The Skinny

I'm a walking cliche.

I did something I thought I would never do - I made a New Year's resolution. My resolution is not at all original: I decided to become a more healthy person in 2008. That means making exercise a greater part of my life, losing some weight and lowering my cholesterol.

The loss of three family members - three of my father's four younger siblings - in 2007 caused reflection on my own life. Turn it around in 2008. New year. New me.

Today, The News Journal kicks off its Be Healthy Delaware challenge. There are tips for eating wisely and healthy and blogs from some of our own staffers. Check them out.

Their stories are funny, poignant and highly relatable. Read Jeffrey's Jan. 6 posting and video about parking away as far as possible in the employee parking lot. (I actually did this, well, kind of, today. Then I realized I was wearing pointy toe high heels. Walking in these shoes is, in itself, a workout. Tomorrow, I'll park further away from the building, wear flat shoes and carry my heels in a bag until I get to my desk.)

Last year, I interviewed Melissa Clark and her best friend Robin Aronson about their book "The Skinny: How to Fit Into Your Little Black Dress Forever" (Meredith, 2006.) That's Melissa and Robin in the photo taken by NJ staffer Bob Craig. It was taken at DiBruno Brothers in Philadelphia. Melissa is a food writer/cookbook author who frequently contributes to The New York Times and Food & Wine. She's a wonderful cook, eats out often with Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni and she's a size 2. I don't hate Melissa, just the opposite, in fact. Melissa and Robin still struggle with maintaining their weight and write about it on their blog, The Skinny. It's also a fun read.

I like the Skinny's approach of eat-what-you-like way to lose weight and ways to keep it off. Here's a "Skinny" recipe from their book:

Roasted chicken breasts with rosemary apples

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 to 7 ounces each)

1/2 garlic clove

1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Coarse sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon unsalted butter (or use olive oil)

2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)

2 tablespoons white wine or water

1 large sprig rosemary

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rub each chicken breast with garlic. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and roast until the juices run clear, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, make the apples: In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat melt the butter. Cook until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the apples, wine or water and rosemary. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the apples are tender and have broken down slightly, about 15 minutes. If the pan juices dry out before the apples are soft add another tablespoon or two of water and keep cooking.) Remove the rosemary sprig and season the sauce with salt and a generous amount of pepper. Arrange the chicken on individual serving plates and spoon the apples on top. Makes 2 servings.