A Little Reminder...

I'm sure you've noticed I've been quiet lately about my
weight loss. Reason is, I haven't lost anything...
I've actually gained some of my weight back. Ugh. :(

I could blame many different things on my lack of
motivation, but the truth is, I can only blame myself.

Losing weight is such a frustrating {slow!} thing to do.
Maybe I felt overwhelmed how far I have to go.
Maybe I was busy and didn't make time for it.
Maybe I was just lazy.

But whatever the reason, today is a new day.



So, today I put all of this behind me and start again.
It's time to get busy and lose this weight!

Here's to a new day!

p.s. A new menu is up for the week!!
And, the button is now working! Yay!
I've also made some changes, so please read
the note I wrote underneath the button. Thanks!

Oh, and one more thing. If you would
like to see a few sneak peaks of Abby's
wedding this past weekend, click here.
They are gorgeous! Can't wait to see the rest!!

image found here

Guess what I got Today?

Remember this post?

Well, I did it!



This past Monday I stepped on the scale
hoping my loss this week would be enough.

And it was!

The little old lady behind the counter sweetly
informed me I had lost a little over 10% of my body weight
{for a total of 25 lbs lost!!}.

I could barely sit through my meeting; I was so excited!
And, of course I couldn't stop thinking about how wonderful
a pedicure was going to feel.

And, oh, was it wonderful!
Not only did I get a pedicure, but my
sweet hubby got me a manicure too!
I love how that man spoils me.

I could hardly get up from the
chair after my pedicure.

It was much needed.
And, well deserved if I do say so myself.
I am so proud of what I've accomplished.

I think I'll reward myself with a massage next!

p.s. Don't miss out on the fabulous giveaway below!

Question/Answer Session

Updated with another question below.

One of my sweet friends and fellow blogger, Jess, sent me a few questions a couple of days ago. They were really good questions, so I thought instead of just emailing her back, I would make a post of it. Hope some of you find this information helpful. And if any of you have any other questions, just leave me a comment or send me an email, and I will be more than happy to answer them for you.

So, let's get started, shall we?

1. Where do you get all of your recipes?

I get probably 95% of my recipes off of the Weight Watcher's etools. There are literally thousands of recipes to choose from. No joke. It is amazing! I was always so frustrated with eating healthy before I started Weight Watchers because I never knew where to look for good, healthy recipes. I never feel that way anymore. Also on the etools, there is a recipe builder tool, where you can type in the ingredients you already have, and then the site brings up recipes you can cook with what you already have.

I also use a lot of recipes off of Gina's Weight Watcher's Recipes website. Love, love, love Gina! If you have never visited her website, stop what you are doing right now, and click here.

2. Are any of the Weight Watchers meetings free?

Yes, you can check out a meeting for free! No appointments are necessary and there is no obligation to join. Just go and check it out!

3. Can you bring kids to the meetings?

Yes, actually you can. I have seen several mothers bring their kiddos along with them to the meeting. Usually the meetings only last about 20-30 minutes.

4. As far as working out, do you just follow a plan on the Weight Watcher's etools? Also, do you workout at home or in a gym?

On the Weight Watcher's etools there is a tab labeled, "Fitness and Health." I cannot even begin to tell you how much information is under that tab. There are sample exercise demos, fitness tips, health and fitness articles, tips to losing weight. I mean tons and tons and tons of helpful information!

As for my own personal workout, I have been doing a mix of two different programs:

I downloaded an app on my iphone called C25K {Couch to 5k}. This is a program that has been designed to help you train your body to run 5 kilometers in 9 weeks. I have been so impressed with the C25k program and would recommend it to anyone! When I started 7 weeks ago, I was completely out of shape. But I have not once felt like I could not do it. It starts you off slowly and gets your body moving, alternating between walking and running small distances. And over each week, your running time increases. I am on week 7 right now-- running 25 minutes straight! I never thought I'd be able to do it, but I have been amazed at my body's ability to run for long distances. It is an awesome, awesome program! And you can upload a completed run by a click of a button to Facebook and Twitter. I don't know why, but that alone has been a motivating factor for me. I do the C25k programs 3 times a week in our apartment gym. For information about the program, click here. After I graduate the C25k plan, I am going to do the Bridge to 10k.

The other exercise program I use is the at home Air Climber System. I love this program and I swear by it that it works! I'm always covered in sweat {sorry that's gross} after my workout with the Air Climber. Even after a couple weeks of using it, I felt an overall toning of my body. I don't lift weights in the gym, I use this program instead. I also love that I can workout in the comfort of my own home 3 days a week! To read more about the Air Climber, click here.

5. I was thinking about doing the 17 week program. Did you just do the unlimited? Or how did you do it?

The Weight Watchers program has many different options to choose from. I decided to sign up for the Monthly Pass which costs $39.95 a month. I know that probably seems like a lot of money to spend each month, but it is worth every penny. With the Monthly Pass option you get:

a. Free registration
b. Unlimited meetings per month
c. You receive the internet weight loss tools: etools
d. You get Weight Watchers lowest price per week {average of $9.22 per week}

It made sense to me to go ahead and sign up for the Monthly Pass, because registration was free and I could cancel at anytime.

Here are some faq's about the Monthly Pass on the Weight Watcher's Website. Click here.

6. Is it easy to learn the Weight Watcher's points system?

Yes! It is soooo easy. At your very first meeting, you will meet with your leader and they will go over the whole program with you. After a day or two, you will be a pro at counting points.

7. When you went to Jamaica and Youth Camp, were you more relaxed or did you still have to count points?

I did not count one point when I went on both trips. But I did watch my portion sizes. That is what Weight Watchers is all about really. And I also try to drink a lot of water. I admit though, at camp I did have a strawberry and cream cheese cupcake {so worth it!} and some Reeces Pieces candy. And, I maybe had a Dr. Pepper or two ... or three. But that is okay. It's okay to cheat every once in a while. I may not have been very faithful with my eating, but I did remain faithful to my exercising all week long. I made Josh run with me in the evenings. He wasn't very happy some of the evenings, but I told him to suck it up and go put his running shoes on. Thank you honey for putting up with me.

Update: I received another question not long ago, so I thought I would just add it to this post.

8. I am thinking of joining Weight Watchers, but I don't know how I will make it to the meetings. Do you know anything about the online program?

I don't know a lot about the online program, but I have read weight loss stories on the Weight Watchers website from people who used the online program. Click here for more information about doing Weight Watchers online.

Again, if you have a question, don't hesitate to ask. I will keep your name private too if you prefer to remain anonymous.

I have a lot of catching up to do! It has been a crazy, busy summer!

Have a wonderful evening.

Sweet Tooth

I kind of have a sweet tooth. Okay, truth is I do have a sweet tooth. Thank goodness Weight Watchers is all about portion control, because I'm just not sure I'd be able to give up sweets. I love chocolate & peanut butter. Just makes my mouth water thinking about it. Yummmy. Anyway, the other night while I was at Walmart buying last minute groceries for dinner, I came across these chocolatey, peanutbuttery bars of goodness, and I had to try them out. Have you seen them? They are aaaaamazing! A perfect low calorie/low fat option for that sweet tooth of yours {and mine!}



Try them out! You will not be disappointed. They are only 2 points for the whole bar! And they have fiber and antioxidants in them, which means they are good for you {wink wink}.

Have a great day!

Before & After

I've had several requests for an updated picture of myself,
so I decided to be nice and snap one of myself tonight.

But before I show you my updated picture,
I guess I must show you where I was six weeks ago.

So, as much as I hate to do this, here is my "before" picture:



Ugh. I hate that picture of myself.
Really hate it.

Why don't we just erase that image
from our brains and move on.

Erased? Good. Now that that's behind
us, I have some exciting news to share!

Guess what?

This past Monday I was able to celebrate a huge step
in my weight loss journey: losing my first 20 lbs!
I can't even begin to tell you how good it feels.

Here is my "20 lbs lighter" picture I took of myself tonight:

As always, I'll keep you updated on my progress.
Thanks for all of your support and kind, encouraging comments.
What a wonderful journey it's been so far!

p.s. I can't wait to share my trip with you!

Weight Loss Update

This morning I went to my Weight Watchers meeting,
and guess how much I lost?!?

5.8 lbs!!!

I have now lost a total of 17.6 lbs in five weeks.
That pedicure I promised myself is getting closer by the day.

Yippy!

Ok, enough excitement for tonight.



That is what I need to be doing right now.
I think I'll join Einstein and get to bed.
Goodnight.

My Random Thoughts

Ready? Here goes:

I leave for Jamaica in 3 days! Is it just me or has this week flown by?!

I caught Noah trying to climb out of his crib this afternoon after his nap. Does that mean he's ready for his toddler bed? I'm not so sure I'm ready for that. Any advice on that is much appreciated!

I got in a car wreck this past Monday. Talk about perfect timing {insert sarcasm}. I am just thankful it was not my fault. But still, it was quite the pain having to deal with all of this the week before I leave for Jamaica. However, I am so very thankful that I was not hurt in the wreck. The Lord was watching over me for sure. And, thank you, thank you, thank you to my sweet friend, Laura, and her cutie patootie son, Ian, for rescuing me and taking me home since my car was not drivable. Yeah, Josh's car needs some shop love, so the Camry was our only car at the time. We have a rental car now, and hopefully our car gets fixed soon!

I have sooooooo much laundry to get done. Oh, and my bedroom is a total wreck. I have some major cleaning up to do around here before Grammy {and Papa, for a few days} comes to stay with Josh and Noah while I'm gone.

Guess what? A fabulous giveaway is coming up very, very soon. It is set up to automatically post on Monday {June 14th}, and it will last for the whole week while I'm away. I found out I will not have internet access in Jamaica, so no blogging for me. But don't worry. I'll share everything with you when I get home!

I am on week 5 of my running program C25K {Couch to 5K}, and it looks really hard. I have to run 5 minutes at a time {I know, I'm weak}, and it's pretty much going to kill me. I have to run tonight since I put it off the whole day.

One of my new favorite drinks lately is Chick-fil-A's diet lemonade. It is amazing, and it's zero points!

You may have been wondering where "This Week's Recipes" are for this week. Well, they aren't up because I did not do them. We have still been eating healthy this week, but between having to work a 12 hour shift Sunday night, getting in the wreck Monday, and getting ready for Jamaica, I just didn't have the time to put it together. Obviously I won't put one up for next week either since I'll be gone all week. But you can count on it the week after I get back from Jamaica.

My birthday is coming up! I'll actually turn the big 27 {wait.. hm.. I think 27??} while I'm in Jamaica on the 17th.

I have my Weight Watcher's meeting tomorrow, and I'm anxious to step on the scales and see how much I lost this past week. Crossing my fingers it's a good loss! I usually go every Monday, but I wasn't able to go this past Monday because I was stranded and car-less in a empty parking lot. It was not fun. In fact, one of the worst parts of the wreck was missing my meeting.

Josh and I are so addicted to LOST. Oh my, it's goooood. We are planning on watching at least 2 or 3 episodes tonight. Laundry, cleaning, packing... yeah those things can wait.

Ok, I think that is all. Oh, wait. One more thing:

I am hoping to give you all a blog tutorial before I leave {but I'm not making any promises}. Are you sick of using Blogger to upload your pictures? I hate the Blogger picture uploader; in the tutorial, I'll tell you why, and show you a way around it.
Ok. I really think that's it.

Have a wonderful evening.

Just Because

This morning my little alarm woke me up right at 6:56 am.
I'm telling you, Noah has an internal alarm clock set for that time.

I wish I knew where his snooze button was.

So anyway, I stumbled out of bed to get Noah out of his crib, and
before I knew it he was running around the house like a wild little Indian.

How does he have so much energy in the morning?
Yeah, I'm still trying to figure that one out.

Oh, right. He's a toddler.

As I walked into the kitchen to get Noah started on some milk,
I saw all this stuff sitting on our kitchen countertop.
Then I laid my eyes on something so lovely and so pink.
My heart skipped a beat.
A Gerber daisy-- my favorite!



Can you say gorgeous!
Did my hubby really get me a flower?
Yes, yes he did.
Just because.

Then I glanced down and saw a white piece
of paper with something written on it.

It said,

Today is National Donut Day, so I thought
my little Donut could use some donut holes
and chocolate milk {in the fridge}.

I also got you a Weight Watchers Egg McMuffin.
It's in the freezer if you want it. Love you!

How sweet is that?!
Josh worked all night long, but instead of coming straight home to get in bed,
he stopped to pick up some goodies for me and Noah.

Then I glanced down and saw this adorable card:



It read,
"Just wanted to tell you how happy you make me
and how crazy I am about you."

Melt my happy heart.

And he did all of this just because.

I thought it was so precious how he thought of Noah on "National Donut Day"
and brought him home some donut holes and chocolate milk.
That's what I'm talking about.. celebrate the donuts!

Here are Noah's donut holes that I was lusting over. Oh my.



But I am proud of myself because I didn't eat one. Not one little donut hole.
I did lick my fingers after I put them on his tray.
Oops, did I say that out loud?

But guess who did eat every single donut hole?



Noah loved, loved, loved his donuts.
He stuffed every one of them in his mouth.
And of course he downed his chocolate milk
in a matter of seconds.

Here is my wonderful breakfast.
Really, it was so wonderful!



Of course, the donut holes just weren't enough to fill
our growing boy. It wasn't long before he was
begging for some of my Egg McMuffin.

I tried to give him a bite of it, but no,
he wanted the whole thing.

So, I warmed him up one, and he ate half of it!
What a little oinker.



Thank you Josh for your sweet, thoughtful gifts.
We love you so much.

What is Working for Me?

This week I am starting my 4th week of doing Weight Watchers. Crazy! I cannot believe how fast the days & weeks go by. Let me just start by saying, I feel amazing. I still have a looong way to go to meet my goal weight {I try not to think of that often}, but the journey of living a more healthy life and seeing the changes my body is making is worth every minute of it. I cannot say enough about how wonderful Weight Watchers is. I know these are lofty words for being in the program for such a short time, but I honestly believe Weight Watchers has changed my life. The program has helped me get motivated and stay motivated, which was my biggest weight loss challenge. The living healthy part has been easy. It's the "getting started" part that always held me back. But that is all behind me now; I am not looking back. I just wish I had signed up a loooong time ago, but you live and learn.

Tonight, I thought I'd share with you what has been working for me in my weight loss journey. But first, I'd like to share with you my stats:

I have lost a total of 11.8 lbs, which is 5% of my total body weight, in 3 weeks. Three weeks!! When I first started, I honestly thought it would take me forever to lose weight. But I have been pleasantly surprised at the progress I've made so far.

So, what is working for me?

1. Regular attendance at Weight Watchers Meetings: going to the meetings every week has been a huge, huge help! Every Monday morning I go to a meeting, which usually lasts about 3o minutes. It is exactly what I need to relax, refresh myself, and get motivated for the upcoming week. It is "me" time. Being a part of a group has been great because it has provided me support and I have learned a lot from the discussions. Every week we talk about different weight loss topics. Like for instance, one week the topic might be strategies for curbing stress eating, and the next week it might center around sharing favorite foods or recipes. But, I have to be honest and say the "weigh in" is my favorite part of the meeting. The weigh in helps me track my progress and also helps me stay accountable to myself. I value the meetings and think they are an important part of the program.

2. Support: I know I wouldn't be as successful as I am today without the support of my family. I have an amazing family who wants the best for me and has been nothing but encouraging. Josh has been a wonderful support. He has eaten every single meal I've cooked without a complaint. He helps me cook on the nights I don't have enough time to squeeze my work out in before he has to go to work. And my parents have been an encouragement to me as well. Every week I call them after my meeting to update them on my current weight loss. And I know they have been praying that God would give me strength and determination to succeed. And He has and does every day! I am so blessed to have so much support in my life.

3. Plan Ahead: Having a menu planned out for the week and knowing what we will eat every day has playing a huge part in my weight loss success. I usually plan my menu for the upcoming week over a couple of days rather than planning all in one night. From experience, planning a whole week of meals can get a little overwhelming when you try to do it in one night.

4. Celebrating the Small Steps: As much as I would love to lose 5 lbs or greater every week, the reality is, it's not gonna happen. I have to remind myself daily that it is going to take me a long time to achieve my goal weight. But that's okay. Every day I get closer and closer to where I want to be. So, I set small goals for myself. I have made it through two 5 lb losses the past couple of weeks and today I was able to celebrate losing 5 % of my total body weight. The small goals add up. I plan to reward myself with a pedicure when I reach 10%! I am looking forward to that day!

5. Weight Watcher etools: Sooo beneficial! I won't go into great detail because I don't want to bore you, but the amount of information on that site is unbelievable. Some of the resources include: thousands of recipes, recipe builder, weight loss tracker, success stories, fitness information, suggestions when eating out, and the list goes on and on. I just can't even begin to tell you how resourceful this site is! It is amazing!

6. Exercise: I know, exercise, ugh. I've never been big on exercise either. It's just uh not fun. But, as much as I hated doing it when I started Weight Watchers, I made myself go at least 5 or 6 days a week. And now, I have found that I really enjoy going. I am even starting to get to the point where I feel guilty if I don't go. That is a miracle right there! But I feel so good after I work out. This past week I have even bumped it up a knotch and worked out for an hour each day I exercised. Hello? Where did that come from. But, it sure does feel good! We've all heard the saying, "To lose weight you have to burn more calories than you consume." It sounds so simple, huh. But really, we should all be exercising whether we need to lose weight or not just for the simple fact that it is good for our overall health. There are a lot of fitness options out there. I'd like to eventually try yoga and kickboxing!

7. Pulling out the Skinny Clothes: Really, what better motivation than to pull out one of my favorite size 6 dresses? I have it hanging up in my bedroom, so I can look at it everyday for motivation. I am determined I will fit in that pretty little thing again. The only time I wore it was on our honeymoon, so it is in perfect condition to wear again!

8. Skinny Libby: Imagining myself skinny again motivates me like you wouldn't believe it. If I am having a hard day, I think about myself when I was in a size 6, and suddenly I get a surge of motivation. It's amazing how helpful that can be!

9. Vacation: I am going to Mexico with Josh in November. Yep, just the two of us. Ahhh! I'm so excited. And of course it goes without saying, I want to be his hot momma. Haha.

10. Josh & Noah: I want to lose weight for myself obviously, but I also want to lose it for Josh and Noah. I want to be a healthy wife & mother. I want to make my husband proud; he deserves a wife that cares for and loves herself. And I want to be that woman and wife my husband needs. I also want to be a good example for Noah and our future children. If I am living a unhealthy life then my children will too. I want my children to live long and healthy lives. I have been limited in so much already because of my weight and insecurities, and I don't want to live that kind of life. These two boys are my greatest motivation.

Okay, now that I've written a novel. Ha.

Goodnight.

Cereal

I'm so proud of my little guy!

Guess what Noah did for the
very first time the other morning?



He ate cereal all by himself! Cereal with milk.



All you Momma's out there know how
very messy that can get.



But he did it! All by himself!



And he was proud of himself too. Can't ya tell?



You should be proud of yourself mister!
That is a big accomplishment.



p.s. And a weight loss update for this week--
I've lost 10 lbs {yes, you heard me right} since I started
2 weeks ago! I'm here to tell you Weight Watchers works!

And-- don't miss out on the fabulous giveaway below.

Ice Cream

Noah is a pretty big fan of ice cream, as you can see.



And surprisingly he keeps himself pretty clean while he's eating it...



...which makes cleanup afterward a breeze.



Can someone please explain this mystery to me?



Aren't toddlers supposed to make messes?



Hm. Guess not.

p.s. I've been a very happy girl today. Wanna know why?
I lost 6.6 lbs my first week of doing Weight Watchers!!
Talk about motivation to keep going! Yay!

This Week's Recipes

Update: The recipes are better organized and now formatted for easier reading. Enjoy!

So, let's not waste any time and get to the new addition to the blog, shall we? I know you're just dying to know what all the fuss is about.



This is the new button the hubs made for me, and it will go underneath the email button on the right side of the blog. You do know I have an email button, right? I'm so excited I can hardly wait to tell you what this new button is all about.

This past Monday I started Weight Watchers, and I am totally loving it. I love it because it doesn't feel like a "diet." It is all about portion control and learning to choose the right foods that fill you up. And part of being successful with Weight Watchers {or just eating healthy in general} is having a dedicated meal plan each week.

So, last Sunday night while I was planning my menu for the week, I thought to myself, "What if I created a button on the blog that links to my menu plan for each week to share with all of my wonderful friends & family?" And then I thought, "Heck yes that is a good idea!" So, I begged Josh on my hands and knees {ok, not really} to make me a This Week's Recipes button, and he sweetly obliged.

Each week, on Saturday evening, I will post my menu for the week. All you have to do is click the This Week's Recipes button {again, located on the right side of the blog underneath the email button}, and it will take you directly to the recipes. If you look over it, and it looks like a good menu for you and your family then you can just print the sucker off, and voila, you have your menu for the week. All you have to do is the shopping. Sounds like a good deal, huh? Or if you see some meals that make you want to gag, then you can just pick and choose. Be forewarned, most of these recipes will be new to our family, so it will be a trial and error for all of us. But it's fun trying out new recipes, right? Seems like I always get in a rut and cook the same things {ahem, chicken} over and over again, so this will help all of us branch out. So far all the recipes we've tried this week have been wonderful!

And also, obviously there will be times when I go out town or when something else comes up, so there may be a few weeks here and there when I don't post a new set of recipes. But for the most part, there will be new recipes every week for you to enjoy.

So what do you think? Please, leave me a comment and let me know. Or if you have a suggestion, just email me. I would love to hear it.

I hope you enjoy this new addition to the blog!



p.s. I just want to thank you again and again for all of your votes for the Overall Awesomest Blog contest. It was a close race, but we ended up in second place. It sure was an honor being nominated though. We truly appreciate your support!! Thanks so much!

Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken

It has been a while since I've shared a yummy recipe with you, so I thought tonight would be a good night to do it. For dinner this evening we had Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken, and oh my gracious it was delicious! And healthy too. Oh, and did I mention it is easy, easy, easy to make? Do I have your attention now?

Who else out there loves their crock pot as much as I do? It's a gift from Heaven. A mommy's best friend. Can I get an Amen? But as much as I love my crock pot and could go on and on about how wonderful it is, I don't use mine a whole lot, and that's just crazy! That's going to change for sure.

Anyhow, let's talk about some Santa Fe Chicken. I wasn't sure how this recipe would turn out {you never know when you're cooking a healthy meal if it will taste good}, but I was pleasantly surprised. It had great flavor!



Here is the recipe from Gina's Weight Watchers Recipes:

Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken:
Serve over rice with chopped scallions, fresh cilantro, fat free sour cream and reduced fat cheddar. {We ate it on top of white rice and it was so good!}

Servings: 8, Size: 9.85 oz, Prep time: 5 minutes, Weight Watchers Points: 3, Calories: 171.9, Fat: 1.6 g, Fiber: 3.8 g

- 24 oz (1 1/2) lbs chicken breast
- 14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
- 15 oz can black beans
- 8 oz frozen corn
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro {wow, that stuff is strong when you're cutting it!}
- 14.4 oz can fat free chicken broth
- 3 scallions, chopped
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper {to taste}
- salt to taste

Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in your crock pot. Season chicken breast with salt and lay on top. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning. Serve over rice {extra points}.

Mr. Noah loved it! I was so happy to see the little guy dig into it the way he did. And he even fed himself with the new fork I got him! I am so proud of him.



Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Have a wonderful evening!