Since You Asked So Nicely...

Pardon my tardiness in responding to kind questions asked during the week. I've been running like a chicken without a head in preparation for my garage sale today. But more about that in a sec.

First, in the shocked aftermath of my having actually cooked (with my own widdle hands) a meal this week, the ever-lovely Hanlie asked: "What do you normally eat if you don't cook?"

Excellent question, Hanlie. One of the things that always stopped me in previous weight loss efforts was having to prepare my meals. I don't mind stirring or chopping or mixing now and then, but I just plain don't enjoy cooking on a regular basis. As I started my tippy toe journey, I decided to follow what worked for my lifestyle, which means meals on the go much of the time. At home, I eat lots of salads and fruit, tuna, yogurt, cheese, almonds, popcorn, peanut butter, etc. I'm very fortunate to live near several grocery stores that offer healthy prepared foods that I can buy in portions *I* determine. Even my local Kroger (a regional/national big box chain) has gotten it together and now offers a large selection of fresh, whole foods. When I'm on the go, I have easy access to a few restaurants (both local and chain) that offer healthier fare at reasonable prices.

It wouldn't work for everyone, but somehow it works for me. It does take a certain amount of discipline, and some places I now know to stay away from completely. But as the saying goes: Where there's a will, there's (usually) a way.

Next up, the equally lovely Sherre asked where she might find the Pancho's Taco Dressing.

Thank you, Sherre. I should have included a mention of that. Pancho's products are available in the dairy section of many grocery stores in the Mid-South: Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri, Mississippi, Alabama, and Kentucky.

If you don't live in the Mid-South, that doesn't do much good, does it? Well, here's a link to a "Copycat" version of Pancho's Taco Dressing. I might try to make it (I hear some of you laughing!) when my current batch runs out, but I'll cut the amount of sugar in half, at least. Since Pancho's packaging lists sugar as the fourth ingredient, and it doesn't set off my sugar-dar when I eat it, I'm thinking the copycat version might be overdoing the sugar a bit.

And finally, my delightful breakfast buddy Patty questioned my possession of a working stove. Yes, Patty, there IS a Santa Claus, and I do have a stove, a very ugly one, which is one of the reasons I don't use it. If I had a cute cooktop, I might cook more. (I've heard that if you say something enough times, you can actually convince yourself it is true.)

For the record, I also have a double wall oven. It is also ugly, which I can prove without photographs and in two words: harvest gold. It is, however, a wonderful place to store my phone books and my extra crockpot.

Thank you, Patty, for allowing me to assure everyone that I do have appliances. I just have to dust them before using. :D

In TippyToe500 news, I completed the first two weeks of training (pats self on back) and will perform an assessment on Monday. Day 6 (Friday) was a killer, and I'll probably repeat it on Wednesday and Friday of next week before continuing with the training program.

As a reward for my dedication and determination, I am gifting myself with a new download for each week completed. For Week 1, I chose "Boom, Boom, Pow" by the Black-eyed Peas. The lyrics are explicit (the ones I understand, anyway), but this song is PERFECT for me when my energy starts fading on a longer walk.

Still working on my week 2 download. Decisions, decisions...

Winding up what turned out to be a very lengthy post, I'm happy to report that my garage sale was a sweaty, steaming success. With a heat index of 107F, I probably lost 22 pounds, give or take. Since I don't own a scale, that's really a ballpark estimate based on sweat produced and effort expended. It could be a tad high. To combat any potential (or perceived) excessive weight loss, I declared today a Cake Day and had a slice of Strawberry Cake after the sale was over. Ahhhhh!

Tomorrow, I restore my house to its normal pre-sale messiness. I'm also setting aside the afternoon for a) catching up on blog reading, and b) napping.

Hope you're all having a great weekend. Sorry for the longwindedness! It appears to be terminal. :)