I’m a bit worried that talking about sex will net me a gazillion spam comments about viagra, sex toys and adult movies. While that would be a nice change from the spam comments I usually get about handbags, shoes, headphones and well… stuff that makes no sense at all, I’m not really looking forward to the spam fallout from this post.

However… I received this media release during the week which I really wanted to share.

Sexercise
Let’s talk about sex baby! (Anyone else miss Salt-n-Pepa*? Personally Spinderella was my fave, but didn’t get much of a look-in in that group!)

Anyhoo, sex has long been promoted as an ideal (and generally fun – from what I can remember 😉 ) way to burn calories. Almost every women’s magazine – at some point – has offered up an article on why… you (as a consenting adult) should partake in some rumpy pumpy and how it can contribute to calorie burning, increased fitness and (drawing on a long bow!) weight loss.

Hero Condoms has gone one further and detailed the number of calories burned AND the muscles worked in a range of different (ahem) positions.

I shit kid you not.

In fact, this media release practically provides step-by-step instructions. It targets a a female audience, though I’m pretty sure it could be adapted to suit either and any sex (and again I’m promoting the deed between consenting partners yadda yadda yadda!).

You may wonder why I’m not worried about offending my usual readers or audience… though I’m sure you’re all made of tougher stuff.

But, I do have an ulterior motive! Hero Condoms is all about ‘sex with a social conscience’. For every condom sold in Australia, Hero Condoms donate one to African communities, still grappling with the HIV/AIDS epidemic. As I understand it, Hero Condoms works with local partners (including a youth health organisation in Botswana) to distribute condoms and provide anti-retroviral treatments to pregnant women who are HIV positive (in order to minimise the chance of passing the virus onto their babies).

When I was a volunteer in Mozambique back in the mid 1990s my women’s organisation ran HIV / AIDS information sessions. We received sponsorship (of some kind) from a condom company and I have to admit I was gobsmacked at one of the sessions run in a local church – where the facilitator lifted her apron to reveal a fake penis and (in front of all the men and women present) demonstrated how to don a condom. (I should also note that many Mozambicans were Catholic – a result of their Portuguese history!)

So, IF you need condoms, you can maximise your good karma by choosing Hero Condoms. And – providing you have the opportunity – I’d also recommend some cardio burning activity which doesn’t rely on good weather or expensive equipment (well… I’m assuming yours doesn’t)!

The dinner challenge
I’ve been in a bit of a rut lately and have been eating the same 2-3 things every night of the week. My good old fillet steak and potato (with some veges and a sauce of some kind) has become my ‘go-to’ option and serves as some sort of ‘comfort’. However – after my recent cooking class – I’ve decided to make some changes.

It started with this:

I think I need to do some kind of challenge forcing me to cook a different dinner nightly for a month. Or at least more than 2-3 things!

— Diet Schmiet (@Schmiet)

I then realised it was ridiculous that I thought I needed SOMEONE ELSE to ‘challenge’ me to mix up my menu a bit. So… #TaDa! I’ve done it myself.

It’s now been 8 nights and I’ve had something different each night: Osso Bucco, tacos, chicken korma, gnocchi, fish, thai takeaway with a friend (garlic and pepper beef was the highlight) and – steak (once). There was also a fateful night (Tuesday) on which I cooked and ate brownies, cos I was in a bad place mentally and it was all I could manage!

Incidentally I tried Melinda’s gluten-free brownies for the first time and they were magnificent!

However, I’m happy that I’ve introduced a bit of variety back into my dietary life and it’s my plan to continue this over coming weeks.

My next step involves adding more veges and experimenting more. I have a gazillion old Weight Watchers cookbooks as well as some gluten-free ones which I’ve never opened. And… I bought myself a little electric food processor yesterday, so a yummy tomato-based sauce (discovered during our cooking class) will be next on my agenda!

Have I offended you by my sex-talk? Or are you made of hardier stuff?
Are you good at cooking/consuming a wide variety of dishes (and I’m talking about food here! 🙂 )?

* For those too young to remember Salt-n-Pepa… here!

PS. This is not a sponsored post. I received a media release from Hero Condoms (I usually receive a few each week from various companies) and decided to share its contents! You’re welcome! 😉