Some tips to start every day refreshed

Move your alarm clock
You may want to have you alarm clock close to hand so you can constantly keep leaning over and pressing it for a few extra minutes snooze time. The reality is it doesn’t really help. Place your alarm just that bit further away so that you really have to stretch or even get up to reach it – any stretching movement stimulates the waking part of the brain.

Avoid caffeine
It may be through habit that one of the first things we do when we get up is go straight for the caffeine hit, but this should be avoided if possible. Since your body has been several hours without fluid, what you need is a proper rehydrating drink such as freshly squeezed orange or grapefruit juice. A cup of hot water with a touch of lemon and honey is also a good way to start the day. If you can, add some ginger – this acts as an extra boost your circulatory system.

Deep breathe
There is often a sense of anxiety ahead of a stressful day and sometimes we are far from relaxed when we get up. To get your body into a state of relaxation, it is important to control the functions of the body, like the beating of the heart and breathing properly. A good method is to try 2:1 breathing, this is easy and really effective – you gently slow the rate of exhalation so that you are exhaling twice as long as you are inhaling.

Surroundings
Your surroundings can have an impact on your mood from the moment you wake. If you wake up surrounded by clutter, then that is hardly going to get you off to the right start. Keep your bedroom as clutter free as possible. You can also pay attention to your decor – certain colours can be good for your mood, choose something that uplifts you. If possible have some green plants in your bedroom – a little bit of greenery can do wonders to enhance your mood and positivity.

Good posture
Your body position is fundamental, bad posture has the effect of limiting the flow of oxygen through your body, meaning you are not getting the maximum benefit, and waking your body up will be a real struggle. Pay attention to straightening your posture, feet flat on the floor, hold your stomach in and extend up through your spine. These small movements will work wonders and act to relieve tension before you get out and face the day ahead.

Exercising in the morning
Although many of us probably don’t feel like it, a bit of morning exercise will help. We are not talking about a full-on several-mile run, just some activity to increase your body temperature, and get your metabolism and enzyme activity kick-started. This could involve just doing a few basic stretches or even jogging on the spot. If you do fancy taking on something more energetic in the morning, then ensure that you have thoroughly warmed-up.

Breakfast
Is this the most important meal of the day? Yes! After a long sleep, breakfast is responsible for replacing your liver glycogen, which helps you stay focused and switched-on throughout the morning. Choose your breakfast carefully – sugary breakfast cereals only give you a quick hit and can rapidly wear off. The best bet is to eat some protein combined with carbohydrate to help maintain your alertness throughout the morning. If you find yourself hungry before you have even reached work, you might want to consider eating part of your breakfast at home, and then preparing the remainder to have at work.

refers HERE

Brobdingnag Restaurant

America's Unbeaten Food Challenges

For many people, the word eating challenge evokes the iconic scene in the movie "The Great Outdoors,"when John Candy tackles "The Old 96er" to the chagrin of his digestive tract. More recently, the Travel Channel's "Man vs. Food" show has popularized eating challenges, which have increasingly become a strategy for restaurants across the country to make a name for themselves, draw in new customers, and simply have fun.

For those testing their fortitude through eating challenges, clearing a plate of outrageously large or spicy meals will often win them a T-shirt, their photo on the wall, and dinner on the house. There are some challenges, however, that push the limits of consumption and no individual has yet to cross the proverbial finish line.

So, which eating challenges remain undefeated? See the full slideshow.

'That Burger' Challenge
Restaurant: That Bar
Location: Danville, California

A massive, undefeated burger challenge can be found at That Bar in Danville, California. Appropriately named "That Burger," the monstrous mass of meat and cheese measures approximately 1 foot in diameter, and includes two 100 percent Angus beef patties, one of which has a hole in the middle where a grilled cheese sandwich is placed. Each patty is topped with four different cheeses - cheddar, American, pepper jack and Swiss - as well as a woven bacon patty. Finally, the burger is topped with crispy shoestring fries and doused in barbeque sauce, with an appropriately sized bun. The challenge also includes one-quarter pound each of fries and onion rings on the side.

In more than 40 attempts, nobody has been able to finish the challenge in the allotted time of one hour. "We're going to need a professional eater to do this challenge," says Stephanie Emig, co-owner and co-founder of That Bar, which is located about 30 minutes outside of San Francisco. "We wanted to have a giant burger. It was a collaboration between the three owners and our chef, and it took a couple tries but eventually we got it to work."

Emig says the burger was created in order to have an interesting menu item. When someone does place an order for the That Burger, it's likely for a group to share. "It's a popular burger on weekend nights for big groups. And if someone does manage to get through this pile of meat and grease all by themselves: They will earn a T-shirt that reads "I ate That Burger at That Bar and it was That Good."

The Inferno Bowl

The Inferno Bowl
Restaurant: Nitally's ThaiMex Cuisine
Location: St. Petersburg, Florida

Generally, there are two things that make an eating challenge difficult: sheer size of the portion, or overwhelming heat or spice. The Inferno Bowl at Nitally's ThaiMex Cuisine has both.

The soup is served in a 48 ounce bowl and includes no less than 12 different peppers from around the world. Although the mix changes with the season, it always includes bhut jolokia (also known as the "ghost chili"). The chilies themselves comprise about 16 ounces of the soup. The restaurant uses both Thai and Mexican techniques to draw as much heat out of the peppers as possible.

Ally Valdez, who owns Nitally's with his wife, describes how the dish was created: "My wife is from Thailand and my family is from Mexico...we always argued about who ate the hottest food. So, we went out of our way to find the hottest peppers we could use and made a soup that hardly any family members could eat." They served the soup in traditional Chinese bowls meant for family-sized servings, but limited it to one person. "We found that the people who could eat the hot food couldn't eat that much, and the family members who could deal with the quantity couldn't handle the heat."

Valdez says that since the challenge began in 2009, 116 people have attempted to finish the Inferno Bowl. The closest challenger came within two spoonfuls before throwing in the towel. Others throw in more than that. The Inferno Soup is so spicy that the restaurant requires challengers to eat it outside, since about 40 percent of the challengers have vomited while trying to finish the soup within the 30 minutes allotted.

"You have to come from the depths of hell to finish this," says Valdez, who is currently offering a jackpot of $800 to the first person to conquer the Inferno Bowl.

Full-o-Bull Challenge

The Full-o-Bull Challenge
Restaurant: Cowtown Diner
Location: Fort Worth, Texas

Not only does Cowtown Diner's Full-o-Bull Challenge boast that it serves the largest chicken fried steak in the world, it might very well be the largest eating challenge, to boot. That's not a surprising claim, given that things are always bigger in Texas. The Full-o-Bull "is Texas to the core," says Scott Jones, owner of Cowtown Diner.

The challenge includes a 64 ounce chicken fried steak, served on an extra-large pizza pan, measures 14 inches in diameter and weighs about 10 pounds with gravy. But wait, that's not all: You must also finish the Texas-sized sides, which include four pounds of mashed potatoes and 10 pieces of Texas toast.
There's one piece of good news: The time limit to the Full-o-Bull challenge is relatively leisurely. You have from when the restaurant opens at 7 a.m. to the time it closes at 2 a.m. to finish the meal.

In the nearly two years since the challenge was created, close to 175 challengers have tried and failed to finish the Full-o-Bull. Jones says the inspiration for the challenge was to have "bragging rights in a place that is known for its beef," and notes that when someone takes on the challenge, the staff sings songs and draws attention to the event.

If anyone ever wins the challenge, they'll get their $70 meal on the house and a shirt that reads "I came to Cowtown Diner hungry and left Full-o-Bull."

The J&J's Kitchen Sink Challenge

The J&J's Kitchen Sink Challenge
Restaurant: J&J's Pizza Shack
Location: Northern Indiana (five locations)

In what is perhaps the oldest undefeated eating challenge in the country, the Kitchen Sink challenge at J&J's Pizza Shack in Indiana has confounded eaters for 27 years. The pizza is the brainchild of John Bogdan, the now-retired founder of J&J's, who created the 16-inch round deep-dish pizza, It includes sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, green peppers, onions, green olives, black olives, ham, Canadian bacon, bacon bits, and mozzarella cheese; it weighs about 6 pounds and must be completed within one hour.

Kim S., the manager at the Lake Station restaurant, says the Kitchen Sink is an extremely popular dish for J&J's, because most orders are for groups and corporate events. In fact, The Kitchen Sink is the restaurant's best-selling specialty pizza.

The pizza, which is intended to feed four to six people, has an estimated two to three challengers per year, and at least 100 people have attempted the challenge in the history of J&J's. Surprisingly, the closest anyone has come in recent history to finishing the pizza was a 12-year-old girl, who ate 16 of the 20 pieces before she had to give in.

"When someone does try, the wait staff is all curious, because we really want to see someone do it," says Kim. And, what does someone win if they do finish off the pie? They don't have to pay the bill - the $27.55 pizza is free.

Note: The pizza pictured left is not the challenge pizza, but a normal-sized "Kitchen Sink" from J&J's.

The Hail Mary Challenge

The Hail Mary Challenge
Restaurant: Stadium Grill
Location: Columbia, Missouri

Since opening in August 2009, Stadium Grill in Columbia, Missouri has been offering the "Hail Mary Challenge," which involves finishing the "Unnecessary Roughness," a massive burger measuring an impressive 8 inches high. Restaurant manager Joe Collins says more than 150 challengers have attempted to conquer the burger, including competitive eater Randy Santel. All have failed.

The Unnecessary Roughness includes five-plus pounds of meat, including griddled burgers, bacon, and pulled pork, three cheeses, onion rings, and fried eggs, all stacked between two buns. To complete the challenge, a contender not only must finish the burger but also polish off a full pound of French fries, all within 60 minutes. If someone can conquer The Hail Mary challenge, they will be rewarded with their meal on the house (a $50 value) and $50 in food and drink every month for a year. Best of all, you will become legend in your own time: The Stadium Grill will name the burger after the first victor.

Collins says the burger does a good job of bringing business to the restaurant. "We display it on the weekends for people to see, and we'll sometimes display it out in front of the door." Those that do order it are most likely to share it with friends. "That's not part of the challenge," says Collins, but he's happy to sell it anyway he can.


http://shine.yahoo.com/shine-food/5-undefeated-eating-challenges-171400230.html

10 kitchen tips to keep you slim

Keep healthy foods visible…

A study by researchers at Cornell University found that we are three times more likely to eat the first item we see in the kitchen than the fifth, meaning that keeping healthy food visible could aid your dieting goals. Try to make healthy food options more accessible by ensuring they are as appealing and convenient as possible, as well as making them visible and easy to find. Leave out a colourful fruit bowl, prepare a salad in advance, and put some chopped veggies at the front of your fridge, for example.

… And move ‘bad’ foods out of sight

Just as putting healthy foods in a prominent position can help your diet, it follows that the opposite is also true. While it may be best to avoid buying junk food completely, if you must stock up on the odd treat make sure they are hidden away at the back of cupboards to help prevent cravings. By making these foods a little more difficult to get to (store them behind piles of tins, in high cupboards or in locked drawers – whatever helps), you will also prevent mindless snacking and give yourself some thinking time to decide whether you really want to give in to temptation.

Get some fridge-spiration

To help stay motivated in the face of your cravings, try transforming your fridge from a source of temptation into an inspirational reminder of your progress so far. Consider sticking your favourite photograph of yourself on your fridge for a positive reminder of why you should resist those cravings next time you’re tempted to hit the fridge. Alternatively, stick on a motivational quote or a handwritten note to yourself listing five good reasons not to binge.

Opt for small, blue serving dishes

While many of us think we are eating standard portion sizes, this is in fact not always the case. To help reduce your temptation to overeat, try swapping your plates, bowls, glasses and cutlery for smaller ones, which will help control your serving sizes as well as how quickly you eat. Also, while you are making the switch, think about opting for a blue color scheme for your crockery, as blue is thought to act as an appetite suppressant.

Set aside an eating area

Whether you eat your meals in the kitchen or a separate dining room, it is important to set aside an area with a table where you can sit down and eat. Furthermore, it is important to ensure you actually sit there. Make it a rule never to eat out of packets or standing up and you will find that this drastically reduces your tendency to overeat. The process of putting food on a plate and sitting down to eat it not only reduces the tendency to mindlessly pick at food, it also increases your awareness of what – and how much – you are eating, and may make you think twice about doing it.

Keep your kitchen tidy

If you’re lacking motivation to cook, it may be that your kitchen’s to blame. Cluttered worktops and messy cupboards hardly act as an incentive to start whipping up a gourmet delight so, if you have to clear a path to the oven or forge through piles of half-opened packets of food to get to what you want, it may be time to give your kitchen a makeover. Treat your kitchen as a place for food preparation – rather than a rubbish dump, mailroom or storage space – and you may be more inspired to reach for the wooden spoon rather than a takeaway menu the next time hunger strikes.

Impose a TV ban

If you’re one of the large number of people who prefers to eat their meals in front of a TV or computer screen, then you could be sabotaging your diet without even realizing it. According to research findings published in the British Journal of Nutrition, eating when distracted can cause you to ignore signals from your body that you’ve had enough, leading you to eat more than you normally would. To help cut your calorie intake, make sure you keep distracting items such as the television out of your eating area, and try to keep the two activities separate.

Set kitchen “closing hours”

To help cut the amount of food you are consuming, it is helpful to make the kitchen out-of-bounds once you have finished your evening meal. Move anything you may need during those hours out of the kitchen (and no, this doesn’t include chocolate!), then turn off the light and close the door as a reminder to yourself that the kitchen is now closed. While you will still need to rely on your own willpower to stick to these rules, this should help reduce mindless snacking and trips to the kitchen next time you’re feeling bored.

Spice up your kitchen

Your cupboards and fridge may be packed with healthy items, but how’s your spice rack looking? You might not class it as a kitchen essential, but if you’re looking to cut calories in your meals it can help to keep a well-stocked herb and spice rack. Not only does adding herbs and seasonings to your meals add flavoring to your food without extra calories, but spices such as cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper and ginger can actually help promote weight loss.

Kill your cravings with vanilla

If you struggle to resist sugar cravings following your evening meal, it may be worth investing in a vanilla-scented air freshener or candle for your kitchen. A study at St George’s hospital, south London, found that using vanilla-scented patches on the back of participants’ hands significantly reduced their appetite for sweet foods and drinks.  It is thought that this is due to the smell of vanilla, which is believed to help suppress sweet cravings.

4 Rules For Healthier Pasta

Cheesy, creamy pasta is the ultimate indulgence, but it’s usually loaded with refined carbs and artery-damaging saturated fat. To the rescue: our good-for-you versions of home-cooked classics, which knock the nutritional socks off traditional recipes. Follow our makeovers to cook a pasta meal you’ll feel great about.

1. Be smart about cheese
Use reduced-fat cheeses in place of full-fat versions. Also, opt for lighter varieties whenever possible: for example, switching from low-fat ricotta to low-fat cottage cheese saves 377 kJ (90 cal) and 8.5 g of fat per half-cup while still maintaining creaminess and satisfaction.

2. Make vegetables the star
Yes, tomato sauce counts (one half-cup equals one serving of vegetables). But why stop there? Try adding at least two other nutrient-rich vegies to every dish. You’ll bolster the flavour and the bulk—and enjoy a bigger serving size for very few extra kilojoules.

3. Go for wholemeal pasta
Switching from regular pasta to 100% wholemeal pasta can more than double the hunger-busting fibre per serving. A few popular pasta brands have 100% wholemeal versions, so keep an eye out for your favourites at the supermarket.

4. Choose at least 90%-lean meat
That includes poultry—make sure it’s ground from strictly breast meat. Adding more vegies can also help you cut back on meat in some dishes.