Welcome to THEJNSREPORT’S: Battling For Fitness, Health & Healthy Living 😀 I recently came across a post from a fellow blogger Venus Lotus who was sharing a post about actor Wentworth Miller. In the post there was a before and after photo of him one in which he was in shape and obviously acting for the show “Prison Break” and one which I assume was taken after the series had ended.
The second showed him chunky and out of shape but with a smile on his face. He (Wentworth) shed light on the context of the images we (the readers) were seeing in which he was the subject of memes online. Reading his account resonated with me that at some point or other in our lives we all have struggles with our weight, depression and emotional well-being.
Since I was a kid I’ve always been into sports, being fit and active. Having little understanding of what it’s like to be the out of shape and/or obese population, I assumed that it’s just a simple choice to be fit and healthy or fat and unhealthy. I always thought you just have to stop eating so much and work out more, then the weight comes off.
To a certain extent this is true, but with all the fast food advertising, hectic work schedules, school, families, and/or other responsibilities, most of us choose an unhealthy lifestyle. We choose to gorge ourselves on ice creams, fast foods, processed foods, alcohol (beer/liquor) and sugary drinks. There are a multitude of reasons for this however, one critical reason is costs.
Talking with my mother about the healthcare costs in America today exploding, I came to the realization that you will either pay for your health today or pay even more for it later. The choice does matter.
Healthy food choices are for some of us prohibitively expensive while the unhealthy food choices are readily available, relatively cheaper, quick to prepare and consume while fast tracking us on a path to poor health and high medical costs for being unhealthy. Is this by design or a simple by-product of the modern-day consumer lifestyle we live as Americans?
In my opinion it’s a combination of both but more so by design. There is little profit to be made off a healthy person if a healthy person doesn’t have to pay for the doctor, or expensive surgeries, medications, & specialists etc. I equate it to the same reason GM scrapped their first electric cars when they realized the electric car was so much better than gasoline dependent vehicles and how it affected the company’s bottom line when it came to other peripheral industries they derived revenue from such as the need for mechanics, parts, labor etc.
The electric car out performed the gas-powered car and wouldn’t need the maintenance of the gasoline car or dependence on fossil fuels to power and refuel it hence dramatically cutting the costs of routine maintenance and the need for expensive mechanics/technicians, not to mention all the oil used in changing engine oil.
The electric car merely needed a quick diagnostic check and a refilling of wiper fluid that was it. GM said no, no, no this isn’t good for our bottom-line this product will be great for the consumer but bad for business. EV 1 program scrapped.
It’s the same with our food industry. We choose unhealthy eating habits and diets because it’s easy and comforting. No one becomes obese over night just as no one becomes fit and healthy over night. It’s a steady process and lifestyle. What we choose to consume determines how healthy we are.
Having been out of shape relatively speaking for the past few years, I’ve come to the realization that in order to change that one has to decide to eat healthy, and exercise as a lifestyle not a diet fad for a short period of time. Finding foods that aren’t so expensive yet high in nutritional value isn’t as hard as you’d think. The question is how much desire do you have to be financially conscious of what you choose to spend your money on feeding your body a healthy diet. In the outer boroughs the choice is made even more difficult for those of us living at or below the poverty line.
Many supermarkets in the outer-boroughs I have found have higher costs for the same groceries that you’d find say at Trader Joes. It’s egregious greed in my opinion because the grocers know that a large part of the population shopping their supermarkets pay for their food choices with food stamps.
For this reason they screw everyone else who isn’t on food stamps by raising the price on the products that are popularly purchased or are basic food staples. Case in point I went to buy a loaf of bread from one such supermarket and anticipated paying $3 at the most of a single loaf. I was shocked when I went to the cashier to pay and found that the loaf cost almost $6. I put that loaf of bread right back where I found it and left the store. I had the time and the patience not to settle for getting price gouged for something as simple as a loaf of bread.
For someone who hasn’t been taught how to shop healthy or save money while shopping, this fits perfectly into the scheme to fast track many of us into unhealthy choices or the simple lazy mentality that “so what this is what it costs and I’m going to get what I like to eat.”
I say all this to say that the choice to begin living and eating healthy is one that I’ve decided to embrace again and with renewed vigor. If I can impart any wisdom or information that I have learned or gained from making this decision I want to share it with as many people as I can instead of just shaking my head in disconcert. After all it’s a matter of what you know and don’t know and what you do with that information that will make all the difference. Stay tuned as I update you periodically on my journey and battle for fitness, health, & healthy living.
Upon entering Nocciola you see this blackboard above 
The concept of housemade pastas and only wines for consumption with no hard liquor is a good alternative to most of the food options in East Harlem’s restaurant scene. We started our dinner off with complimentary bread and olive oil with pesto for dipping our bread in.
The Bread is very very good here.
You just want to soak up all that delicious olive oil based dip into the bread and slowly savor the flavor.
A closeup on that creamy polenta & mushrooms.
For our main course we chose whole Branzino and Pappardelle pasta. 
This is yet another great pasta I’ve never tried before now. It’s a meatsauce with broad long strips of pasta. 
I thoroughly enjoyed fork full after fork full of this dish. I recommend going with the full portion plate.
The Branzino was cooked to perfection. There were grilled potatoes, asparagus, & a grilled lemon wedge adorning the plate. A nice bottle of Pinot Grigio helped us wash down our meal before desert.
Nocciola has quite an extensive list of wines. If your not sure of what you’d like the servers can definitely point you in the right direction and allow you to taste a wine before deciding whether or not you will have a glass or the full bottle. 
The pannacotta is rich and pairs well with the fruit and powdered sugar & chocolate sauce. It’s not a heavy desert which is perfect after everything we ate. On a scale of 1 – 5 dinner plates. Nocciola gets 4 1/2 out of 5 dinner plates. We recommend Nocciola to anyone interested in changing from the “usual” dining experience and give your palate something different. The menu boasts more than what you have seen here and I’m sure will not fail to please.
So I began the latest cooking at home experience by going to a favorite go to dish that’s so easy anybody can make it. Now whether you’re a traditionalist or a semi homemade personality it’s all the same to me when it comes to saving time, making something delicious and healthy at home saving some coin vs eating out. Yes ladies and gents I adore Spaghetti & Meat Sauce with or without meat balls and pretty much almost any take on spaghetti & sauce within reason.
After 10 minutes uncover the sauce an using a knife and fork begin to cut the chicken breasts into strips or cubes as desired (Can be done prior to placing in the sauce pan right after seasoning). I like to play with this option. Sometimes cutting up the chicken breasts either before or after placing into the saucepan.
After straining carefully add the pasta to the sauce and keep flame low as you stir together the sauce and pasta.
Leave flame low and cover pot. Serve when ready to eat. Add additional spices as desired. There you have it, Spaghetti & Chicken Breast with Tomato Sauce for dinner. Mmm mmm son!!!
The above was taken at the beach in Manta, Ecuador. Plenty of people were out to soak up the sun and play in the sand.to Manta is probably the best city visited in Ecuador during our stay. The energy is a mixed one with every day people enjoying the beach city environment. While there certainly is more to Manta than the beach. The beach here is probably the first reason to visit Manta.
Green Coconuts for sale and consumption right on the beach where they chop it open and supply a straw. 
La Policia stroll the beach. 
Kids playing in the sand.
Looking out to the beach from inside a restaurant while having a Pilsner Light is what it is right now.
Plenty of public displays of art can be found walking the streets of Manta. Even the trees become part of the mural scene above.
These birds are all around the shore line and beach front. Flying high and swooping in and out down and around and all about making for awesome shots like the one pictured above. 
The sculpt work here is beyond impressive! Last time I was here they did Giant Hippos.
I took this as we approached the Beach. To me looked like a shot worthy of making a classic Black & White.
I like this for the simple phrase think Big.
Driving through the various towns from Manta through Porto Viejo yields some colorful scenes.
Looks like it could be a portal in some version of Mortal Kombat.
Yes they do go to church at night. 
This is the Angel de Porto Viejo.
All over the streets of Santiago and other cities I encountered pretty cool public art displays from murals to graffiti images.
I was surprised to see so much graffiti and art work on the walls along the streets of Santiago. No doubt about it art, graffiti, self expression is universal.
Here’s another cool public display of art I came across in Chile.
As I kid I wished I could draw this well. The detail is sick!!!
See what I mean they just keep on coming.
Here’s another pretty cool looking P.A.D.
What’s that in the distance? Can you see him?
This P.A.D I shot in front of a subway station in the center of Santiago.
This was also near to the other mural at the entrance to the subway.
This lamp was shot inside of one of Santiago’s best restaurants Eladios.
Tiramisu Pizzeria Chile is an absolute instant favorite of mine for their cocktails and pizza alone period end of story.
My second cocktail was my favorite of the day. Tiramisu’s Raspberry Mojito aka The Framboise Mojito
And then there was the Pizza…Absolutely F’ N Bueno!!!
Notice anything striking in this photo? Tell me what you see in this photo and what you don’t see as opposed to NYC’s transit system. There are tons more shots I have from this awesome trip. I hope you enjoyed this little peak at the wonderful experience had in Latin America. Thank you to our hosts in both Ecuador & Chile.
Collin:
THEJNSREPORT
THEJNSREPORT 