Too Good Not To Share

I'm starting a new blog series called Too Good Not To Share.  It's just a simple round-up of blog posts and articles from the week that are just too good not to share with you.  Hopefully this will help you find some new blogs to love or give you inspiration in your life.

And if you're thinking..."really Chelsea, a blog posts linking other blog posts.  Kinda lazy huh?"  Yes - it might be, but I genuinely love sharing content from my favorite bloggers that inspire me.  If I don't have the time to write an amazing post each day, this is the next best thing.  I hope you enjoy!

   

Annie from Home of Malones ::  My First Diet Bet

Kristy from Seven Graces :: Tips for Hosting a Simple Birthday Party

Megan from Meg O. On the Go :: Natural Eyebrow Tutorial

 Tawnya from All of Life's Little Adventures :: Bouncing Back

 Huffington Post :: Having It All Kinda Sucks

Have you read a post this week that is too good not to share?  Link it below in the comments! 

Back On Weight Watchers

So yesterday on a whim, I rebooted my Weight Watchers membership.  It's worked for me in the past and although I haven't been super successful with it post-pregnancy I'm giving it another shot.  I like it because it's more of a healthy way of eating rather than a "diet" of eat this, not that.  It's super affordable and I love the iPhone App that I can use while on the go.

I honestly re-joined after seeing a friend and fellow Houston Moms Blogger, post on Facebook that she was joining.  We can be WW accountability buddies for each other. 

I plan on using Wednesdays now for my weekly Weight Watchers updates.  We will call this Weight Watcher Wednesday - I'm not original and I know a handful of other bloggers who have done this in the past.  No one that I know is currently doing this, but if you are, let me know so I can link up! 

Tomorrow I will be back to post about my current weight (yuck), the point system and how I plan to break it all up if you are interested.  Today I'm just sharing a few recipes and tips that have worked well in the past.  This is really just a great refresher for me, but if you are in a similar situation, I hope you will enjoy too.

Please comment below if you want to join me and Kelly in our Weight Watchers journey.  If there is enough interest, we can always do a link-up or start a private Facebook group - either for WW or just healthy lifestyle in general.    Otherwise, I'm just using these weekly posts to hold myself accountable!

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WHAT TO EAT:

I need to find some new recipes to try, but below are some that I've tried and enjoyed.  When I'm watching my diet I need to limit my carb and dairy intake - things that I seem to gravitate towards {pasta dishes, grilled cheese, quesadillas, chips and salsa, etc.}.  Skinnytaste is a great website that I plan on utilizing more in the future!

Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps
I love this meal and it makes leftovers for lunch the next day.  Jack and Jason both love too. 

Cilantro Lime Tilapia Tacos
These are good and easy.  Another Blogger recommended them to me.  I usually eat with 1-2 fresh corn tortillas, but none if I'm really trying to be good.  You could sub a different type of fish also. 

Cilantro Lime Chicken
*CROCK POT* Meal!!!  So easy and everyone loves.  I don't use any salt and the flavor was still great because of the lime and onion.  I use more lime than recipes calls for. 

Taco Turkey Casserole
This is a great, clean meal - just watch your portions!  I was successful eating this when I was using my 21 Day Fix containers to show me how much I can eat at each meal.  Makes great leftovers for quick and easy lunches.  Just buy extra tupperware when you are grocery shopping so you can portion everything in advance. 

Thai Chicken Salad
I love these flavors for a salad and my husband who isn't a huge salad eater really likes this one. 

Egg Scramble
Everyone in my house loves eggs and they are so easy!  Pack your egg with veggies, skip the cheese if you can and add a lean meat to be more filling. 

Turkey Meatballs {eat with a side of veggies}
I have not made this particular turkey meatball recipe, however I love everything that Megan recommends.  I usually serve turkey meatballs with a side of pasta for my family, and a side of veggies {and willpower} for me.  I like bell pepper slices cooked in a little drizzle of olive oil. 

Steamed Salmon & Veggies {I need to blog this recipe}

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SNACK IDEAS:

Another struggle for me is snacking.  In between meals I grab things like a Starbucks Mocha, candy, cookies, goldfish or chips.  I especially like to treat myself to something sweet at the end of the day, once Jack is in bed and I can curl up with some Bravo TV shows.

Below are a few things I like to have on hand for snacking when I'm "being good".  Be sure and comment below with your favorite snack when watching it.

• Hummus & Veggies - 4 points
• Berries with toasted almonds and splash of Almond Milk - 5 points
• English Muffin with {very little}almond butter {great breakfast idea too} - 6 points
• Larabar - 5 points
• Skinny Cow Ice Cream - 4 points
• Shakeology - 5 points {when made with PB2 and unsweetened almond milk}  
• Shakeology w/just ice & water - 3 points
• Dried Apricots - 2 points
• String Cheese Stick - 2 points
• Silk Chocolate Soymilk - 4 points
• Hard Boiled Egg - 2 points
• Handful of almonds - 4 points
• Fruit - obvious, but having it handy and ready is key - 0 points
• Yogurt - 3-4 points depending on brand
• Hot Tea - while this won't really satisfy anything, it's my go-to at night when I'm dying to snack.  I make myself some hot tea and try to go to sleep!  My fave right now is Green Tea with Citrus.  It's unsweetened and decaf too! - 0 points

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OTHER TIPS:

• Prep, prep, prep...and then prep some more! 

Wash the berries and put them in a container so all I have to do is eat.  Make a menu board for the week.  Lay out my workout clothes for the day.  Make a weekly plan for workouts. 

• Set out lunch and snacks the night before
• Drink tons of water.  Goal is 10 glasses each day.  Have stuff on hand to jazz it up if you are getting sick of it - lemon, lime, cucumber, berries. 
• Try to do something active every day - even if it's not "working out" I'm going to try and at least my goal of 10,000 steps/day on my FitBit! 
• Try to limit carbs to earlier in the day. 
• No food after 9pm. 

I know a lot of people say to eat dinner early and then nothing after 7, but that just doesn't work with our schedule.  We do dinner between 6:30-7 because of when my husband gets home from work.  I like to give myself a little sweet treat once Jack goes to bed so that has to fall between 8-9.  It's better than the late night snacking I was going at 11pm while blogging. 

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ON THE RUN:

It's not realistic to think you will never eat out again so as lovely as that thought is, it's good to have a plan.  On those days that I just couldn't get it together and pack a lunch or snacks, you can still be good to yourself.  Places that I gravitate towards when I'm watching it:

• Beck's - Try a House Salad with grilled chicken.  It's loaded up with lots of great veggies and a hard boiled egg!
• My Fit Foods - It's all good, but I really love the Lemon Turkey for lunch and Turkey Chili for dinner {all small portions}.  You can read my previous experience with MFF here. 
• Chick-fila - Love the Grilled Chicken Sandwich and Fruit Cup with unsweet tea...yum!
• Jason's Deli - Love the Nutty Mixed Salad which you can order in a smaller size!

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DON'T DRINK YOUR CALORIES:

Another thing I have to watch is what I drink!  This used to mean alcohol for me, but since having Jack, I honestly don't drink that often.  Occasionally I will have a glass of wine, but that is easy for me to cut out...except when I'm having a girls night, then it's non-negotiable!

What gets me is my Starbucks habit.  In the morning I love black coffee so no big deal, but in the afternoon when I'm dragging I love getting a Grande Nonfat Mocha.  Don't let the word Non-Fat fool you...that just means skim milk.  The Mocha syrup is still plenty bad. 

When I'm watching it, I change my usual Starbucks order to an iced coffee with just a splash of skim and 1/2 sweetener and try to majorly limit those drive-thrus altogether for willpower sake! 

I don't drink sodas or sweet tea either so I'm fine there, but if you do be sure and limit your intake.

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See you tomorrow for Weight Watcher Wednesday!

Love,
Chels

Week One Done {Follow My Progress: 21 Day Fix}

Today marks the second day of Week 2 in my 21 Day Fix Challenge.  I followed everything pretty strictly last week.  I didn't miss one workout (I can't remember the last time I worked out for 7 days in a row), and ate by the book 90% of the time.  I also continued with my Shakeology every day for breakfast. 

Shakeology's tagline is "The Healthiest Meal of the Day" but I also say it's my favorite meal of the day because it is so easy, delicious and fills by chocolate cravings that I have daily!

I am happy to report that in Week 1 I've lost 3.6 pounds and 2.7 inches (total body).  I know that doesn't sound like much, but remember I lost over 5 pounds the week prior to starting this program.  The number that I'm seeing on the scale is one I haven't seen in a long time so I feel like I've pushed through a plateau this week!

The Good:  Although I'm sure most won't see a difference in me yet (my coworkers did say I looked skinnier on Friday), I can see a difference.  My pants are looser in the waist, my abs are tighter, and my muffin top is decreasing.  I actually love the workouts and look forward to them.  Each day is something totally different so you don't get bored and it's amazing how fast 30 minutes goes by!

Victories this Week:  I wore a top to work last week that's been too tight to wear since having Jack.  I also purchased my first romper on Saturday and wore it on Sunday!

The Bad:  Meal prepping has been taking up my time in the evenings that I would normally blog so sorry about that!  My health thanks you for being understanding.  My "meal prep" just consists of packaging everything for the next day, making meals in advance for lunch at the office, washing fruit, etc.  I never have time to do these things in the morning so I do as much as I can the night before!  It really doesn't take that much time, but that plus my workouts don't leave me much for anything else in my limited evening free time. 

Hopefully I can get some progress pics up by the end of the week.  Looking forward to a successful Week 2!

Let me know if you are interested in learning more about Shakeology or the 21 Day Fix and you can actually purchase through me...it's so easy!  Follow more progress reports on Instagram using #chelseas21dayfix

Follow My Progress: 21 Day Fix

Yesterday was Day 1 of the 21 Day Fix I'm doing!  I'm hopeful that by really watching what I eat and exercising daily I will lose these pesky pounds I've been carrying around ever since having Jack over a year ago!!! 

I am currently 10 pounds away from my pre-pregnancy weight, but 20 pounds from a more ideal weight for me.  Since having Jack I've tried Weight Watchers, Paleo Diet, and various different workouts here and there, but nothing stuck and remained consistent which, of course, is the key.

I've used excuses like it's hard to work full-time and have a baby, there is no time for the gym after work and all of my home duties, etc. Now that I'm not having to deal with pumping and nursing round the clock it has given me a little more time or at least flexibility.   

With it being summertime, I'm truly fed up that I can't stand to see myself in a pair of shorts and can't even fathom the idea of putting on a bathing suit.  I had to wear shorts in our own swimming pool last weekend with Jack because I was so unsightly.  I have a closet full of amazing clothes that don't fit.  I wear the same few pair of (now faded) black pants and loose tops to work everyday and look terrible.  I constantly worry that people will think I'm expecting again.  I have a doublechin in half of my pictures and don't recognize the person staring back at me in the mirror sometimes. 

If all of that isn't motivation, I don't know what is! 

Since last Tuesday I have already lost exactly 5 pounds just by watching my diet, portions and starting Shakeology as a meal replacement for 1 meal a day.  That is crazy and shows you how bad my diet was!  I know it won't be like this every week.  I didn't do any exercise last week except for a few long walks with Jack. 

This weekend I prepped food, made a plan and took all of my "before" measurements and pictures.

I look forward to checking in throughout the next 21 Days and telling you how I'm doing.  I'm not ready to share my before pictures until I have some progress pics to put next to it!  They were so not pretty!

The workouts are to be done every single day, but they are only 30 minutes!  Yesterday I completed the "Total Body Cardio" workout after work before preparing dinner.  Jack played in our gameroom where I worked out and it was so cute because he would stop what he was doing and clap after every 60 minute interval when Autumn would say good job!

Hopefully by committing myself for 21 days some good habits and routines will form. 

Follow along on Instagram using #chelseas21dayfix

My Fit Foods 3 Day Challenge: Day 3

Progress:  Down 1.7 pounds day to day.  Total lost on this challenge to date: 2.7 pounds.

WW = Weight Watchers Point Value

8:15 a.m. - Breakfast: Breakfast Tacos
"Corn tortillas, 5:1 ratio eggs, lean ground turkey, a touch of real cheese and onions."  (Gluten free)
Size small: Cost $4.85/WW 6 Points/240 calories

Very good, but like I said yesterday I prefer sweeter breakfasts first thing.  This one had a lot of onion so I was self conscious all morning that I had onion breath.

Black coffee & glass of water

11:00 a.m. - Handful of Trail Mix w/dried cranberries, almonds and cashews (Not MFF)
Estimate: Cost $0.50/WW 6 Points/210 calories

12:30 p.m. - Lunch: Lean Lemon Turkey
"Lean ground turkey seasoned just right, served on a bed of converted rice and topped with fresh asparagus spears.  This is a crowd favorite."  (Gluten free and spicy)
Size small: $6.85/WW 6 Points/220 calories

This is one of their most popular dishes.  It is really simple but yummy (rice and meat).

San Pellegrino Limonata, 90 calories

4:00 p.m. - Snack: Egg-O-Licious
"This super clean egg salad coupled with celery and gluten free nut crackers is simply egg-o-licious." (Gluten Free)  One size only.
$4.00/WW 7 Points/250 calories

I hate mayonaissy egg salad, but this one was egg-cellent...I couldn't resist!

Water

7:30 p.m. - Gimme More Chicken Salad
"Added due to popular demand, this fresh romaine salad with finely chopped chicken breast, Greek yogurt, a touch of real mayonnaise, chopped celery, dried cranberries, dried tarragon, a dash of salt and pepper will leave you screaming for more." (Gluten free)  One size only.
$8.25/WW 8 Points/310 calories

So good.  I was craving some salad after all that turkey.  Was surprised that I didn't miss salad dressing at all.  The squeeze of lemon was perfect!

9:00 p.m. - Cup of hot green tea, no sweetner (Not MFF)

Total Spent for day: $24.50
Total WW Points:  33 (I'm supposed to get 26/day)...but I can deduct 5 points for gym = 28
Total Calories: 1320  My goal when losing weight is 1200...I burned about 200 at gym = 1120
Activity: C25K Week One-Day Two: Walk/Run for 30 minutes. 

My review:  I'm really happy with the results I've had.  I still had some weak moments today, but overall I'm not starving or even overly hungry at meal or snack times.  FYI...doing Jenny Craig I would be so hungry most of the day.  I like this food and little kickstart into eating right so much that after working out this evening I stopped at My Fit Foods and purchased food for 2 more days.  Taking a break this weekend because Ashley is visiting!!!!! (I'm late in posting so I've been doing this challenge Mon-Fri)  I won't go crazy, I promise, but I will enjoy myself and probably have a little splurge. 

One more thing I want to point out in doing this, I've also cut out alcohol these past 3 days.  I'm not a huge drinker anyway and rarely drink during the week unless I have a girls happy hour, but still I wanted to point it out because I think it makes a difference when trying to diet.  Not only is alcohol empty calories, but when I drink, it encourages me to overeat bad food and snack...especially late at night...no, no!  I'm going to continue reporting on my progress for the next two days.  Hope this isn't too boring for you...


Read More:
My Fit Foods Introduction
Day One
Day Two

My Fit Foods 3 Day Challenge: Day 2

Progress:  Down 1 pound from morning to morning.

Day Two food was just as yummy as the first day.  Day Two of My Fit Foods, was also Day One for me of the Couch 2-5K program so I'm feeling good!  I also did better about pacing my meals and snacks every 2-3 hours which helped.  Again, night time is hard for me.  I want to snack and eat something sweet after dinner.  Any tips to avoid this?
WW = Weight Watchers Point Value

8:00 a.m. - Breakfast: Good Morning Sunshine
"With a taste of the southwest, we combine lean ground turkey, converted rice and 5:1 ratio eggs topped with fresh pico de gallo and a pinch of real cheese."  (Gluten Free and Spicy)
Size small:  Cost $4.85/WW 6 Points/260 calories

Black coffee & water

11:00 a.m. - Snack: Activia Light Yogurt (Not MFF)
My Fit Foods sells Greek yogurt, but I don't really like Greek Yogurt. I replaced with Strawberry Activia Light yogurt.
Cost $0.55/WW 2 Points/70 calories

12:45 p.m. - Lunch: Blazin' Cajun Shrimp
"New Orleans inspired spices set these shrimp a blazin' over a bed of dirty rice and asparagus." (Gluten Free and Spicy)
Size small:  $7.00/WW 5 Points/200 calories

3:45 p.m. - Snack: Fit 2 Go
"A boiled egg, Fuji apple slices, and a touch of grapes combined with organic natural peanut butter for the perfect snack to go."  One size only. (Gluten Free)
$4.00/WW 9 Points/320 calories

7:00 p.m. - Roasted Vegetable Dinner with Chicken & Pesto
"Six kinds of perfectly roasted vegetables topped with chicken and pesto." (Gluten Free)
Size Small: $7.25/WW 9 Points/330 calories
8:00 p.m. - Cup of hot green tea, no sweetner (Not MFF)

Total Spent for day: $23.65
Total WW Points: 31 (I'm supposed to get 26/day)...but I can deduct 5 points for gym = 26!
Total Calories: 1180 My goal when losing weight is 1200...I burned about 200 at gym = 980
Activity:  C25K Week One-Day One:  Walk/Run for 30 minutes

My review:  I feel like today was a better fit for me regarding portions.  All of the meals were portioned size small (rather than one size fits all) so I don't think I overate.  The breakfast, although tasty, probably wouldn't be my first pick, although it would be great for lunch!  I prefer something sweeter in the morning with my coffee.  And boy oh boy was the lunch spicy!  The salesperson at MFF kept making sure that I like spicy foods.  I told him I did, but he kept on and on.  Finally, I told him he was freaking me out.  He said, well it's just REALLY spicy.  Holy cow.  It made me drink a lot of water though! The dinner was tasty.  The chicken and pesto was awesome.  The veggies were just okay, plus I didn't eat about 1/4 of it because I don't like mushrooms.  The afternoon snack was just what I needed to give me energy for the gym! Not feeling as hungry and irritable as I did yesterday. 

My Fit Foods 3 Day Challenge: Day 1

All of my meals and snacks for 3 Days

Day One went great!  I was surprised at how delicious the food was.  As usual, the night time was the hardest...that's when I want to snack.  My Fit Foods encourages you to eat every 2-3 hours.  I got off to a late start so some of my meals were closer together.  Three meals plus two snacks.  I stuck to that, but replaced one of their snacks with a yogurt because I felt I was eating too much.  I drank water at every meal and throughout the day, except at afternoon snack time I drank a Pellegrino Limonata and a cup of hot tea before bed.

I'm kicking myself for not taking more pictures so you can see the food, but when food is in front of me, taking a picture is that last thing on my mind.

WW = Weight Watchers Point Value

8:30 a.m. - Breakfast: Cran Apple Oatmeal
"Organic gluten free steel cut oats, apples, cinnamon, cranberries, walnuts, and a kick of protein powder combined for the perfect start to your day."  One size only. (Gluten Free)
Cost $4.85/WW 10 Points/380 calories

Black coffee

11:00 a.m. - Snack: Activia Light Yogurt (Not MFF)
My Fit Foods sells Greek yogurt, but I don't really like Greek Yogurt.  I replaced with Strawberry Activia Light yogurt.
Cost $0.55/WW 2 Points/70 calories

12:00 p.m. - Lunch: Gimme More Chicken Wrap
"Finely chopped chicken breast, Greek yogurt, a touch of real mayonnaise, chopped celery, dried cranberries and tarragon wrapped in a spinach wrap leaving you screaming for more.  Served with apples and orange slices."  One size only.
$4.00/WW 9 Points/390 calories

Delish!

3:00 p.m. - Snack: Picnic Time
"Fuji apple slices, almonds, dried cranberries, grapes, gluten free nut crackers, and Monterey Jack cheese."  One size only. (Gluten Free)
$4.00/WW 8 Points/310 calories

San Pellegrino Limonata: 90 calories

6:30 p.m. - Dinner: Denyse's Killuh Chili
"This southwest delight has lean ground turkey combined with tomatoes, black beans, celery, bell peppers and the perfect blend of healthy spices."  (Gluten Free and Spicy)
Size Small:  $6.85/WW 5 Points/200 calories

9:00 p.m. - Cup of hot green tea, no sweetner (Not MFF)

Total Spent for day:  $20.25
Total WW Points:  34 (I'm supposed to get 26/day)...but I can deduct 5 points for gym = 29
Total Calories:  1440  My goal when losing weight is 1200...but I burned about 300 at gym = 1,140
Activity:  Elliptical at high intensity for 30 minutes


My Review:  I thought the oatmeal was delicious.  I've read online reviews that people thought it was bland or slimey, but I loved it!  I even ate it cold like they suggested.  It reminded me of bread pudding.  My only complaint about it was the size.  It doesn't come in various portion options so I felt like it was a lot for me.  I actually didn't eat all of it for breakfast, but later in the day when I was feeling weak I finished it!  The lunch was AWESOME.  I would definitely buy again.  Dinner was also good, but I could have eaten much more.  It was a little spicy too which I loved!  My Fit Foods eliminates carbs at dinner, which of course is my weakness.  I really wanted some crackers to go with my chili, but I refrained.  One last complaint is that the apple slices both in my lunch and snack were VERY lemony.  I'm guessing they put lemon juice on them so they don't brown???  I'm sure I'll get used to it, but it really changed the taste of the apple.

My Fit Foods 3 Day Challenge

Has anyone else tried My Fit Foods?  It's not anything new...just new to me.  A few things I've heard about them from friends is that some, not all of the food is good, it's quick and easy, great for a working professional and ideal for those needing help with portion control.  Me, me, me!  I know how much I'm supposed to eat, I just have no self control.

Anyway, I bought three days worth of food picked out for me by a MFF staff member and am doing a "3-Day Challenge."  They encourage and advertise doing a 21-Day challenge.  With that option you meet with one of their nutritionists to create a customized plan, however a 3-Day is a good start for me!  I'm curious to see how effective it is on helping me lose weight.  Quick rundown of other diets I've tried:

Jenny Craig:  great way to jump start your weight loss, but you have to pay membership fees and attend weekly weigh-ins, it's not sustainable (are you going to eat JC food forever), and since the meals are frozen they are full of preservatives.

Weight Watchers:  this plan is a great way to stick with weight loss since it teaches you to eat "real" food.  Cons are that you also pay a membership fee. 

I'm still a Weight Watchers member (loser member), but wanted a little kickstart to get me motivated.  I get motivated when I see instant success and am trying something new!

My Fit Foods doesn't require a membership and isn't a "diet plan."  It's just healthy food portioned for you.  They sell breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.  Most meals come in small (for females), medium (for males) and large (for superhumans, I guess).  Many of the meal options are gluten free, dairy free and/or soy free.  They are diabetic friendly and even have vegan and vegetarian options.

I'm anxious to see if I will have any success doing this.  I'm also working out and tracking what the meals equate to in Weight Watchers terms, caloric intake, hunger levels and pounds lost throughout the process. 

Join me in my journey!  Tomorrow I will post on how Day 1 went. 


FYI, My Fit Foods did not pay me in any way for these reviews.  These are my opinions only. 

The Weight Loss Game

Since I started with Weight Watchers I've lost a total of 12 pounds.  The past few weeks I've hit a major plateau so I need to eat even better and work out even harder...uggh!  I still have about 13 to go to hit my goal. 
One thing that has made my weight loss journey a bit more fun is a game that Jason and I made up.  I jokingly proposed it to Jason one day and he agreed! 

So here's the game:  I weigh myself every single morning and write it on a "score sheet" that we have posted on our bathroom mirror so it's the first thing I see when I wake up and the last thing I see when I go to bed...literally the last thing I see because this is where I take out/put in my contacts everyday and I can't see anything without them.

In one week if I lose 1 pound Jason gets me a $15 gift card to anywhere I want.  If I lose 2 pounds I get a $25 gift card.  (Originally, he was asked if he could just give me cash, but I said no because then I will use it for groceries or boring stuff.  A gift card forces it to be a reward).  We capped it at 2 pounds a week because any more than that is unhealthy...so far I haven't had to worry about that.  There is NO rounding in this game.  Do you know how many times I've lost 0.8 or or 1.8 in a week? 

We also just had to put another rule on the game.  We have to use the lowest number that I've reached within the game.  Otherwise I just keep yo-yo'ing" and J will be buying me gift cards for the rest of my life.  Example: I gained a little bit after a wedding weekend we attended, but then technically lost 2 pounds the week after....which really just got me to where I was the previous week.  I still lost it, but Jason didn't see it that way!

Some weeks I don't lose any and my weight literally yo-yos everyday (THIS WEEK).  Other weeks have been great.  So far I've racked up 1 Old Navy and 2 Anthropologie gift cards!  Not only is it motivating to win gift cards, but shopping is much better when you actually like the way you look.  It's also a fun way to get Jason involved in my weight loss journey.  He gets excited in the morning to see if I lost or pumps me up if I've gained.  Plus, I love telling Jason that I have to go shopping because my pants are falling off me.   

Since I've reached a plateau recently, does anyone have any tips for me? 

Have you incorporated any type of reward system into your weight loss program? 

Please share! 

Weight Watchers

I recently signed up for the most basic weight watchers plan.  No meetings or check-ins, just access to their website and iphone app.  So far I'm down 9.5 pounds! 

If you are not familiar with WW, the plan uses a point system.  I always thought counting "points" was the same thing as counting calories, but the points are determined by looking at the calories, fat and fiber so I feel that it gives you a more accurate idea of a "good" vs. "bad" food.  Something might be low in calories, but crazy high in fat, or higher in calories, but also high in fiber, thus making it a better choice.  In the past, I've had great success with Jenny Craig, however, I like WW better.  With JC I actually lost more weight, quicker,but as soon as I got off their food the weight would come right back.  With WW, I eat real, everyday food so when I lose weight, I feel like it's "real" weight. 

I also love the WW iPhone app.  I track my points everyday on it.  It also has a calculator so you can quickly determine how many points you are about to consume and can look up dishes at popular restaurants to help you make better decisions.  So far, it's working out great.

By counting points, I have cut my monthly Starbucks habit in half!  I get 22 points per day...my fave nonfat Mocha is 5 points, so I have to really want it.  Also, no more pumpkin bread from Starbucks...this was my favorite treat, but at 9 points a pop, I just can't do it anymore! 

Some of my favorite things to eat now are:

-  Whole wheat English muffin (2 points) and 1 tablespoon of almond butter (2 points)
-  Healthy choice soup- Mexican Tortilla or Chicken Gumbo (2) and 5 Ritz reduced fat crackers (2)
-  6 inch Turkey sandwich from Subway loaded with veggies (6)
-  Smart Ones frozen meals: Three Cheese Ziti (6) is my fave!  Also like Pasta Primavera (5), Three Cheese Macaroni (6), Santa Fe Style Rice and Beans (6), Fettuccine with Broccoli (5)
-  Weight Watchers/Smart Ones ice cream...any flavor (2-4 points)
-  Souper Salad: salad with fat-free Italian dressing and cup of Vegetable Beef Soup- total meal 4 points
-  4 Ginger Snap cookies (3 points)


Anyone else on WW?  What are your favorite things to eat?  Any tips?

Happy Dieting  Eating Right! 

Wedding Diet Update

I know I haven't posted much on the wedding diet progress, but things are really going great! I got off to a slow start, but have been doing much better now that I am feeling the pressure!!! I am still on Jenny Craig, but what has made the most difference is my workouts.


My size 8 clothes are definitely getting looser and I can now where some of my size 6 jeans. The best indicator of my weight loss came last week when I was able to try on my wedding dress for the first time!!! It looked amazing and MUCH better than the first time I had it on. You could really see a difference in my stomach and sides. I even received a few comments last week about how my face looks thinner!!!


My plan for the next week is to start getting my arms toned up and to keep losing that weight! My first dress fitting is not until the end of April.


Beginning weight: 146
Current weight: 134.5

The Wedding Diet - Update

My wedding diet is going...well...okay. I have lost a total of 9 pounds, but haven't even reached my halfway mark yet. I am still dieting and working out, but I have little cheats throughout the week. This needs to stop now because...

My dress is in!!! I am going next week to try it on and start the fittings so I need to get there quickly.

My whole life, I have worked better under pressure so I'm hoping this pressure and diet-procrastination will work to my advantage and I will kick everything in this week and start getting larger results quicker.

In just 2 weeks I have engagement pictures too! Awww...everything is coming up quickly! It is so exciting.

Does anyone have any quick-tips for dieting? Also, I desperately need advice on engagement pictures like:

-What should our 2 outfits be?
-Bright outfits versus blacks and whites?
-Anything I should be doing now to look extra good?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Happy week!

P.S. I had my first wedding shower in Corsicana (Jason's hometown) this weekend. Details and pics to come, but I will say it was so much fun!

Wedding Diet - Weigh Day

I weigh myself everyday not to be obsessed, but for self-monitoring. It keeps me in check, but is also a great way to see results and stay motivated. I do my official weigh ins once per week with a counselor at Jenny Craig. I always get nervous-not that they are mean to you if you aren't losing weight, but I feel like I'm a bad student or something.

Today was my week 3 weigh-in and I lost 2 more pounds for a total of 5 pounds and counting!

Focus of the week: Drink more water. I start feeling nauseous if I drink too much plain water so add some lemon or lime to jazz it up!

Next weigh in is this Sunday. Good luck on your weeks everyone!

Diet Update

I had my first weigh in this afternoon and I lost 3 pounds! Yay! My goal for this week is to be more active - take more steps and try to hit the gym at this once this week.

My celebrity body-role model this week is Kate Winslet. She looks amazing, but doesn't buy into the sick Hollywood standards of having to be a twig. She looks healthy and is drop dead gorgeous! As I am typing she just won a golden globe and is so precious. The pic above is from the globes tonight.

Good luck to everyone this week who is working on their own plans. Have a great week!

The Wedding Diet

It's time to tackle the oh-so personal issue that is so not fun, but a must a major must-do in my wedding planning...the wedding diet! Really it is not so much a wedding diet because that alludes that as soon as the wedding is over, the diet is done. It is more of a lifetime diet with May 23 being my main motivation at the moment.

A little background- I may be crazy for sharing with everyone my weight issues, but my hopes in doing so is that this helps other people who are in the same boat (plus it will hold me accountable). I read other blogs that talk about diet successes and those serve as a great inspiration for me. My weight goes up and goes down, goes back up and then back down. You should see my closest- I have so many different sizes, but I never want to throw out the sizes I am not currently wearing because my past experience show that I will end up changing sizes yet again.

I'm 5'4'' and have a pear shaped body. Small arms, chest, and waist, but large hips, booty and thighs! Currently I weight 146 and wear a 8/10. My junior and senior year of high school was when I was at my smallest-100 pounds. I will never ever be that size again-let's be realistic, but I constantly look back on those days for inspiration on what I was doing. I ran and I ran and I ran. I was in the best shape ever. It also helped that I worked at the YMCA so was constantly surrounded by health and wellness, but really, high school, what stresses do you have then? I lived on subway and smoothies, plus I had a 16 year old's metabolism.

Like many, I started packing on the pounds in college. Cafeteria food, college lifestyle, and major stress-eating while I studied. Oh, and did I mention that I waited tables and bartended at Chili's? I lived on "soup shots", chips and queso and everything else on that menu. By the time I graduated, I was around a size 8, 135 pounds. When I moved to Houston and got a real job, I started Jenny Craig and dropped about 15 pounds. Over the next year I gained the weight back while going through a very difficult time in my life. About 6 months later, I got back on Jenny for a short stint, lost about 12 pounds, looked great, felt confident and then met the love of my life, Jason. A few months after meeting Jason, I got lazy because I was blissfully happy and ended up getting off of Jenny.

Now, 2 years later, I have gained all of the weight back and then some! I am the heaviest I have ever been and am not happy about the way I look and feel. I am working full-time and going to graduate school for an MBA so I have quit the gym and started the whole stress-study eating habit again. Plus, I am now in the habit of eating the exact same things and amounts that my fiance eats. My body just can't handle that! One thing that I want to emphasize is that I am not doing this for any other reason than for me! No one has told me I need to lose weight and my amazing fiance always assures me that I look great. I just don't feel pretty anymore. I also don't feel very healthy. I want to feel and look great on our wedding day and be proud to show off our pictures for the rest of our lives. I don't want to look back and cringe thinking, wow, I look bad!

So that is where my head is at! I have an amazing support system in place- Jason, my mom, and my amazing friend, Page!

I decided to go back to Jenny Craig. I really do believe in this program because it has worked so well for me in the past, when I stuck with it of course! I have been on the program for one week now. My plan is to post about once per week to give an update on how things are going, what has worked for me, what hasn't and what I have learned. I hope this can help other readers as other blogs have helped me!

Bad pic, but shows my skinnier face in college, btw, that is not a boyfriend, it is a waiter from a cruise I went on:

After college when I moved back to Houston:

When I first met Jason, I had a much skinnier face than I do now:

Jason and I in May '08- much rounder face and body. In this pic, I was about the same weight as I am now:

December 08:

I can't wait to show you progress as it comes!!! Wish me luck-I'm gonna need it!