Just Skip It!

I refuse to begin 2011 by resolving to do or not do something I know I will never do ... or not do! Make sense? Are you with me? How many times, over the years, have you promised yourself to get healthy or eat less or whatever???

I recently read some discouraging information, and I quote, “Most people fail in adhering to their stated New Year's resolutions. Specifically, 22% fail after one week, 40% after one month, 50% after three months, 60% after six months, and 81% after twenty-four months (Norcross & Vangarelli, 1988, as cited by Koestner 2008, p. 60).” I assure you I am in the first category ... I will fail within the first week! I’ve done it for years. For me, setting a New Year’s resolution is setting myself up to fail. Are you like that, too? What are we to do? Well, first, I will not be making any hefty resolutions on New Year’s. I will, however, make one each morning when I arise and take my first “I’m awake” breath. I will form an intention for the day as I stretch and look out my window at the world as it too awakens. As the sun squeezes through the trees in my yard beckoning me to face the day I will slowly stretch. It is at that precise moment I will make my resolution - whether it be selecting a heart healthy breakfast or taking a few minutes out of my day to exercise or just breathe more deeply. I don’t have a problem making a resolution I can actually achieve. Daily seems about all I can handle.

Before the holidays, I had a chance to see if I could resolve to eating just one of a cute dessert I found. This perfect little dessert was a challenge for me when I was making them. But I felt I could do as I promised myself and succeeded by only eating one! I loved the crunch of the wonton and smoothness of the filling. Remembering the promise I had made this morning I opted to test them on my "not-so-healthy-eating" husband instead of eating another one myself. I was surprised how much he liked them, too.  As I continued making them, I had to continually say to myself ... one is enough ... I was successful.

Pumpkin Pie Wontons  These adorable and wonderfully delicious individual pumpkin pies are so easy to make and fun to eat. My husband squirted some whipped topping on his, but to keep it heart healthy, I'd recommend passing on that! (I will note this change ... the recipe calls to spray the finished wonton with cooking spray and to sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon ... I whisked one egg white with a smidge of water instead as I found the cooking spray a little too greasy for my liking. I also substituted turbinado sugar for the sugar on top.) Enjoy.

Oh, I figured I could replace the pumpkin with about any type of fruit and have the same luscious results, but I haven’t tried that yet. Stay tuned ... or if you try it, let me know how it goes!

Bottom line? I'm not really one to make empty promises to myself. If I succeed in something one day I embrace it ... if I screw it up I know tomorrow is another day. Don't beat yourself up ... be realistic ... love yourself anyway!