenated coconut oil, refined coconut oil, and virgin coconut oil. The last 2 are the ones you should include to your menu as both offer benefits but are different in terms of appearance, taste, and nutritional value.

So I’ve been hearing about coconut oil all over the place. I am in love with coconut, period. So I can do something with the oil? I’m in! I’m all over that!
I can get a good-sized jar at Trader Joe's or Aldi for only $6. First thing I did with it? Well, Mr. Kerrie actually did it. He cooked me a fried egg in it. Did it taste like coconut? NOPE.
I put some tea tree and lavender oil in a bit of it and made a nice little anti-fungal foot rub for Mr. Kerrie as well.
I’m also going to use it as a deep conditioner before my next shower! Then I'm going to have a truck dump some in my tub and I'm going to BATHE in it. If you're trying to lose weight, you can use coconut oil as well!
Check out this post over at Crunchy Betty to find out A Millionish Uncommon and Not So Uncommon Uses for Coconut Oil. Also, this piece on the Health Effects of Coconut Oil over at ManyEats.
New post: Beating the Dead Coconut Oil Horse
Since I posted the information above, I’ve been using it as my main eye makeup remover for after showers since I don’t take off my eye makeup at night. It works way better than anything else I’ve ever used.
I use it instead of vegetable or canola oil in cakes. I’ve been putting it in coffee. I also put it all in my hair at night before I go to bed to get my hair all shiny and soft. The next day I take a shower like normal and put a little more in my wet hair. Way cheaper than something like Moroccan oil for sure!
Check it out!

Originally posted 9/18/15