Ero Park

Why Fad Diet is Not Good for You

2013-04-15T16:33:00.004+08:00

Most of us are so busy nowadays that we tend to choose the next shiny object that would accomplish what we want to do at the shortest time possible. We are bargain hunters of things that do not require us longer period to analyze and execute. This is the reason why fast food is such a hit because we can get our daily meal in less than fifteen minutes at a cheap price. What we do not realize though is that the tradeoff is punishing our body with too much fat and sugar.

So what do we do in order to lose our excess weight? We look for a quick solution in fad diets.

Fad diets are notorious for promising an easy to comprehend process of losing weight and results that can be seen in a short time. What could be so complicated with just eating specific types of food that that is required in a fad diet? If you are a person who is always juggling two or more things on a daily basis, this simple method of dieting could attract you.

The buzz on fad diets often masks the reality that losing weight this way is not good for our health. Even though they recommend an exclusive intake of the so-called superfood in the market, we still do not enjoy the benefits of a well-balanced diet.

The advice that the diet plan should only be followed for a limited period of time should alert us that this is a not a sustainable way of eating. It becomes so repetitive and boring that we tend to break free from the diet and follow our cravings. Thus, our weight goes back to where it was before we followed the diet.

Do not fall for the unbelievable claims of fad diets. It is best to look at a long-term solution when losing weight. Exercise and healthy eating are the key elements of a healthy lifestyle.

StartUpLift- Review a website or application and get paid for it!

2011-10-10T17:52:00.001+08:00

A friend of mine informed me about this site, StartUpLift, which can send you a request to review a client's website or an application and then get paid for it afterwards.

Companies who would like to feature their start up website or new application will offer limited cash rewards to individuals who can submit the most helpful and insightful review of the website or application. If your profile matches the client's request, you will be given the opportunity to work on the request.

The key for your review to be accepted by the client is to honestly visit the website or install the application. Ensure that you are following the detailed instructions of the client before you provide your thorough and complete feedback as a user. I understand that there is no guarantee that you will get the cash award as this will depend on how many reviews are still available to be approved and the quality of your review.

It is a good source of extra cash as StartUpLift pays $5 for each website review and $10 for each application job that has been completed. The payment goes to your Paypal account every Monday.

This is a fun way to learn and earn at the same time.

Chocolate Kiss Cafe Experience

2011-07-18T17:45:00.010+08:00

My nephew saw a previous post in my blog about my Dayap Chiffon Cake craving and he insisted that we go to Chocolate Kiss Cafe on a Friday rather than during the weekend. His Friday class schedule in UP (University of the Philippines) Diliman ends at 2:30PM. I learned that this cafe is known around the campus as 'Chokiss'. This is also his first time to eat at this cafe because their menu prices are out of his student's budget.

So off I went to UP Diliman last Friday (July 1) and met him at ChoKiss.

We first ordered the Dayap Chiffon Cake and the Devil's Food Cake and they were delivered to us in just a few minutes. It greatly helped that we were seated near their cake counter.

The Devil's Food Cake is the one with the deep rich chocolate fudge filling and marshmallow frosting. Sadly, I only tasted a small portion of it because my nephew insisted that he brings it to his pep rally as snack. We savored the Dayap Chiffon Cake instead, I tasted though more the sweetness of the marshmallow frosting rather than the tartness of the dayap.

While we were feasting on the Dayap Chiffon cake, I asked the waiter what is their best selling pasta and he replied back that it is 'Gamberi' (Php248). It is their spaghetti dish with sauteed shrimps, garlic, and olive oil. I saw in their menu that it has the lemon sauce and green chili so I ordered it. I so love spicy food!

My nephew ordered the Kiss Club (Php170) in the above image. It is a 3-in-1 sandwich with chicken asparagus, tuna, and German Frankfurter.

We had to wait for around 30 mins for these 2 orders to arrive at our table. The Gamberi was not that spicy as advertised by their menu, I did not see any green chili. I wondered why it could be a bestseller....

Their meals are just ok, it is a bit expensive for me except for the cakes which are priced well and delicious.

The lasting impression of this cafe is the service of their staff. We went there in the middle of the afternoon (not too many patrons) and the place is not that big at the ground floor of the restaurant but we always need to call the attention of the waiters to refill our glass and follow-up with our orders. Did I already mention that we were seated near their cake counter?

I also asked for hot sauce and it was only delivered at our table to be put in one forkful of spaghetti. As the saying goes, 'better too late than never'.

Given the price of the food and the coziness of the place, we were expecting that the staff would be more proactive in catering to the needs of their customers.

We asked for a takeout of the Devil's Food Cake. Lo and behold, there was no utensil packed with it *sigh*.

Ipod Nano 6G

2011-07-01T00:56:00.005+08:00

I dropped by at the Apple Store last weekend and had the chance to touch and feel the latest Ipod Nano. Its size is just a bit bigger than an Ipod Shuffle.

The big attraction to me of the Ipod Nano 6G is that I can clip it to my shirt sleeve when I am doing the treadmill or transport cardio in the gym while listening to some funky music. I also like its multi-touch capable touchscreen user interface (of course!). It is a love child of the Ipod Touch and Ipod Shuffle.

One major drawback is that given its small size, it no longer plays video. What?!

I am currently using my trusted purple Ipod Nano (5G) in the gym and it is helpful that I can get to watch the mat workout videos of Tracy Anderson (my badass fitness guru) from time to time and replicate her moves.

With no video playing option and no video camera attached, I scrapped my plan of buying a new nano.

Switch2Health - Giving away freebies for being healthy?

2011-06-30T16:39:00.006+08:00

Who wants to be rewarded for being so super healthy? I DO! :)

This is one of the coolest gadgets that I have come across with and it was created by a company in USA called Switch2Health. Cool for me because I am still 30 lbs (*cough*) over my normal weight.

By wearing this wrist device they call 'S2H Replay' and moving your butt, one can earn reward points. You can login to your account at www.s2h.com to enter the Reward Code. The reward points can then be exchanged for different offers from participating retail sponsors that they refer to as 'Reward Partners'.

S2H Replay' generates a Reward Code for each 60 minutes of physical activity. You do not need to do all 60 minutes in one go though (please calm your heart, lol). You can accumulate it via twenty 3-minute segments-- say 15 mins in one day, 30 mins the next, and so on. It can detect moderate to intensive activities that have lots of arm movement (eg, running, dancing, basketball, soccer, tennis, jogging etc). So video game playing is not a lucrative activity here.

Before you can get the freebies from exercising, you need to order the 'S2H Replay' first for $19.95 (plus shipping charge).

I do not think this device is available yet internationally. I hope that a local business here in Manila is inspired by this idea and offers a similar device and perks. It would be a smash hit, both in fashion and health!

Think and Grow Rich - Quotes for Thought and Action

2011-06-29T18:37:00.115+08:00

I have lifted from the book, "Think and Grow Rich", these 10 quotes of Napoleon Hill which touched my heart, caused a shift in my paradigm, and inspired me to persistently pursue my journey to financial success even if it rains.

I am not yet finished reading the entire book but I thought of highlighting these motivational quotes that I have not yet read in other articles or heard before:

Napoleon Hill's Quotes:

1. "Ideas are stillborn and need the breath of life injected into them through the definite plans of immediate action."

2. "Every adversity brings with it the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit."

3. “Most great people have attained their greatest success just one step beyond their greatest failure."

4. "All the breaks you need in life wait is within your imagination. Imagination is the workshop of your mind, capable of turning mind energy into accomplishment and wealth."

5. “Tolerance and an open mind are practical necessities of the dreamer of today.”

6. "Faith is the head chemist of the mind. When faith is blended with the vibration of thought, the subconscious mind instantly picks up the vibration, translates it into its spiritual equivalent, and transmits it to Infinite Intelligence, as in the case of prayer."

7. "The subconscious mind will translate into reality a thought driven by fear just as readily as it will translate into reality a thought driven by courage or faith."

8. "Opportunity has spread its wares before you. Step up to the front, select what you want, create your plan, put the plan into action, and follow through with persistence."

9. "If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way."

10. "Tell the world what you intend to do but first show it."

What are your favorite quotes of Napoleon Hill from this book? Happy reading!

Dayap Chiffon Cake ...

2011-06-29T17:52:00.042+08:00

*With candied dayap rinds

Just merely looking of the Dayap Chiffon Cake of The Chocolate Kiss Cafe is making my mouth water.

I am calling the power of autosuggestion (see my blog’s 2nd post). I am imagining that I am slicing (ok..repeatedly) my fork through its chiffon softness, twirling it between my fingers so that I can get most of the cake's creamy custard filling and marshmallow frosting. Fork in my mouth…sweet… tangy taste of heaven. A contrasting combination that I usually prefer in my cake. Yummmy.

The reality though is that I haven’t been to Chocolate Kiss Café and I haven’t tasted this cake. It is a thing that I desire though. :)

So... what is the plan?

I am going to drag my nephew to UP Diliman this weekend. Yey!

They have another branch in Roces Avenue Quezon City but I would love to go back to my alma mater and have a first bite of this dayap creation. I am super excited!

UP Kiss Café

Ang Bahay ng Alumni

R. Magsaysay Street

University of the Philippines

Diliman, 1101 Quezon City Philippines

http://www.thechocolatekiss.com/menu/cakes.html

The Power of Autosuggestion - is this real?

2011-06-29T05:22:00.033+08:00

*Updated version, 2003

I purchased last week a copy of Napoleon Hill's book, "Think and Grow Rich". This self help book was first published back in 1937 and has sold over 15 million copies worldwide to date. WOW!

I learned that this is a 20-year research task completed by Napoleon Hill upon the idea and encouragement of Andrew Carnegie.

Napoleon interviewed hundreds of well-known men at that time to identify how they have become successful and accumulated their vast fortune. Among these men were Thomas Edison and Henry Ford.

The book that I got is the revised version, added are the success stories of the billionaires/millionaires of the 21st century such as Bill Gates, Steven Spielberg, Mary Kay Ash, etc.

I am still midway in reading this book but I got intrigued already by his six (6) definite steps on how our desire for riches can be transmuted to its financial equivalent and the most common one is.. money.

trans·mute /trænsˈmju:t/ verb
trans·mutes; trans·mut·ed; trans·mut·ing

formal : to completely change the form, appearance, or nature of (someone or something) — usually + into [+ obj]

These six(6) steps can be found in Chapter 2 (Desire) of the book and I have briefly outlined the instructions as follows:

1) Be definite as to the amount of money that you desire.

2) Determine exactly what you intend to give in return for the money you.

3) Establish a definite date when you intend to possess the money you desire.

4) Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire, and begin at once, whether you are ready or not, to put this plan into action.

5) Write out a clear, concise statement of the amount of money you intend to acquire:

name the time limit for its acquisition
state what you intend to give in return for the money
describe clearly the plan through which you intend to accumulate it.

6) Read your written statement aloud, twice daily, once just before retiring at night, and once after arising in the morning. AS YOU READ- see and feel and believe yourself already in possession of the money.

So... where is 'Autosuggestion'?

We are applying the principle of autosuggestion in step#6. We are actually 'deceiving' our subconscious mind when giving it instructions through autosuggestion.

In Napoleon's words,

"To make this 'deceit' more realistic, conduct yourself just as you would, if you were ALREADY IN POSSESSION OF THE MATERIAL THING WHICH YOU ARE DEMANDING, when you call upon your subconscious mind."

When we begin to see our self in possession of our material desire, we are demanding (and expecting) meanwhile our subconscious mind to hand over the plans that we need.

He said that we need to be on the alert for these plans. They may "flash" through our mind through the 'sixth sense' in the form of an "inspiration". Act upon it right away.

Napoleon further emphasized that our subconscious mind will only act on instructions that are:

a) emotionalized and handed over to it with 'feelings'

Faith is the strongest and most productive emotion
Plain words that are void of feelings do not influence

b) presented over and over again through 'repetition'

I have already completed step#1-5. To be honest, I am still hesitating to do #6 because my family might find it weird that I am chanting at night and in the morning. :)

Has anyone recently tried this step consistently? What was your result?

Diving in and sharing

2011-06-29T02:35:00.005+08:00

I have decided today to dive in (BIG splash!) and share my thoughts on things which capture my interest.

My focus at this time of my life is on:

food
health
travel
financial books
internet marketing

So I will give it a go and start rolling..............