Fast Fish Soup

Well I suppose that is not proper English, the fish isn't fast, it is a quick soup to make, how's that?

I love soup, and when you are trying to eat a low calorie or low carbohydrate (starch) meal, soup is just the ticket.

I almost always have tilapia in the freezer, my friend Virginia gets it at Costco for me, I am not a member. I sometimes get it at Safeway or Whole Foods, but rarely buy it anywhere else. Both Safeway and Whole Foods (along with Costo) sell the right kind of tilapia. Yes, Safeway does indeed!

I will not buy tilapia from China or Taiwan, and all frozen tilapia is from one of these places. I have written extensively about the reasons, so you can search back and read, but basically their methods are not safe as far as contaminates in the water and feed.

If you are concerned about what you put in your body, then you should only buy tilapia from the US or South America.

I know many people, mostly competitors (because who else eats tilapia?) who buy frozen tilapia and frozen hockey puck chicken, they do it because it's cheap and convenient.

You need to decide what is more important to you: cheap and convenient or pure and healthy? Make the choice, be open about it and then live with it.

I digress.

I wanted soup, I was home alone, so in the morning before work, I had taken a pre-measured package of tilapia out of the freezer (that I received fresh then subsequently froze), it was thawed and ready to go.

I heated a skillet, sprinkled the fish with plenty of Spanish paprika, and quickly cooked it.

I then took 2 cups of homemade chicken stock out of the freezer (I always have it) and added vegetables that I had in the fridge that have been cooked for my lunches.

I added chard, kale, asparagus, and then a nice spoon of Thai Red Curry Paste! Yum!

After that was heated, I poured it over the fish I had laid in the bowl.

On the top? A few splashes of Sriracha sauce, so hot and tasty.

It took me about 15 minutes, start to finish and I ate (and loved) the whole thing!

You are a Champion!

I believe it is extremely important to surround yourself with positive role models. People you can strive to emulate, share with, learn from, and ask for (and receive) honest feedback.

This is Maegan Swain and me, at the San Francisco competition in October, she looks great huh? Curves in all the right places. She works very, very hard for this too.

Maegan, and so many of the other women I have met competing, knows what she wants, and she will do whatever it takes to get it.

I also know just what I want, I know how to get it, I will do whatever it takes, and if I don't get it, it doesn't mean I have failed, nor is it the fault of anyone else, it means I need to evaluate my methods, incorporate some changes and realign myself, then keep moving forward until I succeed. Sometimes it may take a while. Sometimes it may take a longer while.

I am not talking about a monetary thing, or an object, I am talking about having a goal, and the mindset to do whatever we must to achieve that goal and remain focused despite adversity or setback.
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It means believing in yourself, believing you are powerful, believing you are capable, believing you are worthy, believing you are a champion!

I read the sports page every single morning as I drink my shake before I go to the gym and I saw an article about two young women who believe in themselves and what they want. They are quite inspirational and I think they must be super gals! I would love to meet them because I can imagine they are quite unconventional.

Here is their story:

The dating game can be tough. Sometimes you have to fight for what you want, especially if you want a Chinese warrior princess. Meet Xiao Lin, 22, and her sister, Yin, 21. They will be holding a three-day kung fu tournament in China with the winners having a chance to marry them. First, the guys must excel at archery, carry a heavy weight over sharpened bamboo spears and then beat one of the sisters in full-contact combat, the British news website Orange.co.uk reports. The lucky winners get to remove the girls' masks and propose. "They can choose open hand or any weapon they wish, but we won't be holding back," Xiao said.

"If they can't beat us, they aren't worthy." The sisters tried dating services, but the men "were all too weak," Yin said. "We could beat them easily."
These gals are champions.

How do you beacome a champion? Start by telling yourself that you are a champion. Believe that you are a champion. Feel that you are a champion. Know that you are a champion.

It will become a self full filling prophesy.You will become a champion.

Here is a great video in case you need a little affirmation that YOU ARE A CHAMPION!

(Email readers will need to navigate directly to the blog to view this video, click on the readyin5(weeks) link at the top).