Don’t Go Too Heavy! Plus Guacamole Recipe

Henri smile — (Caroline Poe Photography)

February 2012…Later that same day.

The kids are in bed and I’m showing off to my husband as a commercial for Pizza Hut blares in the background.

“Henri, I’m getting so strong! I lifted 40 lbs. on the cable curl the other day. Feel my muscle.” I raise my arm and squeeze a tight fist. A teeny, tiny muscle waves back.

“Don’t use too much weight, Lisa,” he says placing the guacamole on the coffee table.

I roll my eyes at him. Sometimes Henri is just a know-it-all because he lifted weights when he was younger. “I’m not using too much weight. Plus, Daniel says the middle weight I lifted in my last set should be the start weight the next time I work that muscle group.”

“You don’t need to use heavier weights. If you use lighter weights and go slower, that’s just as effective.”

“Oh, Henri, come on. I think it’s cool that I’m getting baby muscles in my arms.”

We settle down on the couch and start watching Up All Night with Christina Applegate. I am munching on cucumber slices and homemade guacamole that Henri made for me. It was a tip my first trainer, Chris, gave me last Thanksgiving. Guacamole and cucumbers sounds like an odd food combo, but it tastes good together. It helps me to get the last two cups of vegetables into my diet because it feels more like junk food than vegetables.

Here’s a secret: Henri is WAY better at cooking than I am. His guacamole is truly scrumptious. Here’s the recipe:

Enrique’s Guacamole

½ avocado