One of the most popular new year's resolutions is to get in shape and lose weight. And for the first time in a while, I too have decided to do this for myself. 2008 was a tough year (to say the least!) for many and I was one of those people. There was a lot of major change in my life beginning with the birth of my daughter and ending most recently with the unexpected death of my father. And in between, my husband and I both lost our jobs. Whew!
   However, we are slowly working through the stresses of the year and looking forward to the promise that a new year, especially 2009 can bring. So what does this have to do with food, you may ask? Well, with all the increased stress, our usual good eating habits can go by the wayside. They have for me for a number of different reasons.
  My daughter is starting to wean from the breast-feeding, so I'm not burning calories as easily from that. During warmer weather, I would strap her into the Bjorn and leash up the dog and go for an hour walk every day, not so easy once winter hits! And during the week of my dad's funeral, we at a lot of comfort food and then of course the holidays hit with treats and more treats. So to help myself transition from a stressful 2008 to the new year, I'm going to reestablish a concept I used a few years ago to help me get into shape and gain some much needed positive perpsective: Small changes lead to big change!
Achieving success with small changes I used to think that making a major change all at once was the only way to go about doing things. I used to weigh over 210 pounds at my heaviest and I would embark on these major diets and exercise programs only to get overwhelmed and eventually give up. I realized at one point that I was expending tons of energy all at once trying to eat better, lose weight and workout all at the same time! And that was leading me to feel overwhlemed! So no surprise I would eventually give up!
   I needed to try something different. So I started making small changes. For example, I wanted to cut back on sugar but wasn't sure where to start. So, I took a look at where my sugar intake was coming from. At the time, I hardly drank any water. So, I started by adding a couple of glasses of water a day, so that I slowly weaned myself from sugary drinks and drank more water.Once I was able to stick to that one small change, I moved onto others, like eating an apple every afternoon for a snack instead of a cookie or a candy bar.
  The beauty of making small changes like these is that you have small successes you can enjoy and appreciate. These small successes create a positive energy that helps propel us forward toward the ultimate goal. At a time when everything around us feels like it's out of our control, making changes in increments is something we can control. Not only do they add up, they become changes that are lasting. For me, all of a sudden one day I noticed I felt better about myself and in the process I had lost a lot of weight and I had achieved something that I was really proud of. Learning to be good to ourselves in this way not only helps us but those around us as well. I think about the positive effect it will have on my daughter one day in the future.
   I am optimistic that 2009 will bring an upswing the the stressful year we have had. But even if that upswing doesn't happen as soon as I would like, small positive changes in the way I approach the stress will help me to keep moving forward.

Spinach and Cranberry Salad
So I recently discovered a new salad recipe I have been really enjoying. It is incredibly easy and very healthy. Spinach offers a variety of essential nutrients such as vitamin A, calcium, iron, magnesium and vitamin C. Talk about a great immune boost! I have added some French fried onions on top (the green bean casserole variety) but if that isn't something you like, try some chopped pecans instead. This makes a great side salad for any main course or if you prefer turn it into a main course by just adding some cooked chicken or turkey on top. Hope you enjoy it!
And Happy New Year!

Spinach and Cranberry Salad
1 lb. fresh flat-leaf spinach, washed and spun
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup french fried onions ( I have bought these at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods) or chopped pecans
Raspberry or Cranberry vinaigrette (Newman's Own has a great Light Cranberry and Walnut vinaigrette)

Toss first four ingredients together in a salad bowl. Add About 1/8 to 1/4 cup salad dressing and toss until evenly coated. I add a little at a time because it's easier to add more than to take away. And I also prefer to taste the different flavors of the salad and not just the vinaigrette.