Spicy Food Yay or Nay?

On Wednesday, January 26, 2011, I Kevin Michael Vu had underwent one of the most excruciating 15 minutes of my life.  For a fundraiser my fraternity had come up with the genius idea to undergo the 911 Hellsfire challenge at Santa Clara's local chicken wing restautant Smoke Eaters.
We had 10 minutes to eat 12 wings filled with Hellsfire sauce.  Which sauce is made of Habinero peppers and an artificial spice.  Yes, artificial, the sauce is so spicy that spices within it could not be found in nature.
Then after the 10 minutes were over, if that was not bad enough we have to lick out hands clean and sit for five minutes with no drinks, no napkins, just pain.
And out of the six brothers that underwent this challenge, I was the only one to complete it!
So in honer of the challenge I have decided to dedicate this week to spicy foods.
Some say that spicy food boosts and lowers your metabolism. In the article provided you will learn about the pros and cons about spices.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Weight-Loss-With-Spicy-Food---Can-You-Boost-Metabolism-With-Spicy-Foods&id=786478

De-stress with Guided Meditation

I am not an expert when it comes to meditation. I have no training or experience, and my mind is constantly jumping around from topic to topic, especially when I am busy and stressed. Luckily, with guided meditation you don't have to be a meditation master to feel its benefits. Health psychology research has shown that meditation can benefit your body in incredible ways. Personally, I use it to relax and refocus when I'm feeling stressed or overwhelmed. However, studies have shown that the effects meditation has on your brain are translated to your whole body even to the point of delaying effects of terminal illness such as AIDS and cancer. If meditation can help fight something as strong as these illnesses, imagine what it can do in your daily life. Hope you enjoy and feel free to post any of your favorite meditation or relaxation techniques in the comment box!

Stress Relief Guided Meditation - These bloopers are hilarious

3 Day Clense

So there's nothing like a good way to start a diet or workout plan with a fully body cleanse of the system.  I did it at the start of this new year to get rid of all the holiday pounds I had gained, and if you are looking to go out and clean your body of all the bad food that you have been eating this would be a great way to start.

Duration: 3 Days

Cycle: Repeat Every Day

Diet:
3 Protein Shakes (of your choice)
2 Cups of Juice (non processed juice, make sure to get freshly squeezed juice, or V8 fusion natural juice)
2 Cups of Green Tea
1 Salad
1 Piece of Fruit

Pros:
1. You clean your body of all the bad food and debris that is currently in your system and you feel clean.
2. You lose a good amount of weight. Withing the three days that I had done it I had lost 10 pounds and I felt great after.

Cons:
1. Obviously there are not alot of calories consumed in this diet.  But it is only for a short amount of time of 3 days, and if you have the willpower it can be very easy
2. You cannot workout during these three days because your body does not have enough calories to burn to workout.  During the three days that I underwent this diet, the only time I felt bad was after I had ran 3 miles.

There are pros and cons to every diet, but this is a great way to start off a diet or workout plan, just to clean your system before you get your feet of the ground.  Remember not to go back to eating a  regular diet of 3000 calories a day after this diet, because you can gain the weight back very easily within 2 weeks.  But if you ease your way in, the three days are well worth it.

Snack Smart for Midterms

If you're a procrastinator like me, you're no stranger to the last minute cramming sessions that occur before midterms. Do any of these products ring a bell? Coffee. Energy drinks. Ice cream. Chips. If so, you should think about trading in your study snacks for something that helps fuel your brain functioning (not to mention your whole body) more effectively than these shortcuts. Coffee, energy drinks, and carbs like potato chips may give you a quick burst of energy but then they can leave you tired, jittery, and nervous -- which doesn't sound like the best state to find yourself in at the library. Check out the link below to find some alternative study snacks that are loaded with "brain food" and look pretty delicious too.
http://www.eduinreview.com/blog/2010/12/the-best-study-snacks-for-finals-week/

Before We Start

Now before we start I have to tell you a little about myself.  Ever since my mother gave me a spoonfull of Gerber baby chow I remember that I've always loved food.  There's nothing that makes me happier than a great meal, from an exquisite meal at a five star restaurant to a simple hot dog, if it tastes good it will make me happy.

Now this is not a problem, but the problem with it is that I have also always had an issue with weight management.  When I was a child child I always was the last kid at the dinner table, and I was always chubby.  Carrying on into my high school years I almost reached the point of being obese, reaching a point of being 240 pounds at 5 foot 10 inches.  However, there was a point in my life, when I put my hand down and had to do something about it. 

When my college career started I started dieting, but it wasn't until after my freshman year that I started really getting into fitness.  Over the summer my roommate, Jacob Sandoval, and I started undergoing a extreme workout plan and diet that would transform my body completely.  I will go into detail about these diets and workout plans later.  But the bottom line is that I started the summer of at a hefty 210 pounds and ended it at 180.

There are many strategies that many people say they have, and there are some.  But I believe that the true skill in dieting and fitness is will power and consistency.  You just want to want it.  So other than that I will tell you guys about my experience on my diet, and in later days I may undergo new ones.

Fruit of the Loom

If you've ever seen a fruit of the loom commercial, you know the apple always steals the show. Apples are both delicious and nutritious but don't let the name of this blog fool you. I'm ready to shift the focus to one of my favorite fruits, BLUEBERRIES.



Womenfitness.net recently published an article describing the top health benefits of blueberries and I thought I'd pass the information along.

(1) Blueberries have the highest antioxidant capacity of all fruits. These antioxidants help boost the immune system and help fight against infection.

(2) Antioxidants neutralize free radicals and fight against aging

(3) New research shows the fruit may help reduce belly fat and also reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease

(4) They help promote urinary tract health. They have antibiotic properties which can help the body overcome these infections

(5) They are proven to preserve vision. Research has shown blueberries to prevent or delay ocular problems due to aging.

(6) Blueberries are found to impact brain health. They have been shown to not only prevent, but heal neurotic disorders such as schizophrenia. Plus they prevent degeneration and death of neurons and heal damaged neurons which contributes to higher memory function, learning capacity, and motor function.

(7) Its nutrients help prevent and cure heart disease with its high fiber content and antioxidants which help absorb bad cholesterol

(8) Eating a substantial amount can help with digestion and constipation.

(9) They contain nutrients that help prevent and cure cancer

(10) They also serve as natural anti-depressants

New Journey

Hello all followers, my name is Kevin Vu, and I am a Sophomore at Santa Clara.  Over the summer I lost 30 pounds and became really interested in fitness and health, and I am hoping to share all the knowledge I have learned with you guys.

I've done new work out plans such as Insanity and P90X, I will write reviews about them.  I will also undergo new diet routines and tell you guys how I do.  Eery diet there are struggle to go through whether from mental or to physical struggles.  I will also be here to give you any advice and show you that any one could lose weight if they put the effort in.

I hope to embark on this adventure with you guys, and hope you have a good time.

An Apple A Day

Hello all followers, my name is Kevin Vu, and I am a Sophomore at Santa Clara.  Over the summer I lost 30 pounds and became really interested in fitness and health, and I am hoping to share all the knowledge I have learned with you guys.
I've done new work out plans such as Insanity and P90X, I will write reviews about them.  I will also undergo new diet routines and tell you guys how I do.  Eery diet there are struggle to go through whether from mental or to physical struggles.  I will also be here to give you any advice and show you that any one could lose weight if they put the effort in.
I hope to embark on this adventure with you guys, and hope you have a good time.

It's the weekend, so raise your glass!?

I find it quite ironic that the day I decide to make a blog about healthy living is the day I wake up with the cold that has been slowly taking over the lives of each of my housemates one by one. I will say that even though I have finally become a victim of this nasty bug, I was the last to fall under its sickly spell, so can we at least give me some credit for that? So, here I am, a college senior, just like any other, sick on the first long weekend of the quarter. So while my friends are out at theme parties, taking day trips to the beach, and attending concerts in San Francisco, I'll be taking it easy and bonding with my new friends: tea and netflix. THIS is the reason why I wanted to start this blog. Feeling good is key to enjoying life. And as the sands of my college youth slowly move through the hourglass, I want to do everything I can to enjoy my life to the fullest. So I will raise my glass of potent Emergen-C to days of healthy living, feeling good, and enjoying life!