The editor at a national health magazine pestered me for weeks.
The thing was, I knew I no longer fit the story.
And when I finally confessed my new weight to the editor, she ghosted me.
That was my tipping point.
Something had toreallychange this time.
Instead of dieting toward a target weight, I decided to aim for healthy and strong.
I beganwalking for exerciseand slowly changing my relationship with food.
I wanted it to nourish me, not numb me.
WhenCOVIDhit, I started meditating and journaling too.
Real guardrails keep your car out of the ditch.
In the same way, my life guardrails help me stay on track.
My three main guardrails are to eat healthy, exercise and practice mindful behavior every day.
But being healthy and strong is not just about weight.
Its physical, mental and spiritual wellness.
And wellness is not a destination; its a path.
One of my favorite desserts iscarrot cake.
The standard recipeseemshealthy its full of vegetables, right?
But it usually has a ton of oil.
So I boost the moisture with crushed pineapple and go lighter on the oil.
And thats the biggest change of all.
Lower-Fat Carrot Cake
Serves 24
Ingredients
Cake Rounds
Frosting
1.
Heat the oven to 350F.
Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray.
Line with parchment paper.
Spray again; dust with flour.
Drain the pineapple in a sieve set over a bowl, pressing on the solids.
Reserve the drained pineapple and pineapple juice.
Add the pecans and raisins, tossing to combine and coat.
(This will prevent the nuts and raisins from sinking to the bottom.)
Beat at low speed until well combined.
Add the flour-nut mixture, vanilla, drained pineapple and grated carrots.
Mix at low speed until combined.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
Let the cake rounds cool in the pans for 10 minutes.
Remove them from the pans; place on wire racks, top side down, so they cool completely.
Remove the parchment paper.
Brush the cake rounds with the reserved pineapple juice.
With the mixer at low speed, add the confectioners sugar.
Blend until smooth and consistent.
Set aside the frosting, or refrigerate until ready to use.
Using a small spatula, evenly cover the top of the first layer with about 1 cup frosting.
Spread the frosting so it extends to the edge of the cake.
With the spatula, spread the top of the cake with the remaining frosting.
Garnish the top with the pecan halves.
To serve, slice with a serrated knife.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
