Brown made my day..........................

I am happy to report that all three boxes of chocolate are safe and sound under my roof now. That tracking thing really works. It was interesting to keep an eye on the packages. I guess one can do the same thing with the post office if you ever need to send something important.

Interesting to note: The most expensive chocolates (La Du Masion) came in the smallest box, the middle priced ones (John and Kira's) came in the middle sized box, and the least expensive ones in the largest box. The least expensive, (Bissingers) was also pre-packaged and sealed in celophane, (Nothing wrong with this, just an observation.) the other two were definitely hand packed when the order was received and then shipped out directly. For a point of reference, I paid eighty-eight dollars for La Du Masion (This is the one that I HAD to get over night shipping at twenty-seven dollars), John and Kira's (I already feel like they are part of the family) cost about forty-five dollars, and Bissinger's was around thiry-five.) Now! On to the important stuff.

The taste.............. Bissinger's is at least as good as See's, (My favorite before the taste test began.) and very enjoyable, but none of us are rating it outstanding at this point. La Du Masion taste totally sinfull, but so far all of the pieces taste very similar to one another. Their flavors are maybe a little to subtle, or else we are not diserning enough to appreciate the subtlety of each piece. John and Kira's is in the lead at this point. (Three pieces into the taste test.) Not only do their unique flavors permeate the chocolate, but the flavor lingers after the last bit of chocolate has melted away. After tasting John and Kira's, my youngest used words like, "Died and gone to Heaven....... This is what I want for every gift I get in the future.......... I'll give you three weeks wages if I can have the other two lavender ones ALL to myself." (My) Mister on the other hand said, "What's Lavender taste like?" He is smell and taste challenged to say the least. Either that or it is just a guy thing. After I told him to "Lick your teeth after the chocolate is melted" he was able to pick up the hint of orange in the Bergamot flavor, which says a lot for the taste/quality of John and Kira's chocolate. My youngest and I are thinking of kicking him out of the taste test. Why waste the good stuff on someone that isn't really appreciating it? (In our defense this idea came after (my) Mister made the comment "I'll take a bag of Hersey's Nuggets any day." Anyway, this little taste test idea is turning out to be as wonderful as I thought it would be. Stay tuned, and I will keep you updated as we nibble and savor our way through the assorted chocolates.

Has to be me ask me how it was I could lose weight while eating chocolates. Well, I am not really losing weight. I have actually gained some weight (according to the scales) since I began lifting weights, but remember I have also lost five percent of my body fat, so I look like I have lost weight. Being healthy isn't about what the scales says, but about your body composition, and the percentage of fat one carries around. I came across a picture of me from about seven years ago (I thought I was fat then too.) in which I weigh around one hundred and fifty pounds. My current weight is around one sixty. (I can't believe I am telling someone what I weigh....... Talk about progress........ I used to lie on my drivers license....... How pathetic is that?????) I look much skinnier today then I did then, especially in the thighs. Maybe I will pose for a picture (I hate doing that!) and post them side by side so you can see what I mean.

In preparation for the half-marathon, I was really watching what I ate as far as content goes. I have been sticking to this plan pretty much since, and it is working well. I try and make my meals around two hundres calories and eat six times a day. (At least four times.) Some meal examples: A protein shake, an apple with reduced fat peanut butter, a piece of Ezekiel 4:9 bread with a tablespoon of peanut butter and a half of banna sliced on top, a mini (Pepperidge Farm) one hundred percent whole wheat bagel with three to four ounces of deli turkey and a squirt of spicy mustard, (These whole wheat bagels are a relatively new discovery for me, and they are REALLY good. My family hasn't figured out that they are also good for you, so they will eat them too.) a protein bar, (Zone is the one that has the highest protein/lowest sugar ratio from my research, and again, my family will eat this brand.) a salad with a can of tuna added, seasoned with a little vinegar and oil or lite salad dressing. I try and make my biggest meal of the day mid-day, and add veggies to this meal to make sure I am getting enough of those. What I have been able to stay away from (for the most part since Lent) is cheese. I have been battling that one for years. The sharp cheddar that I adore has just plain too much fat to have any place in a healthy eating plan. I am still a taste test kind of cook, so I know that I probably get two or three hundred calories a day tasting to season what I cook for others. I am finally owning up to and counting these calories, another big hurdle for me. If I want something, I eat it. I just try and eat a tiny amount of it, exchange the calorie count for one of my six meals, and/or else step up my exercise to cover the extra calories. I am going to hang onto this current attitude towards eating and food over the summer and see if I can get rid of some more body fat this way. We shall see. Does that answer your question Has to be me? Eat high quality food in small quanities, with a sprinkle of treats and see what happens.

Sorry if I bored you all with a detailed discription of mouth's latest pleasures. Remember I am using this blog to cement my commitments to a healthy lifestyle. Writing about my choices and activities helps me to stay honest with myself, which is a big piece of the puzzle, so I say again........ Thanks for being there for me, and for listening. Know I appreciate it greatly.