Sushi JACKPOT

I'm writing this post with my friends Elena and Chrissy in mind.

My life is almost complete now that i've found you.

Anyone that knows me is aware of my severe sushi addiction, mainly salmon. Raw, delicious salmon. Cooked? Seared? Get that away from me! When I go to Seaworld, Shamu makes me cry and the fish make me hungry.
I found this website a few days ago when pondering the thought of cutting out the expensive middle man and making my own sushi.
Long story short: I've already gone through a pound of this stuff. I have 2 lbs left in my freezer.

I'm sure I wouldn't consume as much if I were eating rice, but right now I'm knocking carbs out of my diet for a little bit to get myself back on track. Maybe in a few weeks I'll make some sushi and rolls with brown rice. I was munching on my Cucumber-Seaweed salad when I was overcome with a delicious idea.

I had ordered Nori with my fish, and apart from the amusing packaging, it is something that is amazingly delicious.

The choicest NORI, the seafood is delicately seasoned and baked. It
brings to your table not only a smack of the sea but also a good health.

So here's what I have deemed Michelle's Amazing Do-it-yourself and Not Go Bankrupt roll..

Quarter up your nori, add your salmon and avocado, and roll it! Then eat it. Don't stand around and take pictures of it, because nori loses it's crunch rather quickly when you don't have rice to keep it from getting soggy.

That's all. Apart from it being pretty darn healthy, my entire meal was also raw. Sometimes I think people go a little overboard on raw diets, but I can see how it can be appealing. I feel nice and satisfied. And if you're ever a guest at my home, you'll be subjected to it. And by it, I mean the sushi thing. I'll leave the nice and satisfied thing up to you and your significant other.

the "Urban Hunter/Gatherer" diet

Although I feel very inconvenienced (but still fortunate in a hierarchy of needs scheme of things) I have noticed some nice aspects of not having a car. Apart from not spending money on gas and polluting the environment (dear god, she's turning in to a hippie!), I am forced to walk to the store. I have to make the simple barter that has existed for centuries that we all take for granted:

Trading your energy, in the form of exercising, for sustenance.

It sounds so simple, right? No one does it anymore. I can't even remember the last time I walked to the store. Well.... in Mexico I did, but that's the way everyone does it, and cities are built accordingly. It's ridiculously easier to walk to the market everyday to purchase the items you need for the day and support the local farmers than to drive to the Gigante and buy in bulk and make a giant trip to spend money on things that are from who-knows-where.
This could easily go into a discussion about local economy and small business vs. EVIL CORPORATIONS, but I will not digress. Danielle nicely sums up her experience about that here.

So as soon as it got down to 100 degrees or so (that would be 6pm in this lovely desert) I began my 1 mile trek to the grocery store. iPod? Check. Debit Card? Check. Water? Check. Mean face for the passing motorists who comment on my ass and or legs? Check.
Apart from drivers' blatant disregard for pedestrians such as myself (does a car stop at the first white line, or second one?), it was a nice little adventure.

I grabbed a basket and proceeded to fill it. When I was almost done, I became tired of carrying it. Then I realized that I needed to be able to schlepp my stuff home. Another 20 minutes were spent playing Grocery Survivor as I cast my vote for most important items, based on a) My stock of it at home, if any, and b) when would I really need it? Some items were switched out for smaller sizes and others were cast out of my basket to be picked up at another visit. You don't really ever notice how heavy a damn onion is. It didn't help that my list consisted of things like soy sauce, rice vinegar, Worcestershire, and tomato sauce.

I purchased one of those reusable grocery bags that no one ever buys and walked out of the store, only to feel horribly unbalanced. I quickly ran back in, bought another, and did my best to personify a pack mule. I made it home just as it got dark, so my total time was about 2 hours.

I've made a pledge to myself to get more exercise. Yesterday I took Diego for a walk around my neighborhood, which was only .8 miles. It was such a chore. Having a goal, like getting food, made this 2 mile walk seem effortless compared to yesterday. I just can't get exercise for the sake of exercise; I need to be doing something else that results in exercise as a side benefit. This may sound so very simple, but it's been what has been keeping me from getting into better shape.
Another obvious feature of the "Walk your ass to the store and carry your ingredients home" fitness plan is that you have to plan your meals ahead. Fast food is not an option; I am not going to walk a mile to eat crap that will only last one meal. I'd rather grab some groceries that will last me a few days. And I am not going to carry a gallon of ice cream home. I could just always eat it on the way home before it melts. I have a limit as to what I can carry and it's more practical to get things that are good for me.
By changing the [convenience to get there : longevity/quality of ingredients] ratio, meals suddenly become a lot healthier.

That's all. It all sounds so basic in retrospect, but I think it might be a simplified cause (one of many) of the the obesity crisis happening around us. In all fairness, I can't imagine following the above plan to feed a family of 4... which brings me to my discussion on why having too many kids... nevermind! haha. To each their own.

Oh, and one more thing: No more bottled water. I encourage you to read about just how lucky we are to have good drinking water flowing out of the tap. And while you're at it, read about what Dasani and Aquafina really are: Tap Water! It's the most ridiculous waste of money ever!

Don't like the taste of tap? Put a lemon in it! They aren't even that heavy!

The official goal is...

30 lbs in 3 months.

I set up a fitness/diet plan for the next four months. As much as I'd like to just lose the weight and say, "Look at how good I am!" the fact is that I am getting outside help for this.
Because honestly, if I don't start now... will I ever?

My hunny is coming home tomorrow! And the wedding is Saturdaaaaaaaaaay and I'm oh so excited.

G'nite!

Ummm..

I went to this fitness place for a test run on the machines. (Not literally a run; I only run after ice cream trucks.)
I stepped on the high tech scale and it said that I was 5 lbs lighter than I had thought. Yay.
Then it said I was obese. Then it said I had the metabolism of a 44 year old.
OBESE? Stupid scale. I don't even jiggle that much.

But you see... they say that 40 is the new 30.
Well, for me, 44 is the new 22. So take that.
I understand the error in my logic.. but I will pay no attention to it.


i'm in denial denial denial

The Great Escape

It was hot, I was panicking, I didn't know if I'd make it out alive. I could hardly breathe. I contemplated calling for help, but I didn't. I had gotten myself into this mess and I knew that only I could get myself out. "Please god, let me get out of this," I thought.
I almost gave up, but with patience and determination...
I managed to get out of the size 10 dress that I had somehow squeezed myself into.
I'm surprised that I didn't dislocate my shoulder.

I had to be absolutely positive that it wouldn't fit before I headed out to find a new dress. It didn't.. at all. No way.

I'm not a fan of shopping. I like acquiring new things, but the whole "why can't this just fit???" thing really makes me dread trying on anything. But you know what? Today wasn't bad. I'm chubby, I'm working on it, so whatever. I found a dress that I absolutely ADORE, not only because I look great in it, but also because it was on sale for about $100 less than the original price. I really really lucked out.

I'm not letting my weight get the best of me this time. I don't care that a friend commented, "You better not eat for a week!" as she zipped up my dress. I'm chubby and I'm totally going to work it. I'm going to have a good time... and I'm going to look good. Like every other woman, I have been waaaaaay too hard on myself. For the past five years, I've really disliked my body but never really did anything about it except complain.

My dress is a size 12. I am embracing it because this will be the last time that it fits me snugly. This is my chubbiness grand finale. And I'll smile the entire time, because dammit, I'm beautiful.

What the..

I'm a few days behind this, but if you haven't seen this yet, take a look. Hang on to your wallet and keep your mouth closed.

Executive Order: Blocking Property of Certain Persons Who Threaten Stabilization Efforts in Iraq

I'm really not going to comment on it because I've lost all motivation and energy to form any opinion about politics. Normally I'd be all over this, but this administration has really just been one disappointment after another. Hopefully I'll bounce back in a few years... what is a shame is that a lot of people that I know have also lost interest in our government, so I can imagine the wide-scale impact this administration has had on people ages 18-26... and just about everyone else who isn't stubbornly hanging on to the republican ticket.

See, no comment at all.

On a lighter note... One week until my love comes back... just a quick weekend stay in order to attend a fantastic wedding that I have been looking forward to since forever. I still need to buy a dress, which reminds me...

On a heavier note... in an attempt to be on a "diet", foods that I would normally never eat, like McDonald's and other unhealthy things, have suddenly become so very appealing to me. And it doesn't help that there were THREE birthdays in the first week of my diet. THREE. That's Cake x 3. You can't not eat cake on someone's birthday...

And for some reason, by becoming regimented about what I eat and when, I've also become very imaginative about what I would rather be eating... so I don't feel that I've lost any weight whatsoever. I feel like I've gained weight, although that may not be true... I am not stepping on that scale until a week from now. I'm just going to be a good girl.

NO MORE BIRTHDAYS!
CANT YOU SEE THAT I AM DIETING????

Diet Diary, Day 3:

I am abandoning you today. I will happily surrender myself to the chocolate cake's siren song scent.