Fat Free Holiday Baking

Holiday traditions don't have to be all about the food - my son and I "baked" up these charms using the Cricut Imagine machine and some Shrinky Dink film.  It was a fun activity that took actually the better part of a day to do (needed 2 trips to Michaels to get the various supplies and we botched up the first set - haha) but even the mistakes were fun and we ended up with a homemade gift for my nieces and nephews.

On a food note, I am finally feeling back in control of things.  I'm not back into an exercise routine yet, but I am way more active and am back to eating a large quantity of vegetables each day.  And I mean large as in 2-3 fruits plus about 5-6 servings of vegetables/legumes (according to normal American diet standards) per day.  It is funny that I can see a direct relationship to my weight loss and the amount of vegetables I eat.  It's almost like they insulate my body from absorbing all of the other stuff.   I'm looking forward to some White Bean and Kale soup for dinner tonight.

Countdown to Christmas

Ok, my posts seem to be quarterly of late, and the weight tracker (right column) shows it.  My Second Year weight is moving in the wrong direction!!  Maintence is difficult, and the one problem I have is lack of exercise.  When I was exercising (even 3 times/week) I was able to maintain my weight around 122.  Although I got down to 118 last year, that weight is very difficult for me to maintain, so after reflecting on my journey, I've decided that 122-123 is a good weight for me to strive to maintain.  Now that we are headed into the holidays, I need to get these 5 pounds or so off, so I don't wind up back where I started when the holidays are over.

Exercise.  That is what I need to incorporate at this point.  When I had to stop exercising due to an injury last October, my weight stayed around 120 for several weeks.  I'm convinced that I had changed my metabolism by the months of consistent running I did beforehand.  After a while, though, sporadic running wasn't enough to hold down my weight and I find myself here in December not being able to remember the last time I laced up my running shoes to hit the trail.  I stare at my treadmill everyday thinking I need to get myself back on there.  However, I am not a big fan of the treadmill, so I need an exercise plan.  I am working on getting that together and will post as I go - I'm sure it will be a work in progress.

In the mean time, here is a simple recipe that my whole family has been enjoying recently:

Roasted Cauliflower

Wash, Core and Separate Florets of one or two heads of Cauliflower.  Place in mixing bowl and add the slightest drizzle of olive oil and a few shakes of Spike seasoning, turing to coat.  Place on a baking sheet lined with foil and bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes (until the florets start to brown). 

Enjoy!  Leftovers (if you have any) are great cold the next day.

I hope to get back on track and posting regularly as we head into the heart of the holiday season.  I would love to hit the 122-123 mark before Christmas.