“Your body is the baggage you must carry through life. The more excess the baggage, the shorter the trip.”

So, I took the weekend off from blogging. I was too busy with dance recitals and enjoying myself to think about weight loss blogging. This does not mean, however, that I took the weekend off from weight loss. I indulged once, on Mr. Softee ice cream. But there is nothing cuter than a three year old, panicked and running after the ice cream man. I had to share a cone with her.

So anyone that knows me knows that I’m not much of a planner. I worry about now, well now, and I’ll worry about later when later is now. But in order to be successful with all of this, I, Caroline Rivera, have settled on a plan. ::cut to the masses throwing their hands over their mouths in pure dismay::

My plan with eating is to make healthy choices every day, drink lots of water, and no eating out. I don’t want to count calories or deprive myself of anything because then I’ll be miserable. A miserable dieter is a non-dieter. So, healthy choices, water water water.

My working out, however, can’t be so haphazard. So, after researching (and doing lots of blog stalking) I’ve decided on two things. One, I’m going to run a 5k, then a 10 miler, than a half marathon and for my 30th birthday I’m treating myself to a marathon. I haven’t decided on which one, but I have three years to figure it out (gulp, I’ll be 30 in 3 years!!) So I’ve decided to start the Couch to 5k program. I linked it for you. It’s pretty easy, today was day one. As luck would have it, Princepesa wanted to go to the park, so I had an opportunity to start my program. And, because I just may be the luckiest girl alive, it seems that every time I was doing a running interval, I was headed up hill. It was HOT today too, so all in all, workout successful. I didn’t factor in that once I got done running about 3 miles I would have to make it home. So after the initial 3 mile run, I hung out at the park (and by hung out I mean tried to not to scare the kids at the park by passing out), and then walked BRISKLY home. Workout done, 6 miles travelled, legs… sore.

So I don’t really remember what I had for breakfast or lunch today because I was so focused on my dinner menu. I think I had cheerios with bananas for lunch. Oh yea, after my run I had some sliced red bell peppers, hummus, and watermelon. Dinner, I promise you was much more exciting.

BLOG SHOUTOUT.. My very dear friend Carrie (click on her name for a link to her blog) provided some much needed comfort food for me in a time of need. Usually comfort food is full of fat, loaded with carbs, covered in gravy, or all of the above. Not her broccoli cauliflour mash.. It is delicious, and at the fear of inciting groans, nutritious. So I made that for dinner tonight, along with corn pudding. There was roasted chicken and some other stuff on the table too. See recipes below. (As a side note, the corn pudding is in no way healthy, just because it contains corn. But if you only eat a little bit, really is it that big of a deal?)

Corn Pudding

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
8oz. sour cream
1 pkg. corn muffin mix (8 1/2 oz.)
1/2 c. milk
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can creamed corn.
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Beat in sour cream. Gradually add corn bread muffin mix alternately with milk. Fold in corn. Pour into greased 3 qt. baking dish. Bake uncovered at 325 or until set and lightly browned. See just like I said, totally unhealthy 

Broccoli Cauliflour Mash

2 heads of broccoli
1 head of cauliflour
¼ a bar of low or nonfat cream cheese
2 cloves or garlic, pressed (either in a garlic press or chopped VERY FINE)

Steam broccoli and cauliflour until VERY tender. Strain. While veggies are steaming, cut the ¼ block of cream cheese in to little cubes. Put in bowl, along with 2 cloves of garlic. Dump strained veggies over cream cheese and garlic and then go to town with a potato masher. If you don’t have a potato masher, I’m sure a mixer would work just as well. If the cauliflour is too liquidy, you can add more broccoli.

Mmmm mmm good!