How To Lose Weight During The Holidays!

It's the dreaded time of the year,the food filled holidays. It's not
that you don't like food. It's just the opposite. You love food. But
you are working hard to lose those extra pounds you have been carrying
around and you don't want the holidays to undo all that hard work.

Many weight loss experts will tell you to not bother trying to lose
weight during the holidays and to just try to maintain your current
weight until after the holiday season. They probably think that
because the average person gains three to seven pounds during the
holidays that maintaining your current weight means you are doing
great. I do agree to a point. Being able to not gain weight during the
holidays is a pretty good feat considering all the delicious foods
many of us have available to us in staggering amounts.

But I think a person can continue to lose weight during the holidays
without feeling cranky the whole time or feeling completely deprived.
I lost weight during the holiday season and I have a friend who was so
determined to lose the extra pounds she was carrying around that she
started her diet on Thanksgiving Day (yes, on the one day of the year
that people traditionally pig out the most) and went on to
successfully lose 35 pounds and keep it off. And nobody was even aware
she was starting her diet that day.

So how did I survive Thanksgiving dinner while on my diet and how did
my friends successfully start her diet on Thanksgiving Day?

It's all about choices -
First of all I'll tell you what I didn't do. I didn't have any
alcoholic beverages because I wanted to chew my calories that day and
not drink them, and because alcohol tends to weaken my resolve. And
I'm not the only person whose resolve weakens after having a few
drinks. Who do you usually see dancing on top of the pool table or bar
when you go out; a sober person or a person who has had a few drinks?

This is what I did do:
Had small portions of the foods I really like so that I wouldn't feel
deprived (turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, and half a dinner roll). Had
large portions of raw vegetables from the veggie tray and lots of the
steamed cauliflower and green beans that were served that day. Drank
lots of ice water. I love pumpkin pie and whipped cream but I ate a
small piece of it later on in the evening when everyone else was
pigging out on leftover turkey, potatoes, stuffing, etc. The pie along
with more of the raw veggies completely satisfied me and the scale was
still my friend the next morning.

This is what my friend did:
Took reasonable portions of everything she really liked but didn't go
back for seconds and thirds like she did other years. My friend enjoys
cocktails and she had a few, but to keep the calories down she had
Jack Daniels and Diet Coke which meant each drink she had was less
than 75 calories.
That afternoon when everyone was watching football, she went for a
long walk. She politely declined taking home leftovers.

You can survive Thanksgiving dinner while dieting. And it doesn't have
to be a painful experience. Make smart choices, have small portions of
what you really like, skip the things you don't really love, and fill
up on the low calorie veggies and salad. And, if the Thanksgiving
dinner you attend doesn't traditionally offer any low calorie foods
like raw or steamed veggies, don't be shy about starting a new
tradition and bringing them yourself.

Fettuccini alfredo

A crowd pleaser on the menu in most Italian restaurants is fettuccini alfredo, a deliciously creamy mixture of fettuccini, cream, butter, and cheese. Although this dish is most certainly mouth watering, it is also waistline expanding, as it contains an astronomical amount of calories and little nutritional value. While most people who mind their cholesterol and do their best to maintain their bikini body would not dream of indulging in such a dieting disaster for a meal, there are healthy alternatives to make this Italian classic approachable for all dinners. The diet friendly version may not be offered in many dinning establishments, but within the comfort of your own home, this Italian favorite can be lighter and healthier. For example, using whole-wheat fettuccini makes the dish rich in fiber, while adding chicken and broccoli boosts the protein content and helps to make it a well-rounded meal. So the next time you're craving some comfort food, but would still like to button your jeans Friday night, try this healthy version of the classic fettuccini alfredo.

1 lb whole wheat fettuccini alfredo

1 lb chicken tenders(or chicken-soy based substitute)

2 heads of broccoli

2 tblsps butter

1 pint of fat free half-and-half

1 cup pecorino romano cheese

Boil water and add fettuccini. Cook until al dente

Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then sauté in olive oil. Once cooked, drain the oil, add the butter and half-and-half. Pour everything over the fettuccini.

Steam the broccoli for 4 minutes and add to the mixture once the pasta is cooked. Add black pepper to taste.

"Mangia Bene, Vivi Bene"

1 minute. little man.

the little man who wasn't there

 

as I was walking up the stair
I met a man who wasn't there.
he wasn't there again today.
I wish, I wish he'd stay away.

 

- hughes mearns (1875 - 1965)

 

 

one minute sculptures

erwin wurm. australian artist.

 

 

A bigfan

artful instrument

Scott Ross (1951-1989). Sonata D Minor, K1.

Scarlatti (1685-1757), Neapolitan Baroque composer who drew most inspiration from Iberian Peninsula.

 

Jan Vermeer (1632-1675).

A Lady Standing at a Virginal...Seated.

 

Attached: Mechanics of Harpsichord.

 

...I think it would be nice to make instrument after retirement. :)

 

 A big Fan

 
 
From Harpsichord to Piano
 
The modern piano is a marvel of acoustical and engineering design. The modern piano in its various configurations from upright to full grand, however is a fairly recent invention with its roots dating back over seven hundred years to the invention the piano's distant relative, the harpsichord. In 1397 a gentleman named Hermann Poll invented an instrument made up of many tensioned strings, each stretched to a specific pitch. By pressing the keys on the instrument a small quill was thrown upward, plucking the string much the way a violinist can pluck a string with his finger. The sound and tone of the instrument lent itself well to the composers of the time period with some composers, such as Rameau and Scarlatti, relying on it heavily.
 
The harpsichord evolved into several similar instruments created by changing the orientation of the strings and the shape of the resonating chamber. The original harpsichord looks much like the baby grand pianos of today, albeit much more angular and of lighter construction. In later centuries the harpsichord was altered into a much smaller version called the spinet which was easily portable and able to fit on a normal sized table. The spinet was made more compact by altering the orientation of the strings so that instead of running parallel to the keyboard (as in the piano and harpsichord) instead the strings ran at an angle to the keys allowing the entire instrument to fit into this smaller triangular shaped spinet package.
 
The spinet evolved into an even more compact and portable form in an instrument called the virginal. In the virginal the strings run perpendicular to the keys and are housed in a blocky rectangular case. In both the spinet and the virginal very elaborate cases were the norm with artistic paintings and carvings adorning the covers. Another evolution of the harpsichord is known as the clavichord. Designed much the same was as the virginal with rectangular cases the clavichord used a different mechanism for creating sound from the strings Instead of the harpsichord's plucking mechanism a brass plate was pressed against the string creating a less staccato and more delicate tone.
 
The harpsichord, virginal, spinet, and clavichord are all related to each other in many ways. Although they each differ in size, shape, and mechanical engineering, each iteration of the harpsichord helped pave the way for the invention of the modern piano in the early 1700's.

 

- Chad Criswell