Monday, January 23, 2012
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Monday, November 7, 2011
9 "diet" foods that make you hungrier
9 "diet" foods that make you hungrier (Photo: Getty Images) Put down that light yogurt, it may be making you fat. As it turns out, a number of foods that are commonly thought to be great for weight loss can actually stimulate the appetite. We spoke with Marjorie Nolan, R.D., National Spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, to get the skinny on foods that can trigger hunger and sabotage your diet. 1. Light yogurt The blast of sweet (often artificial) flavor causes the stomach to start producing gastric juices. With only four to six ounces of yogurt and no fat in a typical container, the body doesn’t have enough food to digest leaving the tummy rumbling for more. Better choice: Nolan likes the creaminess and high protein content of plain, low-fat Greek yogurt. Add fruit and a sprinkle of cinnamon for flavor. If you choose the non-fat variety, add a tablespoon of sunflower seeds for crunch and satisfaction—the fat in nuts and seeds is slow to digest so a small serving keeps you feeling full. Related: The new Nordic diet: The next big weight loss trend? 2. Puffed cereal with skim milk The combo of skim milk and puffed cereal has too few calories to keep you energized for long. Many dieters reach for puffed cereal because it looks filling in a big bowl. However, the low fiber content leaves you wanting more soon after breakfast. Puffed cereal also has a high glycemic index, which causes blood sugar to drop after an initial boost of energy. Better choice: Rolled or steel cut oats. Oatmeal is high in fiber, which makes it a satisfying breakfast. Add a spoonful of maple brown sugar if you need something sweet. Cooking your own plain oatmeal and adding a small amount of sweetener is much more nutritious than using pre-sweetened packets. Nolan likes to cook oats with low fat milk or stir in a tablespoon of peanut butter for even more stick-to-your-ribs goodness. 3. Big green salad with low fat or fat free dressing The typical dieters’ lunch of a salad with low fat dressing can have a boomerang effect on the appetite. It’s full of fiber and visually filling but the low protein and fat content won’t satisfy for long. Stay away from fat-free dressings, which are loaded with sugar. Better choice. Add three to six ounces of lean protein such as lean beef, chicken, or beans (the leaner the choice, the more you should eat) to your salad bowl. 4. Rice cakes One rice cake=good, four rice cakes=overindulgence. And that’s about how many it will take to feel truly satisfied. Low in fiber with a high glycemic index, these classic diet snacks won’t leave your tank full for long. Better choice: Spread a tablespoon of peanut butter or cream cheese onto a rice cake for a more balanced nosh. Or choose whole grain crackers with a spread or small portion of cheese for fiber and carbs plus protein. 5. Chewing gum A little stick of gum is a stealth saboteur. While some chewing gum advocates say that it can stave off snacking, Nolan disagrees. She explains that the burst of flavor gets the gastric juices flowing. The act of chewing revs the digestive system even more, preparing it for a meal. If you want an express ticket to the all-you-can-eat buffet, chomp on some gum. Better choice: We all have our munchy days, so if you are just looking for something to keep your mouth busy, air-popped corn or raw veggies are a safer bet. 6. Diet soda Like gum, the sweet flavor wakes up the digestive process with no nutritional pay off which stimulates the appetite. Caffeine and carbonation may dampen your hunger pangs for a short time only to have them come roaring back along with an energy slump. If that’s not enough to make you rethink your daily fix, a study carried out by the University of Texas Health Center in San Antonio showed that people who consumed diet soda had a 70-500% increase of abdominal fat over ten years compared to those who didn’t drink diet soda. Better choice: Drinking a hot beverage can slow down the appetite and allow you to think through your craving. Also, sometimes thirst signals are confused with hunger, so you may just need hydration. Non-caffeinated herbal teas won’t cause an energy crash. 7. Apple Yes, apples are great for you—they contain lots of vitamins and fiber, but a single apple is not a balanced snack. If you don’t eat anything else with your afternoon apple, you may overeat at dinner. Better choice: Apple with 5-10 almonds or a cheese stick. Spend a few more calories on your snack so you won’t be ravenous later 8. Low-calorie frozen entrees Light frozen entrees contain little fiber and only about half the calories you will need to feel satiated. They are also loaded with salt. If you don’t have another option, look for a frozen dinner that contains 400-500 calories, 20-30 grams of protein, around 5 grams of fat, and 5-10 grams of fiber. Better choice: If you are too busy to cook, Nolan suggests an “assembly based meal.” Roast chicken from the deli, a slice of whole grain bread, some salad bar vegetables, and a piece of fruit add up to a quick, healthy dinner. 9. Fat-free graham crackers or other baked goods Nolan says people who are watching their weight tend to automatically reach for food labeled “fat free” on the package assuming it is more diet-friendly than the regular version. However, when manufacturers make fat-free foods, they often up the sugar content. Check the nutritional information on the back--the light versions sometimes contain more calories. Better choice: Regular graham cracker. A small indulgence such as a graham cracker or square of quality chocolate keeps things interesting and won’t break the bank calorie-wise. Nolan points out that boredom is the enemy of dieters and causes people to fall of the wagon. “You are better off eating real food and more calories and feeling physically and emotionally satisfied than eating ‘diet food’ and being hungry in an hour.”9 "diet" foods that make you hungrier
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
YOU Are a Boulder: Sink, Dig, or Roll??
I wanted to share this with all of you.... Please read on
from a blogger named Chad Vice
YOU Are a Boulder: Sink, Dig, or Roll??
Written by Chad Vice
Now that I have THOROUGHLY confused you with the title of this post, allow me to explain myself. I was having a conversation with a couple family members of mine recently and thought of this blog-worthy analogy to share with you all.
THE BOULDER: Everyone of us has within us the potential to do great things - to achieve our dreams. Whether we harness that potential though, is what separates the successful from the rest. Now imagine a boulder, perched atop hill. That boulder, with all its girth, has the potential to go in any direction. And, because it is so heavy, once that direction is chosen, there is no stopping it. You ARE a boulder. Now what are you doing to do?
SINK?
Often the daily obstacles life places before us can weigh on our ability to motivate ourselves. And, unfortunately, many people become a slave to this. As time goes on, more and more obstacles seem to pile up, and complacency sets in. "Oh I'll just worry about it next week," or "It's really just not worth my time," are the sayings that cause people to become complacent. And so they sink. Sinking deeper and deeper until they can no longer make their way out. Now ask yourself, have you been sinking lately?
DIG?
Complacency is definitely an enemy of success, but its archenemy is a "self-defeating mindset." When people exhibit this tendency they actually worsen their life situation by their actions. Their mind plays tricks on them, and does everything it can to find reasons or excuses not to succeed. Giving up before they even start, or overestimating how busy they are to avoid having trying something new - this is digging. Those who dig often habituate toward it and dig deeper until they can't get out.
ROLL!!!
The only way to achieve whatever it is you dream of doing in this world is to ROLL!!! Set yourself in motion. Harness the potential of the boulder that you are and choose where you want to go. All it takes is a little push in the direction of what TRULY want to do with your life, and gravity will take care of the rest. For example, say you have always wanted to start your own restaurant, but have always told yourself it was "too difficult at this point in your life," or "would require far too much money." Why not set yourself in motion? Take baby steps at first. Pick up Running A Restaurant for Dummies and start reading! If it’s something that you would truly love doing, you won't be able to put the book down. Then, that excitement will make you want to start to talking to restaurant owners you already know, who then give you advice on what they did, and give you the next person you should talk to.
THE TAKEAWAY: If you are passionate about something, start learning about it. Take small steps toward it because I promise you... an object in motion, stays in motion. And if you don't want to take my word for it, surely Sir Isaac Newton's will suffice.
Century 21
Branch Leader
Monday, July 19, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
Friday, April 16, 2010
Firm: Calif median home price rises in month
Firm: Calif median home price rises in month
By JACOB ADELMAN Associated Press Writer
Posted: 04/16/2010 05:07:26 AM PDT
Updated: 04/16/2010 05:07:27 AM PDT
San Ramon —The median home price in California increased 14 percent last month from March 2009, its highest year-over-year increase in more than four years, a tracking firm reported Thursday.
The increase was driven by a boost in sales in expensive coastal markets and a drop in lower-cost inland communities, San Diego-based MDA DataQuick said.
The median for the state rose to $255,000 from $223,000 in March 2009. Last month's median was up about 2 percent from $249,000 in February.
It was the state's fifth consecutive month of year-to-year price increases after more than two year of declines, and it's highest percentage year-to-year increase since November 2005.
But DataQuick president John Walsh cautioned that the data revealed a shift in the sales mix toward higher-end homes, not an across-the-board increase in prices.
"It's a statistical quirk," he said. "A variety of data indicate prices in many communities have more or less flattened out or risen modestly, while they remain soft in others."
DataQuick said nearly 37,300 homes were sold in March, up almost 33 percent from February.
The firm stressed that it is normal for sales to rise sharply between February and March. Increases in that period have averaged almost 37 percent since DataQuick began keeping records in 1988.
The firm also said sales were up 3 percent from about 36,200 in March 2009.
Statewide foreclosures comprised nearly 41 percent of all resales last month, their lowest level since November 2009, DataQuick said.
In the nine-county region of Northern California, sales jumped about 11 percent to 6,990 in March from a year earlier. That figure rose 5 percent to more than 20,000 in a six-county region of Southern California.
The median home price in Northern California increased 31 percent to $380,000 last month from $290,000 in February 2009, reaching a three-year high. In Southern California, the median price rose 14 percent to $285,000, up from $250,000 in the year-ago period.
Walsh said the future stability of the state's housing market would depend heavily on the strengthening of the broader economy, which faced several risks.
"Government housing stimulus is fading, and there are threats from higher mortgage rates, more distressed properties hitting the market and continued job losses," he said.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Saturday, April 3, 2010
New & Improved Price, OFF $100,000 from $565,000 to $465,000...........not a short sale or reo
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Friday, April 2, 2010
What would you do if I gave you $18,000
San Ramon, CA- Today the good news is......
$18,000 IN COMBINED HOME BUYER TAX CREDITS FOR A LIMITED TIME
Californians have a brief window of opportunity to receive up to $18,000 in combined federal and state home buyer tax credits. To take advantage of both tax credits, a first-time home buyer must enter into a purchase contract for a principal residence before May 1, 2010, and close escrow between May 1, 2010 and June 30, 2010, inclusive. Buyers who are not first-time home buyers may use the same time frames to receive up to $16,500 in combined tax credits if they are long-time residents of their existing homes as permitted under federal law, and they purchase properties that have never been previously occupied as provided under California law.
Under the federal law slated to soon expire, a first-time home buyer may receive up to $8,000 in tax credits, and a long-time resident may receive up to $6,500, for certain purchase contracts entered into by April 30, 2010 that close escrow by June 30, 2010. Additionally, under a newly enacted California law, a home buyer may receive up to $10,000 in tax credits as a first-time home buyer or buyer of a property that has never been occupied. The new California law applies to certain purchases that close escrow on or after May 1, 2010 (see Cal. Rev. & Tax Code section 17059.1(a)(4)). California law generally allows buyers of never-occupied properties to reserve their credits before closing escrow, but buyers seeking to combine the federal and state tax credits will not be able to satisfy the timing requirements for such reservations (see Cal. Rev. & Tax Code section 17059.1(c)(1)(A)). Other terms and restrictions apply to both tax credits.
For more information, C.A.R. offers a Home buyer Tax Credit Chart with a side-by-side summary of the federal and California laws. C.A.R. also offers a legal article entitled Homebuyer Tax Credit Update.
Remember, a first home buyer is defined as someone who has not owned a home in the last three years in both the state and federal law.
If you have further questions contact me at 925-219-5144 or samparwiz@gmail.com
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Facebook Virus going arround.........if you get an e-mail like this.......
From: "Facebook Assistance"
Subject: Facebook Password Reset Confirmation! Your Support.
Virus: AUTH-W32/Bredolab.DY
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Alert, Alert ! ! ! Undisclosed Short Sale Payments May be Illegal!
San Ramon, CA - Undisclosed payments in short sale transactions, especially those paid outside of escrow, may violate the law, including RESPA (Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act), laws against loan fraud, and licensing laws. Short sale agents have increasingly reported to C.A.R. (Calirforina Association of Relators) about requests for agents and their clients to pay junior lienholders and others, oftentimes outside of escrow.
One common scenario is when a short sale seller's senior lender authorizes a payment of $3,000, for example, to extinguish a junior lien, but the junior lender demands that the buyer pays an additional $9,000 outside of escrow. Not only would it be risky for a buyer to pay outside of escrow, but concealing this additional payment from a federally-insured senior lender may constitute loan fraud, which is a crime punishable by 30 years imprisonment plus a $1 million fine (18 U.S.C. section 1014). Furthermore, omitting from the HUD-1 Statement any charges paid at settlement by either a buyer or seller may violate the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) (Appendix A to 24 C.F.R. Part 3500). Depending on the specific circumstances, carrying out these payment requests may also violate other laws and regulations, and an agent's participation in the scheme may be subject to license revocation by the Department of Real Estate or other disciplinary action.
Agents and their clients are encouraged to file any complaints regarding fraudulent activities to the proper authorities, including the following agencies:
- Attorney General's Office
California Department of Justice
800-952-5225 Phone
http://ag.ca.gov/consumers/mailform.htm - Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
HUD Office of Inspector General Hotline (GFI)
800-347-3735 Phone
http://www.hud.gov/offices/oig/hotline
Via: (Realegal® is published by the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, a trade association representing more than 175,000 REALTORS® statewide. )
If you have questions regarding a Short Sale please contact Sam Parwiz 925-219-5144 or samparwiz@gmail.com.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Know Your ARV Members » Using your IRA as an Instrument to Invest in Real Estate
Many investors have become disenchanted with recent stock market volatility, stories of corporate scandal and corruption. In addition to impacting retirement account values, these events have also strained investor confidence. It is no wonder then that more and more investors are pushing their advisers to offer Self-Directed IRAs (SDIRAs) that allow them to invest in alternative assets which they believe will provide greater diversification and control over their retirement nest eggs.
While the list of alternative investments includes a wide-ranging group of assets including private equities, hedge funds and mortgages, one area that has captured the greatest level of interest is real estate.
I believe, that falling prices, combined with increasing inventory, is creating new investment opportunities in real estate. As prices have fallen, the pendulum has swung past center to create oversold conditions, providing opportunities to buy real estate at low prices. Some areas in the U.S. have been experience this phenomenon for almost three years now.
Another factor to consider is that many real estate investors are being squeezed out of the market due to the current credit crisis. This has created a unique opportunity for cash-rich retirement plan investors. These investors are either purchasing the real estate outright, using a partnership or LLC. It is estimated that the first of more than 78 million baby boomers will begin to retire this year. This group controls more than $14 trillion dollars in retirement plan assets. These assets are being “rolled-over” from employer-based plans to individual retirement accounts. Many baby boomers have already begun to shift away from traditional equity investments to those that generate income, such as, income producing property. Add these factors with the possibility of equity appreciation, and it is clear why real estate is growing in popularity.
Just like doing all your research to select the perfect property to purchase includes knowing the market, good real estate comps, and knowing an exit strategy; finding the right SDIRA takes a little expertise. After the proper SDIRA custodian has been selected, the investor should request and complete the appropriate forms for their Traditional, Roth, SEP, Simple, Individual 401(k) or other qualified plan(s). The good SDIRA adviser will guide you through this process and make the process seamless for investors.
Ongoing market volatility, combined with the need of baby boomers to generate income, and retire securely, is causing investors of all shapes and sizes to take a hard look at their investment allocations to ensure there is a proper mix of opportunity and risk. As investors needs change, alternative assets and self-directed retirement accounts will become important tools to diversify and grow retirement wealth.
If you need to help with finding awesome investmetnts in real estate contact me @ 925-219-5144 or samparwiz@gmail.com.
