On The Couch: Pretty Little Liars

Pretty Little Liars

I am completely obsessed with this show right now (well, that and Private Practice – seriously, that show is getting really good). If you like other crappy-but-oddly-addictive TV – like, say, Hellcats or Vampire Diaries – you'll love this. If you're not already familiar with it, the plot's probably going to sound a little crazy, but basically it's about four girls who used to be best friends before their queen bee Alison was murdered. And now, a year later, they're all getting messages from one mysterious "A" who is threatening to expose all their secrets. Juicy, right?

Okay, so it's not like smart television, but once you watch a few episodes, you'll be hooked. It's become crazy popular in the States and already been comissioned for a second season. So if you don't want to be the last one catching on (that's never fun) or you've just got nothing better to do with your Tuesday nights (shame on you), check it out tonight on GO! at 8:30pm... And it doesn't even fight in the same time slot as The Biggest Loser so you can watch both. Um, awesome.

The Book Everyone's Talking About Right Now.

$29.95 from Dymocks.

When I read this, I had no real intention of cutting sugar out of my diet. The truth is, I'd just read a lot of hype about this book and I hate feeling like I'm being left behind. So I read it.

David's basic idea is that it's the sugar in the food we eat that's making us fat. Not the actual fat. The badie in this story is fructose. It's something we're eating more of now than ever before and it's not something our bodies really know what to do with. They can recognise fat, turn it into energy and tell us when we've had enough. But fructose? It bypasses the controls. Our bodies don't recognise it coming in and it's turned straight into fatty acid without us even registering that we're full. So naturally, we eat more. It's a vicious cycle.

David lost 40kg by giving up sugar entirely, and he encourages others to do the same. Go cold turkey. Sure, there'll be side affects – there are with any addiction – but in the long run, he reckons you won't miss it.

I'm not sure I'm ready to give up everything sweet – I'm not sure I'm sold on the idea that you have to. (I've always been more of an everything-in-moderation kind of girl.) But David's book has encouraged me to look at just how much sugar is in some of the "healthy" things I eat. And it's shocking. Can you believe there is the same amount of sugar in one of those small packets of sultanas that is in a kilo of grapes? And over seven teaspoons of sugar in a glass of freshly squeezed apple juice? Me neither.

If you are keen to find out more, check out David's website or Sarah Wilson did a good interview with the man himself, where he gives a lot of really practical tips about how you can say au revoir to sugar.

Ever Had Dinner With Someone On A Diet?

Come dine with me Nigella!

It's not fun. I recently stumbled across this quote from dietician Trudy Williams on one of my favourite blogs:

"Fanatically healthy eating habits are also incompatible with a healthy social life. You’ve got to weigh that up, not just the nutritional impact."

Well said, Trudy. Because nothing (and I really do mean nothing) ruins a delicious bowl of spaghetti carbonara quite like the judgmental eyes of someone on a health kick. I can hear it now, all innocent and unassuming, "Oh, I wish I could eat a huge serve of carbs like that, but I just could never stomach all that creamy sauce..." And just like that, it's over. Ruined.

I reckon Tiffiny from The Biggest Loser would a bit like that. Sure she might have abs of steel, but if you couldn't take her to the pub and eat a chicken parmigana in front of her... well, where's the fun in that?

Time For Some New Treads.

Lace 'em up!

 

Running shoes don't come with a clear expiry date on the box. And depending on how much (or how little) you use them, it can be hard to know just when you're due for a new pair. But according to this article... 

 

"As a general rule, the life of a running shoe is 300 to 500 miles, [podiatrist Paul Langer] said, though it varies with your body weight, gait and surface on which you run. Following that rule, someone who runs six kilometers, four times a week should consider replacing shoes after about six months, while a more casual athlete could wait a year. 

 

One way to check if running shoes need to be replaced is to look at the midsole, which is the foam part of the shoe between the outer sole (the bottom of the shoe, where the treads are) and the upper (the top of the shoe, where the laces are). When it starts to wrinkle deeply, the shoe is losing its cushioning and getting worn out. The  midsole warps with heat, sun exposure and moisture, so if you run somewhere damp, it breaks down faster."

 

As for me, I'm definitely itching for an upgrade. So, who's giving me a ride to Athlete's Foot?

Fancy a little GTL?

Skinnyhound

There's much to admire about the boys from Jersey Shore... Their fine fist-pumping skills, their ability to diffuse a grenade, and have you seen what Pauly D can do with eight bottles of hair gel? Wow.

And you've gotta give MVP credit for their commitment to the gym – it's something we can all take a cue from. But after you've pumped some iron and paid the dry cleaners a visit, please skip the solarium.

Bust A New Move.

Body & Soul

It could be my mild case of OCD, but I love routine. To the point where I eat the same thing for morning tea at the exact same time every day. (What, like other people don't do that too?) But the problem with routine in the gym is that it's easy to get in a rut and that's where I've found myself lately. Every day I run, lift weights, stretch and get ready for work. I think it's safe to say that when I wake up at 5:20am, there are no real surprises in store for my body. It's very familiar with the drill.

But anyone will tell you, it's good to mix up. Work different muscles. Push yourself. So that's what I'm trying to do. I'm shaking up my training – running outside, doing sprint intervals on the treadmill, mixing it up with yoga and pilates and adding some new moves to my weight training.

This week, I tried these nifty back exercises I found in Body & Soul. My favourite? The core climbers. Simply assume a push-up position with your hands on a bench, feet shoulder-width apart, chest over your hands and gaze in front of your hands. Brace your abs, raise one foot and bring the knee in towards your chest without moving your hips and torso. Move it back without touching your foot down. Do all reps on one leg before switching.

Oh, and prepare to hurt like hell the next day.

Gwyneth: Love Her On Glee. Love Her In The Kitchen.

I got a sneaky peek at Gwyneth Paltrow's new cookbook this week and it looks delightful. I've always been suspicious of Gwyneth as a foodie – remember that whole macrobiotic diet thing? – but her recipes on Goop are actually quite good (even if you do have to google some of the ingredients like "arugula" to find out the less schmancy term is "rocket"). So I thought I'd share one of my favourites here...

Chicken Salad
"I like this a lot better than the standard deli chicken salad (which does have an appeal of its own). I added peppery arugula, apple and walnuts to the chicken-mayo-celery combo and finished it off with a squeeze of lime for some zing. I love this as an open-faced sandwich on grilled sourdough."

• 2 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken (poached or roasted is good, incidentally this is great recipe for leftovers)
• 1 large stalk celery, cut into 1/4” dice
• 1/2 green apple, peeled and cut into 1/4” dice
• 1/3 cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 handfuls arugula, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup Veganaise, or your favorite mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• coarse salt to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon)
• freshly ground black pepper to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon)

Stir everything together.

I'm not sure if this recipe will be in the book when it comes out on April 13, but I can't wait to find out...