Goals...

As you can see from the image above I've lost 31 lbs. since Labor Day. 30 lbs. was my original goal. I'm still working to lose a little more. Just another 15 lbs and I think I will be smokin' hot!

So Reho, was fantastic, I had fries, mac & cheese, and I still lost 4 lbs. Don't hate me. I also ran a lot on this trip. Plus, I have a killer cold that is finally going away. It feels good though to be at my first goal. I did it.

I have a lot to be thankful for. I had an interesting conversation with a woman at Loaves and Fishes, a local food pantry here in Ithaca, about volunteer opportunities. I thought it was ironic that I was going to be late to meet with her because I had a WW meeting because I have to much to eat. When you think of all those people that don't have enough it really puts things into perspective. It is what it is.

Well bitches, I have to get off to a meeting, my day is just starting. Hope you are all doing well on your own plans whatever they might be.

:)

The Return

Hey bloggers! Sorry I have been MIA for so long. I've been real busy. There have been some interesting updates in the weight loss department...This week I didn't lose anything, I stayed exactly the same. I attribute this to having pasta twice in one week. All though it was multi-grain, it's still pasta! I'm going to include my recipe tonight for the best ever pasta with a butternutsquash sauce. I have totally stolen it from Giada DeLaurentis from the food channel. However, I have made it more healthy. That skinny bitch needs the heavy cream! The day after my meeting I was down a pound...Not sure how that works. I'm fitting into my skinny goal jeans as of last week. They make may rear look soooooooo hot! LOL. I have a big ass and will always have a big ass. It' s a curse. JLo's got nothing on me!

NEWSFLASH: Wegmans has Chocolate Peanut Butter Skinny Cow Sandwiches-only 2pts. Thanks to Safety Sam for calling me from Wegmans to let me know and thanks for bringing me a batch! They are very yummy!

TRAVEL: Joe and I are going to Rehoboth Beach for the long Thanksgiving Weekend. Reho, as we call it, is one of our favorite places. We go every summer and sometimes twice in the summer. We wanted to get away and we thought about NYC, Boston, and Philly. We really need to relax and destress. When we go to the city its all about shopping, theaters, museum, clubs, and being on the go. NOT RELAXING! So we both sort of were thinking about Reho, and then we both sort of mentioned it at the same time. The best part, Olivia (our Boston Terrier), gets to go to the beach with us! It will be her first time. We don't take her in the Summer because she just would not like it. We spend all day at the beach and she would just get to hot. So we send her off to the nanny's! It's great. What's the worst part you might ask?

There is this place at the beach that shines like a beacon in the foggy sea. It's a place that has filled me with joy since I was a child. It's a place that makes everything beautiful. It's called....(Insert drum-roll here) THRASHER FRENCH FRIES! An eastern seaboard landmark. Along the coast of Delaware to Maryland they sit on every block of the boardwalk just beckoning for you to come and taste the nectar of the gods! The first time Joe and I went to Reho, it was Memorial Day weekend 5-years ago. I said to Joe before we went you are going to love these fries. Every day I mentioned it, I dreamed about it, and I drive into town and their is one spot down-town right in front of Thrashers. We get out, and Joe say's these damn fries better be good. I immediately order the large bucket of fries. Now see you can't use ketchup and if you ask its considered an insult. There is sea salt and big tubs of apple cider vinegar! You just don't understand how yummy that combo is. I'm tasting it now! They fry them in peanut oil and man are they f-ing fantastic! So my dilema is that I will have one small one and will hopefully share that with Joe. Reho is about food and booze. It's what we do for a week every summer. Eat out at fabulous restaurants, most of which have been written up and given high reviews in the NY Times and the Washington Post. Then their is the Blue Moon, the bar where everyone goes. It's always so hot the week we go in July, that if you order a beer, and chug it, by time you get to the bottom its warm! So I have my fries to contend with, I can have 2-beers a day and be good (only 2-points per Heiniken Light).

I've been agonizing over this trip. I have lost nearly 30lbs and with the onslaught of Thanksgiving, I think I can stay within my points value that day. Then going to Reho, where we already have our reservations at two of our favorite restaurants. I'm going to have whatever I want to eat. Friday night we are dinning at Nage. They have the most amazing cheeseburger you have ever had. It's truly a delight. Then Eden on Saturday has this Mac. and Cheese dish that is so good. I can taste it now. It has grilled chicken, roasted peppers, and spinach in it. So that's healthy. Right????? I'm going to just run every day like 5-miles. Hopefully that will counteract anything I put in my mouth.

OK-I will post my recipes later tonight...Later and remember its about planning! I have found that if I plan on eating foods that are high in points that I plan my day around that. I do extra cardio to counteract, I eat as healthy as I can during the day. I plan!

Exercise Tip of the Day

Today at W2 I got a great tip for those of us who have Time Warner Digital Cable. On channel 574 in Tompkins County you will find Exercise on Demand. Tai-Bo, Yoga, and more. It's great for those of you who can't get to the gym but want a good workout at home.

My friend from W2 says: "My butt is still hurting from my Billy Banks work-out!"

Give it a try, what do u have to lose?

Nite Blog Buddies

Weigh In....

I had a great meeting today! I'm down 26.5 lbs! I got my 10% goal key chain and my 25lb chip today. It felt great. I also have some interesting stuff to put out there that I learned in my meeting today! It will be in the next post!

When you get your awards at the meetings they always ask what your tips are. I guess mine is being present all the time. It's so easy after a long day of work to come home and just eat whatever is there. I have found that since I started W2 I am more likely to plan out what I eat, and make dates for eating my favorite high-point foods. I also make time to eat during the day. There were times in the past where I wouldn't eat for some reason and then get home and house three servings of diner. I've stopped that. I'm planning dinner, lunch, etc. I'm making the effort.

I also think that my time at the gym has been really helping. There are always days where you don't feel like going. I go early in the morning and sometimes its hard to get up and get moving. I'm tired, I'm cold and I just don't want to wake up and go. I do it, I make myself. Sure there are some days that I don't do it, that I wait and go after work. BUT I DO IT.

I'm lucky. I don't have kids that need to be picked up from school and then dropped off at dance lessons. I have a dog. I have a supportive partner. I'm busy to, but I can make the time. If it wasn't for Joe taking care of the dog every morning I probably wouldn't be able to make it to the gym. But he does and I can.

Anyway, go me! I did really well this week. Now I have a friend who didn't lose anything this week. She didn't gain and she didn't lose. She was bummed. It happens, if it hasn't it will. She has lost so much weight and hasn't even been exercising. So stay the course and realize that even if you gained that tomorrow begins now!

I Survived...

What do we do when we have to go to parties where there is going to be very good (but bad) food, and lots of booze? We plan. I ate as I normally do all day, I looked at the points I had left over and realized that I had low point meals all day. So I knew I had some wiggle room when it came to snacking and beer intake! I also brought my own snack. My 94% FF popcorn, along with some Heineken Light! I knew I could have four beers and still be within my points goal for the day.

First off, I paced myself. I went with the mindset that I could eat what I wanted at the party. Going in with that idea I immediately hit up the veggie tray! (Thanks fellow WW'er Sam for bringing that!) I didn't even touch anything else. It felt good. I left with 4 Lite Beers in me and when I got homeI had a couple pieces of turkey wrapped inside a slice of FF cheese! YUMMO!

It's all about planning and tricking your mind. If you go in to something thinking you can't do this, you can't do that, you can't have this, you can't have that then that is what we all immediately go and do. I did the opposite. I said it's a party, you have extra weekly points; if you need 'em you need 'em. I wasn't going to deprive myself of anything. So I went in, and didn't have anything bad! GO ME!

So my saving grace this weekend was my Heineken Light! It was great. I would like to say thanks to my buddy Kimmy for throwing such a fantastic Halloween Party. Joe and I looked pretty Zexy with our cod-pieces in as Batman and his Boy-Wonder Robin! Guess who I was?

In-laws should be here in 40 minutes and counting. I need a beer! LOL.

Motivation

This morning it was really hard to get motivated. I was sleepy and tired. By the time I left my house and got the gym I was late by about a half hour. As I'm standing in the locker room I was fighting with myself. Do a really fast workout, and rush through that and do my cardio and get to work later, or do I just come back.

I decided today at 7am to take a shower at the gym and come to work. I got to work at 7:30 so call me, email me, if you see me tell me to get my fat arse to the gym STAT! My job is great, I get to work early and I can leave early. It is not like other places where we basically had to be clock watchers. So after work today I'm going to go to the gym and make it happen!

People always use the excuse of "I don't have time to work out." Frankly, I understand that because I don't either. I have to make the time. I wake up before any normal person should so that I can make that time. Sometimes though there are just times where I'm just not that into it. So that's why today I'm waiting and going later.

So remember if you see me, remind me, push me to go the gym! :)

More Later....

Exercise Tip of the Day

Swimming!

If your gym has a pool try to use it. Swimming is a great form of low impact cardio. I know that when my knees are killing me from to much running, or other cardio I try to Swim. I have no shame about sporting my "racing suit" and doing some laps.

I hear lots of excuses from friends: "I'm a bad swimmer!" "I look fat in a swimsuit!" ETC!

Well I can barely swim, as a matter of fact I can't even do the front stroke, I have to do the breast stroke. I did a triathalon and did the swim using that stroke. So get out there and try it. If I'm willing to put myself in a bikini and stroll through the locker room to the pool then so should you!

See you at the pool buddies!

Good News

Today is a day full of good news. First off, I get to give a mammography machine to the only "real" hospital in Liberia. There are no mammography machines at all in this country. The organization had one donated for us to look at fossils. Long story short, it doesn't work for our needs and through a series of interesting events I have found it a home with people that can use it and need it. So it was a great day! Plus this will bring my organization a great deal of national and even international press! Not that the international press will help but it's all good.

MY OTHER BIG NEWS IS THIS:

AS OF TONIGHTS W2 MEETING I'M DOWN 23 1/2 POUNDS! GO ME! GO ME! GO ME!

I know that dieting and losing weight can be hard, but the rewards far out way the bad. I'm working really hard and I'm getting so close to my goal. Anyway, that's my news for today.

To all the other dieters out there--keep working at it. We all have bad days, we all fall off the wagon, but we just need to get back on. If I can do it so can you! :)

Exercise Tip of the Day

I have big guns (biceps). No joke, really, I have huge arms. I love them. So today's exercise tip of the day is concentration curls. I love these. They always make them pop!

How do you do concentration curls:

Start by sitting on a bench with one elbow resting on the same leg. The other arm should be between your legs and not resting against the other leg. Slowly grasp the weight and raise the weight while turning your pinky finger inward to your shoulder. If it is done properly your back should be stationary. Lower the weight to the starting position.

or

Instead of using a dumb bell you can always use an exercise band. stepping on the one end, or even in the center to give more resistance and do the same motions!

Today's Flavor @ Tasti D-Lite

I had to go to collegetown this afternoon to drop some stuff off to my intern, so I thought I would stop in and get some tasti d-lite and todays flavors are "cake batter" and "snickers." OK so the cake batter is pretty good, but if you love peanut butter you will LOVE snickers. SNAP-it was rocking. go get it.

On another note, I had a real full weekend with a happy-hour party on Friday, and then a birthday gathering at a local bar the same night. I was good and I didn't go over on my points. Sam & Dave who hosted the happy hour had some fantastic looking snacks. But my gal Sammy made some 94% FF popcorn, and she made it all night. We sat there with our bowl of popcorn and our butter spray and went to town. It was so good.

My biggest concern about the W2 was not being able to enjoy myself at parties. This was a really good test this weekend. I was able to have a couple light beers (no more or no less than I would have had otherwise) and some snacks. It was enough. I'm not being crazy or anything, if I want fries, or a cheeseburger I save up for them and really think about what kind of exercise I'm doing that day and what else I'm eating. It's been good so far!

A Goal...Buffalo Jeans

When we go on diets we all have goals, and they aren’t always about losing weight. One of my major goals was to fit back into my David Bitton (Buffalo) Jeans. I loved them when I bought them. I remember the day. I was in NYC in March 5 years ago, shopping with my friend Jerry and his partner at the time Shane. We were there for Jerry’s 30^th birthday, and I went to Bloomie’s and tried on Jeans. I bought two pair of expensive jeans as a present to myself. I looked so hot in them! Well, for the past three years I haven’t really been able to fit in them. They were always a bit tight. Let me tell you that I put them on, buttoned them and zipped them up yesterday and it felt damn good. They fit about the way they did when I got them. They just seem to show off the package way to much. That said, I think another 5lbs and those bad boy’s will be back in my wardrobe circulation.

I know you are thinking 5-year old jeans. They are classics. Fantastic cut and look! I can’t wait to sport them at the local discoteque. I hope all of my blog buddies who are trying to fit into that one pair of jeans or shorts or skirt or whatever it is gets to that place. It feels good, and I know if you are trying you will make it happen. It doesn’t happen over night, but it happens! So keep on keeping on buddies!

Today's Workout Tip

Interval Training for Cardio....

The best cardio that I have found that works well, and that has been confirmed by other sources is Interval training. There are lots of great programs that recommend this:

The ABS Diet, from the editor of Men's Health magazine
Body for Life, Bill Phillips

I love Body for Life's program. Here is a brief description below taken from www.bodyforlife.com:

Cardio workouts are indispensable to an effective training program and general good health. By definition, cardio workouts can be any exercise—jogging, running, biking, swimming, elliptical machine, stairs, even jumping rope—that raises and maintains your heart rate over a predetermined amount of time. By doing so, you strengthen your heart and lungs and lower your resting heart rate, which means that over time the same effort that produced a 10-minute mile will produce a 9-minute mile. Cardio workouts burn fat. And cardio fitness is what gives you endurance and the ability to persist in sports and in life.

The Benefits of Cardio

• Increases metabolic rate
• Increases growth hormone secretion
• Reduces stress levels
• Increases blood flow to the brain increasing alertness
• Improve cholesterol levels
• Improves digestion
• Boosts immune-system function

20-Minute Aerobics Solution™ — The Official Body-for-LIFE Cardio Plan

1. Warm up the first 2 minutes at Intensity Level 5
2. Minutes 2-3 move from Intensity Level 5 to 6
3. Minutes 4-5, 6-10 and 11-14 work your way from Intensity Level 6 to Level 9, maintain for one minute.
4. Minutes 15-19 work your way from Intensity Level 6 to Level 10 (High Point at Level 10), maintain for one minute.
5. Minute 20 cool down to Intensity Level 5 for one minute.

Alternate weight-training and cardio workouts for six consecutive days and rest on the seventh day.

I really encourage you to take a look at this site, www.bodyforlife.com. I think the meal part of the diet is a little more strict and sometimes harder to follow than W2; however, the exercise portion is AWESOME! They have all their workouts online for free in PDF format. I do this exercise program once or twice a year. Whenever I need to change up my program and don't feel like being creative, this is my go-to plan!

Check it out!

Fab Snack #3

OK, so this is another product that saved my life! I never thought of myself as a "snacker," but since Joe likes to nibble on chips and salsa while we watch TV I have been snacking on bags of popcorn. 7-cups is 1-point and there are about 12-cups in one of these bags. So I do eat the whole bag and count it as 2-points. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS STUFF! Throw it in the microwave for 2 min. 10 sec., put it in a bowl and start spraying the "I can't Believe it's Not Butter" spray on it. YUMMM!

I don't care if they tell me I'm going to grow a third arm using this butter spray, I love it, and they will have to rip the bottle out of my cold dead hands before I give it up!

So when your watching TV make a bag of this, and throw some spray butter on it and you have it made!

Enjoy!

Sorry

Hey folks,

Sorry about not posting yesterday. I just got extremely busy with work and other stuff that just seems to interfere with my life! :)

Well so far I have had a really good week with the W2. I have been managing to not go over into my extra weekly points allowance. However, I did get some very bad news regarding the Progresso 0-points soup...If you eat the whole can it counts as 2-points. I say no to that. First of all, a half a can is really hard to use as a serving, because its just going to be broth.

I think I will still count it as zero and deal with it. I have to say it made me quite peeved!

OK some more posts coming.... :)

Today's Workout Tip

RESISTANCE BANDS! Seriously, these are again another item that gets you a lot of bang for your buck. First off these are really inexpensive. You can get them at Wal-Mart, Target, Dick's and even sometimes TJ Maxx for the cheap. These are perfect for those looking to do a low-impact work-out with maximum results. These will give you a full body workout that you will feel. Awesome for home and travel! They just go in your suitcase and you can do anything anywhere. Normally, all the ones that I have seen, come with some sort of plan and how-to-guide.

Here is just one website that I googled that gives directions with pictures. Check it out: http://www.shapefit.com/quick-workouts-elastic-bands.html

Fab Snack #2 How to Get There.....

Tasti D-Lite is really easy to find. It is right up the hill from the Starbucks in Collegetown. Here is a Map:




View Larger Map

Fab Snack #2

Tasti D-Lite has changed my life. Seriously, it is everything you can think of. It is the ice cream of your dreams. They always have Chocolate and Vanilla, but they also have two other flavors every day. For example they have creme brulee and peanut butter, apple pie and german chocolate cake. IT IS LIFE CHANGING. Tasti is a NYC chain but for those of us in upstate and residing in Ithaca we have one. It's a little Collegetown treasure. Tasti D-LIte lives in the back of Collegtown Candy and Nuts 213 Dryden Rd., go often and enjoy.

Small 4oz- 1 Point
Med. 8oz- 2 Points
Lg. 12oz- 3 Points

www.collegetowncandy.com

Today's Workout Tip

At Home or the Gym get yourself on a Swiss Ball! These are great for low impact exercises.

Stand next to a wall, place the ball between your back and the wall and slowly roll down into a seated position for a great leg work out. (Assisted Squats)

Lay on the ball with the small of your back on the ball and do crunches for the abs!

Work your chest: Place the tops of your feet on the ball and do push-ups.

These are awesome. Whenever I travel most hotels have really bad gyms, but they always seem to have these. You can do a lot of exercise on these.

I realize that some people whether because of fear, embarrasment, or finances don't and won't go to a gym. You don't need to spend a lot of money to have a home gym anymore. Get yourself a swiss ball and do it at home while watching TV!

Some folks even use these as a desk chair. Now that's pushing it, but who knows.

Fab Snack #1

So these are the best. If you have self control and can moderate your intake this is the ticket. You get that sweet sense of brownies with out the guilt! Cut these into 16 small squares and they come out to 2 points each. Yes-You heard me 2-POINTS! I sometimes do half in the smaller squares and do the other half into 4-Point brownies. They are Fab.

*Recommendations--add just a touch more water to the mix. It gets a little dry when you are turning them in the bowl. I usually make the recipe for higher elevations. They just come out a little more gooy!

Billy's Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Billy’s Yummy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup Whole Pot Yields 10.5 WW Points

1 (1 1/2 pound) butternut squash, peeled seeded and rough chopped (0-points)
3 tablespoons olive oil (6-points)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup Italian Turkey sausage, removed from the casing (2-Points)
1 cup small dice onion (1-Point)
1/2 cup small dice carrot (.5-Point)
1/2 cup small dice celery (0-Pints)
1/2 cup small dice leeks (.5-Points)
2 tablespoons minced shallots (0-Points)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (0-Points)
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar (0-Points)
11/2 quarts Low Sodium & Fat Free chicken stock (0-Points)
2 teaspoons Light maple syrup (.5-Point)
1 teaspoon fresh chopped sage leaves (0-Points)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Place the chopped squash in a medium-size mixing bowl. Drizzle the squash with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil and place the squash on top of the sheet pan. Set the sheet pan into the oven and roast for 30 minutes, or until the squash is lightly caramelized and tender.

Remove the squash from the oven and set aside. Place a 1-gallon saucepan over medium high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and render the Italian sausage. Cook, stirring often until the meat is caramelized and has released most of its fat, about 3 minutes. Add the onions, carrots, celery and leeks in the pan and sweat, stirring often for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and sweat for 1 minute stirring continuously. Deglaze the pan with the vinegar and add the chicken stock to the pan. Place the squash in the pan with the maple syrup and sage.

Bring the pan to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Continue to cook the soup for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are all tender. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup to a smooth consistency and velvety texture. Alternately, you can puree the soup in batches using a blender. Taste the soup and re-season if necessary with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Keep warm until serving.

Welcome

The Tuesday after Labor Day of '07 I joined weight watchers, or the W2 as I like to call it, because I had started to get fat again! It happens every five years. Twice in my life I have dropped a 100 lbs or more. This time I didn't get that far. I needed to loose about 30 lbs maybe even 40. Who knows. My perception of myself, like so many others is skewed.

The first time I went on a diet I was intense and crazed. My senior year of high school I walked every night about 10-miles and subsisted on very little food. It actually made me go a bit crazy. Then as that became harder to manage I did a little binge and purge action. Oh so fun. Then I gave up. It was just to hard. I went off to college and got fat AGAIN! You would think we would learn.

So flash forward five years, I'm sitting in a dinner across the street from a gym eating pancakes covered in butter and syrup. I looked in the window and there was a book on display that I had already bought and read, and tried, and gave up. It was called Body for Life. You know I think it's a great program for those people that really have the time to focus on it. It worked, and I called and joined the gym. The owner, Brenda, and I became fast friends. She so wanted this to work for me, that she and her staff were my free personal trainers for 6-months. I began to run, do 10-K's, etc. It changed my life.

I have made the "gym" and real exercise part of my everyday life. That said, life gets hard. Jobs suck and drain the life out of you. My last job went really bad with a change over in management occurred. It was stressful and we lived in fear. I used to pray that they would fire me like they promised. I wanted it. Well 7-months later I found a new job, and about an extra 20-15 lbs.

My new job is great, its fun, exciting, but its not easy and its not puppy dogs and rainbows. It's work. It's given me more time. I no longer have an hour commute-each way and I can focus more on me.

So here I am, 7-weeks into the W2 and 20 lbs lighter. Don't get me wrong I work at it. I go to the gym 7 days-a-week. I lift Mon-Sat and Do cardio Mon-Sun. Sometimes I take a day off but you need to. What I have learned is that you can eat a lot of gourmet food that is really low points and delicious. So I'm going to start to put those up here to share them with everyone.