Gotta Strategize for my Fatty Thighs...

Happy Tuesday!!!
Jeez....the days are really ticking by rapidly now, aren't they?  I feel like summer is going to be kissing me goodbye long before I'm ready to let it go. It tried having the "break-up talk" with me last night as I was gathering and organizing a few things I'll need for the upcoming semester, but I wasn't having any of it.....I'm just not ready to quit summer and start my affair with fall just yet. Thankfully, one big last hurrah at the beach is in order from 8/11 through 8/21, but then a week later, come hell or high water, I will be back in class, deeply submerged in academia hell. Oy friggin' vey....

My in-laws have a place at the beach and we are very fortunate to be able to spend as much time as we like there over the summer. Last year while the wedding planning was in full swing, we spent countless weekends and a couple of weeks there getting things in order, DIYing damn near EVERYTHING until the cows came home (see this old post to really get the sense of just how bat shit crazy I was), meeting vendors and finalizing details. To me, all the insanity was well worth it in the end (just don't ask my husband or any of my bridesmaids if they feel the same). We had a beautiful beach wedding on October 9.....aaahhhh - I can't believe Josh and I have had almost a whole year of wedded bliss already! Seriously - where does the time go?

This year, we haven't spent quite as much time at the beach, simply because of the house projects we have had going on. I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE me some sun, sand and surf and could spend the rest of my living days there, leathering myself up in the blazing sun like an old suitcase; but beyond wrinkles and melanoma, the beach has been known to have other adverse effects, too. Especially when it comes to my waistline. And for that reason alone, it is probably a good thing I have had minimal time there this year. I have done enough damage to myself without it. Obviously...

So, knowing the temptations that lurk around every vacation corner, I need to devise my plan of action for our pending trip, so that there are no more gains anytime soon. This evening I need to sit and dedicate some serious time to devouring my cookbooks and Skinnytaste.com to ensure we have an arsenal of healthy meals we can prepare while there.....none of this eating out every night and subjecting ourselves to all that orgasmic beach food. I'm not saying we won't go out but when we do, I know exactly where we'll go  - Mariachi, which is where we had our rehearsal dinner - they have the BEST ceviche ever! (If you're ever in Rehoboth Beach, DE, please don't miss eating there!) And possibly a seafood restaurant or two where I know healthier fish (versus juicy burger) options will be served.

I also have a plan of action for my exercise. Generally speaking, I usually am relatively active at the beach, but this time I want to be a work out supa-stah! They have a great fitness center there that I have access to, as well as multiple pools, and we are of course bringing our bikes, which we normally ride every day, barring any rain. Then of course there is the beach - and jumping waves which actually provides a decent calorie burn! Not sure if we are planning on hauling the kayaks there or not - but that's always a good work out too. I'll be blogging from the beach to keep you updated on how I'm doing. Stay tuned!

Before I sign off today, I just want to say a big thank you to those that commented yesterday and made me realize that the gain I had this past week wasn't just cause for sticking my head in the oven and calling it quits. Sometimes, I so totally need that reminder that this isn't a quick or easy process, and that a gain CAN BE reversed with patience and diligence, and that lessons are learned with each loss OR gain for that matter....No matter how old I get, I clearly see that this is a lifetime learning process. And that's OK. I will persevere!!!

And so I leave you with a little bit 'o' food porn today....it's actually my dinner from last night.....I was so happy to finally make sugar snap peas that weren't a mushy mess! See? You can teach an old dog new tricks!

Grilled salmon rubbed with grated fresh garlic & ginger, and a drizzle of Thai chili sauce, with baked sweet potato and sugar snap peas sprinkled with a little sea salt. YUM.