Saturday Weigh-In

The scale finally moved!!!! After three weeks of being the same thing, the scale finally gave in and moved again!!! Woohoo!

As of this morning, I lost another 3 lbs this week! Woohoo! that makes it 65 lbs lost overall! I am so excited.

I was truly beginning to wonder if I wasn't going to lose anymore. And I am proud of me for not giving up, for not getting depressed for not letting it get me down.

65 POUNDS LADIES! WWWWWOOOOOHHOOOOOO!!!! YIIPPEEEEEE!!

Friday Five

1. Miracle of miracles, I made a supper that Little Princess, Prince Charming and all ate. And it wasn't something like hamburgers or pizza. I made a lean roast and barley with squash, onions and peppers. She ate the roast and picked out the squash and ate it. I have to find new recipes for barley. She didn't care for the barley but I don't care! she ate supper and it was healthy! Woohoo!
   
   Barley and Squash
   
   1/2 squash cubed
   1 onion chopped
   1 pepper chopped
   1 cup barley
   2 cups chicken broth
   Poultry Seasoning
   
   Cook first three ingredients in Pam coated pan for about 3 minutes. Add Barley and cook an additional 3 minutes. Add chicken broth, seasoning and salt and pepper. Cook for about 30 - 35 minutes. I added additional bullion for extra flavoring. Yummy!
   
   
2. I made the best snack last night.
   
   Chocolate Oatmeal Pancakes
   
   1/2 cup oatmeal
   1 tsp baking powder
   6 heaping tsp splenda
   1/4 cup ff plain yogurt
   1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce.
   1 egg
   
   Combine ingredients and cook like pancakes. Flip when browned on one side. Cooks very fast. Quick snack to make.
3. I have been feeling really good about myself lately. Thanks to Prince Charming I am feeling confident and sexy. And I love how this feels. I have never felt this way.
4. I found some special lingerie that I bought when I got married that I haven't been able to wear in years. You should have seen the look on Prince Charmings face when I tried it on.
5. Prince Charming is getting a kick out of all the new grains we are trying. Every day he goes to school and tells his classmate what I am feeding him. LOL. It is really funny to me that he is so amused.

Thursday Thirteen--Things I've learned

Thirteen Things TC has learned from this weightloss journey It is possible to go a full week without chocolate without killing Prince Charming. I can indeed survive without sugar and cookies While rstaurants have way too few healthy options, it is possible to be healthy while eating out. Learning about eating and diets and food choices can be fun, if you have a positive attitude. Prince Charming is an amazing man who can be endlessly supportive while enduring endless experiments with new foods. Little Princess can be somewhat less accomodating. Simple dessert: 1 pear, chopped (or other fruit) 1/4 cup fat free unsweetened yogurt 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce 1 tsp splenda (or to taste). mix together. very tasty treat. Orange Chicken: 1 can campbells tomato soup 1 can diet orange crush skinless chicken combine first two ingredients. roast chicken. Once chicken starts to brown, pour mixture over chicken and cook until it starts to thicken. (about 1/2 hour). Very tasty sauce. Italian Couscous: 1 cup couscous 1 1/2 cups chicken broth tomatoes zucchini onions mushrooms corn cook vegetables in medium saucepan. Add chicken broth and bring to rolling boil. Add couscous and remove from heat. let sit for five minutes then fluff with fork. I would experiment with seasonings to taste. I think that taco seasons, garlic powder, onion powder or others would be really good in this. Tastes really yummy with orange chicken. There are a lot of amazing foods out there that I have yet to experience. Eating healthy is worth the commitment to myself. Even if my weightloss plateaus, I am so much healthier and happier this way that if the scales never moved again, i would be pleased with how far I have come. I would love to be able to have plastic surgery to fix the tummy stretch I have from having my daughter. I like skinned chicken thighs better than frozen skinless chicken breasts. A store will immediately run out of something healthy as soon as I discover they sell it and I like it. Veggie Ground round tastes just like ground meat in everything I have tried it in. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I'll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. ItÂ’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Weightloss Wednesday--Eating out

I am feeling pretty good. Enjoying the change of pace with Core and all the new things I am learning. I love that this has so much fibre and that I am never hungry.

I don't know about you guys, but eating out is so hard for me now that I am losing weight. It is hard to find the right things and not to go off-plan. Here are some tips I found that help me:

Top 6 Eating Out Tips
How to stay slim, even when you're not cooking

1. Have a snack beforehand: Going to a restaurant on an empty stomach is a recipe for disaster. Eat a small piece of low-fat cheese or a few whole wheat crackers before heading out the door, and you'll find it's far easier to make wise choices once you're looking at a big menu.

2. Don't go out for drinks on an empty stomach: One drink will make you hungry, and you will probably eat the first thing that you see.

3. Delay the bread: Ask for the bread basket to be brought to the table with the main course. This will keep you from nibbling while you wait for your order.

4. Order wisely: Instead of an appetizer and main course, opt for smaller portions by ordering two appetizers instead. Plan to share an entr?e with your dining companion. Likewise, order one dessert and share it with the table. And when at fast-food restaurants, opt for the salads or grilled meat or fish. Ask for salad dressing on the side. Dip the salad into the dressing or spoon a tablespoon of it over the salad.

5. Start with a doggie bag: Often restaurant portions are so huge, it's easy to feel satisfied even if you only eat half of what is served. Ask for the doggie bag to arrive when your dinner is served so you can set some of your meal aside.

New things

I read this article yesterday that said that when you start a new diet, don't try a bunch of new things right away because if you don't like them, you won't stick to your diet. Is that true for you?

See for me, the opposite is true. I love taking the opportunity of a new diet to try all the new things that this diet includes. I changed to Core. Core limits some things like rice, pasta, and potatoes to one serving a day before counting the rest towards your 35 Weekly Allotted Points. However there are a lot of things you can eat to satisfaction. So I am having so much fun experimenting and trying new things. I tried polenta last night. I still have a few kinks to work out but it was actually really good.

Yesterday, I was really craving something sweet and starchy like cookies or peanut butter and jelly bread. I knew I could use my WAP to get some, but I decided to see what I could do that would be on my list. So, I experimented. I made a kind of oatcake in my frying pan that was really really good. Again, I will change a few things next time to perfect the recipe but with a little splenda in the recipe, it was exactly what I wanted. It satisfied me. I love the feeling of discovering new healthy and interesting foods to eat. It is fun for me. It makes this whole weightloss journey more fun for me.

A brand new week

Well it is Monday again. it is raining and drizzly and I left my laundry on the line so now I have wet clothes out there. YUCK!

I am feeling pretty good. I feel motivated and happy and confident that I will do this. I made Quinoa last night and I really liked it. I tried toasting it first before I cooked it and it gave it a really nice nutty flavor. Even Prince Charming liked it. I made Diet Coke chicken last night. It was good but I am going to make a few alterations when i make it again.

One more change I am making to my eating habits is that after about 8 oclock anything I eat has to be a fruit or a veggie. Something small and yummy. No big things eaten right before bed whether they are core or not.

Food for Monday

• pear
• 2 coffee
• egg omelet: 2 eggs, mushroom, zucchini, fat free cheese
• core chili
• fat free sour cream & soy cheese
• crystal light
• lettuce
• core oat cakes
• polenta
• tomato sauce with veggie ground beef
• 5 points WAP--ice cream
• pear
• Total WAP for week 5 points

A thought

While watching the Biggest Loser the other night, I found it interesting that when the Blue team lost the challenge and they were getting ready to eat, Bob had them work out instead. His reasoning was that whenever you're down you turn to food so he was trying to change the focus.

That was a great idea! I mean whenever I feel upset the first thing I do is head for something that makes me feel better and usually it involves, chocolate. And, if you think about it exercise makes you feel good. If I could train myself to think like that, wouldn't that make more sense then food?

So that even if it's a 5 minute quick walk, stretch anything. Just change the way your thinking works so that when you are stressed you are longing to get out there and burn a little energy off.

I had a bad day yesterday foodwise. With the company coming and the birthday party I didn't eat right. I didn't eat lunch and supper. I had birthday cake, timbits, cookies and hotdogs. Miraculously when I got up this morning, I decided to check the damage, and i wasn't up. But I am back at it and being really good again.

Food for Sunday:

• Egg omelet: two eggs, zucchini, mushroom, tomatoe, onion, ff cheese
• coffee
• crystal light
• 1 slice of pear
• Salad: mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, salmon, ff cottage cheese, ff dressing
• Diet cola chicken
• Quinoa
• pear with ff plain yogurt

looks like I've hit a plateau

I am stuck AGAIN at 193 lbs. I seem to be stuck here as this is my third week at 193. Oh well, I have only been doing Core for a couple of days so maybe next week I will see a change. I would really like to get down to my goal but I guess after losing so much, it gets harder.

As for today, I've got some things planned. I am taking Little Princess to a birthday Party. We have some freinds coming over for supper. So a few things to get through without falling off the wagon.

So here is what I am going to do about my weight loss plateau:

1. Give it some time. I have just made some changes in the last couple of days and we will see how that effects my weight.
2. Drink more water. I am not drinking enough and that could be effecting my weight as well.
3. Buy more fruit. That gives me something quick to snack on when I am hungry.
4. Concentrate on eating a good breakfast in the mornings. I sometimes don't eat until 1 pm these days. When I was losing weight, I ate a good breakfast every morning. I need to return to that.
5. Follow the 8 healthy guidelines.

Motivation Picture

I need something to remind me of how far I have come. I can't let one day at the gym get me down. So here it is, my choice for motivation:

This is my best friend and I when she visited for Christmas :
And this is my best friend and I when she was here last month.

Food for Friday

• 1 glass milk
• 1/2 cup oats, 1 cup fat free plain yogurt, splenda, applesauce
• eggs, mushroom, onion, tomato, zuchinni, fat free cheese
• coffee
• 1 pear with 1/4 cup fat free yogurt
• 1 veggie burger
• mushrooms, onions, zucchini
• 1 salad (lettuce, tomato, mushroom, cottage cheese, fat free dressing)
• 1 cup crystal light.

Gym Jam

so, I went to the gym today and got my measurements. I was so disappointed, I almost cried. Instead, I just left and went shopping instead. I was too depressed to exercise. Their scales don't even show the loss my scales do. And, while I lost 2 inches off of my chest, my waist and hips stayed the same and my arms and legs went UP!!!!!!! My arms and legs are firm and are showing definition but I didn't want them to go up. I feel like I wasted all that time sweating and working my butt off, only to not lose the butt.

I did try shopping therapy as opposed to eating therapy which the old me would have walked out and stopped right in at the pizza place next to the gym. I did try on clothes and found out that I have dropped another size. I was wearing size 12/13 which thrills me considering I started at size 22/24.

I guess it is a good thing that I am leaving the gym and doing what was working for me before. Exercise and diet at home. I am really enjoying the change in my eating habits that CORE has brought. I tried Couscous yesterday and LOVED it. I have yet to try Quinoa but I'll bet I like it too.

For those of you who wondered this is what I know about Quinoa.

Quinoa is a species of goosefoot (Chenopodium) grown as a crop primarily for its edible seeds. Considered to be a grain crop, it is a pseudocereal rather than a true cereal, as it is not a grass. Its leaves are also eaten as a leaf vegetable, much like amaranth, but the commercial availability of quinoa greens is currently limited.

In contemporary times this crop has come to be highly appreciated for its nutritional value, and the United Nations has classified it as a supercrop for its very high protein content (12-18%). Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete foodstuff. This means it takes less quinoa protein to meet one's needs than wheat protein. It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is also gluten free and considered easy to digest. Because of all these characteristics, quinoa is being considered as a possible crop in NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long duration manned spaceflights.

Food for Thursday

• apple
• pear
• diet Dr. Pepper
• mushroom, onion, tomato
• eggs
• soy cheese
• coffee
• Salad with ff cottage cheese (lettuce, nave beans, tomatoe, mushroom, ff Italian dressing)
• Veggie Chili
• Fat Free Sour Cream
• Milk
• ff yogurt (with splenda)
• unsweetened apple sauce
• pear
• coffee

Thursday Thirteen--Groceries

Thirteen Things TC bought today because she is starting WW CORE I am still working out how CORE works so if anyone has any advice or information to share I would love it. I am joining WW itself in two weeks when we get paid again. Plain, Fat Free, unsweetened yogurt Pears Apples Squash turnips zucchini Quinoa Couscous Cornmeal Whole Wheat Pasta Splenda Veggie Burgers Frozen Veggies (LOTS) Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! Leave a comment and I will link your Thursday Thirteen here. The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. ItÂ’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted! View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Weight Loss Wednesday

I have some money concerns and I am considering letting my gym membership go for a while. While I LOVE going to the gym, I can still exercise without a gym. The cool thing about my gym is that when financial troubles ease up I can rejoin for a week, 2 weeks, a month, 6 months or a year, whichever I prefer. And including the gym fees and the fares to get to the gym all the time, it will be cheaper for me to let the membership go and then actually really join Weight Watchers in a couple of weeks. This would get me the meetings, weigh-ins and encouragement.

For Weightloss Wednesday, I figured I would include this article I found that talks about why people overeat. I have to say that without my diet to keep me balanced, I would still overeat. That little mechanism that tells me to stop is broke. I need a diet to help me. And maybe articles like this one will help me understand why I eat the way I do sometimes.
________________________________________________________

5 Reasons Why People Overeat
by Gidon Gabbay, TheSoko.com

Here's the scoop on why it seems impossible to stick to that pesky 'suggested serving' size, and some tips on what you can do to break the cycles that lead to overeating.

The Boob Tube

You're watching your favorite TV show, and along comes a commercial for a sizzling, juicy burger from your local fast food provider. Suddenly your mouth starts to water. You realize the last time you ate was six hours ago and you've got nothing in the fridge for dinner. Big Mac anyone?

Not surprisingly, advertising can have an impact on our food choices and what we crave. Many commercials entice us with high-calorie foods, convenience items and super sized portions.
______________________
Break the Cycle_________

Watch less TV. Instead of taking in the newest reality show, take a walk or read a book. If you simply have to watch something, rent Super Size Me, a documentary about what fast food can do to your body. It should help stave off those cravings.

Whenever you do watch a commercial, think about what it really is: a slick product promotion designed to get you to eat something you shouldn't. Better yet, distract yourself during commercial breaks by doing some stretches. They'll lessen the tightening effects of the couch potato position.

Aspartame Overload

If you think that artificially sweetened foods like diet pop and calorie-reduced cookies and candies are the answer to your sugar cravings, think again.

People who consume artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, are not necessarily skinnier than people who don't. Artificially sweetened foods have less sugar, but that doesn't mean they have fewer calories. It's easy to eat larger quantities of these foods guilt-free, but in the end you can consume more calories.
______________________
Break the Cycle_________

Don't use the fact that your food contains less sugar as an excuse to eat more. Better yet, stick with whole, unprocessed foods.

Stress

When you're stressed over a prolonged period of time, your body releases a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol makes you feel like eating.
______________________
Break the Cycle_________

Identify your stressors and take the steps necessary to alleviate them. If your problems are out of your control, consider seeking professional help.

Determine when your cravings are likely to strike and make sure you have healthy options such as almonds, carrots, or strawberries available so you don't have to resort to a vending machine. Even a piece of dark chocolate consumed around mid-afternoon can help improve your mood and doesn't contain an exorbitant amount of calories.

Don't forget that exercise is one of the best outlets for stress. Meditation or other mind calming exercises will help you de-stress as well.

Large Portion Sizes

We often feel compelled to eat what is served to us, even if the portion is larger than what we need to eat to feel satisfied. In general, serving sizes have become bigger over the years.
______________________
Break the Cycle_________

Some people suggest ordering from the kids' menu when at a restaurant, but I find that most kids' menu options aren't very healthy - for kids or adults.

Try ordering a couple of healthy appetizers, or share a main course meal with whomever you're dining. That way neither of you will feel guilty about eating too much. If that's not an option, have the waiter clear half your plate and put it in a doggie bag before it's brought to your table.

Not Enough Roughage

Sadly, most of us don't come close to eating the recommended 25-30 grams of fiber that our body needs every day. Fiber-rich foods can help make you feel full.
______________________
Break the Cycle_________

Eat more high-fiber foods such as whole grains, fruits, legumes, vegetables, and nuts. Look for ways to sneak fiber into your diet, such as adding flaxseed into your cereal or mixing vegetables into your whole-wheat pasta.

_____________________________
quality over quantity

Overeating is related to our culture of excess - excessive stress, excessive poor food choices, and excessive portion sizes. This mentality doesn't satisfy us; it leads us to indulge even more.

Strive to achieve satisfaction in all aspects of your life, and take a moderate approach to eating.

________________________________________________________

Core Foods for Wednesday

• Core veggies and soy cheese omelet
• fresh tomatoes
• 1 WAP--yogurt
• 1 cookie
• 1 banana
• 1 yogurt
• coffee
• chicken breasts with soya sauce, chicken broth and splenda (yummy)
• zuchinni and mushrooms
• couscous cooked in chicken broth
• apple
• pear

1 1/2 points-- WAP

Tuesday Tips

I am doing good today. I am planning on trying Core after I get groceries tomorrow. I am doing it the best I can with what I have today but after tomorrow I will be better prepared to give it an honest go. I did extra time on the treadmill yesterday. My legs were sore but I loved it! If I could have anything I think I would own my own treadmill. I was supposed to go to do my strength training today but Little Princess is home sick with a cold. Hopefully after Prince Charming comes home from school. If not, tomorrow I will do both cardio and strength training before getting groceries.
_______________________________________________

Tuesday Tips

1. Build "treats" into your plan; whether it's popcorn, SF/FF pudding, smoothies, fruit, etc. so you don't feel you're missing out.

2. If you do "mess up" or take a day off, get right back OP. Don't stress yourself over it. We're all human and we're going to make mistakes.

3. Learn to look at the big picture. Maybe you're not eating and exercising as perfectly as you want, but compare what you're doing now to what you were doing & it's motivating.

4. Eat a wide variety of foods every day. That way you will not get bored, and you will take in more nutrients. Also you will find that you will be less likely to crave things that are unhealthy. Try to get in at least your minimum amount of fruits and vegetables every day. Also try to have at least 3 servings of a high calcium food

5. Don't be in a big hurry. You didn't gain weight overnight, and it won't come off overnight. Count it as a success if your weight goes down, no matter how slowly.

6. The sugarmonster WILL die if you stop feeding him

My favorite WW cliches'

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail:
Have healthy snacks and meals planned, shop for the ingredients, then make them! It doesn't do anyone any good to have rotting veggies in their crisper.

There is no failure, only feed back:
If you have an occasion that doesn't go as planned, learn from it and plan better next time.

Be aware!
If you are going to be in a environment that isn't WW friendly, be prepared. Take something you know you can have without guilt, or plan to use your WPAs and enjoy yourself.

Read your materials. I don't mean just look them over. Read them, understand them, ask questions if things are confusing. If you attend meetings, ask a leader. If you think you leader is clueless, ask her to call someone who knows. Use common sense.
_______________________________________________

Monday Beginnings

Before I get to the real post, I need to thank you guys. You have no idea how much your support meant to me when I was having a rough time. I am touched by your help, your hints, your advice and your concern. Thank you guys.

So, I am thinking I need a change. I need a break from counting points for a while. And I would like to make things for supper that both Prince Charming and I will eat. Who knows maybe he will be able to lose a little too. So, I am thinking of changing to WW Core. At least for a while. I am going to be getting groceries on Wednesday and the plan is to take my Core list with me and just get things off that list for the most part. I think it could be nice to change it up.

Another change I am making is I am changing my workouts so that I am doing more cardio and less strength training. The new goal being cardio three times a week and strength training two times a week.

So talk to me. Tell me your thought on it and on me changing. Do you have any tips to share? Do you have any recipes?

Sunday Sillies

Ten New Diets


You've tried Dr. Stillman's Quick Weight Loss Diet, the Sardine Diet, the Grapefruit Diet, and more, but you're still lugging those extra pounds around. What's a food lover to do? Good news! Ten new diets have just arrived on the scene. One of them is bound to do the trick.

1. The Internet Diet. You lose weight because you're so addicted to being online, you don't eat for days at a time.
2. The Fantasy Diet. You eat a Collard Wrap while fantasizing you're really eating Death by Chocolate.
3. The Play With Your Food Diet. You're so busy making a castle out of your mashed potatoes, you forget to eat them.
4. The Food Chess Diet. You and a friend play chess using food tidbits as chess pieces. You are only allowed to eat when you capture your friend's players. You lose the game and you lose weight.
5. The Rolling Table Diet. You sit on a chair on wheels, trying to eat at a table on wheels. The motorized floor under your table is constantly shifting, so you don't get to eat much, and thus lose weight. (This is similar to The Seasick Diet, but takes place in your own land-lubbing home.)
6. The Fisherperson Diet. A fisherperson holds a pole whose end is attached to a morsel of food in your mouth. Every time your try to bite down on the food, the fisherperson pulls the food away.
7. The Puffed Food Diet. All your favorite foods are re-made in the style of puffed wheat or puffed rice. Your Cheese Ravioli is now mostly air, so you don't gain any weight.
8. The Mock Puffed Food Diet. In this diet, all the foods you like to eat are made of styrofoam, to resemble the Puffed Food Diet. Now you can't eat the food at all. (You try to, and spit it out.) You really lose weight.
9. The Edible Flowers Diet. You are only allowed to eat edible flowers. You get bored with them and eat nothing, thus lose weight.
10. The Love Diet. You munch playfully on your sweetheart's hand. You gain no calories; you lose weight. Your sweetheart loses interest in you because s/he preferred you with love handles

Well I made it through

I didn't go crazy and eat bad stuff. I made it through. I guess I was just feeling emotionally torn up for my friend. I was angry because it isn't fair and I was feeling really raw and emotional. I mean I don't know her all that well but I know that her world has been completely shaken at its foundation right now, she has been devastated and there is nothing I can do to help. And then I feel a little guilty because I didn't know him at all, I don't know her that well what right do I have to be soo upset and rocked by this, you know?

My weigh-in this week is 193 lbs. The same as last week. Oh well it is better than a gain.

Trouble on the horizon

I am in a bad mood. I can feel it. I am grouchy and stressed and I really really want to sit down with takeout and chocolate to make me feel better. Oh boy am I in trouble. I am going to yell at someone or smack someone or eat something really really bad. And weigh in is tomorrow and I can't. Talk me through this guys. It is getting pretty bad over this way. Even Prince Charming asked what was the matter.

Friday Five--Why diets fail

Do you ever wonder why so many people are out there working so hard to lose weight. When I was younger nothing irritated me more than some skinny person telling me, "Whats so hard? Just eat less." . . . I wish I could just look at them and say *insert sarcastic voice here* "Oooooh, so that's what I have to do. Gee I never thought of that. Well, I'll just go drop all this weight tomorrow then". Ugh it is soo frustrating and so hard. And it isn't as easy as just eating less. I don't know anyone who has successfully lost weight who didn't try and fail at losing weight a number of times before finally getting it right and losing the weight. So why do diets fail? What makes the difference? Is there anything we can do that can help us to stay on track? Are there any secrets that these success stories can share with us. I needed to know, so of course, I got out my trusty search engine and went a'googling. This is part of what I found the comments in brackets and italics are mine:

Top 5 reasons diets fail, and how to overcome them

ONE STRIKE, YOU’RE OUT (I have been guilty of this in the past. It is a mistake I am consciously working not to make this time around)

A problem that many challenged dieters experience is falling off the wagon when they make just one diet slip-up. You’ve gone a week without indulging in any fried fast foods, and you break down and go to the local burger joint for some fries and a burger. Then, you figure, since you have already screwed it up, there’s no reason to try to eat well the rest of the day, right? Wrong! That day leads to the next day, the next week, month, etc. It is a vicious cycle. Do not beat yourself up for going off the diet plan once and a while – sometimes you just can’t help but satisfy a craving. We beat ourselves up so much over one mistake that we allow ourselves to believe that all of our efforts to get fit were a waste. Instead of turning a small negative into a huge one, turn it into a positive. If you eat a brownie sundae after lunch, put in some extra time at the gym later, or take a brisk walk after dinner. Nobody is perfect; the important thing is handling your mistakes properly.


EMOTIONAL EATING (I have SUCH a problem with this. When I have problems eating really does make me feel better, but then I work on not letting it be a one strike and you're out thing again)


Overeating to ease emotional stress is a major pitfall for dieters. Many of us may not realize that we were brought up to bury our feelings behind a snack. Think about how many times you have seen a mother console her crying child by offering him a cookie. So many women are used to curling up with a pint of ice cream to soothe the pain of a break-up, or a fight with their significant other. These natural tendencies lead us to make allowances for ourselves when we are going through stressful times. Unfortunately, eating poorly will only lead to more stress, because you will be worried about being overweight and not being able to follow through with your diet. Rather than eating to numb the pain, try exercising, writing in a journal, or calling a friend. If you can stick to your diet in a stressful situation, then you will be able to feel more confident that you will be able to meet your weight-loss goals. Handling stress is an important test of a dieter’s will and determination.


NO MIRACLE RESULTS (In the past, I looked for quick fixes and easy solutions. This time, Ifeel like it took me a lifetime to become this way I am not going to change my whole way of dealing with food overnight. This is a long term battle for me)

We are in a world of quick-fixes and get-rich schemes, so it is no wonder that the weight loss industry makes false promises too. You cannot expect to lose sixty pounds in two months. It just isn’t realistic. Haven’t you noticed the fine print on those weight loss product commercials? The results that they are proudly advertising are not typical! Losing weight is not easy, and you shouldn’t expect it to be. If it was as simple as these ads would lead you to believe, then obesity wouldn’t be such an enormous health problem in the United States. Losing weight is about changing your entire lifestyle. You can’t expect to go from couch potato to super model in little to no time at all. You have to commit yourself to a healthy diet and exercise, and you have to be patient and consistent. Do not set your goals too high. Healthy weight loss should be about one or two pounds per week. Crash diets may be intriguing, but they will not be sustainable, and you will be back at square one, once again. Bottom line: set realistic goals, and don’t expect miracles.


YOU ARE YOUR OWN WORST ENEMY (I have soooo done this. I convinced myself that I was fine big. That I was big-boned and my family was big so it was genetics and that Prince Charming liked me that way so it was okay that I wasn't capable of losing weight. But it wasn't okay and I am capable of it)

There once was a story about a fox that saw a vine of grapes hanging high from a tree. He wanted the grapes very badly, but they were just out of his reach, so he convinced himself that they wouldn’t be so great anyway. Dieters are not very different from that fox. You say that you want nothing more than to get fit and healthy, but once you start doing it, and you get sick of it, you convince yourself that you don’t really care about your weight anyway. You tell yourself that it is hopeless, and that it just doesn’t matter. You would rather be able to eat what you like than be thin. To avoid this pitfall, write yourself a commitment letter when you start a diet. It might sound silly, but it can help you to get centered on your goal when you want to stray from it. Write down the reasons that you want to go on this diet and change your lifestyle, and write down what you commit to doing to achieve your goals (working out at least three days a week, no fast food, etc.).


SICK DAYS ( I still have this problem. When I get out of my routine due to sick days or some other interruption, I have SUCH a problem kicking myself in the butt and getting back at it. This has lead to many a failed diet on my part. But this time, I am NOT giving up. I have come to far)

Sometimes when we fall out of our regular daily routines due to an illness, it can be hard to get back to business when we feeling better. If you have been home in bed with the flu for a week, then you dread going back to the gym, and having to build back up to the level you were at before you got sick. It is okay to take it easy for yourself right after you recover, but you should at least do something to stay physically active and on track with your weight-loss goals, such as taking a jog, or doing some laps in the pool.
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Food for Friday

• 2 points--fat free frankfurters
• 1 points--ww bread
• 0 points--coffee
• 0 points--591 ml diet pepsi
• 1 points--egg whites omelet
• 1 points--ww bread
• 1 points--apple
• 1 points--orange sections
• 1 points--fat free sugar free yogurt
• 4 points--diced white chicken
• 4 points--steamed rice
• 0 points--steamed veggies

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Things TC loves about the changes in her body I love that I now have NO BACK PAIN! None at all. I stopped and thought about it today and I don't remember the last time I had back pain. I love how much less pain I have in general. I started losing weight in the middle of January. Now in the months of November and December I took 200 ibprofen. I had to take them to get through my day. I bought a bottle of 500 pills in January and I still have lots left. I am thrilled. I love that I can fit into regular sized clothing. I get to move out of the plus sized section and back into the cute stuff. I love that I no longer have swollen knees at the end of the day. I love that I no longer have more than the normal number of chins. I love that as I lose weight, I start to see more of my daughter's face in mine. I love that there is room for us to lie side by side on the couch and cuddle now. I love that I can see my ribs now. I love how that I can see definition when I flex my arms. I love that I am not exhausted after a day of housework. I love that my stomach is better. I have less food issues. I love that my husband is noticing and telling me how sexy I look. I love that I can look at my body and be proud. I don't hide from pictures anymore. Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! Lindsay Vicky Southern Girl Miss Britt Margaret Raggedy Janet Samantha_K Knitting Maniac MysteriousLady Colleen Barb Kelli Nadiah Alwi ...my 2 cents Caylynn Mama Duck Lazy Daisy 3treasures Amy lrlwreath Jersey Girl JO Chaotic Mom bernie Leave a comment and I will link your Thursday Thirteen here. The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted! View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Food for Thursday:

• 1 points--egg whites scrambled with salsa
• 1 points--ww bread
• 2 points--low fat granola bar
• 1 points--fruit bar
• 1 points--veggie chili
• 2 points--fat free frankfurters
• 1 points--fruit
• 1 points--ww bread
• 0 points--coffee
• 0 points--crystal light
• 2 points--chicken
• 4 points--rice
• 0 points-steamed veggies
• 1 points--fruit
• 1 points--fat free sugar free yogurt
• 2 points--granola bar
• 2 points--smart pop popcorn

Weightloss Wednesday--Buying Jeans

Do you remember the last time you went to buy jeans? Do you remember what a horrible ordeal that was. I do. These ones are okay, but my butt looks like the side of a barn. These ones are alright but the legs are five miles too long and they have those hideously humungous pockets on the butt. And then after you put them on, you look into the mirror and the nightmares really start.

I look at girls in jeans and I think to myself, "See her, I want to have jeans like hers. I want to look like that." But when I try on jeans like that, I don't have enough butt to fill them out. Let me tell you a little secret, I was born deformed. I am one of the buttless people. Even when I was at 254 lbs, I still had no butt. I was fat, but I had no butt. Now gets to be fat and buttless. That's just not fair.

Anyway, the point of this little detour is that, I was given an interesting article, "Jeans for Every Body" that gives some pretty good hints at how to get jeans that rock on every body type. I figure anything that makes a trip to the change rooms less of a nightmare is a good idea in my books.

So after reading the information. If I have it right, I need relaxed fit jeans, with straight bootcut legs, with 2 % stretch, that don't gap and have big pockets with flaps. Hmmm . . . . That shouldn't be too hard to find. LOL. I told you I was hard to buy jeans for. Here are some of the things I learned:

• Full Figures
  What to Avoid: High-waisted and tapered jeans are not your friends.
  What to Look For: Relaxed fit jeans that sit below your waist will create an hourglass shape.
• Boyish Figures
  What to Avoid: Baggy jeans will swallow up a straight figure.
  What to Look For: Jeans that sit at your waist and taper in the legs will create volume and curves.
• Apple Shapes
  What to Avoid: Low-rise jeans will only create spilling over the waistband.
  What to Look For: Straight leg jeans that sit at your waist will make your body look more proportional.
• Pear Shapes
  What to Avoid: Jeans that taper will make your hips look wider.
  What to Look For: Straight or wide-leg jeans that sit just above the hip line will give your body more balance, she says.
• Short Legs
  What to Avoid: Trudging around in superlong jeans looks sloppy.
  What to Look For: Boot cut or flared jeans will lengthen your legs and maintain some flare after being shortened.
• Long Legs
  What to Avoid: Jeans with too short a rise or inseam will make you look awkward.
  What to Look For: Tapered jeans accentuate long legs, so you're the perfect candidate for the ultra-trendy skinny jeans.
• Curvy Figures
  What to Avoid: High-waistbands will make you look unevenly proportioned.
  What to Look For: Jeans with at least 2 percent stretch in a trouser style or straight leg will showcase your curves.
• What's a Good Fit?
  ▪ When you bend over, your jeans shouldn't gap in the back.
  ▪ They shouldn't be baggy in the crotch or in the rear.
  ▪ There shouldn't be lines (pulling) across the crotch area.
  ▪ Side seams should be straight. If they curve, your jeans are too tight.
  ▪ You should feel comfortable in them both sitting and standing.
• Pocket Rules
  ▪ Generally, jeans with large pockets will make your rear appear smaller and smaller pockets will increase the size of your backside.
  ▪ To emphasize a stellar bottom or give a boost to a flat one, choose pockets with flaps, which will give your butt a lift.

Food for Wednesday:

• 0 points--coffee
• 2 points--egg white omelet
• 1 points--ff frankfurter
• 1 points--ww bread
• 1 points--fruit
• 2 points--chicken soup
• 1 points--fat free sugar free yogurt
• 2 points--granola bar
• 5 points--veggie burgers
• 2 points--ww bread
• 0 points--mixed veggies
• 0 points--salsa
• 2 points--fruit
• 1 points--fat free sugar free yogurt
• 2 points--smart pop popcorn
• 2 points--granola bar
• 24 points--total for Wednesday

My Blogiversary

I am celebrating my blogiversary on "After The Glass Slipper" Come on over and celebrate with me. You can read about some of the past year as well!

Epiphany

While strolling down memory lane and roaming the archives of my blog I had an epiphany. I was reading a kind of amusing post written a year ago about how much pain I was in and how much body must hate me to treat me that way and I realized that I don't feel like that anymore.

I am not in constant pain. My knees only bother me if I do something beyond the normal and normal includes going to the gym. My stomach still has a few issues but it is sooo much better that I rarely even give it a thought. I always thought that weight was not a major contributor to my health issues but it obviously was.

Do you ever stop to notice those days you feel good? I think it truly takes feeling really bad to be truly appreciative of good health. I remember when I was a kid, I developed hives for an entire summer. I had red itchy bumps and it drove me crazy. I remember thinking what kind of heaven it would be to just not feel itchy. Now before I had hives, I didn't think the simple act of being not itchy would be considered heaven. After the hives were gone, I could really understand how good that simple luxury could be.

It is the same now, in the past, I would never have known how good it feels to be able to sleep a full night without waking up with back pain. I would never have known what it was like to spend the day shopping and not come home with swollen knees. I would never have known what it was like to go for days without serious issues with my stomach. Now I do.

Now I just need to keep remembering how good it feels to just feel good.

Food for Tuesday

• 4 points--ff frankfurters
• 0 points--salsa
• 1 points--fat free sugar free yogurt
• 1 points--fruit cup
• 0 points--coffee
• 1 points--ww bread
• 2 points--peanut butter
• 1 points--jelly
• 5 points--chicken breast
• 0 points--steamed veggies
• 5 points--brown rice
• 2 points--apple and orange
• 1 points--fruit bar
• 0 points--coffee
• 1 points--yogurt
• 24 points--total for Wednesday

Cool News! (2nd post for Monday)

This is really cool. For the second time, I have had people come to my blogs and ask my permission to talk about me on theirs. The first time was on my After the Glass Slipper blog. I had a post about the expectations we have on our husbands. And someone had emailed Andrew McAllister, Ph.D. and asked him if he would write a response to my post. I love that. I think it is really cool.

Here is my post: Reminders
And here is his response: Dr. Andrew McAllister
____________________________________________

And yesterday, Lizzie from http://wltips.com/ was here at this blog and she emailed me to ask if I would mind doing an interview for her website. I am honored. It feels good to know at least a few people read my stuff.

Hey guys, my interview is up! If you want to check it out it is: here
____________________________________________

And today, I am a part of the Carnival of Family Life. Its posted at Snapshot just below her Sept 11th tribute.

Monday Beginnings

As I have said before, Monday feels like the beginnning of the week to me. It feels like a time to take a look at my plan and check to see if it needs to be reevaluated. This way of doing things helps to keep me motivated and on-plan. So this morning I was doing research and I found some tips I thought I would share. The comments in brackets and italics are mine.

The Successful Dieters diet plan includes the following AND the
Unsuccessful Dieter plan does not:

• A diet plan that will fit the dieter's daily routine. When the Successful Dieter finds a diet that they would like to try but it doesn't quite fit their lifestyle, they take time to modify the diet plan. (I truly believe that you have to modify your plan to fit you. The only way a
  diet can work is if you stick to it and you will never stick to it if it is too far from how you live your life)
• Many times, Diet Failure is not the fault of the dieters. Unfortunate circumstances in life may suddenly pop up and it's almost impossible trying to deal with a diet during stressful times. Stress can break a diet plan; no stress can equate to Diet Success. (I do know that times of stress are when I tend to fall off the diet wagon, but for me knowing that I am getting right back on again and not letting a fall be a failure is key)
• Successful dieters almost always have the support of the people they are around - such as family members, co-workers and friends who are respectful and helpful because they want the dieter to succeed. (Prince Charming as been wonderful in his praise and his support. He is proud of me and what I accomplished. I am so grateful for his support)
• Exercise! It's a must in the Successful Dieter's overall Diet Plan. Yes, you can lose weight without exercise, but you'll lose weight faster with exercise, and you'll also strengthen your body. (I have to admit that in the beginning, I exercised quite a bit, but at around the 35 lbs
  mark, I slacked off. The weight came off, but slower and I lost another 20 lbs hardly
  exercising at all. But I am back on the exercise wagon now and feeling really good and energized.)
• Successful Dieters always have a backup plan in place for those tempting moments when they would like to 'just quit' their diet plan NOW. A backup plan fights off a binge, gives the dieter self-esteem for not quitting their diet, and makes those weight loss goals a step closer away! (I am not sure what backup plan I have. I guess, I keep snacks in the house that satisfy
  my cravings without going off plan. Instead of chips and chocolate bars, I have smart pop popcorn and low fat granola bars. I keep things to satisfy my sweet tooth around and then I am less likely to go binge on ice cream)

I am off to the gym today. I am looking forward to stretching my muscles and getting all the kinks worked out. One thing I never counted on when I joined the gym was how good it would make me feel. Doing exercise videos in the living room never made me feel this good!

Food for Monday:

• 2 points--granola bar
• 5 points--peanut butter and Jelly whole wheat tortilla
• 0 points--coffee
• 2 points--fat free frankfurters
• 1 points--ww bread
• 0 points--coffee
• 3 points--veggie chili and veggies
• 3 points--fruit and yogurt
• 2 points--peanut butter
• 1 point--jelly
• 1 point--ww bread
• 1 point--fruit bar
• 2 points--lf granola bar
• 2 points--smart pop popcorn
• 25 points--total for Monday

Well that is a first

TOM came today. I am surprised I lost weight yesterday with TOM in consideration. I NEVER do. I am usually happy if I can manage to maintain and then hold on for a loss the following week. Well, I am pleasantly surprised and I will take the loss with a smile.

Oh my I just saw a peak of sun outside. It is has been so long since I have seen a peak of sun in this cloudy drizzly place i was beginning to wonder if it had gone south for the winter. but there it was peaking out at me for a half a second before deciding this is indeed to far north for us to get to enjoy the sun for any length of time.

I am doing good today with my diet. I haven't had any high points items yet. I did celebrate my 61 lbs yesterday by having a chicken burger at Dairy Queen, but I didn't have chips and I didn't have ice cream so I figure I did okay considering it was my high points day anyway.

Saturday Weigh-In

Okay so here is the introduction of my new look! What do you think? I had so much fun learning to do the codes and stuff.

I weighed in this morning and I was 193!!! That means I have lost 61 lbs so far!!! Wooohooo!!! I will update my info on my blog later. I have been hogging the computer for days with updating all the looks for all my blogs! So I have given over computer rights to Prince Charming for a short while anyway! It is only fair after all. he has been most charming about letting me hog all the computer time and has bit his tongue on all the complaints I am sure were lurking in his mind, they would have been in mine!

So anyway, that is my day. I am down another 2 lbs this week. I have a new look for my blog and I am having a free day today. I figure I deserve it. Yay me!

Friday Five--Changes are afoot

Five things about Friday!

1. Little Princess goes to preschool an hour later now! I am thrilled with the extra sleep. woohoo. She is happier too because this gives her a chance to wake up on her own.
2. I just redecorated my main blog or I guess more accurately my every day life blog I started first. I love the new look.
3. I am going to be redecorating this blog too. So stay tuned, it should be interesting!
4. I am excited to weigh in tomorrow. I think I will do okay. And after the start to this week, that is amazing to me.
5. I am getting a new couch in a couple of weeks. Well, a new used couch, but I am still thrilled. You have no idea how uncomfortable my current couch is.

Food for Friday

• 0 points--coffee
• 2 points--granola bar
• 4 points--wendy's small chili
• 0 points--wendy's side salad
• 1 points--fruit
• 1 points--yogurt
• 0 points--coffee
• 2 points--granola bar
• 4 points--chili
• 2 points--tortilla
• 1 points--fat free/sugar free yogurt
• 1 points--apple
• 4 points--peanut butter and jelly
• 2 points--smart pop popcorn
• 1 points--fruit
• 25 points--Total Points for Friday

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Things TC is thinking about today My best friend has a new blog called, It's Notso Bad. She is an amazing person and has lost a LOT of weight! I would love it if you would drop by her blog and say hi! I am feeling much more motivated and back on track again. I did well yesterday with food and I got back to the gym. I am probably going to back today. It just felt so good to be there doing this. I haven't talked to my friend since she left and I am wondering about her. I hate that we are so far apart. I bought this new single serving, 0 point drink you add to your water. It is made with green tea and it is really pretty good. You can taste the green tea but I really liked it. I didn't go on the treadmill yesterday at the gym but I am thinking I will today. I just had too much to do yesterday to wear myself out at the beginning of the day. By 10:30 am, I had been to the gym, gotten groceries, saw Little Princess off to school and gotten Prince Charming off to school too. I still have a frog in my throat but I am much better now, thank goodness. Being sick sucks. I can't wait to watch Big Brother on Thursday. Who do you think will win the HOH? I hope one of the girls. I LOVED Tuesday's episode!!! I love that the girls caught on. Do you think that Will has any genuine feelings for Janelle? I bought Egg whites again, I had bought egg beaters but I don't like the flavor of them that well. I really prefer egg whites more, I can just add stuff to increase the flavor. I can't find any 1 point tortillas anywhere. I keep bringing them home and then figuring out the points and realizing that no matter which ones I bring home, no matter what size, they are always 2 points! The grocery store was out of veggie ground round yesterday! That sucks. I really enjoy that a lot! they also had no salmon burgers, boca products and a couple of other things I wanted. There is a grocery store being renovated around the corner from the one I go to and I am pretty sure I am going to swich once the renovations are done. Get the Thursday Thirteen code here! Leave a comment and I will link your Thursday Thirteen here. The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted! View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Food for thursday

• 5 points--peanut butter and jelly tortilla
• 0 points--coffee
• 1 point--fruit bar
• 5 points--tuna sandwich and veggies with hummus
• 2 points--granola bar
• 4 points--chicken, tomatoes and 0 point veggies
• 2 points--yogurt and fruit
• 2 points--rice crispy square
• 1 points--fruit bar
• 22 points--total for Thursday

Weight Loss Wednesday

I had a rough day yesterday. I think the hardest since I started this whole weightloss journey. I found myself really wanting all the bad stuff and giving in sometimes. It is hard because once I started on the slippery slope to temptation it is just so hard to hold back. I am going to the gym this morning. Lets hope that helps some.

Here are some good low points recipes. Share your too:

• Diet Soda Cake - Point value varies depending on cake mix and how many slices you cut!1 Box of chocolate cake mix. 1 can of Diet Soda - I used Diet Dr. Pepper Add soda to cake mix and stir well, spray cake pan with pam and bake according to back of cake box. Let cool and serve with a scoop of ff coolwhip. Note: you can mix anykind of flavor you have, experiment with flavors!
• Chicken Pot Pie
  1 cup reduced fat Bisquick
  1/2 cup skim milk
  1/4 cup egg substitute
  2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed (any style)
  2 cups cooked, chopped white chicken meat
  2 cans Campbell's fat free (Healthy Request)
  Cream of Mushroom soup
  
  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with Pam.
  
  Mix together vegetables, chicken and soup. Pour into prepared pan.
• Ricotta Cream (also known as) Mock Cheesecake--Take a 1/2 cup of ricotta cheese and add 1 packette of sugar free hot chocolate/cocoa mix and stir for a WONDERFUL chocolate cheesecake substitute! For a "crust", crumble up a graham cracker square and sprinkle in and give a stir.
  
  Also try adding any of the following to the ricotta cheese:
  
  Flavorings and Extracts:
  Lemon, strawberry, orange, almond, etc.
  Instant Coffee (for mocha add with the sf cocoa mix)
  1 tea. Peanut Butter
• Mock Enchilladas --1 Red Sauce and Rice Mexican-style TV Dinner (Smart Ones Chicken Santa Fe, 2 points)
  1 low fat, full size tortilla (3 points)
  1 cup f/f chedar cheese (1 point)
  1 packet of Taco Bell Hot sauce.
  
  Cook tv dinner.
  Cut tortilla in half. Fill the 2 halves with about 3/4 of the tv dinner mix. Roll tortillas and place seam down on a plate.
  Spoon the remaining filling around the edges of the tortillas.
  Top with hot sauce.
  Top with cheese.
  Microwave until cheese is melted (about 30 seconds).
  
  Total points: 6
  
  Served with shredded lettuce (0), salsa (0), and f/f sour cream (1).
  Can also serve with mock-refried beans: blend one can, undrained, pinto beans in blender. Heat. Points are the same as pinto beans.

Food for Wednesday

• 1 points--fruit bar
• 2 points--omelet
• 2 points--tortilla
• 0 points--salsa
• 2 points--rice crispy square
• 0 points--coffee
• 4 points--veggie chili
• 0 points--salsa
• 1 points--ww bread
• 2 points--tortilla
• 2 points--peanut butter
• 1 points--jelly
• 2 points--Smart Pop Popcorn
• 2 points--granola bar
• 21 points--total for Wednesday

Real life begins again

Notsosnowwhite has left again, my little princess has headed off to school and after a few days of not so great eating I am back at real life, with properly counting my points and going to the gym and doing this right. I am doing this for me and no one else. I am a little sad today, it is always a little hard to return to real life after a vacation, somehow the steady flow of every day chores isn't the same as the excitement of company and fun.

I guess to counteract the after summer vacation blues, I should plan my fall. Things I would like to do. Here are some things I would like to do:

1. redecorate my blogs. I think I would like to give them a new look. Any suggestions?
2. buy a new couch, end tables, and book case for the living room
3. get a good start on christmas shopping
4. tell my family how much I love them and how important they are to me
5. plan some good lunches for prince charming to take to school.

Food for Tuesday

• 3.5 points--chocolate (oops)
• 2 points--ww tortilla
• 1.5 points--tuna
• 1 point--hummus
• 0 points--coffee
• 7 points--potatoe chips (oops)
• 4 points--chili
• 4 points--ff frankfurter
• 2 points--fruit and yogurt
• 1 point--ww bread
• 26 points--total for Tuesday

Motivation Monday

Well it is Monday and it is an extra day off for me. That is nice. But, I am back to the regularly schedule life starting tomorrow as Prince Charming starts back to school, Little Princess goes back to Day Care, and my best friend goes back home. In some ways that is easier on my diet, routine works well for me. But I will miss having everyone around. It will be a bit odd.

Prince Charming said something nice yesterday. I was saying that I kinda felt like I should go back to work again so that I can contribute to the house, he said that I take care of things right now more than he does. He said that while he is taking care of our future (by going to school to better himself) I am taking care of our present (by taking care of our house, our bills, our daughter, groceries, etc.) What a sweet thing to say. He said that right now he feels like I contribute more than he does. And when he said that, I told him that if I am taking care of the now and he is taking care of the later than both contributions are equally important. But I love that he appreciates me.

On the diet front, I am looking for a little motivation as things get back to normal. This is what I came up with:

10 motivational tips to keep your diet on course and avoid being tempted by high fat, high calorie foods

1. Plan ahead
If you’re going to a party straight after work, eat something before you go so that you don’t dive into the nearest plate of snacks when you arrive. Go for something filling, such as a sandwich or a bowl of wholegrain cereal with skimmed or semi skimmed milk.

2. Chose wisely
If you haven’t got time to eat before the party, chose your snacks carefully. Breadsticks are a great choice but watch out for those dips. An average portion of houmous contains 6g fat and 90 calories compared with the same amount of taramasalata that has 25g fat and 250 calories.

3. Drink a glass of water
If you haven’t got time to eat and want to resist snacks totally then drink a glass of water to help fill your stomach and keep your hunger at bay.

4. Sugar free gum
Chewing gum tends to stop you from nibbling bits of food while you’re cooking. It might not look very sophisticated when you have guests but it could just save you from overeating, and let you enjoy your meal.

5. Stock up on dried fruits
Dried fruits are low in fat and high in fibre. A good handful also counts as one of your fruit servings for the day.

6. Out of sight, out of mind
Keep temptation at bay when you’re at home. Don’t stock up on high fat snacks such as nuts, crisps or mince pies if you can help it. Otherwise, keep them out of sight or store them in an awkward place so they’re difficult to reach. If other members of your family want them they’ll have to get them down themselves.

7. Watch the alcohol
Although alcohol contains no fat, a small glass of wine can set you back 132 calories. To keep the calorie-count down, try alternating wine with mineral water.

8. Be ruthless
Don’t leave bowls of unfinished snacks lying around chuck them out as soon as your guests have left. Remember a few handfuls of crisps could add up to 25g of fat.

9. Make your own
If you love dips and can’t bear to eat breadsticks naked, why not make your own low fat dips? One of my favourites is a chilli bean dip. Whiz up half a can of red kidney beans with a raw onion, a garlic clove and a red chilli, add a dash of lemon juice and a good pinch each of cumin, dry mustard and salt. A good portion contains just 0.5g of fat.

10. Don’t waste calories
If you really want something then have it. But save your calories for the things you really want and don’t just eat things because they are there. During a meal or buffet only eat the things you really like and make your plate look fuller by piling the veggies high.

Six things for Sunday

1. I am feeling really good this weekend. Right now, I feel smaller. I love this feeling. It makes me feel energized and enthusiastic.
2. We had our treat day yesterday and we didn't even do all that bad points-wise. I am really proud of us.
3. We were outside taking pictures of us dressed up in our medival garb and some guys were whistling at us. We felt really good and beautiful. It was so nice.
4. I feel like right now, I am an attractive person. I am still working to go from 59 lbs lost to 89 lbs lost but I love how I feel and look now.
5. I do feel like I am never going to be able to breath right again. I just can't shake this thing in my lungs.
6. On a non-diet note, I am loving Big Brother and I can't wait to see what will happen next. I love this final four!

Saturday Weigh-In

I am down to 195 lbs! That proves that last weeks 203 lbs was just because I was retaining fluid because I was sick!

I am doing good today, foodwise. I made veggie chili last night and it was really good even if we did only eat half of it!?!

I spent all day yesteday wandering around malls and stuff spending time with my friend, Notsosnowwhite. It was fun and we were really good with our food. I am proud of us. Today we are going to have a few treats, including a medival dinner we are preparing ourselves and getting dressed for that should be fun and I am taking pictures!

She is Here

My best friend is here now. Every time we get together we start out with good intentions and then fail miserably. This time I need it to be different. I am giving us Saturday as a free day. I have my weigh-in in the morning and then we can relax and just have a good day. Don't go hog wild but have fun. Then Sunday right back on plan.

I am thinking I am almost ready to get to the gym, tomorrow we are going to be shopping and stuff, but I would still like to squeeze in a trip to the gym if I can.

She brought me a whole suitcase filled with smaller clothes so that now I have an awesome wardrobe of cool clothes that actually fits. That ROCKS!!! I am loving this.

I am trying to figure out what to make for supper. I had bought turkey burgers until I figured out the points and realized they are 5 points each without the bun. NOT a good enough supper for me. Maybe I will make us a veggie chili or a low point soup. Any ideas?