This week, Fall Quarter starts at the college. With my school schedule and the kids activity schedule, I MUST be prepared. The kids eat lunch at school most days (and pack once in a while). I will be packing my lunch with me daily.
Weekday breakfast options: Cereal, bagels, eggos, oatmeal (I eat a ff Chobani yogurt, fruit and whole grain english muffin with 2 T. peanut butter)
Lunches: I will pack my lunch with either leftovers, salad, sandwich in a Flat Out Wrap or Lean Cuisine.
Dinners:
Sunday: Roasted Sticky Chicken, mashed potatoes and vegetables
Monday: Chicken Francese, brown rice and vegetables
Tuesday: Crockpot Chicken Taco Chili, brown rice again
Wednesday: Spaghetti (I will have spaghetti squash in place of pasta), French bread and salad
Thursday: Pot roast in Tastefully Roast SauceSimple Tender Pot , baked potatoes, veggies
Friday: Kids Choice
Saturday: Subway after church
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Friday, September 16, 2011
Defining Success
We as a society are bombarded with "lose weight quick" ads and commercials. There are pills, drinks, powders, creams and who knows what all else that "guarantee" you to lose a large amount of weight in a very short amount of time. Add to that shows like the Biggest Loser (which I LOVE and watch regularly don't get me wrong), where they are losing BIG numbers week after week. I know for myself personally, I have struggled in the past with losing smaller numbers because of this. I felt I was failing because I couldn't pull those big numbers or have the rapid weight loss. This time, I am approaching things MUCH differently. The scale is no always the determining factor of success in weight loss.
I have had several people ask me what I am doing to lose weight. So here are the details. I have chosen to follow the Weight Watchers plan. This is not a diet but a lifestyle change. It is something that can be easily embraced by the entire family (over time). I am a nerd when it comes to lists and tracking things, making the Points system something that works well for me. I am using the online program which is perfect for me. I do not go to any meetings, it is all done online. Each morning I log onto the website and I track what I plan to eat for the day. I know how much wiggle room I have for the day. There are also online forums where I connect to people in my age range, with the same amount of weight to lose as I do as well as places to share recipes, new product reviews and the like.
I have been at this for almost 2 weeks now. Yes I know, that is not long, but that in itself is a SUCCESS. I have changed many aspects of how I eat, my activity level and how I do things in those 2 weeks. In the forums these are called "non scale victories" (aka NSV). Here are ten of my NSV for the past two weeks:
1. Menu planning for the family with healthy recipes
2. Stocking up on healthy foods/snacks
3. Exercising 4 times per week
4. Quit drinking soda completely
5. Changed what I drink when I go out for coffee from a drink worth 9 points down to one that is 3 points
6. Making very wise choices when eating out
7. Water Water Water I went from drinking very little to filling up and drinking my 16 oz cup 5 times per day (and sometimes more)
8. Reading labels! This is HUGE I am amazed at how much junk was in some of the things we ate
9. Trying new exercises (such as Yoga)
10. Being proud of the 1.4 pounds I lost last week and not being disappointed that it wasnt' 5 or 10 pounds
One of the tools I am using is a website full of recipes with the WW points already calculated. I cannot rave about these recipes enough! Check out the website http://www.skinnytaste.com/ . Another is a website that has many of the items on restaurant menus calculated http://www.dwlz.com/restaurants.html . Both of these are great resources to have on hand!
I hope to blog regularly about my struggles and victories as well as share things I find that might help someone else. I HOPE to, with our fall schedule and school starting for me next week, I may find myself not getting here as often as I would like.
I have had several people ask me what I am doing to lose weight. So here are the details. I have chosen to follow the Weight Watchers plan. This is not a diet but a lifestyle change. It is something that can be easily embraced by the entire family (over time). I am a nerd when it comes to lists and tracking things, making the Points system something that works well for me. I am using the online program which is perfect for me. I do not go to any meetings, it is all done online. Each morning I log onto the website and I track what I plan to eat for the day. I know how much wiggle room I have for the day. There are also online forums where I connect to people in my age range, with the same amount of weight to lose as I do as well as places to share recipes, new product reviews and the like.
I have been at this for almost 2 weeks now. Yes I know, that is not long, but that in itself is a SUCCESS. I have changed many aspects of how I eat, my activity level and how I do things in those 2 weeks. In the forums these are called "non scale victories" (aka NSV). Here are ten of my NSV for the past two weeks:
1. Menu planning for the family with healthy recipes
2. Stocking up on healthy foods/snacks
3. Exercising 4 times per week
4. Quit drinking soda completely
5. Changed what I drink when I go out for coffee from a drink worth 9 points down to one that is 3 points
6. Making very wise choices when eating out
7. Water Water Water I went from drinking very little to filling up and drinking my 16 oz cup 5 times per day (and sometimes more)
8. Reading labels! This is HUGE I am amazed at how much junk was in some of the things we ate
9. Trying new exercises (such as Yoga)
10. Being proud of the 1.4 pounds I lost last week and not being disappointed that it wasnt' 5 or 10 pounds
One of the tools I am using is a website full of recipes with the WW points already calculated. I cannot rave about these recipes enough! Check out the website http://www.skinnytaste.com/ . Another is a website that has many of the items on restaurant menus calculated http://www.dwlz.com/restaurants.html . Both of these are great resources to have on hand!
I hope to blog regularly about my struggles and victories as well as share things I find that might help someone else. I HOPE to, with our fall schedule and school starting for me next week, I may find myself not getting here as often as I would like.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Change of Plans and Revamped Menu
A little over a week ago, I made a decision. I desperately need to make a lifestyle change. I have spent too many years sabotaging myself with my weight and eating habits. I took action and did four things last week.
1. Joined Weight Watchers Online
2. Joined the YMCA
3. Joined a Biggest Loser competition (local group of ladies)
4. Stocked up on healthy foods
Last week was week 1 in my lifestyle change. I took a water aerobics twice and tried yoga for the first time (and loved it). I stuck to my WW points, drank my water and was rewarded with a 1.4 pound loss! Yes its a small amount on the overall amount I need to lose but it is a positive start!
With this change comes a need to modify our menu. I found a fabulous website http://www.skinnytaste.com/ that is FULL of fabulous recipes. The nutritional information is provided AND the WW points have been calculated! This weeks dinner menu is coming from that site with the exception of Sunday.
Our revised dinner menu:
S: Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin, Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Walnuts, green beans (for the kids that don't eat Brussels sprouts), pasta roni for the kids, and green salad.
M: Asian grilled chicken, cucumber salad, roasted spaghetti squash
T: Mexican slow cooked pork carnitas, rice and veggies
W: Pasta Fagioli, French bread
Th: Caramelized Onion, Red Pepper and Zucchini Fritata, Green salad
F: Burgers & baked fries for the kids, turkey burger and baked chipotle sweet potato fries for me, skinny ranch dip and salad.
S: Pizza for the kids. I will be eating at an all day scrapbook crop!
1. Joined Weight Watchers Online
2. Joined the YMCA
3. Joined a Biggest Loser competition (local group of ladies)
4. Stocked up on healthy foods
Last week was week 1 in my lifestyle change. I took a water aerobics twice and tried yoga for the first time (and loved it). I stuck to my WW points, drank my water and was rewarded with a 1.4 pound loss! Yes its a small amount on the overall amount I need to lose but it is a positive start!
With this change comes a need to modify our menu. I found a fabulous website http://www.skinnytaste.com/ that is FULL of fabulous recipes. The nutritional information is provided AND the WW points have been calculated! This weeks dinner menu is coming from that site with the exception of Sunday.
Our revised dinner menu:
S: Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin, Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Walnuts, green beans (for the kids that don't eat Brussels sprouts), pasta roni for the kids, and green salad.
M: Asian grilled chicken, cucumber salad, roasted spaghetti squash
T: Mexican slow cooked pork carnitas, rice and veggies
W: Pasta Fagioli, French bread
Th: Caramelized Onion, Red Pepper and Zucchini Fritata, Green salad
F: Burgers & baked fries for the kids, turkey burger and baked chipotle sweet potato fries for me, skinny ranch dip and salad.
S: Pizza for the kids. I will be eating at an all day scrapbook crop!
Thursday, September 1, 2011
September Menu
I have stocked up on breakfast and lunch options for the kids. The kids will eat lunch at school most days (free lunch) but will pack on some days. I will stock up on soup/salad options for myself at home. Later in the month, school will start for me and I will be packing a lunch for myself as well. HMM, I better get myself a lunch box ;)
This menu is the dinner menu for the month. I will be attending a Freezer Meal (FM) swap this month which is focused on crockpot meals! I will take 12 of the same meal to the swap and come home with 12 different meals for my freezer.
1- Bratz, burgers on the grill
2- Pizza for some of us, at the football game for the rest
3- Soup, sandwiches
4- Ribs on the grill, baked potatoes and veggies
5- Roast, mashed potatoes and veggies
6- Tacos, rice
7- Crockpot meal (FM)
8- Spaghetti, french bread, salad
9- Meatloaf, mash potatoes, veg
10- Subway after church
11- Brown Sugar & Balsamic Pork Loin, Brussels Sprouts w/ bacon/walnuts, green beans
12- Creamy wild rice soup, french bread
13- Tacos, rice
14- @ church
15- Crockpot FM
16- Hamburgers & french fries
17- Kids choice
18- Encheladas
19- Zuppa Toscana and french bread
20- Tacos, rice
21- Crockpot FM
22- Crockpot FM
23- French dips
24- Subway
25- Sticky chicken, mashed potatoes and veg
26- Bake potato chowder, french bread
27- Tacos, rice
28- Crockpot FM
29- Crockpot FM
30- Kids choice
This menu is the dinner menu for the month. I will be attending a Freezer Meal (FM) swap this month which is focused on crockpot meals! I will take 12 of the same meal to the swap and come home with 12 different meals for my freezer.
1- Bratz, burgers on the grill
2- Pizza for some of us, at the football game for the rest
3- Soup, sandwiches
4- Ribs on the grill, baked potatoes and veggies
5- Roast, mashed potatoes and veggies
6- Tacos, rice
7- Crockpot meal (FM)
8- Spaghetti, french bread, salad
9- Meatloaf, mash potatoes, veg
10- Subway after church
11- Brown Sugar & Balsamic Pork Loin, Brussels Sprouts w/ bacon/walnuts, green beans
12- Creamy wild rice soup, french bread
13- Tacos, rice
14- @ church
15- Crockpot FM
16- Hamburgers & french fries
17- Kids choice
18- Encheladas
19- Zuppa Toscana and french bread
20- Tacos, rice
21- Crockpot FM
22- Crockpot FM
23- French dips
24- Subway
25- Sticky chicken, mashed potatoes and veg
26- Bake potato chowder, french bread
27- Tacos, rice
28- Crockpot FM
29- Crockpot FM
30- Kids choice
September :)
Today is September 1st, and with the start of a new month it was like a switch was flipped with the temperature! It was 45 degrees this morning BRRRR!
With the start of September, we are starting our fall/winter prep around our house. Today my oldest son is getting the weedeating done and replacing chicken wire on the coop. The other kids and I are working on smaller projects around the house. We are restocking our pantry and getting menu's, budets and schedules in place.
School starts for the kids next week and I start again in a couple of weeks. I am determined to go into this organized and prepared! So off we go!
With the start of September, we are starting our fall/winter prep around our house. Today my oldest son is getting the weedeating done and replacing chicken wire on the coop. The other kids and I are working on smaller projects around the house. We are restocking our pantry and getting menu's, budets and schedules in place.
School starts for the kids next week and I start again in a couple of weeks. I am determined to go into this organized and prepared! So off we go!
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