Monday's Top 10 - Staple Foods

One of the questions I always see asked in weight loss forums is, "Name your top 10 staple foods." Foods that are always on my shopping list. I thought I'd list it here to help others. I'm going to leave out the "fruits and vegetables," as those are givens.

My Top 10 Staple Foods

1. Boneless, skinless chicken breast. So many things you can do with chicken. Its not just for baking or grilling. Though, I love my George Foreman Grill.
   
   
2. Center cut pork chops. Hubby likes to get the thick ones. I eat them and count the points for it.
   
   
3. Lean ground turkey (or beef). Try to get 93% lean. To get rid of extra fat, after frying it up, you can put it in a colander and rinse the extra fat off. Yes, I know that sounds yucky, but it does work. You can continue cooking it afterwards.
   
   
4. 1% milk. My family won't drink skim at all. If I'm out, I'll get skim.
   
   
5. Fat Free (or low fat) cheese. All kinds of cheeses. Slices and shredded.
   
   
6. Quick oats. Not instant packets. Those little things never fill me up. I need two. I can make 1/2 cup of quick oats, drown it in cinnamon (which gets your metabolism going). Flavor it with fruit (preferably fresh), and splenda if necessary, and you're good to go.
   
   
7. Raisins. I put 1/4 cup in my oatmeal. They're good for a quick snack also.
   
   
8. Peanut Butter. OMG, I am a peanut butter addict. I can eat it everyday. I use 1 tablespoon in my oatmeal, or on my pb&j sandwiches. I realized that reduced-fat and regular peanut butter are the same amount of points, so I get whichever is cheaper.
   
   
9. Jelly
   
   
10. Light (reduced-calorie) bread. Two slices = 1 serving.
    

There are quite a few more. But, I'm limiting myself to 10.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: What are your top 10 healthy foods?

Weekend #1

Was a bust, as far as Weight Watchers goes.

On Friday, we went out to dinner to this yummy diner. While I started out good, ordering a chicken wrap (with fries and coleslaw). When I'm following the plan, I eat half of the wrap, some of the fries, and bring the rest home. Well, I ate the whole damned thing!

Saturday, my husband made breakfast, which included cheesy scrambled eggs, a sausage link, and two hash browns. I had two of those dreaded cheese danishes as a snack. Hubby gave me a little bit of his leftover ribs, chicken & coleslaw (a very small amount), and dinner consisted of a double cheeseburger and fries.

Sunday, brought cheesy scrambled eggs, sausage, and two biscuits. No lunch or snacks. Dinner was a bit better with steak, broccoli and a baked potato with butter. It was so good, I forgot to save half the steak for tomorrow. I should have just left half in the pan after I cut it. But, I was greedy.

This is more for accountability. I'm not beating myself up. I usually do better on weekends, and this was the first. Besides, I allow myself to slip on weekends (not usually so much lol) and get back on track Monday mornings.

I plan on returning to the Weight Watcher meetings. They have free registration now, so I'll only pay for the meeting, then the monthly pass. And, when I get to goal (140 pounds), I should be able to get a job with them.

I think if I'd been working, and not holding a pity party for myself these past 10 months, I could've done it on my own. For the most part, it wasn't hard at all for me to stay on track. But, at this point, I know going to the meetings (and paying $40 per month), will keep me accountable. I won't be as willing to screw myself up and waste my money. I can only be a leader if I go to the meetings.

Approximately 52 pounds, at an average of two pounds per week, and I should be able to work with them in less than six months.

OMG, Win #2

Right after I posted the last entry, I checked my email (I love tabs), and I won something else!!! Two wins in just a little over an hour!

This is what I won from Yard Sale Princess from Digging For Treasure.



Its such a cute and unique bracelet made by her cousin. I think it will make a nice spring/summer accessory.

Thanks again Yard Sale Princess!

I Won! I Won!

I never win ANYTHING! And, I've only on Blogger less than a week! Thank you, Kim from The Misplaced Midwestener!

What did I win?

Watermelon Effervescent Foot Tablets: Drop a tablet into foot tub for a refreshing, scented soak. 12 tablets.

Watermelon Cooling Foot Lotion: Moisturizes feet with a delightful scent and with watermelon extract.

Watermelon Exfoliating Foot Scrub Retexturizing formula containing watermelon extract and bits of watermelon seeds softens calluses and dry skin. 3.4 fl. oz.

I chose red for the jewelry, I just *heart* red! And watermelon is sooo yummy and a great summer scent! I love AVON! I used to sell it when both my kids were young. And, did great at it. My husband has been nagging me to do it again. As I might just do it. Check out Kim's AVON Store, if you love it as much as I do!

I wonder what I might have missed out on. I realized a bit too late that my profile wasn't published, even though I gave an email and my blog website to most. But, those from Blogger, if they clicked on my icon just got "This profile isn't public." bleh. Oh well, I fixed that issue. And, I still won something! :)

Sabotage!

My 14 year old son hates me. That's not true. My 14 year old son should be tarred and feathered? Or covered with honey and left in a back alley for the rodents to nibble? That IS true!

OK, maybe that's not true either.

But, WHY, did HE have to be the one to bring home the cherry and blueberry cheese danishes from his after-school program.

"Because it's the last day, nobody else wanted them, so I asked for them. Want to try them? They are good!"

Like I don't know this? Like these aren't the same super sweet, I crappy, LOVE nasty, CHEESE danishes that are at every office function?

Why did he have to walk in as my stomach was reminding me I hadn't eaten lunch? As I was in the process of trying to figure out what to eat?


I buckled. I indulged. I want to throw them (and him) O-U-T!

Just a quick note since nobody knows me well enough to know, I'm joking. About throwing him out or tarring & feathering, or even covering him with honey to feed the rodents.

Maybe. :)

I'd appreciate if anyone who actually reads this would answer the poll on the side about whether or not this page is too busy. Or, answer in notes. I'm a tough ole broad & can take criticism well.

Friday Faves

TGIF? Well, being unemployed, the truth is one day is just like the next to me.

But, I'm proud of myself. I've been doing well with my points. OK, so its only Day 3 of my return to Weight Watchers, but I haven't been doing the mindless eating, or making a late-night pb&j sandwich or bowl of cereal.

I'm not quite sure what today's menu brings. Its almost 11 am, and I've yet to eat breakfast. Or shower *sniff*. Usually Friday nights means calling or going out for dinner. Many people get frustrated with weekends. They can't stay on track. I enjoy them. I look forward to weekends because I allow myself one meal per day to have something I don't normally have. Tonight will be pizza or Chinese (or one of the chain restaurants) and liquor. More than likely, the leftovers (and more liquor) will be had tomorrow evening. I don't go buck wild and eat everything. But, this is my treat. I count them in my points. And, I'm a happy girl. You can always add some extra activity/exercise in if you really feel guilty. Do some walking. Play in the park with your kids.

I've designated Friday as the day I will share five new blogs or sites that I've found useful or interesting. These sites most likely will have to do with being healthy. However, I never forget, in order to continue in this lifestyle, we need to make ourselves emotionally happy. So my Friday Faves might include humorous or pamper you sites, or sites that just make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

In no particular order:

Gina's WW Recipes - This is going to be a favorite of mine for a very long time. I love new, healthy recipes. I've got a small collection of Weight Watcher cookbooks. And, Gina has calculated the points already.

Cranky Fitness - She's a recent find. But, has great advice on nutrition and health, bitches & moans, but makes it oh-so-humorous.

The Fit Shack - One of the first sites I came across as I restarted this journey. I found her through Entrecard, and even if I don't comment every visit. We both suffer with emotional eating, but she's working through hers. Good luck JoLynn!

Liz Harper Fitness - Has an extensive list of articles. Whenever I visit her site, I always forget that I landed there to do my card dropping, and get lost looking through her site. Great info!

HealthNutWannaBeeMom - Heidi always has something enlightening on her page. Vitamins, microwaves, foods to fight wrinkles (at 42, I need to start thinking about those).

OK, my stomach is nagging me. I'm going to go throw some color in my hair, then make oatmeal with raisins for breakfast.

QUESTION OF THE DAY
Do you have problems staying on track during the weekends?
If not, what tips can you offer?

Day 2 - WW Restart

Today I'm just gonna ramble about what comes into my head.

So yesterday wasn't too bad. It could've been better.

Todays menu so far:
Breakfast - 6 pts
1/2 cup Quick Oats, with 1/2 cup raisins

Was a late lunch, so why am I hungry at almost 2 pm? Stomach is used to me pigging out. So I've got my second 32-oz cup of water.

I'm thinking of one turkey italian sausage with a slice of bread & fat free cheese. I really need to go grocery shopping, so I can plan better. That lunch isn't as bad as it sounds. Six points. One or two cups of grapes will be another points. Seven total.

Which leaves me 11 points for dinner and snacks. We still have pork chops, I'll make some frozen veggies to go with it.

Reality was:
2 turkey sausages - 6 points
2 slices whole wheat bread - 3
2 slices fat free cheese - 1
10 points / 16 of 24 used

This week I am working on getting my eating habits back under control. Next week will be getting back to exercising.

*snack was 1 cup grapes - 1 point*

Dinner:
1 pork chop 6 points
1/2 cup curry rice -5
1 cup broccoli - 0
11 points / 27 of 24 used
3 of 35 flex points uses (balance = 32)

Enter to Win $50 on 5/19

Who doesn't want a chance at winning $50 CASH??? Entrepreneur Life is giving away $50! I've been a blog contest entering fool the last few days, so I figured I'd share this with you.

The rules are as follows:

1. Subscribe to his RSS Feed

2. write at least 50 words spreading word of this contest to others in the blogosphere.

3. Your post must contain a link back to the contest.

4. Announce your entry into this contest by commenting below and leaving me a link to your post as described in rule #2.

5. The winner agrees to announce his or her win in their blog as soon as the $50 is paid.

Don't Quit - My Official Restart of Weight Watchers

That's my motto. It's also a poem I read many times while I did Weight Watchers.

Don’t quit when the tide is lowest,
For it’s just about to turn.
Don’t quit over doubts and questions,
For there’s something you may learn.

Don’t quit when the night is darkest,
For it’s just a while ‘til dawn.
Don’t quit when you’ve run the farthest,
For the race is almost won.

Don’t quit when the hill is steepest,
For your goal is almost nigh.
Don’t quit, for you’re not a failure,
Until you fail to try.

- Jill Wolf

Well, I didn't quit. Totally. I took a break, a 10 month break. I still ate healthy foods and limited the unhealthy foods. But, I'd eat a half can of raisins. I'd have that double decker PB&J sandwich. I'd eat two 100-calorie packs. Two bowls of raisin bran, with extra raisins.

So, today is my restarting date.

My starting weight is 192. I knew I'd gained. But, over 40 pounds in 10 months? I shouldn't be surprised at all. I've been not working since last June, and my eating has gotten way out of control I promised myself I would never hit that 200 mark again. Its time I kept that promise!

Todays Menu (so far)is:
Breakfast/Lunch 4 points
Thomas English Muffin - 2 pts
1 tbsp peanut butter - 2 pts
We only have whole milk in the house, and I thought a cup would be 4 pts. After pouring it, I check and 1/2 cup is 4 pts. I poured the milk back into the container and got 32 oz of water.

Snack
Grapes - 1 pt

Dinner
Pork Chop - 5 pts
1 cup string beans
1cup StoveTop - 8 pts

That is 17 of my 24 daily points. I didn't get my dairies in. I was short 2 fruits and vegetables. I just need to re-adapt to this. I also need to go grocery shopping this weekend.

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I've been a busy bee hunting down all the Bloggy Giveaways. If you haven't checked it out yet, hurry! This week over 700 (so far) blogs are giving things away!

And, I've been an entering fool! Below are just a sample of some of the things I've come across!

Mom of 2 Dancers is giving away a $25 gift card!

The Natural Mommy is giving away a Choose Your Own Bake Mix (some great ideas with half whole wheat options as well)

Kisses from the Father - is giving away lip balm and 10 wax discs, you choose the scent.

A $25 Barnes & Noble Gift Card

Blog Facelift

As part of the Bloggy Giveway, this blog is giving away a blog face lift! He seems talented, so if your blog could use a face lift, why not check him out?

Want to Win $20?

While doing my Link Referral stuff, I came across Melanie's Blog, and she's offering visitors the chance to win $20, if you have a Paypal account. I could definitely use $20. If you would like a chance, go visit her now! Its open until May 3rd, so hurry!

Two Recipe Tuesday

I'm not a gourmet chef. I was a very lazy cook, making the same meals over and over. In order for me to lose weight successfully, I needed to find recipes that were simple. There was no way I could eat baked chicken and salad every night.

As you can see from the title, I've designated Tuesday as the day I will share two recipes with you. One will be one I've tried, and the second will be one I've found online.

One of my family favorites recipe is Meatloaf Muffins. We love meatloaf, but the size I cut for myself is usually much larger than what I should have. So, I make this in a cupcake pan, and allow myself two. Along with my starch and veggies, I find myself fully satisfied.

Hope you enjoy!

MEATLOAF MUFFINS

Ingredients
1 pound raw extra lean ground beef or turkey
1 green & red bell pepper, chopped
1 small onion chopped
1 box stovetop stuffing
1 cup water
2 large egg white(s) (or 1/2 cup egg beaters)
1 package Taco Seasoning

Instructions
Mix every thing together in a bowl. Line muffin tin with paper liners. Put the mixture in each muffin and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until done.

1 or 2 muffins. Great for portion control!

These can also be frozen and microwaved.

I just came across this next recipe while dropping Entrecards. I love salmon, and had made this a long time ago. Unfortunately, I'd lost the recipe and am glad to have found this blog. My entire family loved these Salmon Pockets, and I hope you all do too.

My Top 10 Tips on Weight Loss

Having consistently lost weight for 18 months, I was constantly asked, "What tips can you give me?" I usually have a few, then walk away and think, "Oops, I forgot this or that." But, trying to tell one person everything I can think of can be overwhelming for both of us.

But, I can put them here. Hopefully, this will help you (and me, as I restart this journey).

My Top 10 List for Losing Weight

1. Drink water. Lots of water. Water is good for many things. It keeps you hydrated. It flushes the toxins from your body. Its good for your skin. So many more. You should drink at least 48 to 64 ounces daily. You can drink more. I would use one bottle and just refill it. As soon as I finished, I'd refill it again. I could drink four bottles before lunch and another four before leaving work. Get a 32 oz cup and keep it by you, sipping all day. You don't have to drink it all at one time. What if you don't like water? You can flavor it with the Crystal Light On The Go packs. They have lots of great flavors. I drink those in the spring and summer. You can flavor it with fruit. Also, any non-carbonated, non caffeinated beverage can count as water. You should work on drinking natural water. But, you can work your way up if you have to.
   
   
2. Write down every BLT you eat. BLT? Bite, Lick, Taste. That spoonful of sauce. That one lollipop. That handful of chips. Its very important that you write down everything you eat. You can see where your problems are coming from. All of these things add up.
   
   
3. Plan your meals. You can do this day by day, or week (or two weeks) in order to do your grocery shopping. This helps to keep you on track. It stops you from trying to figure out "What am I going to eat for breakfast/lunch/dinner?" I did this in the beginning. Weight Watchers works on a Points system. I could break down my points, by planning my meals. in advance. My breakfasts were usually the same. Oatmeal with fruit or cereal (Raisin Bran, Cheerios, Fiber One, All Bran). Lunches were leftovers from the previous nights dinner. So, I planned two weeks worth of dinners. I'd pick out seven to 10 recipes, and write my shopping list. Because I had so many recipes, I could pick whatever I felt like making that night. Seven to 10 because I'd often make enough for my family to have leftovers. I don't cook on weekends.
   
   
4. Measure and weigh your foods. Does this sound neurotic? A pain in the butt? It may feel like that at first. However, I've learned that my perception of the right amount of food got me to the weight I was. After I started weighing and measuring (using a digital food scale and measuring cups), I realized how off my perception was. Four ounces of boneless, skinless chicken breast was not what I was used to. A half-cup of brown rice was about what I usually ate. I would measure one cup (or two) of vegetables. And found that amount filled me up. Two and a half years later, I still use my food scale and my measuring spoons. I also have serving spoons that measure one-half and one cup servings.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Surround yourself with supportive people. Preferably this means you have a friend (or a few) who are willing to do this with you. I went to weekly Weight Watchers meetings. I had a group of friends online who also were doing some form of WW. Either online or on their own. I was a member of weight loss message boards. Two of my favorites was the WW site and SparkPeople. For people who can't afford weekly meetings or would like a support group, SparkPeople offers a FREE diet site. Yes, FREE! Its similar to WW, whereas its not a quick fix, but it teaches you how to portion your foods, what foods are healthy. It gives you a daily journal to track your food. And, it has many community (groups) you can join based on interests. From fitness, nutrition groups to reality tv groups, crafters, Pagan, etc.) Its worth checking out.
   
   
6. Weigh yourself consistently. One question I always get is when do you weigh yourself? Morning, afternoon, night? I can't say there is a right time to do this. My suggestion is once a week, the same day, the same time, wearing the same thing (or nothing). I prefer mornings, when I first wake up, after I pee, naked. My opinion is mornings are best because you haven't eaten for at least eight hours. I'm usually at my lightest. Now, the truth is, I weigh myself daily. But, this can be dangerous. Your weight normally fluctuates anywhere from 2-5 pounds on a normal basis. You can be one weight in the morning, another in the afternoon, and your heaviest at night. If I had a high point (calorie) day, haven't had a bowel movement, had a lot of sodium the day before, my period is coming, the scale will show it. But, that doesn't mean I'm off track. Because my points (calories) are allotted for the week. As long as I follow my plan, I'll usually show a loss by my official weigh in day. To sum this up, you can weigh yourself daily just to keep track (don't freak out if your weight is up), but only count your official weight once a week.
   
   
7. Don't live by the scale. There are so many ways to measure your progress. Your weight may not be changing, but you may be losing inches. How do your clothes feel? If you are eating lots of fruits and vegetables, lean meats, drinking your water, getting your dairy requirements, you should be feeling healthier. Your body IS healthier. The weight will come off, just be patient and keep plugging along. You may have a low loss this week, but a big loss next week.
   
   
8. Don't look at the total amount of weight you have to lose. If you know you have to lose 50, 100, 150 pounds, your first thought will be "I can't do this." Concentrate on your first 10%. If you are currently 250 pounds, plan on losing 25 pounds. Thereafter, five pounds at a time. Isn't five pounds at a time more doable than 50?
   
   
9. Treat yourself for every goal you meet. NOT with food! A new book, a manicure, the hairdresser, a movie, a massage. Make a list of your goals and the gift you will give yourself for meeting it
   
   
10. Don't deny yourself. Allow yourself a bit of those "naughty foods" you think you can't have. (I was going to link to a "To Cheat or Not to Cheat" entry I'd written, but I seem to have lost that one :() Whether its chocolate, ice cream, cookies, chips, alcohol.. anything, find a way to fit it into your diet. My routine was eating completely on plan Monday through Thursday. Weekends I allowed myself one treat meal per day. No, I wouldn't pig out. Friday, we'd have dinner delivered. Papa Johns or Chinese. I'd allow myself two slices of pizza and buffalo wings. No blue cheese or ranch dressing. I could use my own low-fat or fat free dressing. Saturday, we'd go out to dinner, where I'd still eat a healthy dinner, but I'd have a few drinks. If I wanted a not-so-healthy dinner, I'd ask them to bring me a container and put half of it in the container to take home. Sunday, I'd be back to cooking dinner. But, if we still had pizza or Chinese left, I'd eat it. Monday, I was right back on track.

There are so many other things I'm thinking of, but this is already long enough. I'll save those tips for another time. Hopefully, this will help you, as it helped me lose 86 pounds in 18 months.

Spring & Outdoor Activity

I mentioned that I love Spring. The weather is nice & cool. Its great for being active outside.

There are quite a few things you can do outside and cheaply! Below is just a small list.

Walking. So easy. And, free! Take a friend, a group of friends and walk. Whether its on your lunch hour. Or 30-60 minutes after getting home from work. While your kids are playing in the park. Or in the backyard, walk the perimeter of your yard. Last year, my husband and I did the AIDS walk. A leisurely walk where we talked to other people and spent the day walking through Central Park.

Running. I'm not a runner. I keep saying I'm going to train myself on my treadmill. Not sure I'm ready for people telling me that Forest Gump runs better than I do.

Rollerskating/Rollerblading. I haven't skated since I was in my early 20s and disco skating was the thing to do. And, well, over 100 pounds later I wasn't about to do it. However, once I started losing the pounds, I bought myself some skates. Not blades. I have mentioned that I'm uncoordinated, yes? I wanted to learn on skates before graduating to rollerblades. Boy, the older you get, you lose that fearlessness you had way back when. Well, being 40something and practicing outside probably wasn't the best idea. I had my husband with me and ordered him not to leave me. I buckled, but I never fell! LOL If you haven't done this in a long time, go to a rink. Do not start practicing on a bumpy ground!

You don't have to be able to do any of these for 30 or 60 minutes off the bat. If you haven't been active, start off with 10 minutes at a time. Build it up five minutes at a time. Before long, you'll be going for 30, 60, even 90 minutes, with a huge feeling of satisfaction.

Gardening/Yard work. Mowing the lawn, raking leaves, planting flowers, pushing the wheelbarrow. All of these works out all your muscle groups. When raking leaves, change direction every so often. Right to left for a few minutes, then left to right. When digging, switch hands. Both of these exercises allows both sides of your body to be worked out. Push the wheelbarrow around your garden an extra time or two. Using a small watering can and walking back and forth to fill it up is exercise. But, heaving that huge heavy hose around will give you some exercise also.

So many other things you can do. Playing with your kids outside. Running around, jumping rope, playing ball. Exercise doesn't have to be a pain in the butt. It can be fun. Any form of physical activity is good. Parking farther away and walking. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator/escalator. The whole point is to keep your body moving.

Make sure you drink water. It will keep you hydrated, as you will sweat a lot. It also will allow you to keep going for just a little bit longer when you think you can't.

Spring is the beginning of salad season

Spring is the time of year I start wanting to eat more fruits and salads. Winter is usually about comfort foods and keeping warm. Yes, I try to eat healthy during winter, but it seem so much easier to eat fruits and salads, and just plain lighter, in spring and summer. Salads sprinkled with fresh lemon juice, or a teaspoon of olive oil, and there you have a quick, easy meal. Salads aren't a requirement. Many of these can be cooked. I just find it easier to eat healthy salads in the spring.

So I did some research to find out what fruits and vegetables are at their peak this time of year. I'm sure I've left some off this list, and there are some I don't even know what they are (Fiddlehead Fern sounds like something my black thumb would kill). But, what a great way to find some new foods to try.

Apricots
Artichoke
Argula
Asparagus
Avocado
Beets
Blueberries
Boysenberries
Broccoli
Broccoli Raab
Cardoons
Carrots
Chard
Cherries
Celeriac
Chives
Corn
Fava Beans
Fennel
Fiddlehead Ferns
Garlic
Grapefruit
Greens (Mustard, Collard, Baby Lettuce Mixes, Dandelion, Spinach)
Lemons
Loganberries
Mangos
Morels
New Potatoes
Peas
Pineapple
Plums
Radishes
Raspberries
Rhubarb
Sorrel
Spinach
Strawberries
Turnips
Vidalia Onions
Watercress
Watermelon
Zucchini

You can lose some of the fat in Chocolate Dipped Strawberries by using fat free milk and omit the butter. Just remember, moderation. Eating a few is a delicious treat. Eat a pound, and you will regret it and hate yourself after they're gone.

Many of the foods can be found in supermarkets. However, farmers markets are a wonderful way to support your local merchants and buy fresh and flavorful foods. Find a farmer's market in your hometown, by checking out Local Harvest.

Eating fresh produce gets me away from prepared foods. There is so much sodium in prepared foods. I can't begin to say how important reading the nutritional labels are. According to the FDA, we should stay under 2400 mg of sodium a day. Even when I'm eating what I consider the healthy, and losing weight, I have many days where I'm over the 2400.

Which is why drinking water is very important. On a good day, I can drink 160 oz. of water while at work. And, at least another 64 oz when I get home. Water is good for flushing out the toxins in your body. So, if I'm having a few days over that 2400 mark, I don't sweat it.

Its definitely something to pay attention to.

How & Why am I Blogging?

I'm new to this type of blogging. I've used other sites that are a community type of thing. One site and your readers are all from that site. That's where I do my personal blogging. Just sit down & start blabbing about whats going on in my life. For the last six or seven years, I have a group of people I've read and befriended. We follow each other when that site crashes.

But, this is different. I originally set this blog up to to complement my main site. But, the more I think of it, I'm sort of doing the same thing in both places. So, why have two? It seems like double writing, as I'm attempting to write weekly articles there, and at least a few times a week here.

I'm not an aspiring writer. I've been told I write well. My specialty is I write from the heart. I'm honest, sometimes brutally so. I admit my screwups, and tend to shy away from my accomplishments. Yes, I tell the good things I've done, I just feel uncomfortable with all the congrats & woohoos.

All of that to say that I've been thinking of consolidating both sites into one blog. However, I'm really not liking this style. I don't see a "design your own." There are only pre-designed, and I've seen nicer ones out there. And, I'm jealous. I feel like a plain Jane. Yes, I'm new. And, the longer I do this, I'll find better layouts, and even maybe one I can exchange this with.

I really like the Blogger themes. There is a way to redirect that url to this site, and vice versa. I'm trying to figure that out. Anyone who can explain it to me in a K.I.S.S. (keep it stupidly simple) way? I'm not totally computer illiterate, but Bloggers explanation didn't work for me.

I've also been sitting here all day trying to figure out how to come up with stuff to write. I could just sit here & spout from the top of my head, which is what I've been doing. I have all these ideas, then when I sit down I have a brainfart, and just think of something & start typing.

I'm thinking a theme a day to cover five days. So far I've come up with:

• Top Lists - My top 10 (or 5) list of different things
• My favorite blogs/sites of the week (Some free publicity to other bloggers. Unfortunately, I don't have a large readership yet)
  
• One or two favorite recipes
• Motivation (must not forget we need the motivation to keep this healthy lifestyle going)
• Just ramble on whatever pops into my head

How do you blog? Why? Because you're an aspiring writer? To document your weight loss journey? Be a part of a weight loss community? To get customers? To make a little bit of cash?

Not only am I confused on where I'm going with this blog, I decided to set another one up as another "how to get paid online" blog. Why? I dunno. Its not like there aren't already a million out there. EDIT: I'm not confused on why I'm blogging about weight loss. My confusion is to whether or not I want to maintain two sites on weight loss.

I thought I knew why I was doing it. And, the more I lose myself in Entrecard, Link Referral, various blog submission sites, I get more confused as to what I'm doing and why.

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Reposting comments from original entry:

• Haney wrote:
  I had this problem too and weekend supposed to be a relaxing one!
  
  I have colleagues who are thin, and it's good to hang out with them. Why? Cause we tend to follow their eating pattern. Perhaps that's why I dont eat alot anymore.
  
  
  1. 4/19/2008 8:47 PM Nadine wrote:
     Why did this show up here when it was in response to the Emotional Eating post? It was already here when I posted. Grrr, I do not *heart* this format.
     
     
• 4/19/2008 5:45 PM Lisa wrote:
  The world is a crazier place nowadays.. Thanks for visiting and commenting on my blog.. I like your style. I will put you on my favs list. Hope to see you again
  
  

Emotional Eating

I eat out of boredom and depression. I have to make a conscious effort to get back on track, eating the right way.

I never would've thought I was an emotional eater. But, its quite obvious to me now. I have days where I just go through the cabinets looking for something, anything, to eat. And, I find it.

We all make choices. To eat healthy foods, to eat non healthy. I'm a firm believer of not beating yourself up over bad choices. Just pick yourself up and move on. Accept what you did, and make better choices the next time.

Except, lately, my choices are not getting better. My weight is showing that.

In the year & 1/2, I had faithfully followed Weight Watchers, I'd gone from a size 20 to a size 8. In the 10 months I haven't been working and going to my meetings, I'm back up to a 14. I see what I'm doing. I've gotten lazy. And greedy.

I have very few clothes from being a 14. Last spring, going into summer, I was down to a size 10. I do not want to buy a new wardrobe. I won't.

So, what does this mean? It means I'd better get my butt off the computer, away from the cabinets, and on my treadmill or recumbent bike.

---

Reposting comments from original entry:

• Dutsji wrote:
  Unfortunately this all sounds very familiar to me. I am an emotional eater too and it sucks. I should be more like you though and not beat myself up about it too much.
  
  
• 4/16/2008 6:37 PM C-Shizzle wrote:
  This looks like I'm reading my biography! I have been on maintenance since March 07 and I have gained 25 pounds back going from a 6 to a 10....beginning at a 22! I don't want to keep this up but I am the same way. Bored at work and eating to fill the time. Don't seem to have the motivation to quit... we just have to keep trying!
  
  
• 4/17/2008 12:16 AM GT wrote:
  Losing weight is a daily struggle. I do just fine and then we get visitors from overseas and I start cooking and nibbling and I find I've added a pound. I've learned that I must weigh every day or every other day and rein myself in, especially when we have company staying with us.
  
  Emotional eating what gets me in trouble when we don't have company. I just know if I ate something I'd feel better. I never do. I feel guilty.
  
  
• 4/17/2008 3:30 PM JoLynn Braley wrote:
  Oh, I know exactly what you're going through with the emotional eating, in fact I'm working on that right now myself - doing a 12-week series, updated every Wednesday on my blog about my progress with it, too.
  
  You can heal your emotional eating, absolutely, and I wish you the best with doing the same!
  
  
• 4/17/2008 8:16 PM Hygeia wrote:
  I've never had emotional eating or something but my friend had this problem before but I guess she is okay now.
  
  good luck on getting your desired weight. I think have to work out again thanks for the reminder. *giggles*
  
  
• 4/18/2008 7:35 AM Haney wrote:
  Woah! 20 to 8 in 10 months! that's freakin fast!
  Reply to this
  1. 4/18/2008 11:01 AM Nadine wrote:
     I started January 2006, and by June 2007 I was a size 8. More like 18 months.
     

Celebrity Fit Club (Repost 4/14/2008)

I'm a huge reality TV junkie. Celebrity Fit Club is one of my favorites!

As experts, we have the instructor, drill sergeant Harvey Walden, Dr. Ian K. Smith, and a psychotherapist Stacy Kaiser. If you've watched The Biggest Loser, its the same premise, except with celebs.

This year the theme is newbies versus CFC veterans at a military bootcamp.

The vets include Willie Ames (Eight is Enough), Toccara (plus-sized model), Tina Yothers (Family Ties), and the jerk of all jerks Dustin Diamond (Screech, Saved by the Bell).

The newbies include Erin Moran (Happy Days), Sommore (The Queens of Comedy), Brian Dunkleman (American Idol - I don't remember anyone other than Seacrest) and A.J. Benza (High Stakes Poker).

If you haven't watched it, let me tell you that Joanie is so far from "Shortcake" (Fonzie's nickname for her). She's a lush & a hoochie! So far they've shown her dancing at a bachelor party like she was the stripper; and this week she got drunk at a bar; got on stage for open mic night and did a hula hoop. When Toccara topped her by doing a few hula hoops on stage, she then topped herself by showing her Vagina Monologue role of performing an orgasm on the bus in front of the rest of the cast. Drunk and shown up, she cried how she "hated this show" and walked off into the woods, disappearing for long enough that some of the cast went looking for her. She comes back and tells them something like, "You people don't mean crap to me. I called my husband, he's important, I'm important, you're NOT."

Wow... Joanie Joanie Joanie! Just WOW!

I felt bad a few weeks ago when Toccara knocked the hell out of Erin, by hitting her in the head during a challenge. But, now I just feel like, "yeah, too bad, so sad."

Willie Ames was the jerk of his previous season. But, he came back to prove to the world and himself that his first time was a bad time in his life, and that he could get in shape. While I was tired of him in the first season, this year I'm liking him again. His knees are all busted up, yet he's running back & forth with cinder blocks. He's pushing a jeep up the hill. Only thing I don't like is the hair. He's gone back to the curly locks he had in Eight is Enough. No, dude. At 40, when you're leathery from the sun, bleach blonde Shirley Temple curls are NOT sexy!

Tina Yothers. She was adorable in Family Ties, and how many years later, she is still just adorable. She did great in her season, and is doing fantastic this year. She's supportive of everyone. She loses consistently every week. I have nothing but praise for her!

Now, I have to get to the bottom of the barrel. Screech. Oh.My.Gawd! I LOVED him on Saved by the Bell. But, he is no longer Screech. I won't even put what I call him in this blog, thats how bad it is. The nicest name I can call him is Jackass. I think thats what his name will be.

During his first season, we found out he produces porn. I'm not against porn at all, but... SCREECH??? He goes to porn trade shows and, just yuckkkkk. He wanted to get fit and continue eating the way he was. This idiot barely lost any weight until the last show, then he lost like 17 pounds in a week or two by taking pills. Oh yeah, way to follow the plan, Jackass!

He came this year to show that he wasn't a jackass. He was going to prove that he could do it. But, all he does is bitch & moan about how hard everything is. Well, duh, you're out of shape. If you exercise the way they want you to, you're going to get winded. No, its past winded for him. His shoulders hurt. His legs hurt. His quads hurt. He's out of breath. He might die. He feels like he's going to pass out.

He's got as many excuses as I have underwear! He gets drunk and tells Dunkleman that if he screws him over, Jackass will gut him. Tres cool dude! Harvey has a hatred in him from the first season. So, he harasses him every time he can. He's called him a "Nazi Ass", lazy, makes him does push ups in the rain. In my opinion, its all deserved. Except, Jackass tells Harvey that he's using racial slurs, he's picking on him. Harvey & Jackass got into it so bad that Harvey told him he would personally kick his butt. Well, Jackass said that was a federal crime, to threaten him. Then called his manager (aka girlfriend) and lawyer, and wants to shut production down. Yeah, sure, whatever. You signed up for this.

I don't have much to say about the rest of the cast. Most of them I don't know much about besides seeing them here & there, and I really don't care much about them.

I was really rooting for the vets. Except Jackass. They may have been losing the challenges, but they were kicking butt with the weight loss. This week, they switched teams. Tina & Jackass were traded for Erin and AJ. Bleh. It did make the weight loss between the two teams more equal. But, now I don't know who to root for, Toccara & Willie, or Tina.

As much as I'm complaining, I LOVE these shows! I am so thrilled when they lose weight and do well. I cheer for them. But, I also love the BS and the drama.

Swimsuit Ready? (Repost 4/11/2008)

We have exactly six weeks until Memorial Day. Twelve until the 4th of July.

A healthy weight loss program says that you can lose anywhere from a half to two pounds per week.

In a six-week period, that says you can lose from three to 12 pounds. In a twelve-week period, you can lose from six to 24 pounds. These are realistic figures. And, doable!

Yes, you can do this and not starve!

Drink lots of water. This is going to be a huge theme with me. Water is the best thing you can drink. Replace your sodas with water. This includes diet sodas! Besides the sugar from the full-verson sodas, the carbonation bloats you. The artificial sweeteners are doing you no good whatsoever. Many times when you think you are hungry, you are really thirsty. So, try drinking a cup of water or two, and wait 20 minutes. If you're still hungry, then eat a little something.

Plan your meals the night before. - No matter what diet plan you are on, planning your meals is very helpful. Especially if you are just starting or have problems sticking to your diet.

Take your breakfast and/or lunch and snacks with you to work. Or on errands. This will stop you from stopping at the store and buying a pack of cookies or chips.

Eat breakfast. - Breakfast IS the most important meal of the day. You don't have to eat as soon as you wake up. When I was working, most of the times I didn't eat until I got to work, which was usually two & a 1/2 to three hours after waking up. However, eating breakfast will get your metabolism going. "I'm not hungry." "I'm not a breakfast eater." If you train your body not to need breakfast, then your body thinks you don't need it. However, in order to lose weight, you HAVE TO EAT! And, you won't be starving by lunch time, ready to rush to the nearest fast food place!

Breakfast Ideas

• A bowl of oatmeal. You can use the little packages. However, one package was not enough to fill me up. I trained myself to like Plain Quick Oats, and added my own banana, blueberries, raisins & cinnamon, strawberries to it.
• Whole grain cereals, such as Raisin Bran, Fiber One, Kashi Go Lean is really good.
• Vitalicious Muffins. Instead of a huge muffin from the cart guy, look into these. They are full of fiber!
• Fat free yogurt and fruit.

Look for leaner choices of meats. Pork loin, center cut, skinless chicken, ground turkey and beef (try for 93% to 95% lean).

Look for lower-fat, higher fiber products. Low fat is considered 3g per 100 calories. You should look for at least 4 grams of fiber.

Snacks - Fruits and vegetables. If you train yourself to eat these, you will lose the cravings for the sugary, high fat junky foods. Fat free yogurts. Baked chips. Try some of the 100 calorie snacks. They are a bit more expensive, but perfect serving sizes.

Replace your full-fat milk with 1% of fat-free. The fat content of 2% isn't much different than regular milk.

EXERCISE! This doesn't mean become a workout machine if you haven't been. But, find something you enjoy. Jumping rope, roller blading, skating. Turn the music up and dance while you clean!

These are just some things you can do to lose some weight before swimsuit season is here.

Please check Say Goodbye to the Pounds for other ideas.

---

Copying comments from original post:

• JoLynn Braley wrote:
  Hi, thanks for the reminder on exactly where we're at in the new year....yeah, not exactly New Year's anymore, but it's good to think about just how much we can accomplish in the next 6 - 12 weeks....look how much time has passed since many folks made those New Year's resolutions!
  
  I'm all for doing it Now - if we don't start now, then when? Here's to our weight loss success in the coming weeks!
  
  
• 4/13/2008 1:15 PM Heidi wrote:
  Great tips! I will have to give some of these a shot.
  
  
• 4/14/2008 4:02 AM Nicole wrote:
  I've joined Self Challenge 2008 yesterday.
  We shall see if that will work out.
  Thank Goodness I love water. That helps already a bit
  I'm not a big fan of Low fat products. Don't know why though. Something about them.
  
  
• 4/14/2008 11:16 AM Nicole wrote:
  Back
  
  I just don't remember what I wrote this morning
  But I guess it doesn't matter - great post
  

Ridiculously Simple Rules To Good Nutrition from Healthy Weight Inner Circle

I've been trying to figure out how I wanted to start this blog. I tell all about myself in my website, Say Goodbye to the Pounds. I will come back with my own original stuff, but I wanted to put something up.

Three simple things, and oh so very true. I try to keep my nutritional goals at three grams of fat per 100 calories, and at least four grams of fiber.

Breakfast is the most important meal. You don't have to eat a full breakfast, but something in your stomach to get you going. To lose weight, you MUST EAT! Its what you eat that matters!

I'm still working on that slowing down. Eating in front of the pc is probably not a good thing, huh?

---

Eating in a healthy manner isn't rocket science. In fact, it's actually pretty simple. Don't confuse simple with easy though. The concepts are simple, but changing your habits might not be so easy. Don't expect to flip a switch and change overnight. Take small steps and eventually big changes will happen.

Now, the truth is, you don't need any of those ridiculous diet books that are crowding the bookstore shelves to see these changes. Most of those are just filled with new gimmicks that sound great, but are really just designed to sell books, not make you healthy.

All you need is common sense. If you have that, we've just won most of the battle. If you don't, well, this will be a little more difficult. Either way, here goes...

1. Read Food Labels

   Most people have no idea what they are putting into their mouth. It is time for you to start reading the ingredients on the food you buy. You've read this far, so I know you can read. If the food you are buying sounds more like a science experiment than food, put it back on the shelf.

   Also, it's time to be an adult. No more Fruit Loops or Pop Tarts. If you really want to be healthy, start making healthy choices (make healthy choices for your kids too, while you're at it). Quite honestly, it is hard to believe how much of the food in your basic grocery store is overly-processed, preservative-, sugar-, and fat-filled crap. Here are a few things to avoid when you're trying to make better choices:

   • Enriched, white, bleached, or unbleached flour. If this is the first ingredient, put it back and get something that is made with whole wheat flour or another whole grain instead.
   • High fructose corn syrup. Sugar by another name is still sugar. This is just a cheaper, easier to produce kind.
   • Partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. These just suck. They are evil. If you've heard of trans fats, these are them. Food manufacturers take an oil and add an extra hydrogen atom to the chemical structure so that it stays solid at room temperature. Unfortunately it does the same in your arteries.
   • Too much sodium. The US government says you should limit your intake to 2400mg per day. The British government says 1500mg per day. Either way, less won't hurt you and more could. Some processed foods have a day's worth of sodium in a single serving!
2. Eat Breakfast

   Yes, it is that important. Your mother was right. And remember, no Fruit Loops. You are an adult. People who consistently eat breakfast, eat less over the course of the day than those who don't. And while you're at it, don't skip any meals. More on that later.

3. Slow Down

   I don't care what you say, you eat too fast. SLOW DOWN. Our bodies play a cruel trick on us in that our stomach and brain seem to have a time delay between them. This means that it takes our stomach about 10 minutes longer than it should to tell our brains that we've eaten enough. This is one reason we overeat.

   Another reason is the fact that most people wolf down their food so fast, they must think their plate will explode if they take too long. This is dinner, not a pie-eating contest.

   Slow down. Really. This alone will make a huge difference in your weight.

   Think I'm nuts? Try it for a week and see.

   What I want you to do is put your fork down on the table after every bite. I know it's hard, but take your hand off of the fork and put your hands in your lap and slooowly chew your food. That's right, I said slooowly. Chew each bite at least 20 - 25 times before you swallow it. Focus on what you are eating.

   It should take you at least twice as long to eat as normal, but I'll bet you eat less and still feel satisfied. Simple. Maybe not easy, but it sure is simple. And I guarantee it works.

There are more Ridiculously Simple Rules, but that will get you started on the road to healthy eating with a goal to never diet again.

Receive your free health and fitness Video Tip of the Week at http://www.HealthyWeightInnerCircle.com along with dozens of articles on fitness, nutrition, weight loss, and diets. The site also contains over 100 instructional exercise video clips, as well as weekly and monthly workout routines, and members-only forums where members can have discussions, get information, and ask questions about fitness, nutrition, exercise and more. Dave Soucy is a Fitness Expert, Coach, Consultant, Author, and Certified Personal Trainer. He is the author of several works including "A Healthy Back in Ten Minutes a Day" at http://www.YourHealthyBack.com and "The Busy Woman's Fitness Solution" at http://www.UltimateHomeWorkout.com

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