Pilates... check.

The kids are napping and I just finished my Pilates routine. It is getting increasingly difficult to do the leg strength segment with my right leg. My left leg has no problem, but the right leg is sending pain through my hip. I'll have to take it easy.

I found (in my magazine) an article on water exercise. It outlined three different exercises I can do and notes that by doing these three exercises at least three times a week, you can drop a whole size in three weeks (3 x 3 x 3 = -1 size). I accept that challenge.. especially since I spend a good 2 hours in the pool anyway. I may as well be losing inches too. The article also claimed that you exert your muscles 800 times as much during water exercising, thus burning 510 calories per half hour. That seems way too good to be true.

Have you ever heard of Agave nectar? I know Tequila is made from the Agave plant, but I've never heard of other uses for Agave until another article I just read. The article isn't that long, so I'm just going to write it word for word. It's from the magazine Women First on page 62 of the 8/3/09 publication.

NEWS! AGAVE NECTAR SLASHES BODY FAT BY 21 PERCENT!

In the health-food aisle of your supermarket is a sweet little miracle that can transform desserts into healthy indulgences. Called agave nectar, this syrup has been prized for thousands of years in Mexico, where it's made from the same desert plant that produces tequila. Nutritionists value agave because it is low on the glycemic index, which means it doesn't cause blood sugar spikes that lead to cravings. The best part: It's indigestible fructans bind to fats in the digestive tract and flush them out of the body, resulting in a 21% reduction in body fat in just four weeks.

To enjoy the benefits, forgo sugar in favor of agave. It's sweeter than sugar, so you can use half the amount (and consume half the calories).

Now... this article claims that you can reduce your body fat by TWENTY ONE PERCENT in just four weeks? That's a huge amount. If I'm 49% body fat, then after I use this nectar for 4 weeks, I'll be down to 28% body fat? What the heck am I spending all this time watching what I eat and exercising? How much do I use? How often do I eat it? This article really left me with numerous questions. I've been searching the internet for about 10 minutes now looking for answers and am coming up dry. I'll agree that it's probably better for me than sugar and artificial sweeteners, but I'm not going to go all gung-ho and drink a bottle a day. I am going to get a bottle though and use it for things I'd normally put sugar or splenda on/in. Not keeping my fingers crossed about losing any body fat though.

Off to do some chores now, I'll be back later.