Got to admit it's getting better

Weight: 331.2
Total Weight loss: 5.4 pounds

Well, of course I am pleased to have done so well so far. I was down another 1.2 pounds this morning, which is great. I'm almost to my first modest goal, which is simply below 330 pounds. Psychologically, I am taking it five pounds at a time, but I gotta say that I cannot wait to get below 320 again. I'm hoping I will get there by my birthday, which is just over a month away. I think it is doable.

I am more pleased about my walk today than those of the past few days. I walked for 25 minutes and covered just over a mile—super slow, but I'm doing it. My shins and ankles did bother me, but not as much as they have been. Maybe it really is those few extra pounds throwing me off, or maybe it's just a matter of getting back into things in general. Either way, I am glad that there has been some improvement.

Here's something I don't usually do, and that is review food. But recently I have had some really yummy encounters in the frozen food aisle that I'd like to share.

First up is Palermo's Primo Thin Crust Margherita Pizza. It is SO good! The thin crust does NOT taste like cardboard, not in the least, and the toppings include basil and garlic which makes this meatless pizza so yummy. Seriously. And the best part is that it can fit into a healthy lifestyle—OK, mine anyway—at 780 calories, 36 grams of fat and 42 grams of protein in the whole 12" pizza is a pretty good bargain if you are a pizza monster like I am, and since my daily allotment of calories is around 2,000, this gives me room to indulge once in a while and not have to do any guesswork. Yay! Another bonus is that this pizza cooks up pretty darned quick—just 10 to 15 minutes. What's not to love? (P.S.&mdash:You can sign up for email offers, and get a coupon for a dollar off right away!)

My second new favorite frozen meal by the beloved Kashi. I've been enjoying their cereal, Kashi GoLean Crunch! for a long time now, and more recently I was pleased to see their eclectic and unusual selections of frozen entrees. Past favorites have included Black Bean Mango, Lemongrass Coconut Chicken, and Lime Cilantro Shrimp. But one of my complaints about these meals, even though I do really like them a lot, is that the spice level was never high enough for me. I wanted the flavors to be more intense, and I don't even necessarily mean in a hot way (though I do love just about everything with a little extra heat). Well, I am glad to say that they really hit the mark with one of their newer offerings, the Mayan Harvest Bake. Oh my god, it is great! There are so many flavors and textures going on in this dish, and nowhere else in the frozen meal genre that I know of will you find something like this. (Please correct me if I am wrong, by the way—I am always on the lookout for new tastes.) The sweetness and creaminess of the plantains and sweet potatoes is perfectly offset by the spices (on the warm side, but probably not overwhelming for someone who doesn't usually go for spicy foods) and the textures of the black beans and grains. Just genius, if you ask me. Kashi, please make more of these inventive, interesting meals!

They have a great selection as it is, but I want more. :)

Well, I guess that's about it for now. Tonight we've got some yard and housework on the docket, so I'll be busy and physical. Sounds good!