Veg-Tastic

First two shout-outs. One to o Britt for telling me how to cook these wild and crazy vegetables in a comment on my last post, and the second to Amie for coming over to help me identify, chop up and cook my gigantic box full of vegetables.  We ate a feast afterward.

Here's what my box actually contained (I miss identified some vegetables yesterday).

Collards

Kale

Onions

Strawberries

Broccoli

Peas

Beets

So we cooked the collards as Britt advised, by sauteeing them with olive oil, onion and garlic.  We went ahead and cooked them all, mostly because I didn't think I would ever be motivated to do it again later in the week. Here's what they looked like after Amie chopped them all up:

Here's what they looked like after we cooked them down.  I've never had a collard green before. They were pretty good. Not nearly as gross as I expected them to be.  They would probably not be my first choice in vegetables, but anything sauteed in olive oil is pretty good in my book.

We also chopped up some kale.  I've never had kale before. I followed a recipe for kale chips that I once saw in a Real Simple magazine that I read in the eye doctor's office. I took a picture of the recipe with my phone in case I ever wanted to make it.  I tossed the chopped up kale with olive oil and put a little salt and pepper on them. Then baked them at 300 degrees for 20 minutes. These guys were delicious.  They got real crispy and tasted like potato chips, except way healthier. I liked these a lot. I still have a lot of kale left, so I'll be making them again later in the week. Here they are about to go in the oven.  

We also boiled the beets.  I've never had a beet before.  There were only a handful and they were very small. They boiled a long time, but finally got soft and Amie peeled off the skin.  Here they are after being cooked, peeled and cut.  They reminded me of cooked carrots and again, were not nearly as gross as I expected them to be.

Here's a shot of the stove, when it was really cooking.  We've got onions in the back left, beets boiling in the back right, collards on the front right and one of my meals for the week, chicken with rice, peas and broccoli in the front right.

We ate a lot of veggies today, but I still have a good bit left.  Some cooked, some left raw, but it is a much more manageable amount.  I tried three new vegetables today!  Three that I've never really even seen in a grocery store before!  I can't wait for next week's shipment.

Have you guys ever had collards, kale or beets?

Delivery Day

Today was CSA delivery day! I was quite nervous.  Here's a shot of my box, packed full of veggies.  It included: broccoli, sugar peas, strawberries, turnips, onions, collard greens, mustard greens and something that I think is possibly kale.

Yes, this is overwhelming.  It's a lot of food.  I've had two different co-workers offer to split the box with me in the future, and I think I will take them up on the offer. I don't want to waste any food.

a real turnip!

a collard green as big as my head!

They included some recipes in the box, but if any of you have recipes or suggestions for collards, turnips and greens, please let me know!

The Amie Outlook on Life

In honor of my friend Amie's birthday today, I'd like to share with you the Amie Outlook on Life.

My great friend Amie has a certain streak in her personality that I would like to adopt. It is difficult to describe. You might call it faith or trust or extreme positivity. This is how it works: she needs something, she believes she will get it or find it or fix it, then she does.  These needs could be big, like finding a new job, or small, like having good weather for a planned hike.

When I first observed this about Amie, it annoyed me a lot.  Everything she wanted or needed just worked out for her.  But then I realized that it's not that she's lucky or more blessed or favored than other people.  It's that she has faith. Faith in God, faith in herself, faith in the universe, really all of the above.  She doesn't worry, she doesn't complain endlessly.  She just trusts.

No, it's not magic.  And no, she doesn't always get everything she wants.  She's just able to enjoy what she has in a way that makes it seem like she's getting what she wants.  Just a couple of months ago her glasses broke and she tried "Oculus Reparo" on them (Harry Potter nerds will get that spell humor...her joke, not mine), and they didn't mend themselves back together.  She had to get new glasses.  The difference is that while that was unfortunate, she just said "Oh well!," got new glasses and moved on with her life. (Maybe not the best illustration, but the most recent one in my mind.)

This ability to trust that things will work out is just one of the many things I'm continually learning from Amie.  She has also taught me to be a more generous and kind-hearted person, more positive in my thinking and more in love with nature.

If you know Amie, what do you love about her? What has she taught you?

The Prescription

The doctor's visit today was not nearly as bad as I feared.  While she was not exactly impressed with my weight loss, she did not make me feel bad for not having lost more, which is really what I feared.

First, she did not notice on her own that I had lost weight, but I didn't really give her time.  She walked in and said, "What's new?" and I said, "I've lost weight," to which she replied "Well look at you," (she, however, was not actually looking at me but at my chart.) That was about as close as I got to a compliment.

Later she asked me if I was having any issues, at which time I said, "Yes, actually, I've been trying to lose the same 10 pounds since October and I can't seem to do it anymore." She recommended the GI Diet, which involves the glycemic index and is the exact same diet she recommended to me almost four years ago, the last time I went to her.  It has to do with your blood sugar levels and eating foods that do not make your blood sugar jump up.  I bought the book back in 2008, the last time I saw her, and tried and failed at that diet then.  I didn't say that to her today, but she's not really the type of person you argue with.  However, I think I will bust out the book and see if can incorporate some of its suggested foods into my current diet, without going fully on the GI diet.

She also brought up the "Eat like a king for breakfast, eat like a queen for lunch and eat like a pauper for dinner" philosophy.  I've heard this before, which is basically all about eating your bigger meals earlier in the day and eating less later.  I can't imagine ever being able to stick to this, as I've never been a great breakfast eater and dinner is more my style.

I also brought up the fact that I was not sure how much I needed to lose in total.  I told her that I'm really striving for 100 pounds, but wanted to know how much further I should go after that.  I said, "I've looked at the BMI height/weight charts online and it says I should weigh X, but that would mean having to lose about fifty more pounds than I have, and I can't imagine being able to do that."  To which she said, "Well, you really are big-boned. Some people just say they're big boned, but you really are. So let's set your goal weight at X+5."  (Seriously?!?) To which I said "It's been so hard to lose weight for almost a year, I just don't think I will ever get to that goal weight. To which she said, "Okay, let's make it  X +15." To which I said, "okay."

X+15 is 35 pounds away from where I am right now and will be a total of about 125 pounds lost.  It kind of frightens me, because I don't want to be continually pressuring myself to lose weight for the rest of my life and 35 pounds seems forever away at the rate I'm going.  She, however, seemed to think that if I would make her simple changes than it would all come off easily. She seems to eat only to fuel her body.  I'm guessing she has never had a weight or food issues, so she would not comprehend that such simple changes are not always simple.

In summary, it was not a horrible experience.  I will reread the GI Diet book, since I already own it and see if I can pick up anything that will help me stay fuller longer or eat calories that will more efficiently fuel my body.

*Also, everything checked out normal and most of my levels like cholesterol and triglycerides and things like that are better than ever because of all of this healthy eating.
 

My CSA is Coming!

This Friday will be my first shipment from the CSA Farm, that I'm supporting.  I'll get a variety of fresh fruits and veggies and I'll never know what I'm getting until it arrives.  Check back on Friday for an analysis of what I received. I'm sure I'll have questions about what to do it with it all and how to cook it, and I'd love your help with that!

PS the Walking Club is on for tomorrow. Hope to see you at the Riverwalk at 5:45 p.m.

The Doctor is In

Wednesday I'll be going to the doctor* for the first time in two and a half years.  I'm nervous.

I've only seen this doctor a handful of times, and every time she has told me that I am severely overweight and I need to change my eating habits and exercise more.  Every time she said this it was true, but sometimes the truth hurts. I would leave thinking, "What does she think I'm stupid? I know I'm overweight, she doesn't have to be so mean about it."

I last went to her in January 2009. When I left I said to myself that I would not go back until I lost 100 pounds, which I never really expected to happen.  I thought that I was just writing off  doctor visits for the rest of my life.

While I haven't lost 100 pounds yet, I have made major changes in my life and have seen great results from that. I'd like to have a conversation with her about the plateau I've been on for the last few months, how I can shake things up to begin losing again, and what my ultimate weight loss goal should be (I suspect it should be more than 100 pounds, but first things first).

I hope that we can have an honest and open conversation that will help me succeed, but I'm still scared.  I'm scared she will say that I am overweight and that I still have a long way to go (according to BMI charts, I should lose 140 pounds total, but that just doesn't seem right for my body type.)  I don't know what I weighed when I last visited her, so the pounds lost may not be quite as impressive (although it will still be a significant amount.)

Anyway, I try to be honest with you blog readers, and that is what I'm thinking/worrying about this week. I'll let you know how it goes.

*No need for concern, it's just for a physical.

This One's For the Girls

So I wrote yesterday that there was a point when I was questioning why I chose to go on this youth mission trip last week, but what I didn't tell you was what happened to turn it around.

I was just hanging out one night when one of the girls asked me if we could talk.  She didn't want anyone to overhear what she had to say, so we decided to take a walk. As soon as we were away from  the others she said, "I hate being fat. What can I do about it?"

This took me by complete surprise. This was a very young girl who I did not know very well and who does not know about my weight loss journey (we just recently met).  Immediately, though, I knew it wasn't an accident that she decided to tell me about her struggle. She didn't know it, but no one understands being unhappy with their weight more than I do.

Oddly, though, as much as I talk about my own weight loss and healthy living on this blog, I was a little unsure of what to say.  She's too young to begin a cycle of dieting; she's really just a kid.  So I started by asking why she thinks she is fat. When she responded that she is bigger than the other girls, I tried to remind her that God made each of our bodies differently, and that I think she is beautiful.

That didn't seem to be enough, so I also told her that as she grows, she'll get taller and her weight will likely stay the same, making her look differently.  But she kept pressing me about what she could do now to change, so I asked her what she eats and what she does after school.  Her food sounded fairly well-balanced, but she doesn't do any activities after school so I suggested going for a walk after school.  Talking about it and having this small plan seemed to be enough to make her feel better right then.

This kind of thing is the reason I work with students, girls especially.  Self esteem and body issues run rampant in middle and high school girls (and adults too).  It's hard to believe you are beautiful and made in God's image when you feel like you look different than the others and the most important thing to you is fitting in. I wish I got to have more frank conversations like this with the girls I work with, but its a difficult subject to have honest conversation about.  So for now I remain open to the conversations when they happen, but mostly just a positive and encouraging friend to these beautiful young ladies the rest of the time.

Body-related self esteem issues suck.

What I Did This Week

I'm a bad blogger.  I took my camera on our Spring Breakthrough trip and only took one picture with it.  I took a handful more with my camera phone, and stole a few more of the ones below from Facebook. Unfortunately, none of the pictures below reflect the awesomeness of this week (or, actually, any of the hard work we did).  

I'll be honest, Wednesday night I began to question my sanity in choosing to go on this trip. I was dealing with a lack of sleep after nights spent in a camp bed, missing my own shower, floating in a sea of drama in the middle school girls cabin I was living in, witnessing lots of high school heartbreak and physically exhausted from manual labor.  

That was just one night, though.  I really do love these students.  Not only did they choose to use their spring break serving and loving others, they did it willingly.  Yeah, the drama and the heartbreak and the camp beds are probably always going to be a part of of youth ministry, but being able to serve alongside these students every day and be a part of their lives for five days outweighs such minor inconveniences.

The whole crew

My beautiful and hardworking team!

During a lunch break we jumped

And jumped

And jumped.

And jumped.

Twins!

Another group pic of my crew on a break.

I love these guys

Here are a few of us covered in paint in our beloved van.

From these pictures, it doesn't look like we did much work. In my last post, I shared the week-in-review video from last year.  Here's the video from this year, if you'd like to know more about what we did.

Spring BreakThrough

It's time for me to give you the high sign that I will not be posting next week.  Instead, I will be using a week's vacation time to drive about 10 teenagers around Charlotte.  Our van (which, BTW will be rocking) will be just one of several teams of teens and adults who are using their spring break to do something that counts.  Each day we will load up and head to a different ministry site. Some days we might be doing hard labor, some days we might be playing with children, other days just sitting and talking with people who need someone to listen.

Sometimes when I tell people how I'm spending my vacation, I get sort of a crazy look. The "why would you want to spend your free time with teenagers" look.  But these kids inspire me and challenge me and are some of my great friends.  It's gonna be a wonderful week.

To get an idea of what it's like, check out this awesome video from last week's Springbreakthrough created by the talented Shoeless Works videography team.

The Cycle

I'm realizing that since last May, I've been very much on a cycle with my weight loss efforts, but I'm trying very hard to get off this not-so-merry go round.

I start off great, highly motivated and ready to make good choices.  This phase in the cycle is easy and feels normal  It usually comes after an extended period of making repeated bad choices and my body is ready for the change.  Usually this phase lasts anywhere from a week to two and a half weeks.  I usually lose a good bit of weight the first week and another pound or so the second week.  Then I get so excited that I've lost that much that I start weighing more frequently.  Right when I start weighing more frequently, my body slows down on the losing, which gets disappointing.  That, in combination with going too long trying to "be good," is usually what leads into the second phase of the cycle.

The second phase in the cycle usually lasts a few days, up to a week.  This is when I start to struggle. The choices aren't easy any more. I still make some good choices, but the bad choices start to creep in slowly, one at a time.  This is where I am right now.

The third phase is something akin to going "hog wild." Bad choices, bad choices, bad choices.  I eat whatever I want, whenever I want and usually a lot of it is chocolate or meals eaten out.  This can last anywhere from one week to one month.  I usually end up gaining several pounds during this period, thus the reason why I've never made it to 100 pounds lost yet.  I want desperately to avoid the third phase this time around and bust on through to my goal.

As of my last official weigh-in last Monday, I am only four pounds from 100. That sounds exciting, but I've been here before and more than once, and I've never been able to hang on long enough to cross that 100-pound barrier.  That's why I need to stay focused, look for good choices and keep working hard.  I've just got to try, cause this cycle is making me dizzy.

A Week in Outfits

After posting last weekend about my personal wardrobe consultant revolutionizing my wardrobe, I was asked to post some pictures of my week. Here you go!

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

My favorite outfit was Wednesday's garnet skirt with a pink top and a cardigan that pulled it all together.  My second favorite was the polka dot skirt with pink top and black shrug from Monday.  

Happy List

Life has been good lately.  Here's a few of the things that have been making me happy, in no particular order.

• Tulips blooming
• Running errands with the windows down, country music up and sunglasses on
• Chile Verde with tortilla chips
• Zumba/Hip-hop fundraiser for Japan tonight
• Being outside
• Wearing skirts
• Swimming
• Eating dinner on my patio
• A productive Saturday and a restful Sunday
• A new pasta salad recipe I invented
• My dirt patch is finally growing grass
• Plans made to see a few of my fav cousins this summer
• Seeing the scale go down today
• Hormel Turkey Pepperoni Sticks
• Thoughts of the family beach trip (I love those people)
• Dogwoods blooming
• The book I'm reading, "Matched"

Really, though, life is good all time. It's just how you choose to see it. What are you seeing in your world that's making you happy this week?

What to Wear

My room last night was like an episode of What Not to Wear.  Except instead of Stacy and Clinton ridiculing me for my horrid clothes, I had the fabulous April of A Little of This and That pairing up outfits for me and telling me what worked.

It was exactly what I needed.

I have long followed a few basic rules when it comes to fashion. I must be comfortable.  There must be one solid and one patterned piece (ie if the skirt is patterned, the top should be solid and vice versa.).  There must be one color and one neutral (usually black). I'm not very adventurous, to say the least.

April came in and revolutionized my closet.  She put colors together that I never would've thought of, and basically showed me a whole new wardrobe with the clothes I already had.  Look at this, I have eight colorful outfits paired up and ready to march out!

 

An unexpected benefit to losing weight has been becoming more interested in what I'm wearing.  While I don't expect to have a great fashion sense spring up overnight, I do hope to continue experimenting and having fun with my new(ish) figure this summer.

If only I had a fantastic 80s song playing in the background, I could've had my very own movie montage wardrobe makeover sequence, which is my dream (and most people's).

Do you have a fashion philosophy? Please share if you do! I could always use the help!

Week's End

It's the end of another week, and what a great one it's been.  I mentioned that I was prepped mentally last Sunday.  It's like a switch was flipped. The last two weeks I was eating whatever I wanted, overeating, and eating out a lot. And it's not like I wanted to behave this way. It was almost as if I had no control over my eating.

But this week, I have hardly been tempted.  I was able to stick to my plans, eating healthily and working out five days this week.

I've been surprised how tough working out has been this week.  I wasn't as diligent with it in the last few weeks, so getting back into running and weight lifting has left me sore and tired, but feeling good about myself.  The running has not come back easily.  It looks like I can run a mile to a mile and half with ease and after that I have to walk/run in intervals.  I've kept up my cycling on the stationary bike, but today I was able to ride about 8 miles at the park. I had my first wipeout today, thanks to my shaky steering. I ran off the edge of the paved path, which was a pretty steep drop off. I lost control of the bike and fell over.  I was shaken up, but after a minute or so, I realized I was okay and got back on, completing two more miles after that.

I've officially registered for my first triathlon, which is May 21. I feel like I'll be ready, if I can just back into running  shape.

Today was such a gorgeous day here.  I took advantage of it by getting out on the bike, eating lunch outside and doing a little yardwork.  What'd you do?

Beauty at all Ages

Last weekend I spent time with two of my nieces.  One is almost three months old and the other just turned five. Watching children learn and grow can be fascinating. It just so happened that I got to watch as both explored their own beauty.  That sounds weird, but I can't think of another way to say it.  Let me explain.

First, Natalie (almost three months) and I were playing on the floor. We enjoyed some tummy time, but when she got tired of holding her head up, I rolled her over to her back.  It just so happened that she was lined up so that she could see herself easily in the mirror.  She was captivated by herself.  She would not take her eyes off of that mirror.  Now maybe I'm taking what is a simple developmental stage and extrapolating too much from it, but I loved that she loved herself so much.  She was not looking in that mirror wishing she had straighter hair or smaller nose. She was looking and loving what she saw.

Julia (age 5) and I went to the park later.  She and her brother darted off when we got there, clambering over all of the playground equipment. I sat on a bench and watched their fun from afar.  The park was full of children, and these kids don't have trouble making friends.  However, after we'd been there for awhile, Julia came walking over to me. I could tell something was wrong, her shoulders were slumped forward and her lip was sticking out.  I said "What's wrong?"  She said, "That girl over there told me I was ugly."

My first thought was, "What is wrong with that six year old that she would tell some girl she had just met that she is ugly?" (Especially when Julia is just as cute as a button.)

Of course I tried to comfort Julia and make her feel better, but her whole demeanor was already altered.  She sat next to me sadly for about 10 minutes (which is a really long time for a kid to sit still at a park).  She eventually went back to playing, but she didn't forget what that girl said to her.  When we got home, the first thing she told her mom was what the girl had said to her.

I've been thinking about both of these instances ever since. It's made me wonder a couple of things. First, when do we lose that uncomplicated appreciation of our amazing bodies that Natalie showed me by being transfixed by the mirror? Again, maybe I'm trying to pull too much out of it, but I think it's a reminder we all need -- to love ourselves as we are. We are wonderfully made.

Julia's experience made me start thinking about how people can be so mean to each other.  There was no reason for that girl to be so blatantly rude. Maybe as adults, we're not quite as blunt, but we can still be pretty vicious. And on the flip side of that, why do we let other people's hurtful words affect us so much?

Is this too serious a post?  I'd like your thoughts, if you have any, on the topic.  In the meantime, here's my two beautiful nieces.

Taken with my phone, so sorry for the quality.

Product Review: Skinny Cow

I thought I could share with you, from time to time, my thoughts on a light or healthy product on the market.   Today's feature is Skinny Cow.

Skinny Cow has a full lineup of healthier ice cream treats.  Some are bars, like the one I've tried this week, and some are cones, ice cream sandwiches or ice cream. I've seen them in the freezer section for a long time, but I've avoided them because "diet" ice cream is usually no fun.  Also, they are a little expensive.

A few weeks ago, I brought home my first box. I was pleasantly surprised at how good these bars, which were only 100 calorie, 2.5 grams of fat bar, were.  They are so creamy and chocolately and deliciously good. They are just chocolate ice cream drizzled with  fudge, but, man, it hits the spot. Also, They're big enough that you don't (usually) feel like you immediately need to go grab another one.  In short, they a great way to satisfy an ice cream craving. I highly recommend!

The Domino Effect

People tell me, from time to time, that I am an inspiration.  Sometimes it is said idly, sometimes it is said because the person speaking has been empowered to change because of something they read on this blog.  Either way it is a great honor for me. I never set out to be an inspiration, but I am glad if you feel that way.

But today I want you to know that I'm not the only one who can be an inspiration.  Each of us has the power to inspire, encourage and impact those around us. People are always watching, seeing the example you set as you lead your life.  Most of the time you never know how your actions have affected another.  I'm lucky enough that because I'm pretty open and honest on the blog, people feel open enough to tell me things like this directly.

My friend Nancy sent me an email a few months ago to tell me about the domino effect.  She said that the changes she has seen me make has helped her get into the gym after her doctor recommended it.  But the cool part of this email was that her sister looked at the changes Nancy had made to be healthier and was inspired to start walking again to try and lose some extra weight.

I haven't asked Nancy lately how her sister is doing with that, but can you imagine how the chain could just keep going and going?  That's what the domino effect is all about.  And it doesn't just apply to weight loss and healthy eating. Maybe if we each try to be more loving and less self-focused, that will inspire others around us to adopt similar attitudes.  And that chain could just keep going and going.

The domino effect is what's inspiring me lately.  How can you affect those around you?

PS The first Lost and Not Found Walking Club was a lot of fun.  If you live local, I hope to see you out there next week! Same time, same place!

CSA

Exciting news! I've joined a CSA Farm for the early summer.  What's a CSA Farm, you say?  A Community Supported Agriculture Farm.  It's a great way to get locally-grown fresh vegetables, which are good for you, and at the same time support your local farmer.

I became a member this week, and paid money up front to get 12 weeks of seasonal fruits and vegetables delivered to me.  Each week, the CSA will drop off a box for me and other members at my work (there are numerous drop off locations all over the state. I'm just lucky one of them happens to be where I work). This helps them because they have guaranteed sales for the produce they grow.

I won't know what I'm getting with each delivery until I go to pick up the box.  This makes it even more exciting. (The website says "It's like Christmas!")  Some of you have noted that I don't seem to have experience with a lot of fruits and vegetables, so each week I'll have the opportunity to try new items.

Locally-grown seems to be a big buzzword these days.  It's better for the environment, because they don't have to transport the food around the world just so you can eat it. It's also better for the local economy.  While both of these things are great, they're not exactly why I decided to do it.  Mainly, I just wanted access to a great variety of fresh produce.

Check out the Gruber Farm Website, if you'd like more information.

Have any of you ever been part of a CSA?  Do you believe locally grown produce is important?

Annoucing: the Walking Club

Hello!  I think we, the Lost and Not Found Blog Family, should start a walking club.  Here's why:

1) Getting out to exercise is not always easy, but it's a lot easier if you're doing it with others.

2) We (as a society) often gather to be social over a meal.  Being social while walking keeps us from consuming calories, while also helping us burn calories. Bonus!

3) It's spring, which is really the most beautiful season and the most amenable to outdoor exercise. Plus, the days are longer, which gives us more time to enjoy the outdoors.

4) If you live in Rock Hill, we have the Riverwalk, a most beautiful, paved trail that runs along the wild Catawba River.  It's also not far from those of you in Fort Mill and Charlotte, as it's right on the northern edge of Rock Hill.

So, here's the plan, as I see it (although feel free to share any thoughts or modifications you'd suggest in the comments section below).  I plan to be in the parking lot of the Riverwalk each Wednesday at 5:45 p.m.  I'll wait a few minutes and see who shows up.  You can come every week or you can come whenever you feel like it.  No need to RSVP.  If no one shows up, I'll just take a stroll by myself and enjoy the scenery.  

Here's a map, if you need it.

Let me know if you have any thoughts/comments/suggestions!  I hope those of you in the Charlotte area are as excited about this as I am!

Prepped: Mentally and Physically

Another week begins tomorrow and for me, it is another chance to reboot a diet.  I've been eating horribly and eating sporadically for the past two weeks.  I just haven't been in the right mental state to try lately.  I can't exactly put my finger on what's been holding me back. But today I feel like I'm tired of pussy-footing (please excuse my language) around, and I'm ready to get back in the game.  That's a big deal, because the mental space is where this battle is waged.

A couple of things I'm doing differently:
1) I'm moving my weigh day to Mondays for a couple of reasons. First, because I always end up rebooting on Mondays, and therefore having to weigh to get a good starting point. Second, because weighing on Friday gives me permission to be more lax over the weekend with my eating, since I'll have more time to make it up.
Last Monday I weighed and found that I had gained a bit.  Then I had fourteen pounds to lose before making it to 100 lost.  This Monday, I know it will be more, in fact, quite a bit more, I'm sure.

2) I'm going to try sandwiches for lunch instead of leftovers.  I used to eat sandwiches for lunch a long time ago, and they got boring fast.  However,  I haven't eaten sandwiches consistently in quite a long time and I've been craving them lately. I bought some good stuff to make exciting and low-cal sandwiches, so I think they will hold my interest.  This also means I only have to make one meal today.


So, even though it's early on Sunday, I know I'll be ready by the time tomorrow rolls around. I'm trying a new experiment with roasted vegetables today and making chicken kebobs on the grill to eat for dinner this week.  I'm excited about both! I'm also excited to get back into a regular workout routine. I really have missed it.

Are you ready for your week to begin?

Back on the Sauce

Friends, I think it is time that I admit to myself and to you that I am back on the sauce.  And by sauce, I mean Diet Pepsi.

If you've been reading the blog, you know that I decided to give up Diet Pepsi in February.  At the time, I thought it would help me kick the last few pounds, crave sweets less, avoid a lecture from the dental hygientist and become, in general, a healthier person.

I gave it up and didn't touch a drop of the stuff for four and a half weeks.  I don't exactly remember what made me decide to try it again, but I was secretly hoping that when I tasted it again, I would find it gross.  Many people told me that is what happened to them when they tasted it again after giving it up.  But, no, it was just as tantalizingly tasty and ravishingly refreshing as it has always been.  Maybe even more so because I had gone without it for so long.

When I first went back to my first love, I only had it occasionally.  I had a pretty easy detox, when I gave it up, and I didn't want to get addicted again.  I don't like the idea of being addicted to something.  These occasional meetings with Diet Pepsi went on for a few weeks, until this week. This week I lived and breathed Diet Pepsi for three days. It was partly because I was travelling, partly because I was tired and needed the boost and partly because I got some free ones.

Now, while I still don't want to be addicted to caffeeine, I've decided it is a-ok for me to drink Diet Pepsi in moderation.  It makes me feel less deprived, and giving it up did not help me kick the last few pounds, crave sweets less, avoid a lecture from the dental hygientist or become a healthier person. In fact I've been rather unhealthier in my eating since I gave it up.

Anyway, I'm glad I got that off my chest.  Now I don't have to sneak out behind the bleachers to sneak in meetings with Diet Pepsi.