Rethinking Cake

Today is my Dad’s 77th Birthday so I thought I’d take this opportunity – since this is a blog about weight loss and food – to discuss these automatic feelings that surface when you face celebrations as a person trying to lose or maintain weight.

The first thing most people think about when they hear birthday is birthday cake. For most people that’s no big deal. However, people deep in reaching their wellness goals it’s so much more than that. As humans our inherent need is to fit in, be like everyone else, and blend. The one person NOT eating cake, or NOT diving in ice cream tends to stand out. One way to handle these feelings of exclusion is to just take a small piece. A little piece won’t kill you, right?

As much as it won’t kill you literally, it opens a door. When you start with an excuse like it’s something you should do to celebrate or – worse – something you deserve; you are opening a door and starting a precedence in your new relationship with food that will make it extremely challenging to close again.

How can you feel like you’re fitting in but not partake in dangerous behavior? Invite others to join your party!

People always view weight loss surgery people as people who are missing out. It’s been my mission and my passion to make people experience eating my way as a way they would want to eat regardless of their surgical status.

I’ve featured a couple recipes on here like Italian Zucchini Boats and Sausage & Quinoa Stuffed Onions and many more are coming. In honor of Dad’s 77th I’ll post the first recipe I made for a larger audience to rave reviews. Who wouldn’t want a piece of this?

The key to this cake is in the preparation. There really are only three types of ingredients but the way you add them will determine the success or failure of this “cake.”

Steps:

1. Cut top and bottom off of watermelon so it looks like a drum. 

2. Using a sharp knife cut around the watermelon to remove the rind. 

3. Once rind is removed, even the shape to look like the shape of a cake. 

4. IMPORTANT STEP: Chill the watermelon in the freezer for one hour. When you don’t chill the watermelon the whipped cream will not adhere correctly. Another lesson I learned the hard way. 

5. Remove watermelon from freezer and put on the cake plate. Spread the lite whipped cream (I use sugar free fat free cool whip) around the cake just as you would icing. 

6. IMPORTANT STEP: After icing,  place in refrigerator uncovered for 30 minutes to allow the whipped cream to set. Another hard way lesson.

7. Adorn with berries and set in refrigerator until ready to serve.  

8. Cut and serve just as you would regular cake.

This cake can be made with any melon and topped with any berries. It’s always been a hit every time I make it. Surgical patients need to be careful – as with anything – to portion size. 

Alternate Preparation – Use a melon baller and scoop watermelon into mini muffin cups, top with dollop of whipped cream and berries. Easier to control portion size and much easier to prepare. 

When you think you’ve earned or deserved something not in your food plan or not in alignment with your goals Take Ten Seconds and then opt for something beautiful, flavorful and satisfying that meets all your needs.

Happy 77th Birthday, Dad!

Thank you for always loving and believing in me even when I didn’t love or believe in myself! Have the happiest of birthdays!  Doesn’t he look AMAZING for 77? ❤❤❤