Wedding Pictures

Weigh in for Leah

As I figured last week was a bad week and it showed on the scale. With a 2 pound gain. I am at what weight Watchers say I should be with an extra pound this week. I might me pushing myself to hard to be at 136. I am at 143 now with my 2 pound gain. I am in a size 6 pants and a small or medium shirt now. I have not gone jean shopping yet to see what size there, but I was happy when I tried on a dress from last year nad it was way too big for me!

I am saving my extra points this week, for Branson this weekend. It is mine and Chris's 5-year and we are going to Yakvoc show and eating a Russian style dinner. I can't wait. Then onward to SDC Saturday, I pray for no rain that day, it is the only time we have with no kids in Branson. I think we may go WILD!!!

Hope everyone has a good week.

Susan Update

Just now posting about my weigh-in on Tuesday. I was shocked to have lost 1.6 for a grand total of 15lbs! So, Melissa started me on the 6 week maintenance period. I was 147. She put me as 148 so I have up to 150 before I have to pay. I plan to keep loosing a few more though (maybe 5) so I'll have a good cushion for vacations and whatnot. I feel great. I went on a quick shopping trip yesterday. I bought a size small top and could wear size 6 bottoms. Yay!

Bad Week

I guess I need to set a new goal, or eles I will be gaining my weight back fast. After the wedding all the dieting and working out did not seem as important as before. I only got to workout 2 this week, normally I do 5 days a week. Then I have not had timeto amek dinner this week due to other demands. So I been eating fast food junk, I know the healthy menue is there but I love my french fries and my NachoBell Grande. Monday evening I dryer decided to stop working so the next day I gwent out to bargin hunt and found a dryer and it should be in today. Now my husband decided to re-do the laundry room and all the stuff from that room is in my kitchen, making it unbearable to cook in and to remain calm, I hate messes! I am hoping after today I can get everything back in there. My weigh in day is tomorrow, I will not be suprised to see a 2 pound gain on there, just not my week, down in the dumps this week!

I'm Back!!

The wedding is finally over and I am so happy to be back home and everything back to normal. I weighed in today, since I was out of town Sunday, and I lost .6 pounds, not back considering I am already where WW thinks I shoudl be and I am having 5 more pounds to lose to get where I want to be at. I ate okay while out of town, did not over eat or over indulge too much, I did have a great time and I am still exhausted from this past weekend..back to work tomorrow.

So, weigh-day is tomorrow this week. I have to go on a field trip with my son (twins in tow) Wednesday, and I don't like the Thursday instructor as ya'llve heard. And, since I plan to start maintenance this week, I want Melissa (who also does Tues.) who'll talk to me and get it started. However, since I went Thursday last week, I've only had 4 days to make progress and lose more lbs, including the weekend, so I'm afraid weigh-in won't be great. Fingers crossed.

I'm making the cauliflower mashed potatoes tonight for dinner, so stay tuned for that pic, recipe, and judgement. Accompanying it with a tilapia fillet and some green beans. Extra light tonight!

Hungry Girl Mac-n-cheese

Serves 4. serving is 1 heaping cup and 6 points. I thought it was very good. I obviously, from the picture, used a mixture of noodles that I had on hand, some wheat some veggie rotini. This was my first experience of Laughing cow cheese. I also bought the garlic and herb flavor wedges. I'm excited to try it. It's expensive, but delicious and only 1 point. Not counting the cracker. I love Ritz, but even the reduced calorie type is 3 points for 5! Any substitutes ya'll know of?

This Week

This week has been a busy off week for me, I have had 0 time to work-out due to gettign ready for hte big wedding day of my sister. I have spent everyday this week preparing for her wedding with laundry, getting primped up, and getting kids groomed nicely! I just hope it does not show on the scale Sunday, I actually cant weight in til Monday mornign since I will not be back in town till then. I have been trying really hard to eat good food still. Tuesday was the worst we had pictures in Chenal Pomernade and the kids would not behave and I was so sleepy and so I drove to Zackby's to use our free repeat day ticket and induldged in the Chicken Finger Plate and a Dt. Coke that was 25 point!!!! I calulated though and moved on. I can't wait to get back on schedule next week.

New I-Phone App

I found a new app on the I-Phones that make it easier to calulate your points, all you have to do is scan the barcode!!! It is called Fooducate and it is a free app, all you do is scann the barcode of what you are eating and it will tell you the food point, they are usally half points, so I round up, I hate half points! It also tells you if the meal or food is good or bad for you. Example I scanned a Healthy Choice Sweet and Tangy Chicken BBQ meal with corn and a apple crisp desert with it, it came back that it is 7.5 points rounded up to 8 wwplus point, then it says to LOOK OUT, it is not 100% grain, and it is HEAVILY PROCESSED! It gives you alternatives too, to go with instead of that, nad it rates your product with a grade, mine was a B. ENJOY, this is going to be a lifesaver at the stores. I wish WW would put their WW Caculate on I-Phone and not just Verison Phones, that would be the best App Ever.

WeighDay

I lost 1.2 last week! 13.4 total since Feb. 24! I'm at 148.6. Here's my plan. Next week, no matter what, I'm gonna say I'm at my goal. Then, I'll maintain for 6 weeks (or maybe lose a little more). Then, by the summer months, I'll be lifetime and only have to go once a month. I can't imagine going weekly with all 3 kids in tow. The twins are hard enough to haul in, entertain during meeting, and haul out. I asked if I could temporarily move my membership to online then come back to meetings in the Fall. They said I'd have to rejoin cause the 2 are not compatible (which I think is stupid), so I'm working the system. I plan and hope to lose more. I think I'd like to be between 140-145. I called the LR office to ask questions afterwards cause the Thursday instructor, Susan, whom I'm not too fond of, kinda put me off when I tried to ask her. I heart Melissa on Wednesdays though. Anyhow, once a lifetimer, you can be UNDER goal, but no more than 2 over. So setting "goal" (on paper) a tad higher than what you actually want is good in my mind. So, when I come back from vacation heavier, as long as no more than 2+, I still don't have to pay. And since I should be several pounds under "goal" cause my real goal is less, that shouldn't happen unless I gain 5+ in one week! That make sense? Haha.
Anyone know what happens during the maintenance stage? Do you get more points or what?

Wednesday is usually Weigh-day, but...

I didn't go to meeting today after all. I had to come home after dropping Setler off to wait for garage door repair man. I'm going tomorrow though. Stay tuned. I'm nervous.

Recipe

I made this for dinner tonight. I love crockpot recipes. They're easy and make the house smell good all day. You do have to brown the chicken beforehand. I did. The notes say this is important and adds to flavor, but I wonder if I didn't.... Also, couldn't find cremini mushrooms, so I used regular. Got this off the iphone ww app. THey called it "Chicken, Mushroom, and Brown Rice Slow Cooker Casserole". It's a keeper, but I'll rename it Chinese Chicken & Rice cause that's what it tasted like to me once I added soy sauce to my plate. I nestled a few red potatoes into the mix for my husband. He gets 42 points to my 29, so can use the extra. It serves 8 and is kinda hard to divvy up especially since I used thigh strips. I didn't want to deal with bones. Anyhow, it's only 5 points plus. I'm having a serving now cause I'm hungry. I can have another later! Probably counts for 3 veggies too.

And...

I bought my Easter dress on sale yesterday at Loft (my favorite store). It fits, and is a size 6! However, it'd even be comfortable and I wouldn't have to suck in if I could lose 5 more pounds by April 24! New short-term goal!

Recipe

If you're a beer drinker like me, buy Budweiser's Select 55s. They're 0 points. Now if I have more than one, and I usually do, I count 1 pt. for 2 cause I don't want to cheat myself. But, you know light beer is 3 points, so this has single-handedly saved my diet. There's 0 fat, 1.9 carb, like .9 protein, 0 fiber. I calculated it, trust me.

Also, yummy cheese fries. Seth and I made these as an appetizer one Friday night as we were grilling our steaks. Very good. Only 3 points. Serves 4, so you get 1/2 potato each. Great alternative to hitting up the McD's drive through when you want some french fries!

Good recipe

I made this this morning cause my Mom was in town. It was really good and only 3 points a serving. Serves 4. I used 2 small green onions instead of a shallot. The Panko bread crumbs can be found in the Asian part of the grocery store.

A Loss is a Loss

I stepped on the scale today and was really worried about what it would say, " Should I of really of eaten that cheesecake last night?", "Did I exercise enough?" These are questipon I asked today and I really wanted to loose a pound or two. So I stepped on and closed my eyes. The scale revieled I lost .5 pounds, a half a pound! Well that is okay I guess, I was hoping for more, but it did not happen, but I am happy I at least lost somthing, and that is what counts. Happy Dieting Everyone.

Ava 1st Year

Click here to view this photo book larger

This was this week's 'Weekly' recipe. I made it last night cause I had everything, or at least a good substitute. It was just ok. Probably won't make it again though cause my husband isn't much for the balsamic flavor. And, I always have a hard time when the meat is drudged. I make a big mess and it never stays coated right. I'm positive it's operator error, but I try to avoid those types of recipes. Anyhow, I also used a yellow onion cause I didn't have a Vidalia. Probably made a bit of difference in sweetness. I also used vegetable broth cause I had a box open in the fridge that needed to be used.

However, this was a stellar side dish. It's 1 point a serving (1/4 container). Steam it in the bag in the microwave. Quick and easy, and my 3 year old liked the 'white broccoli' too.

Wednesday is Weigh-day for Susan

I lost 2.2 lb last week! I am happy! Actually, I was with 1.2, but ecstatic when I realized she messed up on the math. I'm at 149.8 and was 152 last week! So, grand total loss 12.2 in 6 weeks. So, I surpassed my original goal but am definitely not done! I think I'm setting my sights on 140 now. So 9.8 to go. Am I being overzealous? I'm scared cause I know the second half is harder than the first, right? Especially, 'that last 5 lbs!'

Exercise: I don't use my activity points. Do ya'll? I mean I generally only wrack up 5 or 6 a week anyhow with my 2, 30 minute runs (I'm participating in the free Women Can Run Clinic in Maumelle.) and a couple nights on the bowflex. I think exercise is an important part of weight loss for sure though. Although it might make the scale go down slower cause of muscle gain, it helps the inches go down faster cause of the tightening.

1 point Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

This comes from WW site online, when you join, they have a recipe swap on there, and I saw this recipe and knew I had to share it. I LOVE COOKIES!! 1pt CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE RECIPE Point Plus per serving is 1 cookie @ 1 pt. Serves 21 Ingredients 1/2 Cup of Applesauce 1 Egg White 1/2 Spelenda 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk 1 tsp Vanilla Extract 1 Cup of Whole Wheat Flour 1/2 tsp Baking Soda 4 oz Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips Instructions: Pre-Heat Oven at 350 F Combine applesauce, egg, Splenda, vanilla, and milk. Beat 1 minute at medium speed. Add flour and soda; beat 2 minutes at low speed. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoons on to an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Special Notes: I put down wax paper on the baking pan to prevent cookies from sticking to pan. The cookies themselves came out kind of more like a cake cookie. They are yummy.

Weight Watchers Site and Tools

Here is a list of sites that I find helpful when looking for recipes, tools to help me. Some people may already know these but if not, here they are. www.weightwatchers-recipe.net/points-plus-recipes.html Recipes to make http://www.exercise4weightloss.com/weightwatchers-points.htm#mp - WW points Plus Restraunt Menu for Eating out. http://www.exercise4weightloss.com/ww-points-plus-calculator.html This is the WWPlus Calulator, if you have a smart phone you can use this on the phone too, just save the sight to your favorites on your I-Phone or other smart phones. www.weightwatchers.com you can create a users name and password and access the dicussion board without being a member, this is so helpful!!! http://www.dwlz.com - She is re-doing her site still to meet the new WW point plus system, so when using this site makes sure it is WW Plus and not the old system. Any more site I come across I will let you know!!!

ME on Weight Watchers-Leah

Hello fellow bloggers and followers. My name is Leah and I am a mother of 2, a boy, Aiden who is 4 and a baby girl, Ava who is 14 months. I have lived in Little Rock area my whole life and I love it. I started WW again Probably back in December of 2010, I was doing good and lost 43 pounds. I took a break and enjoyed foods, and then I came back in March of 2011, needless to say I had gained probably 15 pounds back of the 43 I lost. I love the new WW plan, it is so much more flexible and easy to use. I feel like I have too many points to use at times, but that is nice because I can splurge and still be with in my points. I love hate free Vegetables and Fruit that you can eat all the time. I am learning to love my vegetables again, I will sit down on the floor at home and eat carrots like they are going out of style. lol I am a WW member online only due to my crazy work-life and kids, I can not attend meetings, so I hold myself accountable for everything, the one thing keeping my going is my sisters wedding this month in 2 weeks, I want to look my best for it and that keeps me on track, my next goal will be summer wear, like swim suits and dresses. I am so happy to be a apart of this blog and get encouragement from everyone and hopefully give some. So grab some coffee and a low-fat breakfast and enjoy reading.

Made this on this rainy day. Very good. My husband is a hunter, so I used ground deer instead. It's so lean, you can actually use 1 1/2 lbs. of meat if you substitute it in for beef. I figured it up cause that's how we had it frozen. Also, I used whole wheat pasta which saves some points. Needs some salt, but otherwise delicious.