Life On 20 Weight Watchers Points a Day

Late Night Stories

2008-05-21T18:53:00.000-07:00

These are the kinds of stories I tell myself late at night. Late at night, when I'm the most susceptible to un-diet like behavior.

Story One:

Scene: Kitchen being repaired. Blinds temporarily removed. Clear view from neighbors’ home into kitchen windows. Correction---clear view from skinny neighbor’s home into kitchen windows. 10:49pm.

Dieter: I don’t care. Let her see me pouring myself some wine and popping some popcorn. I wouldn’t be her if you paid me. Control freak. Skinny bitch.

Story Two:

Scene: Raiding the fridge. 10:52 pm.

Dieter: I don’t care. I don’t even want to be skinny. I like being fat.

Story Three:

Scene: Popping popcorn once again at 11:02 pm. Melting real butter to pour over popcorn. Pouring large glass of white wine.

Dieter: Well, if last Saturday night was any indication, my husband thinks I’m sexy. Very sexy. I really don’t need to diet. This diet obsession is crazy. At least my hubby thinks I look great. And dammit, I do!

p.s. I still have 8 pounds (from 19) to go to reach my goal. Sigh.

Starving Kelly - Bring It!

2008-04-22T13:05:00.000-07:00

I'm always talking about going to the gym and getting in my workout. And rather than talking about the weight I've lost (or not lost (stupid donut weakness)) this week, I thought I'd share today's Last Chance Workout routine. (Yes. I totally stole this phrase from Biggest Loser.) Maybe you can find a new something that you could use for yourself? Or maybe you can look at me and say, "Girl. You're so crazy!" Or maybe you could say, "Pssshaww! That's nothin'! Here's what I do!"

And then I would say, "Really? Bring it!"

And you would say, "Consider it brought!"

And the I would say....oh, never mind. I'm off track.

Here's the workout before I get more worked up.

1. Chest: Bench Push-ups: Like the picture only I put my feet on a bench. Not good if your allergies are bad like Tina's were this week and mine were last week. Everything rushes to your head and sometimes a great big loogie pops up in your throat. Great image, no?

2. Triceps: Lying Dumbbell Skullcrushers: Bonked my head twice with these. Tina, my weight training partner, couldn't stop laughing.

3. Triceps: Bench Dips: Because you can never get enough triceps!

OK. OK. I only did five. I was woozy after the Skullcrushers or as we call them, Head Knockers.

4. Back: Bent Over Rows: Today I did these with a 30/40 pound bar instead of free weights. It feels a little different, but good.

5. Biceps: Concentration Curls: I haven't done these in a long time. They were all right. But biceps are my weak muscles, and I hate working them out.

6. Shoulders: Incline Front Raises: Tina thought these were horrible. And my muscles were certainly warm after I was finished. But I didn't think they were crazy hard. However, if you are looking for an "oooooo" or an "ahhhhh" in Testosterzone, these should do the trick!

7. Thigh: One-Legged Leg Extensions: I had a knee injury a while back, and I'm still trying to recover. These are good for building the muscle around the knee to support it. And if you really want to burn the muscle out, after 3 sets of 10 single legged, switch to both legs. Owey!

8. Hamstrings: One-Legged Hamstring Curls: OK. I couldn't find a picture of the exact machine that I use. So just imagine this only me sitting up and instead of lifting my legs to my butt, I'm pushing them down to my butt. And if you want a good burn, hold your legs to your butt for a count of five.

9. Abs: Exercise Ball with a 5 pound weight: OK. These totally and ridiculously suck. But even if your a major crunching god or goddess, these will make your tummy hurt the next day. And the next.... And the next.... And possibly the next...

10. Abs: Scissors: Or maybe it was doing these after the above one's that pushed my stomach into Painland for 3 days. Maybe.

Well that was it. Where's my cardio you ask? Well, there's the whole problem with my workout. And that probably explains my needing to go to Weight Watchers as well. Oh well. Everybody has a weakness or two or three or four...

(Oh, and if your interested in more detail about each exercise, click on the picture.)

All pictures taken from Oxygen Magazine and Myfit.ca.

Starving Kelly - I blame it on Twitter.

2008-04-03T08:15:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I weighed in and gained +0.2. I call this my breaking even moment. But if I call +0.2 a breaking even moment, then I would have a -0.2 a breaking even moment. But I don't.

Hey.

I never said I was rational.

OK, OK. You caught me. I only sort of believe that +0.2 really is a breaking even moment. Therefore my need to rationalize my gain follows.

Here we go.

1. I had the hell flu the week before so my massive loss the week before doesn't really count. (Oh I didn't tell you did I? I lost 2.6, which is my biggest loss eva!)

2. It was very humid outside which poofed my curly hair out by 22.3 inches. And as everyone knows 22.3 inches of poof at .1 pound per 10 inches of poof equals .2 pounds.

3. Instead of my standard weigh-in uniform of cropped sweatpants and a wife beater (yes...even if it's 10 degrees Fahrenheit outside), I wore a t-shirt with sleeves. And as everyone knows each sleeve equals .1 pound. So...two sleeves equal .2 pounds.

4. I had no hot flashes in the middle of the night the night before the weigh-in, and as everyone knows, one hot flash equals .2 pounds of water weight loss. And no hot flash equals a water retention gain of .2 pounds. It's a fact. Look it up.

and finally

5. I blame it on Twitter. Sure blaming it on Twitter sounds far-fetched. But rediscovering Twitter and trying to keep up with a bunch of ladies who are live Twittering at some baby convention that I didn't even know existed is worth something. You don't believe me? Sit on your bum and try to follow the dialogue and see if you don't gain +0.2 pounds of non-physical activity weight gain.

Go on.

I dare you.

And while you're at it...why don't you tell me your rationalizations.

I need some more for next week as I try to explain away the finishing off of my husband's birthday cake for breakfast this morning.

{This is cross posted on Kellyology. Go visit. Enjoy!}

Works for me, works for zoo

2008-04-02T08:17:00.000-07:00

I was going to write about the struggles I'm having with sugar right now. About how I was doing really, really well for a few weeks, how I had dropped almost five pounds, then had a very emotional reaction to something in my life that involved me abandoning my progress and going back to sweets, a choice I am regretting day after day, because the sugar roller coaster, well, it is something I know and should know better than to keep riding.

I was. I was going to tell you all this, and I know that you would all understand because if we didn't all in some way have an unbalanced relationship with food, we wouldn't be here in this journey.

I was going to talk about it because I know if I'm having a hard time, I bet some of you are, too. This blog has been very quiet since around Spring Break/Easter and I'm wondering about the wagons from which we've fallen.

I was going to write all that. It was going to help me feel better. I hoped it would help you feel better, too. Sometimes knowing we are not alone is more than enough boost to get us back on track.

Then I saw this clip, and it changed everything.

Friends, a zoo, a place where large animals live relatively sedentary lives, has put some of their animals on Weight Watchers.

Yes, they get more than 20 points a day. Sure, their choices are limited, and their meals are prepared and delivered for them. But you should see the polar bear (or was it a gorilla?) that's already down 200 pounds!

Now, I think I've seen it all.

Starving Kelly - It was the wine.

2008-03-19T08:50:00.000-07:00

{So last week I got a comment on Kellyology from Jessica that I should cross-post my Starving Kelly entries at Life On 20 Weight Watchers Points a Day. So after a few e-mails with the lady in charge, I was signed up, and you will find this post cross-posted. Thanks for including me ladies, and I hope the fact that I actually get 20 + one points a day doesn't get me kicked out. }

Today I went to my weekly Weight Watchers (WW) meeting and discovered I had gained some weight. Looking back over my food journal the reason for the gain was obvious. For some reason all of my social occasions for the month were crammed into one week of lunches, dinners, and lots and lots and lots of wine drinking.

Oh sweet glorious wine, why do you call to me so?

Needless to say no matter how careful I was with the points, I didn't actually eat a vegetable on some days. Or if I did eat a vegetable I totally ignored the milk. Oh and there was that one evening where I ate pickles and red wine for dinner in a desperate attempt to avoid the delectable barbecue that was being served at a friend's house.

So I went to my meeting this morning and was up 0.6 pounds. Now that doesn't sound like a lot right? 0.6? But for a person who the last time they did Weight Watchers averaged 0.92 pounds loss a week, that's massive. But what wasn't massive this time was my reaction. In fact I didn't really have a reaction at all. I sat down in the meeting, looked at my weigh-in card to see what I had done for the week, and said to myself, "Yup. That's what I thought it would be."

Wait.

Who is this woman sitting in my body?

For the old woman that used to sit in my body would berate and belittle herself for a gain until she ended up at McDonald's with a Big Mac and a super-sized fries. But not this time.

This time I sat through the meeting in a pretty good mood. I answered questions in a positive way when asked. And when I got into my car to go home I opened up my no-bake protein bar and drove right past the McDonald's that lives in the same parking lot as my Weight Watchers center.

Hey!

Maybe that old mean woman is gone.

I hope so.

The new one is a lot more fun. And, she sure makes me smile.

Happiness and Food

2008-03-14T07:13:00.000-07:00

When I'm happy, I eat. My waist is probably the best barometer for my mental health out there. Maybe because when I'm happy, I don't worry so much about looking perfect, or what people think. I love the celebratory nature of good food, and when you add people to the mix it can be sublime.

I've really struggled with Weight Watchers, and it is because I have been really happy. I had a blip back in January where I was really stressed out and BAM lost a few pounds. But other than my initial weight loss, I've plateaued.

My jeans are looser, because Kristi and I work out six days a week, so my guess is I have been changing some soft stuff to muscle. And my vegetable and fiber consumption is through the roof. And that is a great thing, eating healthier.

Earlier this week I had a blow and I have been struggling all week with sadness and anger. It has been draining, exhausting, and annoying. I hate feeling this way. I just want to move past it and feel better. And I know I will, but this is one of those things that is going to take a little time (hurry up, dammit!). The upside? I've lost weight. I don't know how much, because I weigh myself at the gym, and I haven't had the emotional energy to get there (and a sick little one at home makes it easy for me to stay put). In a three day period I think I had a couple of sandwiches and some vegetables and chips.

I know that's not healthy - and I don't advocate it. But clearly diets are harder for me when I'm feeling whole and good.

I hope that next week I can report I've eaten a tub of goat cheese while laughing my ass off.

OH, HAI!!!

2008-03-10T17:42:00.000-07:00

Admission

2008-03-05T21:59:00.000-08:00

So....I must admit....
Our electronic scale is out of batteries, and I keep "forgetting" to replace them. I haven't been counting a lot of points since my sweet Hubby left on a business trip to India and Malaysia for two weeks. Have I mentioned that I could NEVER be a single parent???
That being said, my amazingly awesome mother-in-law came over this afternoon to keep the girls so I could get out of the house & have some "me" time. We're leaving for Florida in a week and I was getting a few new things. When I went into the Gap I asked the sales lady for my "fat" size of jeans. Wouldn't you know that when I tried them on I could PULL THEM OFF!!! The next size down - the size I should be wearing - fit pretty well!
I celebrated by going and having an oreo shake at my favorite ice cream place.
Bad diet girl, Lisa. Bad, bad, bad!!!

You're not going to hear it from me ...

2008-03-04T20:41:00.000-08:00

A new co-worker saw my ginormous salad I munched between e-mails at my desk this afternoon and innocently asked if I was watching my diet. His mention was a conversation starter so he could talk about some health issues that have had him fighting his own battle of the bulge, but in my mind, all I could think was, "of course I'm watching my diet. I'm ALWAYS watching what I eat."

It is a constant, this hyper-vigilance about the weight I carry on my 5'6" frame. I have weighed more and less as an adult, and the only time I really didn't watch my diet, I gained a quick twenty-five pounds in six months (and no, I wasn't pregnant). Since I'm not one of those super high metabolism/exercise for fun types, it will continue to be a challenge that I work to manage.

I'm stealing a meme from Kelli that's perfect for this blog, "List 10 phrases that will never come out of your mouth," you know, since I typically only write here about what goes in my mouth.

Following, and in no particular order, are ten things you'll not hear me say when I'm dieting (probably not ever, either, but that's another post for another day).

10. Supersize me!
9. I'll have the large sub, extra cheese, extra mayo.
8. I don't need to exercise.
7. This [soy substitute] tastes so much better than the real thing!
6. You know what sounds really good to me? Scrambled egg whites.
5. I'm so full. I couldn't eat another bite. (Alright, I say this, but never when I'm counting points.)
4. It's not that I don't want the chocolate/cupcake/freshly baked cookie, I just don't like sweets.
3. I am exactly the weight I want to be. I don't think I could lose another pound.
2. Losing weight is SO easy.
1. I don't need to follow a program. I can lose weight on my own.

Down with Those Who Bake!

2008-03-03T21:59:00.000-08:00

A colleague of mine is pregnant with her first child.

K and I used this as an opportunity to get rid of a truck load of baby stuff.

Goodbye crib!

Adios changing table!

See ya car seat, backpack, baby potty, portable high chair, diaper bag, etc., etc.

My co-worker and her husband were so grateful that they felt compelled to bake.

For me.

Gah!

The best blackberry cobbler in the whole wide world moved into my house and sat on my kitchen counter.

I tried tying myself to my home office chair, but...

Doh!

Any suggestions for counting points for the following scene:

While standing furtively at the kitchen counter, our wayward weight watcher scooped an unknown number of spoon fulls of delicious blackberry cobbler into her receptacle of doom.

[Insert expletives here.]

Demoralized

2008-02-29T14:51:00.000-08:00

So today I weighed in at the same weight as last week. And since we are leaving tonight for somewhere warm and sunny, I tried on a bunch of summer clothes that DO NOT FIT.

There are two ways I could have handled these little pieces of information.....

(1) I could have been motivated to exercise today (at home with my DVDs instead of the gym since the girls are both home sick today), eat only veggies, and resolve to try harder this week.

(2) Or I could have thrown in the towel and eaten two large bowls of homemade mac and cheese, for something like a whopping 18 points.

Hmm. Which did I do?

All I will say is that the option that I did choose, I wouldn't recommend.

Best Lunch Ever

2008-02-26T06:54:00.000-08:00

Take four or five mini Dutch potatoes. Cook, then smash on your plate. Spray liberally with zero calorie I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spray.

While they are cooking, grab a saute pan, spray with organic olive oil Pam and saute up two cups of mushrooms, half a bag of fresh spinach, and some red pepper. I added salt, pepper, and crushed garlic to the mix.

Smother the potato with the veggies, add a little spicy salsa if you wish, and gorge yourself on a one point delight!

Reality Check

2008-02-19T16:14:00.000-08:00

I've been fooling myself.

I used to not wear jeans with stretch, but now I have a few. I may wear the same size, but I'm choosing a different fit.

I took my measurements and I was not surprised - I was SHOCKED!

Somehow I've been able to convince myself that I can eat moderately (not actually dieting), exercise occasionally, and lose a few pounds to be beach-ready in a few months.

Friends, that's just not going to happen.

I must have managed to see myself only in bad lighting through partially obstructed mirrors, because when I went shopping for a special-occasion dress this weekend...is it just me or are dressing rooms, the places where you'd most want to see yourself through a crazy fun house mirror that reflects you well-rested, fit, trim, taller and younger, not the most cruel places in the universe in which to try on clothing? I'd forgotten that eating whatever and exercising whenever does not give the best view of me in bright lights and from every angle.

I may be the same size as my thinner self, but I am not the same shape.

While it would be easy to keep doing what I'm doing and hope for the best, I've started planning out my family's weekly menus to ensure that I have a sensible breakfast, lunch and don't have to wing it. I've also dusted off my stack of exercise DVDs because if I can't make it to the gym, I've got to do something.

How do you make weight loss and working out work for you? Do you plan your meals? Are you doing what it takes to realize your goal, or are you somewhere between denial and wishful thinking like me?

I really do want to know. I used to know, at least I knew how to do it with one child and no job, but I can't remember how to put all the pieces of this puzzle together in the life I have now.

Wrong Headed Carbo Cow

2008-02-19T14:46:00.000-08:00

Verily, I suck.

I have been a weight watchers cheaty cheater this go around.

Over the weekend I went to an overpriced B & B and at a slice of German Chocolate Cake for no good reason.

I don't even like German Chocolate Cake!!

The same B & B served the following three course breakfast:

1 Granola with your choice of milk or yogurt -- not terrible, but still POINTS;
2 Apple Crisp -- for breakfast? Wha? POINTS!;
3 Blueberry Pancakes with Bacon -- hello? POINTS!!!

And do you want to know who ate all of that three course silly breakfast?

That would be me.

Yesterday I had a fever and couldn't stop shaking. When I finally got hungry for dinner I chose to eat the world's MOST ENORMOUS bowl of Honey Bunches of Oats.

This point counting affair is NOT going according to plan.

I'm making JakeandElliesMom's meatloaf tonight.

I've got to get back on track.

Gah!!

Yummy to my tummy

2008-02-17T14:36:00.000-08:00

I don't know if you all have tried these, but if you haven't, they are 2 yummy, well worth it, decicious points....eat up!

You Know You're On A Diet When.....

2008-02-17T12:23:00.000-08:00

So I'm at the gym. I'm being good. I'm on the elliptical machine and I'm staring at CNN on the TV. Yep, that's right. Being double good---working out AND watching the news.

But then my eyes wander over to another TV, about two TVs away, where the Today Show has been playing and I see a vision. A vision so lovely it stops me in my tracks.

It's a closeup of a warm, inviting-looking beef stew. I see chopped pieces of juicy beef. Bright green peas, some potatoes, carrots, and a delicious sauce. Just like your grandma used to make.

Mmmm. Mmmm. Mmmm. The vision is melting in my mouth. I start day-dreaming about what I'm going to have for lunch. I wonder if I have any beef at home? Could I make something like this?

I start to salivate.

And then I see it. The slogan for a dog food company.

That's right, dog food.

I'm drooling over dog food over here people. I need help!

________________________________________________________
(originally posted over at 15 Minutes of Peace by Just Seeking, someone told me it was okay to repeat a post on a Saturday---oops, is it Sunday already?)

Food Porn

2008-02-15T15:33:00.000-08:00

When Kristi and I are side by side on our elliptical machines (or worse - the ultra-tough stair climbers that are way harder than a Stair Master) we like to indulge in a little naughtiness. It gets us through sixty minutes of sweating and soreness. Care to join? You know you want it.

*Cue cheesey 70s Porn music*

You want to know what Dan and I like to do?

Mmmm. What?

We like to get a bulb of garlic, smother it in butter, bake it and spread it all over crusty French bread.

All...all over?

Oh, yeah. Then we'll have a bottle of red wine, some tapas...

Wait, what kind of tapas?

Oh, the gooood stuff. Chevre cheese, salami, fresh vegetables, parmesan crisp crackers, olives, tomatoes drizzled with balsamic vinegar and basil...

Stop! I can't take it. Enough!

Okay. Want to talk about paninis?

Okay, yeah. I like mine with tons of melted cheese, like Swiss or Gruyere, with poblano chilis and shaved turkey. And I like them grilled in butter.

Did you say them?

Uh huh. I always have at least two.

I can't take it anymore. What about pizza? What kind of pizza do you like?

This can take up the entire workout. Today we actually had an older woman stare at us with an incredulous look for a moment before telling us to stop.

You could tell she wanted it, too.

Such a prude.

Too Sore to Eat...a Great Strategy

2008-02-14T08:43:00.000-08:00

Kristi and I have started taking a class together three days a week at our athletic club. We try to hit the gym at least five or six days a week, and chatting with a friend while eeking out a workout on the elliptical is much preferable than going it alone.

In our efforts to get our 2 points deduction for exercise, we take a sixty minute class on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays that I like to call, "Sadistic Weight Class From Hell."

It's a lot of fun.

We are led by a woman who has children in college but looks to be about twenty. She is adorable, muscled and petite, and she kicks our ass.

Good morning everyone! We're going to start with a set of four hundred squats using the body bar, and just for fun, let's do it with our eyes closed! Then we'll get to the fun part...one handed pushups! You'll need the other hand to hold the ten pound weight while you do reps in between sets. Let's go!

There is no amiable chitchat between Kristi and I during these classes. We grunt. We sigh. Sometimes one of us manages a "Are you kidding me?"

But for the most part we silently try to emulate the preternaturally fit woman who leads our class.

All for two points.

I am barely able to walk after her class, and this has inhibited my eating by at least thirty percent. I can't walk anywhere to grab a snack. Thus, I've had days recently where I haven't eaten all my points.

Still, I have only lost four pounds in three weeks. I'm a slow goer on the weight loss thing. Plus, I cheat when we eat out.

Still, arduous workouts can give you more than two points if you hurt when you do things like lift, walk, or breathe.

I highly advocate this strategy.

Caved

2008-02-12T21:31:00.001-08:00

My on again off again relationship with weight watchers fudgecicles?

Totally back ON.

I am their love slave.

Do as I say, not as I do

2008-02-12T17:11:00.000-08:00

I would love to tell you that I journaled every single bite last week and lost weight.

I didn't.

And yet, the statement is still half true.

I did not journal every bite, but I still lost weight. I am down three pounds to 137.

I am now entering a dangerous territory. Herein lies the mystery of how I am able to lose weight without exactly following the Weight Watchers program.

(If you are a devout follower of Weight Watchers and find success doing the program as it is written, feel free to disregard any advice I offer from this point forward. I'm not always a good example.)

In the upper numbers (at least my upper numbers, as I am sworn to never go above 140 or have to pay for Weight Watchers meetings until I am back to my goal weight as a Lifetime member), I tend to repeat a cycle. I weigh more, I begin to keep track, I lose a few pounds, maybe I lose a few more, then I feel pretty good, the clothes start to fit better, and I find myself sneaking another serving, maybe indulge a little more on the weekends, special occasions and dining out, and all of a sudden, I'm back into dangerous territory.

Last week, I kept track of my food on Monday and most of Tuesday as is typical with my dieting pattern. On Wednesday, my 3 year old was off school and I was home, sick. My breakfast was pretzels and a fruit roll, and it went downhill from there. It was later that day, reading an inspiring article about this guy who lost almost 200 pounds in two years by walking and eating a lower carb diet, that I remembered how much I enjoyed the no-points counting aspect of the Weight Watchers Core program and how I typically manage my hunger and cravings better when I eat fewer refined carbohydrates. I switched some meals around, started feeling a bit more in control, and started losing weight again.

(You can come back now. I think the Weight Watchers people would agree with the rest of this post.)

I'm never going to be a person who advocates a no carb extreme lifestyle. I tried Atkins in a desperate attempt to lose weight before my wedding, and quickly lost five pounds before having a dream that I was dying of heart failure from all the fat I was eating. Seriously. Following the Core program, I count the points for the foods I eat that aren't included on the Core list and that's it. I'm a believer in the glycemic index, high fiber, lean proteins and a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Following Core, I make those foods a priority and rarely dip into the bag of Goldfish crackers.

Popcorn is an easy, filling snack and is most definitely Core. I love the convenience of microwave popcorn, but am sensitive to the chemical tastes and smells from the usual 94% fat free options. I've adapted Alton Brown's recipe and technique for my superfast grab and go movie treat.

Microwave Popcorn a la Alton Brown

2 tablespoons - 1/3 cup popcorn
olive oil spray
popcorn salt (optional)

Pour popcorn into a plain, standard size brown paper lunch bag. Fold the top of the bag over twice to close (each fold should be no more than 1/2 inch deep to leave enough room for the kernels to pop). Put the bag in the microwave and cook on high for 2 to 3 minutes or until the pops are 5 seconds apart. Remove the bag, opening it carefully to avoid the steam. Pour popcorn into convenient travel container, spray lightly with oil spray and sprinkle with salt or your preferred topping. Enjoy!

Yield: 6 to 8 cups popped corn, approximately 2-4 points.

I Wish Every Day Could Be Like Today

2008-02-11T18:45:00.000-08:00

Okay, I don't wish every day could be exactly like today because I spent almost 6 hours doing our taxes. But when it comes to the simplicity of my points situation today, and the ease at which I spent them, I wish every day could be like today.

Let's see....for breakfast I had coffee and a banana. Then I hit the taxes and forgot about eating for awhile--down only 1 point.

Then I had a piece of leftover veggie pizza, normally my downfall, topped with lots of extra veggies for lunch---down -4 points, 5 total points spent for the day so far.

Then I exercised on my own---with my own "stepper" and step aerobics DVD. Lame, yes, but the kids were home sick from school so it was that or nothing---+2 and totalling only 3 points for the day.

Then I needed a snack, and I needed to hit the taxes again so I had another banana----1 point for a grand total of 4 points for the day so far.

Guess what that means? Yep, going into dinner with 16 points! Gotta love it. So I poured myself a nice glass of red wine---about 4 points (hey! I deserved it after all that time on my taxes!)---and feasted on leftover spicy chicken breast (made by a friend, leftover from Saturday night), -3, and topped that with leftover baked veggies, -1 for the olive oil, topped that all with a bit of shredded parmesan, -1, and afterward had a nice little piece of chocolate, -1.

So I'm sittin' pretty with 6 points left going into the witching hour---that is, the time after my girls go to bed and I'm dying for a snack and/or a glass of wine.

I am a happy girl today.

By the way, I'm down one extra pound from last time and am just starting week three today. Yippee!

Weigh in #1

2008-02-11T11:06:00.000-08:00

I lost a pound....one stinking pound....
You're thinking...she should be ticked, right?

NO, actually I feel pretty stinking lucky. I did great last Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday day counting my points. I was counting the points for everything that entered my mouth, and feeling pretty good about things. Then came Bunco night. My friend had a spread that was to die for. Shrimp dip, queso dip, keylime bars, fudge trifle yumminess, sugar cookies...the list goes on and on. So I thought, what the hay?! I don't have to weigh in until Monday, right? I indulged. I indulged a lot.
Then Friday came. I did pretty well all day, but in the evening I went to dinner with my mother-in-law before we went to see "Lord of the Dance". It was a celebration of sorts, so I splurged & had some creamy and delicious clam chowder. Saturday was no better. We went out for mexican, complete with chips and salsa - my ultimate weekness. And the girls had a Valentines party at a friends complete with chocolate covered strawberries and all sorts of other delicious treats.

SO, I'm thrilled that I somehow managed to loose a pound. The scale was probably just off. But, I'm sure I won't be that lucky next week, so I really need to get back on the wagon this week!

Going out???

2008-02-08T06:05:00.000-08:00

I find that going out to eat can be difficult for me when I'm trying to count points. I mean, really, how are you supposed to get a points count on a recipe you've never seen?

Well, my sweet Mom sent me a link to this site which I thought ya'll might find helpful. They have hundreds of restaurants and recipes point values figured out. Pretty great, huh? The site is http://www.dwlz.com/ Along the top of the page click on restaurants, and as you scroll down there is an amazing list of places to eat complete with point values for anything you might want to munch on!

Happy Friday!

Doh! Fat Tuesday!

2008-02-07T10:04:00.000-08:00

Okay, it's my first week back with the journaling and the point counting.

I'm having a hard time re-establishing the habit but I was doing pretty good until Fat Tuesday.

I had to be away at a three day business meeting so I planned all my meals and brought them with me so that I wouldn't need to sweat what catered food might be served.

And then?

Fat. Tuesday.

[Aptly named.]

There was this party...

It was about Mardi Gras...

There were trays and trays of po' boys, jambalaya, red beans and rice, fried shrimp and fish...

I couldn't even begin to guess what points to record so I just wrote "GRRRRRR!!!" all over my journal for that day.

My inner Lady Flabina won on Tuesday.

I have been good at weighing myself and my weight has been all over the place.

One day I'm 139, then 132, then 136, then 134.

I'm weighing myself at the same time of day on the same scale so what is that about?

The only thing I can figure is that, because Aunt Flo is here, I have some defective six pound tampons.

You think I would notice something like that though...

I tell you what, birthin' them babies has ruined this gal's "down there" parts!

Surviving Weight Watchers #2----Veggies, Veggies, Veggies

2008-02-06T12:30:00.000-08:00

There is absolutely no way to survive Weight Watchers without lots and lots of veggies. Almost all veggies are zero points, so they are crucial to survival, especially if you like to eat a lot like I do.

I'm telling you. I can eat a LOT. Not eating a lot makes me feel very deprived. I have a friend (who I did WW with in the past) who can eat those dang diet bars for lunch. And that's it. Or maybe she'll throw in a banana or something too. Not me. I must EAT. I must eat real food. I must eat lots of real food.

The only way to do that and still stay within your points?

Veggies!

I add veggies to everything. To every single meal and snack, I think, "How can I add some veggies to this?"

Here's some of the things I did this past week to give you an idea of how I add veggies---

Tortilla pizza---take a low-fat tortilla (2), add 1/4 cup of feta cheese (2), and top with so many veggies that they are falling off the tortilla. I added sauteed green beans, red and orange peppers, spinach, fresh basil, grape tomatoes, and garlic (and used only Pam olive oil spray to saute the veggies). It was a 4-point meal that felt like a feast.

Tuna---take all-white tuna (2), add fat-free miracle whip or mayo (1), and add shredded lettuce, chopped olives, grape tomatoes, and shredded carrots, dip low-fat crackers into your tuna mixture (2), and you have a 5 point lunch that again, feels like a feast.

Soup---take a can of Progresso zero point soup, add tons of veggies while it's heating---I add zucchini, yellow squash, spinach, yellow peppers, and frozen peas---top with 1/8 cup of parmesan cheese and you've got a ONE point lunch that is warm and filling.

Steamed veggie snacks---I'm not kidding. Steam up a bunch of veggies, whatever are your favorites, and have them in the fridge waiting for you to get the munchies. Dip cold into fat free Ranch dressing or low-fat blue cheese dressing and they are a healthy snack for one point. Or re-heat them in the microwave, add 1/8 cup of parmesan, and again, a one point snack.

Dinners---instead of making a meat, potato, and a vegetable, make a low-fat meat, and two vegetables. One of our favorites is baked veggies. Combine 3 colors of peppers, onions, asparagus, zucchini, or pretty much anything you feel like putting in it, toss with a tiny bit of olive oil and some garlic, bake at 350 for about 1 hour. It's yummy!

So there you have. Eat lots and lots of veggies---lose weight and get a lot healthier at the same time!

Beans, Beans the magical fruit...

2008-02-06T11:44:00.001-08:00

Beans, beans the magical fruit...
(you know in your head your saying the rest of the silly song. Admit it, you are, right?!?!)

Looking for a tasty dinner that is low in points and a BREEZE to make? Well , my friends, look no further. This recipe, filled with beans is high in fiber and very filling! Plus it makes your whole house smell delish.

Chicken Fiesta Stew = 4 points per serving
2 lbs of chicken
1 can corn, partially drained
1 can pinto beans, partially drained
1 can kidney beans, partially drained
1 caan black beans, partially drained
1 can chopped green chilies
2 cans diced tomatoes (I like buying the Rotel tomato mix)
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 pkg ranch dressing mix

Mix everything together in your crockpot on high all day. An hour or so before eating shred the chicken loosely - add back to stew and turn heat to low.

I put all of the ingredients into my Weight Watcher recipe builder and came up with 4 points for about a cup and a half of soup.

This is pretty tasty, very filling, is VERY high in fiber thanks to all of the beans, and is great in a whole wheat tortilla the next day!

Down 5.5 Pounds!

2008-02-04T10:14:00.000-08:00

I didn't think I'd post about such things, but I'm doing it anyway. Today, on my weigh-in day, after only one week on WW, I am down 5.5 pounds!! Whoo hoo!

Now granted this is most likely because I was eating like an insane person prior to starting WW and therefore eating a more normal diet even if only for a week, it was inevitable that I'd drop some pounds.

But 5.5? I'm thrilled!

So, after I weighed, I went downstairs and told my husband, "I'm down 5 1/2 pounds." And he says, "Awesome" with no exclamation point, and then proceeds to cook bacon and pancakes for breakfast.

Sigh.

If you bite it, write it.

2008-02-04T09:37:00.000-08:00

I have the best intentions to start fresh every Monday. Last week was the beginning of our challenge. I weighed in at 140 and started journaling.

Monday 1/28
1 cup oatmeal + 1 tsp maple syrup 3
Z bar + 1 apple 3
pasta & bean soup 4
baked Kettle Crisps 3
spaghetti squash, tomato sauce, turkey meatballs 5
cabbage salad with miso dressing 1
pomegranate 2

21 points. Good.

Tuesday 1/29
scrambled egg white + toast 3
Z bar + 1 apple 3
leftover spaghetti squash & turkey meatballs and sauce 3
chips 3
rye chips & hummus 6

I stopped at 18 points before dinner when my counting ceased, but I had the low point turkey meatloaf and a baked potato so it was still reasonable.

Wednesday 1/30
oatmeal 3
Z bar + orange 3
leftover meatloaf 4
turkey slices 2

I stopped at 12 points. I don't remember what I had for dinner, I think it was chili with baked French fries. But I'd weighed in at 138, and had convinced myself that I had this thing under control.

Thursday 1/31
I didn't journal anything, but I remember a 5 point breakfast of yogurt, high fiber cereal and berries I ate in the car on my way to a meeting. I must have had some chili when I got home - oh that's right, I think I had two bowls. I was hungry.

Friday 2/1
I didn't journal anything, didn't bother getting on the scale, but I did play a little tennis. I had a Z bar as breakfast, and vaguely recall having some baked chips at Target with Ellie. We went out for dinner (Mexican), and while I didn't exactly stop caring, I did split my meal in half and did not order a drink. But then I had a glass of wine at home.

Saturday 2/2

I started again with the best intentions (oatmeal, grilled chicken wrap for lunch, skipped the movie popcorn and had one of those damned Z bars as a snack), but forgot about the potatoes I munched on at breakfast, had a few glasses of wine, and actually did stop caring by the time I got to dinner.

Sunday 2/3 - aw heck, it was the Superbowl. I ate very lightly in the early part of the day and bought reasonable snacks for the game, had just one glass of wine, and some yogurt and cereal for dinner.

Now it is Monday, and again, I weigh 140.

There is one reason, and one reason only (alright, maybe two), that I weigh more than I like and more than I should.

I eat too much.

(I also am not active enough to offset the eating.)

When it comes to following the WW program, or any weight loss model, writing down your food intake helps to do a couple of things.

1) When you account for every morsel, you have a good idea of how many calories (or points for us) you are consuming.

2) If you are hitting a slump, you can look to your food journal to see what might have attributed to a gain or maintain (or even a loss) - often, the culprits in my day to day are not enough veggies, too much salt, not enough water, too much sugar, or just too much food. You have an objective record and can use it as a tool to adjust.

3) If you're not writing everything down (and you're like me), you might not notice when portion sizes start getting larger, but you will notice when losses are smaller or nonexistent.

I've said before, losing weight is not rocket science. Not using the tools designed to make a program successful makes a simple thing much more complicated. Sometimes I feel like I've been doing this long enough that I should know better than to fall victim to such a common weight loss mistake.

This week, I will journal faithfully, for you and for me. If I bite it, I will write it.

I bet I'll see better results, too.

Here we go...

2008-02-04T07:43:00.000-08:00

I just bit the bullet.

I paid Weight Watchers online $60+ dollars to be an online member for the next three months.
I've started tracking my points for today. Everything I place in my mouth I vow to count.
I gorged yesterday on Super Bowl food. Homemade guacamole with chips, spinach and artichoke dip, chocolate dream bars, pizza. It was delicious - a last supper of sorts.

But today is a new day. I'm turning a new page. I woke up and told Hubby I would shovel our driveway. There were six inches of wet snow. 45 minutes later I came inside glistening with sweat, having earned 2 activity points. I'm going to go have a delicious 1 point Weight Watchers Yogurt for breakfast.

Do I want to loose weight? Yes. But it's more than that. I have two lovely little ladies. Little girls that make my day every day. I want to be a good example to them. I want to live a healthy lifestyle that they learn from and are proud of. One where I eat right and exercise. One where I'm not following the latest fad diet, but instead a life where I make good choices, and where all can be enjoyed in moderation. A lifestyle that will keep me healthy for a long time - long enough to see my girls have their babies and a life where I will see my grandkids get married.

So here I go. I'm jumping in head first. I AM going to change. Not only for me, but for my girls!

A Successful SuperBowl

2008-02-03T17:38:00.001-08:00

I was worried. I must admit. The weekends are challenging anyway and what with the Super Bowl and all....I was definitely worried.

But it worked out well.

Here's what our group as a whole dined on----

Chicken wings---baked with just a spritz of Pam organic olive oil. Dipped into a minimal amount of low fat blue cheese dressing.

Edamame---steamed and yummy---you can eat 55 for one point.

Fresh carrots---occasionally dipped into low fat blue cheese dressing.

Turkey chili---I adapted ours from the wonderful recipe supplied by Karen. We're having a snow storm over here so I needed to improvise in order to avoid driving in the storm. Served with low-fat sour cream, shredded cheddar (which I personally avoided), and shredded lettuce. It was yummy!

Cornbread---of which I had none. I know, it's depriving. But I did have.....

Cocktails---vodka tonics with fake sugar tonic and fresh lime. It sounds a bit lame, I know, but they were actually very good.

Plus! we are having a huge snow storm right now so the hubby and I went out to shovel and I earned +2 points!

Happy Super Bowl Sunday!

Up Six & Rising

2008-02-02T17:23:00.000-08:00

A year ago, after a long haul with weight watchers flex points, I weighed 133.

Today?

Eh...about 139.

I know that's only six pounds but things are trending up and I need to put a stop to it.

Ever since my grandmother died in October I've been cheating.

Carbohydrates are the official food of grief.

Two evil culprits are cornbread and pancakes.

Cornbread because I have somehow talked myself into it magically being practically points free compared to all other bread and so I can eat a frying pan sized piece.

Pancakes because... well... my kids left me such delicious bites and...

Gah!

The other way I have been cheating has been unintentional.

I have creatively forgotten the correct points value for some foods and assigned my own, much lower points value.

[Mighty convenient, eh?!!]

Just the other day I told Karen that 1/2 cup of Fiber One cereal, one cup of plain, non-fat yogurt and a tablespoon of sugar free jam is one point.

Not so.

One cup of plain, non-fat yogurt is two points. [Duh!]

I got on this whole fresh figs jag in the fall having convinced myself that fresh figs were zero points. [Um...not so.]

So here I am -- up six pounds and gaining fast.

When I heard these fine ladies were writing this blog with a five pound goal for a start, I decided I needed to get back on the true points wagon.

Doing it with them seemed like a smart way to re-learn the system, points values, etc. and to practice doing it right.

Summer's coming and some of my clothes are going to be too tight and too uncomfortable to wear if I don't turn this around.

Today I printed out my own version of the weight watchers daily journal (an excel document that I"ll see if I can figure out how to post here) and I'm all set to let the journaling and counting begin again tomorrow.

Hey you, Six Pound Charlie... You're going DOWN!!!

Surviving WW---Eat Your Flex on the Weekends

2008-02-02T09:43:00.001-08:00

Starting today, I will write a series of posts on the way that I survive Weight Watchers. Today's post is about saving your flex points to use on the weekends.

One system you can follow on Weight Watchers (I know there are others, but have never tried them) is called the Flex Points system. On this program, you get a certain number of points per day based on your weight (in my case, 20 points) and then 35 flex points to use throughout the week. You can use your flex points any way you want. You can choose to not use them at all. You can choose to save them for one big celebration. Or you can divide them up throughout the week. But no matter what you do, you cannot use more than 35 in one week.

I like to save mine for the weekends. I have found that it's much easier to be disciplined during the week and to relax a little on the weekends. I'm not completely strict about it since sometimes there are things that come up during the week that merit dipping a bit into the flex, but I like to have at least 25 flex points going into the weekend. This method works well for me because it helps me to not feel deprived. I am able to relax a bit and enjoy my weekends.

This week, for example, I did really well. I started the weekend---for me that starts after lunch on Friday---with 27 flex points left. That meant that I could safely "go over" my alloted daily points by an average of 9 per day (Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday). It was a nice position to be in!

Plus, I was particularly good on Friday during the day so I also went into my weekend with 16 points left from the day.

Here's how I did it---

For breakfast I had a banana (-1) and a cup of coffee with equal (0). Then I hit the gym and spent 60 minutes on the elliptical (+2). Leaving me with 21 points. More than I started with!

Then I went home and had my mid-morning snack/lunch because that's how I like to do things. I had some zero point Progresso soup to which I added chopped zucchini, chopped yellow squash, peas, and spinach (0 points). With this I had 7 low-fat Triscuits (-2 points). Then I walked my dogs (+1) and I was back to where I started! (20 points)

Later in the day, I ate the rest of the soup I had made earlier (-1, I took a point for it since it was a double serving of zero point soup), 7 more crackers (-2 points), and a small piece of chocolate (-1). That left me with 16 points going into the weekend. Whoo hoo!

For dinner, I had a lot of fun. I wouldn't recommend this for people who feel like once they've "over-indulged" they've messed up their diet. To me, this is the beauty of the flex points. You may relax once in a while as long as you don't go over your flex points.

Here's the fun I had----3 pieces of thin crust, chicken caesar pizza (frozen) topped with my own sauteed peppers and spinach (-10 points), 2 glasses of wine (-6 points), and later, while watching a movie, air-popped buttered popcorn (-9 points). Leaving me with a -9, tapping into my flex by exactly the amount I wanted to average for each night of the weekend.

It was perfect.

Easy Healthy Soup Recipe

2008-02-02T08:53:00.000-08:00

Thank God it's winter, because nothing fills me up like soup, and cold days are the best days to eat warm savory soup.

As I said, I need a lot of quantity or I can't get through the day without going over the points. Here is a soup that I adapted from the Moosewood Cooks at Home cookbook. I like it because it is high in fiber (really high),chock full of antioxidents and quick and easy to prepare. My kids love to eat this soup with crusty bread for dipping (only the kids get the bread!) - but my strong caveat here is DON'T TELL YOUR CHILDREN WHAT IS IN THE SOUP if you want them to eat it. We call it "golden soup" because the turmeric gives it such a distinctive hue (and turmeric has been touted as a super food in the spice category).

Chick Pea Artichoke Stew

*Spray bottom of stock pot with Pam (I like the organic olive oil)
*Sautee one large yellow onion and several cloves of garlic
*Sprinkle liberally with one tablespoon turmeric
*Add one large can chopped tomatoes (I get the basil/garlic)
*Add one cup brown rice
*Add one drained can of chickpeas
*Add one can quartered artichoke hearts packed in water (water, too)
*I add about three to four cups of low sodium stock (it varies, and depends on your elevation - you can't mess this recipe up)
*add half a cup pureed squash (I use organic baby food, or for a more nutty taste and more vitamins, I add plain pureed pumpkin)
*Sprig fresh rosemary

Let cook until rice is done. I add a little sea salt and cayenne pepper to my bowl. My girlfriend prefers cumin to the turmeric, so like I said - you can really play around with the soup. The original recipe called for potatoes instead of rice - but I like it better with the rice. It is also really good topped with a tiny amount of grated pecorino cheese and a quick squeeze of lemon.

My only question is - I don't know how many points this is. Based on the ingredients, I would wager only 2-3 per serving?

Yummy soup.

The humble, the venerable, the ever so versatile ...

2008-02-01T09:33:00.000-08:00

Chili.

According to Wikipedia, chili (also known as chili con carne) is the official dish of the state of Texas. Cincinnati chili is a sweeter, and thinner version (and don't we all have similar aspirations?) not a considered a stand alone meal like a stew but used as a topping for anything from spaghetti noodles to hot dogs. Contests for the deepest, hottest, meatiest bowl of red are had at many a county fair or fraternal organization's fund raiser.

Chili is legendary.

It's also good, cheap, easy food.

I love this quote attributed to former first lady, Lady Bird Johnson:

"My feeling about chili is this: Along in November, when the first northern strikes, and the skies are gray, along about five o'clock in the afternoon, I get to thinking how good chili would taste for supper. It always lives up to expectations. In fact, you don't even mind the cold November winds."

To me, chili is a winter-appropriate comfort food that fits perfectly in a healthy diet. When it comes to Weight Watchers, there are literally thousands of chili recipes, some coming in as low as one point per serving!

Chili purists be damned, I like mine with tomatoes and beans. My favorite recipe of the moment is this Turkey Chili with White Beans I found on epicurious. Some days I make it with more beans, other times, it will be meatier or less, depending what I have in my pantry and refrigerator. I suppose you could even make it with veggie crumbles or beef, heck, you could even make it vegan. I've made enough chili recipes with my particular blend of no added fat, lots of fiber and lean protein to average recipes at about 4 points per one cup serving. If you're being accurate, you might want to check the math.

You'll forgive my sounding like Forrest Gump when I rattle on about all the ways you can make chili into a filling, low fat meal ...

Add chili to salad greens, baked tortilla chips and top with light sour cream and salsa and you've got Taco Salad.

Take out the lettuce and add a little guacamole and it's nachos.

Bake a potato and top it with chili and shredded low fat cheese.

Take a one point hot dog (either Hebrew National 97% fat free or Ball Park smoked turkey), put it in a light bun, smother it with chili and you've got a chili dog.

Wrap your chili in a high fiber tortilla and call it a burrito.

Cover your hot cooked whole wheat spaghetti noodles with chili and onions, maybe even some light shredded cheddar, and it's almost like you're in Cincinnati.

Have a steaming bowl with a side of cornbread.

Whip up some egg whites or egg beaters, and add chili to make a filling omelet.

The possibilities are endless.

How do you chili?

The Lotion Theory

2008-01-31T18:23:00.000-08:00

I'm at my breaking point.

I'm at 147 pounds and have never been over 150 in my life, except when pregnant.

I call this weight, slightly under 150, my breaking point. I am most comfortable around 130. At 130, I look pretty good and I can eat whatever I feel like eating as long as I exercise very regularly. I'd love to be 125. But if I try to go under 130, and I've tried it before, it's a food-managment nightmare that I never enjoy. Life is not fun that way. I can do this Weight Watchers thing, I've done it before, but I can't do it for more than about 3 months. Just enough to get back to 130 and then maintain it with exercise.

But so I started thinking. Why haven't I ever been over 150 in my life? I mean, truthfully, I can eat like a pig. I am a huge fan of the food and drink. Eating and drinking is seriously one of my favorite pastimes. But for someone with my attitude towards food to never, ever go more than 19 pounds overweight?

How do I manage that? How does this happen?

Lotion.

Yes, that's right. Moisturizer. See, the thing is, I apply this stuff to my skin every day. Every day I get out of the shower and lotion myself up. My hands touch every external surface of my body. And my reality is, when I start heading up into the upper 140's, my hands can feel it.

And they don't like what they feel, baby. No they don't.

My hands get to that point where they are not happy and my whole being can sense it. I can put on 5 or 10 pounds and notice it. But when I hit 15, oh my stars, my hands start to shake. They say, baby, it's time to hit the points.

The Weight Watchers points that is.

The Points! Oh, The Points!

2008-01-30T19:13:00.000-08:00

For the past week I have been utterly disciplined with my points. 20 points a day, no more no less. It was easy - I ate those wretched frozen meals and counted up the points and stopped when I got to twenty.

And I was faint with hunger and crabby all week.

So - I signed up for WW online, read some recipes, talked with my girlfriends who have done it before, and now I am eating real food again and watching my points.

Monday I slipped up badly, but I will not bore you with the details of my consumption of three giant cheese bagels with rich creamy neufchatel cheese spread lavishly across each carb laden crust. Ahem.

Here are my goals. I am 5'7" and a half. I have always weighed somewhere between 125 and 128 pounds. Always. Well, with the giant exception of pregnancy. Yes, I am a Weight Watchers virgin, but I'm here to tell you that over the course of four pregnancies, averaging fifty pounds in weight gain each, I have actually gained and lost almost 200 pounds in my life. So don't give me crap on the 125 thing - I'm small boned.

Right now I weigh 137 pounds (yikes!!!) and more worrisome, my waist measurement is three inches bigger than it normally is. This bothers me for the reason it should bother all apple-shaped women: heart health. Science has proven the correlation between abdominal fat and heart attack risk, so I am wanting to whittle things down to mitigate my risk for heart problems as I age. Heart disease runs in my family so I am not taking this lightly.

My biggest goal with losing this weight is incorporating more fresh healthy options into my snacking routine. With four kids, I tend to nosh on the crap they can consume, what with their wiry frames and active metabolisms. I need quantity. When I'm working out I can eat a lot, but I have been hit hard with colds and infections this winter, so I need to manage things with food. I am also hoping that with a healthier diet, maybe I won't get so sick each winter.

So today, as my kids ate sliced pears, cookies, milk and kettle chips after school, here is what I snacked on. And guess what? It was DELICIOUS.

I took several large leaves of a vibrant red cabbage and lined a plate with them. Then I shelled one and a half cups of edamame and sprinkled the soy beans over the leaves. Then I liberally spritzed the entire plate with the Wish Bone Asian flavored dressing (at one calorie a spritz!). It was crispy, crunchy and savory - everything I look for in a snack. AND it was pretty - all that purple and bright green. Total points: Two. And I rounded up.

For dinner I had a huge baked potato. I sprayed it with "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" ( yeah - I hate fake food and sprays - but right now I can't spare the olive oil, okay?) then I sprinkled a quarter of a cup of light Mexican blend cheese, slathered it in hot spicy salsa, and topped it with zuccini and mushrooms sauteed in organic olive oil Pam and garlic.

Filling, delicious, and less than five points.

What in the world do you eat?

2008-01-30T17:49:00.000-08:00

I've been following the Weight Watchers program for what seems like forever (but in reality is only about 5 years). I joined when I first dispelled the myth that nursing evaporates baby fat and found myself several months postpartum with an extra twenty pounds on top of the extra twenty pounds I'd been hosting since the early days of my courtship with my darling husband.

When I say that I've followed WW, what I mean is that from the day I joined until I reached my goal weight, with the exception of a few vacations, I was unstoppable. I journaled every bite. I always kept within my point range (at the time, it was Winning Points, which is a lot like Flex and I'm sure many other future and former versions) and I lost every week. I became a Lifetime member, and have continued to weigh in monthly, maintaining at or below my WW goal weight since 2003, putting my program on hold during my second pregnancy and returning to my goal weight soon after.

The big secret here - my Weight Watchers goal is not my personal goal. It's a number I picked where I thought I could maintain even on the worst days. Since having my second child, my weight has been closer to that pretend goal weight and not my actual goal weight and I've decided to do something about it.

It is hard to make losing weight/staying fit/making lifestyle changes the biggest priority when you've got a lot going on in your life. I'm not saying it can't be done, but at least for me, the busier I am, the more likely I am to eat what my kids are eating, rely on takeout food, or (gasp!) stop trying altogether.

Now that I've joined Jen and Kristi in this blog, I'm going to write a lot about the foods I eat that make this kind of lifestyle realistic for me. You're going to see my food journals and recipes - I happen to find it fascinating to learn their how people allot their daily point budget, always hoping to find delicious and filling meals, snacks and treats that will help me to eat and live well. Maybe you'll share yours, too.

Now, my dietary caveats: I don't eat pork or shellfish for religious reasons. I avoid red meat, processed/refined sugars and dairy because they don't agree with me. I don't use artificial sweeteners or heavily processed products if I can help it.

With all that introduction, please enjoy my impossibly low point Turkey Meatloaf.

This my variation of the Old Fashioned Meatloaf recipe off of the Quaker Oats box, adapted from a posting off the Weight Watchers online message boards.

1 1/4 pound lean (99% fat free) ground turkey
3/4 cup oatmeal (not instant)
1/4 cup chopped onion*
1/2 teaspoon salt*
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 cup tomato sauce
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350. In a small skillet, cook the onions over medium heat until just translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Squish the ingredients together in a medium size bowl with your hands (a great way to involve children with freshly washed hands). Transfer mix to a loaf pan and bake for approximately 45 minutes or until cooked through.

Makes 8 servings, 2 points per serving.

* The original recipe calls for 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, but given the salt in the tomato sauce, it is overwhelming, so I've dropped it to 1/2 tsp.

Before baking, I top my meatloaf with ketchup or a combination of ketchup and barbeque sauce, depending on what I have in the refrigerator. I'm sure this changes the points value slightly.

Now I'm going to scour this thread on chowhound.com for some more ideas.

This Is The Kind of Husband I Have

2008-01-29T14:09:00.000-08:00

This is the kind of husband I have---I have the kind of husband that will make himself a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch, the yummy kind with the really bad for you American cheese and lots of butter, and then he'll cut it in half, eat only half, and leave the other half lying on the cutting board.

All day.

Staring me in the face. All day.

I walked by it multiple times. I even pulled some cooked, but cold, green beans out of the fridge, stood right next to the sandwich half, and munched on my green beans.

Yeah. I did.

But I'm wondering. Who eats only half of a grilled cheese? I'd eat my whole sandwich and then the leftovers the kids didn't eat. I'd even eat the pieces that accidentally dropped on the floor and wouldn't give a hoot about no 5 second rule. I'd eat a double decker grilled cheese. I'd eat enough for you, me, and the guy next door.

My husband is the kind of guy who eats only half.

And leaves the other half lying on the cutting board all day.

Maybe he should try living on 20 Weight Watchers Points a Day. Just for fun, y'know?