Plan for a GREAT week!!!

Get your kitchen, your activity clothing, ....YOURSELF ready!!! If we keep things "handy" I feel, we are more apt to do/use them.

Keep your measuring cups handy.....and use them...:) DO NOT keep foods in your kitchen that are trigger foods. If you have a family and they just HAVE to have these items...keep these items in a cupboard where only they are allowed....promise yourself you wont go there, and don't! I keep a picture of my "gals" from Weight Watchers on my refrigerator...they remind me what I want most!

Simple little reminders are sometimes just enough to be that little inspiration for you....and me.















THANK-YOU ladies!! xxooo






Keep your work-out clothing and equipment(if you can) OUT! Keep them handy. I have the total gym...in my living room....all the time. Yes, we could put it away, for it is easily folded up and can go under a bed...(no I don't work for them, I sound like an infomercial..:)) I also keep the tread mill out, the exercise ball, the bike, the exercise band, weights...yes they are all right where I can get to them ...easily. I would NEVER use them if I had them tucked away neatly for no one to see. Who cares????? Me !!!!!, I care, the equipment does not make my house look messy. It is my house, and my life! This is how I roll.....lazy maybe, but I feel just human!

Lastly, but definitely not least. Get yourself ready. Make YOU a priority! This is key...to any success, especially weight loss! Get up that extra 1/2 hr. early, go ahead work out, I dare you to see how great you feel.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~










Food wise, some of the biggest obstacles to weight loss include highly refined foods, such as sugar, trans fats, hydrogenated oils, processed flour products, packaged foods and snacks like chips and pretzels. These "foods" and I use that word loosely here, are jamming with excess and non nutritious calories. They are unhealthy choices and will cause your blood sugar levels to skyrocket up, thus stimulating craving more and more of these harmful, processed, yucky foods. This is what is called a vivacious cycle, and it will viciously try to steal your thunder.
Sprinkle sprinkle, flax seeds curb hunger and promotes healthy digestion.





Zucchini Parmesan

Ingredients:
1. 3 cups zucchini — thinly sliced
2.2 Tbsp butter or marj.


3. 1/2 tsp salt
4. dash of pepper
5. 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
1. Place zucchini, margarine, salt and pepper in skillet.
2. Cover and cook slowly 5 minutes.
3. Uncover and cook, turning slices, 5 minutes more.
4. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
5. Enjoy.
Nutritional value (per serving, serves 4)– 50 calories, 3.4 g fat, 3.2 g carbs, 2.1 g protein.

1 Points plus.


July 4, 2011 Written by learningwithliz

Support~ Yeah, I got it!!

You Are Not Alone Anymore
Welcome to My Weight Loss Team!




This was a little note from my friend Judy at Weight Watchers. She has no idea that this little note, well I keep with me....always. I keep it in my notebook that is always with me....my bible I call it. I have laminated this note so nothing EVER happens to it.
Something so little can make a huge difference in someones day....someones life!

Accountability – If you need someone who is going to hold your feet to the fire, and who you don’t want to let down, then recruit a friend to join you in your exercise routine or ask them to ask you about how you are doing with your eating habits. You are much less likely to bail if you know your friend will be waiting for you to workout at 6am. If you share your journey electronically, make sure to ask friends to specifically comment on your tweets or posts, so you know someone is listening to and encouraging you.

Advocacy – If it’s too hard or exhausting to keep defending your reasons for not taking a second helping at a party, or if you’re tired of asking the restaurant server about ingredients and preparation, let a friend take over. An advocate wants your goal for you as much as you do and will speak up on your behalf when it’s not always easy. Any unwanted, unopened non-perishables can be shared with a food kitchen or food bank.

Kitchen Makeover – If your fridge or pantry is full of foods not on your diet, but are tempting nonetheless, ask a friend to remove those things so you aren’t tempted to eat them rather than throw them away. Then, go shopping for healthy pantry basics to ensure you can make nutritious meals on a whim.


5. Encouragement – Another way to go beyond accountability is to ask a friend to periodically direct words of encouragement to you. Make sure you tell them what is encouraging to you. I find my weekly weight watchers meetings a must. I have missed a couple of meetings....I do not do this often,I really don't like this ...."empty feeling"

THIS TO ME IS THE UTMOST OF IMPORTANCE! I hope and pray I do this for others!!!!

Healthy Chocolate Chip- Oatmeal Cookies
This recipe has been featured in a post on The Recipe Girl
Ingredients:
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oatmeal
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup finely chopped, pitted dates
3 ounces dark chocolate, chopped

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease baking sheets (or line w/ parchment or silpat mats).

2. Place butter in a medium, microwave-safe bowl. Melt in microwave, just until completely melted. Remove from microwave and add brown sugar. Stir until smooth.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together oats, flours, baking soda & salt. Stir into butter sugar mixture along with egg, vanilla and dates. Fold in chopped chocolate and mix well.

4. Drop Tablespoonfuls of the cookie dough onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until they appear to be set and not gooey in the middles.

Tips:
*FYI- I *hate* dates, and I loved these cookies. If the dates are chopped finely, you really can't detect them in the cookies at all. You'll sometimes find them in containers in the produce section but they're also available in the dried fruits section and are packaged just like dried cranberries.
*There's a good reason for using chopped chocolate over chocolate chips in this recipe. If you use chopped chocolate, the little shards of chocolate get more spread out in the cookies and therefore get more of a chocolate flavor in each cookie. You can certainly sub chocolate chips, but I'd recommend using the mini chocolate chips to get the same spread-out chocolate effect.

Nutritional Information per serving:
Serving size: 1 cookie
Calories per serving: 99
Fat per serving: 2g
Fiber per serving: 1.25g
Protein per serving: 1.5g
Cholesterol per serving: 13mg
Carbohydrates per serving: 16.5g

WW POINTS per serving:
Points Plus Program: 2

Old Points Program: 2.5

Healthy Chocolate Chip- Oatmeal Cookies
Yield: 30 cookies
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 12 min
Why deny yourself sweet treats when you can have a cookie as good as this... guilt-free?

It's not what you've done....it's what you do next?

What is your next step?

Who here is in a rut? It could be with your fitness workout or diet or maybe something in your personal life just as a relationship or job. What about your general appearance such as your hair style, your clothes, or how you do your make up? Maybe unfortunately you are like me, and you are in a rut pretty much across the board. I am making myself a commitment that over the next two months all of this is going to change.

I am also going to make a complete list of things I would like to change or do. This is going to be everything from my hair, clothes, make-up, a fitness routine, projects around the house, places I’d like to see, things to do this summer, EVERYTHING. I am one of those people that if I don’t write it down the odds of it happening are slim to none.

How about you? What would you like to change or do? When I am done with my list I will post it here. Putting in writing increases the odds that I will do what is on my list, posting it here will almost guarantee that I will accomplish them. Maybe it would help you to do the same too?
Ok so lets get to it! Lets take control!

REMEMBER~~~!!!! It's not what you've done....it's what you do next?



This is a great taco casserole recipe for the new Weight Watchers Points Plus program the whole family will love.

Source: Weight Watchers Points Plus Recipes

Weight Watchers Points Plus Taco Casserole

1 lb ground skinless chicken breast
1/2 c onions, chopped
1/2 c bell peppers, chopped
1 clove garlic
1 pkg taco seasoning mix
8 ozs taco sauce
1 c fat-free sour cream
1 c fat-free cottage cheese
1 c low-fat tortilla chips, whole or broken up
1 c low-fat cheddar cheese, shredded
3/4 c salsa

Directions:

Heat oven to 400. Spray cooking spray on bottom of a 2-quart casserole dish; set aside. In a skillet,
cook chicken, onion, peppers, and garlic clove until tender. Add seasoning mix and taco sauce;
set aside. In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese; set aside. Place half the
broken chips in the bottom of casserole dish. Add meat mixture to cover the chips, then cover the
meat with sour cream mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and remaining crushed chips. Bake,
uncovered, for 30 minutes or until cheese has melted. Top with 3/4 cup salsa if desired.

Makes 8 (1 Cup Servings)

Nutritional Info Per Serving:
287 Calories; 4g Fat; 25g Protein; 34g Carbs; 43mg Cholesterol; 2g Fiber;

Points Plus+ 7 .

Habits.....

What old habit are you willing to exchange for a newer, healthier one.....??? Start today!!!

They say old habits die hard. That phrase was never more true than for a dieter trying to change lifestyle habits. I say changing lifestyle habits instead of focusing on just the kind of food you eat and when you eat it because losing weight, getting fit, and staying that way is not a short term gig. It requires a whole change in the way you view your health and how to live your life. That may seem overwhelming when you think of it, but it’s really not. You just need to know which steps to take and then take them. The simplest way to break a bad habit is to replace it with a new habit that is healthy. When you think of it that way, it doesn’t feel like you’re giving up something you like because you’re filling that void with something else.
If you’re one of the many people who love to feast on a bowl of popcorn while watching a midnight movie you need to seriously consider how that late-night snack is ruining your diet. Sure, popcorn has a high amount of fiber, something that is good when you’re on a diet. It’s not the actual food that is the problem, but the time of day. You should stop taking in calories no later than 7:00 PM and just continue to drink water to fill you up. By that time, most people have had their dinner and are beginning to wind down from their day. That means that any calories you consume will not be burned off. They’ll be stored in your body as excess nutrition for your body to use later. Stored calories are held in fat cells.
You probably have a barrel full of excuses that you pull out every time you talk about why you haven’t lost the weight you want to lose. It could be anything from a sluggish thyroid to faulty genetics to just not having enough time to think about weight loss. I’m here to tell you to knock it off! The only way you will lose weight and keep it off is stop making excuses for why you’re not succeeding. I’m not saying that any of those excuses aren’t valid. Many are.
In fact, having a sluggish thyroid or other genetic problem may be an additional barrier to how fast you can lose weight. But using that excuse as a crutch will only keep you from making any progress at all. People with “bad” genetics and even health problems do manage to lose weight when they put their mind to it. The thing that keeps them from losing weight is falling back on the reason it is so difficult for them.
If you feel yourself slipping back into old habits, continue using the journal and stay on course. As soon as you start forgetting to exercise or stop paying attention to what you’re eating, you’ll begin to gain weight again. That is the last thing you want to do after all your hard work. Allow yourself to be human and don’t beat yourself up if you do cheat on your diet or exercise program. But as soon as you recognize that make sure you stop and get right back on the program to prevent further damaging your momentum. It’s not enough to say that you’ll do an extra set of crunches or next 15 minutes of aerobics. You want your body to be in balance, to lose fat and gain muscle in a slow and steady pace.

Remember, it takes to three weeks to start a new habit. But it takes just one day to break it.

Please~~~~~Keep at it!!

Southwestern Pasta Salad~~





Here’s a nice variation to a pasta salad! Really delicious too!

For the Dressing, combine these ingredients:

1/2 cup lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tbsp cumin
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic
Mix together for the Pasta Salad:

1 pound cooked whole wheat elbow pasta
1 pound cherry tomatoes quartered
1 cup corn
1 chopped green pepper
1 chopped red onion
1 small can sliced black olives
Stir the dressing into the pasta and enjoy!

Approximately 14 – 1 cup servings. Weight Watchers PointsPlus value: 5


Original recipe from Yummy.

getting ready to celebrate...skinny style

Are you ready for the holiday???
Independence Day is one of the most anticipated days of summer. This is no restrained, small-scale celebration. It’s all about excess: food, fun, and, of course, fireworks.

CELEBRATING OUR FREEDOM!!
As we celebrate the 4th of July and the freedoms of our country, At Weight Watchers we also celebrate our Freedom---from pounds, inches, tight clothes, aches and pains, bad knees, medication for high blood pressure, diabetes, prejudice, huffing and puffing to go up a flight of stairs and tying our shoes, lack of self confidence! Freedom to walk, move more, breathe, be proud, be self confident!
So This Week We Celebrated Our LOSSES! Where Being A Loser Is A Great Thing!!
I am sooooo proud of all of you! I love you and and love seeing you all reach all your goals along your journey....and reaching your Winning Outcome--Your GOAL!!


If you want a delicious low calorie salad recipe that's easy to make and would make a great addition to your Weight Watchers 4th of July Recipes, then you came to the right place today! This Broccoli Bacon Salad Side Dish Recipe is a wonderful and healthy addition to just about any meal. Instead of the same old boring salads you see at every Fourth of July BBQ, why not live things up with this tasty salad instead? With each 1 cup serving having just 2 Points +, you can serve a delicious dish that everyone will love while still staying on track with your Weight Watchers goals. And did I mention it has bacon and mayo?!?!!? Yeah....this one is a must try!



Broccoli and Bacon Salad
For just 2 Points Plus per serving, why not serve this healthy side dish recipe at your summer barbecue this year? Or take it along as Weight Watchers friendly dish to a potluck! Either way, it's a tasty low calorie salad recipe that everyone will love and will still help keep you from going overboard with your daily Points Plus Allowance.

Ingredients
4 cups broccoli, finely chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
6 slices cooked extra lean turkey bacon, finely chopped
1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1/2 cup fat free Greek yogurt plain
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp brown sugar
3 tbsp dried cranberries
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
Whisk garlic, mayonnaise, yogurt, vinegar and sugar in a large bowl.
Add broccoli, onions, bacon, cranberries and pepper; stir to coat with the dressing.
Preparation time: 15 minute(s)


Number of servings (yield): 6

Entire recipe makes 6 servings
Serving size is 1 cup
Each serving = 2 Points +

PER SERVING: 92 calories; 3 g fat; 13 g carbohydrates; 6 g protein; 4 g fiber



Read more: http://www.laaloosh.com/2011/06/28/broccoli-and-bacon-salad-recipe/#ixzz1QaD5N6cS

choose one thing.......

Choose to keep track of one thing ....other than your eating this week...... your exercise, your water consumption, your emotions when eating(feeling like eating) anything!....get ready ...set...go

I have kept a little calendar on my cupboard door where I keep track of my exercise. I am trying to exercise twice a day, silly me sometimes I can not remember morning to evening what I have done....hum. I just print off a little blank monthly calendar, put stars on it after exercise

I need a visual....that's just how I roll. My daily calendar is always filled with all kinds of writings. I keep track of everything.....Like my journals!

Hopefully this little exercise......will help you if you are felling a little....well like in a plateau or just in a slump! If you are tracking your water this week or ANYTHING ~ this will make you conscious of what you are doing! Water, I have told you before, I keep a glass in the bathroom, When I am "done" I get a full glass & down it! It is a constant circle all day! :) works for me, I know it could be hard for the office gals!

Remember do something 3 weeks, and it becomes a habit!

xxoo el

Wow~~~

I CAN CHOOSE TO BE A SUCCESS OR I CAN CHOOSE TO BE A FAILURE......I WILL BE WHICHEVER I CHOOSE!!!
"And in life, it is all about choices we make. And how the direction of our lives comes down to the choices we choose."
LOVE THESE!
Keep going....that is all I have to say right now.
I am facing some tough times right now. These are going to help me cope!
I know we have all been to the place......"I can't do it anymore".......hate is a strong word...but I hate that place.
My advise, and I am giving it to myself...breathe deep...keep going....
....there will be better days, I promise........

Tell yourself...I AM worth it!

Most of us run around everyday trying to take care of everyone and everything around us. And everyday we ourselves slip lower and lower on that list. Well make today the first day that you decide to change that. Make the change and become a happier more well rounded you. Making yourself a priority is not selfish! It is a must do for your own self preservation.

Every time you can tell yourself...I AM WORTH IT!!!!! I know you will be surprised to the outcome. I have had a rough couple of......well months. I was going to say days.....hmm.
I have gotten out of the routine of making ME a priority. This has made ME suffer. I can not allow this to happen, to let little "sneaky" habits "sneak" back into my life. NEVER!!!!

**What have I done to break this whatever is happening to me~~**
1. get up earlier....make exercise a DO FIRST THING thing (no excuses!!!)I feel like a new person when I exercise....it is simply...well, crack to me!
2. self....help talk! and lots of it! YOU ARE WORTH IT! ~YOU CAN DO IT!
3. a few new recipes~ get out of that ole rut!
4.read your(if you have one) success story(PLEASE write yours down) this to me was pure motivation! Look how far you have come!
5. take out those extra...little....develish....snacks etc that are sabotaging you!
6. JOURNAL...JOURNAL!!!!!!! not just food, "thought" journal too! Heal from the inside!
7. make some quiet time for you!

Keep it up. If you plan and stick to it , making yourself a priority becomes habit. A healthy habit at that. You are only able to do so much each day. After a while a ton seems like nothing at all when you have taken the time to care for yourself. Making yourself a priority will not only be a healthy change for you but a healthy addition to your daily family and work life to. Good luck and enjoy taking care of you!

Add 5 to 15 min more today!!!

We are going to add five more minutes everyday to our exercise minutes. If you walk for 30 minutes add 5 more minutes. Whatever exercise you're choosing to do that do just add on 5 more minutes. At the end of the week if you workout for 6 days you added an extra 30 minutes of exercise. Wow!!!

Your weight loss diet plan was working so well, but all of a sudden, things are not going as planned. Have you hit a plateau or even started to gain some weight? With any diet you will eventually hit a plateau in weight loss or run the risk of falling off track. We all hit that point where we are doing everything right, but with little or no results. Don’t be discouraged. When you first start off you will lose weight more quickly, but as you shed the first few pounds, the body begins to adjust. In order to push past your plateau in weight loss you may want to make some changes. Try these tips to get over the hump and get you losing weight once again.
Often when people start to see success in their weight loss they relax a bit on measuring, tracking and recording. Although it is not necessary to track and record to be successful it may be what you need to get over the hump. Maybe you think you are consuming the right amount of calories and burning the right amount of calories, but if you are not tracking and recording this it's just a guess. So double check you have everything right and go back to recording your calories consumed and calories burned. Even if it's just for a few weeks to get you past the plateau in weight loss and back to losing weight.

Change your Eating Habits

You've been eating the right foods and the right portions. You are counting your calories and tracking the foods you eat. Yet you have still hit a plateau and the pounds are no longer falling off. Just like with exercising now is the time to make some changes. If you have been eating 3 meals a day try breaking these into 5 or 6 smaller meals throughout the day. Eating smaller meals more often keeps your metabolism revved up to burn more calories.
Try altering the snacks and foods as well. If you usually have a yogurt as a snack try a high protein snack instead. Try adding a bit more protein and less carbs to your meals.
It's also time to adjust your calorie intake. As you lose weight the amount of calories you need is less. So double check your calorie intake for weight loss.

Mix Up Your Exercise Routine
If you are like many people your exercise routine is similar from day to day. Perhaps you always exercise in the morning for 30 minutes alternating between aerobics and strength training. Exercise is great and you don't want to stop this step.
But now is the time to mix it up. Instead of doing only 30 minutes add 15 more minutes to your workout. Try doing 30 minutes of aerobics followed by 15 minutes of strength training in the same day. Change the time you workout. Try switching to working out in the evenings before dinner instead of first thing in the morning. Or divide your exercise time into two sessions. Change the intensity as well. If you have been doing low impact aerobics then kick it up a notch. Your body has gotten used to the low intense workout and therefore is not as challenging. So challenge yourself and your body so you can burn more calories and say goodbye to your plateau in weight loss.

Life........the pink ribbon journey

Well, life just happens doesn't it?



I just got word from a dear friend that she has breast cancer. I thought I was having a rough day until I heard from her. It is amazing how fast things can change. I have told her...I'm here. you know, I think that is ENOUGH. She is going to need to talk, and I will just need to listen. This is really hard for me. But nothing like it is for her.



This surprises me but doesn't, I have premonitions, and yes, I knew something was "up" with this person. I have lost contact with her. I was so thrilled when I heard from her ....until I found out why............why? Why does breast cancer happen....why? It really doesn't matter why....just how to deal with it! ATTITUDE!!! I do believe this is a very strong person, She WILL beat this demon! She has the support of her family and friends. Together~we will WIN!!


Dear God,


Could you please make sure I learn whatever it is I’m meant to learn through this breast cancer journey and quickly move my dear friend on to a very healthy long life. Oh and a cure for cancer would be great while you’re at it. Amen.


Cancer is a word, not a sentence. Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.
Soooo. just when you think life sucks....it might, but there is ALWAYS someone out there who needs to hear....no, not everythings going to be ok....but , I am here for you ~ let the fight begin!


xxoo el