Are you a priority~~~???

Many women have a difficult time making themselves a priority in their own lives. But when it comes to losing weight, making yourself a top priority is a must. Taking off the pounds -- and keeping them off -- requires time and attention we are accustomed to giving to our loved ones.
Have you felt guilty about making yourself a priority? If, so how do you cope with that feeling? What changes have you made to your life or your family's schedule for weight loss? Share your advice for other women who are having trouble putting their weight-loss journey at the top of their lists.

Any extra pounds you’re carrying aren’t just going to go away by themselves and so you actually have to put some effort into losing weight. Clearly, if your weight has become such a problem that it is affecting your physical health and you feel miserable all the time because you’re much heavier than you’d like to be you have to make weight loss a priority. It may be convenient to keep putting off the decision to lose weight, but the sooner you embrace a healthy eating plan and start doing exercise, the sooner you will reach a weight that you are happy with.

There are now more overweight individuals on the planet than ever before and you’re probably used to hearing about all the health problems that are likely to arise when you are carrying too much weight around with you. It might be tempting to switch your mind off when you hear this kind of information, but it is basically impossible to escape from.

If you’re significantly overweight you may have already begun to encounter some of the health problems. When you’re overweight you’re more likely to have high cholesterol and high blood pressure and, thus, are at greater risk of having a heart attack or stroke. You also have a greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes, cancer, osteoarthritis and sleep apnoea.

With all these potential health problems arising from being overweight it is clear that you can’t keep avoiding the issue of your weight, as you need to deal with it sooner rather than later to minimise your chances of succumbing to illness.

Besides, it’s not only your physical health that can suffer as a result of being overweight, as your emotional health can also take a turn for the worse. Being overweight can make it difficult to establish relationships because you’re so conscious of your weight and you may even push people away rather than having to contend with rejection. You are often subject to bullying and general nastiness about your weight, which tends to undermine your self-esteem.

There is also the fact that it is harder to find clothes that fit and which flatter your figure and so you have another excuse to avoid social situations, even though you are left feeling lonely and isolated. When you feel this miserable you can’t just wait for things to improve and so you are going to have to take action to kick-start your weight loss. Although losing weight is difficult you need to make it a priority so that can feel good about yourself for a change.

As a Weight Watcher, I assumed my days of regular pasta eating were behind me, but this low calorie Baked Ziti Recipe has given me a way to enjoy a much beloved Italian dish, without sacrificing too many of my Weight Watchers points. Simply by subbing out a few of the higher calorie ingredients for lower calorie versions, I was able to make this baked ziti pasta with just a 5 Point Total per serving, yet maintain it’s fabulous taste. And though this is not an official one of Weight Watchers Pasta Recipes, anyone who is looking for a lower point version of Baked Ziti with Ground Beef, will love this recipe!


Baked Ziti Pasta Recipe
Ingredients:
- 12 oz Ronzoni Smart Taste Pasta (I used the penne noodles)
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
- 1 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 4 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup yellow onions, finely chopped
- 1/2 lb extra lean ground beef (96/4)
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp fresh basil, finely chopped
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp rosemary
- salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add onions and garlic and sauté 2 minutes. Add beef and cook until browned, breaking up meat with a spoon as it cooks, about 3 to 5 minutes; drain off any fat and set pan back over medium heat.
Add the oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper. Cook about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and mushrooms and bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Spoon a small amount of beef-tomato mixture into bottom of a 4-quart casserole dish (just enough to cover surface); top with half of cooked pasta. Next, layer with half of remaining beef-tomato sauce and half of mozzarella cheese. Layer with remaining pasta and then top with remaining beef-tomato sauce; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake until cheese is golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Cut into 6 pieces.

Entire recipe makes 6 servings
Serving size is 1 piece
Each serving = 5 Point Total