The Fit and I

We purchased a Wii for the family as a Christmas present. Our oldest daughter put the Wii Fit under the Christmas tree. We started playing around with it and got all of the members of the family registered. Everyone loved it and thought that the "games" were groovy. Few of the kids have regularly used it since. The hubs and I are using it to try to lose weight and get in shape.

So here's the deal : You create your Mii, the representation of yourself, on the Wii at the get go. My Mii looked just like me. Well, it looked like my head with a skinny, little body under it. When we set up the Fit, it asks you about your age and height. Groovy! Then it asks you to stand still, which, for me, is a feat in itself, it seems. While you're standing there, it cries out "measuring. measuring. measuring." Then, the worst thing possible happens! As it calculated my little Mii's BMI, she started to get FAT! For real! The Mii got all kinds of pudgy. Now, I KNEW that I was technically considered obese, but the silly little machine TOLD me in an audible voice "oo, that's obese" as if it were concerned for my well-being! At that point, you can check your weight. You get to set your goal for the next 2 weeks and start training. All right! My fat little Mii and I are going to get busy so that the Fit will stop calling me obese.

So, over the course of the next 2 weeks, the inlaws came to visit for a couple of days. They made Miis and registered on the Fit. We ate. We ate some more. I think we even ate again. What can I say, they'd never been to Cold Stone! My first 2 weeks were unsuccessful with the Fit. I did get on it almost every day, but I did not lose any weight. I probably could have guessed that!

This week, I made a pact with my Fit. It promised to quit telling me that I'm obese if I promised to get on it every day. So, I'm getting on it every day. Every morning, after coffee, I go do my Body Test and then some yoga and step. Today I even did a couple of the balance games. I am not in any position to be doing the strength training, but am working up to it. I don't do all of the yoga poses that are available to me, yet, either. There is just no way that I can stand on one foot and do the "tree" pose. I'm working on it, though. I do love the yoga! I'm loving the step routines, too. I have managed to open up the advanced step routine and have attempted it once - ONCE. It tried to kill me! I'm sure of it! It really is a great workout, but not one that I'm suited for, just yet. Eventually!!

Anyway, that's my journey so far - the Fit and I are progressing. I'll keep you updated!

Oh, by the way, my goal is 5lbs in 2 weeks. Today I'm down. It's a good thing.

On bread

Bread - I love everything about it. Last month, my sweet G volunteered us to make 25 loaves of bread for the Christmas party at the office. This would be 25 loaves of bread that I would not be tasting. I mixed. I kneaded. I rised. I shaped. I rised again. I baked. I did not put the Kitchen Aid or the ingredients away for a week! The bread was devoured at the party and some of it found it's way to homes as far away as DC. A few partial loaves found their way back to our house and we were able to enjoy them, as well. Did I mention that my sweet mother in law sent me a breadmaker for my birthday? It arrived in the evening on the night that I had finished making the last of the loaves.

It was an enjoyable bread experience, but I didn't want to see bread again for a long while.

Then it happened! I wanted bread! After all, it had been three weeks since the loaves had gone to their new homes.

So, I pulled the new breadmaker out and grabbed a cheater box of Hawaiian bread mix. The breadmaker did a fabulous job of mixing, kneading, rising and baking that loaf. The bread was wonderfully light and sweet and hit the spot!

It was on! Bread was to be a part of my life, again :)

Yesterday, I pulled out the Kitchen Aid to prepare a Challah braid that would accompany our supper. It was a wonderful feeling. I mixed. I kneaded. I rised. I cut, shaped and braided. I rised again. I baked. The kids ate. That loaf took a total of 3 and a half hours to prepare and short of an hour later, it was gone.

Now, don't get me wrong. I know that the bread was appreciated. But I don't think that the time invested was appreciated.

Several options come to mind when attempting to find a remedy for my dilemma. First, I could just buy bread at the store. Marketside guarantees the lowest price on wheat sandwich bread in the valley. Yes, it does the job, but it really is lacking in the "fresh from the oven" flavor. Second, I could step up production and make a mess of loaves on a specific day, each week. That would give us enough bread to last the week (I hope), and I would be working my tail off for an entire day. Third, I could put the new breadmaker to work every morning when I get up. The new routine would be: coffee, breadmaker, yoga, step. Fourth, I could kill the kids and eat the bread myself.

Obviously, this isn't something that I can easily decide. I'll think on it further.

Food for Thought

So, the inlaws were here last week. I love my inalws! We actually are missing them and calling, today, to see when they will be back.
We got the whole family involved in the Wii Fit, including the inlaws. Dad loved the Wii tennis and bowling. He and G played tennis well into the night most of their nights here. Mom followed along with the Fit Step program and found that she really digs it, but needs some practice, as it takes a lot of paying attention. She would have had no problem with that if we weren't all laughing so hard!

We ate, we shopped, we ate, we played, we ate, we played some more! I made the Braised Beef from a recipe that I borrowed from a very wise woman. It went over VERY well. Everyone loved it and the girls actually took some with them to their New Year's Eve party.

Braised Beef

sliced a Tri Tip steak, about 2lbs (floured and pan fried til caramel in color)
one large, yellow onion, chopped
baby carrots, about a lb
celery, chopped a whole bag
handful of whole garlic
several bay leaves
bottle of Merlot, 3/4 bottle for braise, 1/4 bottle for me
generous splash Worchestershire
6 chopped tomatoes
some balsamic vinegar
2 cups beef stock (no msg)
8 bratwursts, cut and browned
1 orange, quartered (got some great looks about this LOL)
2 T tomato paste
handful of fresh marjoram, sage, rosemary and thyme (yes, we all sang along)

tossed it all in a huge roaster pan and into the oven, covered, at 300F for 4-4.5 hours.

Try it! You'll be amazed!