Sunday, September 30, 2007

Results for Christmas Challenge

Just a friendly reminder to the ladies involved in the Christmas Challenge to e-mail or comment about your Results for Week 1 I will be posting tomorrow....Stay tuned!!!

Friday, September 28, 2007

Maintenance is bliss

At least it is today.... I gained 0 lbs this week...I also lost 0 lbs this week and for once, I'm actually pretty happy about that. I had a mid week weigh in that made my jaw drop but it must have been due to TOM and being sick because it seemed to balance out for WI this morning. Although I must say, compared to the successful WIs that the Christmas Challengers have been sending me, my 0 lb loss looks pretty darn pathetic. This weekend I have a plan and I'm NOT going outside of my 35 flex points. Not even happening. No chance. I'm kicking my own butt into gear and getting this last 9 lbs off before Christmas.

So ladies, start sending me in your Week 1 Weigh In Results and I'll be posting them up on Monday. I've gotten a few in but there are still quite a few of you left. You can also send them to Randi.

Tonight we have a little double date action going on and we are heading to East Side Marios (Hey Bada Boom Bada Bing!) for dinner. I've preplanned my meal and I'm having the Mariboli Chicken wrap with a side of Caesar Salad with Light dressing. Mmmmm can't wait! Then for a movie treat I am thinking of dipping into my flex points and having a Cadbury Thin for something to munch on. I think we are either going to see The Kingdom or Good Luck Chuck. Any reviews out there?

Tomorrow we have a wedding and I hear that Steak and baked potato is on the menu so I really shouldn't have a hard time there. I'm not a huge steak eater so I imagine Scott will be wiping my plan clean before I am even half way done. Although their wedding cake is a carrot cake...which just happens to be one of my little weaknesses. But that's what flex points are for right?? I will look up the points for carrot cake I go to the wedding. It might scare me enough to pass on the cake altogether! Doubt it. It's carrot cake girls!

Then Sunday I have the mother of all temptations. A Bridal shower. Ughh. Showers are a feeding ground for cupcakes and brownies and sandwiches and cheese and crackers and chocolate squares and sugary punch. It' my WW worst nightmare. My plan is to eat a nice filling lunch right before I go and then hopefully they will have a veggie tray that I can stick to. I know I can do this. Strategy is everything when it comes to showers. How do you girls handle baby and bridal showers?

That's it for me today girls. Good luck on all your WIs today and don't forget to e-mail me your fabulous results!

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Scurred.

I'm just plain scared to WI tomorrow morning. I have been sick all week and super stiff from my circus act with the stairs and this translates to ZERO gym visits. I just don't have the energy. Plain and simple. I know I should be going to the gym, I know I would probably feel better if I went to the gym but I just can't do it. I SHOULD go to the gym after work today and just get on the treadmill. I don't have to run a half marathon, I don't even have to run. I can just get on there and get my body moving. Even if it's just a walk for 30 mins. It's better than nothing right? I should do this. I really should. Can you tell I'm trying desperately to talk myself into it???

Do you guys still workout when you are sick with a cold and feel awful?? (Keep in mind that if you say yes, It may motivate me to get off my sick butt to the gym and get on the elliptical, my workout fate is in your hands girls) Although I already know what you're going to tell me. The same thing I keep telling myself. Go. To. The. Gym.

Well the Christmas Challenge has officially affected my WW plan now. Last night I had a small NSV and I owe it all to the Christmas Challenge. I had a few points left over last night after supper and I wanted some munchies to carry me through ANTM. (I liked the girl who went home. she was so sweet and I was sad to see her go) I went to the kitchen and grabbed 1 point worth of Melba Rounds and some Vegetable garden cream cheese from the fridge. I was just putting it on the plate when I thought to myself....Is this really my best snack option? Did I even get in all of my dairy and fruit/veggie servings today??? I looked it up and I was lacking in the fruit department so I put the Melba rounds and cream cheese BACK and opted for a cup of grapes and some vanilla yogurt. Mmmmm It's a small victory but I'll take it where I can get it. This Christmas Challenge has really got me re-evaluating my WW choices!

Don't forget to e-mail me or Randi your WI results! I'm assuming that most of you WI on Friday so I hope to see a flood of e-mails tomorrow with lots and lots of successes! I'm seriously just hoping for a maintain tomorrow but we'll see. I wouldn't be surprised to see a gain. Stupid Pizza.

Everyone's talking about TV this week and tonight is like the mother of all nights when it comes to Season premieres. ER, The Office, and Grey's Anatomy! Does anyone know if Shane West is going to stay on ER? It made it seem last season (after he lost his legs) that he wouldn't be coming back. I hope he does, He is my favorite character!

That's it for me today. Short but sweet. :)
Everyone enjoy their TV night!

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Sarah's Food Photo Challenge (One day late)

I'm finally posting my pics for Sarah's Food photo Challenge and I think I may be missing a dinner but I'll post what I have. (Sorry I'm a day late Sarah!!) Not sure where that other picture went. Honestly, looking at everyone else's gourmet meals makes my meals look like they were prepared by a pre-schooler. What can I say? I'm a simple girl with simple tastes :)

Thanks you for the sympathy regarding my stair flight. I got my first look of astonishment this morning at work when a girl I work with saw my bruised arm in the bathroom and said "Holy Crap, what happened to your arm??" (and that one isn't even the bad arm!) I told her I fell down the stairs at home and it sounded like such a "I'm hiding that someone is secretly abusing me" story. I had to laugh. Not that abuse is funny. But the thought of it happening in my home is absurd. I'm so much more stiff today. My shoulders and neck are really stiff, they weren't yesterday but I guess it takes a few days for the full soreness and aches to really settle in. Still so mad at myself. On top of that I feel like a Mac truck hit me today with an awful head cold. It came on like a ton of bricks last night and I was asleep by 8:30pm and today it is worse. I feel like my head is in a fog and I can't concentrate on anything except how awful I feel. Yuck! I didn't make it to the gym last night and I'm not making it tonight. I'm going home, taking a nice hot bubble bath and crawling into bed. Can. Not. Wait.
Ok, on to better and brighter things. Thanks to everyone who joined the Christmas Challenge. Randi and I are both so excited. We've gotten a great response and I am excited to see how everyone makes out. I must say that Angie has already sent me her WI for this week and she is setting the bar high! She is doing fantastic! It's not a competition by any means but seeing other people succeed always gives me that extra kick in the butt-- which is exactly what I need during this Challenge so Thank you Angie!!
Ok So onto Sarah's Food Photo Challenge..I also threw in a photo of Scott and I from a wedding we went to last weekend just because I think we look cute! :) And I'm always curious about what all my blogger friends look like. There are a lot of you without profile pictures! (Ms. Kelly!)I always just come up with my own image of what everyone looks like based on their personality. Did you ever do that, like at work when you correspond with someone over the phone for a few weeks or more and then you meet them in person and you already have this mental image of what they look like? Usually I am WAY off base...I'm rambling. Maybe the cold medication is making me crazy....or maybe I was already crazy. Who knows.
Pictures Carolyn Pictures...focus.
Seriously, if you have checked out the other challengers in Sarah's Food Photo Challenge, please forgive me.





I eat the SAME thing for breakfast every single morning. I know it sounds boring but I love it. 1 Cup of WW cereal with 1/2 cup of skim milk. 1/2 c V8 juice, 16 oz of water, and then I have a fruit for a morning snack. I didn't want to bore you with 3 pictures of the same breakfast so this is all you get. :)



Has anyone else tried the WW Honey Almond cereal? I didn't like it at first but then it started to grow on my and now I'm addicted.


Good ol comfort food. Nothing like Tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. I know what you're thinking...."What is she?? 12???" But nothing makes me feel warm and fuzzy like a good ol fashion bowl of soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. Soup is made with skim milk and sandwich with WW bread, Becel topping spray and fat free cheese slice.









Snack time. 1 point of Vegetable garden melba rounds and Garlic and Herb Laughing Cow Cheese Wedges. Mmmmm
I wish this was more exciting folks. Sorry!







This is basically my typical lunch...including cheesy lunch bag. Has anyone tried this Primo Vegetable garden soup? It's SOOO good and only 2 points for the whole can!!! It's got pasta and roasted veggies. I can't get enough of it. I like lots of fruit during the day too. I don't like bananas until they are covered in brown spots. They taste so much better when they get to this stage. My hubby likes them when they still have a green tinge. We both think the other is crazy.




Another lunch. 2 WW wraps, a bunch of veggies to go in the wraps. I forgot that I added 1 oz of cheddar cheese and also some light ranch dressing. I forgot to put that in the picture. I should have though because although this lunch was really delicious...you'd never be able to tell by this pitiful picture. :)

I always keep my mushrooms separate until I get to the office. I hate soggy mushrooms.





This has to be one of my favorite suppers. The picture honestly doesn't do it justice. I take one serving of Healthy Harvest Omega 3 and flax seed whole wheat pasta, 2 tsp of basil pesto and mix that up. Top it with fried veggies such as broccoli, tomato, zucchini, onion and green pepper and have a side of Brussel sprouts topped with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. It is absolutely amazing!!! (We call it Pasta Delight...I have no idea why)

I posted about this lasagna a few weeks ago. It is from Roni's site. It is lasagna made with Spaghetti Squash and Zucchini instead of pasta. It has no meat either. It is super low in points and it is amazingly yummy! It's even better after it sits overnight in the fridge. I had some today for lunch. I wish I had taken a picture of it after I cut out a piece so you could see what the layers look like but I'm sick...and tired and this is all you get. But you should try out the recipe. It's is yummola!






And last but not least here is a pic of me and Hubby at a wedding we went to last weekend. I thought it was c ute pic so I'm posting it :) I should crop out that big white blob. I think it was one of the centerpieces. Scott is going through a bearded phase. It's growing on me though... :)
Why is posting pics on blogger so hard??? Does anyone else have the same problem?? You post a pic...never know what size it's going to come out....then you have to try and position it right, then it messes up the spacing for your entire post....grr. It took me 1 hour to post these pics. Am I doing something wrong??
I'm off to bed. Night ladies :)

Monday, September 24, 2007

Monday Monday...and the Challenge keeps growing!

Scott keeps telling me to appreciate Mondays because they make up 1/7 of your entire life. It's true...but who wants to hear that at 7:00am Monday morning on your way to work?!?

We had a super busy weekend. Friday night we went out to dinner (East Side Mario's....had the chicken wrap...soooo yummy) and then we went to a Hockey game. I brought a Toffee Cadbury Thin with me for a snack so I wouldn't feel left out when everyone else was chowing down on beer and nachos. Worked out great!! It satisfied my sweet craving and it was only 2 pts!

Saturday we had a wedding to go to. They had a Chinese buffet for the meal and it was great. I tried to stick with the veggies and not go overboard but my stomach felt so heavy about an hour later. I remembered why I never eat Chinese food. Yuck. It always makes me feel like a balloon.

Sunday Scott and I went to Costco with my brother, sister in law and their 20 month old little girl. We had a great time and spent about 3 hours walking around the store and then the mall so at least I got in some activity. Last night is where it all went wrong. We got home from Costco (about 1.5 hours away from home) and decided to fore go the preplanned tacos and have homemade pizza instead. Needless to say, I really should NOT have made this awful choice but I did. I have to live with it. I'm moving on. (Although I'm still kicking my butt over it) I should remember how awful I feel next time I think of making pizza instead of a nice point friendly WW meal.

Speaking of kicking butt..... I got my butt kicked last night. Before we left for Costco I put a book on the stairs that needed to go downstairs. Of course I was just too lazy and rushed to take it all the way down before we left. Last night I was going downstairs to put some clothes in the dryer and instead of turning on the light, I just ran down...well tried to. I didn't make it past the first stair before I stepped on the book and it sent me flying! I can't believe how hard I landed, both arms scrapping that metal piece at the top of the stairs. Then I slid down the stairs hitting my back and head on each step. Both arms are swollen and really bruised and I have a super sore back. I put ice on all the really swollen and bruised parts last night but sleeping was awful. Everything hurts. I'm SO lucky I didn't break anything though. I'm just sore and achy. I am going to try the elliptical tonight since I really didn't hurt my legs. The only thing is that I packed a little tank top for the gym so my bruises will be on display. Grrr. Sometimes my clumsiness amazes even me.

So on to the Christmas Challenge...We have 4 new Challengers to add to the list today! I've added them to my side bar so check out their sites and drop a little encouragement their way. :)

Natalie -12lbs
Teena -14 lbs
Melissa -12lbs
Becca -12lbs

Welcome to the Challenge girls!
For all of the Challengers, don't forget to e-mail me your WI results this week. I will be posting the results of Week 1 on Mon, October 1st so get them in before then. I would also encourage everyone to take a before picture. Before and after pictures are the best motivation and you'd be surprised at what 5, 10 or 15 lbs can do! Who doesn't love seeing Before and After pics?? If you've already posted some great Before and After pics on your own blog, leave a link to the post in your comment. I will see if I can find some before pics tonight and hopefully post my own before and after tomorrow :)

That's it for me today. Happy Monday ladies!

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Christmas Challenge 2007

Here it is ladies, the moment you've all been waiting for (Well at least Randi and I have...we're seriously overexcited for this Challenge!) Take a few minutes to click the links to everyone's blog because we honestly have some truly amazing women who have signed up for the Challenge. I know I have found motivation and inspiration at each of your blogs and that is what's going to carry us through on our weight loss journey to Christmas. Not gaining weight, not even maintaining weight but LOSING weight! (How much did that sound like a cheesy infomercial?!?)

So here's the deal, we each have our own personal goals, we each have our own methods of losing weight, we are each faced with the same struggles. Randi and I wanted to make a Challenge so that we could all motivate each other during this amazingly hectic time of year...which also happens to be filled with Halloween candy, Thanksgiving dinners, Christmas baking, not to mention the everyday food challenges like office doughnuts, parties, baby and bridal showers.... and the list only goes on ladies. The Challenge is just another way for us to stay accountable. So the first results post will be on October 1st on my blog so make sure everyone e-mails me their WI #s before then. Randi will be posting the results from week #2 and we'll swap back and forth. We'll keep you posted though on what's going on each week.

Carolyn - 10 lbs
Randi - 10.6 lbs
ThickChick - 8.5 lbs
Anne - 7.5 lbs
Cory - 16 lbs
Sonya - 14.2 lbs
Angie - 10 lbs
Amber - 10 lbs
Glossy - 10 lbs
Adorav - 13 lbs
Kelly - 8 lbs
Candace - 17
Bridget - 7 lbs
Sherijung - 10 lbs
Meredith - 15 lbs
Katieo - 6.6 lbs
Michelle - 16 lbs
Moody - 19 lbs
Hazel - 6 lbs
Noelle - 15.4 lbs
Tara - 14 lbs
Swizzlepop - 7 lbs
Soapbox Girl - 10 lbs
Meg - 10 lbs
Roni -5 lbs
Christy -20 lbs
For those of you who want me to make any changes or if I didn't add your website or anything like that, just make sure to e-mail me. I'm not perfect (of course I'm seriously seriously close!)
DizzyDazey & Shannon. I think you guys wanted in but I didn't get any goals from you so if you're still interested (which I think you definitely should be), then e-mail me or Randi your goals and I'll add you to the list! Anyone else who wants to join, it's not too late! Just let me or Randi know and we'll gladly sign you up for the Challenge! :) We can SO do this girls!
(PS..I dropped my goal by one pound because I saw a 1 lb loss this morning on the scale! 9 lbs to go before Christmas!!)

A Birthday with No Cake??

Thanks for all the girls who e-mailed or commented about your Christmas goals. Seems like we got ourselves a challenge here ladies! The challenge officially starts tomorrow so if you want to join in, e-mail me or comment about how many lbs you would like to say goodbye to before Christmas. Or you can e-mail or leave a comment for Randi. Check out tomorrow's post as I will be posting a list of the challengers and their Christmas goals! :)

So.....I said NO to cake yesterday! Actually it wasn't cake, it was pumpkin pie, which in my books, is worse! I LOVE pumpkin pie like you wouldn't believe. But I said no. I did have a 1/2 cup of low fat frozen yogurt though for 2 points so that satisfied my sweet craving and I felt like I was enjoying dessert just like everyone else. I even got out the measuring cup while everyone was scarfing down their pie and ice cream and measured myself out a 1/2 cup. Has anyone tried the Scotsburn Low Fat Chocolate Frozen Yogurt? YUM! Seriously you can't even tell it's low fat yogurt. It is really rich and creamy. I'm going to scout out my grocery store to see what other flavors it comes in. I usually try not to keep that stuff in the house because I seriously can't help myself. But I think this Christmas Challenge is really going to hold me accountable so I might decide to test my will power just a little and buy a tub of frozen yogurt to stick in the freezer. I know I can do it if I just put my mind to it. MMmm it comes in blueberry cheesecake....


Speaking of pumpkin pie though, I'm hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year and I would love to make a homemade pumpkin pie. Has anyone tried out any low fat recipes for pumpkin pie? I don't think I've ever made a pie in my life so it's about time! I just checked the points value for store bought regular pumpkin pie and it is 8 points for 1/8 of a 9 inch pie! I'm SO glad I said no last night!! You wouldn't think it would be so much since pumpkin is so good for you. I guess it the crust and all the things that you add to the pumpkin. Let me know ladies if you have any low fat pumpkin pie ideas :)


In other news Scott and I went to the travel agency yesterday to start planning a vacation for next year. We were thinking about going down south to Dominican Republic or Mexico but we've been down there before on our honeymoon and were thinking about trying something a little different so we came up with...............PARIS! I don't know if I've ever been so excited. We are thinking of going to Paris for 4 days and London for 3. Anyone ever been before and have any pointers? I've been doing tons of research online and I have a few travel books on Europe that I've been fishing through. I think it would be such an amazing getaway for us. It seems like such a romantic place.
Well that's it for me today ladies. Remember to sign up Christmas Challenge with either Randi or I! Just think of how hot we're going to look come Christmas!

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Biggest Loser, BB8, Christmas Challenge and other randomness :)

I think I may have went slightly overboard last night at the gym. I hopped on the elliptical for 40 mins but for about 20 mins I upped the resistance to 10 (I doubt all ellipticals have a universal standard for resistance but 10=HARD!) This morning I am paying for it. It literally hurts to walk but I'm hoping I'll get over it in time for tomorrow nights Hatha Yoga class. Tonight is a night off from working out because it is my Mother in Laws birthday today so we are heading over there for supper and cake. Although I've already made up my mind that I am NOT going to partake in the cake part. No way. Not going to happen. NO. No cake for this girl!

Who watched Biggest Loser last night? I LOVE it that Jillian's team won! I really like her a lot and I honestly think she motivates her team and is really focused on getting them healthy without putting so much pressure on the WI part. I found that last night Bob & Kim were entirely too focused on the weigh in results and not on forming good habits and eating healthy. Although I still heart Bob!

I skipped most of BB8 last night in favor of watching Biggest Loser. I did catch a few parts though. I wasn't really concerned about who won since I dislike Dick and Danielle equally. I did get to catch the part when they announced America's Player to the housemates. Eric looked pretty concerned that Jessica's feelings would be hurt. I think they are so cute together. I wonder if they will actually stay together...

Next week starts all the new fall shows. I am excited for Grey's and ER to comeback on and there are a few other ones I wouldn't mind watching (Bionic Woman, Heroes and Journey Man) but I don't want to get into too many shows because I hate spending too much time on the couch in front of the TV. On a positive note though, I can pull out my mini trampoline (which hasn't gotten much use since we joined the gym) and hop on that for an hour while I'm watching TV. Of course it's a good plan right? It's the follow through that I always have trouble with. BUT maybe the Christmas challenge will motivate my butt to get on that trampoline!

Speaking of which......

The Christmas Challenge that Randi and I are putting on starts on Friday and I've gotten quite a few e-mails. Just to clarify, ANYONE can join, you just need to e-mail me with your Christmas Goal. This Friday I will be posting a list of participants and their Christmas Goals. Randi and I will be taking turns posting the results each week but we'll keep you updated on that. Week 1 Results post will be on my site on October 1st so make sure to check it out to see how everyone is coming along with their challenge!! There are a few goals I'm still waiting for:

Sonya
Amber
Glossy
Ms. Kelly
Shannon
Candace
Bridget
DizzyDazey

I think I have everyone else so c'mon girls! Jump on the scale and give me the dirt! E-mail me or just post a comment :)

PS If you don't want to share your weight with everyone, that's no problem (I know where you're coming from, it took me 6 months to work up the courage to put my weight on my blog!) Just let me know how many lbs you want to lose by Christmas and you're in! :)

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

I think I almost forgot....

how much I love running! I went to the gym last night and instead of getting on the elliptical, I decided to try out the treadmill. I walked briskly for about 20 mins and then I ran for 23 minutes and honestly it felt amazing! I forgot how great it feels to run again. I was never really a big runner but last year I did a running program and really enjoyed it. I stopped running because I was having some slight trouble with my knee but it didn't bother me at all yesterday so I might try to get in a good 30 minute run at least once a week. My legs are SORE today so I guess that's always a good sign. Tonight I'm going to hit the elliptical for 40 mins and Thursday I'm trying out a Hatha Yoga class. I love this whole gym membership thing!

This weekend I am SUPER excited because I am losing my Costco virginity! I've never been to Costco before because they don't have one in my city but my brother and his wife have a membership and there is an outlet about 1 hr and 15 mins from us so we are heading up on Sunday to get our shop on! I can't wait. I have been waiting to get some new fall clothes and of course Scott and I will have to get some Christmas lights, decorations etc for our new house! We also have a wedding to go to on Saturday and Friday night is double date night with a couple of friends. So I have some planning to do food wise. But for the first weekend since the summer began, I'm staying within my flex points and I'm going to be very careful not to go over.

So on to the Christmas Challenge!
We've gotten quite a good response. The challenge will officially start on Friday and I will be posting a list of the participants and their Christmas Goals. We have 14 weeks from today! I think this challenge is exactly what some of us (me especially!) need to get motivated and serious about our weight loss efforts before we get sucked into the Holidays. Plus it will be great to share with each other the challenges (Hello!! THANKSGIVING!) and struggles that we go through on our way to our Christmas goals. So weather it's 2 lbs, 5 lbs, 10 lbs or more, make a goal and e-mail me your info. How hot are we going to look at our company Christmas parties?!?! :) I think I may even go "Last 10 Pounds Bootcamp" style and pick out a hot black dress for my Christmas party and buy it one size smaller just for that extra motivation!

That's it for me today girls! Happy Tuesday!

Monday, September 17, 2007

Weekend Recap and Christmas Challenge!!

Despite my unwavering determination to be completely on plan this weekend, I wasn't. Honestly, I feel awful. I really didn't eat THAT much over my plan but I didn't add up my points on Saturday AND I also had 4 glasses of wine that definitely weren't in the plan for this weekend. I'm so mad at myself but I guess that just feeds my motivation. I'm off the wine for a while. No more. It just gets me into trouble and I really want to start shedding some pounds before Christmas. Scott and I are pretty booked up for the next few weekends with weddings and showers and family things so I'm going to stay away from the wine and count ALL of my weekend points. I think on Fridays I'm going to write out a tentative plan on where I am going to spend my flex points. That way it will give me some sort of structure, which is seriously what I need right now.

Well today is a new day so they say. I'm 100% back in the game and I'm am seriously hoping to maintain his week. I know I will be devastated if I see a gain on Friday and I need to hold myself back from doing a mid-week weigh in. Not getting on the scale until Friday. But speaking of weighing in, Randi and I have been bouncing back and forth on a......

CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE!!

Basically Christmas is now only 14 weeks and 1 day away. I've decided to set myself a goal for Christmas to keep myself on track and to motivate myself as much as possible before we hit the Holiday season. I also think that setting a goal for Christmas will help us stay away from all of those Christmas goodies that are SO tempting. Everyone faces the same challenges through the Holiday season so setting a goal and sharing it with other people with the same struggles will help us get through the baked goods, the egg nog and the all those wonderfully fatty things that come along with the Holidays! Who's with me? I haven't really planned it out but I'm open for suggestions. I think we should make a list of participants and you can e-mail me your Christmas goal. Then each week, you can report in on your weigh in day and I'll keep track of everyone's goals and progress. Or we could even split into two teams (Biggest Loser Style!) and challenge each other to see which team can lose the most weight or % of weight. I'm open for suggestions. Let me know what you think girls!

My current weight: 155
My Christmas goal weight: 145

So I have 14 weeks to lose these unwanted 10 lbs. I know I can do it, I just need to stay focused and get my butt in gear! I've started hitting the gym 4 times a week for 40-45 min cardio sessions but I'm also considering taking a yoga class that is offered at my gym. I think it's called Hatha Yoga? Anyone have any tips or suggestions? I'm a complete yoga virgin so I am a little apprehensive.

That's it for me today! Happy Monday!

Friday, September 14, 2007

It's Friday....and Weigh in Results

Scale: 155
Results: -1 lb

I'm pretty happy with my weigh in this morning. I was hoping to see 154.5 but I'll live and it'll be that much sweeter when I see 154 next week. Last weekend I didn't count my wine and I may have indulged a little TOO much in the chocolate cupcakes (even though they were a WW recipe) I made for our BBQ so I can see why my loss wasn't huge but hey a 1 lb loss feels good and that's one more pound that I don't have to carry around with me anymore. I'm slowly creeping down to those 140s and honestly, I can't wait to get there. I haven't seen the 140s since probably Junior High. It's been that long. I'm going to get there. Anne was talking about making a Christmas goal and really getting serious about getting these last few pounds off before the Holiday madness starts. I think everyone should make a Christmas goal and I think it's a great idea Anne. Christmas is 14 weeks and 4 days away. What is your goal going to be? How much do you think you can lose??

When I recommitted to WW on Sept 3, I set a goal and I think I may have even mentioned it in a post. I'm still keeping track of that goal and I always have it in mind. I wanted to get to 145 by Christmas. That was my ultimate goal. I think joining the gym will be a huge contributor to meeting my goal as well.

So On September 3 I weighed in at 159lbs
Today I weighed in at 155lbs.

10 more lbs to go and I have 14 weeks to get there. Anyone with me on setting a Christmas goal?? Maybe we can turn it into a Christmas Challenge! Sarah's got me thinking about challenges lately with her Food Photo Challenge (check it out here and let her know if you want to sign up, it's a great way to stay motivated!)

Ok So I guess it's time to talk about BB8 last night. To be honest, although it's hard to admit that I was this upset over a TV show, I turned it off during the last 10 mins because I was so mad that Zach lost. I seriously can't stand Danielle or Dick and I absolutely HATE IT that they won. I wanted Zach to win so bad. I've really come to like him in the last few episodes (mostly because I felt so bad for him that no one would talk to him and Dick was being so mean to him.) Yeah he's a little weird and has a quirky sense of humor but I like him. That was a brutal first round for HOH last night and the thing that bugged me the most????? When Dick and Zach finally stepped down and they were both frozen, Zach walked over and said Dick had done an incredible job, Danielle walks out with 3 big fluffy towels and gives them ALL to her Dad. she didn't even offer one to Zach at all. I honestly can't stand the girl. Ok That's enough of a rant for now, I don't want to get all worked up ;)

Friday recap:

3 areas I did really well this week:
1. I went to the gym 3 times this week and increased my workouts by 5 mins each time.
2. I made my lunches ahead of time and planned low point meals for the week.
3. I drank tons of water everyday and went way over the requirement. I also got in all my fruits and veggies and dairy servings each day this week.

3 areas I could improve on for next week:
1. My portions were a little on the high side for supper since I was so hungry when I got home from the gym. I think I may take an extra afternoon snack to hold me over until dinner.
2. I ended up have 5 points or so left every night after supper since my lunches were so low point. This led to late night snacking and not always choosing the healthiest option.
3. I didn't count my wine and after 3 glasses, this led to drunken eating...I wasn't really even enjoying the food, it was more a matter of "oh well, I already had some wine, I may as well have 3 cupcakes to go with it!"

Tomorrow we are having our Family Housewarming party and no doubt there will be TONS of food but I'm making a plan ahead of the party and I'm sticking with it! Wish me luck ladies!

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

I Heart Ellipticals!

Thank you SO much ladies for all your nice comments on yesterdays post! It's nice to know that there is so much support out there! It's so much easier when you are talking to people who are going through the same things as you and who are faced with the same struggles when it comes to this whole weight loss issue!

So I made a few minor discoveries yesterday...

1. No more mid week weigh ins....it's driving me insane. Weigh in once a week, Friday morning, that's it. Period. NO MORE.

2. No one can even tell that yesterday was my first visit to the gym and No, the entire gym is not going to stare at me while I try to figure out how to use the machine.

3. I actually love the elliptical. I burned 300 calories in 35 mins and worked up a great sweat!

4. Veggies wraps with mushroom, zucchini, cucumber, carrot and tomato with low fat cheese and low fat ranch dressing on a Light Flaout Wrap are DELICIOUS!!

5. I dislike Daneille Donato way more than I thought.

6. I'm extremely glad that we don't Dryer's Slow churned American Idol: Hollywood Cheesecake ice cream available in Canada. (I don't think I could resist eating the whole thing Kelly!)

So those were my Tuesday revelations. Scott and I went to the gym last night after work and had a great workout. We decided last night that we are getting a membership for sure. I only worked out for about 40 mins in totally (including stretching) I went for 35 mins on the elliptical and although I wasn't really breathing too heavy, I worked up a good sweat so I'm assuming it was a pretty good workout. I could have gone longer but I was scared that I would be insanely sore today since it was my first workout in 6 weeks but surprisingly, I'm not sore at all. So tonight I would like to go for 50 mins. I'm bringing this months WW magazine with me for a good read. Can you imagine?!?! Watching TV or reading a magazine while working out?!?! I think I'm gonna like this gym thing!!

On the food front I'm doing great, staying within my points and looking forward to my bonus points on the weekend. We are having a family BBQ so I would like to save up for that. The scale read 155 this morning (I swear, my last mid week WI!) It's down 1 lb from last week so I'm hoping to hold on to that or maybe even see a 1.5 lb loss by Friday but we'll see.

Tonight consists of going to the gym after work, then going out for a quick bite and then it's grocery night so we won't be home until late. We usually hit up Wendy's so I'm looking for suggestions on what to get. I used to always get the Jr. Hamburger Deluxe combo with a baked potato instead of fries but I'm craving something different? Any Wendy's eaters? What do you usually get??

That's it for me today girls!

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

How lucky are we????

I'm in a very grateful kind of mood today. One of those moods where your life just seems perfect and everything seems to be falling into place. It's weird when you wake up one day and life is exactly how you always pictured it, you have the beautiful house, the most amazing husband, great family and friends and a great career that you love. It seems like it's been years working towards this point in my life and now that I am here, I am just so grateful.

I think a lot of my happiness also comes from the fact that I am leading a healthy lifestyle and after years of being extremely overweight, I finally decided to take action. I'm finally comfortable in my own skin. I love that feeling. So...in the light of my grateful mood, I thought I would TRY to say thank you for all of the support that I have received through my own blog and also from reading other blogs. It's absolutely amazing how someone elses post can motivate me to skip that chocolate bar I was craving, or make that trip to the gym even though I didn't really want to. You guys have kept me focused and on track more times that I can count. You've inspired me to live a healthy lifestyle, you've given me encouragement and motivation when I needed it the most, and you've shared your set back and successes with me and many other bloggers. So I've decided to pick 10 (although honestly there are about 25 blogs that I read daily that I truly love!) blogs that truly inspire me everyday. Just because I think you deserve recognition and praise. You are all strong, amazing women who give me the motivation that I need on my weight loss journey:

Sarah: You are always coming up with new ideas and tips and your comments on other blogs are always SO positive and motivational. You have inspired so many people! Your blog is such a great resource and honestly it's become a staple! The photo food challenge was such a great idea and I hope you'll keep it up. Also you are going back to school for something you are truly interested in and I think that is amazing!

Jodi: I love your blog Jodi because you tell it like it is. No sugar coating. If you're having an off day, you tell us about it. You always seem to say exactly what's on your mind. You express yourself very well and I couldn't count the number of your posts that I've read and then said to myself "Wow, I could have written that myself, she knows EXACTLY what I'm going through!"

Ms. Kelly: I think I can relate to your blog so much Kelly because we are at a very similar point in our weight loss efforts, we both struggled through summer BBQs, weddings, showers etc. I love your determination and you always seem to motivate me in the work out department. I also love it that you secretly challenged an old coworker or old friend (can't remember which) on the treadmill at the gym and when you could go faster and longer than she did, you felt like you had won (because that is TOTALLY something I would do!!!)

Hot Thick Chick: I'm a new reader of yours but I'm so glad I found our blog! Not only are you hilarious but you're also so easy to relate to. You're always upbeat and easy going and you seem ready to take on the whole world at any given second! You have it all together and even at the times that you don't, you're totally aware of what needs to be done and your determination is great!

Noelle: You just plain amaze me. You have your hands COMPLETELY full at all times but you still find the time to be a great mother to SIX children, lead a healthy lifestyle, follow the WW program, maintain a great blog AND make inspirational comments on other blogs! Where do you even find the time?! Everytime I read your blog, I always think, "Wow, she would make a great WW leader!" Thanks for all the kind words!

Anne: When I first started blogging about weight loss and WW, you were my 'go to' blog. All of my posts were basically modelled after yours and everytime I read one of your posts I always thought "I wish I would have thought to write about that". You have TONS of insight and always seem to be throwing out WW wisdom right left and center!

Mouseroo: I honestly don't think I could get through the day without reading your blog. Your sarcasm is just way too funny. There's no fluff here. You tell it like it is, always. I love it that you put a comical spin on some of life's most frustrating situations, especially when it comes to weight loss. I especially like it that you speak your mind, even when it goes against the grain. :)

New Year, New Me: I just found this blog not long ago but now I'm addicted! I love the confidence that you have, it shines through in every one of your posts. Your before and after pictures are seriously unbelievable and you've come such a long way. Thank you SO much for all the tips and tricks that I've picked up from your blog!

Sister Skinny: You ALWAYS have an interesting story to tell! There is never a dull moment over at Sister Skinny. I've picked up so many great ideas from this blog! You always have something positive to say to everyone who stops by and comments. It takes a lot of time and effort but I hope you know how much it is appreciated.

Amber: My first blog friend haha! You have come such a long way Amber. You spent most of the summer away from home and in an uproar but you still managed to hold yourself accountable and we all know that is nearly impossible...AND you still managed to lose some weight! You are doing a fantastic job! Thanks for all the amazing food finds!

Well that's my ten for the day, although honestly I could keep going on about another 10 blogs but I'll save that for another day!

Today after work Scott and I are going to the YMCA for our first workout. We went and took the tour yesterday after work and we are really interested but they are letting us try it out for a week before we commit. Can't wait to get on that elliptical, it's been about 6 weeks since I've been in a steady workout routine. This last 15 lbs has been hanging around WAY too long...time to say GOODBYE!! Christmas is just around the corner and I'm going to celebrate it with my new friend, the 140s!

Monday, September 10, 2007

First Monday in a long time....

that I don't feel like I weight 200 lbs again and my pants are actually still fitting me well!
I did pretty good on the weekend. I wasn't an angel by any means but I was very aware of my bonus points and tried to stay within them all weekend. I only had one small slip up with a few glasses of wine on Saturday night that I didn't count. I wasn't expecting to get into the wine but you know how it goes ladies, one glass leads to two and then three. But overall I'm happy with my weekend, I wish I hadn't of had that wine but there's nothing I can do about it now. I just have to accept it and move on I guess.

On Sunday Scott and I had a great NSV. Scott kept dropping hints about Pizza Shack all afternoon and when it came time for supper, he had ALMOST talked me into a 9" Garlic Fingers and a Caesar salad but my better judgement got the best of me and we both decided we would feel a lot better about ourselves if we just had something at home. I ended up making some Onion Rings and they were delicious! I'm pretty happy today that we didn't give in! I know I would have felt awful

This weekend we are having a housewarming party for our family. We had to have 2 basically because there was just too many people. We had our first one on August 25 and we had about 45-50 friends show up so we were pretty packed and we are having one for our family this weekend and are expecting about 40 people all together so it should be a good time. I'm planning out the menu so I'm planning on sticking with healthy options and I'm NOT planning on getting into the wine on Saturday so I will be better equipped to fend off any temptations.

I'm also hoping to go down to Maine (about 1 hour and 15 mins from home) to pick up some WW products like bagels, wraps etc and some other low fat low cal products. I need to stock up! I absolutely love going down there, I'm like a little kid in a candy shop.

I had trouble with my camera so I wasn't able to join in on Sarah's Food photo challenge :( I'm getting it back today though so Sarah, if you start the challenge for a second time around, let me know, I'm so in! It's such a great idea!

Scott and I are going to the YMCA after work today to get a tour of the gym and to see if we want to get a membership or not. We are both pretty sure we would like to join at least for the Winter months. They have some great cardio and yoga classes that I would love to try out. The gym is only about 3 mins form my work so we could go right after work and get in a great workout. The membership fees are really reasonable. The corporate rate is $39/month and your spouse gets 50% off of that so you really can't beat it! I'll let you know how it goes.

BB8 last night....I'm really starting to dislike Danielle. She is so smug and annoying. I think Zach did the right thing by putting them both up. I just hope that Jameka or Zach win the POV and they get rid of Danielle. She needs to go. I can't stand her anymore. Both her and Dick need to go. I would love to see Zach win! What did you guys think?

That's it for me today girls! :)

Friday, September 7, 2007

Weigh in, BB8 and weekend plans

Scale: 156
WI Results: -3lbs!

I knew that my first week back OP would give me a pretty good loss, especially since my first weigh in was immediately following a junk fest but I'm still super excited to tell everyone that I lost 3 lbs this week. 3 SOLID lbs. Feet firmly planted on the scale and standing up straight (I used to be one those weighers who would move their feet around and shift their weight until you get the number you were looking for, don't tell me you haven't done it yourself!!) I am a solid 156. That needle wasn't moving from that number. I was actually pretty excited to see that number. I'm slowly but surely working my way down to that 150 mark. I felt so great when I was at around 152 or 153 so I'm getting close girls! Although this weekend does present some pretty difficult challenges......

Challenge One: Dinner tonight at my brother's new house. One the menu? Homemade Lasagna (probably the best I've ever tasted at that) So in preparation, I have packed a super low lunch, AND I offered to bring dessert. I was thinking about getting some Pillsbury Cinnamon rolls and baking them there so that they are nice and warm and gooey and I am willing to use some of my bonus points to have HALF of one. I'm going to check out the point value before I make any decisions though. If I can find the reduced fat one, I'm getting those for sure! I'm WIDE open for suggestions though girls!

Challenge Two: Hot Air Balloon Festival tomorrow (including those greasy carnival vendors that smell SOO yummy!) We'll be there all day SO I was thinking of actually packing a little cooler. Making some egg salad sandwiches on WW bread made with low fat miracle whip. That way I can control the amount of points I'm taking in and I won't be craving the deep fried goodies. I'll also throw in some yogurt and some fruit to snack away on.

Challenge Three: Family BBQ on Saturday evening. Luckily I'm hosting this time so I'm planning the menu. Right now we have BBQ's corn on the cob, hot dogs, hamburgers, BBQ'd potatoes, Salad and to top it all off I am making Roni's Simple Big Chocolate Cupcakes. They look yummy and I'm sure no one will be able to tell that they are WW friendly!! I'm planning on having 1 hot dog, some corn and salad and a cupcake for dessert. Downfall: Everyone is bring something so I'm going to try and hold back the temptation! But that's what flex points are for right??

So that is how my weekend is playing out. My Mom got into town late last night and it was SO good to see her. It's been about 4 months and it was great for her to finally see our new home. Oh before I forget, I did have a GREAT NSV last night. My Mom got into town around 9:10 last night....Which means I MISSED probably the most exciting episode of the SEASON for BB8!!! Fill me in ladies!!! I've read the BB8 website to find out what went on and I had it playing in the background while I gave Mom the tour so I know who got evicted but did anything else exciting happen? I heard Eric said the "L" word to Jess. I'm so upset that they went home, I just loved them together!!
Anyway back my NSV. My Mom and her boyfriend got in around 9:00 and they were starving, I offered to make them something but they had passed the Pizza Shack on the way to my house and they had a hankering for Pizza and Garlic fingers (my #1 weakness!!) so they ordered some and around 10:00 started in on a 12" Garlic finger and pizza. I was so tempted to just have 1 teeny weeny garlic finger with donair sauce but I resisted!! Scott and I just basically sat there and drooled until it was all gone. I knew I need something to nibble on while they were chowing down so I had some baby carrots and a diet ginger ale. It definitely satisfied that need to munch on something.

Hope everyone has a GREAT weekend!

I'm still trying to catch up on Sarah Food Photo Challenge but my camera is not cooperating so I may need to get it fixed before I can get in all my pictures!

Thursday, September 6, 2007

Yummy Finger Foods

I am kicking myself for not taking a picture of my dinner last night for Sarah's Challenge. It was amazing, low in points and I swear when I was done, I felt like I had just eaten greasy pub food without the heavy bloaty feeling that comes afterwards. I should have taken the picture but by the time I was all finished cooking, I was famished and the thought of spending an extra 10 seconds to go get the camera seemed absurd to me at the time.

I took a few recipes from Hungry Girl and one from Roni's site and we had a "Pub Grub" night last night. If you haven't found either of these sites yet, oh baby, you're about to hit a goldmine of amazing recipes and tips for WWers. First on the menu was Chicken Strips found on the Hungry Girl Website and let me tell you, if you haven't tried these...do it NOW! They are amazing. Honestly it is hard to tell that they aren't deep fried and with a little low fat BBQ sauce, honestly it feels like you are cheating! They are great with a honey mustard sauce too or even some low fat ranch dressing. To die for!!

Next we had battered Onion Rings. These rival the chicken strips and seriously there is no way to tell that these little numbers are WAY less fat and calories than their deep fried counterparts. It's amazing. These may have been my favorite but everything was so good, it's hard to tell.

Last but certainly not least we tried Roni's Zucchini Pizza bites. Mmmm Scott absolutely fell in love with these. They were pretty good actually and the topping was yummy. We used low fat cheddar instead of mozzarella but we got more cheese for less points and I don't think we sacrificed any of the taste. If your in the mood for some pub food, check these ones out. They are fantastic!

On other news, I tried out my mini trampoline yesterday. I wanted to start off slow so I was only on it for about 30 mins while I was watching TV but it was nice to get in some cardio and I can see how it could be a great workout. I'll let you know how it goes from here. It feels great on the legs and butt and you can really feel them working hard.

Scott and I have been thinking about joining the YMCA for the winter months. They have some great aerobics classes and I would love to have the option of using the machines right after work. I wish my work had a gym. We are going to go for a trial week next week and see how we like it. Anyone have any tips??

That's it for me today :)

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Happy Hump Day!

I know I've said this so many times but it's amazing what one good OP day can do for your confidence! I feel so in control and I am loving the freedom that WW gives you! I am doing great and I am beyond motivated! I am going to get these last 15 lbs off before I even know it.

When I weighed in on Monday I was pretty shocked at the number. It hasn't been that high in a while. Then I though back to all the junk I ate at the drive in the night before (Peanut M & Ms, Swedish berries, onion rings, Smartfood popcorn AND a chocolate bar all in the course of 6 hours!!) No wonder my weigh in was so high on Monday morning. My body was bogged down with all that awful junk food. I'm very excited to use my flex points because it gives me something to look forward to all week and my splurges will now be controlled. No going over points for me! No Way! My motivation has also transferred over to my hubby so it's great to have someone help me along the way.

For some odd reason, I really don't know why, I have been petrified about posting my weight on this blog. For some reason I just didn't want anyone to know how much I weighed. It scared the hell out of me. But for some reason now, I feel like I should post my weight, I just feel like it will hold me more accountable and it will only motivate me more to get this last 15 lbs off. So here goes......yup....here it comes....I'm announcing my weight to the world, or at least my blog buddies........(deeeeeeeep breath)................

1...........5..........9

Ok That wasn't sooo bad. I weigh 159. 159. 159.
In May at my lowest I was 150.5 so I need to get back down there and pronto. I am hoping to see 2 lbs come off my Friday but that is asking quite a bit so I will be happy with 1 or 1.5. Usually your first week back on the plan, you tend to lose a little more.

I did buy my mini trampoline yesterday at lunch and spent a good chunk of time last night putting it together so tonight will be my first workout on it. I found one online and I plan on following that for the first week or so. I've done some reading online and apparently the trampoline is great for toning your legs and butt. I'll let you know tomorrow how it goes.

Today at lunch I ran to the grocery store to pick up a few things for the weekend. My Mom is down from Ontario this weekend and I haven't seen her in almost 4 months so I am really looking forward to spending some quality time with her and to show her my new house!! I picked up some Weight Watchers Whole Wheat Wraps. Anyone tried these ones? They are new to my grocery store so I thought I would give them a go.

That's it for me today. Except a little recap of BB8 last night. I missed the Biggest Loser Recap last night as it was on the same time as BB8! I couldn't believe how mad Jessica was at Eric. I really hope she doesn't go home on Thursday but it is a double eviction night so anything could happen. I wonder why they haven't shown the jury house? Hmmm....

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Back on WW!! Finally!!

I finally recommitted myself to Weight Watchers. I have been off it now since the first of May and I decided that it was finally time to come back and start holding myself accountable again. I miss counting points and I really miss the freedom that WW gives you. When I was doing SFL It was great and the weight came off super quick but I was basically eating the same thing over and over everyday and it really got to the point where I was doing the SFL during the week and then on the weekend I would just eat whatever I wanted. Not healthy.

Last weekend was the last straw for me. I finally realized that I wasn't eating all of that junk on the weekend because I necessarily wanted to, I was eating it because I had convinced myself that the weekend was my splurge time so I HAD to stuff in as much junk as humanly possible. That is NOT a healthy way to live. I would find myself gaining 3 or 4 lbs in one weekend (I'm sure a lot of that was water retention but still!) and then I would do SFL during the week and be back down to my normal range by Friday. I certainly didn't lose any weight, but I didn't gain any either so I was able to justify all the garbage I was eating all weekend. Has anyone else ever had this problem? For example, we went to the drive in movie theatre on Sunday night, since it was the long weekend they were playing 3 movies. That's almost 6 hours of sitting in your car or out on a chair with nothing to do but watch a movie and snack snack snack. I didn't even want half of the stuff I scarfed down but I ate it anyway because it was the weekend and it was my "Splurge time". If I didn't eat it then, I wouldn't be able to eat it again (or at least this is what was going through my mind as I popped each peanut M & M into my mouth). Monday was a good day for reflection and I got to thinking about how my eating habits had changed from healthy eating with a little occasional splurge (in moderation) to the all out junk fest that I was participating in every weekend. I think it was good for me to get a little break from Weight Watchers because after being on the program for 17 months, I did get a little tired of counting points and I was getting sloppy with my weighing and measuring. So I do think that the break was a good things for me but now it's time to get back in the zone and stick with the program that has given me so much success in the past!


I have about another 15 lbs to get off and I'm determined to get there before Christmas. It is 16 weeks from today and I'm pretty confident that I can do this. I'm going to set myself up for success. My hubby is also doing WW which is such a HUGE motivator. I'm also thinking about going to Walmart today on my lunch to pick up a mini trampoline and maybe even a trampoline workout video. I plan on walking outside as much as I can but I thought that having a mini exercise trampoline in the house would be a great motivator as well. I can just plop it in front of the TV when I am watching an hour long TV show and the time will just fly by! A friend of mine swears by hers and she said it is amazing for toning your legs and butt. Plus it doesn't take up much room and it's pretty inexpensive. I would love to eventually get an elliptical but for now I think the trampoline will do nicely. So my workout plan for the next few weeks (until I get back in the groove) is to get in at least 3-45 min walks/week and 2 hours on the trampoline. Depending on how difficult I find the trampoline...It seems like such an easy concept but I remember I had one a few years ago and I was sweating it off after only 10 mins (of course I had a few extra pounds on then but still).


I am also DYING to try out some new WW recipes!! I am so anxious to go out and buy the stuff to make Roni's Spaghetti Squash and Zucchini Lasagna. It's so fantastic! Also if anyone has any great recipes for low point WW casseroles, I would LOVE to try a few. I need to get some new dinner ideas and I have decided that this fall and winter, I'm going to be way more adventurous in the kitchen. I need to explore new ideas and spend some time making new masterpieces in the kitchen. I used to LOVE to cook and I always thought it was very relaxing so I definitely want to get back to that.
I'm so EXCITED to be back on a plan that I LOVE! Just talking about it makes me SOO excited!!