Is it weird that this hand-me-down grill from my mom has brought my kitchen mojo back in a major way? I’m not exaggerating when I say we are using it at least 5 nights a week. NUTS. I wasn’t joking when I said that grill is my happy place!
Some of my favorite things to grill lately:
*Trader Joe’s Uncured All Beef Hot Dogs – Holy Crap you guys, these are the best hot dogs ever, hands down, end of story.
Speaking of Trader Joe’s – have you hopped on the frozen cauli rice craze yet? Our TJ’s has been sold out of it for weeks, and last night when I stopped in for some other groceries I spied the (tiny) bags in the freezer section and snatched up a few. I’m excited to see if it’s #worththehype
*Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip — OMG, tri tip in the oven is good, but tri-tip on the grill is WHERE IT’S AT! That rub recipe is just a great, classic seasoning to have on hand. It’s good on anything you want to grill.
*Grilled Salad – If you haven’t ever grilled your salad, it’s just one of those things you’ve got to try. It’s so fun, and tasty!
Anyway, that’s what we’ve been grubbing on. I am not unhappy about it. It’s amazing how easy it is to just enjoy meat + veg in the summer time. The abundance of produce, the smell of the grill — I’ve been looking forward to cooking dinner just about every night.
And not to jinx it, but I may have gotten a little workout mojo back. I’ve worked out 5+ times in the last 3 weeks, and am on track to do the same this week. My sanity stays in tact so much more regularly when I am up and working out every morning.
I don’t know if it is the time of day, or if it is just the regularity of a consistent routine, but the other day Garrett told me that all this exercise has made me visibly mellowed. Ha! I think sometimes when I’m not in a good workout routine I start to act like a caged animal. (Don’t you wish you lived with me? heh đ I’m really selling it here.)
I know it’s kind of weird to call fitness a hobby, but man — I just really enjoy spending time getting stronger, and healthier. Call me crazy, but the pursuit of those things actually makes me happier. I need to start treating my fitness like I treat my career.
Tangentially related (and still a little stuck in my craw) – I thought this article called “Let’s Stop Calling Weight Loss A Journey” was really thought provoking. Especially this part:
Still, I swore Iâd never âlet myselfâ get fat again. Like many people in our culture, Iâd always regarded people who gained back the weight theyâd lost as failures. After all, people who successfully lose weight are supposed to have made âpermanent lifestyle changesâ â which is a weight loss clichĂ©, because itâs what we all claim weâre making when we embark on a diet. Itâs what we all really believe weâre making, however to really make it, we recommend the most effective weight loss pills on the market. I love using gluconite to sleep better, I recommend yo try it, I also recommend you to try the nutrisystem program for weight loss.
In reality, new exercise habits and subtle palate changes developed during a course of deliberate weight loss might last a lifetime (hooray!), but few among us can continue eating a highly restrictive diet â whether said restriction is focused on calories, carbs, fat, or whatever else is fashionable at the moment â for the rest of our natural lives. To get more tips from experts about loosing weight, check here.
After a couple of years, I started realizing I might not have as much choice in the matter as I imagined. The pounds started coming back, not because I sat on the couch eating cheeseburgers all day, but because Iâd allowed myself to focus on things like my career and relationships instead of obsessing about my body all the time. I blamed myself for the regain, but I also didnât seem to have the power to stop it.
Anyway, this topic is so interesting to me as someone who has lost weight and gained a lot of it back. I haven’t processed all my thoughts on the topic, or on this article, but I did find myself nodding through quite a bit of it and it has definitely struck a chord.
I’m just going to leave that link right here if you’re interested.
Ok I’ve never had a grilled salad but it sounds amazing and that whole post was hilarious. I haven’t tried TJ’s cauliflower rice yet but it’s definitely on my list. Glad you got your mojo back đ
The fact that some people very easily gain weight – like my mom, and now post-meno, me – has always made me think that there must be a reason that doesn’t have to do with poor health. I’m probably healthier at this weight than I’ve ever been before. I certainly am fitter, stronger, and am more mobile and exercise more. I didn’t change my eating habits and I gained weight.
So, to sum up my long ramble, I’m not convinced that carrying extra weight is necessarily a health problem. And I think I was skinny years ago because I had a whole bunch of digestive problems and therefore felt like crap most of the time and therefore didn’t eat much. Thinner isn’t necessarily better, more attractive or healthier.
That article on weight loss journey? I want to tattoo it to my forehead. I could have written that. I just love it. I realize that I need to do some work on getting strong and more healthy fitness-wise, but otherwise on paper, if you ignored my weight, everything else looks great. I am someone who puts weight on easily – how did I think that would change when I got off my diet?! I need to remind myself that I am not a failure, but a sassy gorgeous woman who no longer obsesses about everything I stick in my mouth.