Another fun DIY project — REgrow Store-bought Celery at Home

Another fun project that I got to focus on today was my Celery Project.

I decided to try growing celery at home by using the cut-off ends of a store-bought stalk.  Now, I realize that celery really isn’t that expensive in the first place.  But I decided that I would transplant the stalks I buy until I start having my own fresh celery in full supply year-round in my greenhouse.

We are trying to simplify our lifestyle, live healthy ON-Point with Weight Watchers and make the best use of our resources by making realistic changes to improve our health, our environment and our budgets.

Here is the celery stalks after they’ve soaked in water for a week.  The plant has sprouted out the top and is ready for transplanting to the garden.

Check back as I update our celery experiment.  It’s getting planted into a bed in the greenhouse very, very soon! 

That is the next step.  Then we’ll water, watch and wait.  Once it’s growing strong, we’ll place a recycled “guard” such as a gallon jug with the bottoms cut off, or a 2 litre bottle etc. around the stalk so it can only grow UP from there.

This is my first try and I’m excited to see what happens!

Weight Watchers Points = 0 pts!  We love celery!

On Point — Weigh In Day and DIY Iced Coffee with Cream

I’m excited this beautiful Sunday morning for two reasons.

1.  It was a very successful weigh-in day after my 9 day funk.  Back on track with losing -3.4lbs this week!  Since the beginning, I have now lost -14.4 lbs. It’s slow going, but as long as I’m going down…I’m headed in the right direction!

2.  I tackled another DIY project with great success.  This time, Iced Coffee and Creamer.

I live in the Pacific NW, and if you’ve read a few of my previous posts, you know I am a typical NW gal that loves her foo-foo coffee drinks.    BUT, as a mom to 6 kids, I can’t really afford them and I’m looking for ways to makeover my lifestyle, not just go on a temporary “diet” of short-lived changes.  In an effort to cut both dollars and Weight Watchers Points, I became my own barista this week and took to the internet to read about many other DIY coffee aficionado’s experiments.  Finding none that suited my needs perfectly, I combined thought processes from several tips I read and made my own method for Cold Brewing a Coffee Concentrate.  Then, I tried my hand at making Coffee Creamer. My goal was to use what I had on hand without having to purchase anything special up-front.  Take a look at what I did:

First, I dug around the cupboards until I found four suitable jars with lids that I could use for this process.  One large jar for the creamer, and three smaller jars for the coffee concentrate.  I chose these jars based on what I could fit into my refrigerator.  Using a large gallon, or a jumbo pickle jar just isn’t an option for the way we use our fridge.  So I opted for an applesauce jar (50 oz.) for the creamer, and three spaghetti sauce jars (24 oz. each)  for the cold brew.

I made the Sweet Cream Creamer first.  I am addicted to creamer in my coffee.  But at 1 Weight Watchers Point per serving (1Tbsp) and nearly $4.00 per bottle, the cost really adds up in more way than one!  Especially because I use much more than 1 Tbsp per cup of coffee!  Yikes!

I mixed the following ingredients into the jar and shook it up:

12 oz. can of Fat Free Sweetened Condensed Milk

14 oz. can of Fat Free Evaporated Milk

24 oz. Skim Milk

It was delicious and an absolutely acceptable replacement to the store bought creamers I’d usually buy.  Here’s how the numbers stacked up:

Usual Store Bought Stuff = $3.68 + tax per 32 oz. bottle.  A bottle like this would serve me about 8 – 10 servings, costing an average of $0.40 per serving.

New DIY Creamer = $3.96 + tax for the ingredients to make a 50 oz. jar.  This jar makes me 19 servings, costing me an average of $0.22  per serving.

This seems like chump change, but over the course of a week, month or year…the savings do add up!  Take a look:

Store bought vs. DIY creamer saves $0.18 per serving.  I would typically enjoy 3 servings per day as I drink about 2 cups of coffee in the morning and an iced coffee late afternoon.  That means I’m saving $0.54 per day; $3.78 per week; $16.20 per thirty days or $197.10 per year! That’s nearly $200!  What’s more is that it also saves me 2 points per serving which adds up to 2,190 WW points values saved per year in coffee creamer alone!

Now, let’s look at the cold brew coffee I made and see if it saved us anything:

I use cheap ground coffee.  It’s what I can afford, and what I have on hand.  Using a paper funnel I made, I poured two 1/3 c. scoops through the funnel and into each of the three jars I picked out.  Then I filled the jars to the brim with water.   Screw on the caps nice and tight and place in the refrigerator overnight to cold brew.

Here’s a picture of two jars.  The first jar is ready to go into the fridge to brew.  The second jar has already been brewed.  Look how beautiful the Cold Brew Concentrate is!

After the cold brew sat overnight in the fridge, I had to filter it.  Rather than line a strainer with a bunch of paper coffee filters, and since I don’t own cheesecloth, I opted to use a kitchen towel draped over my colander and placed atop a large bowl.  Slowly, I poured one jar at a time onto the towel-lined strainer to let the coffee filter through.  It smelled amazing!

It didn’t take long to filter.  After the grounds were discarded, I was left with a beautiful, aromatic cold brew concentrate that filled two of the three original jars back up.

In the remaining jar, I began the process again by filling with two 1/3 c. scoops of grounds and water to brew overnight in the fridge.  By tomorrow, I’ll strain it and have another jar of concentrate.  I will continue this process as my supply diminishes and always have cold brew for Iced Coffee on hand.  Oh!  And that brings me to the best part!  How I drink it!

Using a wide mouth jar, I fill it with ice first.

Then fill with about 4 oz. of the cold brew concentrate that I made.

I added 2 or 3 oz. of water to dilute the concentrate.

Then I measured out my 1/3 c. serving of Homemade Sweet Cream (for 2 WW points!)and poured it in.  I wish I could have been faster at taking the picture so I could have captured the gorgeous swirl affect it made!

Dropped in my re-usable straw and Voila!  It tasted EXACTLY like the ones I buy at places like Starbucks.   I am soooo happy about this! 

I already know it saves me Points Values on my Weight Watchers lifestyle because the only points come from the creamer we brokedown earlier.  But does the Cold Brew Coffee save me any money?

Here’s the breakdown:

Buying my usual Iced Coffee at Starbucks costs me $3.19 after tax.  I would typically enjoy having one per day, costing me $22.33 per week; $95.70 per thirty days; or $1,164.35. per year! Oh my goodness!

My new DIY effort equated out to be:

Usual coffee grounds cost $5.68 for 33 oz.  which is $0.17 per ounce.

I used 9 oz. of grounds to make 48 oz. of concentrate totalling a cost of $1.53.  Those 48 oz. of concentrate will make me 12 Iced coffees using 4 oz. of concentrate each time.  Therefore, each Iced coffee drink will cost me only $0.13 in coffee plus the $0.22 in cream calculated from above totalling a whopping $0.35 per Iced Coffee with Cream drink that I make at home!  WOW!

The savings then are as follows:

Starbucks vs. DIY:  I save $2.84 per day; $19.88 per week;  $85.20 every thirty days; or $1036.60 per year!!!!

At over $1,000 per year over the course of my lifetime…if I lived for 30 more years, say…I could have exceeded $30,000 more dollars than I would if I were to continue buying my Iced Coffees daily at places like Starbucks.

Now, will I swear off coffee shops and Starbucks forever?  NO!  I love them!  I love the ambiance of joining my girlfriends for coffee on occasion. But this DIY is making a significant enough savings to make a lifestyle change for all the other times in my life.

And that is another ON-Point success!

On Point – with Quesadilla Burgers

I feed 8 people everyday.  Six growing kids…my husband and myself.  It’s like throwing a party every single day.  It is tons of fun — but tons of work, too.

Fortunately, I enjoy cooking and thought I’d start showing you some of the things we’re eating while trying to live ON POINT with a Weight Watchers Lifestyle.

Tonight we stayed ON POINT with Quesadilla Burgers!  They were delicious!

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Remember, my recipes are BIG!  For instance, this recipe made 19 burgers.  And there were ZERO left over tonight after the 8 of us finished our meal.  (I think my 6’2 freshman devoured a handful himself!).

* 4 lbs. 90/10 ground beef

* 2 packets Taco Seasoning

* 1 tsp. each reduced-fat shredded mexican blend cheese

Mix ground beef and taco seasoning until well blended.  Shape into palm-size patties.  I was able to make 19 of them.  Cook through to desire doneness then top each patty with 1 tsp. cheese.  Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, prepare tortilla wrappers.

* 9 1/2 Soft-taco Size Flour Tortillas cut in half

Wrap each cooked burger into tortilla and brown slightly on a non-stick skillet sprayed with no-stick spray.

Each Quesadilla Burger is only 6 POINTS on the Weight Watchers Points+ System.

Prepare desired toppings and add points values as necessary.

We chose:

* shredded lettuce

* sliced black and green olives

* colored bell pepper strips

* sour cream

* salsa

* ranch dressing

* cottage cheese

These are the toppings my kids enjoy.  However, I would imagine the following would have been great:

*black beans

*corn

*guacamole

*hummus

*pico de gallo

*refried beans & cheese

After all was said and done, I was able to eat two Quesadilla Burgers with lettuce, olives and salsa and stay ON POINT in a satisfying, fun way with my family around the dinner table.

Another successful day with Weight Watchers!  YES! YES! YES!

 

Nine Days Too Long

It has been Nine Days (!) since my last post.  And 8 of them were spent in a real funk.  I don’t know if being sick with a sinus infection, dealing with all the stuff I seem to deal with during that “time” of the month, or having my son’s 15th birthday extravaganza contributed to the mess up in my brain or what.  But I do know that my brain farted.  And it stunk.

For Nine long days I refused to track.  I refused to pay attention.  I refused to own up to anything.  I lived each day with frustration and I gained back 3 of the 14 pounds I’d lost in the last 10 weeks.  I don’t know what happened to my resolve…but nine days is too long and I’m not allowing this to continue.

As I tried to identify WHAT could have been lurking in my mind that was skewing my perspective on everything, I found a couple things worth noting.

1.  There is a lot of contradictory advice in the world of weight loss.  For instance (and this is just one example of many), on the same day that I made what I thought was a positive change in my life by switching out my regular peanut butter with hydrogenated oils in lieu of the natural variety in which the ingredients is only one:  peanuts…I read an article online about how “Natural Peanut Butter is Inhibiting Weight Loss.”  Another article told me that I should never, ever eat whole grains.  Another health guru says I should never, ever eat dairy.  And yet…Weight Watchers says I can eat all of it as long as I stay within my points range!

Would I, however, get to my destination faster if I adhered to some of the philosophy’s that seem to contradict WW?  Would I be able to stick with it?  It is a lifestyle solution?

These questions only led me to get confused over issue #2.

2.  Renewal.  Weight Watchers online membership was a Christmas Gift.  3 months paid for.  Yay.  But on March 13th, those 3 months will be up and I will have to pay the $18.95/month to continue.  Is it worth it? Am I worth it?  Can we afford it?  Should I do it?  Should I cancel?

A plethora of questions flooded my brain and for nine long days I shut myself down.

I realized this morning that nine days is too long…but it’s not too late!  I don’t have to throw it all away because of nine days…or because of 3 pounds.

I guess I don’t have the answer from here about if I’ll decide to pay for Weight Watchers once my time is up…or whether I’ll go it alone.  There are a lot of factors to consider.  In the meantime, though, I have 20 more days to take advantage of a program that really does fit into my lifestyle.

There may be many other scientific, faster routes to losing the weight.  But they don’t work if I can’t realistically stick it out over the long haul.  And losing a large amount of weight is a large, daunting haul.

I’m embarrassed.  I’m embarrassed that my mind gets messed up easily.  I’m embarrassed that it’s harder for me than I’d like to admit.  I’m ashamed that I know what to do…but struggle to do it.  This isn’t a factor in any other area of my life.  I see the task at hand, tackle it, and make the right choices to better my family, my home and hopefully influence others around me with the way I live my life.  Yet, with this one thing…I continue to choose self-destruction.

Go figure.  This post comes after the one where I’ve declared to the world that I’m “doing a new thing.”  Turns out, maybe I only thought I was and I’ve reverted back to the comfortable title I’ve donned for 18 years:  Big.  Fat.  Failure.

Maybe…  but I hope not.  Actually, I kinda hope I find a whole new name somewhere along this journey.  Happy travels. 

 

Love & Laugh

In honor of the LOVE HOLIDAY — Valentines –  I think we should all LOVE & LAUGH a little.  The following quotes are again found around the internet or in magazines.  Ones I’ve picked up that have no intention to offend…so please just join me for a lovely smile this Valentines.  xoxoxo  Who needs a box of chocolates anyway?!?

(Thank you to http://www.sxc.hu/photo/703588 for providing the above image.)

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“I burned sixty calories.  That should take care of the peanut I ate in 1962.”

– Rita Rudner

“You have to stay in shape.  My grandmother, she started walking 5 miles a day when she was 60.  She’s 97 today and we don’t know where the hell she is.”

– Ellen Degeneres

“Inside some of us is a thin person struggling to get out, but they can usually be sedated by a few pieces of chocolate cake.”

– Author Unknown

“I’m not overweight.  I’m just nine inches too short!”

– Shelly Winter

(the above image is not my own — thank you to whoever’s photo this may be!)

4th Weigh In

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Today was a good weigh in.  I lost -3.2 lbs. That makes my overall total loss -14lbs!  Of course, evaluating my Weight Watchers Online Tracker shows me just how much farther I have to go and I find myself not feeling very celebratory over this small success for the week.

I imagine that this will continue in the weeks to come and it’s probably normal to feel a sense of failure even with a successful loss.  Matter of fact, I see it all the time on the NBC show The Biggest Loser.  The contenstants drop numbers that would be earth shattering my MY lil’ ol’ world — yet they can barely enjoy it as it is heavily overshadowed by the large amount left on the scale.  The amounts YET to lose.

I am purposing to maintain my focus on today.  Today was a good weigh-in day.  -3.2 lbs is always a step in the right direction.  I really am trying NOT to focus on the enormity of pounds left on the scale that are seeming to stare back at me. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t feeling overwhelmed.

I’m going to find a way to celebrate my small success today.  Something that tells me it’s okay to be where I’m at – but that doesn’t hinder moving forward.  I used to always celebrate with food.  Part of this journey is learning how to live my life in new ways – and that includes celebrating small things that yield big rewards.  Downing a mini-bar of carb-loaded sweets is no longer an option.  Today, I might take the time to paint my nails.  Or maybe I’ll highlight my hair…

Even now as I lift my eyes to peer out the window next to my bed (where I sit typing on my laptop), I see a beautiful morning that speaks the promise of a lovely day.   I think I’ll embrace it, walk boldly into it’s promises and celebrate with thanksgiving the fact that I even get to partake in it.

Even the thought of celebrating life in this new way brings a smile to my face as I imagine myself standing in that warm sun, throwing my arms out wide and yelling with joy, “Hello World!  This is ME!!!  And I’m doing a NEW THANG!!!!” 

Day 40 – Thought for Thursday

The belly is ungrateful–it always forgets we already gave it something.

–Russian Proverb

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(image source credited to:  http://www.sxc.hu/profile/julosstock)

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This Russian Proverb that I came across today really resonated with me.  Such a strange relationship I have with my belly.  I call it the Belly Beast, sometimes with humorous intentions, but most often with disdain.  A Love/Hate relationship chronicled throughout 15 years worth of journal entries and food diaries, this belly of mine has been both my best friend and my mortal enemy.

After all, I’ve birthed 4 beautiful babies from this belly.  I’ve even mourned the loss of one more not birthed forth.  I’ve celebrated and loved filling it to the brim with the joys of happy times in life — and I’ve also wanted to die as I viewed my own profile from the side.

The Russian Proverb, though funny, is sadly true.  As obesity takes shape in one’s life, the parts of our bodies control us instead of the other way around.  We give them life and we give them power and treat our bodies as though they are seperate from our minds.  We give identities to our problems and we cater to “their” needs.  For me, the belly beast has seemed as real as the children given life through it.

If the belly were indeed this beast, and not a figure of my imagination — a coping mechanism of sorts so that I would have something to blame for my lot in this obese life — then ungrateful it would certaintly be.  Never satisfied and never saying enough.

Of course, we all know the belly is not really a beast and it has no mind of it’s own.  It’s just an appendage to body I call ‘home.’  Just as I offer the utmost, highest care to the building in which my family resides…  I need to start cherishing the body in which my life abides.

I’ve read another addage of the belly our friend and foe.  I’m not sure who wrote it, but this is how it goes:

“Our bellies are like baggage.  The heavier the baggage, the shorter the trip.”

I want my trip to be a long one.  As difficult as it is sometimes to say goodbye to the parts of our lives we’ve carried with us for so long — I just can’t let the belly beast keep me from reaching my destination.

No longer do I bid thee good eating, Belly Beast…but today, I bid thee FAREWELL.

 

Day 39 — Laughing At Myself

Yesterday was a great day for me.  I took an early sneak peek at the scale and the numbers are going down — albeit slowly.  I also spent time with a friend yesterday and we enjoyed a 2 mile walk down the road together.  However, as we discussed her weight loss and mine, I found myself discouraged that her achievements were happening so much faster than mine.  She’s doing a different weight loss plan than I am and she is losing at a much faster rate.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m so excited for her!  And I’ve tried her plan; but without the same success or ability to stick with it.

I decided to shrug it off, embrace the fact that what I’m doing is working, even if slowly…and to brighten my outlook by having a good laugh at myself.  Obesity isn’t a laughing matter.  Every now and then, however, a good laugh can lighten the gravity of a situation just enough to float us through to another day.

Fun Fact:  Laughing for just 10-15 minutes per day can burn as many calories as found in a medium square of chocolate!  Even up to 4.4 lbs per year!  Just by giggling!  (Fox news)

Laugh With Me!

Slim Fast Funny 

One evening a Husband, thinking he was being funny, said to his wife, “Perhaps we should start washing your clothes in ‘Slim Fast’. Maybe it would take a few inches off of your butt!”

His wife was not amused, and decided that she simply couldn’t let such a comment go un rewarded.

The next morning the husband took a pair of underwear out of his drawer. “What the Hell is this?” he said to himself as a little “dust” cloud appeared when he shook them out.

“Sandy!”, he hollered into the bathroom, “Why did you put talcum powder in my underwear? “

She replied with a snicker. “It’s not talcum powder; it’s ‘Miracle Grow’!!!!!!”

Go ahead!  Exercise that Sense of Humor! 

 

 

The Dawn of a New Beginning

I know what you’re thinking…  she fell off the wagon and has to start over.  It’s been several days since her last post! 

But you’re wrong. 

It has been several days since my last post.  Enough that I’ve lost count of where I’m at on this journey.  But I did NOT fall off the wagon.  Yay!

What has happened is a transition in life here at my household.  This caused a small hiatus from anything extra; and this blog for the moment was considered extra.  The transition was one for me and my kids.  For the last 5 years, I have been schooling my children at home.  Now, after much pondering, I’ve decided the grace for said task…is gone.  After taking in two more children over the summer (currently in the process of adopting), I have spent myself on many others’ behalf.  I came to realize that I needed to spend myself on me for a little while.  So, after a cramming week of finishing up requirements for their current school —  testing and assessing our way into the public school – shopping for all the supplies 5 different kids need for school — and then adjusting to a completely new schedule – I had NO time left for counting, tracking, blogging etc.

Phew!  Even remembering what I went through last week is exhausting.  But this morning, as the sun rose to greet me, I embraced the Dawn of a New Beginning.  My home is quiet for a few hours, my head is clear, my goals in focus.  I’m showered, I’m ready, I’m tracking and I’m moving.  I’m so very excited to welcome this exciting, albeit scary change into our lives.

My blog can be a priority now, as it challenges me to get through another day successfully. But the more important point here is that I…ME! can be a priority.  It’s not that I’m donning a new selfishness.  It’s that, for a season, it’s kinda MY turn.  It’s so foreign to say that.  As a mom to six kids…it’s rarely MY turn.

It’s not a season of vanity or self-indulgence.  It’s a time to become the best version of myself — and that’s so much more than just skin deep.

It’s good to be back – let’s get this party started!!!!

Day 27 — Travel to a New Perspective

There have been some busy days at our household.  I’ve just helped send off my in-laws on a mission trip to India, Nepal and Egypt among other places where they will spend the next 6 weeks.  As I watched them pack their bags, I noticed several boxes of granola bars, tube sleeves of nuts and sunflower seeds, and cracker packs being shoved into carry-on bags.  Not to be forgotten is the instant coffee singles packed by the pound! 

But it got me considering what traveling abroad and Weight Watchers would look like together.  It makes sense to me to pack a certain amount of food that you know satisfies, keeps you on point, and doesn’t need special preperation such as refrigeration or mixing.  But planning a LONG trip with limited luggage space means you won’t be stocking all of your meals.  Is it unreasonable to think I could stay on my points system if I were in India or Egypt for over a month?

After considering this for a moment, I realized that I hadn’t been taking into account the region of the area my in-laws were traveling to.  I would imagine this makes a HUGE difference.  There will be NO hotel buffets.  There will be NO fine dining.  There may be days when there is no meal at all.  I recall stories of their past mission trips to these poverty stricken areas of India and realize that if I had joined them…my dieting woes would have been the least of my worries.  The frailty of life and the true hunger I only imagine I’d witness is enough to cause the sting of tears to well in my eyes.

I live in a cushioned little world here.  I have every type of comfort that some will never know.  I lose sight of that so easily and I’m ashamed of my own perspective.  It’s amazing to me that through this journey to lose the weight I carry, I keep finding so many areas in which I need to grow.

Today, though, eating less is easier…because of a renewed sense and awareness of what WANT, NEED and HUNGER really is…and even though I am eating less…I am starting to become so much more.

Day 24 — Quotable

“Get Off The Scale!
You are beautiful. Your beauty, just like your capacity for life, happiness, and success, is immeasurable. Day after day, countless people across the globe get on a scale in search of validation of beauty and social acceptance.
Get off the scale! I have yet to see a scale that can tell you how enchanting your eyes are. I have yet to see a scale that can show you how wonderful your hair looks when the sun shines its glorious rays on it. I have yet to see a scale that can thank you for your compassion, sense of humor, and contagious smile. Get off the scale because I have yet to see one that can admire you for your perseverance when challenged in life.
It’s true, the scale can only give you a numerical reflection of your relationship with gravity. That’s it. It cannot measure beauty, talent, purpose, life force, possibility, strength, or love. Don’t give the scale more power than it has earned. Take note of the number, then get off the scale and live your life. You are beautiful!”

 

  ― Steve Maraboli,  

Life, the Truth, and Being Free

Day 23 – Thanks a Latte’

Standing in front of the ice cream treats that were nestled inside my grocer’s freezer were these devious little ice cream bars.  Actually, they are called Giant Latte’ Ice Cream Bars.  Throw on a Weight Watchers logo and assign a Points Plus value of only 2 and the box practically jumped into my cart by itself.  I think I could even hear the muffled cries coming from inside the box:  “Eat me, Amber…Eat me!”

And surely enough, after my dinner was done…  I did.

I can’t tell you how enjoyable it was.  It was so enjoyable that only a noise can describe it.  There are no words.  There are moans and groans.  There are oooohs and aaaaaahs.  There are noises reserved for intimate moments between and woman and her man dessert.  This kind of imagery alone can do justice to these delicious sticks of 2 point perfection.

It’s finds like this that I can absolutely see helping me maintain this lifestyle.  I don’t feel deprived.  I DON’T FEEL DEPRIVED!!!!!!  That is the key…the KEY difference between Weight Watchers and the other diets I’ve tried.    And I’ve found that it’s when I feel deprived that I overeat.  I eat as if it were my last meal at every meal.

Because Weight Watchers doesn’t make me feel deprived, I can put that box of whatever away and save the other 5 portions for another day.  Oh, Weight Watchers, thanks a Latte’!

” My doctor told me to stop having intimate dinners for four. Unless there are three other people.” ~ Orson Welles

Day 20, 21 and 22 — Weigh In Week 3

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After just over 2 days without power, I’m running a little behind on posts…but the power has just come back on in time for my Week 3 Weigh In.  Overall, I’m very pleased with this week.  I thought for sure with the chaos, stress and lack of food options while stuck in my home during a winter storm was going to wreak havoc on my efforts.  I am happy to say that I came through with a smile on my face.

Here’s how the numbers break down:

Week 3 Weigh In:  -3.6 lbs!!!!!

Total Weight Loss on Weight Watchers since January 1st, 2012:    -11.4 lbs!

Total Weight Loss from my very highest weight ever recorded:  -16.4 lbs! 

It isn’t much — but it’s a start!!!!

 

 

Day 19 – Cupboard Confessions

As you’ve read in my previous posts, we are experiencing a major winter weather event.  As such, I’ve been bound to my home for the last 5 days….  that is about 5 days too long!  I dislike feeling trapped.  Immensely.  It triggers the need to mindlessly eat out of boredom — a pattern of behavior that contributed greatly to my obesity misfortune.

I have tried to make a conscious effort to stave off boredom by playing outside in the snow, playing board games with the family, reading and writing etc.  But as a mom to six kids, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t in the kitchen ALOT.  Because not only am I trapped in this wintry havoc, but THEY are, too.  And I’ve noticed their tendencies to nosh on something just to pass the time, as well.

The truth must be told:  Yesterday, we cleaned the cupboards.  We ate most everything in them – and our fridge is now bare, also.

As a consequence to that, I doubled what my points should have been!  Truthfully, it wasn’t because I was hungry.  I was bored.  I was in the “mood” to eat comfort food on a less than comfortable day.  I have been trapped and am feeling restless.  And I am a darn good cook!  I can make a casserole that Betty Freaking Crocker would drool over.  It’s just a niche of mine.  Again, a contributor to my waistline’s demise.  Having just made a meat and potato casserole with mushroom gravy and gooey cheese…I couldn’t help but have a taste.  Then another…then another.  By the end of the day, I’d eaten 8 portions worth!  It was wonderful then…but I’d like to saw off my tongue with a dull knife today after tracking my points.

Having cleared the food from the house has left us with slim pickin’s for today.  Maybe I’ll gain some of my points back by not having enough to eat.  Although, I don’t think that’s the most effective pattern in terms of what I’m trying to accomplish here.

Now I’m faced with this dilemma:  Do I beat myself up all day and deprive myself from any meals in hopes of getting a loss on weigh in day?  Do I beat myself up all day and gorge because I’m emotionally distraught?  Do I take ownership of my mistakes and move on?  Do I cling to the fact that we have been trapped at home for 5 days and excuse myself completely because the circumstances are so unusual?

I mostly just want to learn something.  I always want to learn something, growing and maturing and hopefully gleaning some wisdom that will help me or, better yet, someone else in the future.  But what did I learn here?  What can I take away from this?

It can’t possibly be that I just suck.  There has to be a deeper lesson than that!

And there is:

Reflection.  The power of hindsight.  This was my challenge.  This was my reward.

“Every problem has in it the seeds of its own solution.  If you don’t have any problems, you don’t get any seeds.” 

– Norman Vincent Peale

The simple fact that I’m reflecting on yesterday’s eating pattern and that I’m connecting the dots to my own behavioral eating problems means  I’m looking through the eyes of hindsight to see what lessons could be learned.  Never before have I done that.

This is my Seed of Change.

And this is all part of the whole process… in growing a whole new me.

Day 18 – Snow Storm Surprise

As the winter storm rolled into our area, we were nestled in our warm beds anticipating the morning accumulations.  We were pleasantly surprised to find 20″ in our front yard!  After all kinds of outdoor play followed by a warm up inside…we decided to have a special treat:

Snow Ice Cream!

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One serving (about 1/2 cup) is only 4 points!

Large bowl of freshly fallen snow

Up to 1 c. of sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)

Up to 3 c. milk – added a little at a time to reach desired consistency

Your choice of flavor.  We chose to use hot cocoa mix this time.

Enjoy!!!!

Day 17 — Uncommon Day Yields Uncommon Results

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I was awaken this morning to the sound of my fire alarm going off.  There was no fire and I knew this full well the moment I opened my eyes.  We had lost power at 4:54am.  The fire alarm is hard-wired electrically, but has a battery back-up.  Upon losing power, the battery kicked in – which alerted us very loudly – that our battery was dead.

We are in the midst of a pretty significant snow storm – considered significant only because of the location I live in.  This doesn’t happen here often so it becomes quite the event.  Now, I am from Michigan originally, and am no stranger to heavy snow…but honestly it’s been a good 10 years since I’ve seen it fall this heavily.  The interesting turn in this story is what will happen overnight tonight – as up to another 14 inches of snow is predicted for my area which would give us nearly 2 ft. of snow.

So how does this fit into my Weight Watchers blog?

See, as I began to plan ahead for the predicted storm, I sent the hubby to the store to buy some staples to ensure I would have nice, hearty, warm and ON-POINT meals to prepare the family.  One caveat:  I hadn’t planned for a power outage.

This morning as I rose at 4:54am to calm the six children and one mini-schnauzer that were torn from their dreams so violently, I became cranky QUICK!  No coffee?!?  NO COFFEE?!?  And as bellies began to growl…I noticed I had nothing shelf-stable to eat. And certainly nothing that wouldn’t do serious damage to my points for the day.  EVERYTHING NEEDED TO BE COOKED!!!!  Frustrated, I found myself munching on the only thing we could find that was accessible in the dark.  Sugar Wafers.  Addicting, horrible, evil, delicious Sugar Wafers.  I can EASILY fit 5 of them puppies into my mouth all at once.

My children found solace in the warm glow of the remaining battery life found in their Ipod’s and Nintendo DS’s.  So I retreated back to my bed to fight the urge to stuff my mouth with another 5-shot of Sugar Wafers.  Addicting, horrible, evil, delicious Sugar Wafers.

I could see old patterns wanting to emerge.  A stressful situation that could be easily medicated by food.  But I stepped back.  I walked away.  I hid beneath my blankets and clung to my will power…And I salvaged today.  Isn’t that what this is all about?  One day at a time….one moment at a time…one pound at a time.

Thankfully, my Father-In-Law arrived with good news only 6 hours later:  The power would return for the remainder of the day!  All was NOT lost.  Coffee would be had.  Food would be cooked so points could be counted and remain in check.  And a GIGANTIC steel pot of Veggie-Beef soup would be simmered and ready to be placed atop a wood-burning stove should the power go out again.

An uncommon day yielding uncommon results.  This is nothing like my old lifestyle – and though it’s cold outside…I’m feeling pretty warm in here ————–>  <3 .

Day 16 – The Burning Hunger Within

Ravenous.  Raging.  Rampant.

I have awaken the violent volcano within my belly.

Hunger is burning with a vengeance threatening to consume me whole!

That’s kinda what it feels like anyway… 

This morning marks the first day of my third week on the Weight Watchers program.  Remember, at this point I am not attending meetings, but following online.

This morning also marks the first day of concentrated effort by me…in working out.  I am happy to report that I did, in fact, get up before 5 a.m. and completed my first 30 minutes worth of movement.  Now, I realize that I will need to work up to more than that.  But as significantly overweight as I am — and considering my fitness level — it didn’t take long for me to be sweating like a pig, breathing like a dragon, with legs as floppy as a wet noodle.  It’s a start…something’s gotta be better than nothing!

What I didn’t anticipate starting up was this insatiable hunger.  A belly beast of sorts, just writhing and gnashing its greedy teeth in eager anticipation for its next morsel to devour.  It’s aaaallllliiiive I tell you!  Either that, or I’ve swallowed a lawn mower without noticing.

Either way, it lead me to research a few points about what exercising does to our hunger:

• Whether or not exercise has an effect on our appetite levels is still controversially studied.
• Studies suggest that appetite actually drops in the first hour after exercise, despite common thinking.
• Actual caloric intake is minimal and usually offset by the exercise being done.
• Factors that can alter these findings include how overweight or sedentary you are and doesn’t take into account other underlying medical conditions.

So, in studies, findings are controversial because the paper-trail suggests that exercise has a minimal affect on appetite and hunger — YET — in reality, almost everyone I have spoken with testify the complete opposite to be true.

And so the question of my hunger pangs remain.  Is it an increase because I’ve jump started my metabolism?  Is it a figure of my imagination?  Is it hormones?  All I know is that I’m so glad that I have a plan like Weight Watchers in place to be able to hose down the fire in my belly without drowning my weight loss goals for the week!

How about you?  What patterns have you noticed in your own life regarding the ever elusive nature of hunger????

 

 

After the Weigh In

Not too long after posting my official weigh-in for the completion of week 2 yesterday morning…I got a visitor.  *Cue suspenseful music*

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My monthly visitor to be exact.

I was anticipating this considering the speckling of pimples strewn across my forehead the week prior, so I wasn’t caught completely off guard. But it wasn’t until yesterday evening that I gave thought to the possible explanation of my miniscule weight gain as opposed to a measurable loss.

So will Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) and monthly menstrual cycles have a negative impact on our overall weight loss efforts?

I didn’t have to stray too far from home to find out.  Weight Watchers Online proved to be a great resource.  Here are some points that I picked up:

• Research shows that overeating is a common misconception during PMS and menstrual cycles.  Actual caloric intake is only about 100 to 200 calories higher during the few days before menstruation actually begins and the body’s metabolism actually speeds up during this time frame as well, therefore off-setting the increase in caloric consumption.

•  Food cravings have NOT been linked to a significant increase in weight during menstrual cycles.  Food cravings have been studied and found to be present particularly in women experiencing PMS, but not to the degree most of us think.  High carbohydrate sweets seem to be the most common craving though more studies need to be done regarding the link.

• Water Retention is the most common hindrance to weigh-ins and while it can be discouraging to see a small, but temporary gain in the days preceding menstruation, it is usually released once menstruation actually begins and poses no real threat to overall weight loss success.

There you have it.  I may have a slight gain due to the timing of my PMS, but should not expect to hold on to that for very long now that my visitor came knocking.  And now I’m also armed with the knowledge that food cravings aren’t necessarily going to thwart my weight loss efforts this week.  And they don’t have to kill yours either!

Always looking for empowerment — not excuses!

View the Weight Watchers article in its entirety here.

Day 15 – Weigh In Day

Two complete weeks following Weight Watchers guidelines!

Today’s Weigh In:  +0.6

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After a look back at my food journals, I can honestly say that I followed the plan with no cheats.  I struggled to even come close to using my Daily Points Allowance on 2 of the days this week.  I just felt full, so I didn’t eat.  I did NOT tap into any of the WEEKLY Points Allowance, either.  And yet, week one gave and 8 lb. loss, and week two gave a small gain.  Surprisingly…I’m NOT panicked.  I see some positive things happening aside from what the scale says.  And that is a measurable success.

On other “diets” I would have faltered at this point.  Seeing a huge number on week one and then nothing or a gain at week 2 would have sent me searching for some other miracle.  But my mindset is different and I’m in this for the long haul — as a lifestyle and not a fad.  And that is a measurable success.

I swapped out at least 10 significant foods in my family’s pantry in lieu of leaner fare.  Foods that were staples in this household and posed a risk of resistance by the skeptics that call me “mom.”  Yet they were embraced, enjoyed even…and adopted as our own.  And that is a measurable success. 

Six basketball games to attend this past week – and I attended every single one with a preparedness like never before.  I packed snacks.  I brought drinks.  And not once in SIX games did I taste concession stand food.  And that is a measurable success.

I don’t hate myself this morning.  I don’t want to cry.  I don’t want to binge.  I don’t want to die…And that my friends…is a measurable success!

Day 14 – Another Swap Meet

As a mom to six kids, finding healthier counterparts to their favorite foods is a high priority on my list.  Often, the taste test is far from appetizing as children are far less welcome to change.  They don’t have the full understanding of what these changes will mean to them as they stave off the rising obesity statistics of our nation simply by employing them.

Today was a rather successful swap though, and I’m happy to report it!  As far as my own plan goes, using the Weight Watcher Points Plus+ system, swapping out your regular full fat buttermilk variety waffles (a serving size is 2!) for the low-fat, whole grain variety doesn’t impact the points chart quite like I’d imagined.  Only a one point difference to be exact.  But a point is still a point and less fat in any quantity is a better choice.  The brand we chose were the Kellogg’s Eggo Nutri-grain Low-fat Waffles.  All 8 of us in the family give them two thumbs up for taste and only 4 points for two.

The real points shaver came when we swapped our syrups.  We had always used a generic brand of butter flavored pancake syrup.  A 1/4 c. serving of this syrup would cost me 5 points today.  Switcheroo with the Maple Grove Sugar-free Butter Flavor Syrup and that same 1/4 c. is shaved down to one.  Talk about a waist widdler!  My whole family loved it and this swap is here to stay.

Now we aren’t choosing waffles everyday, because too much of a good thing really can be “too much!”  But on those days that we do, even I can do so confidently, knowing I’ve only spent 5 points instead of the 10 points I’d unknowingly ingested prior to my journey with Weight Watchers.

If I keep finding ways to cut points values like this…I’m bound to be shaving a few points off the scale, too.  Over time…little changes will yield BIG RESULTS.  I just know it!

Day 13 – Fitness Hoop

Yesterday at the store, I picked up a 2.5 lb weighted fitness hula hoop.  The one I bought is from Walmart and is made by Danskin Now priced at $19.47.

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Now that I’ve made the decision to begin exercising, I wanted to start by having something fun and challenging to do.  I used to love hula hoops when I was a kid.  I was very good at keeping the toy hula hoops going.  The fitness hoop I picked up yesterday even has a workout dvd included that is 12 minutes long.  I haven’t viewed it yet, but stay tuned for my review on this product in it’s entirety.  You’ll find all my different reviews featuring a variety of items by clicking here.

At first try, I couldn’t keep the hoop going.  Multiple tries later and I still retired the hoop for the night having never kept it up.  My kids on the other hand, don’t even have to try and somehow the hoop magically spins around their slender frames.  I am not going to get frustrated, though, and just keep trying to get this hoop to love me.  My constant bending over to pick the hoop back up off the floor when it falls is more movement than I’d have sitting on the couch — so it can’t be all bad!

In fact, Brenda Goodman of WebMD Health News agrees that Hula Hoop Workouts Burn Calories.  “Working out with a hula hoop burns about as many calories per minute as step aerobics, boot camp, or very brisk walking, a new study shows.”

Mayo Clinic expert, Edward R. Laskowski, M.D. also says exercising with hula hoops is more than just a gimmick.  “Weighted hula hoops can be a good addition to your exercise program, especially if you’re able to hula hoop for at least 10 minutes at a time. In fact, any type of hula hooping, with a weighted hula hoop or a regular hula hoop, can help you meet your exercise goals.”

If at first you don’t succeed, try…try again!

Days 11 & 12 — Fear Factor

Days 11 & 12 have been completely “on point” (pun intended) as fair as my Weight Watchers Food Goals are concerned.  I’m already falling into a fairly smooth routine with preparing and tracking my food.  Much to my surprise, I haven’t even felt deprived or urged to binge as I have on other “diets,”  leading me to believe there really is hope to develop a continuous lifestyle with Weight Watchers.

What has NOT been so “easily digested” (pun intended again!) has been the swirling bouts of fear overwhelming me these past two days regarding exercise. I feel like I need to emphasize that even as I type that word exercise, I hear the dramatic and dreadful music played only at the most suspenseful moments in thriller movies resounding in my mind.   The shrieks of men and women alike screaming in terror!  This is how I am responding to the thought of exercising again.

I’m not entirely sure where the fear is coming from. Could it be that I am currently watching my husband and son working out at a completely INSANE (full of pun’s today!) level of intensity?  Could it be that shows like Biggest Loser give the average gal like me a sense of false expectation?  Could it be laziness?  Surely as a mom very actively raising SIX children, it couldn’t be that I’m LAZY, could it?!?  Maybe I’m holding tight to the images of my former high school self and fearful of what it means when I never make it back to the level of athleticism I had 16+ years ago…  whatever it is – I know deep down…it’s a fear of failing.

So, how do I turn my fear into focus?

There are three things that come to mind:

1.  Attitude Adjustment – I’m always telling my kids to adjust their attitude.  Especially when it comes to doing something they really aren’t excited about doing.  I’ll say, “Adjust your attitude to bring something positive to the experience and then just get it done.”  I sure need to practice what I preach!

2.  Risk vs. Benefit – The risk of injury isn’t what risk I’m talking about, though an exercise routine done hastily could result in injury.  But what I’m talking about is the risk of NOT doing it compared to the benefit it would bring to my life.  Carrying the weight that I am, I am quickly becoming at risk for many different health complications as related to women my age.  When all the facts are on the table, it’s clear the benefit far outweighs the risk.

3.  Just Do It – I look at the brand new Nike’s that adorn my feet.  I got a new pair for Christmas and I love them.  But one glance longer and I remember their slogan.  Just Do It.  Three simple words never spoke so loudly before!

Face to face with reality, and I stand terrified in my tennis shoes.  Terrified to try it and fail.  Terrified to NOT try it and die.  It’s clear to me this morning that it’s time to face my fear…

Looks like this MuckBootMom is ready to trade in her days of kicking around in mud puddles…for diving headfirst into a pool of her own sweat.

Stress and Weight Loss

We’ve all probably heard the news by now:

Managing Stress is Essential to Weight Loss.

But after a stressful event or two these past couple days – I needed a reminder about the effects of stress and how they directly impact my weight-loss efforts.  You don’t have to search very long or hard to find articles all over the web regarding the weight/stress connection.  Here is a list of the top 5 points I’ve gathered:

1.  Recent studies indicate that stress directly affects the waistline inparticular.  For me, being my heaviest in the abdominal area, this is a grave concern.  Excess abdominal fat has been linked to very serious medical conditions including heart disease, hypertension and diabetes.

2.  Most medical experts agree that high levels of stress cause us to release a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol tells excess fat to find a resting place in our abdomens.  Cortisol even hangs around long after the source of stress has gone causing a continuous fatty deposit to be made even when the stressful moment(s) have seemingly passed…unless dealt with in the right way.

3.  Stress levels contribute to emotional eating in some cases.  I am an emotional eater.  Unchecked stress levels tend to trigger that behavior regardless of whether actual hunger is present.  Emotional eaters will often saboutage their healthy habits by failing to manage their stress effectively.

4.  An article written by Edward T. Creagan, M.D. from the Mayo Clinic suggests that high stress levels make choosing healthy foods even more challenging.  Aside from emotional eating, even those without that added urge can find it difficult to avoid the pitfalls of higher fat snacks and sugary goodies during times of stress in our lives.

5.  According to an article found on Dr. Oz’s website, “Up to 90% of all doctor visits in the United States are for stress-related illnesses. In fact, stress is the top reason why women are aging faster, getting sicker and dying before their time.”

 Click here to read Dr. Oz’s Ultimate Stress Checklist in it’s entirety to find out more — and ideas to help conquer stress before it conquers you.

                                **************

The challenge here is learning how to cope in a way that works for you.  This is not a one-size fits all formula.  What ways relax you?  How can you ease your mind and body from the pressures of stress and tension?

Here are some ways that work for me:

• Having a cup of afternoon coffee or espresso.  This helps me stave off mindless or emotional eating – and it is one of my favorite enjoyments.
• Prayer or Spiritual Connection
• Music
• Movement
• Fresh Air
• Laughter
• Aromatherapy Works!

How about you?  Pass along your tips in the comment box so I can try them out!

Day 10 – Cranberries!

I have always stayed away from the cranberries of my childhood memories.  A sloppy gel sliced thin in cylindrical fashion — straight from a can mind you.  Recently, my cranberry misfortunes of the past have been turned into a wealth of deliciousness and culinary hopes for the future!

Alright…it might not be that dramatic.    But finding the all natural dried cranberries at the grocery store and branching outside of my comfort zone to try them in a few new recipes I’ve come up with was definitely inspired at the very least.

Here are a couple images from meals I’ve particulary enjoyed cranberries in:

Extra lean pork tenderloin atop a baked white corn tortilla, drizzled with a horseradish, lime and honey sauce and sprinkled with dried cranberries and pecans.

Pan seared turkey breast with a cranberry-orange relish, steamed brussel sprouts and a small baked potato.

Both recipes were well within my points range for the day and satisfied my palette perfectly!

Here are some interesting facts about cranberries:

1.  Perfectly ripe cranberries will bounce.  That’s how they gained their nickname “bounceberries.”

2.  Cranberries are almost 90% water.

3.  Most cranberries are too tart to be eaten raw and are cooked before eaten.

4.  The US cranberry crop is primarily grown in only 5 states:  Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Oregon and MY HOMETOWN STATE, Washington.

5.  Native Americans used cranberries as medicine and as a preservative.  Brewed cranberry juices were poured on arrow wounds, and a cranberry paste was rubbed onto meats to keep them from rotting longer.

If you have a favorite cranberry use, please share!  I can’t wait to find more uses for it – and it fits perfectly into my Weight Watchers lifestyle.

Let’s have a BERRY good time with CRANBERRIES! 

Day 9 — Craving Healthy Food?!?

Salad for breakfast?!?

I have been waking in the morning and actually CRAVING healthy food.  Yesterday morning I just HAD TO HAVE a salad for breakfast!  Today, it was a baked potato option.

I have waffles, oatmeals, cereals, eggs and toast choices readily available, but my body says no.  It’s an urge akin to the inklings I’d get for junk food most evenings while watching t.v.  It’s strong, even!

According to an article I read on Yahoo! Voices, craving healthy food is absolutely possible!  But I did pick up 5 tips regarding those cravings.

1.  Patience.  Beginning to crave healthy fare doesn’t happen right away.  As you choose healthier foods to replace the indulgent fast food or home-cooking of days past, your body will become accustomed to them and begin to crave them.

2.  It’s okay if there is still certain foods you don’t like.  Eat the ones you do like and know that even though your body is accustomed to eating healthy, doesn’t mean all healthy options will taste good to you.

3.  Don’t deprive yourself completely.  If there is something you really love, like ice cream, create appropriate boundaries and allow yourself to have a controlled amount.  For instance, once a month or whatever works for you and still allows you to meet your goals.

4.  Only have healthy items on hand.  If that’s all there is in the house, then that’s all you’ll have to eat.  ***This hasn’t always worked for me.  I live 2 miles from a convenience store and will run to the store at any hour to satisfy a naughty craving.  I’m hoping to see progress in this area as time goes on***

5.  Use the foods you love and experiement with recipes.  Challenge yourself to make a lighter version of your favorite decadent dish.  Have fun with it!

To read this artilce in it entirety, click the link!  http://voices.yahoo.com/how-crave-healthy-food-4129253.html