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Paleo Mexican Casserole!

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I had a hardcore craving for Mexican food last night. I mean HARDCORE. I was salivating at the thought of refried beans, queso, and crunchy tacos.

Unfortunately, we’re just a week or so into the New Year and I am NOT going to give in that easily. Feeling creative, I decided to experiment in the kitchen and concoct my own Paleo Mexican Casserole with the ingredients I had on hand.

I’m telling you… this baby tasted even better than it looked. Holy cow. It was spicy and decadent and 100% grain free. And, amazingly, it was simple to make. Grab your grocery list, baby, I’m about to lay it all out for you!

Fake-Polenta Crust:

  • 1 cup coarse almond flour.
  • 2 whole eggs.
  • 2 tbsp dried onion flakes.
  • 1/4 cup water.
  • 1 tbsp chili powder.
  • 1 tbsp chopped cilantro.
  • 1 tbsp baking powder.
  • Dash of sea salt.

Mexican Veggies:

  • 1 large zucchini, chopped.
  • 1 large sweet onion, diced small.
  • 1 container of mushrooms, chopped.
  • 1 whole yellow pepper, thinly sliced.
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro.
  • 4 tbsp chili powder.
  • 1/4 cup water.

Taco Meeeeeaaaaaat:

  • 1 pound lean (93/7) ground beef.
  • 1 cup spicy salsa (or mild, if you’re wimpy).
  • 2 tbsp garlic powder.
  • 2 tbsp chili powder (noticing a trend here, I bet).

Optional Ingredients (you’ll see when to use these):

  • 1 cup Daiya cheddar cheese alternative. (Or real cheese if you’re a Dairy-Paleo person)
  • 1 cup Daiya mozzarella cheese alternative. (Or real cheese if you’re a Dairy-Paleo person)
  • 2 cups salsa.
  • Fresh cilantro (for garnish).
  • Fresh jalapeno (for garnish).
  • Fresh sliced avocado (for all humans, everywhere, to be eaten in copious amounts with all meals).
  • 1/2 cup So Delicious Plain Coconut yogurt. (Or sour cream, if you’re a Dairy-Paleo person)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

While it’s heating, combine ingredients for the fake polenta crust. I know some people recommend sifting, combining dry then wet, etc. Look, I’m a simple girl who likes to eat. I just throw things into a bowl and mix. I made this recipe up on a whim and it worked. Trust me. Just combine the flour, water, eggs, baking powder, and seasoning into a bowl and mix thoroughly. It should look like thick pancake batter.

On a greased casserole dish (I used those disposable 9″ x 13″ cake pans because I hate clean up), pour the batter evenly to coat the surface of the pan. It should make a thin layer, but there should be enough to fully cover the bottom.

Place in oven (while still preheating) so it starts to cook. You’ll want to precook this a bit so it gets nice and crunchy. The preheating time is perfect!

Meanwhile, I used two pans to individually cook the veggies and meat. To be honest, you could likely saute all of the ingredients together, but I had this craving for layers (think the layered tostada dish at your favorite Mexican restaurant – yum!), so I cooked the veggies and meat separately. Plus, this allowed me cook off the excess moisture from the veggies (onions get moist, friends!) and keep the meat saucy.

Whatever you decide to do, cook the ground beef all the way through (no pink left) and make sure your veggies are nice and tender. Should be roughly 6-8 minutes on medium-high heat.

When the oven BEEEEEEEPS to let you know it’s preheated (should be about 7-10 minutes, depending on how fancy schmancy your kitchen appliances are), pull the “polenta” crust out of the oven for layering. It should look like half-cooked cookie dough: safe to eat but still squishy. If it’s a little closer to done, don’t stress – the moisture from the ingredients will keep it from overcooking.

I layered the VEGGIES first, creating an even (but thick) layer across the crust. Since the crust was still slightly undercooked, the veggies sank into it – perfect visual effect! I then tossed a light layer of Daiya (non-dairy, non-soy cheese) on top, followed by a thin layer of spicy salsa. On top of the salsa, I layered the cooked ground beef, followed by another layer of salsa and then more cheese.

I popped the dish into the oven for about 15 minutes (at 400) and was thrilled by the finished product. The crust puffed up and fully encased the casserole and it was easy to slice and serve.

Per my calculations, the entire dish (which was pretty huge) was between 2,800-3,000 calories (based on my ingredients; subject to change if you use higher fat meat or real dairy cheese) and made EIGHT generous servings at roughly 360-380 calories each. I topped each slice of the casserole with a few slices of avocado (30-45 calories), fresh sliced jalapenos (negligible calories), green onions (about 5 calories), and a single dollop of plain coconut yogurt (about 25 calories).

So, for about 450 calories, I had a gigantic, Paleo-friendly Mexican casserole that even my husband, Carlos (yes, he’s Mexican!), found delicious.

There you have it, my friends.

Bon appetit!

~ Tori

I’m Back!

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OK!

I’ve been silent for nearly two weeks – very abnormal behavior for me. No, I haven’t lost my mind, moved to Antarctica, and dedicated myself to studying penguins or anything. Although, I do hear cold weather boosts your base metabolic rate…

I made a promise to myself to fully disconnect over the holidays – from work, from writing, and from dieting – and just enjoy the company of my family and friends.

I never thought I’d actually follow through with that promise (I mean, really, who can stay away from blogging and checking work email?) and I shocked myself by not only disconnecting from everything, but by not even CARING that I was disconnected. I ate when I wanted to eat, I went for a run when I felt like running, and I put my phone on silent when I heard the ping announcing a new work email had arrived.

It was amazing. It was freeing. It was rejuvenating.

And guess what?

The world didn’t end.

No disasters occurred in the office. I didn’t turn into a giant balloon of fat, my muscles didn’t deteriorate, and my clothing still fits – albeit, a little tighter than they did before the holidays.

This was a good reminder to me that BALANCE is the key to all things in life: balancing work with life, socialization with private time, diet with the occasional cheat meal, and exercise with the infrequent lazy day on the couch.

I feel very recharged. I feel very optimistic. I feel like it’s a new year.

I commit to posting here more frequently, so brace yourself for recipes (mostly Paleo), weigh-ins, photos, updates, and motivational pictures. We’re going to make 2014 a great year of health, fitness, and BALANCE!

Bon appetit, my friends, and let’s get started!

~ Tori

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TexMex Paleo Burger Recipe

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I’ve been awful with my diet recently, mainly because I haven’t been prepping and planning my meals the way I normally do. As a result, my weight has crept up a bit and I’ve decided to host an intervention for myself – I’m planning out recipes for the week.

Since I always have a craving for greasy Mexican food, I decided to create a simple recipe that includes all of the flavors I love but is quick to throw together and doesn’t require cooking effort beyond throwing it on the grill.

I introduce – the TexMex Paleo Burger!

They even look beautiful raw!

They even look beautiful raw!

Super Simple Ingredients:

  • 1.5 lbs extra lean ground beef. (Grass-fed, if you’re strict Paleo)
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
  • 4 tbsp chili powder (less if you don’t like it spicy)
  • 6 button mushrooms, chopped small
  • 4 tbsp dried onion flakes
  • 1 raw egg
  • 1/4 cup tapioca flour (coconut flour works, as well, but you may need to add a tiny bit of water)
  • 1/3 cup of Daiya (non-dairy, non-soy) cheese alternative. I used sharp cheddar, but they have a Pepper Jack version that would be great, too!

Simple Preparation:

In a giant mixing bowl, start with your ground beef. In my case, I add all of the spices and mushrooms first, then hand mix by folding it together on itself a few times. Once that’s formed into a very thick mix, I add the cheese, raw egg, and tapioca flour. This helps it all to stick together and form solid patties.

As you can see, I form very generous-sized patties – each is probably 7-8 ounces.

The BEST WAY to cook a burger is always going to be on the grill: about 5 minutes on each side with this thickness if you’re cooking it on a medium heat. If you must pan fry, keep the temperature low so that they cook all the way through.

Personally, I like making my burgers at least 4-6 hours before I plan to cook them, as I think the flavor intensifies as they sit in the fridge. Also, letting them chill in the fridge seems to help them hold when cooked. If they hit the grill at room temperature, they seem more likely to break apart.

The finished product!

The finished product!

I’ll be posting more recipes this week, as I’m spending my Sunday prepping for a week of healthy, clean, Paleo eating!

On that note, bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori

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Halloween Success… sort of.

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For Halloween this year, I decided to go outside of my normal costume safety realm (aka, face paint) and indulge in a sexy costume for my friend’s annual shindig.

I bought my costume with fear and hesitation, unsure if I could really go through with wearing glorified lingerie and calling myself a superhero.

I compromised with myself by purchasing a skirt and knee-high socks, hoping that the more secondary skin I could cover, the less nervous I would be about a flash of midriff, a healthy serving of cleavage, and an uncomfortable display of thigh.

For anyone that struggles with yo-yo dieting, you know that “goal outfits” are both inspiration and a taunting reminder from the back of your closet.

In the weeks leading up to the party, I stared at the little red corset and wondered how I would close it around my ever-fluctuating waistline. That little ruffle skirt mocked me from the moth-ball ridden trenches, telling me it would flutter in all the wrong places.

Despite several weeks of candy-munching between salads, I managed to hold a steady 133 on party day and asked my husband to help me suit up and take my rightful place as Batman’s sidekick.

I’m glad I did.

Even if I wasn’t 100% happy with the tone of my arms, the softness of my tummy, or the jiggle of my upper thighs, I knew that years of work led up to me wearing that costume.

I felt good.

I felt confident.

I felt like a superhero (sidekick).

So, even if my body still isn’t exactly where I want it to be, I call that a success. I earned that cape, buddy.

Bon appetit, my friends, and keep working toward your goals!

– Tori

Paleo Pumpkin Muffins with Chocolate Icing

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Last night, I decided to conduct an experiment in baking.

After a great workout at the gym, I was in the mood to indulge my pumpkin craving without blowing my diet. I started to look up Paleo recipes involving pumpkin and came across DOZENS that sounded amazing and easy to make.

The catch?

I didn’t have all of the ingredients.

Rather than trying to find a 24 hour Whole Foods (do those exist?) to stock up on Paleo staples, I decided to modify a recipe I found using what I had on hand. With this recipe as my inspiration, I came up with the following recipe:

Paleo Muffin Recipe

Ingredients –

  • 1 can (29 oz) pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1 cup Truvia granules (technically, this isn’t Paleo, but I didn’t have any more raw honey in the house and wanted to shave off a few calories.)
  • 1/3 cup tapioca flour
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut flakes
  • 1/3 cup So Delicious French Vanilla Creamer
  • 1/4 cup ground flax seed
  • 4 tbsp coconut oil
  • 4 tbsp cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp allspice
  • 2 tbsp baking powder

Cooking Instructions –

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • While the oven warms up, combine ALL ingredients in a large mixing bowl. I’m not good at the precision and artistry of baking, so I rarely “combine dry then wet ingredients” nor do I sift my flours. Somehow, it always comes out fine, even when I just mash it all together willy-nilly. Either I’ve just gotten lucky or all of those extra steps are a load of bullocky.
  • In a lined cupcake pan, spoon batter until each is about three-quarters full. I had enough batter to make exactly 24 cupcakes (regular size, not minis) without issue.
  • Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until desired doneness. I’m bad and prefer the center of my cupcakes a little gooey, so I pulled mine out at 22 minutes and they were perfect for my taste. If you like yours fully cooked, definitely err closer to 30 minutes.

After devouring a cupcake with my husband, we both agreed that they were delicious, but that they “tasted too healthy.” He was right – they were only about 80 calories each, which didn’t seem like much of a splurge.

Running on the adrenaline of one successful experiment, I decided to invent my own simple Paleo chocolate icing.

Paleo Chocolate Icing

Ingredients –

  • 6 tbsp Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips
  • 2 tbsp So Delicious French Vanilla Coconut Creamer
  • 1.5 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1/2 tbsp cinnamon

Cooking Instructions –

  • Combine all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 10 seconds, then stir. Microwave another 10-15 seconds, then stir again. Microwave about 10 more seconds, then remove from the microwave and stir slowly until all chocolate chips have melted and the icing thickens.

This icing was DELICIOUS and so simple to make. I just threw it together and drizzled about 1 tbsp on each cupcake, adding just 25-30 calories each, and it added a richness that completely gave our sugar-cravings a one-two punch!

Not too shabby, if I do say so myself. YUM!

Not too shabby, if I do say so myself. YUM!

So, if you’re in a pinch and want to whip up a recipe that uses less hard-to-find Paleo ingredients, try out these cupcakes! Most avid primal dieters always have coconut milk and almond flour on hand, so as long as you’ve got those two, chances are you can whip together just about any baked treat you’re craving with a little experimentation!

Let me know if you try this recipe at home and how it comes out!

Bon appetit,

~ Tori

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Halloween: Joy and Challenge

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Like many of you, Halloween is one of my favorite times of the year. It’s equally a child’s holiday as it is an adult’s, with only a small age range that chooses not to participate. I remember at 13 saying I was “too old to dress up.”

Man, was I missing out on a lot of fun.

I’d like to go back and slap 13-year-old-self in the face! You get to eat copious amounts of candy without judgement, attend parties, and dress up like anything you want! Come on, young-Tori, don’t be an idiot.

I’m pretty sure the costume stores have double the adult options as they do kiddie choices, and they’re not all “sexy cops” and “sexy nurses,” either. This year, since I’m attending multiple parties, I stocked up on props (fake blood, fake battle wounds, etc) and splurged on a secret costume that I’m going to unveil at a party next weekend.

Last night, I attended an OUTBREAK Survivor Party, so the majority of our costumes were zombie themed. I had fun with the makeup and shirt-decoration last night:

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So, what’s the downside to all of this partying and costume menagerie?

THE FOOD.

At the beginning of last week, I had gotten down to my all-time low of 130.6. I’ve never seen the scale dip that close to the blessed 120s and I was ecstatic.  As usual, I took a picture because I could hardly believe it:

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As you can imagine, though, I’m no where near that number today.

After almost two weeks of snacking on candy at work and then attending a few parties consisting of fried foods, chips, and lots of frothy beverages, my weight this morning is back up to 134.

SIGH.

It’s just a never-ending cycle. With holidays always a part of life – and the desire to splurge when around friends – it makes it really hard to come to an equilibrium with my body. I’m regimented for weeks, then destroy my efforts in a few days of all-out eating.  I’m not going to cut my friends out of my life. I’m not going to convert to Jehovah’s Witness to avoid the celebration of holidays. So what’s a yo-yo to do?

Well, I can tell you what this yo-yo is going to do today:

  • Have a cup of coffee to shake off the remaining effects of yesterday’s party.
  • Search for my make-up remover, as the good ol’ soap and water used on my face doesn’t seem to have gotten off all of the blood. I look rabid at the moment.
  • Hit the gym.
  • Eat as healthy as I can while recognizing that it’s the month of candy and I’m not going to escape it.
  • Enjoy a beautiful Florida day.

Halloween is both my joy and my challenge and I’ve decided I’m just going to roll with it today and not let a slight increase on the scale bring me down.

Bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori

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Busy Weekend: Making Strides Against Breast Cancer & The Neon Run!

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Whew!

It’s Sunday night and I’m just catching my breath from a fun (and fitness) filled weekend!

On Saturday morning, I had the opportunity to attend the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk in Downtown Orlando! A member of my staff at work is currently battling Double-Negative Metastic Breast Cancer, a very rare and aggressive form of the cancer, and so we organized a team to walk in her honor. It was a beautiful event, with nearly 15 direct colleagues in attendance and over 30 volunteers from our student body helping to keep the event running smoothly.

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Full Sail University, my alma mater, sponsored a tent at the event! They let us crash and stay cool in their shade before and after the race.

There were so many incredible sponsors at the event and more adorable pink accessories than I could wrap my little head around.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!

 

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The beautiful Marilyn Usher (left), the strong, FABULOUS woman our team walked in support of at the event!

 

With a crowd of over 50,000 attendees, it was a very crowded race, yet a few of my friends and I decided to break from the pack and attempt to run the full 5k. Other than a few traffic jams that forced us to slow our gait, we managed to run pretty much the entire 5k!

 

We were a bit sweaty, but quite happy to make it to the finish line!

We were a bit sweaty, but quite happy to make it to the finish line!

 

If that wasn’t enough, my husband and I decided to hit the gym that afternoon and I tore up the elliptical trainer, mainly in an effort to loosen up my tight muscles. We had done an intense leg workout two days prior and I was still so sore, I wasn’t sure how I was going to make it through the day.

But wait! I’m not done!

Yes, despite the run in the morning and the mid-day workout, I wasn’t ready to call it a day and take a nap just yet.

That evening, I participated in The Neon Run, a glow-in-the-dark 5k hosted at the Central Florida Fairgrounds. I won’t go into too many details about the organization of the event (they ran out of glow sticks, for Pete’s sake!), but I can say that I loved running at night and to the hypnotic beat of EDM!

Before the race. I've got my highlighter yellow shirt and glasses on and I'm READY to party!

Before the race. I’ve got my highlighter yellow shirt and glasses on and I’m READY to party!

I will admit that running in the DARK on a grass track is a bit of a challenge, as you can’t really see holes until you step in one, which made for a very paranoid run. Every 1/4 mile or so, we entered a “glow tent,” which basically consisted of us being DOUSED in glow-in-the-dark paint (hopefully nontoxic) and then running through a makeshift tent filled with strobing black lights.

Look at me! I'm phosphorescent!

Look at me! I’m phosphorescent!

All in all, it was a very athletic day and I feel good knowing that I didn’t fall into my normal weekend trap of eating badly, drinking heavily (calories, not binge-drinking), and vegetating in front of the TV.

And, even more exciting, several of my friends that attended the morning event now want to attend future races and charity events with me! Since we’re finally in “running season” in the south, there’s a new 5k, 10k, or half-marathon practically every weekend! So this could turn out to be the fittest autumn I’ve ever had!

On that note, it’s time to get some grub in my belly! After Saturday, I definitely think I earned it. Bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori

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Humbled

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In the last 48 hours, I shared my story with Huffington Post and Daily Mail.

I shared the ups and downs of my weight loss, the on-going journey I’ve been on, and how it has emotionally impacted my life for nearly thirty years.

Then, this morning, I went to a theme park with friends, oblivious for what was to come.

I had no idea how many people would be impacted by reading my story. I kept feeling my phone buzzing in my pocket and finally, around 12pm, I decided to check it.

Thirty new people had liked my Facebook fan page.

Over 800 people per hour were visiting my blog.

And people were sending me personal messages and comments, telling me how my story touched them and how they could empathize with my struggle.

I had no idea so many people shared the same pain. The same joy. The same fight with numbers on a scale.

To my new friends, to my old friends – thank you for your support. I want you to know that you are BEAUTIFUL, inside and out, for showing compassion, kindness, and love to someone you do not know. I am humbled by the messages I’ve received and the personal notes that have been left on the comments section of several of my posts.

You – yes, YOU – are proof that society will one day supersede the superficial tendencies it has adopted and that intelligence, altruism, and acceptance will prevail. Until then, we’ll just have to learn to love ourselves, to nourish and take care of our bodies, and to surround ourselves with genuine people. I’m blessed that I’m on the path to all three.

On that note, bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori

Paleo Coconut Fried Tilapia

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My husband and I both like fish, but we find tilapia to be a rather dull-flavor and spend most of our dinners choking it down or smothering it in unhealthy sauce.

Last night, I decided to experiment and attempt to recreate coconut breading and “fake fry” some tilapia filets. The dish came out so good, we inhaled it before I could take a photo! Now I have to pass on the recipe to you.

Preset oven to 300 degrees.

Breading Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1/2 cup finely ground tapioca flour
  • 2 tbsp yellow curry powder
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1 tbsp flax seeds
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

(I totally made that up on the fly. I had the ingredients laying around and hoped for the best. It worked.)

“Wet Wash” Ingredients:

  • 1 cup So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk (just 45 calories!)
  • 1 tbsp raw agave syrup
  • 2 tbsp yellow curry powder
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

I rinsed and patted dry six tilapia filets, which was roughly 1.5 pounds. I then laid them in the milk bath for about 10 minutes, letting them soak up the flavors and sweetness from the wet wash.

Taking one piece at a time, I tossed them in a small dish with the flour mixture until they were LIGHTLY COATED, then shook off the excess. On a very lightly greased (I use PAM olive oil spray) cookie sheet, I spread the filets out so there was about 1/2 an inch between them.

Bake at 300 degrees for 7-8 minutes. Remove pan from oven and flip the tilapia over. (Mine were about 80% cooked; still a little soft in the center.)

Raise the temperature to 500 (BROIL) and replace the tray of fish into the oven. Allow to cook about 5-6 minutes.

They should get nice and browned, crunchy and delicious. They had a natural sweetness to them from the coconut and agave syrup, so neither my husband nor I needed a sauce. They stayed moist because of the fast cook time, but I will admit that deep-frying them would have likely made them even better!

I served them alongside Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes and steamed broccoli. A very healthy, Paleo-friendly meal to start the work week!

Bon appetit, my friends!

Tori

Related Articles:

Quick Paleo Dinner: Coconut Crusted Tilapia & Garlic Broccoli

Paleo Vegetable Side Dishes

Paleo Recipes (www.nomnompaleo.com)

A Boost When I Needed It

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I’ve been a bit melancholy the last week or so, as I’ve found myself back in the pattern of weekend gorging and sullen Mondays of recommitment to a diet I don’t feel like being married to anymore.

My weight has plateaued at 136, a frustrating turn of events from the solid 133-134 I was holding just a few days back.

I’ve been cheating daily on the Paleo diet with Chobani yogurts (which really shouldn’t be called a “cheat,” as it’s nonfat and packed with protein) and I have a feeling this is a primary cause of my stalled progress in the weight department.

Amazingly, I’ve kept moderate control and haven’t thrown my hands up, severely binged, and then committed the unforgivable purge that I’m quick to resort to at emotional lows. I’m crestfallen, but not beaten. I can break through this slump. Right?

Today, I was given a boost that I think may be the positive encouragement I needed to crush this funk; and no, it wasn’t a compliment on my size.

Today, I attended an interdepartmental meeting featuring colleagues and leadership I only see a few times per year. Given my own weight loss successes of the last year (I’m down about 20 lbs from the same date in 2012), several people approached me to compliment me or poke fun that I’m “wasting away” and should eat some of the cupcakes I’m notorious for baking.

After niceties were exchanged and the meeting (of over 150 people) commenced, I set to focus on taking notes and absorbing information. And boy, it was a lot of information. My head’s still hurting.

During a break, a Director from another Department, whom I’m on first-name terms with but I still consider an authority figure, approached me. I couldn’t help but notice that he had lost weight (20, 30 pounds?) and that he looked great.

I was just about to open my mouth to compliment him when he leaned down and asked, “Tori, may I share a quick story with you?”

“Of course, Tim,” I offered, “please do.”

He knelt down next to me and my brain quickly ran through possible scenarios of things I might have done wrong (or right) that could have impacted his Department. Needless to say, I was both a little confused… and curious.

“Over 30 years ago, my father died at the age of 56. While he had other health issues, the cause of his death was pretty much attributed to his weight,” he started.

I sat and listened, unsure of where this was going. Was I about to be lectured on losing too much weight by a Department Head? That I was still too big and needed to be more strict?! Hmmmm. My brain rolled it over but I stayed quiet.

“He had a paunch, a bad diet, and wasn’t as healthy as he could be,” he continued. “I realized, turning 56 this year, that I was heading in the same direction. It was right about that time that I saw your article.”

Uh oh. Does this Director follow THIS blog? Crap, he thinks I’m a psychopath.

“I saw the article you posted for the (school name) blog about staying healthy as a full-time student and the blurb you wrote about the MyFitnessPal app.”

He pulled out his iPhone and loaded the application.

He had logged in for 255 straight days. The exact number of days since my article had been published.

“Your article got me thinking that I really had no idea what I was eating. I was going down the same path as my father and I was likely to experience the same health problems, and probably an early death, as he had. I had no accountability or cognizance of what I was putting into my body.”

I’m pretty sure my jaw was on the floor at this point.

He pat my shoulder. “I’ve lost almost 30 pounds (ha! I was right!) and it’s thanks to your article. I just thought you should know: you’ve changed my life.”

He gave me a hug and we joked a bit about the unhealthy snacks they had for us at the meeting, but I was mostly stunned into awed silence.

When he returned to his seat and the meeting continued, it took me a few minutes to get back into focus.

This man, a major leader and creative figure in my company, had been influenced to change his life by my words. My journey, my experience, and my time-tested tools have helped him to improve his health and rebel against a genetic predisposition.

I’m humbled.

Perhaps, though a rough journey some days, I’m in this yo-yo for a reason. Maybe, just maybe, my struggles are for a cause greater than my own.

If I can influence one person to improve their life, then I’ll endure every sweaty, muscle-burning workout. I will walk away from every slice of chocolate cake, no matter how fudgy and delicious it looks, if it helps someone else sustain their will power. I will keep fighting, forever, if I know that it’s helping just one other person throw a punch themselves.

God bless Tim. God bless his journey. God bless everyone committed to improving themselves and loving their flawed little bodies along the way.

On that note…

Bon appetit, my friends, and keep fighting.

-Tori