Fat Pants

I bought fat pants yesterday.

There.  I said it.  Oh, and I used a Marshall's gift card that I'd received for Christmas.  Merry Christmas to you, Chunky Monkey!

I also followed Weight Watchers yesterday.  I didn't JOIN Weight Watchers yesterday because I already had an UNUSED online membership.  I just actually logged in, tracked my food and . . . recorded my weight.  That was fun.  First I had to find the scale.  Then I had to dust it off and turn it on.  And, of course, I had to step on it with dread.

Well, that part is done and now it's up to me to make the right choices that will enable me to pack the fat pants away.

Are you renewing a healthy habit?  I'd love to hear about your strategies for success.

Beat the Heat with a Summer Salad

Last night I was just not feeling that whole cooking dinner thing.
But, there were these people in my house expecting a meal and that meal wasn't fixing itself.
I took inventory of the vegetable bins in the fridge and decided that a cold, crunchy Broccoli Salad would be a great alternative to anything I could bake, boil, grill, or saute.

I jumped onto Pinterest to see what folks are putting in their Broccoli Salads these days.
Don't you just love Pinterest?
What did we do 4 years ago, before it came along?
I mean, what can't you find there?
Did you know that if you search for unicorns on Pinterest, you'll get a picture of Ringo Starr, holding a drumstick on top of his head, resembling . . . a unicorn ?!
Yep, it's there.
You're welcome.

But, I digress.

Uhm, I found a lot of recipes for Broccoli Salad.
Some have raisins.
Others have currants.
And still others call for dried cranberries.
I saw recipes with different nuts and seeds, too:
cashews, pecans, sunflower seeds, and others.
I even found one recipe that had coconut in it!  I might just have to give that a try sometime . . .
Oh, and the dressings varied, too.
Some were creamy.
I found some that were Asian-inspired.
Others were vinaigrettes.
I had a good old time just clicking around and getting ideas for my own concoction.

Of course, I was getting this bright idea after 5 p.m. so it's not like I was going to run down to the store to buy a bunch of ingredients.  I needed to feed the hungry family, pronto.
So, I made do with what I had on hand and it was a huge hit!
Now, it's not every day that I fix a meal that everyone is on board with.
And it's not because I'm a bad (or even mediocre) cook.
I just have some . . . we'll say . . . discerning critics living with me.

I ended up using chopped onion, chopped broccoli, dried cranberries, broken pecans, Hormel Real Crumbled Bacon, and Kraft Balsamic Vinaigrette.
I usually don't measure things, and this time was no exception.
Handful of this, splash of that.
Taste.
Hmmm, I think I'd like it better with more of those cranberries.
Perfect!

Everyone ate it and enjoyed it.
There was just enough for a little bowl left over for my lunch, which I savored.
I really liked that Broccoli Salad.
There's none left.
I can't wait to make it again.
I guess you could say I'm a little bit obsessed with the thought of having it again.

Do you have a favorite summer salad?
Or is there one you once had and wish you had the recipe for?
Maybe it's sitting there on Pinterest, like all those various Broccoli Salads.

I'd love to hear what you're cooling off with.

On the Menu Today

Have you ever had Whole Foods' Spinach & Artichoke Dip?  Well,  I just whipped up my version and it looks like this:

It feels great knowing that I have something uber-healthy in my fridge and that always helps with my productivity around the house.  Does that make any sense?

Once I've tweaked the recipe I'll be sharing it here so be sure to check back!

Until then, I'll see you . . .
Left of Heft

Frappe Friday

Today I whipped up a yummy frappe worthy of sharing, which gave me an idea for a regular blog feature I'll call "Frappe Friday".  Here's how today's concoction came together:

I threw the following into my blender:

1 cup Vita Coco 100% pure coconut water
1 cup ice cubes
1 banana, broken into chunks
2 pumps Torani sugar free coconut syrup
1 scoop Unjury chocolate classic protein powder

I simply blended it all until the ice was completely crushed and the frappe had a smooth consistency.  The coconut water really adds a depth of subtle flavor you don't get any other way.

So, does this one sound like one you'll try?  I'd love to hear about your own variations.

Until then,
I'll see you Left of Heft

Realistic Tips for Trimming the Fat

Today I noticed this great article on the active.com website and just had to share it!  The author has highlighted 8 practical tips for losing fat and achieving a leaner body composition.  While I'm sure some of the suggestions won't be brand new to many of us who are striving to lose weight and improve body fat percentage, I encourage you to take a look and find something new that you can incorporate into your lifestyle.  The tip on the importance of iron intake was one I hadn't necessarily connected to keeping the muscle mass I already have.

So, on which suggestion will you be striving to place more emphasis?

Progress on Couch to 5K

Well, I've been working on training for my first 5K run with the Couch to 5K program and I can honestly say that I'm really becoming a runner! Okay, jogger, but one of my favorite sayings lately is: "No matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everybody on the couch". Never in my wildest dreams did I think it would be possible to enjoy running but this program is so gentle and realistic that I've been able to consistently succeed. Isn't that one of the secrets of fitness . . . consistency?

Speaking of consistency, in the same way I've made my 5K training a priority I want to make a commitment to blogging regularly. I hope to improve on that in the coming weeks and share the ideas and insights that tend to come to me while I'm out there running.

What will you be committing to this month?

See you next time, somewhere left of heft . . .

Deborah

Wet your Whistle with a Watermelon

Okay, I stumbled on this recipe a loooooong time ago and forgot to give it a try.  Boy!  Am I kicking myself!

If you're trying to increase your fluid intake or simply looking for something different you'll love Susan Maria Leach's concoction at her Bariatric Eating website.

Let me know if you like it as much as I do!