Stay tuned for this encouraging word. . . .

It constantly amazes me that I am now in a place where (#1), people ask my advice about health and fitness and food and (#2), they come to me to seek encouragement in their own endeavors in these areas. As an overweight person, I am used to being overlooked, overjudged, overwrought, over it, and sometimes over sensitive. . .I am not used to being a positive center of attention. I am not used to being sought out, valued, admired. . . .so the steady streams of compliments have been a bit heady since school began. Almost every day, someone new notices, "You look different." "You look great." "That is a gorgeous outfit." "You look very pretty today." "Did you do something different with your hair?" "Where are your glasses?" With this newfound focus on my looks from others, I feel a responsibility to look my best. Now, those who know me, know this has NEVER been the case for me (Maybe for a short time as an arrogant and self-centered teenager, but no other time in history. . . ). If it were a special occasion, I would get dolled up, but otherwise, what you see is what you get.

Now, however, it is gel in the hair, blow-dry or scrunch and air dry, skin care, make-up, contact lenses, no dumpy outfits. . . . . . .I tell you . . . being even remotely cute takes work!!!!!!!! And some days I feel a bit resentful about the time it takes to present myself well, so that my efforts are not hidden under a bushel. But, can I also tell you that it feels doggone good when a co-worker who has never really had too much nice to say to me stops and tells me how great I am looking and asks for my help for her own struggles. Or when I walk in at my mom's in denim shorts (a little shorter than I normally wear them, though not scandalous) and she says, "Wow, don't you look great???"

I do understand that great, gorgeous. .. .are relative adjectives. Not everyone would get it. Someone who didn't know from whence I've come would simply see a fat, forty plus, fading fast, female. . . But to those who saw me at 236 and see me now under 200, it is great and gorgeous and amazing. And really, it's much too late to turn back now. . . .:~)

So, if someone you know is struggling with their weight, give them a little compliment, a little encouragement, a little word of hope. It could truly make all the difference in the world for them!!!!!!!!!

Tonight's recipe is Cheesy Chicken 'n Shrooms

Monday night when Shane was in class, I came home to fix dinner. We had cooked some chicken breasts the day before (which we had BBQed), but I wanted something different. So I sliced one thinly, sauteed some onions and mushrooms in the pan (seasoned with salt, pepper, and oregano), removed them once done, tossed in the pre-cooked chicken, let it brown up a bit and reheat. Then I served up the chicken, topped it with the mushroom onion mixture, and sprinkled a little mozzarella cheese and parmesan over the top. I served thinly sliced sweet potatoes, brushed with olive oil, sprinkled with salt and baked in a 350ish oven for 30ish minutes, and a side salad with a pineapple vinaigrette. It was so good I ate the whole chicken breast, half an onion, half a package of mushrooms, a whole sweet potato and a small salad!!!!!!!!!!! Really really delicious, and a definite keeper -- It will be one I come back to again and again!!!!!!!!!! Of course, you could totally switch out the oven-backed sweet potatoes for another favorite veg. Give it a try -- it is yum-m-m-m-m-m-OOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

Under 200!!!!!!!!!

With a new school year starting and other things going on, I have woefully neglected my blog. Much has happened that I had wanted to share, but now I hardly remember . . suffice it to say that I am NOT going to make my goal of 190 by this weekend. However, I am not discouraged. The pounds aren't dropping as quickly, but they are still disappearing slowly. This morning was a massive milestone for me. For the first time in my teaching career I am less than 200!!!

Since school has begun and the weather (nights, anyway) have turned cooler, I have struggled to fit in time for my workouts. Shane and I created a beautiful schedule, but somehow it looks so very different on paper than in real life :~) This week, however, some of the girls at work have begun a Wellness program. I am so excited. I have lots of afternoon activities, so I won't always be able to participate, but at least on Mondays, it will jumpstart my week! We began this Monday. The plan was to do Hip Hop Abs, but the DVD player wouldn't really cooperate, so we walked and danced instead. Dancing is one of my favorite work-outs, so it was great for me. Yesterday was day 2, and we walked, then did Hip Hop Abs!! That was really fun -- sweaty, tiring fun. . . (Then Shane and I came home and rode bikes about a mile.) We skip Wednesdays -- Wellness days are Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, so I'm looking forward to another good workout tomorrow! The workouts this week helped me get under my latest plateau, as my scales read 199 this morning!!!!!!!! I cannot tell you how happy that makes me. . . .

So far, it's been quite a journey, and the positive comments from colleagues and friends have been very motivating!!!!!!!! I still have a way long ways to go, but 37 lbs is nothing to sneeze at either!

As summer has wound down, I don't want to miss a chance to share my favorite summer soup "recipe". Usually, it's a family affair. Mama, Daddy, my brother, Shane and me and my sister and her hubby (when they're around) all join together to shell beans/peas, cut onions, okra, shuck corn and cut it off the cob, etc. It is one of my favorite meals ever -- and thankfully something I can still eat in my new life!

Garden Vegetable Beef Soup

Plethora of veggies straight from the garden (okra, potatoes, butterbeans, string beans, sweet peas, corn, tomatoes,etc.)
1-2 lbs. ground beef
salt pepper

Brown ground beef and drain. Put meat in a HUGE pot :~). Add 1-2 onions (sliced or chopped). Add several potatoes, diced (or larger chunks if you're like my hubby and prefer huge pieces of potato). Add 2-3 carrots, sliced or cubed. (If you don't have these in your garden, do what I do and buy them at the grocery store! :~)Celery is good, too -- slice a couple of stalks into the pot. Chunk up 5-6 large garden tomatoes(or more if you like your soup chock full of tomatoes)Cut the corn off 3 or 4 ears of corn and add them to the pot. Snap a 1/2 pound or so of green beans and add them. Shell 1/2 pound-ish of sweet peas and drop them in. Shell 1/2 pound of butterbeans and put them in the pot. Slice up 6-8 pods of okra and add them to the mix. If you have other veggies you want to try, feel free. Add salt and pepper to taste and let it simmer as long as you have time for.

You cannot go wrong with this recipe! Add what you like -- leave out what you don't! Serve with cornbread, healthy crackers, or my family's favorite -- peanut butter and syrup sandwiches (NOT on the new eating plan[normally creamy pnb mixed in equal parts with your favorite pancake/waffle syrup, blended and slathered on soft white bread. . .], but could be modified as follows. . . Organic peanut butter blended with enough pure maple syrup to be slightly sweet and good spreading consistency. Slather onto Ezekiel bread or English muffins. Enjoy!

BTW, if you're not a gardener or if gardens are out of season, you can still make a reasonable facsimile of this soup (though it's not quite as good). Brown ground beef. Add carrots, onions, celery from produce section. Open 2-4 cans or jars of diced and/or crushed tomatoes and add them. Add chunks of 5-6 white potatoes from the produce section and 1-2 bags of frozen "vegetable soup mix" veggies. Add salt and pepper to taste! It is still really yummy this way. Feel free to experiment with other spices, such as thyme, oregano, garlic, etc. My mom is a purist regarding spices -- salt and pepper are her spices of choice, and I think it's really delicious that way.

It's a really delicious, hearty and healthy meal -- and perfect for a night like tonight -- cool and rainy -- wish I had some right now!!!!!!!!!!!!