Tasty Frozen Vegetables? It's Possible!

Days Until My 50th Birthday: 121
Weight lost since January 1st: Don't ask. I'm not speaking to my #*%*  scale right now.
GOAL: To lose 20 pounds by my 50th birthday - May 20th.

Today I was looking around in my freezer for something to eat and came across vegetables. How did they get in there? Perhaps they were too close to the Ben & Jerry's and I picked them up by accident.

Green Giant's Immunity Blend showed cauliflower and carrots tantilizingly tossed in a "flavorful butter sauce." I must have been blind and drunk when I went shopping! After searching desperately through the freezer for something more tasty - months old birthday cake, frozen eggnog from the holidays, a brownie from the turn of the century - anything but vegetables - I gave in and decided to give them a try. Cauliflower and carrots are two of the healthiest vegetables you can eat, hence my  natural aversion. Here's the twist - these have dried cranberries and butter sauce. Suddenly I'm interested! I popped the pouch in the microwave for four minutes and considered how to make these more tasty. Maybe I'll just suck the butter from the cranberries. That sounds pretty good! But because I'm so adventerous, I decided to give them a taste test. The blend of butter and cranberries gave the vegetables a savory taste that I love. Yummy! Even if your a veggie-phobic like me, these are worth a try.

Green Giant claims there are 2 servings and that might be true if you live in the Land of Liliputtins, but I ate the entire container. Total calories if you eat the whole thing: 140, Fat: 5 grams (thanks to the butter), Fiber: 4 grams, Sugar: 7 grams. They are called an "immunity blend" because each serving contains 20 percent of Vitamins A and C, which are known to support a healthy immune system. A tasty snack to keep in your freezer at home or work.

Do you have recipes for healthy foods that taste good? Or have you found other ready-to-eat foods that taste good and don't pack on the pounds? Please share! I need your help.

Next Blog: The Truth about the "Big O" - Organics!

STRATEGY: Enjoy everything you eat. This isn't about being deprived of what you like, but making what you like work for you to keep you healthy and vital.

AFFIRMATION: I enjoy eating foods that support my health and vitality.

Lasagna's Secret Ingredient Shocker!

Went to Prof. Wonderful's house last night and was served lasagna "surprise." As readers of this blog know, I was very concerned that the surprise involved some type of tofu product. He wouldn't tell me what the suprise was and I reminded him that I have a laminated "emergency alert" card in my wallet stating that I am not to ingest soybean products of any type.

Not that I'm allergic; I just don't like them. It was a great day when my doctor said soy-based products could cause hormonal problems in women and I wasn't to eat any more of them. Sadly, this came great day came one decade after another well-meaning doctor said soy would be the best thing in the world for me and I began experimenting with all things soy. Soy milk, soy cheese, soy ice cream, you name it, I tried it. If you haven't done this yourself, let me save you some trouble. It all tastes like a mashed soybean, no matter how pretty the carton or how much you pay.

Back to the lasagna. I have to admit, I was a little afraid because who knows what a vegan might consider a "surprise." Had he stripped some needles off the pine tree in the backyard for color? Or dug down past the snow to pull up some weeds for texture? I swallowed the first bite with some trepidation and it was . . . good. I tried a second bite to make sure. Yep, he had used real pasta, tasty sauce, and while there was no cheese, it was definitely creamy and delicious and . .  .orange! Carrots? No. Squash? No. The secret ingredient was sweet potato!

The recipe was from The Engine 2 Diet: The Texas Firefighter's 28-Day Save-Your Life Plan. The cookbook was written by Rip Esselstyn, a firefighter in Texas who noticed he and his buddies were getting fat on their regular food. So, Esselstyn remade the traditional firefighter house recipes into tasty dishes that cut the fat and cholesterol. The premise of the book is, if a Texas firefighter will eat it, you know it's gotta be good.

Adding sweet potato is a stroke of genius! Prof. Wonderful has redeemed himself with this delicious recipe.  Now, excuse me while I go get seconds on the lasagna.

Lasagna surprise

Prof. Wonderful invitied me over for lasagna tonight. That's one of my favorite foods - pasta, meat, multiple cheeses - it's fantastic. So, why am I nervous? Because Prof. Wonderful's diet does not include meat or any kind of "cheese" that comes from cows. His "cheese" comes from soybeans. In fact, instead of cheese, he said there is a "surprise" ingredient.

Back in the day, whenever I put tofu in anything I called it the "surprise" ingredient. I'd say, "You'll never guess what's in here." And my guests never did; they were too busy trying to swallow my "surprise recipe." I've made lasagna surprise and chocolate pudding surprise, all kinds of surprises. Had to stop when people stopped accepting my invitations to dinner. There are still those who are scared to have me cook for them and they fall into two broad categories: 1) my family; and 2) my friends.

When I moved to the south, I discovered a new "surprise" ingredient - Velveeta "processed" cheese. Bright orange deliciousness. You can put it in anything and not only is it a suprise, it becomes cheesy delicoiusness. I have a favorite apples and cheese recipe from my friend, Michelle. Just like the tofu, I don't tell anyone what's in it until after they've tasted it. Difference is, they always come back for more and beg for the recipe.

Wish me luck as I check out Prof. Wonderful's suprise lasagna.

Lose 27 Pounds in 3 Weeks!

Weight Lost Since January 1st: 0
Days until my 50th Birthday: 127

Books and magazine headlines everywhere are promising that you can lose huge amounts of weight in ridiculously short amounts of time. There are three ways to do this and for maximum results, you will need to do all three: 1) Drastically cut down on the amount of food you put into your mouth; 2) Drastically increase the amount of time you devote to exercise each day; 3) Have any unnecessary body appendages surgically removed. Some days, #3 sounds like the easier solution.

Skipped my 10 minutes workout for two very good rationalizatoins, oh, I mean "reasons" yesterday: 1) I had hurt my knee and shoulder the previous day and they needed to rest; 2) God proclaimed we should rest on the seventh day and that was my seventh day.

Since I didn't devote my standard 10 minutes to exercise, I had more time yesterday to think about eating. In fact, I became a bit obsessed with it. You don't get to be my weight without a good, healthy obsession. I really, really, really wanted Cheese Puffs, glorious, radiation orange, greasy Cheesy Puffs. Normally, this obsession would work itself out by me stopping by my nearest grocery store and buying a family-size bag. But, because I'm "watching what I eat," I decided to buy the .99 cent bag at a gas station.

I'd like to be able to look back on that moment of weakness and say it wasn't worth it, that I didn't enjoy it. I really would like to be able to say that. But they were good. Really good. The best I can say is the obsession has now passed and today I do not want Cheese Puffs.

After one week of eating better and exercising, in which I had lost one pound, when I weighed this morning I was exactly where I had started. Someday, I hope to be able to make the connection between what I eat and what I weigh. That hasn't happened yet. When I am in obsessoin mode, I don't care. The good news is today is a new day and I can make new choices.

STRATEGY: Realize that each day offers you the opportunity to make new choices about what I eat and how I move my body.

AFFIRMATION: Today I rejoice in the knowledge that I can make new choices. I make healthy choices for my body, mind and spirit.

Unleashing Your Creative Genius

Days until my 50th Birthday: 131
Weight lost since January 1st: 1 lb.

If you ever think that you are not a creative genius, just remember back to the last time somebody asked you to join them at the gym. If you're like me, the creative juices start flowing immediately. Of course, to be effective, the reason you are not able to join them - under any circumstances - must sound somewhat reasonable. I like to stick to something like, ""Darn the luck, that's when I'm going to be practicing the didgeridoo in my ongoing studies of the native people of northern Australia." I bet you've come up with some winners, too.

On Monday, Prof. Wonderful and I committed to starting every day with 10 minutes of exercise. On Tuesday, I bounced out of bed, ready to meet the challenge. In less time than it takes to order a Value Meal at McDonald's I was filled with energy and ready to take on my day. Wednesday, same story. Why hadn't I been doing this all along? It's sooooo easy! Thursday - Is that a twinge in my knee? Maybe I should take today off. But then I remembered my committment and persevered. Didn't seem like nearly as much fun, but a deal is a deal. Friday - This is stupid. Is 10 minutes really going to change anything? What was I thinking? But I gotta do it; promised Prof. Wonderful. Saturday: Was I supposed to be doing something this morning?

Funny how the mind works. I spent a lot more than 10 minutes this morning coming up with a number of good, solid reasons why I shouldn't spend 10 minutes moving my body. Finally, the rationalizing grew so tiring I realized it would be easier to just do the exercises. And you know what? It felt good to honor my commitment to myself and to Prof. Wonderful.

STRATEGY: You know you're a creative genius when it comes to manufacturing excuses. Use that same genius to create a plan that will have you moving your body every day. Time crunch? Start with 10 minutes. Really out of shape? There are exercises you can do while sitting down. If you truly desire to have more energy and feel better, the creative genius within you can figure out how to make it happen, just give it a chance.

AFFIRMATION: Today I tap into my creative genius to create a lifestyle that gives me health and vitality.

Oh, no! The Law of Attraction Gave me What I Asked For

Weight Lost since Jan. 1st: .05
Days until my 50th Birthday: 134

One moment I was contently sitting on my sofa wondering what was in my cupboard that could be deep fried (the Twinkies maybe?) and the next thing I know I'm part of a "wellness group" committed to eating healthy foods and exercising for the next five weeks. This is the Law of Attraction in action, my friends; watch out!

Prof. Wonderful and I attended a Wellness Event on Monday night that said it was offering an "effective, inspirational approach to enhanced physical well being." Brilliant marketing because somehow I didn't tumble to the fact that that translated into "diet" and "exercise." I thought we'd hear a motivational speaker, get pumped up to do better and I'd be home in time to finish my fried ice cream.

First we were handed a workbook. Prof. Wonderful squealed in delight. Books, magazines and any form of the written word that takes up huge amounts of space and I can trip over thrills him. I was confused. Why would I need a workbook? How naive I was.

Right from the start I began hearing those key words that mean I'm going to be very unpleasant to be around for the next five weeks: no fast foods, no baked goods, no refined sugars. I think there was more but I started to grow faint as I saw my life as a foodie flashing before my eyes - garlic knots at Anthony's, pasta at Maggiano's, ice cream at Maggie Moo's, the memories flooded in.

Then, they started talking exercise, the need to move our body, being grateful we can move our body. I have to admit, the speaker's enthusiasm was sucking me in. We all know exercise is good for us, but he said the magic words to this group that largely consisted of Baby Boomers: exercise can help you LOOK YOUNGER! By the time he was finished talking we didn't even need our cars to get us home that evening. We were ready to run out of that building and keep running until the bags under our eyes fell off. Turns out eating the right foods combined with body movement helps plump the skin and give it a more youthful appearance. I'm on board with that as I say goodbye to my 40s!

The workbook is filled with sample menus, recipes and, I've got to admit it, inspiration. On New Year's Day I set an intent for 2010, my 50th year on this planet. I told the Universe I am creating a strong, healthy body filled with vitality. By setting that intent, I was setting the Law of Attraction into motion. I did not go into the details of how this would be done - that's up to the Universe. The wonderful thing is the Law of Attraction always works, in ways expected and unexpected. I had no idea what I was getting myself into that evening. I walked out with a healthy new eating plan that, now that I've recovered from my shock, I find is absolutely do-able. And Prof. Wonderful bought both of us an exercise DVD that starts out with only 10 minutes of exercise in the morning. Just 10 minutes that will set the tone for my day, help me think clearer and increase my metabolism. Luckily enough, I happen to have an extra 10 minutes a day since I'm not spending that time trying to fry macaroni and cheese (yes, it's possible!).

Best of all, Prof. Wonderful, who already has a clean, healthy diet, is completely on board with me and 100 percent supportive and enthusiastic. Which is what makes him, well, wonderful.

STRATEGY #8: Set a clear intent of what you want to create this year.

AFFIRMATION #8: All that I need comes to me with ease and grace.

Best and Worst Food Moments of 2009

Pounds lost since January 1st - 0.5
Days until my 50th birthday - 136

Nowadays, there are lists for everything - Best Movies of the Year, Best-Dressed Celebrities, Best McDonald's Drive-Thrus (oh, perhaps that one's just on my list). Food is a topic near and dear to my heart so why not a list of the best and worst food moments of the past year? Drum roll, please . . .

Best Food Moments of 2009
8. When my friend Bryan drove for hours so we could eat at Little America, which bills itself as, "The Finest Truck Stop in Wyoming." I don't even remember what I ate because I couldn't get over the fact that there was a chandelier over my table. At a truck stop. In Wyoming.

7. When Prof. Wonderful started packing Vegan Morningstar Veggie Burgers in his pants pockets "just in case" there wasn't food he could eat at the summer parties we attended. Not only were the dogs following him around, but I had to swat away a few vegan women, too.

6. There were many amazing discoveries in 2009, including a new giant rat species and the fossilized remains of a 42-foot snake, but none outranked the absolute joy Prof. Wonderful experienced when he discovered Go Raw - All Live Organic "Food" Bars. The bars are made of nuts and seeds and dried berries with no flavor added (they really didn't need to add that part; it's obvious). Prof. Wonderful describes them as "exquisite" but that's because he has not had sugar in over 20 years.

5. I made a great discovery myself - Coke made in Mexico is made with real sugar, not high-fructose corn syrup, and therefore I can drink it. Yes, I know carbonation depletes calcium; that's why I always make sure to have some ice cream after my soda. See? I'm always thinking.

4. When McDonald's brought back the McRib (for a limited time only!).

3. When I conducted the inaugural brownie contest to determine once-and-for-all the best boxed brownie mix. Don't try this at home; it will lead to pants with elasticized waist bands. The winner is Ghiradelli dark chocolate brownies with chocolate chips. Dark, crunchy bits of heaven.

2. Eating the last of the chestnut dressing at my Aunt's house. It's my grandmother's recipe and makes the holidays complete.

And the #1 Best Food Moment of 2009 is, without a doubt,
1. When I got a doctor's note saying I should not eat soy food . . . in any form (I had to pay a little extra for that last part). Tofurkeys everywhere breathed a sigh of relief that day. Tofu , soy milk, soy cheese, soy anything and everything was deemed off limits for me. Seems that for some people, soy can be inflammatory. I know I became inflamed whenever anyone tried to sneak some tofu into my food. Can I have an amen?

Worst Food Moments of 2009
3. When I realized that Pepperidge Farm was not coming out with its usual holiday cookie - the chocolate-dipped Milano double-chocolate cookie. Another sacred holiday tradition down the drain. The sorrow was quickly replaced by one of my Best Food Moments in 2009 - Chocolate-covered Ritz crackers. My doctor didn't say anything about not eating those!

2. Having to tell Prof. Wonderful that as much as I loved him, I just could not eat one more sandwich consisting of hummus on gluten-free bread. That was a rough patch, but we got through it.

1. Spending 2 days in San Francisco - a foodie's paradise - and not tasting one morsel of sourdough bread or dim sum. For those who do not know, dim sum is a traditional Chinese cuisine that consists of a variety of foods served in small portions for very large prices. Although some of it is not recognizable, there are lots of fried things from which to choose and that makes it all good.

STRATEGY #7: Create your own list of best moments from 2009. Like me, you'll probably find that the good far outweighs the bad.

AFFIRMATION #7: I enjoy eating foods that fuel my body.

First Visit to the Fitness Center

Pounds lost since January 1st - 0
Days until my 50th birthday - 138

Prof. Wonderful decided that the way to kick off the new year was a trip to 24-Hour Fitness. That meant I had to hurry up and get out of my pajamas and brush away the cake crumbs before he got to my house.

I thought fitness centers would still be quiet as people took advantage of the long holiday weekend to stuff themselves with leftover Christmas cookies and finish the last of the eggnog. Not these folks! Most of them looked like they had no problem passing the cookie platter. In fact, a lot of them looked like they didn't eat very often at all.

Prof. Wonderful and I got on adjacent treadmills and after my 5-minute warm-up, I hit 3.5, my usual speed for a workout. Problem was, I only lasted about 30 seconds instead of 30 minutes. What have they done to the machines since I've last visited? The speeds had to be off; I felt like I was running uphill. I nonchalantly brought the speed down to 3.0. Luckily, Prof. Wonderful keeps so busy checking out his own heart rate every 30 seconds that he didn't notice at first. When he did notice that I seemed to be going sort of slow, I cursed the blasted machines saying this was as fast as the machine could go and it needed to be fixed.

When I wasn't trying to stay on the treadmill, I was thinking of how delicious a frosty cold Dr. Pepper would taste when I got home. Drat that high fructose corn syrup that was contributing to my belly fat. Even found it in my so-called healthy cereal this morning. Seems it will take some time to weed this culprit from my pantry.

STRATEGY #6 - Find a workout partner. Find lots of workout partners and do different, fun activities with each. I've had workout partners who like to power walk the mall (this can get expensive if the stores are open) and others who like to push a stroller through the park. It's all good.

AFFIRMATION #6 - "Every person in my life supports my healthy lifestyle."

The Law of Attraction Really Works!

The Law of Attraction teaches us that what we focus on grows. My question is this: WHO HAS BEEN FOCUSING ON MY BEHIND? Because it's definitely growing!

A friend of mine, whom I now lovingly refer to as, "She's dead to me," said wasn't it funny how I started a blog in 2009 about losing weight and I've actually gained some weight since then. If my hands hadn't been busy trying to get the last piece of brownie out of the baking pan, she would have been in real trouble.

The good news is the Law of Attraction really does work and it's true - what we focus our attention on grows. Key is focusing on what I want - to have a slimmer, more healthy body filled with vitality. Truth is, I spend a lot of 2009 focusing on what I didn't want - like brownies. I'd focus so much attention on those brownies that I "didn't want" that I was burning my mouth because I couldn't wait for them to cool from the oven.

Each day is a new beginning and a new chance to choose how we will live our lives. Today is the dawning of a new year and a new decade. Today I can make one small change that will make a difference by the next time the ball drops at Times Square. Today I choose to focus on a strong, healthy body and I know one way to do that is to cut out high fructose corn syrup from my diet.

For companies like Nestle, Coke, etc., it's a cheap way to make what we eat and drink taste sugary good. Problem is, doctors now think it short-wires the mechanism that tells us we're full so we keep on eating. That's good news for the manufacturers: they load their foods and drinks with a nonnutritious sweetener that makes us keep eating. It's like crack for foodies!

Sodas are first to go (and I love me some Dr. Pepper). That's a small change, but for today, it's enough. Wishing you enough in this wonder-filled New Year.

STRATEGY #5: Focus on what you want to create in your life.

AFFIRMATION #5: My body is filled with health and vitality.

5 Sure-Fire Ways to Lose Weight During the Holidays

Studies show that Americans pack on two- to three-pounds during the holidays. What a bunch of wimps! I can do that in a weekend. Haven't these so-called "Americans" ever heard of fried turkeys? Sweet potato pie? 5-cheese mashed potatoes with cheese gravy?

Like most, I look forward to celebrating this sacred holiday by tithing heavily at Best Buys and other major retailers. And this year I've had lots of opportunities since retailers started decorating for Christmas before Halloween. Who doesn't enjoy hearing Christmas carols ringing gaily through the store while buying suntan lotion in July? Without that reminder, I just might forget that Christmas is coming; that is, if every radio and TV commercial didn't remind me that the best way to show someone I care this holiday season is by giving big gobs of my money to a store. This year I plan to avoid the hassles of shopping and just send my money directly to the stores. Maybe I'll send a JCPenney's giftcard to Macy's and visa versa.

But getting back to the diet tips, I have indeed found a way to actually lose weight during the holidays, during vacations, and during any other time that you might want to actually enjoy food. Grab a pen and paper, you'll want to write this down:

1) Eat with a vegan.
2) Eat with a vegan.
3) Eat with . . . . oh, you get the idea.

Vegans are people who for health or ethical reasons do not eat meat, dairy or any food with actual flavor. They do eat something made from bean curd that they laughingly call, "tofurkey." It's well known that tofurkey is a leading cause of convulsions among friends of vegans who unwittingly have tried this "food," so, you see, it's not really a laughing matter.

This year, I celebrated two Thanksgivings; one filled with sugar, butter and lard the way our forefathers intended, and one with my vegan partner, Prof. Wonderful. Let me be clear - I am very grateful to have Prof. Wonderful in my life. But I am also very grateful that King Sooper's was open on my way home so I could truly start the holidays in style - with chocolate-covered Ritz crackers. Yes, this really is at a supermarket near you this holiday season! My heart almost stopped when I saw them; and that was before I ate them! And yes, everything does taste better on a Ritz. Geez, maybe I should give that tofurkey another try.

What happened?!?

There I was, cheerfully planning how I was going to be Fit by Fifty! That was in May. And then came my birthday. Even if you're dieting, everyone knows you get to have cake on your birthday. Nothing wrong with that, except . . .

I ran out of ice cream before I ran out of birthday cake, so I had to buy more ice cream. What's a girl to do? Next, I was out of cake but I had some ice cream left. Had to get some brownies to go with the ice cream. This makes complete sense somehow in my mind.

Then, after all the sugar, I needed to cleanse my system and everybody knows salt is an excellent cleaner. Just check out any "natural cleaning" blog; you'll see. I chose my salt in the format of potato chips. But they looked so sad and bare so I bought them some dip. (This also added food groups to my daily snack - now I had vegetables, dairy and MSG (well, the government might as well declare it a good group; it's in everything!).

This cycle has continued until . . . just now. When I tried to get a pair of jeans on - and they are already THE FAT JEANS. OK, here we go again!

DIETING TIP: Do not try on jeans after ingesting a Family-Sized! bag of Fritos.

Hummus Among Us

This week I wanted to prepare a delicious picnic lunch for my boyfriend, Professor Wonderful. Only one problem - he's a vegan-plus. Not content to be just a vegan, which roughly translates as a person who can never order off the 99-cent menu at a drive-thru, he's also cut out sugar, salt, fat and dairy from his diet. He claims it makes him healthy. I know it makes me crazy.

I love black beans, so black bean dip sounded like a good picnic starter. Not wanting to let things wait until the last minute, I began hunting for the can opener for the sugar-free, no-salt added, organic black beans 10 minutes before Prof. Wonderful was due to arrive. I couldn't find it anywhere - not in the cutlery drawer, not in the dishwasher, not under the sofa cushions or behind the bedroom pillows. I started to panic but being a woman of action I went to the next step - cutting up the onion (organic, of course). One cut into the onion and my eyes started to sting, two cuts and my nose started to run. The smell of sulphur was overwhelming but I'm courageous - I kept cutting, even as my mascara ran in great black rivers down my cheeks. I wondered why police use tear-gas when organic onions are so cheap and easily available?

I soon gave that up and decided to cut up the cilantro. Oh yeah, problem there too. I don't actually know what cilantro looks like and there was no one to help me in Organico food store, so I ended up buying parsley instead. It's green and leafy, much like I assume cilantro is, so it seemed like a good choice.

When Prof. Wonderful arrived I greeted him at the door looking like I was made-up for an Ozzy Osbourne concert and handed him his picnic lunch - two cans of unopened black beans and some cut parsley and killer onions. He pretended not to notice the new "look" and brought in the homemade hummus because store-bought - at 3 grams of fat per serving - is too high in fat and salt. Yes, you read that right and yes, he's a bit off the deep end. (Let the sympathy letters to me begin). And we eat the hummus on either unsprouted, no salt, no fat, no taste cardboard - which he calls "bread", or no fat, no salt "chips."

Prof. Wonderful is very much into recycling and sometimes I really wonder if his recycling includes passing off old pieces of cardboard as chips and bread. He claims no, but you gotta wonder . . . As for me, I'm headed for a Happy Meal - extra salt and fat, please!

STRATGEGY #5:
Don't be like me and wait until the last minute to prepare a gourmet picnic. Start at least 15 minutes before guests arrive.

AFFIRMATION #5:
I move toward my new way of eating with ease, grace and laughter.

Affirmations are a powerful way to create what you want in your life. It's not enough to just say the affirmation, you've got to feel it. Feel the excitement, the joy, the passion as you are creating the life you want to live. Say this affirmation out loud until you feel its truth. Shout it until the neighbors think you are crazy. Say it while dancing around the living room. It's your life. Live out loud!

Regrets, I've had a few

It's been a few days since I've written because I've been getting ready to get ready to change my lifestyle. Right now I am filled with regret for what I have not experienced in life - a Big Mac that was actually hot and tasty, the newest brands of Ben & Jerry's ice cream, steak tartar - well, maybe not that.

But thinking about everything that I won't be eating when I start toward being Fit by Fifty has filled me with longings and cravings I thought long-gone. Last week I experienced the wonders of Del Taco and Jack in the Box while I still could. Truth is, I haven't been missing much, but that didn't stop me in my quest.

I've always wanted to try the pimento cheese spread from King Sooper's. Cheesy deliciousness! But is it better on tortilla chips or potato chips? Warm or cold? Inquiring stomachs want to know! I filled my grocery basket with everything I saw that looked delicious. Then I just stared filling it with anything that looked edible that might not be allowed on my diet. Marinated olives, potato skins - the grocery store have made otherwise healthy foods unhealthy and I am lovin' it! As I chow down, I think about the months ahead and the healthy foods I will be eating. I consider saving the cardboard boxes of the new Pillsbury Savorings that I have been trying one by one (all of them Rock!), thinking the cardboard can be prime snacking material - full of fiber and just as delicious as any fat-free, salt-free rice cracker I've ever tried. Chocolate cheesecake, I hardly knew ye! My birthday isn't til next week - I gotta make another run to the store.

STRATEGY #4:
Recycle the empty pizza boxes and soda cans before you tell family and friends about your new endeavor to be Fit by Fifty!

AFFIRMATION #4:
I choose to eat foods that taste delicious and nourish my body.
Affirmations are a powerful way to create what you want in your life. It's not enough to just say the affirmation, you've got to feel it. Feel the excitement, the joy, the passion as you are creating the life you want to live. Say this affirmation out loud until you feel its truth. Shout it until the neighbors think you are crazy. Say it while dancing around the living room. It's your life. Live out loud!

Valerie or Kirstie?

Middle-aged men around the country who had crushes on pixie-cute Valerie Bertinelli in their youth mourned when they learned that alas, she was human and gained not just a rock star husband but weight as she grew older.

I personally felt a bit of secret glee when I first saw her on the Jenny Craig commercials. I mean, come on. Absolutely adorable as a teen, in a hit TV show, marries a rock star, has a terrific son. Every guy I knew in high school had a crush on her. By secret glee I mean walking around home and office saying, "Hey! Valerie Bertinelli is fat!" "Did you see her picture? She's FAAAT." I really liked that when I held her picture up it hid a little bit of my fat.

Then last week I saw her bikini picture. Now it's my turn to mourn. She's baaack. Gorgeous, buff, and happy with life even without the rock star husband. She's modeling on a surf board and I want to hide behind it.

Worst of all, Kirstie Alley, the woman who got Valerie on board with losing weight, admitted yesterday on Oprah that she put on all the weight she had lost and more. Kirstie took to her bed for 24 hours after seeing the newest pics of Valerie's blazin' bod. I feel like doing the same, but sadly I don't have any servants who will fetch me french fries and soda while I mourn.

Now, I have a choice. Do I want to be Valerie or Kirstie? The difference between the two is that Valerie kept working. Kirstie moved her workout equipment out of her home into her garage and never looked at it again. Valerie kept working. Kirstie stopped counting calories and began to eat what she wanted, not what her body wanted. Valerie kept working.

So, which do I choose? Fit or Fat? Which do you choose? Valerie's way sounds like a lot of work to me. Chocolate helps me think. I think I'll work my way over to the fridge and get some chocolate to help me think. Note to self: How many calories are burned off by walking from the computer to the fridge? Perhaps skipping over would help my calorie-burning count for the day. Ingenuous!

STRATEY #3: Find people who motivate you and copy what they do. Who inspires you? Valerie is certainly an inspiration. But what about somebody who motivates you for the way they live their life? For how they show up in this world? On a poster board or in a notebook, put in pictures of people who motivate you. What do they do that you want to? Be a copy cat. Live "as if" you are that person. It's fun and it opens to you the possibility that you can indeed life a rich life, even if you haven't married a rock star.

AFFIRMATION #3: Today I am inspired to live my best life.

Affirmations are a powerful way to create what you want in your life. It's not enough to just say the affirmation, you've got to feel it. Feel the excitement, the joy, the passion as you are creating the life you want to live. Say this affirmation out loud until you feel its truth. Shout it until the neighbors think you are crazy. Say it while dancing around the living room. It's your life. Live out loud!

The Countdown Begins

388 days until I am Fit By 50!

My 50th birthday wishes: Only one chin, less wiggle when I walk, more vitality when I hike, for the doctor to smile at me instead of frown when I come in for my physical. Right now, Dr. Pepper is the only doctor who approves my diet.

Today I am at Step 1 of Change. I am considering what I have to give up to be Fit by 50! McDonald's, brownies, french fries, ice cream all come to mind. Am I really ready to give them up? And do I have to give them up completely to be successful? Is it to possible to eat healthy most of the time and take a quick hit of fries when needed? Is it possible to lose weight while sitting on my couch eating a brownie and watching other people do it on Infomercials?

I need to contemplate this and grieve what was before I can embrace what can be. I believe I can best do this with some brownies. Please excuse me while I go to the store. Ghiradelli's dark chocolate rocks! (All part of the grieving process, I assure you.)

STRATEGY #2: Release the old before you begin the new. Realize that every change - even those we want - means we are giving up something in our lives. Before making the change, give yourself time to release the old.

AFFIRMATION #2:

I release old patterns that no longer serve me. I move forward with joyful anticipation.

Affirmations are a powerful way to create what you want in your life. It's not enough to just say the affirmation, you've got to feel it. Feel the excitement, the joy, the passion as you are creating the life you want to live. Say this affirmation out loud until you feel its truth. Shout it until the neighbors think you are crazy. Say it while dancing around the living room. It's your life. Live out loud!

Transforming from fat to fit

In 2010, I, along with millions of other Baby Boomers, will be turning 50 (please allow me to pause and take a deep breath). I don't even understand how that happened, let alone how I managed to be fat throughout my entire 40s. And it's not just the, "I think this car makes my butt look big," or "These bangs make my face look fat." It's actually my doctor (who is no size 6 herself) looking at me sternly and saying, "Your weight puts you at high risk for diabetes, heart attacks and strokes."

My cholesterol numbers are where my credit score should be, my ass-ets are blooming beyond what I can charitably call the middle-aged spread (and who wants that anyway?) and I'm ready to go from fit to fat. Except I want to do it without changing anything I eat or starting to exercise. Can you relate?

The truth is, I am ready to stop whining and and start creating the body I want. A body that is strong, flexible and will support me when I am hiking, shopping or even carrying my groceries. Why is it that a bag filled with potato chips, dip and soda weighs a lot less than a bag filled with pesticide-free garbanzo beans? But I digress . . .

This blog is a cheap way to find encouragement from complete strangers. It is also a community where we can support each other, share best practices and find out what works for real people - how we can stregthen our bodies, our minds and our spirits together.

Are you ready to be fit by 50? Together we can do it! I have 55 weeks until I am 50 years old, which is about the number of pounds I need to lose. Join me in this transformation. Knowing that other people are checking on my progress might actually get me to bypass McDonald's. Knowing that you are getting fit by 50 too may keep me from picking up the Milano Double Chocolate cookies next time I'm at the grocery store (I like to hide them under the organic produce in case I run into anyone I know). Imagine what an impact we could make on our lives and the world if one million Baby Boomers committed to getting Fit by Fifty.

STRATEGY #1: Set an intent. Be very specific about what you want and how you are going to achieve it. Put it in writing and place it where you will see it many times a day. Example: "I choose to walk 15 minutes today and drink 8 oz. of water before every meal so I can be Fit by 50."Make tons of these. Put one on the bathroom mirror so you can see it as your trying to cover your excess with a towel. Put one on the box of cookies, cakes or other fun foods you've got in the house. Put one on the dashboard of your car.

AFFIRMATION #1: I am grateful for this amazing body that serves me in so many ways.

Affirmations are a powerful way to create what you want in your life. It's not enough to just say the affirmation, you've got to feel it. Feel the excitement, the joy, the passion as you are creating the life you want to live. Say this affirmation out loud until you feel its truth. Shout it until the neighbors think you are crazy. Say it while dancing around the living room. It's your life. Live out loud!