No progress, Points Plus and McAlister's Spuds

With the  new WW "Points Plus" plan being sent out as a teaser to members the last 2 weeks, my focus has gone haywire. I couldn't get myself to crack down on the last 2 weeks of the regular "points" plan, and the scale reflected it (6 lbs UP). Thanksgiving didn't help... but I think, while telling us a "change" is coming, the random leaking of information, etc made it worse. I lost focus, saying "oh, I will just crack down when the new program kicks off!"

But now, we are officially on the new program. I like it, because it encourages eating *healthy* instead of conveniently/ whatever you want. I mean, I can still have a cookie, but the points are higher. My (brief) understanding of the program is that all fruits and most (non-starchy) veggies are 0 points. The points formula now takes into account fat/fiber/carbs/protein-- it has dropped the value of some foods (like nuts), but raised the values for others (like... chocolate). It's day 3 on the program, and my new mission is to figure out how to eat with being FULL. I know from the research I've done that you are actually eating *less* on this new program- which is probably wise. I mean, those of us on the program got *into* the program from eating too much, right? However, last night- and even now- I feel hungry. I had 2 hard boiled eggs, a banana and an apple at 8:30 this morning. It's almost 11, and my stomach is growling. Same thing last night- I had a chicken breast over romaine lettuce, purple onion, tomato, carrots, 1/4 c. 2% shredded cheese and 2 hard boiled eggs (AWESOME salad, by the way), and I was hungry 1.5 hours later. What gives?

Anyway, today's other challenge is that I'm having lunch at McAlister's with Amy. I just pulled the menu and calculated out the points for what I like there (all options- I don't get this all in one meal!). All of their nutritional information can be found online here.Keep in mind that I have 38 points/day, and that I've already used 10 over breakfast and snacks (28 remaining). Wish me luck....

Basil Parmesean Pizza: 9 points/serving (pizza served is 2 servings)
Cup of Cheesy Chicken Tortilla Soup: 4 points
Cup of Country Vegetable Soup: 2 points
Cup of French Onion Soup: 2 points
Cup of vegetarian chili: 2 points
Basil Parmesean Chicken Salad: 13 points (no dressing)
Caesar Salad with grilled chicken: 19 points
Grilled Chicken Salad: 10 points (no dressing)
Sweet Chipolte Chicken Salad: 11 points (no dressing)
Grilled Chicken Club: 27 points
McAlister's Club: 27 points
New Yorker: 13 points
Orange Cranberry Club: 25 points (my FAVORITE!)
The Veggie sandwich: 13 points
Turkey Melt: 15 points
Chipolte Chicken Wrap: 11 points
Grilled Chicken Caesar Wrap: 15 points
Basil Parmesean Chicken Panini: 17 points
Side of Macaroni and Cheese: 8 points
Grilled Chicken Spud: 14 points
Spud Ole with Veggie Chili: 15 points
Veggie Spud: 15 points

Cracked out Rice Krispie Treats

I love, love, LOVE Hungry Girl. What dieter/ WW doesn't? She had a post earlier this week about how to turn leftover Halloween candy into a wonderful dieters treat. I made her "Cocoa Loco Krispymarshmallow Treats" and have since renamed them as "Cracked-out Rice Krispie Treats" because they are THAT GOOD. I brought some into work to share today, and I *think* I have one left...? The only downside- Fiber One has a weird aftertaste. Not bad, just weird. But, chasing the treat with some coffee (or, *sigh,* some water) works wonders.


Here's the recipe (and the HG link) for those who want to try it- and eat the whole pan. One treat = 2 points. The pan makes 15 treats. You do the math...

Cocoa Loco Krispymallow Treats (a.k.a "Cracked Out Rice Krispie Treats")
 PER SERVING (1 treat, about 3" X 2.5"): 122 calories, 2.75g fat, 99mg sodium, 25.5g carbs, 3.5g fiber, 12g sugars, 1.5g protein -- POINTS® value 2*


Ingredients:3 tbsp. light whipped butter or light buttery spread (like Brummel & Brown)
3 cups mini marshmallows
3 cups Chocolate Cheerios cereal
3 cups puffed wheat cereal
1 1/2 cups Fiber One bran cereal (original)
One 1.53-oz. package Reese's Pieces candy, lightly crushed
One 1.69-oz. package Milk Chocolate M&M's candy, lightly crushed

Directions:
Spray a 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. (Despite use of the pan, you won't actually be baking.) Set aside.

Place butter in a large pot/saucepan on the stove, and set heat to low. Once butter has melted, add marshmallows and stir until those are completely melted as well. (This may take a while, but it's worth it!) Remove from heat, add all three cereals, and stir gently until thoroughly coated.

Using a spatula sprayed with nonstick spray, press mixture evenly into the baking pan. If needed, lay a sheet of wax paper flat over the mixture, and press until the surface is even; then remove. Sprinkle both types of crushed candy evenly over the top, and press down with the spatula. Let cool completely.

Cut into 15 pieces (each about 3 inches by 2 1/2 inches) and EAT!

MAKES 15 SERVINGS

Support System WIN!

I've been bitchy and whiny about losing my motivation the last 2 weeks. I hit my "first 5 lbs down" mark 2 weeks ago, then the next week, promptly put it back on. THEN, since I was still so demoralized, I dreaded going to WW to weigh in. I lost 4 of the 5 I "regained." All in all, I gained 1 lb over a 2 week span. Not great, but definitely better than I thought. And, since I lost the 4 lbs, I won the Dory (WW class mascot) for the week- it's a good reminder to have on my desk to "just keep swimming."

Thankfully, putting my weight loss struggles in a public forum (here and on FB) has caused a lot of people to be uber supportive of me. Honestly, I don't know how I got so lucky to have such a wonderful group of friends. Kathy (WW leader) saw my post and helped me out when I weighed in, and had the class chime in with ways to get my mojo back. That really helped. Then, when I got to trivia last night, Trish handed me an envelope. Inside the envelope was a list of "30 Mojotastic Reasons 30 by 30 Must Continue!" I laughed my ass off- and it is now on my bulletin board at work (where I tend to have "eating problems") and on my fridge at home. It's just that damn good of a motivator. For example:

#1- Sometimes hitting an all time low can be a positive! Remember the original excitement at weighing less now than you did in high school?

#9- Turkey Trot in Twenty-Three Twenty-Four Turns (I can alliterate too)

#11- It's cheaper. You want to accomplish this before a major birthday. Working out slows the aging process. Have you seen the price of anti-aging creams?

#17- Even if you quit now it is unlikely your co-workers will tell you where they stashed your Oreos.

#23- You may be passing up a Nobel Prize. A dieter who has figured out how to eat in an establishment with sporks? Genius.

#30- You've damn near survived tailgating season. If the Spartans are having a winning season, so should you.

Thank you, Trish, for *totally* making my day.

B-double E- double R- U- N!

I read an article today in the Daily Beast about the 50 healthiest beers you can have- why one would think "healthy" and "beer" at the same time is beyond me, but it's still a helpful guide-- they evaluated "which beers packed the fewest calories and carbohydrates for the most amount of alcoholic punch—the best beers for your buzz." Works for me!

Some of these beers I've never heard of- probably because I would have never thought to stray beyond my Corona Light or Blue Moon. But enjoy the list- while I try to find out which ones on the list are carried at Buddy's Bar and Grill :) Enjoy the list-- nutritional info and brewery info are in the article!

1. IC Light
2. Michelob Ultra
3. Natural Light (EW. OH GROSS.)
4. Budweiser Select
5. Miller Light
6. Select 55 (Bud)
7. Busch Light
8. MGD 64
9. Modelo Especial
10. Milwaulkee's Best Light (BEAST!!)
11. Micehlob Ultra Amber
12. Miller Chill
13. Keystone Ice
14. Corona Light (YAY!)
15. Coors Light
16. Bud Ice
17. Milwaulkee's Best Ice (FROZEN BEAST!)
18. Michelob ULTRA Lime Cactus (How does that even sound appealing?)
19. Icehouse Light
20. Southpaw Light (Lefty beast!)
21.Keystone Light
22. Bud Light
23. Keystone Premium
24. Guinness Foreign Extra Stout (mmmm... meal-in-a-glass!)
25. Leinenkugel's Light
26. Natural Ice (...water?)
27. Yuengling Light
28. Miller High Life Light
29. Grolsch Light Lager
30. Molson XXX
31. Icehouse 5.0
32. Steel Six
33. Olde English 800 7.5%
34. Icehouse 5.5
35. Olde English 800 5.9%
36. Olde English High Gravity 800
37. Mickey's Ice
38. Steel Reserve High Gravity
39. Steel Reserve Triple Export
40. Molson Golden
41. Hamm's Special Light
42. Heinekin Light
43. Magnum Malt Liquor (YESSSS)
44. Mickey's
45. Tyskie
46. Molson Canadian
47. Yuengling Light Lager
48. Redhook IPA
49. Genesee Ice
50. St. Pauli Girl Lager

Off the wagon and ran over

I fell off the WW grid this weekend. Honestly, I hit the 5lb mark and went haywire. I *tried* recording everything... but that failed. And mentally, I *knew* I was going over my  daily points...

It started with the road trip on Saturday with Wendy. It started out well enough- I had cereal and a banana before getting to her house. I packed apples, pretzels, luna bars, and other healthy snacks. Then, we went to Vince and Joe's... It's a fairly healthy Italian market out by my parents. Of course, I ordered a HUGE piece of Spinach Pie (my FAVORITE), but changed my mind- more for budgetary reasons over diet reasons though (it was $7 for the piece!). Wendy walks out with a mini-container of cubed cheese. I should have known right there it was going to go downhill... we then head to the soccer game, where I ate pretzels and- of course- cheese. I figure I ate about... 8oz of cheese? Yeah, that sounds about right. Then, we go grab lunch and we split a piedmontese burger and onion rings from my favorite restaurant in the world- The Red Coat Tavern. Have you had piedmontese beef before? It only has 1.8 grams of fat and 114 calories/ serving. It's nuts - it's just as healthy as a piece of fish. Of course, the onion rings totally knocked out any health benefit I would have had from it... Dinner consisted of snacking at a housewarming party- "snacking" being a full burger, 2 ribs (only 2!), 6-7 tortilla chips with nacho toppings (but not cheese and only 1 spoonful of ground beef), and ice cream.

Sunday wasn't a whole lot better. I was learning to knit with Dana, so as a thank you, I bought pokey sticks to share. Dinner wasn't too bad, but I probably could have done without the quesidilla at Pancheros.

It's a new day. It's time for a new start. Right? I've written everything down today, I plan on going to the gym or taking Daisy for a looooong walk tonight, and I already have a plan for dinner. Planning is half the battle- the other half is getting back on the horse after falling off.

Staying awake without the sugar rush

Lifehacker had an interesting article today about how to maximize your energy levels while eating healthy. The highlights are below:

1. Structure your daily diet like a pyramid (big breakfast, medium lunch, small dinner- snacks throughout)
2. Eat protein early on (eggs, protein shake, yogurt)
3. Eat low  glycemic foods (vegetables, whole grains, meat, milk, nuts, and eggs) for breakfast and early snacking
4. Eat frequently (every 2-3 hours)
5. Stop dehydrating yourself (more water!)
6. Track energy levels (I don't do this because it just feels weird writing down "I'm tired" all of the time)

I thought it was an interesting spin, and I didn't know what a "glycemic" food was or how it would affect me. Makes sense- eating pasta/carbs early on in the day makes you sleepy...

Rediscovering Taco Bell

I remember eating a LOT of Taco Bell growing up. I mean, A LOT. It was cheap and covered in cheese- why wouldn't I? One of my friends/clerks was talking about wanting Taco Bell the other day, and the thought has been in my mind since- I wonder if the Nachos Bel Grande are just as good as I remembered? Ohhh how I missed the chalupas...

So, we go today at lunch after a few errands. Thankfully, my friend is UBER supportive of my weight loss and asked where it was good for *me* to eat on my diet. I remembered 1) that I wanted Taco Bell! 2) that I was on a diet, and 3) Taco Bell has its fresco menu- they take whatever you've ordered and remove the cheese and sour cream, and put pico de gaillo on it instead. I figured that, its still cheap, and it can't be that bad, right?

I was TOTALLY impressed. Not a phrase you normally hear after hearing "Taco Bell", but wow. I got 2 fresco hard shell tacos (3 points each), the pintos without cheese/with pico (2) points for a fast, filling, and nostalgic 8 point lunch. That's about what I would have spent point wise on the lunch I had packed, and to top it off, I got a large diet Mt. Dew (DIET DEW! WIN!) -- all for $5. Plus, they have gourmet sauces now- a fire-roasted boarder salsa and a salsa verde. Both VERY good and no points (and they still have their traditional mild, hot and fire sauces).

This was a great break from the normal diet fast food of Wendys and Subway. And, let's face it. Taco Bell has sporks. Any place with sporks gets a gold star in my book.

Runnin' Down a Dream

My God, I forgot how hard it is to run sometimes. I've found that, over the last month or so, I've made excuse after excuse to *not* run- I'll bike, I'll walk Daisy, I'll do anything BUT run. And I started to miss it. Last week, Bria asked me if we were going to do the Turkey Trot in Detroit again this year. It started out that we were going to run the 10K, but, after being honest with myself, I'm not ready for that. I've practically given up training for the last month! So, we decided to do the 5K again this year. Today, it hits- I'm not ready. I can barely run a half mile without passing out. I've never *been* a runner before. Sure, I've done the 5Ks before, and at "ok" times, but I was prepared for those. Not so much now.

I pulled up a training schedule from Hal Higdon, per a suggestion from a co-worker (and from some friends last time I started prepping for the 5K). I posted it below, more so my friends can ride me on the schedule and make sure I actually did what it says to do.

Day 1- rest. Check. Day 2: run 1.5 miles. Riiiiight. Today's personal goal- don't fall off the treadmill. I'm happy to report that I did the 1.5 miles in about 14 minutes, with only taking 3- 30 minute walk breaks. PROGRESS! 

Please, please PLEASE ask me how my training is going, if I did the run, if I set a good pace. I need to be held accountable, or this program will last 2 weeks. Ugh.
Training for your first 5-K

Week	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
1	Rest or run/walk	1.5 m run	Rest or run/walk	1.5 m run	Rest	1.5 m run	30- 60 min walk
2	Rest or run/walk	1.75 m run	Rest or run/walk	1.5 m run	Rest	1.75 m run	35-60 min walk
3	Rest or run/walk	2 mi run	Rest or run/walk	1.5 m run	Rest	2 MI run	40-60 min walk
4	Rest or run/walk	2.25 m run	Rest or run/walk	1.5 m run	Rest	2.25 m run	45-60 min walk
5	Rest or run/walk	2.5 m run	Rest or run/walk	2 m run	Rest	2.5 m run	50-60 min walk
6	Rest or run/walk	2.75 m run	Rest or run/walk	2 m run	Rest	2.75 m run	55-60 min walk
7	Rest or run/walk	3 m run	Rest or run/walk	2 m run	Rest	3 m run	60 min walk
8	Rest or run/walk	3 m run	Rest or run/walk	2 m run	Rest	Rest	5-K Race

Healthy Lunches

Back in 2009, Joe, Andrea, Eric and I started making healthy lunches to share during our weight loss competition. Every Monday, one of us would bring in a healthy lunch for the group. Sure, we've had our share of "I forgot- let's go to Panera" moments, but for the most part, we had awesome food. Fast forward 18 months later, and we're still going (minus a break for the summer months). The office newsletter, HOJ Podge, asked me to write an article about the healthy lunches. Not too exciting for most, but hey, this is something that has helped me get through my diet! And, to ask a formerly almost 300lb girl for healthy eating habits?! I felt amazing. I've posted the draft of the article below:
----------

I hate packing lunches. I find that it’s so much easier to run downstairs to our fabulous café, or jump in my car and pick up something warm and hearty for lunch. However, my waist line disagrees. A study conducted by the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center shows that about a quarter of Americans eat out at a fast food restaurant over their lunch breaks. Among the 9,000 study participants, those who consumed fast food drank about twice as many sugar-sweetened soft drinks as the individuals who avoided fast food. Not only did the fast food diners consume more calories, they also had substantially higher intakes of dietary fat and added sugar. And, by the end of the study, participants who visited fast food restaurants at least twice a week had gained an average of 10 pounds more than those who indulged in fast food less than once a week.[1]

My wallet was rebelling against my lunchtime habits as well. I found that I was spending an easy $20 a week in eating lunches out. MSNBC proposed a project, called “The Brown Bag Challenge”, where readers stopped eating out, packed their own lunches, and put that lunch “budget” into a savings account. Readers were saving about 30% of their restaurant budget by packing a creative, healthy lunch instead of eating out at a restaurant. [2]

This information started to sink in with the Health and Wellness Committee’s “Biggest Loser” campaign in 2009. 

With my waist and budget in mind, I talked to my “Biggest Loser” teammates, and the four of us decided that we would take turns bringing in a healthy lunch one time a week throughout the duration of the competition. The purpose of our weekly lunches was to check in with each other on our weight loss progress and start the week out by eating right. And it helped. While our team didn’t win the competition, we all lost weight and, as an additional benefit, we learned new recipes or new ways to prepare foods. I found that, if I’m cooking for other people, I take that extra step to make sure the meal is not only healthy, but unique. 

Although the lunches have taken breaks at times (during the summer), and the group that gathers is different in composition, the intent remains the same- we take turns cooking a healthy lunch for the rest of the group. Each week on Tuesday afternoons, we gather in one of the break rooms to enjoy each other’s company and to indulge an interesting, often new, and always healthy meal. This helps to break the food rut people tend to get into when dieting. With the Nutrition Bingo program in full swing, our lunch group has started developing meals around the board- for example, this week, we had a garbanzo bean salad over spinach, a veggie burger, and sliced apples with raisins and low fat caramel as a dessert. Healthy, filling, and accomplished 6 out of the week’s 25 squares. 

If you would like recipe ideas, or would like to join in on the lunch fun, let me know! We’re always looking for new people to join the group. Just be sure to have your healthy recipes ready!

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[1] http://www.creators.com/health/rallie-mcallister-your-health/packing-a-few-extra-pounds-try-packing-a-lunch.html

[2] http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/ConsumerActionGuide/TakeTheBrownBagChallenge.aspx

Nutrition Bingo

Work has been uber supportive of those who are trying to live healthier- for the last 2 years, the Health and Wellness Committee (which I am now on) have ran a "biggest loser" competition, where you work in teams and weigh in weekly, all to lose weight, be healthy, etc. That is what sparked the current weight loss (is 2 years "current"?). After that competition, we go into Nutrition Bingo. Here's where I need help.

Your goal is to complete the entire card by the end of the week for the full 50 points, otherwise it's one point a square. The first 2 weeks were pretty easy... now, they're getting hard. I'm having a hard time with some of them, and am asking for help.

This week's tricky square is going to be "limit yourself to only one cup of coffee/tea/soda"- I've had 1 pop so far today, no coffee (had sugar free hot cocoa instead)... fingers crossed that lasts for another 10 hours..

Next week's potential problems: 1) Snack on nut-butter and whole grain crackers (does peanut butter count??). 2) make your own trail mix with nuts and dried fruit (anyone have recipes??) 3) drink 8 oz of natural fruit juice, not from concentrate (I stay away from juice because of the point values)

Week 5 problems: 1) steam veggies instead of boiling (do the steamer bags count?) 2) Have a meal without any processed foods (this gets worse the next week when its go a WHOLE DAY without processed foods) and 3) eat less than 2400 mg of sodium today- I've never tracked my sodium!

The list gets harder as we get closer to Week 8...

Thankfully, this nutrition bingo fits nicely with my WW plan. And, it makes me try new foods and prepare things a new way. AND, there are squares on there to "Take a brisk 20 minute walk" or "weight train" and whatnot. It's great. It's just getting HARD. HELP!

Musings of a snacker

I just discovered an AMAZING 4 point sweet snack- kind of on accident. Hungry Girl suggested a bunch of 100 calorie snacks a few weeks ago, all equaling 2 points. I mixed and matched, and had 2 tsp of chocolate chips and 8 mini marshmallows (cut in half so it was like I was having 16 of them) made into a small snack. This was a "sugar emergency" snack only- I know it has no redeeming nutritional qualities. Pat brought me back some dried cherries from Traverse City a week ago, and I can have a 1/4 cup of them for 2 points (plus, I needed dried fruit, and MI fruit, for my nutrition bingo game). Both the cherries and the HG snack were in my drawer at work. I reached in to grab one, and grabbed both. Mixed it up, and it was like a party in my mouth for 4 points! And WOW did it kick the sweet tooth- for now :) 

Fall Cookin' Follies

I should be banned from cooking on Saturdays. This week, it started with me teaching a friend how to cook bacon (how you can be 32 years old and not know how to make bacon is beyond me), which then included making pancakes... I reigned in my bacon eating to 2 full slices (2 points of this particular bacon) and stuck with 4 strawberry pancakes with some sugar free syrup... I felt like I was going to explode. I estimated the points of that breakfast to be 12 whopping points, but after calculation, found it was only 6. WIN!

My friend, Jason, is celebrating his birthday on Monday. Instead of doing the whole gift thing, I offered to make him a cake for our get-together on Saturday . I asked if he wanted a regular cake (which I routinely make with apple sauce instead of oil now), or a cheesecake- he wanted regular. His girlfriend wanted the cheesecake, as did our other friend, Jonah. So, I made both. I did alright while baking- no snitching the cake, but I will admit to having a lick or two of frosting...

I go to serve the cheesecake, which looks and smells amazing, and before eating, I call up the recipe and check out the serving size and points. This small ass cheesecake was supposed to serve 12 people and it was 11 POINTS a slice. WHOA. I text Katie and talk to Amy, and decide that I can have a half of a slice- it's cheesecake. Come ON. So I get a half slice, count the 5.5 points, and walk away. After I'm done, I immediately box up the rest of the cake to go home with Jason/ to live in Jonah's fridge. Out of sight, out of mind.

After the game, I made a Hungry Girl Potato Soup recipe. HOLY good and easy to make! The recipe is online at http://www.hungry-girl.com/week/weeklydetails.php?isid=1649#potato - and it's only 2 points a serving! Ohhhhh I'm definitely making this a weekly treat.

To recap: Awesome, over pointed breakfast. Phenomenal cheesecake that is ridiculous in points. Hearty, warm soup that is totally worth making again.

Halloween Candy Break-Down

My roommate thinks I'm a nut. Here we are, shopping at Kroger after our healthy dinners, and BAM! I announce that I need to find my Caramel Apple Pops (not the tootsie roll ones- the green suckers with the caramel on the top), because they're 1 point snacks (but 2 suckers = 3 points!) and because people have been bringing Halloween candy into the office already.  In my brain, I say "well, I walked to their office to get the candy- I earned it!" and that's, well, not enough exercise to "earn" the candy. And... I wanted them because I saw a bag of them at home last weekend that I *should* have kidnapped when I had the chance.. At WW this week, we talked about shopping smart at the grocery store and how the Halloween candy is everywhere and oh-so-tempting. I spoke up and defended the candy, saying that the suckers are only 1 point and, dammit, I'm going to have them this season. Besides, you can't deprive yourself- that's one thing I learned on the program. If you want it that badly, have it, but PLAN for it. So I planned... to have suckers :)

So, we start looking for the suckers. We did 2 laps around the store, and no suckers. I did, however, find the Weight Watchers candies- coconut flavor at Kroger- being discontinued. WHAAAAT? Maybe it's just Kroger getting rid of them...? Either way, they were only $1.75/bag, plus I had a $.65 coupon for them... CHEAP Halloween candy for my office! Win!Too bad it was the last bag at that particular Kroger, but I will be looking for more later!

We give up on the sucker search, check out, and head to Meijer for frozen veggies and some other odds and ends. We circle Meijer twice looking for the suckers. Again, no luck. I even asked 3 staff people for help- one had no clue what I was talking about, one pointed me to the Halloween candy section, and another pointed me to their normal candy aisle. OK, I need to rant for a second. WHY do you have a half aisle dedicated to candy ON TOP of the Halloween display? Are you trying to make people nuts?! Anyway, no luck. Now I'm angry. How are these wonderful pieces of heaven-on-a-stick missing from these large stores?? I remember there is a Wal Mart on the way back to the house..

I'm not a fan of Wal-Mart. I'm not going to get all political, but I will point people to one of the best websites ever... So, I tell my exhausted roommate that we need to stop and check for the suckers, or there is going to be a major meltdown. NO SUCKERS to be found anywhere. The cashier at WalMart said they haven't received the suckers yet, but "should soon." She also said I should check QD for a "fix." So... I do.

I get to QD. Roommate stays in the car, thinking I am utterly ridiculous. I go in the store, right to the candy asile... and there is ONE sucker. Not one bag, but ONE SUCKER. I don't flinch- I take it and run right up to the register and ask if there are more in the back. Of course, they are out until Monday, but *WOOO!* QD carries the suckers YEAR ROUND. Whoa.

So, I have one sucker that is sitting in front of me for a treat later. However, I was told by a friend that she may have seen them at Target... so I'm going for a lunch run to the big red...target. I also called my sister and asked her to pick me up some and drop them off to me on her way back to CMU this weekend. My mom is going out on her lunch today to pick up bags of them for the two of us to take back to our respective cities. GO MOM!

I also took a minute to print out a list of mini-candies and their point values, just in case I stumble into someone's office and there is candy- it's preparation! The list, which is *really* comprehensive, is at http://www.freewebs.com/thewwchick/halloween_candy_points_cheatsheet_thewwchickdotcom.pdf

Needed Support

I have great friends. My wonderful roommate told me that, if I can lose weight in a week and not use ALL of my bonus points in a given week, I would get a little "surprise." I knocked 1.8 lbs off this week and only used 18 points, so Katie, true to her word, got me a little present :) I got Spartan green nail polish (for the toes- come on, I can't stop biting my nails!) and a "bi-racial" bus of animal crackers (chocolate and vanilla!). The crackers, which were really cookies (it's ok, Katie!) now belong to a co-worker-- but I kept the bus.

The best part of the gift was the card- she turned a 2 year old's birthday card into a weight loss card! I tried scanning it, but the scanner here sucks... I'll try again later. Anyway, I've shown it to everyone I can think of at work. It's sitting on my computer, next to my snack drawer (as a reminder to behave as I munch). She even changed the words *in* the card: "Elmo hopes your --day's fun/But he is not the only one/'Cause everyone is wishing you/a happy time now that you're TWO (pounds lighter!)! Happy 2--day!

She even drew a note by Elmo's pet fish, saying that even Elmo likes fish (I tried tilapia for the first time this week- and actually liked it. AND, I tried sea bass (?) which, meh, not as good).

I needed that little "atta girl"!

Toothless wonder

OW. I had a crown placed on a tooth on Monday and proceeded to swell up like a balloon. Thankfully, I badgered Jonah into stopping and picking me up some soup -- and some mac and cheese. I couldn't chew, and all I wanted was soft stuff! He grabbed me Progresso 1 point soup AND the 2% milk mac and cheese. He didn't want to "offend" me by buying the diet stuff, but he knows that I'm trying to be better... those were good choices, especially since I ate the entire box of mac and cheese AND had a can of soup.

Even with the mouth issue, making it through a debate tournament with really good/ not good for you foods, and Dana's awesome graduation party food... I dropped 1.8 lbs :) A little over 3 lbs down-- I can TOTALLY do this. Assuming I can get my ass back to the gym...

Just Keep Swimming

I know I could have done better this past week. I used all of my bonus points, I only made it to the gym twice, but I *could* have done worse. I gained .4 of a pound (as Joe once said, "that's like forgetting to pee before you weigh in"). It threw me off my game a little bit, but since I thought I gained 3 lbs per the doctor's office scale... Our "class mascot" for our Weight Watchers  class is Dory from Finding Nemo. Just like Dory, we all need to "keep swimming" even with minor setbacks. My class leader made a comment that stuck with me (and hopefully will for the week)-- "Progress, not perfection." It makes sense. I made PROGRESS this week and, while striving for perfection is good and all, its the progress that counts.

I'm committing to these 2 goals- I'm going to the gym at least 3x before next weigh in. I will try to eat new, leaner, healthier foods and make smarter snack choices. That's all I have for this week- I just need to focus on those 2 goals..

Katie made me dinner last night and had me try tilapia- it was surprisingly good! Doesn't hurt that she's a good cook.... but it wasn't as filling as I would have liked. It kept me tide over until I got to trivia and ordered hummus and salsa with pita chips and veggies... and a small spinach dip... and regular chips (don't judge me! I had the points to use!), but I can see how pairing that with a veggie or two, even a salad would be a tasty meal. I think tilapia is going on my grocery list... what are some good thing to pair tilapia with?

I found out that this week (and next?) is the Red Lobster All-You-Can- Eat Shrimp thing. Apparently I'm going next Tuesday..? That's easy to eat healthy at-- but also very easy to eat poorly (ohhhh cheddar biscuits, how you tempt me!). But I need to be mentally prepared. I liked getting a 6 day notice of my dining plans, though :)

Struggles continue

I'm really struggling today. Ive plowed through all but 3 of my points, and it's only 2:30. I think it's boredom catching up with me- as I read and/or edit at work, I tend to snack. This wouldn't be too much of a problem if I didn't already use ALL of my bonus points this weekend (by accident!). Ugh. On the plus side, I have Amy coming to the gym with me tonight (earning some points! Yeah!) and we're having that awesome low-point chili for dinner. So I just have to stay clear of the snacks until the work out...

Guess it's time to make some healthy popcorn or to find a piece of gum...!

Fall Classic

The weather was a little crappy the last few days-- made me want something warm and hearty. That's the worst part of a normally wonderful season. It makes me crave thick, fatty goodness to keep me warm and able to "hibernate." So, after the cider mill with Amy, I decided to make some chili and apple crisp- *perfect* fall fare! Of course, I also made a point to work out (Wii Fit kicked my ass!) and take Daisy on 3- 20 minute walks so I can eat it all...!

Chili

2 lbs lean ground turkey (I used 93/7)
1 can kidney beans, rinsed
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 large can of diced tomatos
2 cloves garlic
1 small sweet onion
1/2 c water
chili powder and cayenne pepper to taste 
**Makes 8 servings**

Brown meat, mix in crock pot for 4-6 hours. I added 1/4 c fat free shredded cheese and 2 tbs fat free sour cream. Total = 6 points

Apple Crisp
4 large apples (I used Pink Ladies)
1/2 c flour
5 tbs and 1 tsp Splenda brown sugar
1/3 c Country Crock light spread
1/2 c Quaker Oats
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs cinnamon, nutmeg

Peel and slice apples into chunks. Sprinkle in a sprayed pan, sprinkle lemon juice over apples. Mix the rest into a "crumble" and sprinkle over apples. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Points = 4 if it serves 6, 3 if you serve 8 people (and you can use Cool Whip Free 2 tbs for no extra points!)

Chocolate craving cure...?

I had skim milk (1 c) and chocolate syrup (2 tbs = 1 point) for a GREAT 3 point chocolate snack. Guess it's better than running to DQ, which was my other idea :)

Green Goddess for the Green Goddess

I got up extra early today to make a "Green Goddess" dip and homemade pita chips that I saw in Women's Health. I needed a new snack to try on football Saturdays and, seeing that I'm a die-hard Spartan (Go Green! Go White!), Green Goddess dip seemed appropriate. It's pretty good! It tastes like a tangy chip dip. I put the recipe below. AND, one serving *includes* pita chips, veggies, and 2 tbs of dip-- for ONE POINT.

I'm watching 6 dogs today while Wendy and her daughter are attending family things- of course, I'm leaving in time for the MSU/ND Game. Go State! That should keep me nice and occupied... and moving :)

--------------
Green Goddess Dip and Pita Chips

3 6-inch whole-wheat pitas
2 tsp canola oil
Cumin
Chili powder
Kosher salt
2 cups chopped avocado (about 2)
1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt (such as Fage) or plain nonfat yogurt
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2/3 cup chopped fresh chives, divided
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
7 cups assorted fresh vegetables, raw or lightly steamed (e.g., beet slices, baby carrots, sliced fennel, julienned jicama, snow peas)
1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut each pita into 8 wedges. Brush with oil and sprinkle with ground cumin, chili powder, and kosher salt—all to taste. Bake for 8 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Turn off oven and let chips stand for 15 minutes or until crispy.
2 Meanwhile, put avocado, yogurt, lemon juice, vinegar, 1/3 cup chives, parsley, and salt to taste in a small food processor or blender and puree until creamy. Stir in most of remaining chives, reserving some to garnish dip.
3 To serve, spoon the dip into a small bowl and surround with vegetables and pita chips on a platter.
Makes 20 servings.
Per serving (2 Tbsp dip, 1/3 cup vegetables, and 1 chip): 77 cal, 3 g fat (<1 g sat), 11 g carbs, 135 mg sodium, 3 g fiber, 3 g protein. WW points = 1 point a serving

Big Apple Bitch Slap

Someone in our office brought in bagels (instead of donuts) this morning, and I, like a fool, get up to have one. Now, I know better. Bagels from places like Panera, etc are going to be 4-5 points on Weight Watchers. And that's without cream cheese. So I eat one, then look it up... Big Apple Bagels don't seem too bad. 175 calories? 1 gram fat and a gram of fiber? SWEET. That's only 3 points! Then, I read the fine print... a serving size is half of a bagel. A HALF OF A BAGEL. Who in their right mind eats a half of a bagel (unless it's that you've already had an entire bagel and are going back for just a little more)?! I feel lied to. I feel betrayed. I feel.. dirty. That's 6 points down the drain....

28.2 to go!

A small weight loss, but still a loss nonetheless! WOO!

Of course, congrats goes out to Carol, my WW partner in crime, who hit her 50 POUND mark today! GO CAROL GO!

Football Saturday!

Tailgates have always been hard for me while "dieting"- I was fortunate enough to be invited to the same tailgate for the last few years, with amazing food, but that friendship has fallen by the wayside, and now I find myself watching the MSU games with people at home/their houses. And I'm ok with this :) Last weekend, I tested out a recipe for a queso dip from Hungry Girl, and fell in love with it. With that, some baked tortilla chips, salsa, and maybe some Wendy's Chili for lunch..? I can make this semi-healthy. Plus, I think I should get activity points for all of the jumping and screaming I do while watching the game...!

I considered going to the gym this morning to work out before the game, but I walked Daisy instead (it's still exercise!) and we played fetch in the field across the street. While it wasn't as good of an exercise as I would have gotten at the Y, it was better than nothing. And, since I can't move my arms or abs today (due to the last 2 days' workouts), I figured I am entitled to a day off :)

Anyone have any football-watching treats that are healthy??

It's fun to stay at the YMCA

For as anal as I am about scheduling and being on time, I messed up yesterday. I signed up for a class at the YMCA with Andrea- originally it was Zumba, but it was shifted to "Hip Hop Aerobics" last minute. Anyway, I thought it started at 5:30. It started at 5. I showed up at 5:20 to Andrea and the instructor starting the routine. Oops! At least I got about 10 minutes of cardio- plus 25 minutes of weights- in before class was dismissed. I think I will like the class- granted, it's not Zumba, but it was fun. Hopefully more people sign up for the class, or it's going to get canceled. And Andrea is a *great* workout buddy. She's really encouraging and inspiring- hell, the woman has done 3 TRIATHLONS this year, and is going up north this weekend to do the run around Mackinaw Island. She's a workout machine!

I got home and after my nummy dinner (recipe below) and drove Katie to her personal trainer appointment. I got back and passed out on the couch, then moved upstairs. This was like 9pm. I don't know what hit me, but all I wanted to do was sleep. Of course, I woke up this morning and all I wanted to do was go *back* to bed. Thinking that the workout kicked my ass...? Any healthy ideas on how to beat fatigue, because I need to go back to the gym tonight?

Last night's dinner: 3oz chicken breast, "stuffed" with one Laughing Cow Light Swiss cheese wedge, 1 tbs reduced fat feta cheese. Sprayed the top and bottom of the stuffed chicken breast with some spray butter, added a dusting of flour to both sides and baked it at 400 degrees for about 35 minutes. I added some acorn squash (LOVE squash!) flavored with light Blue Bonnet butter and Splenda brown sugar (1 tbs of each for each side of the squash- only ate half of the squash), and added some steamed peas. Total points value for dinner: 8

30 to 30 Challenge

Left is me in Rome this May, Right is me in Jan. 2009 at start of Weight Loss Challenge @ Work