New? First time here?!

New?

No problem. I’ll tell you everything you need to know.

First off, let me just say Congratulations on deciding to take the first step to becoming the YOU that you want to be :)

Second, you need to know that this isn't just a diet you'll be on for a few months to drop the weight and that you'll be able to get off it and go back to what you consider normal & keep the weight off. This is a diet, this is a lifestyle. This will teach you how to eat healthy. It will work for you, but you need to let it consume you. While there are skinny people that have the ability to eat whatever they want and not gain a single pound, that's incredibly rare. Thinking back to Clueless… Cher watched what she ate and she did workout DVDs. lol. yes, I'm literally referencing the movie Clueless, but it took until after I started weight watchers and lost weight, struggled back & forth, and got off and back on, to realize that skinny people are skinny because they were taught at a very young age about nutrition and exercise. We see skinny people all the time eating salads, turning down cupcakes and doughnuts if they're offered for free, and jogging every day. We might've wondered why in world they won't eat that one doughnut, or why they're jogging when they look amazing, but they look amazing BECAUSE they work out every day and constantly watch what they eat. Sure, you can treat yourself to a doughnut every once in awhile, but why don't you look back at every free meal you were offered this year, whether it was at a wedding reception, shower, friend's birthday party or graduation party… or even just cake that's brought in to work for a co-workers birthday. You have to have CONTROL. You have to understand that every doughnut, every slice of cake, every mini candybar, adds up! I used to buy mini candy bars, hershey kisses, m&ms… thinking a mini candy bar, hershey kiss, or 10 m&ms here and there wouldn't hurt… but I was "thinking" that 5-10 times a day & eating more chocolate than I normally would. It's the same concept w/ice cream… you can buy low fat or half the fat & that's great, but if you're going to have double the serving size, that won't get you anywhere! Healthy eating is a frame of mind. My boyfriend and I were at the Indians game in Cleveland the other day, and my son offered him some cotton candy… he said no. I was in awe. Seriously? it's one little poof ball of cotton candy… Then, I realized he turned down the sour patch kids my son offered him on the drive to Progressive Field, turned down the goldfishes at the game, fries when we went out to eat afterwards, stuck to beer at the game while I was drinking mixed drinks… Now, we all know that us ladies love sweets and chocolate while men love MEAT! haha, but still. Think about how many additional carbs and grahams of fat I consumed that day. I had 2 sour patch kids (haha), multiple cotton candy poof balls, almost half of my sons fries, the pizza I decided to get, a beer, a whipped vodka w/orange juice, jeremiah weed vodka with lemonade, a shot of 3 olives loopy & rum chata, blueberry vodka w/pink lemonade… ugh, I drank a lot. haha. Point being, it's EASY to say yes to everything that's offered to you (food wise), and it's EASY to say that you'll never be back at that restaurant and you rarely go out to eat so it's ok to splurge when you do... it's terribly easy… and it tastes great… but look at yourself. Are you happy?

Please, seriously, read this blog. I hope you get everything out of it that you wanted.

Here's my first couple blogs that go over the basics. you can always find them over to your right where my blogs are in reverse order… but I'd hope you'd go all the way back to my first blog & work your way to today's blog:

First Thing’s First!
This will tell you what to buy. the books & the calculator :)

Weight Loss Tracker on Excel
This is an excel spread sheet so you can keep track of your progress

Basic grocery list
This is a basic, simple, grocery list. Check out the blogs that were posted after this for pictures with the points per serving and recipe suggestions.

Weight Watchers Basics
This just tells you everything you need to know about weight watchers… not that you can't read it in the books… but you'd have to buy an additional book for that and it's too expensive for something you'll read once & toss.

Lastly, please don't hesitate to email me for questions! I want you to be what you want to be :)

Banana Oatmeal Smoothie

I found this recipe today on Pinterest! I just got done making it & it's amazing! (here for the link)

Ingredients:

• 2 whole Chiquita Bananas (best with brown flecks on peel)
• 2 cups Ice
• 1/3 cup Yogurt - preferably Greek yogurt flavored with honey
• 1/2 cup Cooked oatmeal
• 1/3 cup Almonds

Instructions:

Pour all ingredients in blender pouring ice in last. Blend on high for 30 seconds or until smoothie thickens.

Nutrition Information Per Serving (makes 2):

Calories 380; Total Fat 15 g (Sat 2 g, Trans 0 g, Poly 4 g, Mono 8 g); Cholesterol 5 mg; Sodium 35 mg; Potassium 690 mg; Total Carbohydrates 53 g; Dietary Fiber 9 g; Total Sugars 19 g; Protein 12 g. Percent Daily Value: Vitamin A 2%; Vitamin B6 25%; Vitamin C 20%; Vitamin D 0%; Calcium 15%, Iron 15%.

 

 

 Make this in the morning to keep your tummy full longer, before a workout to keep you going, or add some whey protein and have one after your workout!

If you're calculating ww points based on the nutritional facts, it comes out to 5 ww points plus. however, bananas are 0 points, so this would only be 3 points plus per smoothie.

Definitely cut this in half to just make ONE smoothie! Not so hard...
1 banana, 1 cup ice, 1/4 cup cooked oatmeal... and whatever 1/2 of 1/3 is... 2 T + 2 t of yogurt and almonds...

Additions:
I added one scoop of vanilla whey protein powder b/c this was a post-workout smoothie for me :) although, a full scoop was a lot... might try half first next time.
I also added 2 T of PB2 to make it a peanut butter banana shake! OMG THIS MADE AN AMAZINGLY HUGE DIFFERENCE!!!!
You could also add honey if you made it like the recipe called for to sweeten it a little.
Also, you could add milk if you think it's too thick.


Also, I realize I've never mentioned PB2 before, and I really must dedicate a blog to it eventually... however, I don't really care for it plain, and this is pretty much the first thing I've mixed it with and LOVED! I'm going to have to do some experimenting before I talk more about it, but in the meantime, click here.

Now... to explain my absence...
I worked a lot in December & was also searching for a new job!
which, paid off! :)
I just started a new job on January 31st, and hopefully, since I'll finally be on a normal schedule w/set day-time hours, I'll be able to update you guys more often! :)

Mmmmk... that's all! Enjoy!

Pancake Comparison!

Last night I decided to make Breakfast for Dinner :)

And because my son doesn’t like blueberries in his pancakes, I had to make a batch of Hungry Jack Blueberry Wheat pancakes, and Fiber One original pancakes. Interestingly enough, even though I know that the Hungry Jack pancakes are a thousand times cheaper, and are fewer in weight watcher points, I took this task on as an opportunity to compare and contrast!!

I made both batches of pancakes with some cinnamon (like always, sometime I add vanilla as well) and the same ¼ cup measure.

Let’s compare the points first:

You can have 3 (4 inch) pancakes for 5 points

 

You can have 3 (4 inch) pancakes for 4 points!!

Now, let's look at an aerial view of the pancakes made with 1/4 cup batter…

Fiber One on the left. Hungry Jack on the right

Clearly, the Fiber One are bigger in diameter, however, looking at a view of the depth:



3 Fiber One pancakes

3 Hungry Jack pancakes

the Hungry Jack are thicker!!!

Plus, they taste like pancakes, not like rubbery dough. My son didn't want blueberry pancakes, but he didn't eat the plain Fiber One pancakes either...

Anyways, afer finding out how AMAZING the Hungry Jack pancakes are in comparison, and even better in weight watcher points, I googled to check out their other flavors. Then, I tested EVERY kind of their pancakes… they’re ALL 4 points for 3, 4 inch pancakes! EVERY KIND!

Here are a few pictures of what they have to offer:

 

Do you NOT want to try the Chocolate Chip, Apple Cinnamon, and Funfetti, ASAP?! I DO!!!

Let's talk about Starbucks!

Great, Amazing, Fabulous News!

You can get ANY light Grande (medium) Frappuccino for 5 weight watcher points!!

Hello, Light Peppermint Mocha Frappuccino! How ya doing, Light Java Chip Frappuccino?  What about Caffe Vanilla, Caramel, Eggnog, Salted Caramel, or Pumpkin Spice?! Go grande, and go light!

Light Frappuccino’s are made w/skim milk, which I’m sure tastes better than soy, and come without whipped cream, but deal with it! It’s 5 frickin points!!!

Randomness

There are sooo many things I’ve come across lately & have wanted so badly to put them up here but they're incredibly random, lol. SO... how about I just put them all up, and then later copy & paste them into a past blog of a similar product? Mmmk…

Cottage cheese

1 ww point for 1/2 a cup & it's DELICIOUS!!

Sugar free creamer

I saw this and almost diedddd! It's 0 points for 1 T, or 1 point for 2 T. It's freaking awesome!! Btw, every sugar free creamer is the same in points :)

Pretzels

First off, I've known & loved these pretzels forever; it was just a matter of finding a picture & I finally gave up looking online & just took a picture myself :) This bag is $2.99! Troyer Farms midget pretzels. You can have 26 (TWENTY SIX!!!!) for only 3 points!! Beat THAT!

Also, practically every bag of pretzels you pick up and test w/your ww calculator will tell you it's only 3 ww points, but you have to look at the serving size! Most mini pretzels have an average serving size of 16 pretzels, but w/Troyer Farms, you get 26!!

Grapefruit cups

You always hear just great stuff about grapefruit, but sometimes you just don't have the time. I found these at Sam's Club & love them to death! & it's fruit, so 0 points! :)

Teddy grahams

I really love graham crackers, but the low fat kind is only 1 point less, and I've found that for 30 teddy grahams, which is 4 ww points, you get more than with graham crackers and these are so much better!!

Animal crackers

16 crackers for 3 points!! Original or CHOCOLATE!!

& are we seriously surprised by this fact? They say, "low fat" on the bag!!

Kale chips

I found these, exact brand and all, at my local health food store. You can have 1 oz (1/2 the bag) for 3 ww points. The flavor I tried was mango habanero & it was amazing! I highly suggest you go out & buy a bag. Then... go to my recipes, and make them yourselves!! Mix the flavors up!! Kale is a lettuce, 0 points, and whatever seasoning you use is 0 points, so you'll just have to account for the oil you soak them in to get the seasoning to stick. Buy a bag first so you know whether or not you like them :)

Also, may I suggest Buffalo Wild Wings sauces?! Their dry seasonings are 0 points, but I'm sure their sauces aren't that much higher. Use your calculator!!

Chicken sauage

I found these at Wal-Mart & they're amazing!! Smoked Mozzarella, Artichoke and Garlic is my favorite, but they have many other flavors! 3 ww points per link. Try them on the grill!!

Cheese

I know we've already talked about cheese, and as I said before, if you want to get the ww cheese to discourage other family members from stealing your cheese, go for it... however, you don't HAVE to pay that much for cheese slices! Any "fat free" or "made with reduced/2% milk" cheese will do. 1 ww point per slice! :D

That's all for now!! :)

Thanks for reading!!

Meatloaf

Weight Watchers Meatloaf

Ingredients
1/4 c Minced onion
2 tbsp. Chopped fresh parsley (dried)
1 tbsp. Brown sugar
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Pepper
2 Large egg whites (1 egg white and 1 egg, to bind better)
1 1/2 lb. Ground round
1/2 c Quick-cooking oats
Cooking spray
 
Preparation
  

Combine 1/2 cup ketchup, onion, and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl; stir well. Add meat and oats; stir just until blended. Shape mixture into a 8x4-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray.

Brush remaining 1/4 cup ketchup over meat loaf
 
Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until done. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.  Cut into 12 slices
  

**2 slices = 5 Weight Watchers points (which is probably around 8 or 9 points PLUS)

This is sooo delicious!! You won't know it's weight watchers!! Also, at my house, we call Meatloaf "Crabby Patties" b/c my son loves Spongebob & Meatloaf is such a weird, kid-unfriendly, term. My son loves this stuff!! If you don't have parsley, you can use some garlic salt, oregano, and/or dill. As most of us know, parsley is pretty much a flavorless herb; it's just there for color purposes anyways. Also, we just use really lean meat :) I don't know what "ground round" is...

Serve w/mashed potatoes & steamed carrots!!

Skinny Cow

I LOVEEEE Skinny Cow products!!
Let's go through the list of what they have:

CANDY:

Dreamy Clusters

Milk chocolate & dark chocolate

4 ww points plus

Heavenly Crisp Candy Bars

 

Milk Chocolate & Peanut Butter

3 ww points plus

ICE CREAM:

Ice Cream Sandwiches

I know I've mentioned these before :)

Flavors:

Chocolate

Vanilla

Peanut butter

Mint

Strawberry Shortcake

Cookies & Cream

No Sugar Added Vanilla

4 ww points plus

Ice Cream Bars

 

These fudge bars are sooo amazing!! 3 ww points plus, and only 1 ww points plus for the mini fudge bars, which are alwaysss in my freezer for a quick chocolate fix!

Then, they also have the Truffle Ice Cream Bars:

French Vanilla Truffle

Chocolate Truffle

Caramel Truffle

White Mint Truffle

Cookies & Cream Truffle

3 ww points plus

Ice Cream Cones

Chocolate w/fudge

Mint w/fudge

Vanilla w/caramel

4 ww points plus

Ice Cream Cups

Chocolate Fudge Brownie

Dulce de Leche

Strawberry Cheesecake

Caramel Cone

Cookies & Creme

4 ww points plus