Makeover May 2013

Hey friends! May 2013 starts in a little over a week. Why am I pointing out the obvious, you ask? Because I have big plans for May. I'm calling it Makeover May and here is what I'm making over:

1. My Eating
Why? I went 70/30 paleo for a while about a year ago and it worked well, but then I got mono or something and fell off the wagon. Since then, I've only been around 50/50 paleo or less. And I'm sick of looking in the mirror and thinking "meh" about how I look. I've done quite a bit of reading about being paleo/primal, and have even been attending an on-going lecture series called, My Boyfriend Is A Personal Trainer And Talks About It A Lot.
How? I'm doing a Whole30. Strict paleo, 30 days, no cheating. I've already identified what will be the hardest for me (caffeine and "social eating"), and have started working on ways to avoid the temptation. For example, Justin is doing it with me, because I made him promise not to try to talk me into getting pizza on weekends because I know I'll cave. Who doesn't cave for pizza?

2. My Spending
Why? I've been noticing lately how many bags I carry into my apartment. Maybe it's because they feel heavier when you have to walk up 20 stairs, or maybe it's because I've just accumulated a lot of stuff. Either way, I know I buy more stuff than I actually need. I bought three bottles of nail polish in the last two weeks; obviously not because I needed it.
How? Well, obviously, I'm just not going to buy unnecessary stuff. I'm still going to pay my bills and go to the doctor if I get sick, but I'm definitely not buying clothes or cosmetics. This applies to junk food like chips and alcohol too, but since I'll already be not-eating that stuff on the Whole30, I obviously won't be spending money on it.

3. My Downtime
Why? I do a lot of pointless sitting. I sit all day at work, and it seems like the minute I sit on the couch to eat dinner at home, I am glued there for the rest of the evening. I don't have cable or anything, but I rent a lot of movies from the library and have the TV on pretty much all the time. I love to read, but I think I've only read one book so far this year. Also, I have a hard time getting up early because I stay up too late, but I'm staying up late just to watch movies I literally have memorized. Lame.
How? Well, for starters, I'll have more free time from not aimlessly wandering around Target or Walmart. I've got my "to read" list split based on which library branch has which books, so I know what to look for when I'm there. I'm going to go for more walks, play with my nephews, basically anything that isn't just sitting in front of the TV like a potato every day. And if I do want to watch a movie, I'm going to do something else at the same time, like finish some of those previously-mentioned craft projects!

What does all this have to do with you? Well, technically, nothing. Unless of course, you'd be interested in joining me in this challenge. :) I am a big believer in having other people to help keep you on track, because I know I do better that way. That is why I'm putting this out there; because I know it's not going to be easy for me, so I'd appreciate some help staying accountable. If you want to follow along, I'll be attempting to share at least one aspect of the challenge every day via Twitter, either what I'm cooking, reading, or doing in my free time.

So you have about a week to decide: are you going to join me and Makeover May? If your answer is yes, I definitely want to know what you want to makeover! Your basement? Your bad habits? Your skin-care regimen? Tell me in the comments and follow me on Twitter for my #makeovermay updates, starting bright and early on May 1st!

Food: Cheesecake Dippers

Let's say it's Friday afternoon and your friends are having a party later. Your only instructions were, "bring some food." You don't have time to cook/bake/etc, so what do you do?! Well people, I have your answer: I call them Cheesecake Dippers (as of just now, when I needed something to call them.)

Philadelphia makes this Cheesecake Filling which is actually pretty delicious! Pick up a tub of that at your grocery store and a couple kinds of Graham crackers for dipping. As you can see, I still enjoy Teddy Grahams. I also grabbed a couple kinds of berries to go with them. After I left the store, it occurred to me that I should've gotten some mini chocolate chips too. Nom nom.

My favorite combination was the regular graham sticks and raspberries. But since there are about a million kinds of cheesecake, the possibilities are pretty much endless. Caramel sauce and chopped pecans? Oreos and hot fudge? I have to stop suggesting things now because I'm getting hungry. So there you go: a quick and easy dessert for all your last-minute party needs!