Posts by caprette

When I've gone on cruises, I've managed to keep the worst of the weight gain at bay by doing a few things.  Before dinner, I'd always work out--since you're supposed to dress nicely for dinner anyway, I'd be all showered and fresh when it was time to eat.  After dinner, we'd all walk around the deck a few times.  On the ships I've been on, a circuit was something like 1/4 or 1/3 mile, so we'd usually end up walking 1.5-2 miles after dinner.  And then for side trips, we'd do really active things, like kayaking or horseback riding or walking tours of the port city.

Another suggestion is to keep an eye on breakfast--it's really easy to use up an entire day's calories on French toast and bacon!  I'd just get an egg white omelet or some cereal most days, and only have a fancy full breakfast once on the trip.

I think as long as you keep active, it's totally ok if you eat more than you would otherwise.  And anyway, it's so much more fun to explore beautiful and exotic new places than to sit on some generic beach with a book and a too-sweet rum cocktail.

Where are you from that you can get heirloom tomatoes in April?  'Round these parts, we don't see a hint of them until July at the very earliest.  But there are tons of things you can do with them!

-Make gazpacho (basically liquid salad!) or ratatouille.  I recommend checking out epicurious.com for a recipe.

-Slice them and bake at low temperature (225-250 degrees F) for an hour or more.  The flavor gets super-concentrated and delicious.  Use these on salads, in an omelet or fritatta...

-Make fresh salsa.  Chop tomatoes, onion, jalapeno (or other) peppers, and garlic.  Add cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper.  You can also experiment with adding more spices, like cumin, or other veggies like tomatillos or corn kernels.  Very tasty on top a piece of grilled chicken or tofu.

I find it incomprehensible that people watch Fox News and take it seriously.  I get my news from the New York Times online, The News Hour with Jim Lehrer (when I'm living somewhere with a TV), and NPR (Morning Edition, BBC, All Things Considered).  Sometimes I check out Le Monde or Libération or the BBC online when I want a more international perspective.

My gym has individual televisions with cable on every cardio machine.  I love watching the Food Network when I'm working out.  Also, Gourmet Magazine... the ultimate in food porn.

You won't kill yourself if you drink tea past its expiration date, but tea tastes best when it's fresh.

I like to eat 1/2 cup or so of granola after I shower, so that would be 30-ish minutes after I work out.  But if you're not hungry, then your body probably doesn't need food then.  Or, if you feel like you must eat something even though you haven't got much of an appetite, a glass of soymilk or a small handful of almonds might do the trick.

I'm basing my argument on the assumption that there's always going to be demand for marijuana, no matter what the government does to stop it.

Legalized marijuana would decrease, though probably not completely eliminate, demand for the stuff smuggled illegaly across the Mexican border.  Instead of getting weed from a shady criminal network, it would be legal and subject to inspections.  Legalized marijuana would (hopefully) dramatically cut down the drug-cartel violence that's going on in Mexico and the border cities.

It shouldn't be that difficult to make your own low-cal chocolate mousse from scratch.  Chocolate mousse is usually made with all whipped cream, all (uncooked) egg whites, or, most commonly, a combination of the two.  Find a recipe that is based on egg whites and uses cocoa powder instead of melted chocolate.  And if you must, you could probably use Splenda or something instead of real sugar.

My favorite sandwich:

-Whole-wheat or multi-grain bread (preferably from a good bakery, not the kind that comes wrapped in plastic from the supermarket)

-Smoked turkey

-Dijon mustard

-About 1/3 of a Granny Smith apple, sliced thin

-About 1 oz extra sharp aged cheddar, also sliced thin

-Lettuce

-Tomato

That's what I get from the fancy sandwich shop near where I live.  Of course, I'm always a fan of the caprese sandwich from the other fancy sandwich shop near where I live, especially in tomato season...

I am going to warn you that it's going to be really hard to find vegan food abroad, especially if you're travelling with a structured program and don't have much time to hunt around on your own.  In many countries (I'm looking at you, France) people seem to take it personally when you say you don't eat meat.  In central Europe, there's yogurt and sour cream in everything, and salads are often covered in mayonnaise.  And even when you ask for something without meat, it still might be cooked in chicken stock.

I would recommend that if you can, loosen up on your diet a bit.  One of the best ways to experience a culture is through its food, and it would be a shame if you couldn't experience that.  If that's not an option for you, pack lots of granola bars or lara bars and a jar of peanut butter.  You can also usually get good bread and fresh, local fruits/vegetables from markets.

It's so easy to find local and organic produce in NYC!  The Union Square Greenmarket is one of the best/largest farmers' markets in the country, and many of the vendors there are organic.  In fact, the produce is so great that I've often seen chefs from nearby high-end restaurants picking up stuff for that evening.  Better yet, it runs all year and is open several days a week.  If you don't live in Manhattan or can't get over to Union Square easily, there are tons of other farmers' markets in all five boroughs.  Check out http://www.cenyc.org/greenmarket.

I go in this order of preference:

1. Local and organic

2. Local, not organic

3. Organic, not local

4. Conventional

I don't want to give up my makeup or heels, which troubled me for a long time, since they're the Patriarchy's Tools of Female Opression and all that.  My solution is to date men that care (almost) as much about their appearance as I care about mine.  My friends, who are all beautiful, sexy, intelligent ladies, agree with me.  Just letting you all know.

(Of course, more uncouth bearers of the Y chromosome probably couldn't keep up with gals like me.  But whatever.)

always walking around like a male fashion model---NO THANKS!

if my man can't be as amazing in shorts and a t-shirt as he is in a suit then he isn't for me.

I usually wear high heels, lacy panties and bra, skintight jeans, and full makeup, which I wear because I think I look hot when I dress this way, but it can be expensive, time consuming, painful, or some combination of the three.  In addition, to be well-groomed I need haircuts every 6-8 weeks ($100 a pop, at least) and need assorted moisturizers and skin creams to maintain an even complexion.  And yes, I know I don't have to do this, and I am aware that I am somewhat excessively vain of my appearance. But to be considered an attractive woman, a good portion of this is unavoidable.

I'm a feminist, but I'm not about to go burn my bras and stop waxing.  I'm going to hold my men to standards that are just as high as the ones that men hold for us.  And I know these guys are out there--I've dated several.  I just wish there were more!

You did the right thing by talking to him about it.  He probably didn't even realize how often he was doing it.  If he starts doing it again, tell him how you feel again.  But also remember that he does have exes, and those experiences probably make up an important part of who he is, just like any relationship.  What matters is that he's with you and cares about you now.