I am loving a lot right now: recipes, books, exciting happenings, new challenges and I thought I would share some of my favorites.
Vegetarianism: It is not as bad as I had assumed and carried on about. My bacon-free existence started a littler over a week ago after I gave myself a mere two-week challenge to be meat-free and I must say it’s not nearly as depriving as I previously imagined. Furthermore, I feel pretty fantastic from all the vegetable consumption. Seriously. It makes me feel so light. And healthy. I already think I will extend the two weeks, probably not forever though, just don’t know if I’m that kinda girl.
Normal-Sized Towels: This has always been something I am far more appreciative than the average human being, at least the average-sized human being. Having struggled with my weight most of my life, I also struggled with normal-sized towels wrapping around my body completely without a triangular gap like the opening of a tepee. I would have to hold my discarded clothes over the gap so as not to give any of my family or roommates a peep show that no one would appreciate. I was at a place where normal-sized towels were not cutting it and only beach towels could properly cover my frame. But now, the normal-sized towels fit again. No peep shows. No tepee gap. Ahhh, how the other half lives.
‘Change Your Brain Change Your Body’: This book by Daniel G. Amen, a neuroscientist and M.D., writes extensively about how largely the brain impacts our ability to lose and keep off weight. While it’s definitely not a cozy-up-under-the-covers-for-a-long-day-of-reading-pleasure kind of book, it is a powerhouse of information on ways to keep your brain healthy in order to keep your body healthy.
Mini Asparagus and Gruyere Frittatas: This isn’t just a tasty recipe for breakfast, it makes a light and fresh meal any time of day. I tried this recipe on the night of my 5K and it was super easy, vegetarian and loaded with deliciousness. Here is the recipe:
Ingredients:
6 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup 1% milk
1/2 cup shredded gruyere cheese
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 shallot, minced
3/4 bunch asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces (or another vegetable of your choice)
Preheat over to 375. Spray a 12 cup muffin pan.
Whisk eggs and egg whites. Stir in salt, pepper, milk, cheese and thyme.
In a small saute pan, heat oil over high. Add the shallot and saute for 1 minute. Add the asparagus and saute for 5 minutes more, until the stalks are bright green. Allow to cool slightly, then add the shallot-asparagus mixture to egg mixture.
Evenly pour the egg mixture into the muffin pan and bake for 23 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
(80 calories per frittata)
My Progress: Since January 1 of this year, when I decided to again attempt to tackle changing my body, I knew I had a long and hard road ahead. I have done this weight loss thing for as far back as I can remember, so while in some ways it seems like old hat, in others I realize I am a complete novice as I still struggle. What felt different this time around was my resolve to educate myself on the healthiest ways to go about living my life and stop looking at changing my body with a harsh and restrictive diet where I needed to punish myself until I could have cheeseburgers again. With that change has come a radical difference in my weight loss. Sure I have lost weight in the seemingly slowest way possible, but finally I am at peace with a slow journey in which I learn that there really isn’t an end date to this thing. After kick-starting the new year with a 90-day challenge where I lost ten pounds, which led me into spring, I followed up with challenges aplenty which helped me drop another 21 pounds over the course of the summer. In eight months time, I have lost 31 pounds. I am ecstatic. Over the moon. And geared up for the next season and the one after that, still knowing, even if it is a year more where I learn to be kind to myself while I change and embrace the healthy over the fad diets, I will get where I need to be, understanding that maybe the tortoise way isn’t so shabby at all.
-Cassandra