The Final Countdown and Superbowl Losers

Can this really be the final day of the Challenge? Yet, here it is, the final day, the culmination of a clean, calculated and balanced nutrition month.  I've had ADD all morning about writing, trying unsuccessully to focus in on one topic.  Congratulations, you will get a tiny glimpse into the firecracker neurons that deliver thoughts to and from random parts of my brain.

Today I am focused on my water intake, eating carefully, and getting the workout in.  Hopefully you are mentally geared up for making the final day of the challenge your best yet.  I'm prepared for whatever the scale, measuring tape, and calipers will say.  I'm hoping for great numbers, but I also know that I had some days that I didn't do my best with the Challenge.  After watching the Biggest Loser Contestants weigh in every week, I just hope that I don't have the look of shock on my face, but instead do some embarrassing jumping around for joy. 

As for after the Challenge, I've decided to continue the blog. I will  be posting 3-4 times a week, and hopefully there will be plenty of you that choose to continue your healthy eating behaviors and want to continue reading.  The beginning of the journey is over.  I think the ongoing journey will be more interesting, and also continued success and health for all of us who choose to continue a healthy eating lifestyle. 

Now, Food.  First of all, I made Well-Fed's Moroccan Meatballs for the superbowl.  My tastebuds are usually the Drunk Girl at the Party, hugging every bit of food they come across, saying, "I love you soooo much!" There are very few things that I don't like. I'm not a sensitive eater. I don't have texture or taste issues, I simply love all types of food.  These balls, however, did not taste very good to me.  I'm not proud to admit it, but I actually had a couple of Fails during my Superbowl meal-making.  I've taken the Zucchini Aglio e Olio and I hung the strands on a tree in the back yard to attract deer.  I oversalted the stuff so much the Dead Sea was jealous, so I turned it into a salt lick for New Market Bambi and friends.  My good friend took over the zucchini when I realized I'd ruined it, looked at me, and said, "There's just no fixing this mess."  This was followed by the yucky meatballs, and I felt like I was 0 for 2.  Fortunately, the chili, carnitas, and cauliflower, were delicious, and others brought food that was amazing, so we didn't starve while we watched the game.    Sadly, I marinated shrimp in fresh ginger, lime and garlic, but I forgot all about them until Chris grilled them last night.  They were supposed to be for the superbowl as well.  Apparently, Sunday was a day of rest for the organizational part of my brain. 

A few of you have mentioned local beef.  I think I have a lot more to say about this than a paragraph, but I'll give a Teaser for what's coming tomorrow.  Don't focus on Grass Fed.  Steer are not naturally grass-fed animals, when left to their own bovine brain decision making.  They are Forage Fed.  That means they eat more than grass - shrubbery, hay, weeds, flowers, whatever - and all of these elements affect the taste of their meat.  Grass-fed beef usually has that fresh-mowed lawn taste to me.  Over the past two years, I've chatted up farmers at farmer's markets, 4-H kids at the fair, and the farmer lady who lives behind me and knows everything about livestock, vegetables, remedies, and flowers.  Don't buy anything yet, your meat, egg, chicken and fish shopping guide is on this virtual newsstand tomorrow. 

Stay strong and finish strong.  This has been a great month, and all your hard work is about to pay off.  Enjoy.