Exercise and Diet....again

 

Well, I have not lost the weight I had hoped to by now but, on the other hand, I have not gained any weight.  I enjoy my morning walks but it's time to add to my workout routine.  This coming week and I am hoping to get in extra 20-minute workouts every day.  I am not sure if I will do this in the morning along with my walking or wait until after work.  I will probably start out doing them after work.  I just need to be disciplined about it!  I have been putting 20-minute workout videos on a YouTube playlist that I will use.  They are all quite different kinds of workouts.  I am hoping that the variety of exercises will keep me motivated.

I have also been struggling with my diet.  I know that I eat too many carbs.  I will be the first person to admit that. I love them and I cannot help it.  And they are inexpensive. I tried cutting them out of my diet but that has obviously not worked.  I tried to do intermittent fasting.  I was doing the 10/14 version.  It was ok but I feel like I was definitely eating more throughout those 10 hours than I would if I weren't doing the fasting program.  And I have learned that if I eat a good, filling breakfast, I do not eat much at all for the rest of the day. Something to think about.

So, this week I will be adding some exercise in my afternoons.  I will also be focusing on portion control with my diet.  I think that is going to be key.  I just have to listen to my body and not my mind telling me it's time to eat when I'm not hungry.  Ah, well.  First world problems.  I will see how this goes and keep you all updated.  I know you're dying to hear the results LOL

Recipe of the Week - Pineapple Cucumber Salad

 

One night I tried out a Thai shrimp recipe, and I wanted to make a side to go with it.  After doing some searching on the internet, I found this recipe. I do not usually cook with pineapple outside of desserts, so I was not sure what to make of this and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It's a very fresh, summery tasting salad and I look forward to making it again.  I hope you enjoy it!

Pineapple Cucumber Salad

1/4 cup thin sliced red onion rings

1 fresh pineapple*

1 cucumber

1/4 cup olive oil

1 Tbsp lime juice

1/4 tsp kosher salt

Submerge red onions in ice water for 10 minutes.  Cut pineapple into bit size pieces.  Slice cucumber thinly and cut in half (crescent moons).  Drain onions, pat dry and dice.  Add oil, lime and salt to a bowl and whisk to combine.  Add pineapple, cucumber and red onion.  Toss to coat.

*I had canned pineapple chunks on hand and they worked out just fine!

Thai shrimp pasta with naan and pineapple cucumber salad

Moon River - Mantovani

 I love the music of Mantovani, and I do not believe that I have ever shared any of their recordings here.  I have many of their albums on both vinyl and cd.  Their music connects me to Mom and to Grandmother.  And I do love a good orchestral sound.  Mancini's Moon River is one of my favorites of theirs. I hope you enjoy it as well. 

Daily Challenge Update

 

Obviously, one of my goals this month is to get my garage in order and in better shape.  Things have simply gotten out of control back there. I readily admit that.  But I am trying to get out there as much as I can this month and do at least a little bit at a time. With the summer heat and no A/C out in the garage, that is about all I can handle.

Anyway, one of the things that I am doing is condensing and repacking things out there.  That is, the stuff that I am keeping for the time being.  What I am realizing now is that I have so many empty boxes and containers out there.  I am not really sure why?  Well, I know why.  I would empty out a box or a container in years gone by and think to myself, that's a good box.  I should keep that.  No, I don't need to do that anymore.  And, just FYI if you don't already know, Amazon boxes are not that good once their initial use is over.

I want to get rid of all of these empty boxes. My plan is to use the strongest and sturdiest ones that I have out there and then recycle all of the rest.  It is almost driving me crazy. It isn't, but it almost is LOL  Taking this one step at a time.  Tis all I can do!

When Will I Be Loved - Linda Ronstadt

 July 15th was Linda Ronstadt's 80th birthday.  She's an amazing singer who could easily go from one genre to another without skipping a beat. It's impossible to pick a favorite.  There are so many that I love but here's one of them.  Enjoy!

Partials

 I believe that I have reached the point in my adult life where I am supposed to start rebuilding my body from materials other than what God has given me.  That is to say, my dentist has advised me to get partials.  Yippee!!  LOL  There's nothing wrong with having partials or dentures.  I knew this day would come because of the lack of care I gave my teeth over the years.  Still, it's earlier than I thought it would be. And it comes with great sticker shock.

I understand her reasoning behind it.  A partial would help me to keep more of my teeth for longer.  My mouth is currently uneven and I am chewing mainly on one side of my mouth.  That puts pressure on those teeth that should not be there.  Having partials would balance that out and allow me to keep what I have for longer.

I understand how beneficial partials can be when you get ones that work.  One of my best friends has them and they seem to really work for her.  My Dad's wife has them but hers have never fit properly and have caused more trouble than not.  I guess you never really know how it is going to work out until you try it. 

However, I don't have $3500 sitting around to fix this problem.  I have insurance but I'm not sure how much they will cover and everything has to be paid for upfront.  The only way I could possibly do that is with my dental credit card.  And that would be convenient if I had several years to pay it off.  But I don't have that extra to pay them each month.  Ah, well.

I am not sure what I will do with this right now.  I know I need it and I know I cannot afford it.  I think I'll just pray and hope for the best right now. Tis all I can do. 

Recipe of the Week - Bloomin' Onion Dip

 This is a recipe that Jason showed to me online at the beginning of the year.  And I had everything I needed to make it already, so I tried it. Absolutely delicious!! I will definitely keep this one in my appetizer rotation and can't wait to make it again!  Hope you enjoy it.

Bloomin' Onion Dip

1 Medium onion, finely chopped

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup grated parmesan

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne

1.5 Tbsps Worcestershire

1 cup friend onions - for topping only

Mix all ingredients except for onions until smooth.  Fold in onions.  Top with fried onions.  Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes.