Observations from the past couple weeks or so:

  • I joined the YMCA a couple weeks ago, and I’ve been going regularly – Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. I’m taking a Step class, and it’s totally kicking my ass. BUT – I’m not giving it up – it’s actually quite fun.
  • I’m working very hard to get myself on a preservative-free and additive-free diet. I refuse to eat anything that contains high-fructose corn syrup or partially hydrogenated oils. Those items are bad, bad, bad!
  • I got a free sample in the mail of South Beach Diet’s “Cherry Almond Granola Clusters”. It’s “granola” with cherry almond flavor – which actually tasted like sawdust liberally coated with cough syrup. Yuck. Here’s the ingredient list: ROLLED OATS, SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, OLIGOFRUCTOSE (FOR FIBER), SOYBEANS, ALMONDS, SUNFLOWER SEEDS, DRIED CRANBERRIES (CRANBERRIES, SUGAR, SUNFLOWER OIL), SOY FLOUR, BROWN RICE SYRUP, SUGAR, CORN SYRUP, POLYDEXTROSE (FOR FIBER), OAT FIBER, FRUCTOSE, CHERRY JUICE CONCENTRATE, FRUCTOSE (FOR FIBER), SOYBEANS, ALMONDS, SUNFLOWER SEEDS, DRIED CRANBERRIES (CRANBERRIES, SUGAR, SUNFLOWER OIL), SOY FLOUR, BROWN RICE SYRUP, SUGAR, CORN SYRUP, POLYDEXTROSE (FOR FIBER), OAT FIBER, FRUCTOSE, CHERRY JUICE CONCENTRATE, DRIED CHERRIES (CHERRIES, SUGAR, GLYCERIN, RICE FLOUR), CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF GLYCERIN, FRACTIONATED PALM KERNEL OIL, SWEETENED CONDENSED NONFAT MILK (CONDENSED NONFAT MILK, SUGAR), TAPIOCA STARCH, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, COCONUT OIL, NONFAT MILK, SOY LECITHIN, BUTTER (CREAM, SALT), CINNAMON, LACTOSE, CALCIUM CASEINATE, SALT, SAFFLOWER OIL, MOLASSES, PHOSPHORIC ACID, CARRAGEENAN, MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES, BHT AND POTASSIUM SORBATE (TO PRESERVE FRESHNESS), BAKING SODA. CONTAINS: SOY, ALMOND, SUNFLOWER SEED, MILK. MANUFACTURED ON EQUIPMENT THAT PROCESSES WHEAT AND OTHER TREE NUTS. That’s waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too many ingredients that I can’t pronounce – and I used to be a chemist!! Plus it tasted disgusting.
  • A much better alternative to the chemical sludge above is a nifty little product by a natural foods company called “Bear Naked” – it’s Vanilla Almond Crunch Fit Granola. It’s low in sugar, and is free of trans fats, hydrogenated oils, artificial flavors, and high fructose corn syrup – all the bad stuff I’m trying to avoid. I can honestly say it is one of the most fabulous things I’ve ever put in my mouth (watch it…).
  • Tonight’s dinner was a very simple grilled peppercorn-crusted filet mignon with a red wine-mushroom sauce. Took only 8 minutes on the good ol’ George Foreman grill (I’m a medium-rare kind of girl). Wendalicious!