The Sports Bra Shot ~ Revisited

After many requests to revisit the sports bra pic, I decided to give in and give you what you ask for. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING can snap you back into reality like seeing a picture of yourself in a sports bra & tight work out shorts. Haven't done it? I can promise you that it is FAR more motivating than looking at a picture of an unrealistic skinny bitch!


Honestly, I thought about cheating and wearing looser shorts, but because of you guys, there was no cheating and MINIMAL sucking in. This is me in all my glory the minute I walked in from the gym yesterday evening.

Week 1 ~ December 10, 2008: 140lbs

Week 21(ish) ~ May 19, 2009: 127lbs

Total: 13lbs

{sorry, no side shot from week 1!}

Last week I saw some old friends that had last seen me 18lbs ago and didn't know I was losing weight, and all gave me a shocking reaction that was so encouraging and so motivating to me. Sometimes it's easy for me to think 13lbs, big whoop! I see the number changing, I wear a different size, but losing weight is so mental sometimes, and it's nice to actually see progress in a side by side comparison.

I know that I still have a ways to go, especially in the toning department... hello, chunky tummy, but I'm glad that y'all made me do this. Now I have double motivation ~ I can visibly see how far I've come and how far I still have to go.

Hey, you look FABULOUS!

A lot of outfit planning and preparation went into the Vegas trip and one of the most important outfits was the one that would be worn off the plane. The three of us had been working very hard to look fantastic upon arrival. I hadn't seen Allie since November & had NEVER seen Ryan in real life, so this had to be good. I think I finally settled on my outfit about 20 minutes before I was set to walk out the door. I slipped on my brand new skinny jeans paired with magenta heels and a tight sheer off white cowl necked shirt with short puffy sleeves. As for outerwear I wore my champagne colored satin trench coat and over sized over patterned silk scarf.



I felt good. I looked good. I was ready to see my girls.



From the minute we walked through the hotel my friends showered me with compliments. Allie even went as far as to say that I was half my size! While, not true, it was deeply touching and if I think long and hard enough her words come back to me and make me feel warm and fuzzy all over again.



This past weekend my husband and I had family in town that hadn't seen either of us since the first of January. I don't expect people who see me daily to ever say a word, but I had hoped that when said family was in town and the last time they saw me I was 8lbs heavier and a size or 2 larger that they might notice. I guess I didn't necessarily NEED the compliment, but more like I wanted the reaction.



Want to know what they said? "Justin, I can really tell that you're losing weight!" Punch.In.My.Gut. Of course Justin has GAINED weight recently and had just been complaining to me earlier that morning when he saw his reading on the scale.



No matter how many sweet compliments I get from my husband every day or my friends when they see new pictures of me or from those of you that comment to encourage me on Friday it bugs me to death that the mean ones are the ones we remember.



So, look... Ryan took this picture of me in Las Vegas on the first night, and I love it. I look happy & fabulous and I'm learning that the most important opinion about how I look is my own.



And if anyone hasn't told you lately ~ you look FABULOUS, too!

grocery store finds

Jillian mentioned tonight on BL that it is best to eat 85% of your meals at home or if you're going to be away from home plan your meals in advance. I invite you to take a look at some of the foods that I enjoy at home on a weekly basis.

The easiest way I can plan ahead is by bringing my own bread especially if I want to eat a sandwich out at a restaurant OR I can bring my own sandwich from home. Do not be embarrassed to just ask for the chicken breast or meat... it's fine - I promise! I recently found this bread Nature's Own Wheat with double fiber, which means by some calculations it comes out to 0 points and some it comes out to 1. No cheating ~ go with 1pt to be on the safe side, but I mean really... 1 point bread with all that good fiber? Hard to beat!





2 slices equals:



-Calories: 100



-Fat: 1 gram



-Fiber: 10 grams



-WW Point: 0-1


To accompany my lunch sandwich or my dinner sandwich I'm the kind of girl that needs a little salty and crunch, know what I mean? I hate to say it, but those baked chips always seem a little stale to me, so on a whim I tried the Pringles Fat Free Sour Cream & Onion. They were fantastic! Justin has even taken to the barbecue flavor, so your non-weight watching husbands/boyfriends/lovers/significant others can par take and still be happy! If you aren't portioning according to serving sizes, try it... I think you'll surprise yourself how satisfied you can be if you just PORTION!

14 Chips equals:

-Calories: 70

-Fat: 0

-Fiber: 1 gram

-WW Point: 1

While I've been following a healthier lifestyle plan I honestly haven't felt deprived or like I'm missing anything. Lately I have been having a hankering (that's Mississippi talk for CRAVING) for asian. I found some low cal healthier options for stir fry at my local kroger last week, and I've made this meal a couple times now. I start by following exact serving measurements for the Stir Fry Veggies and then the Stir Fry Veggies with noodles and saute them until they are soft and basically done. As soon as I take them off the heat, I stir in 2 tbsp of Iron Chef General Tso's Glaze, also found at Kroger. It was shocking to me how restaurant-like this was. I accompany it with edamame and think it would be fabulous with chicken!

Stir Fry Veggies 1 cup:

-Calories: 30

-Fat: 0

-Fiber: 2

-WW Point: 0



Stir Fry Veggies with Noodles 1 1/4 cup:

-Calories: 80

-Fat: 0.5

-Fiber: 1

-WW Point: 1



General Tso Glaze 2 tbsp:

-Calories: 60

-Fat: 0

-Fiber: 0

-WW Point: 1

My "go to" after dinner snack is my sweet treat ~ Breyers Fat Free French Chocolate ice cream. I first read about this on hungry-girl, and I thought I would give it a try. I was shocked that it TOTALLY taste like rich, creamy ice cream! I thought it would be very thin tasting and closer to a sorbet. The one thing I'm disappointed in is that my 3 little small town grocery stores on sell Chocolate, Vanilla, and Strawberry. Where's the love for the chocolate cookies and cream? Again, portion is HUGE... well actually it's small, but the point is - you need a TASTE not a CARTON.

1/2 Cup Serving equals:

-Calories: 90

-Fat: 0

-Fiber: 4 grams

-WW Point: 1

When people tell me they are following a weight watchers plan I always inquire about their food, because, in my opinion, the trick to changing your eating life is to NEVER make yourself feel like you are on a diet. So, because I'm nosey ~ what are some of your favorite eat at home foods?

Diets don't work.....

" I tried every diet in the book. I tried some that weren't in the book. I tried eating the book. It tasted better than most of the diets." - Dolly Parton

As you know from reading about our journey, we are all committed to not only loosing weight, but to living a completely healthy lifestyle. Diets are only a quick fix, not a solution to your weight loss goals. I love it when i come across helpful tips to aid in not only weight loss, but for maintaining your goal weight after as well. I found this article recently and have been following these five rules. I promise they have made such a difference with my appetite, portion control, and cravings. I hope you find these suggestions as helpful as I did.

1. Break Leftovers Down Instead of using one large container to store leftovers such as casseroles, side dishes, or pasta, why not separate them into individually-sized containers? That way, when you reach in the fridge to find something to reheat, you're retrieving just enough for one helping. Breaking down meal-sized servings into single servings will help you limit your food intake with no additional effort.

2. Say Yes to Salads Eating a salad before lunch or dinner is a sure-fire way to keep from overeating. It will help curb your appetite and give you a sense of satiety sooner. Of course, we're not talking a little bit of iceberg lettuce here. To reap full portion control benefits from rabbit food, load up your salad with veggies or even lean meat like turkey cubes. The fiber in the veggies will help you feel fuller and lean meat's protein will give you an instant energy boost.

3. Keep Seconds Out of Sight Don't serve family meals family-style. Keep pots and dishes away from the table where it's all too easy to go for seconds. I can't tell you how many times I've rethought my second helpings as I've made my way from the table to the stovetop. I've often told myself to sit back down and wait it out. Remember, it takes about 20 minutes to feel satiated. By giving myself that "breather" I've realized I wasn't hungry enough for another helping after all.

4. Serving Standards Learn to "eyeball" standard portion sizes and stick to them when dining out or dishing up meals. Keep these tips in mind: 3 oz. of meat is the size of a deck of cards or an audio tape; 1 oz. of meat is the size of a matchbook; 1 cup of potatoes, rice or pasta looks like a tennis ball.

5. Treat Yourself And last, but not least ... indulge!
Treating yourself once in a while to a "forbidden" food will keep you from feeling deprived; a sense of deprivation can easily lead to overeating. Stop a binge before it starts by indulging every now and then. This is what your 35 flex points are for!!!

P.S. Don't you just LOVE Dolly Parton??

bitch fests & struggles

I first wore this dress in 2004.  I slipped it back on New Years Eve, which was also weigh in day and felt on top of the world.  For the first time in a very long long time I thought, "Look out Papa, Mama looks GOOOOD!"  The double chin was at a minimum, the belt cinched my waist just so and spaghetti straps were even ok.  Jillian had been kicking my tail lately and maybe just maybe it was starting to pay off through my shoulders and arms.

So, I did what I did best.  Rewarded myself with a big ole plate of delicious cuban food.  I justified that it was one entire week before weigh in AND new years eve, so it shouldn't matter.  Then the next day I had Qdoba for dinner, because it was just not fair that Justin got to go out to eat with his friend.  And then I had a heaping plate of Mediterranean food, because that's what I had really wanted to the night before and I was moving.  I deserved the extra calories.

Then came the NEXT weigh in and I was 4 pounds up and mad at the world.  I mean really... how can it take 3 weeks to lose 5 pounds and just one week to gain all but one pound back?

After a very long bitch fest to Allison about life is not fair because I wasn't born tall & skinny and my husband was and that mexican food isn't calorie free and neither are cupcakes I came to the end of my rope.

Reaching my goal weight is not the end of the journey it's only the beginning of the rest of my healthy life.  I think the hardest thing for me to do was to admit to myself and now to you that I am a reward eater and my reward is ooey-gooey mucho caloric food!  For as strong willed as I can be about many things, this is a road block in my brain that I can't move out of the way.

My resolution for next new years eve is to be standing before the camera not only a thinner and stronger me for an evening, but a healthier me for the long haul.  This is my lifestyle change and it starts now.

Yum Yum Brownie Muffins

posted by: Lesli

My blog friend Laura posted a link to the hungry girl recipe for Hungry-Girl's Yum Yum Brownie Muffins the other day and me being the sweets feign that I am, I had to try. I made a family dinner on Sunday night and me and my sister are ALWAYS looking for delicious ways to cut calories, but usually aren't very good at it, so these seemed perfect! Plus, I will make up any excuse to get to use my Kitchenaid Mixer!

Wait, would y'all like to meet my fabulous sister? This is going to make my other blog jealous, so I'll have to share with them later, but this is my fat chick sister. I call her a fat chick, because she called me the other day and said, "Well, I did it. I stripped off all my clothes to my bra and panties and took the dreaded picture." She should not worry, I will only be picturing her here fully clothed.

Ok, really she's Justin's (my husband) sister, but what's his is mine, right?

Back to the Yum Yum Brownie Muffins! This recipe is really hard, so if you're not an expert level chef you MIGHT want to back away from this one.

Recipe according to Hungry Girl:

Yum Yum Brownie Muffins
(1 Muffin, or 3 minis - 181 calories, 3.5g fat, 37g carbs, 2g, fiber, 2g protein - 4 WW points)

1 box devil’s food cake mix

1 can solid pack pumpkin (15 oz.)

Directions:Mix the two ingredients together. Don't add anything else that may be mentioned on the box, such as eggs, oil, or water. The mixture will be very thick and you will be tempted to add in other things to make the batter smoother. DO NOT DO THIS AS IT WILL RUIN EVERYTHING! Place batter into muffin tins (or mini muffin tins) lined with paper, or sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Makes 12 regular or 36 mini muffins.

Here's is what they'll look like after you've mixed and poured into the pan. They don't pour into the tins or smooth out like cake batter would, so I scooped them out proportionally with a measuring cup and spoon.

The final product! Beautiful fluffy chocolate Yum Yum Brownie Muffins! The tops of mine looked like it formed little peaks that burned, BUT in all reality they were delicious and moist and fluffy tasting.

If any of you are addicted to cupcakes, like me, this is what I'd HIGHLY recommend for you! I think the fact that I have resisted the urge since SATURDAY to put a healthy dollop of chocolate icing on top should earn me extra WW points!

How to Survive a Christmas Party

I'm down in Ft. Lauderdale today getting ready to attend a Christmas party.  I'm one of those girls that needs to sample every single piece of food that I pass by.  I'm wearing a black dress that hides my belly thank goodness, but I'm ready to get over the hiding tummy days..so here are a few guidelines to help you through this holiday season.  Champagne here I come!! Thank god for FLEX POINTS :)

Don't let your fingers do the walking: Many of the appetizers that circulate at holiday parties go for upwards of 300 calories a pop.  AND who can eat just one? I CANT!  So when your picking choose shrimp, raw veggies, and if you do need that sparkling crab cake, only eat 1.  

Be a buffet queen:  Circle the mouth watering food morsels before going in for the kill.  Once it's on your plate you'll feel obligated to eat it, and the better stuff may be down at the end tempting you to come back for seconds because your plate is already full.  Choose foods that are high in fiber like veggies, fruits.  Choose lean meats, clear soups, and non-oily salads.  You can try everything just limit yourself on the amount.  I like to fill my first plate FULL with salad and veggies.  Use balsamic, or other vinegar based dressings.

SALAD TIP: Put your dressings on the side.  Dip your fork into the dressing then use it on the salad.  You will be surprised on how much dressing you won't use.

Cocktails can be deadly:  Stick with light beers and wines.  If your a liquor fan stick with diet soda as the mixer.  Mixed sweet cocktails can top the charts at 6 points!  So stay clear of the sweet martini's and strawberry daiquiris.

I hope everyone has a wonderful HOLIDAY SEASON!  Just think, it's halfway over with and New Years will be here before you know it.  Thanksgiving to New Years is the hardest part of the year for your waist, so hang in there!