Vodka and Soda

lose weight ... and keep it off

 

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i know you all are probably so sick of all my recent posts about exercise and weight loss... yet here's another one.  can you tell i'm obsessed?  but this time it's for YOU in case some of you are looking at making a change in your life.  i wanted to post some of my learnings since in my old age, my body doesn't perform like it used to and this weight loss thing has been a challenge for me.  you're welcome.

after reading a few forums, i noticed that there aren't many people who are aware of how to properly lose weight and keep it off.  it seems that everyone's talking about dropping weight fast; that a quick fix is what people are looking for.  what they seem to forget is that weight loss is a slow process, takes effort and is a lifestyle change.

you have to want it.  i've been in this position before; i try and stop, try and stop... you can even see it in my previous posts within this blog.  in the past, i've tried to get on the weight loss bandwagon and although i thought i could do it, i really wasn't into it.  you know how it is... you think oh, i really should get back  into shape and you put in somewhat of an attempt but there's not much gusto behind your actions.  your determination to stick with something is directly proportionate to your desire for something - when you want something bad enough, you'll do what you need to do to get it.  when i saw that picture of me that spawned OAL, that was enough for me to want this bad enough and stick to it.

there's no such thing as 'fast weight loss'.  even with the most intense interval training, it takes a good 2 to 3 (long) months of fucking hard work and dedication which includes a very precise and regimented nutrition plan.  fad diets and diet pills only set you up for failure because although you may drop some weight quickly, you haven't learned the respect of how hard weight loss is; you haven't made a lifestyle change therefore keeping the weight off is difficult.  when you stop taking those pills or stop that fad diet, your lifestyle largely remains the same and the weight will come back, often double the amount. 

you didn't put the weight on overnight, therefore don't expect to lose the weight overnight.  one of the more common reasons why people give up is because they want results NOW!  setting realistic expectations for yourself and your goals are tantamount to sticking it out for the long haul.  don't expect to see significant results in 3 weeks but more like the 7th or 8th week (depending on your diet and exercise level).  just make sure that you are doing an exercise that you enjoy!  a healthy lifestyle should be something enjoyable, not a chore.

it's a lifestyle change and change takes time.  when you start doing something - especially when it's somethng you don't want to do (like exercise) - it initially will feel like an "effort".  this is because it's different from your current routine and requires you do expend energy on something that you normally don't do.  this is why many will lose steam within the first few weeks but did you know that humans take on average 4 weeks to form a habit?  this means if you do something every day (or nearly every day) consistently for at least 3-4 weeks, it'll no longer feel like an effort but something you'll do because it'll be part of your routine; working out and eating right has now become a habit.  and this, my friends, is how you keep the weight off:  your (new) lifestyle that includes proper nutrition and exercise on a regular basis and is just something you just get up and do will keep you trim and fit. 

change the way you look at food.  many people have a food-to-emotion assocation.  when they feel a certain way - sad, depressed etc - they turn to food for comfort.  if you learn to change your views about food and think of it it as 'fuel' instead of an escape, you can break the association of comfort eating and turn your attention to better ways of dealing with sticky situations (i know this is easier said than done).

the scale is deceiving.  i've only stepped on the scale a handful of time since i started OAL.  it's always been drilled into our heads that our weight should be our focus when in reality, there are too many variances with the scale.  where you are in your cycle, what you ate, water weight, even your own body type are all variances that can throw off the numbers.  the most accurate way to gauge your progress is by taking measurements on a monthly basis.  for example, i've been at this for over 7 months.  i never cheat with my diet, i workout like a motherfucker but when i stepped the scale last week (just for kicks), i discovered that i only lost six pounds since i started.  SIX FUCKING POUNDS IN 7 MONTHS; talk about what the fuck.   if that's not deflating, i don't know what is.  however, i'm losing inches and my body is changing.  if i were to go bywhat the scale said, i would shoot myself in the head and give up.  

you can't exercise your way out of a shitty diet.  weight loss is approximately 80% diet and 20% exercise.  if you eat garbage and work out, you're not doing much but wasting your time.  even if you don't work out and modify your diet, you can lose weight as long as you understand your daily weight loss caloric intake.

Becoming self-employed

In 2002, I was stuck in a career that I was no longer excited about and the company was going down the toilet.  I had graduated from college, landed a great job with said company and worked for a great director but the dot com crash and horrible mis-management led the company astray.  Said mis-management fired all the good directors, leaving the crappy ones behind and they began hemorrhaging money and resources.   My resume landed in a big Canadian telecommunications company - thanks to a friend - and within a few weeks, I was hired.  The glitch was that they weren't hiring full-time resources but contractors. 

At the time, I thought contracting was too unstable however over time, I realized the benefits of being a free-lance consultant.  Being self-employed needs some time getting used to; you don't have certain benefits as you would if you were full time and there's a lot of (annoying) paper work that has to be done on a monthly basis.  On the flip side, the pay is fantastic, you get to write off a bunch of stuff and if you have a smart, creative accountant, there's definitely money to be made.  

Benefits vs compensation

Sure it sucks not having any benefits.  This means that you may have to pay for things such as medication, massages, vision, dental etc full price and out of pocket.  However, your hourly rate can off-set that.  As a consultant, you write your own ticket and can negotiate the hourly rate that you wish to take home.   Some companies will force you to go through a preferred vendor which means they take a percentage of your wage but that can be negotiated as well.  Most vendors will charge the company an amount on top of what they pay you.  Oh did I  mention that you charge what you work?  So while other full time staff only get paid for 8hrs/day even if they end up working 11 or 12hrs, consultants get paid for the full amount of hours they work. 

If you can piggyback off of your spouse's benefits, becoming a consultant is definitely more appealing.

Incorporated vs Sole Proprietor

If you make over $80K per year, it's best to get incorporated because the tax benefits will work in your favor (read: you pay less income taxes).  The paper work will cost you a pretty penny (around $1200) but it's a one-time fee and many CPA or CGAs will do all the paper work for you and all you have to do is sign the documents.  As a corporation, you are the signing officer of your company and also an employee.  This means that while you are the person who signs the cheques for payments, bills etc, you also pay yourself a "salary" from which you withdraw on a semi-montly basis from your business bank account.  Many employees withdraw a salary of around $30K per year to minimize income taxes and leave the bulk of their money in the business; withdrawing most of the payments from the business.  The Tax Man will tax your corporation based on the full amount you make on an annual basis but your personal taxes will be based on your $30K per year salary.  

When you become incorporated, you register for a business number, name and GST number (for Canadians).

As a sole proprietor, all of the money you make is in your (personal) name and bank account therefore, the Tax Man will tax you on the full salary as personal taxes.  When you are a sole proprietor, you register for a business name and number but not for a GST number.

What you can write off

Basically anything that pertains to your business.  If you're a graphic artist, you can write off big items such as computer, software or hardware.  If you're a interior designer, you can pretty much write off your entire house and furniture if that is your 'showroom'. 

I'm an I.T. consultant and I sometimes work from home so I can write off things such as gas, all meals, a percentage of my mortgage, my computer, any software that I need to do my work, my cell phone, toll bills, car lease payments, car insurance, medical expenses, accounting expenses, books as it relates to my job, mileage if I have to go to a meeting off-site, travel if my work requires me to do so etc. 

What you need to track

I'll tell you, the paper work is tiresome.  You will need a file cabinet and many many file folders.  It's annoying but a necessity.  You have to track every single receipt, credit card statement, bank statement and any government notice, assessment, bill etc.  Basically, everything that you spend and every (government) statement you receive has to be kept, collected and then turned over to your accountant before your year end.  

Managing your money

Getting a fat cheque is great but managing the money can be hard, not to mention tempting.  I advise you to separate your bank accounts so that you have your personal account and a business account.  Also get a separate credit card so that expenses can easily be tracked.  Open a separate high interest business savings account that is linked to your business chequing account so that you can easily transfer the bulk of your money on a regular basis.  Ing Direct is a good example and they offer higher interest rates than the large banks (usually about 1% more).  Stay away from your business savings account - let the money accumulate and grow because you never know when you may need it (the Tax Man always has a way of getting you when you least expect it).

Scrutinize every payment that goes out of your business bank account and be wise on how you spend.  While you may feel like you're living large, remember that the Tax Man will always try to stick it to you at the end of your tax year so be careful, be honest in how you spend and let your accountants handle the creative tax navigation. 

Make sure you get a legit accountant who is also flexible enough to know what rules can be bent and what rules not to mess with.  The last thing you want is to get audited because the Tax Man doesn't easily forget. 

Getting the job you want

Since high school, I've had about 4 jobs, 2 careers and a handful of interviews.  I don't count the jobs in high school (retail and food) and the jobs during university were just to make some party pocket money and save for the following school year so really, I guess you can say that I've had 3 jobs and 2 career moves since graduating from school.

In this time, I've revised and updated my resume countless of times.  Prior to becoming self-employed, I had to make sure that I aced every interview to beat the competition vying for the position I wanted. For the most part, when I put my mind to something I usually get what I want.  Not because I'm awesome (well, that goes without saying), but because I work hard to get it, I plan and prepare for every possible scenario, I'm relentless, creative and fair which means that I get what I want without stepping on other people's toes.  I don't recall not getting a job that I wanted so dear readers, I'll share with you my butt-kicking interview tips:

Research

• Track the company of interest for several months. Watch for trends, turn-over, scandals or anything that may derail your career in the future. If you sense that the company isn't doing so well financially or are in the midst of some sort of scandal, perhaps it might be wise to keep on looking. If you see the company growing in sales, revenue, technology, acquisitions etc, keep watching and keep an eye on their website or job sites to see if there are any openings.
• Networking and keeping your ear to the ground for potential jobs are great ways to get information.
• Try and get the contact information for the hiring resource or hiring manager/director
• If the hiring manager or director has an assistant, try and get his/her contact information as well.  The assistant is the front line for all resumes

Your Resume

• Nothing gets to the bottom of a pile faster than a long, drawn out (and boring) resume.  Employers don't want to read about jobs that you had in high school or that you were captain of the debate team or that you made Varsity football.  They don't care that you were employee of the month at Burgers 'n' Things.  What they care about is your relevant work experience, skill set and how you can apply these skills to the desired position.  Hobbies and interests aren't much value to employers either; those are topics for the interview if the interview is fairly informal.
• Most resumes don't require 4 pages of previous work experience.  Many employers won't have time to read it anyway.  What you should do is try and narrow it down to 1 or 2 pages at the most, with your most recent position displayed first and foremost along with your top accomplishments.  Not every single accomplishment but your top and most relevant accomplishments. 
• Be creative!  Many employers 'scan' resumes and if things jump out of the page, they will pause to read more.  I'm not saying use visuals or images to capture your audience but using certain words or phrases or even the formatting of your resume (tasteful, industry-relevant formatting please) can help pique interest. 
• Round out your resume with a solid listing of your relevant skills as it pertains to the job.  If you're applying for an IT developer position, I highly doubt they would care that you have your PMP or that you're certified in early childhood care education.  It's always good to list out the software and applications for which you have strong working knowledge. 

Plan and Prepare

• Always plan for all possible scenarios such as being interviewed by a panel.  The last thing you want is to be caught off-guard
• Familiarize yourself with the company history, executive team, company strategies and corporate thrusts, goals and current published trends and financials.  This will give you the advantage to engage your interviewers about topics that are of interest
• Know the answers to all questions that you think may be asked.  Standard interview questions can be googled but also think about questions they may ask that are relevant to your field.  Well thought-out answers will work to your advantage
• Prepare your questions based on the homework you did about the position, the company and the industry.  Remember:  you are also interviewing the company to see if it's a good fit for you

Practice

• It sounds silly but it's always wise to practice for the interview.  While you don't want to come off as 'staged' you also don't want to come off as unprepared either
• Be your own sounding board - do a dry run in front of a mirror and state your answers as though you were being asked by the interviewer.  This will allow you to identify any grammatical errors and gauge how intelligent your answers are

Go for it

• When you meet your interviewer, look him/her in the eye and give a firm handshake
• Smile!  Interviewers want to see how personable you are
• Be confident in your abilities and skills.  If you carry yourself well, others will pick up on it
• Speak with conviction and watch the inflection in your voice. You don't want your statements to seem like questions; that not only confuses the interviewer but it also makes you seem like you're uncertain of your own answers
• Be outgoing (but not obnoxious).  If you know you're an awesome person, let them see it.  You want to show that you have some 'spunk' in your personality - the more personable and likable you are, the better your chances of landing the job.  Interviewers want to know that they're hiring someone who will fit and can easily integrate into the team
• Make eye contact with everyone in the room while speaking and or listening
• Use positive body language.  Turn your body towards the person who is speaking so that they know you are tuned in and listening to what they are saying/asking
• Relax!  It may be nerve-racking but others can feel the tension rolling off you if you're too anxious (it'll also help you think more clearly)

Interview faux-pas

• Don't be presumptuous.  Even if you're completely suited for the job and your resume and interview skills kick butt, don't assume that you got the job.  No one likes an arrogant person and even if you were qualified, chances are that the employer will overlook you because you stuck your foot in your mouth!
• Don't demand a salary.  If you don't like what you hear the first time around when it comes to compensation, remember that there's always time for negotiations.  The interview is not for haggling your desired salary and besides, there's a pretty good chance that the interviewer isn't the one who approves your salary (unless you're being interviewed directly by the CEO, CFO or other executive) and even if he/she was, it's still unprofessional to begin negotiations without an offer
• Don't go to an interview empty-handed.  Make sure you have done your homework and have some questions to ask.  Whenever I've interviewed someone and they don't have any questions, it seems as though they weren't fully prepared, not really interested or too lazy to make and effort to do some research
• Don't have a flimsy handshake.  That just feels weird

Favorite recipes #1: Spaghetti with meat sauce

I'm lucky that my mom lives with us and she does most of the cooking so when I get home from work, dinner is usually ready.  However, we always encourage her to not bother cooking and we'll order out instead or if I feel creative, I'll cook.  I am not the best cook but I do have some signature dishes.  One of them Kayla loves and I will share it with you.

It's a simple dish:  spaghetti with meat sauce. 

Unfortunately, I don't have a picture but the next time I make it, I'll update this post. Another unfortunate thing?  I don't really use measurements when I cook - I just go by smell or taste or what I think would work.  Once I master a recipe, I tend to put it away and start using other ingredients to improve it.  

Ingredients:

• 1lb extra lean ground beef (you can also use chicken or turkey breast)
• 1 jar spaghetti sauce (you can make it but I'm not that good).  I tend to avoid the mass-marketed kind (Ragu, Prego etc) because of the high salt content and go for the homemade jarred sauces sold in small mom and pop shops or specialty grocery stores.  It's more expensive but tastes way better
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• mushrooms, chopped
• Ramano cheese - you can use freshly grated or the one that comes pre-grated from Tre Stelle
• Pasta - can be anything.  Kayla likes macaroni or the mini shells.  She's not a fan of the whole wheat pasta - too grainy
• salt and pepper
• dried oregano
• dried basil
• white sugar

Instructions

• boil pasta in salted water, drain and set aside
• while pasta is boiling, cook onions over medium heat until tender
• when onions are tender, toss in half of the garlic and cook for about 2mins
• add meat and cook until no longer pink
• when meat is almost done, add in the rest of the garlic, salt and pepper.  Stir to mix
• when meat is cooked, drain and set back on stove on low heat
• add the sauce, mushrooms and mix
• add a pinch of salt, a bit more pepper, about 1/2 tsp oregano and 1/2tsp of basil.  This is when I usually taste it to see if it needs more seasoning so season to taste
• Add sugar; season to taste.  Don't add too much though - I usually just add maybe 1/4 - 1/2 tsp at the most
• Add the romano cheese into the sauce and mix well.  Add more cheese to taste (I tend to dump a lot into the sauce because I love cheese).  You can also use parmesan or mozzarella cheese but I like romano because it's sharper
• Simmer on low for about 30-45mins

Enjoy!

Product Review: Hydrasense Nasal Aspirator

I’ve been on a product review kick for some time now because Kayla is sick.  This is probably the 5th or 6th time she’s gotten sick since she started daycare in October 2009.  Look for more product review posts in the coming days because I’ve got a lot of them scheduled to be posted almost every day.

When your baby has a cold, you feel so bad for her and will do anything or buy anything that you heard or think will work.  One of my main concerns is giving Kayla some relief with nasal congestion and in a previous product review, I raved about the Arianna Babyvac and how amazing it is.  However, considering you need the attach it to your vacuum, I needed something quieter that would work almost as well if I ever had to suction Kayla’s nose at night.

This is when I began my hunt for the best manual nasal aspirator.  I’ve tried those silly bulb aspirators and found them to be completely useless at removing anything substantial from Kayla’s nose.  As I was in Walmart stocking up on Hydrasense, I saw that they made their own nasal aspirator so given the fact that I swear by Hydrasense to flush out Kayla’s nose, I picked it up without even bothering to read how it works.  I didn’t see a bulb attached to the end and immediately assumed that it is a good product.  It’s amazing how, once a brand wins over the consumer’s trust, they keep coming back without even doing a little research on a new product they put out.

How it works:

1. After cleaning the aspirator prior to use, open the bulbous end and insert 1 filter
2. I recommend using Hydrasense Ultra Gentle Mist first to liquify the mucus before using the aspirator
3. Lay baby flat on her back and gently insert the tip into baby’s nose, making sure to create a seal
4. Inhale using the mouthpiece to gently draw out the mucus.  The mouthpiece allows you to control the suction power.  The mucus is collected in the bulb chamber and mucus cannot pass through it.
5. Gently rotate the tip in baby’s nose to ensure drainage of mucus
6. When finished, unscrew, remove the filter and discard.  Rinse with hot water and let dry

My experience

For a manual aspirator, it’s a good one.  I had to use it last night and I managed to get a good chunk of mucus out of her nose.  I like the fact that the collection chamber is clear so you can see how much mucus is coming out and I like the fact that it’s simple to use.  Cleaning it is really easy – you just unscrew the bulb, throw away the filter and rinse it out.  It’s important to make sure you get the angle right when you insert the tip – I find that if you insert it slightly tipped towards the outer nostril, you get a better chance at sucking out the mucus and when I do get the angle right, I can get a good amount of booger out from her nose.  I also like the fact that you can control the suction with your mouth so if you see your baby starting to squirm, you can reduce the suction.  Wiggle the tip gently in baby’s nose while sucking to really get the mucus out.

At first, it was a bit hard to ensure that you screwed the bulb together because if you wiggled it, it would come apart.  I guess the point is to make it easy for you to be able to unscrew it so once I had a good fit, I was good to go.

The only thing I would change is the mouth-piece part – I think it should be just a little bigger because sometimes it slips out from my mouth if Kayla is wiggling around.  Other than that, it’s a very good product.  Also, I can’t seem to find the replacement filters.  I haven’t seen them at Walmart or the local drug store so either they’re on back-order because it’s a popular product or they didn’t order it.  I will be sure to ask the pharmacist next time I go.   I also haven’t tried using it without the filter because I don’t want any mucus in my mouth!

Overall, I rate this product a 8.5/10.  I do feel that it’s the best manual aspirator on the market considering that most of the manual aspirators I’ve seen are those stupid bulb ones.

Product rating:  8/10

Product Review: Arianna BabyVac

I’ve written about this product before in my post about caring for your sick baby but I thought I’d do an actual product review since not many people (at least the people that I know) are aware of this product..

 The Arianna BabyVac is by far, one of the best products in the market.  I discovered this through some friends during a playdate and one of the babies was sick.  At the time, Kayla had never been sick so I was weary about letting her play with the little boy but I was asking questions about how I would go about clearing Kayla’s nose if she were to ever get sick.  Well doesn’t my friend whip out this strange contraption you see here.  I was surprised she had it with her but she never leaves home without it.  Where she would plug it in other than Sears, The Bay or at a hospital, I have no idea but she alwys has it in her baby bag.

This my friend, is a must-have addition to your medicine cabinet.  Let me explain how it works.