Digital Dieting

I am trying to lose a little weight and shape up heading into the summer season. The next few months are packed with parties, weddings, showers and several other occasions in which sporting a bathing suit is required. It is a crucial time to kick the exercising and eating right into gear. My past experiences show that the best way to do this is with a weight loss buddy. It is so helpful to have someone to work out with as motivation and even more important to have someone to feel guilty around when you chose a hamburger over a turkey sandwich for lunch.

When I married Forrest I thought it was the perfect opportunity to have a live in weight loss buddy. He would always be around to see my food choices and accompany me to the gym. Although the workout partner aspect fared well for us (he goes to the gym with me every time I ask him to), he isn't so great at making me feel guilty about poor dining choices. He loves me too much. If I tell him I want a Happy Meal instead of a salad for dinner he answers back, "Eat what you want, B. I just want you to be happy." Sweet, I know - but not exactly what you need when looking for someone to riddle you with guilt for your decision.

With Forrest eliminated as my choice for weight loss buddy I decided to pair up with my Best Friend Amanda. She has an upcoming wedding and seemed like the next obvious choice. There was one big problem with this pick - we live 1000 miles away from each other. But we figured it wasn't anything that technology couldn't solve. If you read anything about losing weight several professionals will suggest keeping a food journal. It is a great way to chronicle what you are eating, realize how much you are eating, and use it as a tool to self correct what you eat in the future. Amanda and I decided we would use the Internet to share our food journals with each other as a motivator to not eat so much. We agreed to email each other everything we eat during the day in addition to logging exercise time in the emails.

Below are my first two emails to Amanda:

2 pieces of pizza: thin crust, picked off the pepperonis, didn't eat the crust....did you forget I ate pizza yet?

30 minutes of cardio: gym was too hot for 45 minutes, finished my book early, ran out of water......did you forget I only exercised for 30 minutes yet?

Below is her first email:

1 bowl of whole grain cheerios

After this email I felt really guilty. She was going to kick my butt. Then came her second email, written to me from a Mexican themed couples shower she attended:

About 287 chips with salsa

My reply:

At least you didn't eat 300, way to show restraint!

Maybe we have some work to do...........................

Spicy Braised Clams with Sausage and Corn
Adapted from Cooking Light June 2009

Yield

4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 8 ounces Salvadorian Chorizo sausage
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 thinly sliced seeded jalapeño pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 3 cups chopped fresh plum tomato (about 4 tomatoes)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, divided
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)
• 1 1/2 pounds littleneck clams

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Remove casings from sausage. Add sausage to pan; cook 4 minutes, stirring to crumble. Add garlic and jalapeño;

cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add wine; cook 2 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in tomato, oregano, 1 tablespoon basil, salt, and black pepper; bring mixture to a simmer.

Cover and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in corn;

cover and cook 2 minutes.

2. Increase heat to medium-high; stir in clams.

Cover and cook 8 minutes or until clams open; discard any unopened shells. Divide mixture evenly among 4 bowls; sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon basil.