Gold’s Gym, Shape-ups, Rainbow Kale

Golds Gym

My body has been expanding and feeling more tired in the last year. I have been ignoring the facts and plodding through the day blaming old age and a thriving personal chef business. I needed to surrender and take the first step – acknowledge that my weight is unmanageable and that I have been harming my body. The sanctuary to my soul!! My solution is a membership at Gold’s Gym in Venice, CA. My goal is to go 3 days a week and keep to my cardiovascular and weight training routine. As I well know, I need to approach this new way of life not in an alcoholic way by living and breathing the gym, but by starting out at a pace that is manageable which will be increased as my strength increases. I must admit I don’t bound out of bed when my alarm goes off at 7am, instead I leisurely open my laptop and browse Facebook and The Huffington Post. By 7:20am I am making my tea and becoming human. In the gym by 8am. I leave around 9:30am, feeling stronger and ready for whatever the day is to bring me. In the 3 weeks that I have been a member I already feel a difference in my body. Louisa and I are thoroughly satisfied with our new routine. We also enjoy the early morning star sightings of Jason Isaacs and Ray Liotta.

There has been several changes in my behavior to achieve my goal of feeling physically stronger. I bought a pair of Sketcher’s Shape-ups.

My style of Shape-ups

. I am usually the first to scoff at marketing brands that offer weight loss and muscle toning without having to workout and eat correctly. I will not endorse my new purchase for that. But I love the feel of gliding down the street with less stress to my knees. I also know they aren’t the most attractive pair of shoes you could be buying, but with my limbs I need comfort not style.

My eating habits needed to be addressed. No more afternoon binges on Cadbury’s fruit and nut or key lime pies from Thyme. I need to develop a love affair with green foods. A fresh start has begun with Rainbow Kale. I created a delicious, nutritious dish, which I ate with Bhutan red rice.

Rainbow kale and red bhutan rice

Here is a basic idea of the ingredients I threw together:
8oz of rainbow kale ( I buy pre packed in whole foods)
shallot cut up
dash of sherry
cashew nuts
dried cranberries
1/2 cup of chicken broth
red pepper flakes

I sauté the shallot in olive oil add some garlic for 20 seconds then add the kale and stir on a medium heat in a frying pan. Oh sorry, I add the sherry before the Kale and heat on high for 2 minutes. Once the kale is fully wilted I throw in cashews, cranberries, herbs, red pepper flakes, whatever tickles your fancy. Mix with red bhutan rice and you have a delicious, nutritious, low fat meal!!