a week of meals

When I make the weekly grocery list, I always make a list of menus to guide my shopping.  When the menus are made I go through my little WW books and scour the pointage of each menu item. (*Please note this is the old school WW not the new Points Plus).  I thought I would share some of the common menus we eat here at home.  This makes it easier for me through the week to make my lunches/breakfasts accordingly to the amount of points I will use up at dinner time.   These are NOT diet meals and these are NOT meals made using WW Recipes.  Just your basic foods you get from the store with portion monitoring set up for you on the boxes or in the books.

Dinner Menus are:

2 Ham and Cheese Crescent Roll-Ups (*97% lean ham, regular slice of cheese, Reduced Fat Crescent Rolls)
Spiral Mac-N-Cheese (*1 cup)
Green Beans
13 Points

Homemade Pizza (*Refrigerator Crust, 1/2 C Sauce, 1/2 c FF Cheese, 14 slices of Pepperoni, Vegetables)
Salad with Light Ranch Dressing

12 Points

Cheesy Tuna Helper (*1 cup)
Steamed Broccoli and Carrots

5 Points

Sloppy Joes (*Ground Turkey, 1 Regular Hamburger Bun)
Baked French Fries
Green Beans

12 Points

Chicken Fried Rice Helper (*1 Cup)
Egg Roll from the Freezer section at Walmart (1)
Pot Stickers (2)

13 points

Bean Burrito (1 Cup Fat Free Refried Beans, 1 --6" tortilla, 1/4 c FF Cheese, Salsa, Vegetables)
Spanish Rice (1 Cup)
Corn (1/2 Cup)

10 points

Lunch Menus would include:

Turkey and Cheese Roll ups
Pickles
Cheezits (27)
Sugar Free Caramel or Chocolate Pudding

7 Points

1/4 Totinos Pizza (cheese or Canadian bacon)
Cheezits (27)
Sugar Free Jell-O

6 points

Egg Roll (1)
Vegetable
Sugar Free Pudding
Welch's Fruit Snacks

6 points

Ham Sandwich (Whole Wheat Bread, Mustard, 2--97% FF Ham, 1 slice reg. cheese)
Pickles
Jell-O
Fruit Snaciks

7 points

1/4 totinos pizza (*cheese or canadian bacon)
Sugar Free Pudding
90 cal Granola Bar
Fruit

6 points

Breakfasts are:

Light Yogurt
Fruit

3 Points

3 Egg Whites
2 slices whole wheat toast

2 Points

Light Yogurt
90 Cal Granola Bar

4 points

There you have it.  A "typical" week in my WW world.  Sometimes it doesn't always go according to plan, but I have good intentions.  Hope this helps anyone else who is just "too busy" to think about what they are eating!!!

A banana for breakfast

and by lunch time I was STARVING.  That banana wore off at about 10am. 

We had a lovely dinner and all things considered I am still one point under my daily allowance.  But there is something that nags at me.

I think about it in the morning.  I consider it in the afternoon after work.  I plot ways to do it in the evening when I am plopped on the couch watching TV. 

That's right, I'm filled with "GYM GUILT".  I didn't know such thing existed, but nothing else could explain this feeling.  I read on pinterest (*a help and a burden) lots of motivational sayings and pictures about health and wellness and clearly these images are haunting me. 



This one phrase has been on my mind today :

 

Its not an earth shattering statement.  Heck, it's not even that witty, but every ounce of this statement is true.  I always feel sorry the next day for not doing what I know I should do.  ...and it's my choice.

Choices that I make are both disappointing and unproductive.  However, the warmth of home and comfort of my couch usually outweigh the drive to the gym after a day at work.  At the time I make the decision to stay home with my husband and puppy dog I am content.  It is only later, after dinner and reminiscing about the meals I had through the day, I realize that I did nothing to supplement my efforts to eat differently.

The choice I am making here and now: BUYING A TREADMILL and putting it right in the living room.  (*SHHH! My husband doesn't know yet!)  

Will it be ugly?  YES.  

Will I be more likely to use it if it is in a place where I can spend time with my husband, watch tv, and I don't have to climb the stairs to get to it? ABSOLUTELY!  

Weight Loss--brought you by: pickles, pop, and chocolate!

This morning I awoke to a beautiful thing---A scale that said 189.  That's down from 195 in just two short weeks!

I have been slowly working back into counting points and I have had some favorite foods helping me along these last couple of weeks. 

 These pickles are both delicious and have an extra kick that most pickles don't have. 

This is as always, a staple in my life.  Blah blah, you shouldn't have soda.  This is my weakness.

This dressing is a bit interesting but I enjoy it.  It is very similar to the Light Italian dressing you get at McDonald's.  It reminds me of the Caesar dressing used in the dining hall on campus.

As always, the pickles and the dressing will be just a phase and I will move on to something new.  But for now, they are something to look forward to.  They are FREE in points and provide lots of flavor so you don't feel cheated.  

Speaking of being cheated, women on diets often feel they can't have CHOCOLATE.  First off, I have no intentions of giving up chocolate.  I have found a recipe that I haven't tried yet, but I have every intention of doing so very soon and you should too!!!

Weight Watchers Brownie Bites:

(Recipe from skinnytaste.com)

2 tbsp margarine
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cold water
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tbsp chopped walnuts
nonstick cooking spray
1 tsp powdered sugar

In a small saucepan melt margarine, remove from heat. Stir in sugar, vanilla and water. Stir in flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Mix well. Stir in chopped nuts.

Spray the bottom of a 8x4x2 inch loaf pan with nonstick spray coating. Pour batter into pan.

Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool thoroughly. Remove from pan. Cut into 8 bars. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Servings: 8 

• Serving Size: 1/8th
• Old Points: 2 pt • Points+: 3 pt

Calories: 103.9 • Fat: 4.3 g
• Protein: 1.3 g • Carb: 15.6 g • Fiber: 0.6 g

Free stuff from the doc of oz

http://www.doctoroz.com/


This link will take you to, of course the Dr. Oz show website, but it also can get you free ww recipes, easy exercise techniques (*No gym required), be entered to win a free cookbook OR a million dollars (pssh don't I wish!), and there is a link to take you to weight watchers to JOIN FOR FREE in the month of January. 

SO if you are interested in actually joining weight watchers this is the month to do it to avoid the start up club fees. 

Just thought you might want to know.

Commitment.

Commitment.

I do not have a fear of commitment.  In fact, I would think that I am mainly a commitment freak.

I decided to go to college I made sure I was there to graduate...and did.

I accepted a job in special education and stuck to the job *regardless of how scared I was* and it turned out to be the best job ever.


I moved in with my boyfriend (now husband) after 2 months of dating because I was already that committed.

I married that man, and I am committed for life to him.


But apparently, this "commitment" thing is a difficult task for me to accomplish when it comes to buckling down and letting this "healthy lifestyle" thing happen.

After telling myself it was time for a change I think my brain has gone into an overlaod.  "MUST EAT MORE FOOD" has been my mission when no one is around.  Like there is some cutoff date to which I will no longer be allowed to eat.  Or perhaps there is a food shortage and I must stock up like a chipmunk for a long winter?

Regardless, I am certain that foods like Steak burritos from Chipotle and multiple pieces of fried chicken from KFC, are not the best options to JUMP START a food turn around.  Not saying that I give up, but just curious as to why I secretly sabotage my attempt to commit to something that is GOOD for me. 

Maybe I can give posters to fast food places saying *Don't give this girl food* with my picture on it. 
...Just to be safe.

All I can do is just keep trying. :)

To answer your question...

Yes.  These are my feet.

Yes.  That is the real number.

Yes.  I am aware that this is a problem.
**Especially since I am only 5'4" and have not had a baby.

Yes.

I am doing something about it.

This is my "breakfast and lunches" plan with weight watchers (*regular program NOT points plus).  Since I typically don't have a lot of time to prepare foods for breakfast and lunch, I scoured my booklets to see what options I could eat and be able to quickly keep track throughout my busy week.   Through the summer I had more time to prepare foods and had more time to have snacks.  Through my school day with preschoolers, there really is no time for snacking and with the few minutes I get for lunch, I don't want to spend half my down time fixing a lunch.


This is where I am starting.  I am taking the "Slowly, but surely" approach. Weening myself off the oreos, chips, and chocolate covered granola bars.  Much like smoking, you can't just go cold turkey.  If I tried to hop off the junkfood wagon, I have a feeling I would chase it down and eat the wheels off.

...I'm just sayin.