Avoiding Disaster

So I already wrote about my major disappointment on Saturday with my weigh in, but I'm not sure if I mentioned my ride home. See, when I get results I wasn't expecting I tend to go toddler and throw a little 'food tantrum.' My absolute first thought when stepping off that scale was 'well then, I'm either going to go get a huge Chipotle burrito or a Tim Horton's Iced Capp and chocolate chip muffin SO THERE!'

I wasthisclose to pulling into the drive-thru and listen to my inner toddler whining about how its NOT FAIR NOT FAIR NOT FAIR when I realized, this just was not the decision I wanted to make. As much as either of those options sounded at the time (and still do I might add) I did not want to walk down that old familiar path. I, out loud, said to myself that what I needed to do was go home and eat something healthy and nutritious, an orange and cheese or some yogurt and granola, because once that yummy food goes down the hatch I will feel really crappy for being some an idiot and caving like that.

There is a reason I've failed at this in the past, because I am such a terrible food tantrum thrower and I am so glad that I was able to shake myself back to reality and go on with my day. I didn't have to feel guilty or angry, I didn't have negative thoughts that I was going to give up again...I just got over it. So that is my new plan, whenever I have a back week on the scale, or a good week that wasn't as good as I had hoped, I'm going to look myself in the mirror and shout, OH JUST GET OVER IT!

It's one meal or one day or one week, one weigh in, one slip of will power, one little point past your weekly extras, one portion of a pound. I'm human, I do and will continue to make mistakes. I wouldn't learn anything if it was easy. This is an everyday of my life struggle that if I work it right, won't have to be so much of a struggle.

So the next time my inner toddler throws herself on the floor wanting a cookie, I'm just going to put her in time out and say, 'get over it.'

Week 4 Weigh In

Anyone who's done Weight Watchers knows that the first two weeks are usually significant losses that taper down into much smaller losses. I knew it was coming but wasn't prepared for what the scale had to tell me today... -.2lb. I was floored. Now normally any loss is a great loss, down is always better than up no matter how little the number, but .2 just didn't make sense to me this week. I'm going to take it though and be happy about it, thats .2 closer to my goals.

I'm proud of myself though because my first instinct was to go get an iced capp or chipotle or something, but I resisted that major urge and went home and had a few clementines and a babybel cheese instead. As long as I keep making healthy choices and sticking to my plan, the pounds will melt away. Not to mention my NSV, more inches off my waist, hips and bust so that is 10000x better than pounds on the scale!

Yummy Snack

I love me some Babybel cheese, this is a new kind that I tried tonight and yummy yummy yummy. It's probably not actually new but its the first time I've had this version. It's so creamy and delicious and just the right little snack size. I've also become a little addicted to clementines. I have never been an orange eater. Mandarine oranges and orange juice, yes please, but anything with the white fuzzy peal on the outside was a gigantic no. These however are somewhat like eating candy. I cannot stop grabbing these little yummies from the fruit bowl. The upside to my little obsession is that fruit is zero points now so I can eat it as much as I want, in moderation of course, and not have to worry about sucking away my points for the day. Tonight I needed a little snacky poo so I grabbed a mini cheese (2pts) and a clementine and ate them together...BIG YUMMY YUMMY YUM! I've heard of cheese and apples pairing well but was surprised about how good cheese and oranges are. Anyway, I'm really happy to have found a yummy, low point and nutritious snack!

Week 3 Weigh In

I got my 5lb star today!!!

Down another 2.2lbs this week! That puts me at -6.6lb so far. I was hoping for a bit more, usually my first 2 weeks are my biggest loses, but I'm still very very happy :)

I've been making healthy meals at home, drinking lots of water and packing in the fruits and veggies! This week my goal is to get some kind of activity in twice. I'm taking baby steps, setting realistic goals for myself. Still going strong!!!

Melting Away

I've been on plan for almost 2 weeks now. I was out running errands yesterday with the tot while my big boy was at school. I realized that every 5 minutes or so I had to tug my pants up again. So, when the kids were napping I pulled out my trusty tape measure and out of curiosity I checked all my measurements again. Much to my huge surprise and delight, I have lost 1 1/2" in my hip/flubby lower belly area!!!! No wonder my pants were slipping. I'm nowhere near ready to move down to the next size, that might come after another 5-10lb but I might have to break out the belt. I have to say, its wonderful not to have to lay down to button my jeans!! Boy I cannot wait to hang these up on the wall as my 'FAT PANTS' and see them everyday knowing I've shrunk right out of them.

Can I get a WOOT WOOT? :)

No More Rolls

One of my biggest dreams, the thing I'm so very much looking forward to at the end of my journey, sort of my pot of gold at the end of the rainbow...no more rolls! No I'm not talking about dinner rolls...fooled ya didn't I! :) I want to be done with fat rolls. I understand that with major weight loss comes loose flabby skin, even with extreme exercise. That is what tummy tucks are for, lol, but I seriously cannot wait until these rolls shrink right away!

Broccoli Cheddar Quiche

OMG! I don't use those stupid abbreviations often but this time it really called for it. This quiche was soooooooo good you would NEVER know that it was a WW one!

I had fully intended to take a picture of ours but it was so good that we devoured it in record time. It was really easy to make too. I left out the sauteed onions and it dropped from 6 points to 5 points per serving, 8 servings. Shoot it with a little Chipotle Tabasco sauce after baking and its amazing!!!

Ingredients

	6 oz pie crust, 9-inch, refrigerated
	2 tsp olive oil
	1/2 cup(s) red onion(s), chopped
	1 1/4 cup(s) part-skim ricotta cheese
	1 cup(s) low-fat shredded cheddar cheese
	1 large egg(s)
	2 large egg white(s)
	1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
	1 tsp dried oregano
	1/2 tsp table salt, or more to taste
	1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, or more to taste
	10 oz frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and well-drained
	1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375ºF. Press pie crust into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch, removable-bottom tart pan or a 9-inch pie pan; refrigerate until ready to use.
  
  
• To make filling, heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Transfer onion to a large bowl and add ricotta cheese, cheddar cheese, egg, egg whites, mustard, oregano, salt and pepper; mix well and fold in broccoli. Spoon mixture into prepared crust and level surface with a wooden spoon; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
  
  
• Bake until a knife inserted near center comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing into 8 pieces. Yields 1 piece per serving.

Notes

• Not a broccoli fan? Substitute spinach in its place.

Avoiding Disaster

Lil man had his very first dentist appointment this morning...across town...at 8:30am, so we were scooting out the door on empty tummies this morning and had told him he could pick what we had for breakfast if he was a good boy for the dentist. He did AMAZING and I was so so proud of him. He wanted pancakes. So our choices were Big Boy or Bob Evans for breakfast since it was only 9:30 when we were finished, Steve chose Big Boy.

First thing I did was ask if they had nutrition info available, and they don't. I checked WW and that is not a restaurant they have info for either, so......I did it the old fashioned way and broke it down my food. I ended up getting the breakfast buffet, it as about the same price as a meal but much more flexible for me. So I had some scrambled eggs, a couple (3 exactly) pieces of bacon, a few home fries (the little cube kind) and a little yogurt parfait cup that had about 3oz of yogurt, a few cherries and a little granola on top. That little yogurt cup was so good! I'm so proud of myself, I only used 14 points and didn't have any problems with controlling myself. I successfully avoided the muffins and the hash brown sticks, the corn nuggets (oh so tasty) and the pancakes, and even my big time favorite, the Cinnamon sugar french toast. I passed on the Special K because they didn't have skim milk for it, only 2%.

I was satisfied. Not my favorite eggs but it was protein and it fueled my body which is really what food is here for anyway. On top of it all I had 3 glasses of water, I'm guessing each glass was around 12oz. Eating out doesn't have to be a disaster, even if the restaurants nutrition information isn't available. I took my time, asked questions and made the best choices for me. I'd call that a non scale victory for sure!

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

Ingredients

	2 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch, divided
	1/4 tsp table salt
	3/4 pound(s) lean sirloin beef, trimmed, thinly sliced against the grain
	2 tsp canola oil
	1 cup(s) reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
	5 cup(s) broccoli, florets (about a 12 oz bag)
	1 Tbsp ginger root, fresh, minced
	2 tsp minced garlic
	1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
	1/4 cup(s) low-sodium soy sauce
	1/2 cup(s) water

Instructions

• On a plate, combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch and salt; add beef and toss to coat.
  
  
• Heat oil in a large nonstick wok or large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and stir-fry until lightly browned, about 4 minutes; transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon.
  
  
• Add 1/2 cup broth to same pan; stir to loosen any bits on food on bottom of pan. Add broccoli; cover and cook, tossing occasionally and sprinkling with a tablespoon water if needed, until broccoli is almost crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Uncover pan and add ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes; stir-fry until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  
  
• In a cup, stir together soy sauce, remaining 1/2 cup broth, remaining 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch and water until blended; stir into pan. Reduce heat to medium-low and bring to a simmer; simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
  
  
• Return beef and accumulated juices to pan; toss to coat. Serve. Yields about 1 1/4 cups per serving.

Last post for today, I promise! I am doing these recipe reviews so I remember later on if I loved it and also for my other friends doing the Weight Watchers plan. It's always nice to hear how a recipe turns out before trying it for yourself :)

The Non-Scale Rewards

Another post today? You betcha! This one is more a reminder for myself of what I'm aiming for. Along with being healthy and thin, I want these things more than anything in the world! I want that feeling of going to a store and not heading to the Plus size department. Knowing that something...ANYTHING...will fit me. So these are a few of those things that I'm longing for and waiting for!



Adorable dress from Old Navy...available in petite! I love this dress and would love to buy it and have it waiting for me in my closet :)


I want to shop at Victoria Secret! I know they are soooo expensive, and really it will not be an everyday thing, but for my birthday in September I want to walk into that little pink store in the mall and pick out a sexy bra and matching undies and not feel like people are staring at me wondering what I could possibly fit in. I want to walk in KNOWING that I will find items in my size and not hoping/praying/crossing my fingers or even worse....looking at perfume because thats the only thing that store sells that I could use.



Ahhhh, the dreaded bathing suit! I am smart enough to know that once my weight is gone my body will still not be great, a bikini is not in my future...2 kids and 20 years of being fat have seen to that, but that doesn't mean I can't rock a tankini! I look forward to buying a swim suit that is teeny and cute and does not resemble an outdoor awning or party tent. Also, one that doesn't have to be a swim dress or have a skirted bottom to hide my fat thighs. Summer 2012 you are all mine!

Major WW Recipe Win!

I've been tagging tons of WW recipes on my etools and have made a mission of trying as many new ones as possible. After a few months I get in a rut with my food and I figure if I have a super large selection of recipe's that we love then we'll never get bored. Well, with Steve home for the holiday, I decided to try one of these yummy recipes....Parmesan Chicken Strips....OH SO GOOD!!!!!!




The chicken stayed moist and the coating was FABULOUS! This is going to be one we make a lot. It was quick and easy also, which with 2 kids and a hungry husband is a must. I'm going to post the recipe below, as its only available to etools users or WW online members, but its one that I think a lot of people would love!

Ingredients

	1 spray(s) cooking spray
	1/2 cup(s) seasoned bread crumbs, Italian-style
	3/4 oz reduced fat parmesan cheese, finely grated (about 1/4 cup)
	1 tsp garlic powder
	3 large egg white(s)
	1 pound(s) uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 24 thin strips
	1 cup(s) marinara sauce, heated

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a 9 X 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
  
  
• Combine bread crumbs, cheese and garlic powder in a small, shallow bowl. Whip egg whites until foamy and place in another shallow bowl. Dip chicken first into egg whites and then into bread crumb mixture to coat thoroughly. (Note: You may use boneless, skinless chicken tenders instead of chicken breasts, if desired.)
  
  
• Place chicken tenders on prepared pan and bake until crispy, about 25 minutes. Serve chicken with warmed sauce. Yields about 6 chicken tenders and 1/4 cup of sauce per serving.

For anyone doing the new PointsPlus plan, it's 7 points per serving and yields 4 servings.

Oh my darling, Oh my darling....

Oh my darling Clementine! Mmmm, we have a big bowl on the table full of these little darlings right now!

As I'd hoped my headache passed and my tummy isn't quite as upset so after church Steve picked me up and we went to the grocery store. $111 later and we've got a kitchen full of fresh fruit and veggies, fixings for at least 5 meals (several of which will yield enough leftovers for 3 days worth of lunches for both Steve and I), tons of frozen veggies and bags of rice for side dishes...all the stuff needed to maintain my weight loss program and fill my family with healthy choices.

I know its hard for Steve to drop that large amount at the store, but if we do the math of how much we've been spending to eat out so often I know we're saving. In the past though we've saved money eating at home but with what I'd call 'cheap fills, things like pizza muffins or cheesy chicken rice. Yummy yes but not very nutritious. It costs to eat healthy, that's unfortunate but true. In the long run though the money spend for groceries will be well worth the money we save on blood pressure meds and doctors visits!

We have our hills and we have our valleys...

I have a feeling today will be a valley. Now don't get me wrong, I don't feel that way because of my points or food options or whatever weight loss related, I just feel crappy. I went to bed with a bit of a stomach ache and woke up with a really bad one. It just hurts...and it brought a friend...big headache. I could tell that Steve was annoyed this morning when I said I didn't feel well, that means taking the kids to church alone. I, however, have done this task many times when he's traveling for work and when I did it, Stella wasn't going to the nursery yet, she was in the service with me. Anyway, sorry for the whine I just really don't feel well.

I'm not sure what I'm going to eat. I may have a lot of empty points going to warm tea (I hate sweeteners in hot tea so its sugar for me) and toast. At least the toast is whole grain. I'll also have to make sure and get plenty of water in if my stomach will let me.

So that's my whine for today. Hopefully I can edit this post later with a miraculous recovery!

Week 1 Weigh In

Today was my 2nd weigh in, the first was to get our starting weight last week. I am proud to report that I am now

4.4 lbs lighter!!!!!

Can I get a woohoo? :D I'm very proud of myself. I stuck with my plan with very little problems. I wasn't hungry, I wasn't struggling, I WAS getting my fruits and veggies and water in most days. I know that next week will be much lower, and I'm okay with that. Even if its half a pound, that's still half a pound that isn't weighing me down anymore. So, a great big shiny gold star for me today!

BANISHED!!!

FAT
UGLY
DISGUSTING
UNDESIRABLE
CHUNKY
FLABBY
LAZY
UNWORTHY
HUGE
ENORMOUS
PLAIN

These words are now banished from my vocabulary when it comes to how I feel about myself. I'm throwing out all the negative thoughts and feelings I'm so use to using in reference to myself and replacing them with positive words, words that express how I want others to see me but mostly how I want to be able to see myself.

BEAUTIFUL
WORTH IT
WONDERFUL
AMAZING
VIBRANT
HEALTHY
STUNNING

We all have things we don't like about ourselves, words we use in the that snarky inner voice that hold us back or bring us down. So I challenge you to throw out the negative and build up the positive!

Day 7

Not a very creative title but it sort of sums up my feelings this morning. It's Day 7. I woke up with that, 'uck why isn't it saturday?' feeling. The kids were wound up and cranky yesterday, I stayed up way too late watching A Walk To Remember, and I'm just ready for that first weigh in.

I had a little rough spot with my plan last night. Not in the way you'd think either. It was 10pm and I had 11 points left....sigh. So, my sweet husband called as he was leaving work and wanted to know what I wanted him to get for me. My plan originally was ice cream, I just wanted a little and figured it was dairy so it would be a great splurge/healthy way to fill those leftover points. The problem? I lost track of time so when he called I was put on the spot to 'name that food' and hadn't looked up any points for anything. I was trying to look them up fast but the computer wasn't cooperating and I suddenly felt very pressured to give him an answer so he could come home. We had a wee spat over it (him insisting he'd go anywhere in the world to get me something, me saying please just forget it and come home, him saying 'but you need to eat something') aaaaaaah! I do not want to feel pressured/stressed over food choices, no matter what the circumstances. I ended up eating a little chocolate bar from my stocking and a handful of pecans. It was tasty, a treat and took me to the end of my points so it worked out. I threw in an apple for good measure (and fiber!) since it was free :) Loving that free fruit!

So back to today, I don't have anything planned for dinner, we only bought enough for dinners through thursdady, and I should be eating breakfast but I just am not hungry, and I just want today to be over so I can see how this plan is working out. I typically lose around 4lb the first week and really want to see how this new plan compares on the scale.

Ok, time to get dressed and go to the store. The trip outdoors should do some good for the kids....Luca's about to find a new home with the cranky, whiny attitude he's sporting today!

A New Beginning

You might be thinking...what the heck is one-derland? Well in the weight loss world, this is a term the describes the euphoria of leaving the 200's and entering the 100's, hence ONE-derland. It has been a dream of mine for a long long time to get there and this is it, its time.

I will be 30 in September and I've set 50lb as a goal to hit by then. If I work hard and stay on track I know I can fly past that number, but I don't want to set myself up for a fall if I don't make it. I've done that in the past and it has proven to knock my on my ass in a big way.

Saturday I rejoined weight watchers. They have completely redesigned their program and I'm happy about that. Fruit is a free food now! Yay!! However, I'm struggling with the sheer number of points I have to eat each day. I'm finishing dinner and still having 10 or so points to eat and being totally satisfied. That's hard to wrap my head around...and my stomach! I'll work it out I just feel like its going to be difficult to lose if I'm eating so much! LOL who'd ever think that would be a problem?

So, here I go, for the last time I hope, on this journey to one-derland. I would love and appreciate and help, kind words of encouragement and cheering from the peanut gallery!

I have A Tale To Tell

Grab a seat and a bowl of popcorn and come away with me on a magical journey.....

Once upon a time there was a girl, we'll call her Cortney. She had spent a significant portion of her life overweight, uncomfortable and unhappy about her appearance. She started her weight loss journey in 2005 with much success, almost 50lb lost! That's great right? Well, Cortney wanted to start a family and pretty soon along came a bouncing baby boy. 6 little weeks later she dutifully headed back to her Weight Watchers meetings, but something just wasn't clicking. "Oh what the hell?!?!" she exclaimed. Much to her dismay she just couldn't get her head in the game and the weight slowly crept back on. A few years later and baby boy was joined by a new baby sister. Cortney had lost some weight before and during this second pregnancy but afterwards.....it all came back again and she has put her foot down and shouted to the world, "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!"

So here is where out journey truly begins....