Friend of Julie: What's Cooking in 2014?

This morning, as I sipped my first cup of coffee, I heard this statistic on the news: 92% of people dieting fail. Wow! What a bummer way to start the new year, knowing you have an 8% chance of successfully losing weight. For those of us following Julie's program, we're not worried, because we are an anomaly to this equation. We're not dieting -- we're changing our lifestyles. We're eating in such a way that once we reach our goal size and we'll learn how to stay that size. We'  re not buying into the New Year's resolutions to lose weight this year--we resolve to live healthy lives.

 

Crockpot Pulled Pork 
(recipe below)

I started this weight loss journey at the end of January 2011. In 2011, I did not resolve to lose weight. In 2011, I did not know that in just a few weeks I would begin a journey that would change the way I look and feel about my life. This year, I resolve to have more joy in my life and to share that joy with others.

Of of the ways to bring more joy into my life in 2014 is to explore my creative side. I signed up for a 6 week writing workshop, which starts next week. Another one of my creative goals is to make videos, something I've been talking about doing since 2001.

This morning I made a video! It's short. It's not finished. It's a start!

As I type, crockpot pulled pork is cooking in my kitchen. I took photos as I made the pulled pork and then I made this video. It took more time to make the video than it did to make the dish.

In fact, this makes 2 goals I've already met in the new year:

1. make videos (check)
2. make new dishes (check)

2014 is already looking like an incredible year!

What about you? What fun goals do you have for 2014? Is there something you've wanted to do and have put off for years? What non-scale goals are you making happen this year? The year is still young, so if you don't have a plan for 2014, there's no time like the present to make one!

Wishing all of you good health and lots of joy in 2014!

Crockpot Pulled Pork

Ingredients

• pork shoulder roast, about 4 pounds
• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 bottle barbecue sauce (16 ounces)
• 1 cup chopped onion

 Preparation

1. Place half of the thinly sliced onions in bottom of slow cooker; add pork and water, along with remaining onion slices. 
2. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or 4 to 5 hours on HIGH heat setting. 
3. Drain liquid from slow cooker; chop the meat coarsely and discard excess fat. 
4. Put the pork back in the slow cooker. 
5. Add barbecue sauce and chopped onion. 
6. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours longer. 
7. Stir occasionally. 

Recipe source: About.com

01/02/14 Update 7:15am
I finished making this dish and went back and added more photos to the video.