Change is good...

Change is good every once in a while.  Such as the case with this blog.  It seems dear readers (all two of you - shout out to Katie and Colleen!) that keeping this somewhat as a journal and having support along the way has really helped me out.  I'm three weigh-ins away from LifeTime Member Status, but still want to lose 10-15 more pounds.  But in the meantime, other things may strike me that I want to talk about on here.  Things like the funny things that "only happen to us" and my wonderful family and exciting things that happen with them.  Or home decorating and major home projects we want to show off.  Even eventually (NOT YET so don't get your hopes up people) talking about a little Webblett being on the way!

I got to thinking...does that mean I need to change the title of my blog?  A blog that I have tried to brand for almost a year now as being weight-loss centered?  The answer is no.  Because life itself is all about those Slim Pickings we have in front of us that we use to create these amazing environments for ourselves.  We don't always have the world at our fingertips, whether it's because of money, or time, or problems we're dealing with, but our picks for how we get through this adventure are what make it so amazing and fun!  And sometimes those choices are slim and we have to pick the best possible optoin...but that's what makes us grow as people, as husbands or wives, mothers or fathers, strong single women, whoever we are!

I sincerely hope I don't lose any followers...and I promise this will be still majorly about food and recipes I find.  With other fun things thrown in that I hope you will enjoy reading!

It's still the Christmas season and I wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  January 3rd starts fresh posts (yes, and weight updates) and fresh ideas!  Hope to see you all back here then!

Enjoy a photo of our home and looking down our street on Christmas morning!  It was breathtaking and beautiful.  What a wonderful treat God blessed us with as we woke up on the day that is meant to celebrate the coming of His Son!  For unto us a child is born...

It's Never Too Late...

...To tell you I hit a MAJOR Weight Watcher milestone...I hit my "Lifetime" weight number!!  My grand total lost is 31 pounds, which when I think about it, is a lot of weight for me!  This means, as long as I don't go over 2 pounds from this number, I get to weigh in and stuff for free for life!!  How exciting!!  I would still LOVE to lose 10-15 more pounds, but at least I feel normal now.  I actually weigh 5 pounds less than I did on my wedding day.  However, I have not weighed in the past week because of Thanksgiving and Iron Bowl craziness and just not having time Saturday.  So I will weigh Friday this week and I'm a little nervous of the results...because of Thanksgiving and also because Weight Watchers has thrown us all for a loop and COMPLETELY changed the Points system.  I mean, turned it upside down.  Every. Single. Thing. Is. Different.  Not sure I'm too happy about that to be honest...but we'll see how it all turns out!  More later from me including recipes once I figure out this new system...

Come into our Webb...

I know, I know...don't tell me.  I haven't posted in ages.  And I'm sorry about that.  But work has gotten so much more busy than it had been over the summer (in a good way - I LOVE being busy at work).  So I apologize, but that's my excuse...  By the way...I'm writing this post on Monday evening and having it post Tuesday morning.  If you are that curious as to why my posts are pre-written and then scheduled, you can email me...there's a method to it (it helps my blog be more "searchable" on places like Google).

So I know the title of my post references what the name of this blog USED to be.  But Halloween is one of my favorite holidays and October is by far my favorite month of the whole year, so I had to give the blog a little temporary face lift for Halloween and October!  You like?

Speaking of liking...how about my Alabama Crimson Tide?  If you're reading this and don't know me, I am a HUGE Alabama fan...have been my whole life.  I'm a fourth generation Bama graduate, my parents met there and were married there and I was (almost) born there.  In fact, my first words were "Shooey Shooey Auburn" and for YEARS I honestly thought Auburn fans smelled bad.  Probably until I was 12 or something.  So it's fitting I married an Auburn fan, right?  Yeah, that's what I thought...  So I'm THRILLED with how well they are doing!  ROLL TIDE!  :)

So now onto the whole point of this blog...
I have had a hard time the past few weeks and have gone up and down, up and down.  Hopefully we're on a more permanent down slide now...
I'm still sitting at 28 pounds lost total, which I am so proud of!  It's been a lot of hard work, especially with tailgating and such, but I'm trying to make it last for a lifetime this time.  Speaking of Lifetime on Weight Watchers...I'm 3 pounds away!  3!!!!!!  I need all the motivation I can get for a big push these next few weeks.  I want to hit that Lifetime weight by my Great-Grandmother's 100th Birthday Party on October 30th and am determined to hit it!

Look for coming up posts this week including:
Tailgate food options that are still DELISH!
My favorite Fall TV Shows and the healthy snacks that go great with watching them!
Pictures of my Halloween decorations since I LOVE Halloween! (I'll make this post relevant by talking about trades you can make and still enjoy a little bit of Halloween candy)

I leave you with a joke...
Why are witches so unsatisfied with their husbands?

Because they have "Hallow-Weenies"!!!!!!!!
Dirty, yes, but I get tickled every...single...time...

Sorry for the Delay

Sorry for the delay, people!  It's been a crazy time in my life right now and updates have been neglected.  I always write these things either early in the morning before 8:00 or later in the afternoon after 5:15 or 5:30.  Then I schedule them to post a random times (this is because they also post to my Twitter account).

Well, work has been busy (in a good way!), home life has been busy (again, in a good way...massive organization, cleaning out the garage, closets, etc.), married life has been busy (2-year wedding anniversary a week ago!), and family life has been exciting (moving my sister back in college, Jay's sister is having our nephew this Wednesday, my dad's b'day and so on).  So my blog posts have been forgotten.

I have actually dropped an additional 1.8 since my last post to put my total at 28 pounds!  After my big 4.2 pound loss, I lost .8 (happy about that!) on 8/21 and then lost 1.0 this past Saturday.  What a great feeling to be 2 pounds away from the 30 pound mark and only 3 pounds away from LIFETIME status!  Granted, that will put me at the highest I can be for Lifetime at my height, and I plan to lose 10-15 more, but Lifetime is a MAJOR accomplishment!!!

Since I don't have any food things to really talk about this time, I'll delve into some things I have accomplished throughout this journey:
1. Heartburn is pretty much gone (unless I eat something for a splurge, like pizza last night, in which case it comes back temporarily)

2.  I sleep at night without the aid of anything (this includes Ambien, Benadryl, etc.)

3.  I have more energy

4.  I have gone from a size 14 pant to a size 8 so far!


5.  My eating habits are starting to stick for life I can tell.  I still have cravings for things sometimes, but on the whole, this healthy eating thing is addicting, which is the BEST part of it all!


My co-worker joined last week and at her first weigh-in today had lost 4.6!  I'm so proud of her and am so glad to have a work buddy on this journey with me now! 

Milestone Met!

Hello Slim Readers!!!  I am so happy to finally announce that I have met a major milestone in my weight loss journey.  I lost an amazing 4.2 pounds last week to put my total at 26.2 and I am officially at wedding day weight!  I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am!  Another 5 pounds and I will hit "Lifetime" status with Weight Watchers.  I plan to lose 10-15 more once I hit Lifetime, but once you hit that point, you don't have to pay for it anymore!  I couldn't wait to share that exciting news with you!

So I haven't posted a recipe or anything lately, and last night, I mad a great dinner that was so easy and very low points.  Jay gobbled it right up and comment several times on how good it was.  Here's the picture:

Grilled Pork chop (3 ounces) - 3 Points
2 Tbsp Jack Daniels Spicy Original BBQ sauce - 1 Point
Spicy Green Beans - 1/2 Point
Meal Total = 4.5 Points

So here's how I make the Spicy Green Beans.  I cut the ends off of the green beans.  You don't have to do this, but I tend to choke on the little stringy ends sometimes, so I cut them.  I put 2 cups of the beans in a non-stick skillet on the stove top and heat it over medium low with 1/2 cup of water, 1 tsp of olive oil and red pepper flakes, stirring often.  I think they were on the stove a total of 5-7 minutes.  Then you just divide them up on the plates.  That's it!  It's a nice spicy twist on snap green beans.

Until next time...
Eat to live, don't live to eat.

ENCHILADAS!!!

So Jarren ate the last of the enchiladas last night before I could get a picture.  Typical!  But I will give you the recipe.  It's so basic, you really don't need a picture.  Here we go!
You will need:
12 oz of cooked and chopped (or shredded) boneless, skinless chicken breast
6 wheat tortillas (or flour if you prefer, but you will have to add 1 point per enchilada for this)
1 can of Campbell's 98% Fat Free Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can of Campbell's Fiesta Nacho Cheese (you get this in the soup section...I know Kroger has it)
1 8-oz container of fat free sour cream
1 cup of Kraft 2% milk shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 finely chopped jalapeno pepper
1 tsp. of crushed red pepper flakes

What you do:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Lightly grease with Pam a 9x13 Pyrex dish
In a pot over medium low heat, combine the cream of chicken soup, fiesta nacho cheese soup, sour cream, and finely chopped jalapeno.  Mix it all together until smooth and heat thoroughly - about 5 minutes.
In a bowl, add the 12 ounces of chicken breast.  Pour a little more than half of the cheesy soupy mixture over the chicken and mix well.
Divide the chicken mixture evenly among the six tortillas.  Fold the ends over and roll them up.
Place each enchilada in the Pyrex dish so they are all even spaced, but not quite touching.
Pour the remaining cheesy soupy mixture over the enchiladas.
Sprinkle evenly with the red pepper flakes.
Top with the shredded cheese.
Bake approximately 15-20 minutes, or until everything is melted and bubbly.
5 Points per enchilada.

Let me know if you try this and how it turns out!!!

Told ya so...

Told you I would gain.  Saturday at weigh-in, I was up 3 pounds bringing my total down to 22 (instead of the lovely 25 it was sitting at 2 weeks ago).  But honestly, I was OK with that all things considered...which includes eating my way through Destin on the "No Hush Puppy Left Behind" quest.  Seriously...I ate hush puppies at every meal that involved a restaurant, which was 4 dinners and 2 lunches.  Just in case you wanted to know, 2 hush puppies are 4 points.  So...yeah.  On the subject of hush puppies, though, we were at Dewey Destin's one night for dinner (if you have never been, seriously, go there next time you're in Destin) and they were mentioning a world record hush puppy.  Turns out it had just been done the night before...a 31 pound hush puppy!!!  How did I miss this???  But, it's pretty good that I did, because 31 pounds of hush puppy are 1,038.5 Weight Watchers points.  You know, just in case someone offers you one... : )

Made an extra yummy version of an enchilada recipe that is all low fat/fat free options.  One enchilada is only 5 points, so I'll be sure to take a picture of mine tonight and include the recipe tomorrow. 

Promise.  Yeah, you've heard that before, but I will try!

Life's a Beach...when you're at the beach!

Hello readers!  I know a neglected you last Monday.  I'm so sorry, but it was my only day of work for the week before heading to the beach with my in-laws for the week.  But...

I lost 1.4 pounds on Saturday (the 24th) and hit the coveted 25 pounds lost mark!  YEA!!!

I can't believe it, but I hit the 25 pound mark right square on the head.  What an amazing feeling that was.  I swear I walked on Cloud 9 all day with pride.   The journey hasn't always been easy, but I feel healthier and better than I have in a really long time.  In celebration of hitting that mark, I'm going to let you see a "Before" and "Current" picture.  Granted, I think the week at the beach is going to put me up a few pounds, but I'll just deal with that at weigh-in Saturday.  I missed weigh-in this past Saturday on account of, well, the BEACH (have I said that enough times to make you jealous yet?)!!!  Here's the pic:

The one on the left is me on January 31st of this year at the Georgia Aquarium.  I started Weight Watchers on February 6th.  The picture on the right is of me this past Friday before heading to dinner at Dewey Destin (my one fried meal of the week-was it worth it?  TOTALLY!).  This picture marks the "Half Way" point in my journey and lifestyle in changing the way I look at food.

I'll share a few pictures from the week at the beach...if you're friends with me on Facebook, you can see all of them there a little later when I find time to upload them.  Here a few from our day at Crab Island:

My really handsome hubby navigating the boat to Crab Island.

The honey and I in the water at Crab Island

THIS is paradise...for those of you not familiar with Destin, this is what is called "Crab Island".  It is this area just northwest of the bridge that separates Destin from Ft. Walton Beach that is really shallow...no more than 2-3 feet deep in most areas.  The area is HUGE and easily capable of a few hundred boats congregating around.  Everyone just anchors the boat, jumps out, and plays around in floats, drinks beer, etc.  The water is crystal clear and turquoise blue.  I recommend packing a few sandwiches and lots of beer and head out!

And since this is a food blog, here is my lunch one day (needed a break from the sun).  Those are mahi mahi tenders, gumbo, and hush puppies (Jay and I split all that-I didn't eat it myself)!  I eat hush puppies at every meal at the beach.  It is just one of those things I let myself splurge on.  This particular meal is from a FABULOUS little hole in the wall on the north side of Old Hwy 98 called Kenny D's.  Went there with my dad for years when it was called Wahoos.  I highly recommend it next time you're in the area.  Food is amazing!

Other places we ate were Bayou Bill's Crab House (shared a bucket of crab legs with new potatoes and corn on the cob here), the Tommy Bahama Restaurant (shared the fish tacos and a crab cake here), Dewey Destin (YOU MUST EAT HERE...had a crab cake basket with two crab cakes, fries, and hush puppies...this was clearly my major "splurge" meal), and Captain Dave's (this is my absolute favorite restaurant and I had the blackened mahi mahi with a twice baked potato and salad).  If you're wondering why I don't have the points listed, it is because I went on one little 4-night vacation and I didn't eat everything in sight, and I tried to make smart decisions, but I also let myself something if I wanted it.  Like I said earlier, I may pay for it at weigh-in Saturday, but I have some GREAT food memories from this trip!

Sorry this post is long, but I had a lot to cover!  Probably won't post again until next Monday.  I love reading your comments, though, so leave them if you feel so inclined!  : )

Drumroll, Please....

I lost 2.2 pounds!  YEA!  You all have no idea how THRILLED I was with this!  My total weight loss now is finally at the biggest number so far on this journey!  23.6 pounds lost!  What an accomplishment my friends!  I would LOVE to lose 2.4 this upcoming Saturday (which would put me at 26 pounds lost and finally at my wedding day weight!) at weigh-in, but I have to be realistic also that any loss is great.  I finally feel like I'm back on track.  It really is true that when you count everything that graces your lips, even if you estimate a little high (which is what I do), it really pays off on the scales. 

Here is something I made last Saturday that we got several meals out of because it has 8 servings in it and it keeps really well!

Pasta Salad with Chicken
8 oz cooked (boiled) and chopped boneless skinless chicken breast
1 box of cooked Ronzoni Garden Delight Spiral Pasta (drained and cooled with cold water)
Half a can of drained black beans
1 can of sliced black olives
1.5 cups of chopped broccoli
8 tsp of shredded Parmesan cheese (like the Kraft kind)
Half a bottle of Kraft Light Parmesan Asiago Vinaigrette dressing
Mix all the ingredients together and toss it in the dressing.  Chill for about an hour before serving
8 servings per batch = 5 Points per serving
The good thing about this is the chicken and fiber make you feel really full and between the garden vegetable pasta and broccoli, there are 2 servings of veggies in every serving!

This recipe also makes a great meal in the summer when you don't want anything heavy or hot.  And it is so yummy!!!  Enjoy!!!

Up, up, and away...

I've been dreading this blog post for 2 days now.  Sadly, my dear followers, I was up 2 pounds.  Yes, 2 WHOLE POUNDS.  How in the heck does that happen?  I mean, I know I ate a little more than normal...but no 2 pounds worth!  I think there was something wrong with the scale...  I'm totally not just saying that.  I had to weigh on a different scale last week, and I think that makes a difference.  They could be calibrated differently.  Either way, I'm back on track this week and have already added 2 days of exercise to my routine!  I also have a recipe for a DELISH pasta salad that I have made several times to the enjoyment of practically everyone who has even seen it.  I made it up and will be sure to post it for you this week!

Drink Up, Buttercup!

I cannot believe "summer" is almost half way over.  I know technically it isn't because it didn't technically begin until June 21, but in my little world, summer is June and July...and sometimes August.  But when school has already started back, I consider summer over.  With summer, though, comes all the fun of grilling out, BBQ's, cool food, and my favorite...fun, summery drinks!  I've got a break-down for you of some of my absolute favorites with the points break-down (as well as I could figure up anyway).

I'll start with BEER...what goes better with grilling meat on the grill and some summer tunes on the stereo than a cold beer?  Nothing, that's what.  Of the domestic "lights", these are the two I drink:

Miller Lite - 2 Points (per 12oz bottle)

Coors Lite - 2 Points (per 12oz bottle)

I also have been known to "treat" myself with the following higher point beers (these two are actually my two favorite beers):

Woodchuck Amber Cider - 3 Points (per 12oz bottle - this one also has a higher ABV at 5%)

Landshark (brewed by Jimmy Buffett) - 3 Points (per 12oz bottle)

Now I also LOVE wine.  It's the perfect compliment to the Bachelorette on Monday nights.  It's also the perfect compliment to...well...life!  Barefood is my brand of choice.  They make just about every variety and it is very tasty and very reasonably priced ($10.99 with my Kroger Plus Card for the double-size bottle).  My favorite is the Pinot Grigio.  I like the green apple, peach, and citrus flavors that go along with a Pinto Grigio much better than the vanilla and peach flavors that go with a Chardonnay.  Here's the breakdown of the Barefoot line (PS - the picture does not show every variety and my description came from the Barefoot website):

Pinot Grigio (green apple, white peach, floral blossom, citrus)

Moscato (peach, apricot, lemon, orange)

Chardonnay (vanilla, honey peach, Fuji apple)

Riesling (fruity, with orange, apple, and lemon)

Sauvignon Blanc (honeydew, nectarine, white pear)

White Zinfandel (or the white trash of wines as I call it - peach, pineapple, strawberry, and pear)

Pinot Noir (black cherry, raspberry, dark spices)

Cabernet Sauvignon (currant, raspberry, blackberry, vanilla)

Shiraz(blackberry, blueberry, and mocha)

Merlot (red cherry, boysenberry, and plum)

Zinfandel (cherries and raspberries)

Each flavor is 2 points per 5 oz glass (but I will seriously think there is something wrong with you if you can manage to only drink one glass!)

Finally, the cocktail.  Jarren and I just sort of stumbled over this one over the 4th of July weekend when we couldn't find all the ingredients for a Bama Breeze.  I've named this one His & Hers because it involves banana (hee hee!), coconuts (tee, hee, hee) and oranges (got nothing here...).  

It's about 5 points per cup, but oh-so-worth it!  Mix 1 part banana rum, 1 part coconut rum, and 2 parts orange juice.  Serve over ice...but be careful!  It's half alcohol so this one will slip up on you!

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer like we are!  So much fun stuff coming up for us and I will continue to update you as always with my weight-loss success and what I'm eating!

Eat to live...don't live to eat!

Eclipse Review

If you know me, you know I'm a Twilight fan.  Fan might be not quite the right word...but neither is obsessed.  I'm not obsessed, I just really have always loved reading and those books really sucked me in.  I know, I know, this is mainly a FOOD and WEIGHT LOSS blog, but I can't help myself.  I just do this post. 

So I saw the movie last Friday with Jay (yes, yes, he deserves an award for going with me, etc...please keep those comments to a minimum as I've heard them all about a hundred times...).  And now I'm going to review it for you...WARNING: MY REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS!!! 
But seriously, who is seeing the movie who hasn't read the book?  In which case, you already know everything that happens in the whole series.

Favorite Part:  Bella & Jacob FINALLY kissing (I consider this all part of the tent scene).  It was passionate and romantic and I have a Team Jacob side of me screaming to get out!  The tent scene on the whole was great!


Best Line in the Movie:  When Edward is taking Bella to the treaty line to drop her off with Jacob for safe keeping while he goes hunting.  Jacob is waiting there in all his shirtless glory and Edward says to her, "Doesn't he own a shirt?" Vampire with a sense of humor...gotta love that!

Least Favorite Part:  I guess the graduation scene, but I think that's because I had had 3 glasses of wine at that point (the theater we went to have a VIP 21+ section where they serve drinks) and had to go to the restroom and missed most of it.

Biggest Complaint:  Not enough time spent on Rosalie and Jasper's back stories.  I honestly would have liked to visually see more of both of them.  And the fight sequence was really cool with all the CGI and special effects, so I would have enjoyed more of that.

Biggest Letdown:  Honestly, I think the way it ended is my biggest complaint.  They just ended New Moon SO perfectly with Edward asking her to marry him and her gasping and then the screen going blank and credits rolling.  I mean, seriously, ANTICIPATION built big time with that ending.  Eclipse just sort of ends with them making out in the meadow talking about forever.  Blah blah.  I guess it was just really really boring for an ending.  And since the movies haven't exactly followed the books exactly (honestly, what movies do?), I was expecting something a little more...something to keep me wanting more until Breaking Dawn comes out (in two parts) starting 11•11•11.
On a side note, my second biggest letdown was Alice.  She was one of my favorite characters in the whole books series and she was rarely in the movie at all.  Bummer.

Thing I Though Would Bother Me That Didn't:  Going to break this down as a list:
1.   The role of Victoria changing actresses.  Rachelle LeFevre was Victoria in Twilight and New Moon.  But due to some may-jah drama, she was recast in Eclipse and Bryce Dallas Howard (most recently she played John Connor's wife, Kate, in Terminator: Salvation).  I actually didn't really pay that much attention to it...they managed to make it not very obvious in my opinion so it didn't bother me.
2.   Bella's wig.  In the pictures that were leaked on the internet while they were filming had me really nervous because it looked BAD.  For those of you (again) under a rock, Kristen Stewart (the actress who plays Bella) had a role in between New Moon and Eclipse where she played Joan Jett in The Runaways.  She cut her hair and dyed it into Joan Jett's iconic black mullet.  Clearly they have some AMAZING film re-touchers at Summit because I didn't really notice it at all.  Rosalie's, however?  TERRIBLE.

Biggest Anticipation for Breaking Dawn:  Seeing how they do Renesmee (for those of you living under a ROCK, she is Bella and Edward's half vampire, half human child).  She grows at an alarming rate in the books and even as an infant, has a full set of teeth.  I want to see how they do this!  And the actress they choose because she is supposed to be breathtakingly beautiful.

On the whole, I'm going out on a limb to say Eclipse was my FAVORITE of the 3 so far...there, I've said it!  Are you a fan?  Have you seen the movie yet?  Give me your thoughts!!!

Wednesday is the New Monday...

Good Wednesday morning!  So my Monday morning post should have been on Tuesday (since my office was closed Monday).  But I was busy and just plain ole forgot.  So now it is Wednesday and I'm wondering where the time went!!

So first things first...I lost another 1.2 pounds at weigh-in on Saturday and was feeling great!  23.4 total (only 1.6 away from a major milestone - 25 pounds!).  However, Saturday evening really kind of threw me for a loop with all the yummy foods available for devouring at Pyro on the Pond.  Pyro on the Pond is a major fireworks show put on by my aunt and uncle in their front yard, which has a huge pond, hence the name.  I think this was either the 12th or 13th year we have done it and it has gotten pretty big...150-200 people that we feed.  Not to mention the extra 50 or so that line up across the pond to watch the show.  And everyone brings something and there is a ton of food.  And I didn't really hold back.  I portioned everything, but I sampled pretty much everything.  WAY over my points already for the week...like 35 points OVER my 35 bonus points.  SERIOUSLY?!?!?!  Not going to have a good weigh-in this Saturday I fear, but I'm hoping I can fix it a little by trying to cut out 3-4 points a day until then.  I know you aren't supposed to do that, but I'm desperate here, people!!!

I fully plan on later this week doing a post on cocktail options and honestly, I'm surprised I haven't done this yet.  Summer is the only time I really enjoy a nice cocktail and a book outside in our little outdoor seating area.  So look for that coming soon...probably Friday.

Here are two meal updates:

2 slices of Nature's Own Light Wheat Bread - 1 Point
2 oz. Boar's Head Lemon Pepper Sliced Chicken Breast - 1 Point
1 slice of Sargento Colby Jack Cheese - 1 Point
Mixed Fruit - 1 Point
8 Rold Gold Honey Wheat Pretzel Braids - 2 Points
TOTAL = 6 Points

1 chicken breast - 3 Points
Goya Mojo Carillo Marinade (this is like a Caribbean marinade) - 0 Points
1/2 cup brown rice - 1 Point
1 cup of steamed broccoli - 1 Point
5 oz Pinot Grigio - 2 Points
TOTAL = 7 Points

And I'm adding this picture to show you how freaking spoiled my dog is.  When we're eating, he sometimes manages to weasel his head up there and lick around for crumbs.  We try really hard not to condone this behavior, but Jay managed to snap this picture (since the camera was already on the table and on) before I could push him back down.

Now these next few pictures are just to brag on our mad party planning skills!  My mother-in-law and father-in-law celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary in early June and we had a party for them at my sister-in-law's house June 26th.  These are just a few pictures of how we transformed her backyard into a twinkling party!

View of the back of the house.  Those are my Christmas lights strung across the top and in the trees!

Close up of the tree lights and drink table

That is a real chandelier we wired electricity to that hung from a tree!  You can also see the band setting up in the back left...

Close-up of the chandelier...

 

 

 

That's all for now!Hope everyone is having a great short week!

Summer Loving

Two blog posts in two days...watch out!!  : )

I decided to do a quick and fun post on the things I can't get enough of this summer.  Some are food-related (due to the nature of this blog - duh!), but some aren't.  And in fact, my husband may never speak to me again regarding one...read on!

GRILLING OUT

This is a no-brainer, right?  I mean, who doesn't love the smell of grilling out...  My favorites are chicken and mahi mahi.  Hopefully I'll do the fish again in the next week or two and do a post on how I did it with a picture this time.  The above picture are chicken breasts in Kikkoman Teriyaki Baste & Glaze, sliced zucchini marinaded in a little light olive oil and some garlic salt, and regular ole Dole pineapple slices.  Very good dinner, though...
1 chicken breast - 3 Points
2 Tbsp of the glaze - 1 Point
Zucchini in olive oil - 1/2 Point
1 pineapple slice - 1/2 Point 
TOTAL = 5 Points 
 

HARRY & DAVID DIP

So you have to either get the Harry & David Pepper and Onion Relish at a Harry & David store (there's one in Foley), or order it online.  It is so easy - you just add 1 jar with 1 block of fat free cream cheese and blend it with a hand mixer.  It has this perfect sweet and spicy kick to it that I just can't get enough of!  Pair it with Baked Tostitos Scoops, and you have a great appetizer...or in my case, just any old snack!
1/4 cup of dip - 1 Point
15 Baked Scoops - 2 Points
TOTAL = 3 Points

SKINNY COWS

I mean, seriously.  Who doesn't just LOVE Skinny Cow dessert items?  If you haven't ever tried these, you're missing out.  It is the perfect way to stay on plan and still eat dessert...every single day.  You can find these in any grocery freezer section with the ice cream.  There are a lot of different types/flavors, but the picture above is a compilation of my four favorites... 
White Mint Truffle Ice Cream Bar - 2 Points
Mint Ice Cream Sandwich - 3 Points
Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Sandwich - 3 Points
Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwich - 2 Points

COSTA DEL MAR

So the dog actually ate mine so I'm not really able to enjoy them this summer...but I'm hoping to be getting a new pair quite soon (due to a deal with the hubby after he made a rather unflattering comment about my still large backside)!  I had these sunglasses (Cota del Mar Vela tortoise frame with Amber lenses) for a few years before they had their tragic demise in the mouth of Tank.  But, alas, he is my fur baby and suffered no such punishment for his actions.  This next pair will be kept in a really high place...most likely the top of my head.  They are expensive, but seriously are the best sunglasses I've ever owned...other than my current $1 Wayfarer look-a-likes I'm currently sporting from the Dollar Tree!

SUN-IN

Yes, I realize the fact that this product is on my list shows that I did, in fact, live a good portion of my life in the 90s.  But seriously, they have a new look, new formula and it really doesn't turn your hair red anymore.  I like my hair to look lightened and "sun kissed" in the summer and I was pleasantly surprised when I took a chance on the "new look, new formula" line.  I plan on doing round two this weekend...can't go too light too fast!  Then it might look like I was using Sun-In or something...

SUNSCREEN

So this is the picture I told you Jay would hate me forever for putting on my blog.  But seeing as how he didn't tell me not to, I'm doing it!  I am LOVING sunscreen this summer.  Every fashion magazine I've read lately has said too tan is NOT in anymore.  Not only is it really damaging and bad for you (hello, melanoma?), it really does promote premature aging.  And who wants to look 20 years older?  Not me!  Being slightly sun kissed is what's in for summer and I love that.  It promotes a healthy color while still being mindful of how harmful the sun really is.  So yeah...you're really really wanting to know the back story on that picture, aren't you?  Well, Jay and I laid out at the pool the weekend before last and he asked me to spray him with sunscreen.  So I basically aimed it at his belly button, sprayed for a good 3-4 seconds, and didn't do much else.  It isn't my fault he didn't notice I only sprayed one little spot.  I mean, c'mon, it's HIS body...he was FEELING it.  He should have had enough sense to say, "Hold the phone, Elizabeth. I felt you spray that only in one location and not all around."  So needless to say, he has a good sunburn on his belly with that nice white spot on the belly button...plus, please notice where it dripped!  Ha ha!  Lesson learned...I hope!

Can't wait to read all the comments I get on this one!  : ) 

Weekly Update...x 2!

Well my loyal readers, I have neglected you yet again.  I shouldn't have done that.  Last Saturday at weigh-in I had dropped another 1.4 pounds to bring my total to 22.2!!!  I was oh-so-proud of myself and on my way to my goal of 26 pounds gone by 4th of July weekend.  However, this past Saturday, I was up 1 whole pound.  YIKES!  I am not quite sure the reason for such an increase this week...but it is stressing me out!  What did I do differently?  Why did this happen?  All I can do is track even harder this week and hope it was a fluke!  : )

My friend Teri requested healthy breakfast options and honestly, I'm not very good at these since I drink a Kellogg's Protein Shake literally every single morning.  But...I didn't used to do that, so I shall dig deep in the archives of my brain...


Lots of morning I used to eat a 100 calorie wheat english muffin, toasted, with 1/4 cup of cooked egg whites on it...sort of like an egg sandwich.  It was 1.5 points.  But my mom does it differently and honestly, hers sounds better!  Here it is -
Wheat English Muffin - 1 Point
1/4 cups scrambled egg whites - .5 Point
1 slice Canadian Bacon (she browns hers on the skillet first) - 1 Point
TOTAL = 2.5 Points

I LOVE LOVE LOVE cereal and now that a lot of them are adding extra fiber, they are less points.  One of my absolute favorites is Apple Jacks...
1 cup of Apple Jacks - 1 Point
1/2 cup of skim milk - 2 Points
TOTAL = 3 Points

Also, Oatmeal is a great breakfast option because it really sticks with you. 
1 cup oatmeal - 2 Points
1 tbsp brown sugar - 1 Point
1/2 large banana - 1 Point
TOTAL = 4 Points

If you are on the go a lot and need some fast food options, here you go -
Chick-Fil-A chicken minis (3 pack) - 6 Points (I know this sounds high, but for fast food, it is pretty good)
McDonalds Egg McMuffin - 7 Points

I'll be cooking more this week and hopefully will have pictures to share with more great meal ideas...including a great 6 Point chicken enchilada recipe!

Weigh-in Results

Well my fellow readers - I lost .8 at Saturday's weigh-in for a grand total of 21 pounds!  What an amazing accomplishment!  Even more exciting, I easily slid into a pair of jeans from Express that I haven't been able to wear in a year and a half.  WOW!  They are a size 10 and to me, that sounds just glorious!  When I started out this journey, most of my clothes were a 14.  Not that there is a thing in the world wrong with that, it just didn't look right on my body type and it was not healthy for my age/height/asthma condition, etc...  I was so excited I forgot to take pictures of me in my new old jeans to post!  I'll try to do that maybe even tonight...

I also managed to get my hair cut (finally!) on Friday so hopefully I'll show you the new 'do soon enough.

On to a great dinner idea!  I have to say, this was quite possibly the best dinner I've ever cooked according to both me and the hubby.
Grilled Mahi Mahi rubbed with a little olive oil and some cajun seasoning - 5 WW Points
Grilled zucchini with a dash of olive oil and garlic powder and salt - .5 WW Points
Boiled red new potato (just 1 for me - 2 for the hubby) with Cajun spices - 1 WW Point
Dinner total was only 6.5 Points and we were stuffed by the end.
Here's how I cooked the fish after I coated it in seasoning:
I put the grill on almost the lowest setting it would go to.  Then I lined the grill with aluminum foil and let it all heat up for about 10 minutes.  I put the fish on the grill and kept several lemon slices handy.  Every few minutes, I squirted each piece of fish with lemon juice.  I let them cook about 11 minutes on each side and made sure they easily flaked with a fork before enjoying!  I'm so sorry I didn't a picture, but we'll surely be having this again so I'll post a picture then!

Happy Monday to all!

By Request...Eating Out

This is a long blog post, but totally worth the read!

I don't know why I have not done this sooner...  My friend from college/the Sorority, Katie (check out her blog - it's AMAZING - Fashion's Maven), asked me to do a post on eating out while trying to lose weight.  Jarren and I eat out quite a bit and I've managed to navigate well through it so here are my tips along with several restaurant "cheat tips"!

First things first...when I do food with points values, I guess it doesn't mean much to you if you don't know the WW Points system that well.  I have to say, don't rely solely on my blog to do it...if you really want to lose efficiently and the right way, I recommend joining Weight Watchers.  I think you can do the online only version for about $20 a month.  However, I need the accountability of weighing in each week in front of someone else (it's all VERY private, though) and going to meetings.  It really does make a difference.  The plan I do is meetings once a week (where you weigh in) and it also comes with the online tools, which are AMAZING!  I think you can sign up right now with no joining fee. 

So based on my starting weight, height, age, gender, and what I spend most of my day doing (sitting at work on a computer), I started out getting 24 points per day plus 35 bonus points per week to use any way I want.  You can split them up among your days or use them all at once for splurge meal (this is usually what happens to me). You are supposed to eat ALL of your daily points, but you do not have to eat all of your bonus points...however, I always do!  : )  The whole premise is you have to eat in order to keep your metabolism up, which is the key to weight loss.  The way WW works is, every time you go into a new set of 10's (example - if you're in the 180's and move down into the 170's), you lose 1 point per day, but keep your 35 bonus per week.  Pretty simple!  So now I get 22 points per day...and I'm .8 pounds away from moving down to 21 per day.

Here are some tips to use at any restaurant:
1. Always veer towards grilled...grilled chicken breast, grilled fish, etc.  Ask them to prepare it without any butter. 
2. Pick sides that are healthy such as steamed vegetables (again, request no butter in cooking), brown rice, fruit, etc.
3. Portions will generally be huge, so if you don't split it with someone (Jarren and I usually split an entree), request a to-go container up front and split it in half.  I promise, you will walk out of the restaurant NOT hungry, but also NOT bloated.
4. If it is a sandwich place, choose wheat bread, lean meat such as turkey (no ham, salami, roast beef, etc.).  Also, if they don't have light mayo, skip it and opt for mustard instead.  Most sauces are very high in fat. 

On to my restaurant picks...
For most restaurants you can use this great website called Dottie's Weight Loss Zone and I highly recommend it.

SUBWAY
I've put this one first because we eat there a lot...  Here is what I get:
Turkey breast on wheat - 5 Points
Cheese - 1 Point
Lettuce - 0 Points
Black Olives - 0 Points
TOTAL = 6 Points
I stay away from chips, even the Baked ones here simply because the sandwich fills me up plenty

ROSIE'S CANTINA (sorry, this is exclusive to Huntsville)
We actually probably eat here more than Subway because it is walking distance to our house.
24 tortilla chips & salsa - 6.5 Points (3 if you only eat 12...but who can only eat 12?) - break them in pieces so you don't eat them as fast
Chicken soft taco on wheat tortilla - 5 Points...here's the break-down:
• wheat tortilla - 1 Point
• 2 oz fajita grilled chicken - 2 Points
• 1/4 cup cheese - 2 Points
• lettuce - 0 Points
MEAL TOTAL = 11.5 Points (BTW - this does not include the beers I typically drink...Miller Lite is 2 Points per bottle).

MEXICAN RESTAURANTS
24 tortilla chips & salsa - 6.5 Points (3 if you only eat 12)
Your safest bet are fajitas...ask them to use as little butter as possible and ask if they can substitute wheat tortillas. 
Choose chicken instead of steak.
DO NOT EAT THE GUACAMOLE OR SOUR CREAM- ASK THEM TO NOT EVEN BRING IT
1 fajita chicken wrap will be about 6-7 points if you add cheese to it (4 if you don't)
You can also get by with a taco salad as long as you DO NOT EAT THE SHELL.  1 taco salad is probably about 7 points if you ask them to cut the cheese in half with no guac and no sour cream (these two items are Points killers...you can manage without them).

CHINESE RESTAURANTS
Choose vegetables or lo mein instead of friend rice
Choose chicken items that are not friend or breaded...basically stay away from General Tso's chicken, Sesame chicken, Sweet & Sour chicken, Honey chicken, etc.  Most of those are actually friend twice.  Yikes!
Good choices include:  Bourbon chicken (most I've been to have this), Chicken & Broccoli, anything with non-friend shrimp.
There is nothing at PF Chang's you can eat and stay on plan.  I know you were going to ask... : )

PANERA BREAD COMPANY
Low-fat Chicken Noodle Soup - 2 Points
Half Asian Sesame Chicken Salad - 5 Points
DO NOT EAT THE BREAD
TOTAL = 7 Points

CHICK-FIL-A
8 pack chicken nuggets - 6 Points
Buffalo Sauce - 0 Points
Fruit Cup - 1 Point
TOTAL = 7 Points

MCDONALD'S
We don't ever eat food here...but we get this little treat almost daily!
Ice cream cone - 3 Points (!!!)

Typically one splurge meal per week helps me do better...notice I said splurge MEAL, not DAY!

Refer to the website about, Dottie's Weight Loss Zone, for thousands more restaurants.  Just click the Restaurants link at the top of her page and you're off! 

Please let me know if any of you decide to join Weight Watchers...I would love to have a buddy to share success/tips with!

Eat to live...don't live to eat!

A new goal reached!

I reached an exciting goal this weekend with my weigh-in...I hit the 20 pounds "shed" mark!  20.2 to be exact and I couldn't be happier.  I've worked hard for every single little pound and am so proud of this important milestone.  Of course, I'm afraid I ruined it with all our Memorial Day eating...and drinking.  It was a laid-back, relaxing weekend.  But unfortunately, that meant it involved not a lot of exercising and lots of food/beer.  I will just have to work hard to cut back a little this week to try to make up for it a little.  As long as I have not GAINED next week, I'll be OK.  Staying the same is OK...gaining is NOT!  So for now, enjoy these two pictures...

This is Jarren and I sitting in the bed of his truck, waiting on his parents to pick us up to head to Guntersville for a night of yummy food at Crawmama's Seafood there and later, listening to some live music at Boondock's.  A fun evening had by all to say the least!

And here we have me pretending to eat an oyster.  No way would I really eat one - it's like eating a tongue!  GROSS!

Until next time...
Eat to live, don't live to eat!

Down 2.6...up .6 Ready? Down, Up, Down, Up, Down, Up...

Ever since I changed the name of the blog, I don't think people can find me so I didn't realize I still had any readers left until my friend Teri asked me where my posts were.  Oops!  I get followers on Twitter, but not so many on the blog.
So when I weighed in after the weekend at the beach for the wedding, as you all know, I was up .8 mainly due to the enormous amount of Bushwhackers I drank while down there.  But then the week after, I was down 2.6 and was ecstatic!!!  I was slammed at work that week following and by the time I was done each evening, I was too tired to stay late to write a blog entry.  You would think I would be thrilled and want to write about that.  But alas, you would be wrong. 
So this past weekend when I weighed I was up .6 and was so upset over that.  I mean, what did I do wrong?  I didn't go over my points...what was the problem?  Ah, yes, my monthly friend who causes so much bloating was about to visit.  Should have known...
So on the eve of the eve of my next weigh in I will resort to an old favorite...chicken and vegetables for dinner.  More specifically?  Lemon pepper chicken and grilled asparagus.  4 points total.

I go into the pre-weigh-in stretch remembering the motto...
Eat to live...don't live to eat!

Fan Friday

So I've never actually done a Fan Friday post, but I plan on doing one today because I can't let any of you go one more second without knowing about this gum.  It has literally saved my big butt on more than one occasion this week when I wanted to stuff my face.  My BFF Lindsay Ann introduced me to it while we were in Orange Beach two weekends ago and - WOW!  Any of you who eat simply because it tastes good or you're bored...go out and buy several packs of this gum right this second.  It is called Fruit Sensations by Extra and I found mine in the candy/gum aisle of my neighborhood Kroger and bought two 3-packs.  One was the oh-so-yummy Sweet Watermelon flavor.  The other pack is what I can only call a party in the mouth - Strawberry Banana and yes, it's that good.  The best part about this gum is that not only is it sugar free and less than 5 calories a stick, the flavor lasts twice as long as other sugar free gum, which is crucial if you're watching what you eat.  I was serious when I said you can't go another minute without this gum.  Here's a picture of the Strawberry Banana package...just in case!

Looong Overdue

I've neglected you all and I'm so sorry!  Since we got back from the beach late the night of May 3 (I know, I know, 8 days ago...) I have been running like a crazy lady it seems!

We got back late the night of the 3rd and then I had a full schedule of work the rest of the week.  Add to that trying to get the house back in shape from the "great laundry explosion of 2010" following the trip and there you have it...

So the news...I weighed in Saturday (May 8th) and was up .8 pounds.  I still have not managed to convince myself that that is not that bad considering at the beach, I think I consumed my weight in Bushwhackers.  For those of you who don't vacation in the Orange Beach/Gulf Shores area, it is a drink made from...wait for it...Vodka, rum, creme de cacao (basically, a really thick chocolate syrup), coconut milk, half and half, and vanilla ice cream.  Yeah, those last two ingredients did me in I think!  But they are oh-so-yummy and every sip tasted like dessert in a glass!  I'm back on track this week with hopes of pulling myself out of the slump.  16.8 pounds shed from my body is still great!

Here is a picture right before the Rad 80's Birthday party we went to this past weekend for our friend Thomas Brandon's 30th Birthday.  I think we look pretty great!

How about that blue eye shadow and ice pink lipstick?  Yeah!

And a sweet picture of Jay and I from Mother's Day at my Aunt Sheila & Uncle Johnny's house. 

My great grandmother was there and bless her heart, she may not have a clue who any of us are, but she's a trooper.  She'll be 100 in October so look for her on the Today Show - I'm sending in her picture!

Lastly, this is also from Mother's Day of my (biological) sister on the right (Sarah) and my (not-so-biological) sister on the left (Dani) who lives/lived with my parents for a while this year.

Finally, I want to leave with you and AWESOME low points dinner!  After the bad I did the weekend of the beach trip and the week following, I need some low points meals!

2 oz grilled chicken breast - 2 Points
Romain lettuce leaves - 0 Points
Shredded carrots - 0 Points
2 Tbsp (total) of Thai Kitchen Sweet Chili Sauce (you can buy this in the Asian food aisle of any grocery store) - 1 Point
TOTAL = 3 Points (for all 3 of those wraps!)  It's actually very filling and I love the spicy kick!

Until next time...
Eat to live...don't live to eat!

I'm down another 2.2 at weigh in this morning! That's a total of 17.6 now and I couldn't be prouder! We are on our way to Orange Beach for a wedding!

I will be a Weekend Warrior!

Due to my impending trip to the beach in which we are leaving on Thursday (I am in my friend Courtland's wedding), I have had to temporarily change my weigh in day to Thursday.  So alas, I will have no update for you on Monday.  Because Weight Watchers requires you to have at least 7 days between weigh-ins, I have to figure it out where I don't have two weeks between weigh-in, because it's easier to get off track without weighing in.  So...I will weigh in Thursday morning on our way out and then will return to my Saturday schedule on 5/8.  Hope this doesn't throw you devoted followers for a loop!

That being said, I don't have my normal Saturday morning weigh in to keep me accountable this weekend so I really have to suck it up and do my best!  Bring on the motivation, please!  : )

Here is your meal for the day:

(btw - I'm listing the points as if I had eaten the whole chicken breast and then listing what it was since I cut it in half in parentheses)
Boneless, skinless chicken breast - 3 Points (1.5)
Half a pack of dry zesty Italian dressing mix - 1 Point (0.5)
2 Tbsp of Kroger brand shaved Parmesan cheese - 1 Point (1)
1/2 c. instant brown rice - 1 Point
1 c. steamed broccoli - 0 Points
TOTAL = 6 Points (4 Points)

So...here's how you make the chicken (using a 3-pack of chicken breasts):
Wash and trim all visible fat from chicken breasts (cut out all the arteries and red vein places, too)
In a small baking dish, combine 2 small packets of dry Zesty Italian with 6 tbsp of shaved or shredded Parmesan and mix together.  Coat each side of each chicken breast with the mixture and place in a Pyrex dish that is lightly sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes or until completely cooked through.  That's it!

I will hopefully post via my Blackberry on Thursday morning while in route to the beach with the latest weight loss update!

Have a happy weekend and those in Huntsville...be wary of the tornadoes tomorrow!

New Look - Exciting!

Welcome to the new blog!
New name, new look!

I decided since the blog kind of veered away from the musings of my married life to more about my Weight Watchers journey, I thought a new look was in order...as well as a new name!  So this has been about a week in coming together.  I'm still not 100% there on how I want this blog to look, but it's getting there.  I really wanted a look that was fun and really captured who I am as a person and a blogger.  My quest in this has always been to write posts that are entertaining, uplifting, motivational, funny, and also helpful to others on a weight loss journey.  I want the blog to be relevant to all readers - not just those on Weight Watchers.  So be aware some changes will be taking place...some subtle, some not so. 

Please encourage friends and others to check it out and let me know what you all think!

Milestones and Grilling Out...

Good afternoon! Down .6 this week and while that may not sound like a lot...it is over half a pound! The more I lose, the harder it will be to continue losing. The more you weight, the faster it comes off. More importantly...I hit a major "me" milestone this week. My total loss is 15.4 and I am officially only 10 pounds away from my wedding day weight! Here are some of my milestones I plan to accomplish:
The "10% of Starting Weight" Milestone - 18 pounds lost total
The "Half Way There" Milestone - 23 pounds lost total
The "Wedding Weight" Milestone - 25.5 pounds lost total
The "Big 3-0" Milestone - 30 pounds lost total
The "Three Quarters Way There" Milestone - 34.5 pounds lost total
The "Graduated from College Weighing This" Milestone - 41 pounds lost total
The "GOAL!" Milestone - 46 pounds lost total

For each milestone, I'm going to let myself have a non-food reward. I learned about these in one of my meetings. You treat yourself to something totally unrelated to food. For example - most of my milestones have a clothing award attached to them! Another non-food reward I'm giving myself is a mani/pedi at the Heavenly Spa by Westin. My GOAL reward...a new Lilly Pulitzer dress! Extravagant, yes, but I don't care! I love me some Lilly! I really think these are better motivators than food! Of course...one of my rewards is a real margarita (which are totally NOT good on WW...about 12-17 points EACH - for only 10oz).

Give it a try...make a milestone list like I have and set a specific non-food reward for each one. I promise you will see yourself striving even more to reach non-food items than food ones!
I spent the better part of ALL DAY after church yesterday cleaning our house. I'm talking DEEP clean...I dusted every square inch with not only a duster, but also furniture polish, vacuumed every single blind in the house, vacuumed and scrubbed baseboards, scrubbed tubs and toilets, laundry, the works! It was about 6 hours of cleaning and guess what? I earned 5 activity points for all of it! I probably will try not to use them, but it felt great to get my spring cleaning done and get a good work out in the process! Think lots of squats and lots of vacuuming using those arm muscles...

Finally - after all that cleaning, we had worked up an appetite! I had a good amount of Points left for the day and so we cooked up a great dinner that is perfect for grilling out and staying on track! Here it is...(btw - that is my finger pulling back the cheese to reveal the chicken)

3 oz grilled chicken breast (boneless and skinless) - 3 Points
BBQ sauce marinade - 1/2 Point
Healthy Life Light Wheat Bun - 1 Point
Sargento Reduced Fat Provolone - 1 Point
Corn on the cob (boiled with garlic salt sprinkled on it) - 1 Point
1 cup of fresh cut cantaloupe and watermelon - 1 Point
TOTAL DINNER - 7.5 Points and so filling. Loved it!

2.4 down...31.2 to go!

Good afternoon!
I'm late today...busy Monday at work!

I have exciting news...I lost 2.4 pounds last week! That's a total weight loss of 14.8, people! What an exciting Saturday I had knowing my hard work is paying off...it may be slow some weeks, but others show great improvement to make up for it! The best part is I am 3.2 pounds away from losing 10% of my original body weight - WOW! I'm still in the "Overweight" category on the BMI scale, but that's OK...every little pound and tenth of a pound gets me that much closer to the "Normal" range - 17.2 pounds away from that.

That paragraph brings to the "why" of this weight loss journey. Don't get me wrong, I want to look great again like I used to, I want to fit back in to a particular size that I used to fit into, I want to have more energy and more self confidence (of course, that last one has to come from within, but I already see myself so much confident in my appearance now than 8 weeks ago!). But I started the whole thing February 6th because the week before I had to go to the doctor for something and of course, they take your weight blood pressure. I was mortified to see the number flash up there in front of the nurse. To make matters worse, my blood pressure was 170/96 - YIKES! They told me to get it down or I was going to the hospital. Those who know me know I don't do needles...I mean, I fainted when I got my ears pierced at age 8 and still to this day I cry every single year when I have to get my flu shot. Yes, I'm 27 and I cry in front of everyone when getting a flu shot. So now you know the background on my journey isn't purely for looks, but more for my own health. It scared me to know my b/p was that high and that it was my fault it got that way. You know the best part? My acid reflux is pretty much non-existent now. Gone! What an amazing feeling!

I encourage everyone who is struggling with how to get started to give Weight Watchers a try. Everyone is different and everyone's body is different, I can only say what I know works for me! And it becomes like a game or challenge...each week someone is seeing my weight (privately, of course!) and I'm obligated to not let myself down in front of them.

Thanks for all the comments, emails, tweets, etc. with questions/comments/encouragement. I love it and hope to continue to give great advice and even great recipe, meal, and product ideas.

Here's what I'm giving you this week...a 0 Point drink mix company! YES - 0 POINTS!
Baja Bob's is the name of the company and they make a plethora of mixes you use to make drinks such as Margaritas, Mai Tais, Hurricanes, even Mud Slides! All you do is add the liquor to the mix and enjoy! I have yet to try them yet, but plan to have an order coming my way shortly! Click the Baja Bob's above to go to the site and be amazed! I'll do a post on the drinks once I've tried them. Of course...please drink responsibly!

Protein. Boring? I Think Not...

Shocking, I know...another post two days after my last one! I've been meaning to do a quick post on protein for a while now, and I'll try to make it as interesting as possible! I wish someone had told me about this sooner...
When I first started this second round at Weight Watcher on February 6, I was confident. I mean, I had lost 20+ pounds when I did it back in 2008. I was FIRED UP! I knew what I could do and I was ready to go. Big girl gonna get her slim on, yeah-ya. However, this time, I started out 7.2 pounds heavier. Ugh. I cringe. I noticed my body was still trying to tell me it was hungry by that annoying little pain you get when you aren't quite full enough. That's when I learned about protein and how it and fiber are what keep you feeling full and satisfied longer. Then I found these:
Special K Protein Bars. They actually have other varieties, this is just the one I happened to eat this morning. Excuse the shiny/dirty desk. So these bars are only 3 Points and come in this flavor, chocolate peanut butter, and also in chocolate and strawberry (sorry, but a strawberry granola bar kinds of makes me dry heave...). PLUS - 10 grams (yes, 10!!!) of protein and 5 grams of fiber make for a very happy me come 11:30 because I'm not starving. Letting yourself get too hungry is what makes you gorge (followed by a miserable bloat) and therefore, eat too much.


My favorite of the meal replacement products is actually the protein shake in chocolate. It is like a Slim Fast shake in that it is a meal replacement, however, these taste WAY better. And again, 3 Points. Yes, you do have to get over the fact that you are drinking a milk product (I guess it's milk...?) that has been sitting on a shelf in the grocery store and not originally refrigerated (PUH-LEASE - of course I refrigerate mine a minimum of 12 hours before I consume. Warm, thick chocolate milk? Uh, no thanks).


Now, on to the oh-so-delightful chocolate peanut snack bar. I am not kidding when I say this thing is almost better than a Snickers. So freaking good. These get snatched up at my grocery store so fast, so when they re-stock, I try to get 2-3 boxes at a time. The good thing about these is, they are perfect for the 3:00 sluggish feeling. 5 grams of protein, some fiber, all YUM! 2 Points.


Lastly, the K20 Protein Water mix. You just dumb the powder from one packet into a bottle of water, shake, and drink! It is a protein boost with some fiber that helps take the edge off of hunger and they really are great! Here's my tip - the powder clumps really bad at first. You have to initially shake it pretty hard for a good 15-20 seconds. Notice the clumps at the bottom. LET IT SIT FOR 5 MINUTES. Then shake it up for another 15-20 seconds and let it sit again for a few minutes. Shake one more time and you should be clump free! Also, it helps if there is a little air at the top of the bottle, so take a quick sip before you put the powder in. My favorite flavors are Strawberry Kiwi and Pink Lemonade, but they also have Lemonade and Tea flavors. Ready for the best part? 0 Points! Yeah...you're running out the door to store right now, aren't you?

You'll find all of these products on the aisle in the store with the Atkins, South Beach, Slim Fast products. At Wal-Mart, they are near the pharmacy section. At Kroger, they are in different places. At Publix they are in the pharmacy section as well. Now go eat your protein so you can grow up to be big (wait...aren't I trying to get AWAY from the word BIG?)and strong.

Easter

First thing - I actually got up and went to a WW in Atlanta this weekend while we were visiting my parents for Easter. I had lost .8 for a grand total of 12.4 so I'm pretty happy. I would like to lose another 5 before being in my friend's wedding May 1. I can do this!

It was so wonderful to spend time with my family this weekend. We just hung out and played LOTS of Corn Hole! If you don't know that game, you need to! It is all sorts of fun so click that link and go order a board. Yes, they're a tad pricey, but with spring here and summer knocking at our doors, you NEED this game. You will get so much enjoyment out of it!

I want to reflect on what Easter means to my family and me. Yeah, weight loss was nice this weekend and so was playing Corn Hole with the fam. But I was sick Saturday night with an upset stomach and missed Sunrise Service at church. And I felt really bad about this. But I'm thinking about it now, that I don't need to. Because I know in my heart of hearts what this holiday is about. It wasn't about the food or the games, but about celebrating the fact that our Lord forgives us for everything and he is Risen on this day! He did the impossible and came back from the dead in order to be the light of the world. We are saved by His grace and His alone. We do not gain entry into Heaven by sitting in church once a week. You can't "earn" your way or "buy" your way in. It is by the grace of God and our belief that Jesus Chris is the Son of God that came to take away the sin of the world that we are forgiven and given the chance at life everlasting. That is the ONLY way. He is Risen Indeed!!!

Quick family portrait Sunday afternoon after eating lunch enjoying the amazing weather. Our family portrait:
P.S. - I'm going to be an AUNT!!! My sister-in-law, Haley, is pregnant and will be 17 weeks on Wednesday. We found out Friday it is a BOY! So much fun! My nephew is due September 15 and I couldn't be more excited! Praise God that He is blessing us all with this new addition!