American Reunion (2012)

Directed by: Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg

 

Starring: Jason Biggs, Alyson Hannigan, Seann William Scott

 

IMBD Synopsis: Jim, Michelle, Stifler, and their friends reunite in East Great Falls, Michigan for their high school reunion.

 

Genre: Comedy

 

My Rating: 7/10

 

My Comment: I have only ever seen the first American Pie movie, but I have to say that this one was hilarious. It had the same amount of awkwardness as the first one did. I love that they used most of the first movie's characters. One last thing that i have to say about this movie: do not watch with your parents. ;)

Snacking on Peanut Butter

Not only is Peanut Butter a great source of Vitamin E, minerals and protein... It is also a comfort food for many. And it goes with everything( ok, maybe not everything but I have been known to add a little bit of peanut butter to my dishes)! But just remember, peanut butter is also high in fat so be sure to enjoy this treat in moderation. And try buying organic peanut butter instead.

Here are a list of yummy healthy snacks or meals you can enjoy with some peanut butter( I have tried them all):

• Apples and Peanut Butter

• Oatmeal and Peanut Butter

• Toast and Peanut Butter

• Provitas and Peanut Butter

• Crackers and Peanut butter

I am sure there are plenty more combinations you can come up with!

Fit Thursday- Warm Up

One majorly important thing that you have to do before strength training is to warm up. Without warming up your muscles, you could snap and pull them. Cardio with dynamic stretching is a great way to warm up and burn extra calories.

 

Here is a quickie warm up that you can do at home or at the gym, do three sets.

 

1. Jog in place for 60 seconds

2. Arm swings. stand with your feet hip width apart and swing your arms across your chest, as if you are giving yourself a big hug. do this for 30 seconds.

3. Hip circles. Stand with legs hip width apart. Put your hands on your hips and circle them, with a slow and controlled movement.

 

I'm not a fitness trainer. nor am I a nutrionist. So every workout or fitness tips are purely from my own experience.

- Heather McIntosh

Random Musings

Walking Away

I've tried to be

The best I can

For you

But it seems to me

I do more harm

Than good

So I am walking away

You know where to find me 

Keeping Faith by Jodi Picoult

"One of America's most powerful and thought-provoking novelists, New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult brilliantly examines belief, miracles, and the complex core of family."

"When the marriage of Mariah White and her cheating husband, Colin, turns ugly and disintegrates, their seven year old daughter, Faith, is there to witness it all. In the aftermath of a rapid divorce, Mariah falls into a deep depression-- and suddenly Faith, a child with no religious background whatsoever, hears divine voices, starts reciting biblical passages and develops stigmata. And when the miraculous healing begin, mother and daughter are thrust into the volatile centre of controversy and into the heat of a custody battle-- trapped in a mad media circus that threatens what little stability the family has left"

 

My Rating: 8/10

My comment: Wow! Let's just say that Jodi Picoult is one of my favourite authors. I have read most of her books and not one of them has ever let me down. All of her books can be about a debatable topic and Keeping Faith is no different. I am not a true religious person but that didn't stop me from reading this book. In this novel there are a lot of controversial issues and even if you not a religious person, this book can still be enjoyed by anybody.

 

-Heather McIntosh

Popcorn Bites: The Hunger Games (2012)

Directed by: Gary Ross

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson

IMBD Synopsis: "Set in a future where the Capitol selects a boy and girl from the twelve districts to fight to the death on live television, Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her younger sister's place for the latest match."

Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

My Rating: 7/10

My Comment: This movie was fifty-fifty for me.

Things I loved about it:

·         The soundtrack. I love the subtleness of the music. my favourite song from the whole soundtrack was "Run Daddy Run by Miranda Lambert".

·         I loved the casting. Unlike Twilight, the Hunger Games made note of the characters personalities and features, and brought them to life through amazing actors.

Things I didn't love about it:

·         The pacing was too slow. When I watched it with my friend we had to keep on pausing it.

·         The relationship between Rue and Katniss was too sudden. and they could've focused a lot more on that.

You can't exercise out a bad diet

You can't exercise your way out of a bad diet

Mark Hyman

How many of you have spent hours and hours on that treadmill breaking a sweat only to later treat yourself to a fresh do-nut soon after?

 I know I have. There is just something about working out that just makes me feel like I deserve a treat. I just burnt a ton of calories, so a little sweet treat won't hurt, right?

That was my thinking too! We all want to lose a little extra weight. I know I do! And the thought of cutting down certain foods out of my diet just sends shivers down my spine. Chocolate cake? Mcdonalds Fries? And the chocolate-binge sessions? Who wants to skip out on that.

So I thought in order to lose weight and still enjoy my guilty pleasures, I would put in more hours working out. Well, that was my thinking back then.

But unfortunately that is not the case.

It baffles me how some people try to lose weight by eating less... way less! And yet they still don't lose weight. They think just by cutting down on food, the weight will magically disappear.

But just in the same way that you need to watch what you eat in order to maintain a healthy weight, you also need to exercise. But there is no need for me to tell you why.

So before you finish that bag of potato chips alone, just remember:

You can't exercise your way out of a bad diet

Mark Hyman