Winning the Battle Over Obesity In a Nutshell

Due to the many conveniences that the modern world has offered, more and more people tend to carry that extra weight on their bodies that could potential develop serious complications to their health. Yes, I am talking about obesity and, as a matter of fact, it is one of the trending unhealthy lifestyles that affects several people (from several countries) nowadays.

Eating doughnuts, pastries, oil foods, cakes and savory dishes that are full of that devilish goodness (bad cholesterol) could immediately turn into body fat, if you are not planing to work it off. However, you don't necessarily have to block these food groups from your diet because the key to healthy living is moderation. Though the word may sound very fundamental, eating things in moderation is one of those things that are easier said than done. However, I am not saying to only eat the foods that was mentioned earlier as it is also important to eat your daily dose of vegetables and fruits. Winning the battle over obesity is not entirely an impossible thing to achieve though it may take sheer willpower to pull it off successfully. 

For instance, you may want to buy yourself that favorite shirt you always wanted to have. The should should be about a couple of sizes smaller than your current size and you might want to buy something that is a little bit on the expensive side. After buying that expensive shirt that you are dying to wear, do not keep it inside your closet... display it on your room. The displayed shirt will act as a reminder for you to start losing that pounds, so that the shirt will fit you just right in as soon as possible. Now this may or may not work for you, but such method will help you keep your eye and mind on the goal, which is to lose that extra weight.

There are several gigs and programs out there that promises to shed fat or lose weight in a week or maybe in a month. But the fact of the matter is that there is no real shortcut to reducing weight, or keeping your body fit because it really takes a long time and a huge amount of dedication before you will get any visible results from your efforts.

Photo Credits: www.marcilall.com, www.zazzle.com

Lemons, Anyone?

There is something about lemons that makes it so appealing. It must be the tang of the fruit (it is a fruit, right?). Even thinking about it leaves my mouth puckered a little bit for a second. Experts say that the juice and zest of the lemon provide a series of health benefits for the body. Probably because lemons are rich in antioxidants. As you may already know, antioxidants fight free radicals that are responsible for inflicting different kinds of ailments and diseases to the body, such as cancers and skin diseases to name a few. The juice of the lemon even helps lower the amount of bad cholesterol (Low-density lipoprotein or LDL) in the body, which is certainly a good thing.

With that said, if you are looking for a great recipe that involves the use of pure lemon juice, I will share to you a recipe that I got from a cooking show called Everyday Italian. It is hosted by none other than chef Giada De Laurentiis herself and she is, by far, one of my favorite female chefs (she even looks hot for her age which is definitely a plus for me). Her recipe was for a basic lemon pasta (spaghetti) but I figured that lemon would go well with shrimp (squid, fish or even clams works just as well), so I just had to add it to the recipe. 

Bon Appetit!

Lemon Pasta with Shrimp

You will need the following (yields 3 servings):

• 1/2 pound pasta (i.e. spaghetti, penne or fussili)
• 9-12 pieces shrimp (peeled and *deveined)
• 1/3 cup oil (preferably olive oil)
  
• 1/3 cup grated cheese (preferably Parmesan or Pecorino Romano)
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• Salt and (coarsely grounded) black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves and 1/2 tablespoon lemon zest for garnish (optional)

 

Directions in 8 Easy Steps:

1. Cook the pasta first by placing them in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite (this is called al dente, in culinary terms). 
2. Stir occasionally, about 8 minutes or follow package instructions of your pasta.
3. While checking for the pasta to be done, whisk together in a bowl the olive oil, grated cheese and lemon juice until they are thoroughly blended.
4. Once your pasta is al dente, drain the pasta using a coriander but reserve at least a cup of pasta liquid first for later use.
5. In another pan, pour a tablespoon of cooking oil and cook the shrimp about 2 minutes per side or until their color turns pinkish-red. You can marinate the shrimp beforehand using a few drops of lemon juice, salt and black pepper. It is important not to overcook the shrimp so as not to get a rubbery texture.
6. Toss the pasta, shrimp and the lemon sauce in a large bowl. Add about 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta liquid at a time until you arrive at a desired consistency (thickness of the sauce).
7. Adjust the taste by seasoning the pasta with salt and pepper.
8. Garnish the dish with lemon zest and chopped basil (optional).

Legend:

*Devein: To make a small, usually lengthy, vertical incision on the backside of the shrimp to remove its vein.

Photo Credits: www.wikipedia.org, www.foodnetwork.com

Willie Revillame: Surviving the Times Amidst Obstacles and Controversies

Willie Revillame is considered to be one of the biggest and well-known personalities in the Philippine showbiz industry today that even a mere child (born in the Philippines) can relate to; but I know for a fact that Willie Revillame has also made his name quite popular among international viewers as well. For those who are not in the know-zone, Willie's first big break was hosting a primetime noon show known as Wowowee and he was one of the biggest assets of ABS-CBN (a television network giant in the Philippines) ever since he made the spot. Willie's hosting abilities were admirable, because he never fails to catch the attention of home viewers, including his studio audiences. He has the right amount of charisma that the poor and the needy have found to be very much appealing. It must be the way how he promotes himself through the show and the various products he endorsed that no other host could have ever done in the history of variety shows in the Philippines. But the host seemed to be so full of himself as he gained popularity that, in 2010, he made a bold move on live television against a fellow asset of the said network giant that ultimately gave him the boot.

So what happened to Willie then? 

 

After leaving the Wowowee and the network (cancelling his show in the process), Willie Revillame struggled for months trying to get back up on his feet again. But it was not that very long until a budding network, back then, gave him a project to continue what he started in ABS-CBN. Yes, the budding network I was referring to was the now a competing network giant called TV5 (formerly ABC5). His first variety show on this particular television network was called Willing Willie. However, it did not last long enough to see the light of day because ABS-CBN immediately filed a lawsuit against Willie and TV5 for their show being a Wowowee rip-off. This happened after just a few weeks of the show's pilot episode.

Even though Willie and his current affiliated network lost the case, this did not faze him at all. While he was off the camera, Willie already have made plans with the network for a complete overhaul of the show but left the key elements of his show intact (such as live broadcasting). This led to the creation of Wil Time Bigtime, which started airing in 2011 at 6:30 PM during weekdays and 5 PM on Saturdays. Unfortunately, 'Kuya Wil' seemed to never run out of difficulties and controversies even with his current variety show, which produced differing opinions about him and how he handles the show.

Well, I guess that is about it on my thoughts about this resilient and charismatic guy. Feel free to express your opinions regarding what you just read (we can even discuss more about 'Kuya Wil' if you want). Til' my next blogging adventure then.

Ciao

Photo Credits: www.ABS-CBN.com, www.tv5.com.ph

Hear Ye! Hear Ye!

Hey You! Yeah You!

This is it. My very first post on my very first blog and, finally, I have jumped to the bandwagon of blogging. Don't get me wrong, I did not mean to say (or rather write) it in a condescending way. It is just that I have been all over my head for several months whether I should start to post several of my passions in this fickle head of mine, as well as almost everything that I have come or came across with in my life. I guess you could say that this is my welcoming speech to this "momentous occasion" even though I think I have gone a bit over the top with my introductions.

As you read this post, I know that you are thinking about what this blog is all about. Well, the title really says it all. It is about life (my life mostly), it is about great comfort food, and it is about how to be successful in both aspects. So if you are excited as I am, feel free to visit sometime soon for my next blog posting adventure.

By the way, don't you think that the image looks great? I think that it is so fitting for my introductory post that I just got to have it. Anyway, I used Google to find this image and it certainly goes without saying that I do not own this particular image (you can find its link by clicking here). In any case, I hope you guys and gals enjoy your stay.