Project 10 and a day in NYC

Yesterday I spent the day in New York City with all the women in my office. Every year the company sends us all into the city to see a show and have dinner. We saw "Anything Goes" and ate at O'Reillys Pub and Restaurant. It was a beautiful day, perfect for walking to the theater and then back to Penn Station. I had been planning for the dinner out and saved ALL of my points for dinner. I ate a 0 point breakfast of strawberries and cherries and then snacked on a banana as we walked to the theater.

Take a look at the menu for this place- YUMMY!!! I planned for 2 glasses of wine at dinner (I also had one at the theater) so that left me with 25pts for food. I started with a tossed salad with balsamic dressing, totally avoided the bread basket (so hard to do!) and then my sister and I split 2 dishes between us. We had the Diablo burger with fries and the Lemon Herb Chicken with Asparagus and Mashed Potatoes. I have no idea how many points I used- but it was worth it! I counted the wine as my dessert and didn't even look at the menu.

Next, I have to plan for a big barbecue this weekend. I know I can control myself- I'll just limit the snacking to the veggie tray and eat watermelon for dessert. If I can resist the chips/dips/cheese platter/sweets- the biggest "problem" will be the main course! I'll update on how I do after that.

This week for Project 10 I want to talk about my smaller goals for getting healthy. In addition to losing at least 60lbs, I want to make other changes in my life that will help me to reach and maintain that goal. In no particular order they are:

• Cut out diet soda- This is a BIG one. I am a diet soda addict. Some people stop for coffee on their way into work. I stop for a large diet coke at the drive through. Usually I'll drink 2 of those in a day. I know it's bad, I know I need to drink more water. It's something I have to work on. 
• Incorporate more whole foods and eat less processed foods in my diet- self explanatory
• Eat less Fast Food- Even on Weight Watchers I've been eating fast food of some sort at least once a week. I make sure to fit it in to my points- but regardless, it's not healthy.
• Make exercise a habit. I long to be one of those people that doesn't feel "right" without exercising. I want to be a runner. I want to have endurance, stamina and the lean, lithe body of an athlete. (Okay- so that last one is a bit over the top- genetics DO play a part in my body shape!) 

Hopefully with a little will power and modifications to my schedule I'll be able to accomplish all of the above!

Thanks for reading!

Wednesday Weigh In...

Down 2lbs this week!!!! So, so, so happy!! It's been a long day in NYC so I'll write more tomorrow.

Thanks for reading!

Monday Review

I've decided to devote Mondays to reviewing products, films and books that I've tried (or read...or watched). Hopefully, as I build up my readership, I'll be able to get some giveaways going for the products I review. Until then, I'll just have to tell you about them!

 This week I'm going to review an interesting documentary I watched last night on Netflix called "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead." The film, released in 2010, follows Joe Cross, a Australian man who suffers from an autoimmune disorder that requires him to take a plethora of medications- including potent steroids. He is also overweight and has horrible eating habits. He embarks on a 60 day juice fast while traveling throughout the US, spending the first 30 days in and around NYC and the rest of the time driving across country. He admits that the first few days are difficult, but that after you jump that hurdle- the rewards start pouring in. He boasts an increase in energy, a decrease in discomfort caused by his disease and a very quick weight loss. After the 60 days he is totally off medications and begins eating "real" food again. Not processed foods, mind you, but real food- fruits, vegetables, nuts and beans- in their whole form. After 6 months he is still in good health, eating well and avoiding crap. The rest of the film follows an American man who suffers from the same disorder and is inspired by Joe to try the fast. He also succeeds in losing weight, decreasing his reliance on

One of the more powerful graphics from the film

medications and overcomes bad eating habits. After watching this movie I am intrigued by the idea of rebooting the body by ingesting only micro-nutrients (whole, unprocessed foods)for a specific amount of time. I DO NOT agree with fasting as a way to lose weight, but I think I could get on board with the idea of retraining your taste buds to crave healthier foods. Joe interviews people throughout the film- giving them samples of his "Mean Green" juice (recipe to follow). The reviews were mixed- some people looked ill, others enjoyed it. I'm considering trying out the quick reboot on Joe's website- Join the Reboot. I'll let you know when, and if, I do it!

Joe's Original Mean Green Juice (I cannot attest to the taste as I haven't yet tried it)
6 Kale Leaves
1 Cucumber
4 Celery Stalks
2 Green Apples
1/2 Lemon
1 piece of ginger


Sounds yummy, no? ;-)


Thanks for reading!

Weigh in Wednsesday

Down 1.4lbs!! Not as bad as I thought! This morning's weigh in definitely put a smile on my face- I must be doing something right! I'm linking up with Stephanie from Stephanie's Mommy Brainfor Project 10: Real Women, Real Fitness. The goal of Project 10 is to provide support to real women on their fitness goals. Goals can range from weight loss to endurance to eating healthier. I'm excited to join in and I hope someone can find inspiration in my personal journey! This weeks question: What tips do you have for making healthy food choices? The best advice I could give is be prepared! Plan for those days when it will be difficult to make healthy choices. Either embrace the fact that you will be eating less than ideal foods that day and be extra healthy on the days leading up to and after the event and then let yourself splurge a bit. Eat smaller portions of the foods you would normally pig out on. Don't make the same mistake I do by parking yourself at the snack table! Take some munchies and move along! OR decide that it just isn't worth it and go with the knowledge that you are doing something good for your body and your life. Fill up before hand on fruits, vegetables and lean proteins and drink tons of water. Chew gum when the snacks are out and sip on seltzer (club soda) with a splash of fruit juice (NOT those cocktail juices- those are pure sugar!) Play with the kids are catch up with friends to keep yourself distracted. Don't let food be your source of enjoyment! This is something I need to work on myself, for sure. Thanks for reading!

Some thoughts before tomorrow's weigh in...

I'm feeling defeated before I even weigh in. Once again, I had a great week- other than Sunday. Once again, I fear, I won't see a big loss. I've been thinking a lot about the Weight Watchers program and why it works. I don't feel like I've been depriving myself at all. As a matter of fact, there are days when I struggle to get in all of my points- even eating 2 desserts! I've considered allowing myself less points per day, after all- it would certainly help the weight come off faster.
Before doing that I decided o dosome research on the WW message boards. The overwhelming response to others who have had the same question is "Trust the Program!" There is a reason so many Weight Watchers are successful- because they embrace a lifestyle change. WW isn't a diet in the usual sense; yes, you will eat healthier; yes, you will eat smaller portions but you will, in no way be deprived.
So, instead of reducing my points I'm going to make an effort to eat better foods. Instead of stocking up on "diet foods" I'm going to focus on eating real foods. Lean protein, whole fruits and vegetable and whole grains instead of reduced fat cheese, low calorie crackers and sweets with fake sugars. This is my goal or the new week.
Crossing my fingers for some sort of loss!
Thanks for reading!

Monday- I need to buckle down

I never posted my weigh in last week- I was down 0.6 lbs. Not great- but at least it was something. Monday has become a day to make up for my indiscretions on Sunday. Week 2 and Week 3 Sundays were spent at my parents' house for BBQs. Both times my meal was reasonable, both times my snacking was out of control! The "munchies" spread is too much to resist- last week it was crackers with pepper jelly and pretzels. This week it was homemade guacamole with chips and a platter of cheese, pepperoni and crackers- plus my favorite Jalapeno Kettle Chips. I'm drooling just thinking about it.

I make the mistake of parking myself at the table- even when there are plenty of other places to sit. Last Sunday, with the justification that I had already ruined the day- I went and picked up frozen yogurt when we got home. The yogurt itself was fat free, but the Reese's topping and peanut butter sauce certainly wasn't. Yesterday, we had ice cream cake for Father's Day. Ugh. The worst part- I enjoyed every minute of it and besides feeling a little bloated- I didn't regret it.

Once Wednesday comes and it's time for my 3rd weigh in, I'll probably regret it then. Until then, though, I have to be on my best behavior.

Weigh in Wednesday (1 day late...)

Source: pleaseenjoy.com

Yesterday was my first weigh in day since starting Weight Watchers Online. Like I said, I've been stepping on the scale pretty much every day, so it didn't come as a surprise that I lost weight. I lost....(drumroll please!)......4.4lbs! Woot! Woot!

I will admit that, at first, I was slightly disappointed with that number. According to WW- a weight loss of 0.5-2lbs per week is to be expected, so I'm over the average, but I was still hoping for more. I guess since I'm so overweight, I assumed it would come off a bit easier in the beginning. Oh well- a loss is a loss and I know that the slower it comes off, the more likely it is to stay off.

I wanted to share a recipe from Laaloosh  that I tried the other day. I thought it was delicious! Spicy and sweet and comforting all in one. Even my husband thought it was good- and he hates when I try new recipes (he's difficult to please- only likes pan friend chicken cutlets, pasta with sauce, plain steak- usual plain American fare).

I didn't take any pictures, so I'm just going to link to the recipe.

Cuban Pork and Sweet Potato Stew

Taking the plunge, helpful websites and craving busters

I decided I need more accountability and structure- so I took the plunge, spent the $60 and joined Weight Watchers Online for 3 months. So far, I'm doing much better than I was on my own. My first weigh in is tomorrow- although I've been weighing myself almost every day and I know I've lost a few pounds.

The thing I love about weight watchers is that I haven't felt deprived at all. I've found ways to satisfy my cravings in healthier ways and I'll share some of my favorites here as I find more!

I also want to share some websites I've been using for WW (weight watchers) friendly recipes and ideas. The following are the ones I've found extremely helpful.

Danica's Daily- The best thing about Danica's site is that she is a woman who lives life like many of us do- she has a job (other than blogging) and eats out fairly often. I love that she goes to some of the same places I like to go to and blogs about what she orders and the points they contain. I've gotten some great ideas from her blog- including the Dirty Coconut Iced Coffee from Starbucks!

Skinny Taste- I've tried several of Gina's recipes already and they've all been great. I love that many of them are budget friendly and mimic my favorite comfort foods. Most are really quick to prepare as well!

LaaLoosh- Another great recipe site with some really yummy creations! The recipe I'm sharing tomorrow is from her blog.

Here are my craving busters of the week:

Salty:

Special K Cracker Chips - these come in 4 different flavors- Sea Salt, Cheddar, Sour Cream and Onion and Southwest Ranch. You get a VERY generous portion (27 chips!) for only 3 points +. My favorite so far is the Southwest Ranch flavor- they taste like barbecue potato chips!

Sweet:

I'm an ice cream fiend. I love it, I can't live without it. I've found the perfect, portion controlled option in the  McDonald's Reduced Fat Vanilla Cone. The best part? It's on the Dollar Menu!!!

**Note: I have not been compensated in any way for suggesting these products. If McDonald's or Special K would like to give me some free stuff- I'll gladly take it ::wink wink::**

Thanks for reading!