I have to be honest with you guys...


Wow... shouting that out loud actually really helped.  Now deep breaths.

So, I warned you I wasn't a fan of change, and I will admit my head wasn't in the best place coming in to this, but I promised to give it a chance.... I mean I don't have alot of other choices other than gaining all my weight back, and that isn't going to happen... EVER!  I am still giving it it's chance.  If I would have written this yesterday - just couldn't bring myself to - it would have sounded even more whiny, but luckily 24 hours have passed and I've finally finished overhyperventilating (that cannot possibly be a word) about the following things:

• Wine is 4 points for a serving.  It used to be 2.  Excuse me?  As I posted on my facebook status yesterday:  "The person that decided that is on my list... and not the list where I send you a Christmas gift."  I like wine.  I really do.  So does my sister, remember?  Maybe it runs in the family?  Although, I'm pretty sure my dad drank Coors Light, and my mom is a Bloody Mary person for sure!  Sorry mom, I guess that's on the Internet now too.  So, I'm not sure why wine is now double the points, but I still don't like it any more than I did yesterday.  I am dealing much better now with it though after a couple of glasses.
• My Thomas Bagel Thin - formerly 1 point, and 1 Tbsp of peanut butter (formerly 2 points) breakfast is now 6 points!  Cry, whine, sad, sucks, boo hiss.  'Nuff said.
• There does not appear to be 1/2 points.  Do you super-type "A" Weight Watchers trackers know what I mean?  Oh... no one raised their hand... guess I'm secretly the only one.  Well... in case you don't, eTools used to let you sometimes do 1/2 points.  For instance 1/4 cup of shredded cheese was 3 points on the old plan, if you did 1/8 cup it was 1.5 points, its now 2 on the new plan.  Everything seems to round up (maybe not true, but that is how it seems to me right now).

Given all that, I managed my first day on the new plan (Monday), and I'm almost done living through my second.  A few other things I'll point (ha ha bad unintentional pun) out:

• My new daily points target according to eTools is 29.  So I do get 6 more points a day than I used to, but I don't get double (as everything seems to be)!
• Fruit is all 0 points, even bananas.  People in the Weight Watchers world seem to be going crazy happy about this.  I find that funny.  I mean I love bananas as much as the next person, but seriously, did you see the points value of wine?  That is what we should focus on people.  New strategy... if I want more than 1 glass of wine a day I must eat only bananas for breakfast and lunch.
• Fruit is 0 points, but 1 cup of peas is 3 points?  That was a bad dinner mistake.  Too bad peas are the only vegetable my husband and child will actually eat.
• On the bright side of things, the weekly points allowance is 49 - up from 35, and it seems that activity points are sometimes higher.  For instance 25 minutes of running used to earn me 3 activity points, now its 5.  I see more wine in my future.
• Points are no longer figured using calories as a guide.  They are figured with some super secret formula that top secret scientists, obviously much smarter than myself, and most definitely non-drinkers came up with using:  total carbs, fiber, fat, and protein NOT calories.

Thanks for listening to my whine. 
I KNOW I will be OK on this plan.  Let me say that again, so I can start to talk myself into believing it.  I KNOW I will be OK on this plan.  I know that it is a good plan.  I do trust Weight Watchers.  All that said, it is going to definitely take some getting used to, that's for sure.  I am not crazy about the timing.  So many things coming up during the holidays that I don't even feel I can estimate the points for.  I feel like I'm in my first week again, knowing nothing. 

The worst part is that I am scared to eat.  Yes I am.  I don't automatically know the points value of a food, and I'm fearful of eating it and finding out some crazy number- like the wine and the peas.  Guess I'll be eating lots of fruit for awhile (good luck finding anything good in Minnesota this time of year).

Anyone else out there try the new PointsPlus plan already?  What do you think?

So in case you've been living under a rock and haven't heard, Weight Watchers is debuting a new plan this week (if you don't do Weight Watchers bear with me here, because there WILL be something for you in this post as well).  Apparently it is the biggest change in 13 years!  I don't know about you, but when I see the words - BIGGEST CHANGE - I freak out!  My heart rate goes up, my palms get all sweaty, I think about hyperventilating. 

I have never been one for change.  I kind of like things to stay the same.  I like routines, and the familiar feeling of the same things.  So I won't lie to you people, this is going to be one tough thing for me to swallow.  Immediately, I already decided in my head that I will hate it, no, no loathe it.  I mean, why should I change away from something that helped me lose 111 pounds in the last 2 years?  There is NO reason I can think of.  But then I remember some things I have read about the original Weight Watchers program:

• Fish was to be eaten at least five times per week, liver at least once a week, and beef, frankfurters, lamb, and dark meat turkey no more than three times per week.
• Initially no fat was to be eaten - No butter, margarine, mayonnaise, oil, salad dressings, etc.
• Certain fruits were excluded including:  cherries, bananas, watermelon, and grapes.
• There were no rolls, bagels, biscuits, muffins, crackers, cereals, or special breads allowed.

My, how things have evolved since.  It is with that mindset that I will grudgingly accept this change - realizing that moving forward and onward to new things is usually a good thing, and knowing that Weight Watchers has been in business for a LONG time - the business of helping people lose weight, and that is not about to change.

So... a lot about Weight Watchers specifically today, but this concept goes for everything in life.  I would venture a guess that most people can relate to liking the familiar, and avoiding change.  But change is sometimes exactly what we need.  It is change in the first place that got this journey rolling for most of us (including me).  I know 2 years ago I decided to make a change in my life, and I took the steps needed to get there.  Now I can sit here feeling tired, but empowered from a 4 mile run yesterday, wearing my size 8 pants - 111 pounds lighter.  It was change that got me to this place, and change that will keep me here!

The holiday shopping season is suddenly upon us.  It's a month until Christmas - panicking, yet?  Would you be jealous if I told you that I'm probably about 75% done with my shopping already?  I am trying to take a simplistic approach this holiday season and not stress out about these things - for my mental as well as physical health.  Less stress means less stress eating, and that means success during this season that seems to be all about eating!  I love to shop online, and the majority of my Christmas purchases have been from online retailers. You can find everything from electronics and toys to sling backpacks and fitness equipment.  You can even buy a live Christmas tree online now! 

If you haven't already, make sure to check out CSN stores this holiday shopping season.  I have personally ordered items in the recent past from them, and have been happy with their customer service and fast shipping!  You can even get a gift sent directly to the recipient, or if you are stumped just get them a gift certificate so they can choose their own gift.  This is a lifesaver for me with so many loved ones living far away.  They have 200+ different stores so you are sure to find something for everyone on your list.

Another thing I'd recommend for your holiday shopping is Ebates.  I've been using Ebates since earlier this fall, and have already earned about $15 in cash back for shopping at some of my favorite online retailers.  Just make sure to go to their website first, and click on your favorite store from there.  For Black Friday I've seen cash back offers as high as 14%!  Getting paid to shop... now that's my style for sure.

Happy Shopping!  And remember today is just a regular day... don't let the holiDAY turn into a holiLONGWEEKEND!

Four years ago in November 2006, I sat on Thanksgiving sad and fearful for the future.  I had a horrible year.  I had become pregnant earlier in the year only to suffer a miscarriage, and then be diagnosed with PCOS and resulting infertility.  I was told that because I was so fat, I would have difficulty conceiving a child.  I was told that if I did conceive I would have a 50 percent chance of a miscarriage.  I was disheartened and broken!  I felt betrayed by my body and forgotten by God.  I weighed about 125 pounds more than I do today.  I didn't see how I could be given a different future. 

On New Years Day 2007 - only a little more than 1 month later, I woke up on New Years morning to a positive pregnancy test.  I was both overjoyed and unbelievably scared.  I spent the next 7-1/2 months throwing up, stressing out, checking blood sugars, and my pregnancy culminated in an emergency C-section with 3 pound 4 oz little boy who spent 27 days in the NICU.  Regardless of the circumstances, I was blessed.  The first year of my son's life passed quickly but I still found myself 115 pounds heavier than today.  My future certainly had been changed with the long-awaited addition of a child, but I still felt like I didn't have much of a future at my current weight.  I certainly couldn't me the mother I wanted to be at that weight.  And then I was told by my doctor that my weight was a contributing factor in my pregnancy issues, and would likely result in infertility for me if I wanted to have any more children.  I needed to change something.  I needed to change my life.  This was probably one of the last pictures that was taken of me as I started this journey...

Me Thanksgiving 2008

Fast forward four years since that Thanksgiving, which now seems, so long ago.  I am lighter in weight there is no doubt, and my future has certainly been changed beyond what I could ever have believed, but once again I feel heavy in spirit.  My heart longs for another child.  In a way, I feel like I am back in that same spot that I was 4 years ago. I feel the same despair that my future will not be changed, and this time I can't blame it on being fat.  For some reason, being able to blame it on fat seemed easier.  I at least had a scapegoat.  I held up my end of the bargain.  I took control of what I could, I lost the weight that was creating the issues... the problem is... the issues didn't go away.  So what do you do with that?  Tonight I want to cry and swear and eat too much and drink too much.  I want to cover my head up and lay in bed and not come out.  The thought of going through a holiday season with this burden is overwhelming to me tonight - and it came suddenly out of nowhere very quickly today.  It feels so eerily familiar.  It takes me back to a very dark time in my life, and I hate it. 

If you haven't figured it out by now, I live in Minnesota.  And yes, to answer your next question it is COLD here, the arctic tundra really.  It is not unusual for us to have sub-zero days in December, January, and February - yes DAYS plural.

BRRR... I always wonder why I live here.  But there is something that happens to you after awhile.  You don't enjoy the cold, and you do think about it when you are going out, but I think you eventually learn to ignore it.  You don't notice it as much - you just figure this is a fact of life here in the cold, harsh north.  You deal, and you wish for spring come quickly.

So today, given my geographical location, I am thankful for shelter and warmth.  I have a really lovely house.  Its the perfect size for us, and it has a fabulous, modern kitchen that I so appreciate.  I am thankful for long underwear, down comforters, heat that works and we have the money to pay for, fuzzy slippers, hot tea, microwaveable neck wraps, snuggling, warm mittens, Columbia coats, a hot toddy, and everything else that helps keep me warm and cope with winter. 

And given our weather forecast for this week... I'll be even more thankful if spring comes quickly!

In the spirit of celebrating Thanksgiving and focusing more on the positives and less on the negatives, I am posting one thing I am thankful for each day this week.

Today I am thankful for my good health, and the reminder of when it wasn't so good.  There honestly aren't too many days where I can look at this guy and not think about:
-- The traumatic circumstances around his birth, about how I so poorly treated my body thinking it would always give and never give up, about the 27 days "L" spent in the hospital when he was born. I always thought that "it won't happen to me", that I would be the "healthy" fat person. I was wrong! My number was finally up. I spent so many years lying to myself-telling myself that being fat was OK.

So today I thank the Lord that my son was born in the way he was (it has taken me a long time to get to the place where I can speak/write that sentence). It was the catalyst for changing my life and ultimately dropping 111.2 pounds. I tried more times before than you can count, and NOTHING clicked until THAT day. I thank the Lord for good health today, less sick days, strong arms, legs, and back, strong lungs, a healthy weight.  I am thankful for this:
and I am thankful for the pictures that serve as a reminder of less than good health and how far, by grace, I've been able to come.

Today I lost a very good friend… one that’s been there since almost the beginning of my journey- my Weight Watchers Food Scale.

This one:

Wow… complete and utter sadness.  I actually cried.  My first thought was, “Oh no, how will I measure out my wine.” Sad… but true!

My next thought… how will I do my program without it? I HAVE to measure and weigh. It has been second nature to me these past couple of years. It is definitely one of the top 5 keys to my success. So Weight Watchers food scale… I lift my unweighed glass of wine to you tonight.

CHEERS!

Thank you for all your help over the last couple of years, may you rest in peace!

I really hope you all enjoyed the first annual Healthy Living During the Holidays Week last week.  Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway.  The winner of the cookbook as chosen by random.org is Lisa Buchanan with her comment (including recipe - Thanks Lisa):

I make a veggie casserole every Thanksgiving and have learned to lighten it without anyone in my family telling a difference. Here is the lightened version.



2 cans french style green beans (I get low sodium) - drained
2 cans whole kernel corn (I get no salt) - drained
2 cans Fat free cream of chicken or one of each chicken and mushroom soup
8 ounces fat free sour cream
8 ounces 2% sharp cheddar cheese - shredded
1/2 stick I cant believe it's not butter
1 sleeve of reduced fat and/or wheat Ritz crackers


Mix all ingredients but last 2 and pour into 9 x 13 Pyrex dish. Crumble crackers and place on top of mixture, poor melted butter on top. Bake 425 for 30 minutes or until brown and bubbly. ENJOY!

Lisa - I'll be contacting you to get your address, and your cookbook will hopefully be on its way before Thanksgiving.  I hope you enjoy it!

Next - my weekly weigh in.  You'll remember how my scale progress has been pretty slow, and I was committing to making some changes.  Well, it did pay off because I lost 1.8 pounds at my weigh in on Thursday, and I'm down a total of 111.2 POUNDS!!!  I am ecstatic.  I have 10.2 pounds until I reach my ultimate personal goal.  I'll be posting my holiday goals this week, regarding what choice I have made this holiday season.

Finally, I intend on making giving thanks a theme of my posts this week.  I'm going to post something every day week regarding what I am thankful for as we approach Thanksgiving.  I encourage you to post something to your blog or leave a comment here telling something YOU are thankful for as well.  My intent is to focus more on the blessings in my life rather than the failures and the shortcomings.  So...

Today I am thankful for my legs.  They may be fat little legs, they may have extra flabby skin, and bumps and lumps, but they carry me every single day.  They are strong, and with them my body can run.  Because of my legs I've been able to successfully run two 5ks this year, and also raise almost $400 for prostate cancer!  My legs also fold up to make a nice lap where my little "L" can sit and snuggle me.  So, yes, I am thankful for my legs! 

What are you thankful for today?

Welcome to the last day of Healthy Living During the Holidays Week. I hope you’ve enjoyed this week, and that we’ve given you some tips to help you be just a little healthier this holiday season. I do wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving. This week please take a moment to reflect on what you are most thankful for.


Now on to my final post for this week…

So… you’ve been given lots of information this week to try and help make your holiday just a little healthier. You have the recipes and the tools at your disposal, and now you must make a choice. It is up to YOU. You have 3 choices:
1) You can decide that you will give it your all this holiday season. That you will not behave differently because of the holidays. That you keep a pretty regular exercise schedule. You will still be able to indulge, but reasonably. You will cut back on non celebretory days to compensate for those with holidays and special occasions. Come January 1st you will be lighter.

2) You can decide to indulge yourself, go off your workout schedule, and not have to worry about living healthy during the holidays. You can decide that you’ll start over after the holidays. Come January 1st, you will be heavier.

3) You can decide to maintain during the holidays. You can decide to sometimes induldge, and sometimes be on your program. You can decide to sometimes workout, and sometimes skip, maybe because of so many other commitments. Come January 1st, you’ll weigh the same.

You have options, and you get to choose, that is an amazing and empowering truth. No one is going to judeg you for choosing 2 or 3 over 1. I have chosen two different strategies in the past 2 years. The first year I chose to lose, and I remained focused. I had my biggest monthly weight loss in the past 2 years during the month of December 2008 – 11.2 pounds! Last year, I chose to maintain. I chose to sometimes be on my program, and sometimes not. I chose to workout a little less, and during the month of December I lost about 1 pound. Both times I was happy with my decision, even though the decision were very different.

So… make YOUR decision. What will you choose? There is no right or wrong answer. Whatever you do, you will be a success!

Now take the last few hours of the day to Enter my Cookbook Giveaway

Good morning!

I have a summary post that will be up later today bringing an official end to Healthy Living During the Holidays Week, but until then, don't forget that today is the last day to enter to win the Weight Watchers cookbook.

Joy over at http://transparentjoy.blogspot.com has lost over 50 pounds. Her goal is to honor the Lord and be obedient to Him, to love His people and to use her life as a living example for many.  I personally think she is doing a great job. So wise… So let’s listen to what she has to say.


The holidays are upon us. My goodness Thanksgiving is just a couple of weeks away! I am already feeling the hustle and bustle of things beginning to happen! Its here, folks, can’t believe it!!!

If you are like me, up to this point, you may have been a little self centered and focused on your weight loss and fitness journey. By now, you might be feeling a little stressed, your blood pressure is rising. Already there is so much you have to do for yourself, your family and your other obligations, that the upcoming holidays just adds a little extra pressure to your already busy life. You also might be thinking that there is just not enough time left in the day to exercise, or plan your meals or journal your calories….DON’T YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT QUITTING AND PUTTING OFF WHAT’S IMPORTANT FOR YOU!!! YOU CAN’T QUIT NOW!!! Just saying…

Anyway, in the “old” days, by now I would be thinking of all of the wonderful goodies and treats I would be making for my friends and family, and of course, I would be planning our huge Thanksgiving meal.

So this year…instead of putting all of my energy and focus on the food of the season…I’ve decided that I’m making the holidays more about people!
Giving of my time and money….

Whoa, you might say…”Right now I neither have enough time nor enough money to spare!!”

I get it...I get it!!!

But I would like to challenge you and ask you to trust the Lord with this mission.

A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
Proverbs 11:25

So if you are up to it. Spend your time blessing others. Give your hubby backrubs…Play games with your kids…Spend time and money at a homeless shelter or a food bank…Make cards and send them to your friends…Call someone you have not spoken to in a while…Call someone and make amends…Invite your single neighbor over for Thanksgiving dinner…Give Blood…Visit someone in the hospital…Start a Bible Study with your co-workers…Take your boss out to lunch…Volunteer at your church…Make things and take them to a nursing home…Pick up trash…Open doors for people…Let someone in when merging on the highway…Give grace to others…Give out hugs…Say a kind word…Just be a blessing to all!!

Now don’t get me wrong. Don’t forget about your health and fitness goals and other obligations. You still need to keep focused!

This holiday season; don’t put your focus on the food. Focus on others…be giving…be generous…be a Blessing and then you too will be refreshed!

Are you with me?
Keep focused!!

Welcome to Day 5 of Living Healthy During the Holidays week. I hope you’ve been enjoying the recipes, guest posts, and giveaway I’ve had for you so far. Don’t tune out just yet though, as we still have some good stuff left to talk about. Today’s post is by yours truly. I’d really love it if you’d leave me a comment and let me know how you’re liking this special theme week so far.

And don’t forget to subscribe to my RSS feed, so you can make sure that you don’t miss a minute of the remainder of the week… we aren’t finished yet. For some reason I had 90 some people unsubscribe from my feed yesterday. Talk about a kick in the gut. I’m hoping it’s a computer glitch, but if not, then I guess too bad for them!

Now on to the subject at hand.
The holidays are here! Next week at this time, I’ll be stuffing my face full of food running in my self-created turkey trot** and later having a delicious meal. Thanksgiving seems to be the start of it all, and we all know it seems to just go downhill from there. Its kind of like when you make a snowman. You start with a really small snowball and it gets bigger and bigger and bigger as you roll it.


But why do we let our eating “snowball” this time of year? We let it get out of control, and STAY out of control. For me, it was, and I’ll be honest, still sometimes is, an “all or nothing” type of mentality:

• Why should I even bother losing weight this time of year. I’m not going to be successful with all of the holidays, parties, _____________ I have going on (you fill in the blank).
• I don’t have time to exercise today, so I guess I’ll just completely give up on the week.
• I ate A LOT of food on Thanksgiving…. WOW, my weight is up. I just as well spend the rest of the weekend eating like its my last meal, since I‘m going to gain this week anyways.
• I’ll start again in January… I won’t gain that much in the meantime!

DON’T DO IT!!! It isn’t worth it, and yes, you can gain that much. Trust me on this one… I have run every experiment in the book on gaining weight.

So how to combat this “all or nothing” mentality:
First you have to think today is a HoliDAY. So fine it’s a special day, then eat that special meal and the things you love, and the next day, wake up, and start over. It’s OK. This is a win. This is a success. The key is it is ONE DAY. The next day you are back at it. Give yourself permission to do what you want on the HoliDAY, but remember it is NOT a HoliWEEK, MONTH or YEAR. That is what will take you down. That is what will make you need that New Year’s resolution so desperately on Jan 1st.

Next, don’t eat everything. Yeah, I know, you don’t want to hear that, but seriously How good are those store bought rolls and canned cranberry sauce anyways? You don’t have to eat it all, but you can absolutely have what you want. Ask yourself, is this really a 10? If the answer is “yes”, eat it, enjoy it, and move on. If the answer is no, maybe consider only a small bite, or even pass on it this time. It will be empowering… I promise! I also ask myself, “Is this a special food? Can I get it in another place at another time?” If the answer is no and it is your mother’s hot from the oven potato rolls smeared with butte, or a piece of lefse with cheese and sausage (Yes, I write this as much for myself as you), then allow yourself to indulge in a reasonable portion, and move on.

Finally, I want you to set realistic, reasonable goals. It is not reasonable to think that you will not drink any wine, eat no dessert, and only take turkey breast sans gravy or skin and veggies for Thanksgiving dinner. It is reasonable to change your goal to be something like:
I will exercise for 30 minutes today, I will choose reasonable portions of the foods that I love, and I will allow myself 1 OK fine 2 glasses of wine with dinner. I will have a ½ piece of my favorite pie, and then I will stop eating for the day. That is a reasonable goal statement. If you don’t set a reasonable goal for the HoliDAY I believe failure to meet your goal will result in that “all or nothing” attitude again, and you will end up just throwing in the towel. Remember my belief that every day can be a Monday. If this does happen, wake up the next morning - realize the HoliDAY is now over - and move on.

Got it? OK, now go and enjoy your HoliDAY! I believe you are ready for anything.


** Self-created turkey trot is the First Annual Go Fast Before you Feast turkey trot thought of and created by me. CCWL, a few of my peeps, and me are running around a local lake on Thanksgiving morning. 
The long range weather forecast promises me that this Thanksgiving will be the coldest in 20 years with highs in the upper teens.  Bring it!  Oh, yeah baby, that’s gonna be cold!

Welcome to Day 4 of Living Healthy During the Holidays Week!  Today I have another guest post for you.  This time from Ellen of www.fatgirlwearingthin.com.  She has lost over 100 pounds and has maintained that loss for the past several years. I really enjoy reading her blog, and I hope you will go over and check it out - after reading this post of course!

Take it away Ellen:

The holidays are upon us. Many of us will be fixing Thanksgiving dinner for family and friends. Many more of us will be traveling to other parts of the state, across the country, or in some cases, other parts of the world to spend time with our loved ones. Traveling can be exciting, but eating while traveling can be an absolute nightmare to those of us who are watching our weight.

Toll roads are filled with nothing but higher-priced fast food chains, while rest stops offer very few healthy options among rows of vending machines. This of course means that after sitting for hours on end (and thus burning fewer calories) we get out of the car to sit down again and fill up on fried foods, loads of carbs and sugar. Even if your willpower is rock-solid and you search for a salad, you still have to put up with highly caloric dressings, high fat toppings and in many cases, questionable lettuce.

Traveling is even tougher if you are flying. You are pretty much at the mercy of your airline as they tempt you with honey roasted nuts, soft drinks and maybe a $15 meal which probably has the nutritional stats of a Three Musketeers Bar.

If you are traveling this holiday season, just remember that you CAN be in charge of your eating habits and arrive at your destination without a gut-ache as long as you do a little pre-planning. Here are some tips that I use when I travel: If I know that I’ll be in a vehicle for a while, I take along a couple of small coolers. One is filled with bottles of water. I also take along various flavors of single-serving drink mixes like Crystal Light On-the-Go. This way, if I get bored with water alone, I have an easy way to add more drink choices without sacrificing car space. My second cooler is filled with a pre-prepared meal for the road, and consists of items that are easy to eat with little mess: sandwiches, pre-cut veggies, fruit and 100 calorie pack crackers.

Great items to choose from whether you’re in a plane, train or automobile: celery, carrots, radishes; fruits like apples, bananas, grapes.   Other foods to choose from: Laughing Cow Cheeses with 100 calorie pack crackers, Vitatops, almonds divided into plastic baggie single ounce servings, Weight Watchers 1 point individual packs of string cheese.

Sometimes, traveling is just plain boring. Many times I will find myself searching for food even if I’m not hungry just to give me something that will help pass the time. In cases like these, I always make sure to pack 2 additional things and keep them close by: gum and lollipops. There are countless flavors of sugar-free gum that will keep your mouth occupied during those times when you feel the unwarranted need to snack. And lollipops are a super alternative as well. They are relatively low in calories (I like Yummy Earth Organic Lollipops, which contain less than 25 calories per pop). They keep your mouth happy and busy.

Remember, making smarter food choices doesn’t begin at the dinner table. The decision to eat healthy before you arrive will start you off on the right path and help give you the strength to continue making healthy choices throughout the rest of your visit.

Have a safe, fun and memorable holiday season, everyone.
Ellen
http://www.fatgirlwearingthin.com/

Welcome to day 3 of Healthy Living During the Holidays week. Today is ALL about recipes. For me, the best way to control my eating during the holidays is to make healthier alternatives of my favorite foods. That way I don’t feel a bit of deprivation, and I can still eat on plan. This post contains the best of my favorite tried and true Thanksgiving side dishes along with the Weight Watchers Points values. Please remember to always double check the points with your ingredients, as sometimes nutritional information among specific brands varies greatly. I’ll be adding these to my recipes archive, and adding pictures (after Thanksgiving) next week.


Now on to the recipes…ENJOY!

Cranberry Orange Relish

There is nothing I love more than a tasty cranberry sauce. It is SO easy to make… and tastes 1000 times better than the canned stuff. This is awesome as a condiment for sandwiches, and even a dessert topping. This is the recipe I’ve used for the past several years. I’ve lightened it by subbing some Splenda for the sugar and using Light Orange Juice.

Makes approximately 4 cups of sauce.
1 serving = ¼ cup = 1 Weight Watchers Points Plus Value

½ cup Splenda
½ cup Honey
2 cups Orange Juice – I use Trop50 Light Orange Juice
2 Tbsp peeled and grated fresh ginger root
2 Tbsp fresh orange zest
1 cinnamon stick
3 cups fresh cranberries – basically 1 bag
1 tsp sea salt

In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine the Splenda, honey and orange juice. Simmer until everything is completely dissolved. Add the ginger, orange zest and cinnamon stick. Stir. Next, add the cranberries and simmer stirring occasionally for 45-60 minutes. The mixture should become thick. Remove from heat and stir in the salt.

This can be made several days in advance and kept in the refrigerator.

 
Sarah’s Stuffing

This is an adaptation of a recipe I found about 5 years ago on www.allrecipes.com. I’ve changed some of the ingredients to my tastes, and lightened it a bit, eliminating unneeded butter, and using reduced-fat sausage.

12 servings
1 serving = ½ cup = 4 Weight Watchers PointsPlus Values

12 oz Jimmy Dean reduced-fat sausage
2 cups chopped onion
2 apples – peeled, cored, and chopped
2 cups chopped celery
1 Tbsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 cup dried cranberries
14 oz Pre package stuffing mix – like Pepperidge Farm
2 cups fat-free chicken broth
1 Tbsp fresh sage leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet over medium heat cook the sausage until brown. Transfer the sausage to a large bowl. Now, use the same skillet over medium heat and add the onions, apples, celery, and poultry seasoning. Cook, stirring frequently for about 10 minutes. Stir in rosemary, cranberries, and sage.

Mix the onion mixture with the sausage mixture and Stuffing Mix in the large bowl. Add the chicken broth and salt and pepper to taste.

I’ll be honest; I usually don’t stuff the turkey… I actually make this the day before, and then put it in my crock pot on low to reheat on Thanksgiving Day. Easy Peasy… and delicious!

 
Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes – aka Drunk Potatoes
Makes 8 servings
1 serving = ½ of a full potato = 6 Weight Watchers PointsPlus Values

My husband is Canadian, and last year he went to his sister’s house in Vancouver for Canadian Thanksgiving… which is in October – usually the same day as Columbus Day in the US. They made sweet potatoes that were glazed with a mixture of Kahlua, butter, and sugar. I took the same ingredients… added in a streusel topping and decided to make twice baked potatoes with it instead… here’s the yummy result:

4 medium-sized sweet potatoes/yams
3 Tbsp Light Butter
3 Tbsp firmly packed brown sugar
¼ cup Kahlua or other coffee flavored Liqueur

For the topping:
3 Tbsp packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
2 Tbsp Light Butter, softened
¼ cup chopped pecans

Cut the potatoes lengthwise in half; place the cut-sides down on a non-stick baking sheet. Bake 30 to 35 min. on 425 degrees or until tender.

Remove from oven and cool a few minutes until you can handle them, and then scoop out the centers of potatoes into a bowl, leaving behind the shell.

Add 3 Tbsp of the light butter, 3 Tbsp of the brown sugar, and the Kahlua to the sweet potatoes. Mash until everything is well combined, and mixture is fairly smooth.

Fill the shells with potato mixture;

In a separate bowl, combine the topping ingredients: 3 Tbsp brown sugar, the flour, 2 Tbsp Light Butter, and the chopped pecans. Mix together until crumbly. Top each potato with about a Tbsp of the mixture.

Return the potatoes to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the filling is heated through and the crumb topping is just starting to brown.


Green Beans with Yellow Pepper Butter
This is a classic recipe that makes an excellent substitution to the traditional Green Bean Casserole that is found on many Thanksgiving dinner tables. This recipe was taken from the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, and adapted by me to lighten it up. I think it tastes just as great as the original.

Serves 8
Servings Size = ½ cup = 3 PointsPlus Values

1 tablespoon butter
1 medium yellow sweet pepper, coarsely shredded
4 tablespoons margarine or butter, softened
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
4 cups green beans, trimmed
1 large yellow sweet pepper, cut into thin strips

In a small saucepan melt the 1 tablespoon butter. Add the shredded sweet pepper. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Set aside.

In a blender or food processor bowl combine the 4 Tablespoons softened butter and the pine nuts. Cover; blend or process until almost smooth. Add cooked sweet pepper, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Cover; blend or process until almost smooth. Set aside.

In a covered saucepan cook beans in a small amount of boiling water for 12 minutes. Add the sweet pepper strips the last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain the beans and sweet pepper strips.

To serve, transfer beans and sweet pepper strips to a serving bowl. Add the blended margarine mixture; toss to coat.

Today we celebrate Day #2 of Healthy Living During the Holidays Week, and I'm honored to share with you a guest post courtesy of Valerie who blogs at http://seattlerunnergirl.com/. She's a thirty-something who is so incredibly committed to losing weight and has done an amazing job so far! She is passionate about sharing her journey with others, so listen up!



Hello all! When Sarah asked me to write a guest post about strategies to get through the holidays with your commitment to living healthy intact, I knew exactly what I wanted to write about. First off, though, let me tell you a little about me.

I have been obese since I was a senior in high school. I am now 34 years old and have just transitioned from "obese" to "overweight" according to the BMI scale. I have struggled to lose weight my entire adult life (my highest recorded weight was 298.6; I now weigh 189 pounds), and this is the first time I have succeeded and know that I will continue to succeed for the long-term. Other things to know about me? I love baseball; I'm a newlywed; I also enjoy salsa dancing, hanging out with my niece and nephews, and good Lebanese food, among other things.

One thing I have wanted for a very long time is to work through my emotional "issues" with food and develop a healthy, normal relationship with food. I believe that is possible for every one of us, but the journey sure looks different for us all! And that's the context in which I want to talk about holiday eating.

If you don't mind, close your eyes for a moment and think of the person in your life who you would identify as the healthiest person you know. A sister, friend, co-worker; someone who maintains a healthy weight, who eats healthy almost all the time, and who doesn't beat herself up when she chooses to eat something less-than-perfectly-healthy. That person? That's my goal. And I hope it is yours, too.

For me, achieving this goal is as important to me as achieving a healthy weight. Because adopting the mindset and practices of that healthiest-person-I-know? That is what is going to allow me (and you) to maintain my healthy weight once I get there.

So how do healthy weight folks approach the holidays? I have some thoughts on this myself, and would love for you to share your ideas with me, too!

Strategy #1: Focus on the WHOLE reason we celebrate holidays, instead of just the food.
People who have a healthy, normal relationship with food look forward to the holidays for a myriad of reasons, only one of which is the food. *gasp* I know, right?!? You mean someone looks forward to Thanksgiving without their focal point being the pumpkin pie?! People enjoy Halloween without overdosing on candy?! Who on earth ARE these people? I'll tell you who they are; they are the ones who make it through the holidays while maintaining their weight, enjoying the food, but also celebrating and enjoying everything else important about the holidays.

If you are spiritual or religious, many holidays already have a higher meaning for you. If not, think of all the other reasons to anticipate the holidays: we get to spend time with the people we love. Time off of work. Focusing on fun traditions that are outside of our everyday routines. And, yes, the wonderful food of the holidays, too. It's not that you should ignore the food or that looking forward to it is "bad;" it just shouldn't be your only focus.

Strategy #2: Enjoy holiday food in moderation.
Guess what? If you give yourself permission to go hog-wild on your eating every time a special occasion comes along, you will have a very hard time losing weight and/or keeping it off. Most people who maintain a healthy weight do indulge a little on the holidays. Maybe they’ll choose to eat an extra small plate at Thanksgiving dinner, or enjoy a dessert when they might not otherwise do so. Usually, though, that's where it ends. They treat the holidays like they do everyday life - with moderation. And while moderation can look a little different on holidays, that doesn't mean you throw it out the window altogether.

Don't let [insert favorite food holiday here] be an excuse to eat with wild abandon for a four-day weekend. Instead, identify the foods you don't get to eat the rest of the year, and enjoy them in reasonable portions. As my uncle says, it’s always something. Christmas, Valentine’s Day, your birthday, his birthday, your uncle’s cousin’s dog’s birthday, Thanksgiving, Independence Day…you get the idea. Special occasions aren’t as rare as we make them out to be.

Strategy #3: Stay committed to working out on special occasions.
I have friends who work out 5-6 days a week, no matter what. Yep, you heard that right – no matter what. It’s raining? They do it anyways. On vacation? They fit it in. In a remote locale with no access to a gym? They lace up their shoes and run or pull the resistance bands out of their suitcase and workout anyways.

Working out can cover a multitude of gastronomical “sins.” You can’t exercise 30 minutes per day and justify eating 3,000 extra calories that day. But if you commit to 45-60 minutes of high intensity exercise 5-6 days/week, you can probably choose one food indulgence per day over the holidays and maintain your weight just fine. Not to mention the fact that if you keep your body moving, you’ll sleep better and be able to enjoy little breaks from your holiday-peeps – those family and friends you love oh-so-much but sometimesyoujustwanttokillthemtoo.

So there you have it. My long-winded approach to enjoying the holidays and not regretting them when I step on the scale in January. These are just a few tips; what strategies do you use to enjoy the holidays without guilt and without weight gain?

To kick off Healthy Living during the Holidays Week, I'm giving away a Weight Watcher’s cookbook:


There are multiple ways you can enter, for up to 4 total chances:

1) Comment on this post.  Tell me what your favorite holiday recipe is, and if not already "healthy" tell me how you think it could be lightened.  It isn’t required, but how about sharing the recipe in your comment as well. 

2) Follow me on Twitter – and tweet this: Enter to win a Weight Watchers cookbook from @fatlittlelegs for Healthy Living During the Holidays week:  http://tinyurl.com/26yrrht .  Leave me a comment telling me you tweeted

3) Post a link to this giveaway and promote Healthy Living during the Holidays Week on your own blog. Please leave me a comment with a link to your post.

4) Follow my blog by Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS Feed, or subscribe to updates by email. Leave me a comment telling me you subscribed, or that you were already subscribed.

The contest will run all week... until next Saturday, November 20th at 9:00 pm Central Time.  The winner will be chosen at random from all comments on this post.  This contest is open to readers from the US and Canada only.  As full disclosure, I purchased this cookbook, and am giving it away to one of you because I want you to have some GREAT recipes to choose from during this holiday season.

I have a VERY exciting announcement about something I've been planning for you the past couple of weeks. A few Fridays ago, after a healthy dinner and a few glasses of water couple glasses of wine, I had the bright idea to bring together some bloggers that I love to read, alongside myself to present to you a whole, fabulous, week filled with posts, tips and tricks, a giveaway, and recipes to help you live the healthiest, happiest, holiday season EVER! After much planning… I am so excited to present to you:


Healthy Living During the Holidays Week here at FatLittleLegs!

Starting next week, I’ll be bringing to you 7 full days of information that is going to make this whole holiday season easier. Here’s a preview of what’s coming

 A Weight Watchers Cookbook Giveaway

 Strategies for Living Healthy During the Holidays

 Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes

 Surviving the Trip: Planes, Trains and Automobiles

 It’s a HoliDAY not a HoliWEEK, MONTH or YEAR!

 Shifting your Focus: From Food to Blessing Others

 Make your decision… its up to you.

Yes, its true… the average American gains 7-10 pounds during the holidays. But you don’t have to be one of them.

So stay tuned and make sure to either subscribe to my RSS Feed OR use the form on the right side of my blog to sign up for posts delivered direct to your email each day, to make sure you don’t miss a minute of the fun!

I wanted to write about something "easy" tonight.  Maybe a fun recipe, or the exciting announcement I have regarding next week here at Fat Little Legs, but instead I've decided to postpone those things for some harder material, something I don't want to talk about - the struggles of the week past 2 months.

First, I'm just going to come out and state it.  I am NOT happy with my progress since I hit goal over 2 months ago.  As of last week I was only down 3.5 pounds since then.  As of this week it appears to be even grimmer, but we'll save those stats for the official weigh in tomorrow.  I can't figure out what is wrong with me.  I am guessing it is one of these things:

a)  I hit goal and I'm "cheating" a little - not measuring as well, sneaking BLTs, feeling I deserve it, etc.
b)  My body is on a true plateau.
c)  My focus has not been on weight loss and has been shifted to other things
d)  I have been stressed.
e)  All of the above.

I'm going to pick e - All of the above.  Now, you might be thinking... wow here she goes with the excuses, but I assure you, I am NOT here to make excuses.  I am here to confess, figure out the reasons I've been struggling, and hopefully formulate some strategies to move onward and downward.  All of these things I feel have been true.  None of them are A LOT true, they are all just a little true.  Enough so that my weight loss has been stagnate.  Enough so that I feel out of my groove.  I need to get my groove back.

How will Sarah get her groove back? 
Well... let's start with this:  What am I already doing right? 
For starters, I have been downright awesome with the exercise.  I have consistently exercised 5 days a week, since I've hit goal.  Exercise... check!  Next, I have been drinking awesome amounts of water.  Water... check!

What do I need to work on? 
Step AWAY from the scale - I've admitted in the past my scale abuse.  This week a sudden huge gain on the scale threw me off my game.  I did what I know NOT to do, and I kind of threw in the towel on a few things.  So... starting tomorrow for 1 week - until next Thursday's weigh in, NO weighing myself.  I'll make my husband hide the scale if I have to.  We need a scale intervention here.  The number on the scale does NOT and will NOT define me.  I am worthy no matter what is happening with my weight. 

Measure and Count - Rinse and Repeat - I admit, I have been sloppy with the measuring.  I have been especially bad with butter.  Yes, I eat real butter, and I love it.  None of that fake I Can't Believe Its Not butter spray in this house!  It's other things too.. a handful of cashews, a lick of a knife that was used to make a peanut butter sandwich, the list could go on.  I need to stop it.  I know how to measure, I know how to be in control.  I need to get myself back to that place.

Eat more Fruits/Veggies - As my daily points target has decreased, my ability to fill myself with the things I always have is much more limited.  I have to be smarter about how I allocate my daily points.  Filling my meals with more fruits and veggies will really help curb hunger, and keep my points count lower.  They are also so incredibly good for you.  I want to fuel my body with wholesome, healthy foods. 

Find Food Alternatives - I have been eating more out of emotions these last few weeks.  My husband has been working late hours, and we try to wait for him to eat dinner, but sometimes I get restless and bored in the hours between getting home from work and eating dinner.  These have been my weakest moments.  I certainly don't blame his later hours, but it is interesting that the weeks with my lowest weight loss success in 2 years have parallelled the change in his hours.  The good news, he is done with working so late starting next Monday!  The even better news... I know better, and I can fix this.  I need to get dinner going, and step away from the kitchen.  I need to find alternative things to do that don't involve food.  I do have a 3 year old, this should not be hard... rousing game of Chutes and Ladders, anyone?

Now, will you join me?  Has your weight loss been stagnant, or less than desirable?  No matter what food program or diet you are following, tell me, what are you doing right?  What do you need to work on?  How will you challenge yourself to be healthier in the coming week?

Starbucks Cinnamon Chip Scone
480 calories, 18 grams of fat, 70 grams of carbs
11 Weight Watcher Points

Bruegger’s Western Bagel Sandwich
760 calories, 56 grams fat, 66 grams of carbs
20 Weight Watcher Points

Large Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha w/whipped Cream
660 calories, 22 grams fat, 100 grams of carbs
15 Weight Watcher Points

As we near the holidays especially I start to think about some of the things I used to eat – things that I once thought I could NOT live without. The things listed above. When I’d start to think about life without my dear, sweet, Cinnamon Chip Scone I would feel a tear slide out of the corner of my eye. Oh, and you cannot possibly expect me to go through a holiday season without the sweet sip of my beloved Peppermint, White Chocolate Mocha!

In the beginning when I started Weight Watchers I could easily slip a treat – OR TWO! – into my daily or weekly allowance. I was working the program. I was losing weight. I was having my treats and losing weight too. Life was good, and I was happy! I could do this, and didn’t HAVE to live without these things I felt I so desperately needed. Crisis Averted.

Fast forward about year… I had lost about 70 pounds, and while happy with my weight loss, I felt I could do more to improve my health. I also didn’t have 34 daily points anymore. See, as you lose weight – with Weight Watchers or any plan – your daily caloric intake decreases. Weigh less = need less food; simple science. Instead of getting 34 points a day I was getting about 26 points a day. It was becoming much harder to fit in my treats, so maybe instead of weekly I’d only indulge every 2 week s or so.

Fast forward another year to today. I only get 23 points a day, 11 points less than when I started. If you aren’t Weight Watcher’s aware an example of a 1 point food is an apple. I’ve certainly had to adjust my food intake in some BIG ways to account for the lesser quantity of food. And now, I find a funny thing has happened. I very rarely find myself being able to justify eating one of the items above. Does that mean I NEVER eat these things? Absolutely NOT, but it does mean that I eat them WAY less, AND the amazing thing is that I don’t care. Let me say that again:

I DON’T CARE!!!

I don’t care about missing out on a scone, or a white chocolate peppermint mocha. It doesn’t hold the same value to me as it once did. I’ve found substitutes that taste nearly as good for a mere fraction of the fat and calories. I’ve discovered that the General Foods International Coffee’s Peppermint Mocha is a mere 50 calories per serving, and with a little fat-free RediWhip, it satisfies my craving. I’ve also discovered VitaTops… 1 point of pure decadence.

But, I’ve discovered an even bigger secret. These foods will always be there. I am not going to miss out on something life changing if I don’t eat them. It isn’t going to make my life any less grand. Christmas won’t be ruined, Thanksgiving will still happen, and they’ll still hold the same sentiment they always did. Life will still go on! I’ve discovered that being able to run a 5k, wear a size 8, chase after a giggling 3 year old, and have obesity erased from my medical record, means way more than eating any of these things.

And I ALWAYS remember: “Eating it will NOT change your life, but NOT eating it will.”

– Ellen Fuhrer.

I can now stand in the truth of that statement… my life has been changed!

This is a recipe that my husband and I have eaten since we were first married at the ripe, young age of 21.  It is a hamburger curry... it's easy, and cheap to make, and very, very tasty.  I know it sounds a little weird, but if you like curry, trust me, you should definitely try it.

I'm so glad that this stressful week has almost come to an end. The promise of the weekend and of a new week are about the only thing that has me going right now. Since it seems like so much has gone wrong this week, I’d like to take a minute to focus on what has gone right – what I am grateful for.

I'm grateful for...

• Halloween! I love the innocence and excitement of children. Having my son look at me and say, “This is the bestest Halloween day EVER!” could not have made me smile more. And what a cute bumblebee he was.
• for awesome friends to watch football with every week, and to trick or treat with on Sunday.
• a house to come home to every day, a bed to sleep in and that I can afford to heat my house during these chilly mornings.
• losing another pound at Weight Watchers yesterday – bringing my total to 109.8 pounds lost!
• my job, it challenges me daily.
• a blood pressure of 98/62, a fasting glucose level of 89, a normal thyroid function test, and a normal vitamin D level. Healthy as a horse… I guess.
• some gorgeous, sunny late fall, days, and for my husband spending one of those days to clean out the gutters and prep the yard for winter.
• good cheese and cheap wine from Trader Joes.
• silly 3 year old laughs that fill my house with joy!
• a hot, steaming mug of cocoa.
• Godiva chocolate caramels!
• the body that I've been given, and a second chance to care for it like it deserves.

What are you grateful for on this Friday?

When I was pregnant with my son, among one of the many problems I had was the development of gestational diabetes.  There's nothing more fun than being pregnant, already feeling nauseous too much, only being able to eat certain foods, and needing to prick your finger 4 times a day.  Fortunately, it was all worth it in the end.

Unfortunately, statistics are starting to show that 60% of women who develop gestational diabetes, will go on to develop type 2 diabetes with 5-10 years.  WOW!  That will wake you up.  Did you see that? 
60 percent! 

I of course, ignored this dooming statistic for a year after my son was born - along with pretty much anything else related to my health and my weight.  I figured that statistic along with my lethargic, obese self pretty much doomed me to diabetes, and I sort of gave up. 

Every year, I have to go for a fasting glucose test.  The normal range of numbers is 60-99.  Here are results from 2008 - prior to my start of this journey:
5/10/2008 - 113
10/9/2008 - 95

Things didn't look too encouraging... I figured I was on my way to a fast date with my glucose testing meter.


Here's my result from last year - I was down 67 pounds at the time:
10/9/2009 - 91
Looking better...

And here's the result my doctor posted for me on Sunday (down 109 pounds):
10/30/2010 - 89

I am ecstatic!  I am determined to not become this statistic anymore.  And even if I do ... in the future ... I am determined to be the healthiest diabetic out there!

I've always loved this quote:

"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending."
- Maria Robinson

This is my new ending.  What are you doing today for your health and your life to create a new ending?

Hey guys snag this deal while it lasts... you can go to:


http://www.tanga.com/products/weight-watchers-magazine-subscription--20


and subscribe to Weight Watchers magazine for only $3.99/year by entering the code: WEIGHT  at checkout.
I just did it, and am looking forward to my first issue!

I did have a couple of pieces of candy, and allowed myself 3 pieces of my amazing Godiva chocolate, but I made it through relatively unaffected by the candy.  Of course with someone this cute in tow, you can only image the vast amounts of candy that people lavished upon him.

Watch out!  I STING!

Halloween 2008 - I'm happy, but "L" not so much



Halloween 2008 - Not AS scary



Halloween 2010 - Whew.. .much better!