Serving Sizes - make sure you are not victim to "portion distortion"

We are focusing on serving sizes this week as the "topic".  In the world we live where everything is super-sized, it is no wonder our waistlines are following that trend!  Did you know that Levis now is making their jeans larger for vanity reasons?  A 35 inch size of pants from Levis is now a bit bigger!

So...with all that said, what is a serving and how many should you have?  We should strive for 5 a day of fruits and veggies.  If you can eat more than 5 - GO FOR IT (especially on the veggies)!  I tell everyone, eat your greens like you get paid to do it!  New research states that more fruits and veggies increase the protection from heart disease and certain cancers. Grains should be limited to whole grains and protein should be eaten at each meal.  The serving size for protein at a meat fish and poultry is only the size of a deck of cards.  The other proteins should be a palm size or about an ounce (depending on if it cheese or nuts).  Remember to stick to low fat dairy or nuts, or boiled eggs, or a small serving of beans.

I have attached these handy serving size templates - one is for your wallet - and the other is for the refrigerator!  I hope to see it on the Western Reflections fridge next time I am there!

 Yours in health!

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Monday Escapes

Today we are going on a safari in a place far far away from here:

After seeing animals roam wild, it is hard to really enjoy a zoo again:

Because certainly it doesn't compare to the vast plains of the Serengeti:

You may also run into a Maasai or two while out on your safari who walk amongst the animals:

Images via Travelmoon

In Kenya and Tanzania!

Have a great week!

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Genghis Khan

Genghis Khan (1206-1227) was a great Mongol warrior. He was a founder of Mongol empire by uniting the northeast Asian tribes. He was originally called as “Temujin” but after founding the Mongol empire he announce himself as “Genghis Khan”. 

He captured most of the Eurasia and invaded various Kara-Khitan Khanate, Caucasus, Khwarezmid Empire, Western Xia and Jin dynasties, few parts in Middle East Asia, Russia and Eastern Europe.  Before his death he captured sub continent of central Asia and china.

Genghis Khan is still famous for mass massacres. During his invasion in Khwarezmia he killed almost all the civilians in the nation. Mongol empires killed 40 million innocent people during their invasions. "Genghis Khan" the name which always gives a fearsome look in history.

Modern Mongolians are celebrating him as a founder and father of Mongolia. 

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Riding the Rails: Berlin to Prague

Riding the rails along the Elbe River in the Free State of Saxony, Germany.

July 19, 2011 -- After visiting Berlin this summer, the next destination on my rail journey around Europe was Prague. I rode the EuroCity 171 Hungaria train from Berlin Central Train Station (Hauptbahnhof) to Prague Main Railway Station (Praha hlavni nadrazi). We traveled through the spectacular Saxony countryside along the Elbe River (Labe in Czech) and Bohemia in the Czech Republic.

The train was an older model and the Czech Republic isn't set up for high-speed rail yet so it didn't go as fast as most trains traveling through Western European nations. Czechoslovakia dissolved into the Czech Republic and Slovakia rather recently on January 1, 1993 following two uprisings against the communist regime -- the Prague Spring of 1968 and the 1989 Velvet Revolution.  There are plans to construct a high-speed rail network in the Czech Republic, although operation isn't expected until at least 2020.

Prague Main Railway Station and train I took from Berlin -- EuroCity 171 Hungaria, whose final destination is Budapest, Hungary.

But traveling at slower speeds was actually preferable because it offered more time to enjoy passing the scenic countryside and historic villages, towns and cities in Saxony and Bohemia.

There are four seats to a cabin with a sliding glass door and I had it to myself for most of the trip. There is rolling cart food and beverage service as well.

As en environmental journalist and clean energy blogger, I couldn't stop snapping pictures of the wind turbines in Germany. Every time I looked out the window while traveling through the Saxony countryside I saw enormous wind farms with huge wind turbines.

Not to be outdone, while traveling through the Czech Republic I took this picture of a solar farm. That is a lot of solar panels supplying clean, renewable energy to citizens of the Czech Republic.

Another highlight was passing through Dresden. Almost completely destroyed by an Allied bombing campaign near the end of World War II, the city has been rebuilt since then and is now one of the most important cities in Germany.

Arriving at Dresden's main train station.

We finally arrived in Prague and I set out on exploring the next city on my European rail adventure.

Here is video of the rail trip from Berlin to Prague.



And here are more photos of the rail trip from Berlin to Prague. Click here to see the set on Flickr.

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Finger Picking Guitar - Easy Finger Picking Pattern

Finger picking is one of the most interesting technique used in playing the guitar, it is almost equivalent to playing the piano with all your fingers. More possibilities can be achieved with this style of playing, and it can really highlight the versatile quality of the instrument. In this article, we will be looking at one of the most useful finger picking pattern that can be

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How To Play Bar Chords

Bar chords are a source of stress for beginner guitarists. Learning how to play bar chords is a new skill which requires a whole lot of practice, mostly without any discernible progress. You need to learn to use muscles you never used before and they are going to hurt when you first start out. The question of how to play bar chords without any discomfort is the subject of many questions

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How to Write Song Lyrics

Writing lyrics is something you can learn. All you need to do is learn the basic lyric writing techniques, rhyming techniques and how to create structure. For this I would suggest you to buy music and songs of Steve Conway from http://www.steveconwaymusic.com and I am sure this will help you a lot at various levels while writing lyrics.Self-Check The Music & Decide Your Self How Good's

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Classical Guitar Practice Tips: Avoiding Tension

Classical guitarists, particularly those just beginning their study or those who are working on difficult sections, should try to avoid excessive tension as they play. Tension causes pain, which in turn can cause lack of focus, and ultimately, mistakes. The following list presents the most common tension points for classical guitarists:- Hunching shoulders- Applying excess pressure of

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Classical Guitar Lessons

The classical guitar is a gift to the guitarist who wants to sit down and play a "complete" piece of music - melody, bass and chordal accompaniment on one guitar. Alot like the kind of freedom that piano players have. If you are thinking of taking classical guitar lessons you have a tradition of composers and guitar players who have made full use of the incredible versatility of the guitar. Many

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I'll Drink To That

So I have only heard this song a couple of times, and it is SO stuck in my head! So, Happy Sunday and here it is for your head.
So, like she says: Cheers to the Freakin' Weekend, I'll Drink to That!!

Now, for another episode of Kim Inspired Grab a Beer and Look What I Did Last Week!  I took a little road trip. It's very important to have plenty to eat and drink when you are in the car. (ps I use old cottage cheese containers as Tupperware. Classy, I know)

 This store had a bit of everything. Need a wedding dress? No? How about a Snuggie?

This guy has the right idea.

I went out for Fondue. I love cheese! 

Yum, yum, yum.

 

You may have noticed that I have a tiny pony fetish. It can't be helped. Look how cute they are!Is it just me, or are there a lot of tiny ponies in MO? I don't remember there being this many at home.

OH! There they are, my Tupperware! They even come with labels. Notice the one on the left. Be good or I will put you in there too!

I went Thrift Store Shopping! Yay. And they had everything but the kitchen sink. 

Oh wait, there it is!

 Instead of the sink, I bought all three sweaters, a pair of jeans, some books and three long sleeved shirts and a jacket.I didn't pack for cooler weather apparently. Obviously I didn't have enough books before.

Stephany, if you are reading this: I lied. I do go shopping more than once a year. Sorry.

In total (3 sweaters, 1 jacket, 1 pair of jeans, 3 long sleeves and a "few" books) = $25.

 

 

On 9.11, my uncle and my cousin, who are Firefighters, were in the pregame ceremony at AT&T park in San Francisco. They are my heros. Plus they are Giant's fans. 

(Did you read THIS POST? The Uncle below was the one that took me to my first game!)

(I did not take this photo. I am not sure where it came from. I think it's a freeze frame from a TV station)

The Fair is in town! Below is my running trail, plus, if you look closely, in the background is the fairgrounds (and my favorite ride!) I can't wait to eat some fried butter! (<-- seriously, click on this if you want to have a heart attack).

Just kidding. But I think a funnel cake may be necessary for my pre-race carb loading. Right?
 

 I sent some books to someone. I was trying to recycle an envelope and all I had was scotch tape, so this is what it ended up as. My Mom would scorn me. Don't I know how to properly wrap a package? Don't I have a few dollars to spend on proper tape? 

Apparently not. 

Sorry Ma.

We had a huge storm which darkened the sky and sent the rabbits scurrying. This photo was taken around 4 o'clock. It looks like 7 o'clock, right? The good thing is that it was about 95 that day and the next day, it was in the 60s! Sweet!

 And then I rode off into the sunset on my trusty steed.

How was your week? Have you ever eaten deep fried butter? (or been to see the butter cow at the Iowa State Fair?)Do you like Thrift Store Shopping? Or Rihanna?

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