Day 459 - Here Fishy Fishy

I know, I know; I showed you a picture of fish yesterday. But, those fish we did not eat, which is a shame I know. But this fish, this fish I did eat. And it was so good!

Up there you see it as I placed it on the grill. It rests on a cedar planked soaked in water & lemon juice. The fish, Steelhead Salmon, is seasoned with a fish seasoning I bought in Seattle (the fish I did not buy in Seattle), and crusted in Onion & Garlic Macadamia Nuts. The came from Hawaii and from this package to be specific...

Here is dinner after it came off the grill...

Before I closed the grill I tossed in a handful of apple wood chips while cooking to give it a lovely blast of sweet smokiness.

As good as it looked coming off the grill I must say it looked its best when I plated it...

Yes, I was in the mood for fruit with dinner. or maybe I was in the mood for sweetness without the bad news from the sweets in the candy counter or bakery aisle.

That dinner was a great way to cap off a great workout. After worked I got my youngest off the couch to join me for C25K-Week1/Day2. The 93F heat was definitely a challenge. A slight breeze tried to take some sting out of the heavy air but to little avail.

Cameron is a soccer player in high school so you would expect him to look at this workout as a walk in the park. But it was quite the opposite for him. He has become quite out of shape since the end of soccer season his freshman year. Even though he hit his final growth spurt over the past six-months, oh how we hope it is his final spurt; his appetite spurted as well and not with a desire for healthy eats.

Thus he struggled to make it through the 60 second jogging segments and his walking segments were quite slow. He knew it, and wasn't happy about it. Soccer tryouts are in a couple of weeks and the start of his sophomore year  five weeks away; yes summer break has begun its descent for landing.

Myself, I got through D2 much better than D1. A day of good eating and anticipation of the workout helped that progression occur. Later this week I will get Day3  in and conclude the trio of workouts that make up a week. Hopefully I can grab Cameron for another workout; doubt he shares that same hope.

Got any recent successful grilling experiences to share?

What about exercise experiences?

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 187 - Veg Out Already

A fine sunny day it is here in the Midwest. Hope that is the case all day here and where ever you are too.

My head cold from earlier in the week has pretty much moved on. Energy is much better today so looking forward to getting in some exercise here. Eating has been fine, no train wrecks there just because I took ill. Which is an improvement in mind for me as in times past being sick was a great excuse to belly up to some comfort foods.

As of late I have noticed our dinner at home getting a little blah, particularly where side dishes are concerned. Too many salads from a bad or fresh fruit salads. Oh both a great and certainly better than not including some veg in the meal. However as I tend to get bored easily I am looking for some ways to amp up the side dishes at our table.

Before I get on here with what I am thinking for doing just that, please oh please; what do you do to turn a boring vegetable right out of the grocery bag into something the finicky eater will warm up to?

Some years ago I went on a rant with marinades and sauces. Primarily for use with meat but a few applied well to veggies too. Having recalled that rant I've jogged the memory which produced little; too early for serious memory function I guess. That didn't deter me however as all I needed to do here was sift through a folder of recipes we've scribbled down over the years and shazam, found a few. So here a couple I've decided need to have a go at home soon...

Zesty Garlic Marinade

• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup citrus juice (any you desire)
• 1 TBS soy sauce
• 3-4 cloves garlic minced fine
• 1 TBS fresh ginger minced fine

Simply mix all together in a bowl and marinade your veggies of choice in that same bowl, or in a large ziploc type bag, for an hour or more. I recall this one working well for veggies that cook up well on the grill. I also recall kicking it up a bit too with some healthy dashes of hot sauce, but, I kick allot of stuff up with hot sauce.
 
Oil-Free Sauce

• 3 TBS plain low or non fat yogurt
• 1/3 cup wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 TBS thyme
• 1 tsp parsley
• 1 TBS mustard (preferably a brown mustard)
• 1 clove garlic minced fine
• pinch of salt and pepper

Simply mix all together in a bowl and then pour into a bottle of carafe or whatever you can serve it from at the dinner table. This is great fro drizzling over steamed veggies or for use as a salad dressing. I recall over doing it on the vinegar before, my bad, so I corrected it with a pinch or two (maybe it was three) of sugar. Of course you can use a sugar substitute too and not just to correct a vinegar oops as I did but just include in the recipe if you prefer to make a sweeter version.

Enjoy!

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 30 - Change #5

Time to commit to another change. This week's is a food commitment. Well, maybe it is a behavior commitment. That makes no sense, everything we do to get healthy is a behavior commitment. Yep, it is a food commitment. Why am I rambling?

For perspective, I know for a fact I have done great harm to myself in not knowing when enough is enough. Not necessarily when eating a meal, sure there too, but I am talking about on a daily basis. Eating late is something I've done out of habit for years. Dinner may be at 5, 6, or 7 p.m., and bed time a few hours later. But seldom a day would go by I wouldn't eat another snack, sneak a nibble of something, just before bed. And I am not talking a 100 calories snack, nope. Two or three times that amount most likely and more so on some evenings. Why? No idea. But I know it is not only not healthy, but I know I cannot get healthy if I allow myself to do so. Therefore...

Change 5...

• Don't eat after dinner

For the past month I have lived this change, minus one or two days, and my progress to date certainly has something to do with not eating anymore after dinner is done. So today it just seems to make sense to chalk it up as a change to commit to.

Have you made any commitments to change lately that are making a difference in your life?

Responsibility 199... Gotta Do It!!

Day 7 - Exercise Discipline

That exercise promised yesterday didn't happen. Our plans changed for the evening and the time I set aside evaporated. Not that I am disappointed really since the change in plans was for a good time with the family. Another example that change is good. Yet change can also challenge discipline.

Exercise and what discipline I have for it was on my mind as I awoke this morning. The devil on my shoulder was telling myself I was supposed to feel bad I didn't find a way to squeeze in a work out before I hit the hay for the day. And the angel on the other shoulder was telling me to get over it and do something about it today. Then there was some other creature sitting atop my head telling me to just go back to sleep. When I was done listening to this trio argue I got up and the day going. After taking care of some necessary mumbo-jumbo I did get in a work out. Thirty minutes on the elliptical and three sets of sit ups on a stay-ball (I think that is what it is called; we bought a couple at the start of 2008 when we were to start that year getting healthy). That may not sound like much exercise but as this was my first work out since starting this mission 7 days ago it was enough to see me clawing about for air.

Having got that work out in I sit here typing away with a surge of confidence and 'atta-boy' inside. Now, the question is, when do I workout again? Tomorrow seems like the perfect opportunity as it is Sunday and we have nothing planned other than watching the Nascar race; Talledega time!

My challenge for today is to simply survive dinner without falling off this ship I am happily riding now. We have plans to have dinner with friends we haven't hooked up with in years. The reservation is at one of the better Italian/pasta places in the Chicagoland area; Maggianos. Great place and I love their family style service. But wow, if there ever was a place built to wreck a diet that is not also a buffet, this is it. Realizing that the plan is to enjoy myself and some of what Maggianos offers but behave myself as best I can. Better said, don't just eat eat eat until all plates are clean as I would have done had this dinner been eight days ago.

Responsibility 199... Gotta Do It!!