Recipe Review: Maple Ham

Fall is just around the corner and I have to tell you that this is my favorite time of year. I love football, the sounds leaves make when they crumble under your footsteps, the colors, and slow cooker meals. I cook a lot of meals in my slow cooker. It's like magic! I get everything in the Crockpot the night before. Then before I leave for work I turn on the slow cooker. When I walk through the door, I can smell dinner waiting to be eaten! What could be better?

I like my crockpot so much that I posted a picture of it for you.




The recipe I made this week was from the cookbook I got as a present for Christmas this past year. It is called, "Make it Fast, Cook it Slow" by, Stephanie O'Dea. She has some great recipes. If you love slow cooker recipes you should check out her blog called, A Year of Slow Cooking.

Here is the recipe for Maple Ham.



This recipe requires very little prep work. Most of the time I make this on a Sunday, so that when Jon and I get home from church, lunch is ready for us. I always buy a smaller ham and cut the recipe in half or more, because just Jon and I eat it. Sometimes I have not had pineapple juice, as in this case pictured below. I just take any juice I have and add it in place of the pineapple juice. It takes great!



Here is the final product. I like to eat ham with rice and corn, but you could choice any sides you like. The ham does not get dried out which is great. This is such a great recipe!

Exercise Like Nobody is Watching

This is one of my very favorite Christmas ornaments. We bought it in Leavenworth, WA on my Honeymoon in December 2006. I do not normally purchase figurines in the shape of a dancing cow, but in this case I was willing to make an except. I just love her!



I wish that someone would take this same idea and apply it to exercise. Can you imagine little Christmas ornaments with female figurines of all shapes and sizes trying to exercise. Above her head she would be holding a sign that said, "Exercise Like Nobody is Watching". Can you picture it? I can. Personally, I think it's a great idea.

This reason I would buy an ornament like the one I just described, is because I could relate to that female figurine trying to exercise. I have always felt silly exercising in front of other people. My insecurities probably comes from my perfectionist personality. And from a knowledge that I possess absolutely zero athletic ability.

Whenever I go into the gym I never know how to use the machines. Then when I finally work up enough courage to try a machine I look and feel so uncoordinated and out of place. For this reason I have tried exercising at home. I put an exercise video on at home I make Jon leave the room. I do not want him around while I am making a fool of myself, trying to shred with Jillian. Does anyone else feel this way?

The one and only exercise that has never made me feel like a fool is running. You see when I run it is just me and the road in front of me, no one else. There are not any fancy machines that I have to learn to use, other then my iPod. I bring my iPod to help block out the world around me for a short mile or two. Surprisingly, on the road I do not even care about what others think, which is a freeing feeling.



I believe that running is the perfect exercise for me. To be honest though, I have not been exercising much all summer. I really want to get back into a normal exercise routine, that will most likely involve running! More details about my struggle to exercise to come.

What is your perfect exercise routine? If you have found one, do not worry. Try new exercises until you find the perfect routine for you.

Hey Men - Take Care of Your Health

Here is the latest email from Dr. Jacobs.

Learn the Facts about men and health care

When you get a preventive medical test, you’re not just doing it for yourself. You’re doing it for your family and loved ones:

• Men are 24 percent less likely than women to have visited a doctor within the past year and are 22 percent more likely to have neglected their cholesterol tests.
• Men are 28 percent more likely than women to be hospitalized for congestive heart failure.
• Men are 32 percent more likely than women to be hospitalized for long-term complications of diabetes and are more than twice as likely than women to have a leg or foot amputated due to complications related to diabetes.
• Men are 24 percent more likely than women to be hospitalized for pneumonia that could have been prevented by getting an immunization.

The single most important way you can take care of yourself and those you love is to actively take part in your health care. Educate yourself on health care and participate in decisions with your doctor. This site will help you get started.

Source: Healthcare Cost & Utilization Project and Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data.

Fighting Temptation

I have received some questions recently about how I am able to resist temptation and make healthy food choices. So when I found myself tempted this evening I decided to share my experience with you. To be completely honest, I have eaten more then I should have today. It is always harder for me to watch what I eat on the weekend, because I never really know what my schedule will look like. I need to get better at that, but that's a different story for another time.

Tonight, while Jon was at work, I went to the grocery store. For the most part I stocked up on healthy foods for this next week. As a special treat, I decided to buy some Pillsbury Orange Sweet Rolls for my husband. He is not on Weight Watchers and really doesn't need to be. The sweet rolls come in a tube and when I got home they had opened. I did not want to throw them away so I decided to bake them and save them for when Jon got home from work.

Those sweet rolls smelled so good as they baked and I really wanted to eat one. There it is, do you see it? Temptation. That's right at that moment when I wanted one of those sweet rolls temptation had entered my brain.

Then came the debate between temptation and logic.

Here are the things I knew:
1. I knew that because I was alone that I would end up eating more than one roll.

2. I thought of my new clothes that I just bought yesterday! I went shopping and found a pair of pants and a dress that were both on clearance. I was so excited about getting new clothes. I don't want to out grow my new clothes before I even get to wear them.






3. I thought about you, my readers. I have been so encouraged by your feedback and willingness to open up to me and I did not want to betray that trust.

4. I knew that I had other snacks to eat for dessert. I had just gone to the store to stock up on low points snacks and this would be the perfect time to eat them!

5. Finally, I knew that I had already eaten too much today and that if I had planned better it would be okay to eat these sweet rolls. But I had chosen to eat other things instead.

The timer went off for the sweet rolls. I pulled them out of the oven and iced them. Don't they look deliciously deadly! I am proud to say that I did not eat one, they are all in the fridge waiting for Jon to come home. Then I pulled out my camera to start taking pictures for this blog!




Like I said, I had other things to eat for dessert. This Italian Ice was so good and I did not feel guilty after eating this. As an added bonus it was only 2 points!


So, that was my experience with temptation tonight. I did it! It's not easy. But I have worked for almost two years to develop habits to help me resist temptation. I hope that this encourages you the next time you find yourself tempted to eat something that is not good for your weight loss program. If I can do it, anyone can!!

Just for fun, I thought I would post pictures of my new purse (that was also on clearance)!! I think it is the perfect handbag for fall and it is different from anything else I have ever bought. My favorite part are all the pockets.

Flashback Friday: My Summer before Weight Watchers

I am so excited to post my first Flashback Friday blog post. I got this great idea from my friend, Tia. If you want to know more about Flashback Friday, please check out her blog, The Adventures of Christopher and Tia. I hope to continue to post flashbacks on Fridays from now on.

I think that the most appropriate way to begin posting Flashback Friday blogs is to start with some pictures taken the summer before I joined Weight Watchers. All of these pictures were taken in July 2007, when I went home to attend two different weddings. The first week I was there, my brother got married and the second week I was a bridesmaid in another friend's wedding.

This picture was taken the first night I was back home. It is me and my college friend, Lisa. She and I have both lost weight since this picture was taken. I am so proud of her!

This picture was taken at my brother's rehearsal. It's me and my sisters. I can't believe how young we all look!

This is Jon and I hanging out before the second wedding. I almost used this picture for our Christmas card in 2007, because I only wanted people to see my face. I really did not want to send out a picture that showed just how much weight I had gained.

This picture is from the second wedding that Jon and I were in. I am the second from the left. Wow. I still cannot believe that I let my weight spiral so far out of control.

Visit Tia for more flashbacks.

My Unmet Expectations

It was a very challenging weekend for me. The news about my sister, Bobbi's pregnancy came as a shock to most of my family. This just is not what we expected.

All too often, I find that I want God to not just consider my expectations, but make life play out just as I have imagined. I form expectations about any given situation and just assume that God will work it out the way I want. Thankfully, that's not how God works. He is God and He knows what is best for me.

But let me tell you, it hurts to have unmet expectations. I was disappointed many times throughout my weight loss journey when things did not go as planned. I would eat really well and have a gain! There were other times when I made poor food choices and I would lose. I wanted the weight to come off over night and it took over a year. I wanted to lose 1-2 pounds per week. However there where some weeks where I only lost 0.2 pounds, I would think to myself, "Does this even count as a loss?".

I am sure that you have a list of things that have not gone your way, talk to God about it. Then we must learn to change our expectations so that we expect God to work in each and every situation in our lives. What used to be disappoint to us, now looks like the hand of God at work in our lives.

Our expectations must be realistic and flexible. I am not a very flexible person so this is challenging, but I want to begin to work on this in my life. I hope that you have the courage to do the same.

Below is Monday's Proverbs 31 Devotional that was such an encouragement to me. I hope that the Lord uses it to encourage you as well.

. . . . . . . . . .
Faith over Feelings
23 Aug 2010
Tracie Miles

"For you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long." Psalm 25:5b (NIV)

I spent months working on it, with big expectations and high hopes. But in the blink of an eye, it was crushed. This reality tore into my heart like a jagged knife, ripping my dream into tiny little shreds. Disappointment was so great; it was difficult to process my feelings. I had worked tirelessly on this project and now I was not only feeling disappointment, but rejection.

Disappointment soon turned to irritation, then resentment. I didn't FEEL it was fair.

Why didn't God answer my prayers? Why had He placed a dream in my heart only to allow it to crumble? Why had He let this happen? Why me?

I knew I needed to have a good attitude and not give up, but I did not FEEL like doing that at all!
Questions continued to pummel my brain. What is the use? Why try again? If God didn't answer my prayer after all this time, why bother to keep trying?

You see, I allowed my feelings to overtake my mind, and let my FAITH take a back seat.

All I could think about was how this disappointment made me feel, instead of what God may be doing that my faith could not see. I felt things weren't fair, without remembering God's ways are best. I felt a longing for immediate results, instead of trusting God's timing is perfect.

I soon realized my feelings were getting in the way of my faith. So I went to Psalm 25 (NIV), and allowed the following verses to wash over my spirit.

Verse 1, "To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;"

I felt discouraged, unworthy, hopeless, rejected. So I poured my feelings and my soul out to God. And He listened.

Verse 2, "...in you I trust, O my God. Do not let m e be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me."

God reminded me to trust Him, not a desire or a dream. Not the world's view of things. Not my abilities. Not my timeframe. Not my ideas. Just Him. I prayed about my enemies - intangible feelings such as self doubt, insecurities, frustration, and discouragement.

Verse 3, "No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse."

Regardless of whether or not my desires become a reality, I will not be put to shame, because God is my God. If His plans coincide with my dreams, I know He will keep His eternal promises.

Verses 4-5a, "Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me,"

These words stopped me in my tracks. I began to think more rationally. Why have I been beating my head against a wall? Why have I been consumed with anxiety and frustration? Am I allowing God to direct my paths? God gently reminded me that He is the teacher; we are the students.

Verse 5b, "...for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long."

If I put my hope in my own desires and abilities, I simply set myself up for failure. My only hope for joy and fulfillment comes from Christ alone. Hope can only be found in Him, not people, careers, husbands, children, church, financial success, a carefree life, or dreams that come true.

Disappointments will always happen. With God, however, we can turn those disappointments into God's appointments to trust Him. The first step is exercise our faith over our feelings.

Dear Lord, You know the hurt in my heart and the sting of disappointments I have experienced. Please help me trust You, instead of being consumed by feelings. Empower me with a faith that is stronger than my emotions. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Babies on the Brain

That’s right, today I have babies on the brain. This is something that has been on my mind for a while now and I doubt it will go away anytime soon and for good reason too, because both of my sister’s are pregnant!!

I can't wait to have two kids to spoil with love. Isn't that what an Aunt is supposed to do? I'm not sure, because I have never been an Aunt before. However, that's my plan.

Vivian and Daniel

Vivian (36 weeks) and her fiance' Daniel.

Introducing my nephew, Kenneth Thomas.
More pictures to come after he is actually born.

My youngest sister Vivian is pregnant (pictures above) with her first child and due September 9, 2010. She has had a very good pregnancy so far, both her and the baby are healthy...at least that's what the doctor tells us. She is ready to meet her son and so are we! Hopefully he comes right on time or a little early would be just fine with all of us.

Bobbi and Brayden

Brayden and Bobbi in May 2010.

My other younger sister Bobbi just announced this past weekend that she is also pregnant and due with her first child sometime in April. Her and her boyfriend, Brayden are very excited. More pictures of Bobbi and her baby to come, but for right now it is a little too early for that.

Please keep both of your sisters in your prayers.
- Pray for Vivian to have a good delivery and that God would keep both she ans Kenneth safe.
- Pray for Bobbi as she is just beginning her pregnancy, that God would be very close and real to her in this time.

Thank you for your prayers for my loved ones. I continue to be humbled by each of the blessings that the Lord has given me.

"Children are a gift from the Lord: they are a reward from him. Children born to a young man are like sharp arrows in a warrior's hands. How happy is the man whose quiver is full of them! He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates." Psalm 127:3-5

Recipe Review: Meat Sauce

Everyone says that, marriage is about compromise. These compromises must take place as you bring two entirely different people together into one family. But what are the things that couples have to come to agreements about? For Jon and I, one of the major differences between our families is their choice in spaghetti sauce.

My family lived off of spaghetti and sauce. It was cheap and would feed a lot of people, which was perfect growing up. Mom was always careful to buy the sauce that was on sale, that we could get for a good price. In most cases Mom would end up buying Hunt's Spaghetti sauce. Throughout my weight loss journey I have continued to eat Hunt's, because so of their flavors are zero points for 1/2 cup. I always have it on hand just in case I need it.

Jon's family values quality. In his family it is all about their homemade meat sauce. Jon is so picky when it comes to spaghetti sauce that he would rather make his own instead of buying it from the store. I am very thankful that Jon introduced me their family meat sauce, because it is so good!!

Last week Jon made meat sauce and I knew this would be the perfect time to write a recipe review for it. Here is the link for the recipe for Meat Sauce.

We use lean ground beef, however you can use whatever kind of meat that you prefer.


Here are some of the ingredients for the sauce. But I do not want you to be fooled, Jon is a chef and does not always follow a recipe. So, sometimes he adds additional spices to the sauce, because on what type of flavor he is looking for.


Just let everything simmer for a while and really let the flavors come together.


We like penne noodles, but you can make any kind of noodles you want.


The finished product! It is so yummy!! Like I said, Jon usually makes the sauce a little on the spicy side. It's okay, because of the sugar added to the sauce. It has that great sweet and spicy flavor. The best part is that we had a lot of sauce leftover for next time.

Helping Your Immune System

Here is the latest Get Fit email from Dr. Jacobs.

Last fall I signed up to be apart of a "Get Fit" group. I receive emails from Dr. Jacobs, on a regular basis. It is often such good information about healthy living and weight loss that I would like to share it with you.

Five ways you can help your immune system

If you didn’t have a functioning immune system, simply brushing your teeth would introduce enough harmful bacteria into your bloodstream to kill you. Luckily, your immune system protects you from these common, everyday bacteria.

Sight unseen, your immune system cells are constantly gobbling up bacteria and blocking viruses from invading your cells. Like your heartbeat or your digestion, the immune response is a function you don’t control. But there are plenty of things you can do to lend a helping hand.

1. Good hygiene. The first line of defense is to keep germs at bay by following good personal hygiene habits. Stop infection before it begins and avoid spreading it to others with these easy measures:
• Wash your hands with soap and water before preparing food and after using the bathroom.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you sneeze or cough, or cough into your elbow rather than your hand.
• Wash and bandage all cuts. Any serious cut, or animal or human bite, should be examined by a doctor.
• Do not pick at healing wounds or blemishes or squeeze pimples. Doing so allows germs to enter.

2. Vaccination. Many serious infections can be prevented by immunization. While some common side effects, such as a sore arm or low fever, may occur, vaccines are generally safe and effective. Consult your health care provider regarding your immunization status. In general:
• Children should receive the recommended childhood vaccinations.
• Adults should make sure their vaccinations are up to date.
• Travelers should get any necessary additional immunizations.

3. Food safety. Although most cases of food poisoning are not life-threatening, a few may lead to serious medical conditions, including kidney failure and meningitis. You can prevent most cases of food poisoning in your household by preparing and storing your foods safely. The following precautions will help kill germs that are present in the food you buy and help you avoid introducing new bugs into your food at home:
• Wash your hands with soap and water before and after each time you handle a raw food.
• Rinse all meat, poultry, and fish under running water before cooking. Rinse all fruits and vegetables under running water before cooking or serving them.
• Separate raw foods and cooked foods, and never use the same utensils or cutting boards with cooked meat that were used with raw meat.
• Cook foods thoroughly, using a meat thermometer to ensure that whole poultry is cooked to 180° F, roasts and steaks to 145° F, and ground meats to 160° F. Cook fish until it is opaque.
• Defrost foods only in the refrigerator or in the microwave.

4. Healthy travel. If you are planning a trip, ask your doctor if you need any immunizations. Discuss your travel plans with your physician at least three months before you leave. In addition:
• If you are traveling to an area where insect-borne disease is present, take and use an insect repellent containing DEET. In many tropical regions, mosquitoes can carry malaria, dengue, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, and many other serious infections. In many parts of the United States, ticks in meadows and woods carry Lyme disease or other diseases.
• Avoid getting any unnecessary shots, immunizations, or even tattoos abroad. Needles and syringes (even the disposable ones) are reused in some parts of the world.

5. Clean water. Some countries do not follow stringent standards of water safety. If you have any doubt about the food or water while traveling, take these precautions:
• Do not consume ice while traveling. Freezing does not kill all infectious microbes.
• Drink only bottled drinks — such as soft drinks or bottled water — that have secure caps. Be aware that some fruit juices contain impure local water.
• Boil all tap water before drinking or drink only bottled water; use bottled or boiled water to brush your teeth.
• Do not eat uncooked vegetables, including lettuce; do not eat fresh, uncooked fruit you have not peeled yourself.
• Do not consume dairy products (milk may not be pasteurized).
• No matter where you are, avoid drinking untreated water from lakes and streams, which can contain disease-causing organisms from human or animal waste. If you must drink the water, bring it to a rolling boil for one minute to reduce the chance of infection.

Meat Sauce

Meat Sauce

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds cooked extra lean ground beef
1/4 cup sugar
28 oz canned diced tomatoes
28 oz canned tomato sauce
4 tsp garlic herb seasoning
2 tsp table salt
3 tsp black pepper
4 tsp Italian seasoning
2 tsp ground red pepper
2 tsp unpacked brown sugar

Instructions
1. Brown ground beef in large skillet.

2. Add seasonings.

3. Once meat is fully cooked add tomato sauce and diced tomatoes.

4. Let simmer 5 minutes then add sugar.

5. Additional spices can be added to taste. Serve over spaghetti.

Serves 8 (1/2 cup); 5 pointsplus+, 4 points

For Recipe Review, click here.

Recipe Review: Meatloaf Muffins

As always I am so excited for the Recipe Review this week! It is another one of our favorite meals, Meatloaf Muffins. I found this recipe off of the Weight Watchers message boards. Here is the link for the recipe for Meatloaf Muffins.

I like meatloaf, however when I went to slice a normal sized meatloaf into ten servings it did not feel like I was allowed to eat very much. However, when I cook Meatloaf Muffins, they are already portioned out, so I do not have to cheat. I always feel like what I am eating is more than enough. The other advantage is that it is easy to make and I always end up with leftovers, which I love.

I mix all the ingredients together. Jon has always told me that the best way to make meatloaf is with my hands, so be prepared to get a little messy. I added some chopped up carrots to add extra flavor and healthy vegetables.


I spray each muffin cup with PAM cooking spray, so that the meatloaf does not stick to the pan. Separate the mixture into twelve individual muffins.


After only thirteen mintues my kitchen was filled with the wonderful aroma of meatloaf. These muffins will be fully cooked in thirty minutes.


I normally have two muffins for one meal, but that depends on how many points I have left for the day. I enjoy eating my meatloaf with barbecue sauce, but you can pair them with anything you like!


I hope you try and enjoy this as much as I do.

My Tools for Weight Loss

I question that I hear often is, “how did you do it?”. That’s one of the main reasons I began blogging. I knew that this was the easiest way to share what I have learned with a large group of people. This blog post started out as an ode to my lunchbox, because I finally broke down and bought one and am very excited about it. However, as I began to write I realized that there are people out there who might be curious to know what I consider my top five tools for Weight Loss. I’m not just talking about the scale to weigh myself on weekly at my Weight Watchers meeting, though that is helpful. I am talking about tools that I use every day that I could not live without! That even though I am in the maintenance phase of my weight loss I still cannot live without using these items once a day or more.

These are in no particular order, I think that each of them are crucial to be successful at Weigh Loss.

Measuring Cups and Spoons

Since I have joined Weight Watchers I have become so attached to my measuring cups and spoons, that I cannot live without them! I have two sets of them!! I have told my husband that I rely on measuring cups so much that I wish I could carry them in my purse. Imagine how great it would be to go to a restaurant and measure your food, so you can know exactly what you are eating. I have also considered investing in a third pair of cups and spoons so that I can keep one of them at work. Measuring is key! If I do not know how much I am eating I will not be able to track my points very well. This past Saturday, Jon went with me to a Pampered Chef party and ordered me a new solid and liquid measuring cup!! I can’t wait until to get here.

Ziploc Bags

I am trying to imagine my life without these and it is not pretty. I use Ziploc Bags all the time!! I use every shape and size of Ziploc bag. I use the Ziploc snack bags most often. When I get home from the store, I portion out all my food. For example: 1 cup of grapes or 1 cup of Cheerios. By doing this, it will be easier to grab healthy foods when I am hungry. If I prepare ahead of time it helps me to have more self control later on, because I went to all the trouble preparing it and I do not want my food going to waste.

My Food Tracker

For the majority of my Weight Loss journey I have used Weight Watchers online food tracker and even as a Lifetime member I cannot live without this tool. I love being able to track my food online and now Weight Watchers has an App, so I can track my food from my phone! I love it. It is so helpful to be able to enter in recipes that I have on the Recipe Builder and find out how many points each serving is going to be. It helps me know how much water I am drinking. It also helps me to keep track of my weight loss, it is all in the same place. You’re weight loss tracker does not have to look like mine and if you would like more information on a free tracker please, click here. If you are not writing down what you eat, it is not likely that you will be successful in your weight loss efforts. So Start Tracking!!

My Weekly Weight Watchers Meeting

I get so much encouragement from my weekly Weight Watchers meetings. I also get good ideas and learn about new low point foods from other members. I have gotten so many recipes. I learn more about what it looks like to live a healthy life and I now get to be an encouragement to others on their journey. I do not believe that anyone can lose a large amount of weight and keep it off on their own. You must have a support system and/or accountability partner to help pick you up when you fall down. All of us have gains, but it is those people who help us get back on track that are irreplaceable. We need people to remind us why we began this journey in the first place. If you are losing weight online that is great, but try to find a buddy that can help you along the way!

Fresh Fruit

I cannot make it through a week without buying and eating fresh fruit. I eat apples, strawberries, grapes, kiwis, peaches, mango, pineapple and more. Eating fruit at any meal is a regular occurrence for me. It is very filling, which is a major plus! It can also satisfy my sweet cravings. It is juicy and tastes so refreshing. I will try any fruit out there! If you are not eating a lot of fresh fruit I would encourage you to do so, because I have found it to be something that I just cannot live without.

For additional pointers, check out my Helpful Tips page. I would love to hear about the things that you cannot live without. Please email me your ideas and/or comments.

My Crazy Week

It has been such a crazy week so far and it is only Wednesday!! We have lost power at least three times in three days. I also had meetings Monday and Tuesday at work.


I live in East Texas and for the last two weeks we have had temperatures consistently over 100 degrees. Sunday night when Jon and I got home from Bible study our power was out. We had such a hard time sleeping in the heat without any fans or air conditioning. I was not going to open the windows because then the bugs will get in. So needless to say our sleep was restless at best. The power final came back on around 3:30am and we were so thankful to have the air conditioning on once again.

We lost power again Monday, while Jon and I were at work. Then we lost power Monday night. I woke up late, because my alarm clock was off and my phone had died! I called the electric company and they said that the power was going out, because of overheating. So my hope is that the weather will cool down and that we will not lose power again for a very long time.

Monday and Tuesday I have been attending meetings and training sessions for work. I am so tired of sitting in a room for hours on end and not being able to stand up and walk around. However, I am here to report a victory! At each meeting we had food provided for us. Way too much food! Just because we have a morning meeting does not mean we need to have a buffet set up, who really needs to eat that much in the morning? I don’t. While everyone else was eating cookies and other snack I resisted and only ate the snacks I had brought with me! I even made sure that I was sitting as far away from the snacks as possible. I’m so proud of myself for displaying such self-control. It is not easy, but I am making my best effort.

Quick Weigh-in Report:
Last week to told you that I was extremely frustrated with my weight gain of 2.6, which put me up to 138.8. However, I weighed in at my Weight Watchers meeting yesterday and I lost almost everything I gained last week! I lost 2.4 and am back down to 136.4! My hard work paid off this week. I was very careful to track almost everything I ate this week. I also had meetings at work on Monday and Tuesday, but I was able to control myself and did not over indulge.

A Lost Childhood

Here is the latest email from Dr. Jacobs.

Keep Weight off with This Kid Pastime
By RealAge

Many of us haven't done it since our skinned-knee playground days. But research shows it may help keep you slim. Hint: It involves two wheels.
We're talking about riding a bike. And the women in a 16-year study who remembered how to do it -- and did it every week -- had an easier time keeping weight off than the non-pedal-pushers in the group.

Pedals Against the Pounds
In the study, even adding just 5 minutes of biking to each day made a difference in weight management. Of course, more biking is probably better for your body. Women who biked about 4 hours a week had some of the most impressive weight-management numbers. And the best news? Biking seemed to be even more effective at stanching weight creep in women who were overweight or obese. During the study period, the odds of packing on 5 percent of their starting body weight were slashed nearly in half by just 2 to 3 hours of cycling a week.

Steady As She Goes
If you have any health conditions, talk to your doctor before hopping in the saddle. For healthy individuals who practice good road safety, cycling offers not only a low-impact way to burn calories but also an eco-friendly way to run errands and get around.

Realistic Goals

Here is a summary of my Weight Watchers meeting on August 10, 2010.

So after this week's meeting you may be asking yourself the following question: What does progress not perfection mean? Here is an awesome quote from Keith Cunningham that helped me to understand the meaning:

“Ordinary things consistently done produce extraordinary results”

That's what "progress not perfection" means to me.

Ordinary little changes if done consistently will get extraordinary results that you are seeking.

Too many times we focus on the end result. Too many times we think we are a failure because we’re not reaching milestones as fast as somebody else. Too many times we stop because we have not achieved our goal in the time we expected we would. Instead, if we focus on progress and perseverance, I think we’d move ahead further.

Am I making progress? Ask yourself this- Am I doing better today than I was a month ago, 3 months ago, 6 months ago? If yes, then you are on a right track! Keep going! If no, is it safe to say you've been missing your meetings? I have 72 miss you cards going out this weekend, vacation may be the reason for a few but could the reason for many be because members sat their exceptions too high and lost focus of the reason they started this journey?

Webster’s notes that perfectionism is “a disposition to regard anything short of perfection as unacceptable.” Perfect means “being entirely without fault or defect, or flawless like a perfect diamond."

We are all human so enough of this perfection thing. Reject perfection as a way of ever referring to your life journey. Here is something said by Wellness expert Pamela Peeke, MD 'When you look at pictures of people in magazines, don’t ever believe that they are perfect. Don’t use them as a goal to achieve. You’re looking at the results of hours of make-up applications, hair styling, and Adobe photo shopping. Believe me, I know. Being in front of the camera on TV and in photo shoots is an eye opening experience. I usually have to take a pressure hose to my face and hair when I’m done just to wash off the layers of war paint and hairspray. Then I peer into the mirror and see my freckles and the healthy glow on my cheeks once again. My freckles are not a flaw. They’re a piece of what makes me unique, memorable and human."

Webster’s likens progress “to a forward or onward movement (as to an objective or to a goal), advance; an expedition, journey; a gradual betterment.” Now we’re talking. This is about moving you forward through your life journey toward your positive goal of living a healthier happier lifestyle.

I really like the 80%-20% rule that Peeke developed and think you all will to so I am sharing it this week: Progress, not perfection, means that if you pay attention and work hard and keep your focus 80 percent of the time, you’re doing superbly well. The other 20 percent of the time, you get to be human. Did you blow off your workout today and go home, chill out. Pick it up again tomorrow. Fell off the wagon and binged? Stop beating yourself up. Learn from the experience and make the connection (e.g. had a bad day at work and you bolted for the fridge as soon as you got home). That’s part of your humanly 20 percent. Regroup as soon as you can and keep pushing forward. And, next time you have a rough day, you’ll be better prepared mentally to cope without self destructing.

Pound perfection out of your life and shoot for progress by practicing these simple exercises shared by Peeke:

1. Replace “I aim for perfection,” with “I aim for progress”. Practice saying that throughout the day. Write it in your journal pages.

2. Instead of saying “I wasn’t perfect,” proclaim proudly “I did the best I could, given the constraints and restrictions of my life. Hey, so what if you didn’t see the gym or you ended up eating later than planned? It happens. Get over it and move on, regrouping as best you can the next day.

3. Substitute “but” with “and” when you’re describing your journey: “Yea, I’ve removed 20 pounds but I have another 20 pounds to go,” versus “Yes, I have indeed removed 20 pounds and I’m getting more fit and I’m just pushing forward to remove the rest of my weight and achieve my goals.” Wow, what a difference.

4. Celebrate every ounce of progress you make. Never diminish your smallest achievement. Clap your hands with delight about the fact that you now eat a healthy breakfast every morning instead of skipping it as you’ve done for years. Don’t wait for 50 pound weight drops to give yourself an “Atta girl/boy”. Honor every step of this journey.

5. Pound perfection out of your lifestyle habits. Perfectionism creeps into your work and personal life. Have fun with this. Go into your perfectly organized closet and stick a red shirt with your whites just to play with yourself. Don’t make up your bed until later in the day. Laugh with yourself about how rigid you can sometimes be. Lighten up and smile as you continue your quest for progress, not perfection.

You can lose focus striving for perfection, or you can reach your goal by making progress. Which will it be?

My Bucket List

I love writing lists! One of my favorite things to do is write out a list and check off things that I have accomplished. Sometimes I will add things to my list that I have already done just so that I can have the satisfaction of crossing it off my list. For those of you who are wondering, yes, I am a first born and have ALL the first born tendencies in the book.

I also dreams. I actually have a lot of dreams, hope, and aspirations of things that I want to do before I die. Many people call this their “bucket list”. I have been thinking about my bucket list for a long time. One of my blog friends, Mrs. O, inspired me to sit down and write out my own bucket list and track as I accomplish each thing on my list. I finally sat down to write it out, which took way too long. I really feel that today is the perfect day to share this with you, especially after yesterday’s blog.

Please know that this is by no means a complete list. I have so much I want to do. I reserve the right to add to this list at anytime. In no particular order:

My Bucket List

Bold – Completed
Italics – In progress

1. Write a book
2. Get my book published
3. Learn to speak a language fluently
4. Become a mother
5. Reach my Ultimate Goal Weight of 135
6. Wear a size 4
7. Start and finish Jillian’s 30 Day Shred
8. Earn my Master’s degree
9. Earn my Doctorate degree
10. Go to Disney World
11. Run a 5K without stopping
12. Run a half marathon
13. Run a marathon
14. Live in another country for at least a year
15. Go skydiving
16. Go to China
17. Confidently wear a bikini
18. Become Best Friends with God
19. Go on a Missions Trip to Africa
20. Kiss my husband in front of the Eiffel Tower
21. Go on a Cruise
22. Win a Radio Contest
23. Become a Missionary Overseas
24. Pay off our School Debt
25. See the Pyramids
26. Ride an Elephant through the Jungle
27. Minister to Women, like Beth Moore
28. Go Backpacking through Europe
29. Learn to Ski/Snowboard
30. Change a Life
31. Learn to play the Piano
32. Go on a Girl's Vacation with my Mom and Sisters
33. Memorize an Entire Book of the Bible from Start to Finish
34. Go Scuba Diving
35. Climb a Mountain
36. Minister with College Friends
37. Learn Sign Language
38. Donate my hair to Locks of Love
39. Lead my favorite Tuesday night Weight Watchers meeting (For more, click here)

Weekend Warning

Here is the latest email from Dr. Jacobs.

Here is a early edition of our weekly encouragement. You will see why I sent it on Friday when you read on…

Why Weekend Weight Gain Happens (and How to Stop It)
Q: Why is it that when I go on a healthy weight loss plan, I lose barely a pound a week, but after the weekend, I've gained back more than a pound! It feels like I can't go out and have a glass of wine and dessert occasionally because it will take me a month to undo the damage.

A: You're a victim of the "weekend effect": extra pounds that suddenly appear on Monday morning and take weeks to lose. But it's not the glass of wine or occasional dessert that's creating those love handles you hate. On weekends, you're probably taking in way more calories than you realize. A 2008 study at Washington University School of Medicine found that dieters consistently gained weight on the weekends while losing weight during the week because they ate more on weekends. When you're kicking back, a few more chips and another margarita or a second slice of pizza-with-the-works seems okay because you were "good all week." You probably also eat out more on weekends, and at many restaurants, "single" portions are big enough to feed a family of three (seriously) yet find their way into your body of one. So here's our action plan for all weekends, not just one: Don't drop your guard on Friday night and pick it up again Monday morning. Walk more. Try to lose a little on most weekends. And keep a food diary: Writing down what you eat, especially on weekends, will help you have that glass of wine with no regrets.

Big Dreams Do Come True

If you are going to dream, why not dream big? Do you believe God is big enough to answer the desires of your heart?

Over the last six weeks, two of my closest friends have left the U.S. to go teach in various cities in Asia. Please pray for these women if you think of them.

Anna and I, were co-workers at the University. After Jon and I moved here from Oregon I began praying for a friend. At the same time I was also praying for a full-time job. Little did I know that my prayers would be answered in one shot! We could talk for hours and share a deep love for China. Anna was also the reason I joined Weight Watchers. She was my accountability partner. I could not have reached my goal without she support. Six weeks ago she left the University to move to China to teach English for at least two years.

Anna and I at my Weight Watchers meeting, when I reached Lifetime.


Michelle and I were inseparable in college. We share so many of the same interests that we never run out of things to talk about. We have been friends for almost six years. We have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly in one another. She was the Maid of Honor at my wedding and I look forward to being friends with her for the rest of my life. Michelle leaves today to go to Japan to teach for at least a year and a half.

Michelle and I at Jon's Graduation in May 2010.


Selfishly, I want them both to stay here in the U.S. so that I can have easy access to them when I need them. I am sad that my friends are gone. But I know that God’s plans for them and for me. I have shed many tears over their departures. It hit me really hard this morning, I was overwhelmed with sadness and an ache in my heart for my friends. However, the Lord reminded me of that He is making these ladies dreams come true!! They have dreamed of going to these countries for years. What could be more exciting then to actually seeing their prayers answered.

Then I got an email and God encouraged me even more. This morning’s Proverbs 31 Ministries devotional for the day is called, “Do You Have a Dream?”! Is that perfect timing or what? I’m so glad that the Lord knows what is on my heart and speaks directly to me. The Lord is fulfilling my friends dreams and I know that someday He will fulfill mine. Until that time, I must do as Lysa Terkeurst said this morning, be obedient in the small things. When I do that God will bring about big results!!

Recipe Review: Coconut Shrimp

Before you read this review it is important that you meet my husband Jon. Now that you have been formally introduced I can continue.



I was in a foul mood last night at my Weight Watchers meeting. Not only did I gain 2.6 pounds, but Aunt Flow dropped in which is never a pleasant visit...yuck! At my meeting, I went along with my regular routine and text my husband, Jon, to let him know how my weigh-in went. I told him about my discouragement and frustration, because I was expecting to have a better week then I did.

Jon, being the most incredible husband ever, asked what I would like for dinner. He knew that by making dinner it would be a huge help to me, and it was!! I told him that I was planning to make Coconut Shrimp and sent him the recipe. So I may not have made this recipe, but I ate it and it was good!!

Here is the link to the recipe for the Recipe Review this week.
Coconut Shrimp Recipe

This is another recipe that I found on the Weight Watchers message boards. I am not kidding when I say that those ladies have the best recipes!! Jon said that it was very easy to make and he just followed the instructions. Be sure you really spray the pan with cooking spray, because the shrimp really got stuck to the pan. It was hard to only eat one serving!

Taking the Long Road

Did you know that when I first began my Weight Loss journey I would pray that God would make me skinny? Every night I would lay my head down to go to sleep and I would pray, "Lord, please make me skinny. Let me wake up in the morning and be thin and healthy. Amen." I knew that if God wanted to answer my prayers He could. Could you imagine how awesome/scary it would be to wake up one morning instantly skinny!! God has the power to do that. You're probably wondering, if He has that power why doesn't He do that? Because we get to know Him during the wait.

My friend Michelle shared this poem on her blog "The Musings of a Journeyer". She said it "stuck a cord in her heart". After I finished reading the poem, it had struck a cord in my heart as well. I'm pretty sure that I have read this poem before, in college. God probably used it to encourage me then and He is using it to encourage me now and for that I am very thankful.

I have been trying to wait on the Lord and trust Him with a lot of details in my life, that He has not revealed to me yet. It's not easy to wait. But this poem so beautifully reminds me WHY there are times in our lives when God keeps the details to Himself, makes us wait on Him, and directions us to take the longer road..

In the book of Isaiah it says that it is while we wait on the Lord the our strength is renewed!! Some many times I have seen waiting as a waste of my time. I wish God would tell me what I need to do, so that I can get on with it. But that is not true at all! When we are waiting on the Lord, it is NEVER a waste of time. I am so thankful for the work that God has done in my life through my weight loss. I would not have been changed on the inside if I just woke up one morning skinny. My prayer is that I will become more thankful in those times of waiting. I pray that I will not waste time that God has set aside for me to know Him better.

Rejoice in the journey!!

Please take the time to read this beautiful poem:

"Wait"
Source: The Musings of a Journeyer

Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried; quietly, patiently, lovingly, God replied.
I plead and I wept for a clue to my fate, and the Master so gently said, "Child, you must wait."
"WAIT? You said 'wait,'" my indignant reply. "Lord, I need answers. I need to know why!
Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard? By faith I have asked and am claiming your Word.
My future and all to which I can relate hangs in the balance, and YOU tell me 'Wait?'
I'm needing a 'yes,' a go-ahead sign, or even a 'no' to which I can resign.
And Lord, I've been asking! I need a reply!"
Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate as my Master replied once again, "You must wait."
So I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut, and grumbled to God, "So I'm waiting...for what?"
He seemed then to kneel, and His eyes wept with mine, and He tenderly said, "I could give you a sign.
I could shake the heavens and darken the sun. I could raise the dead, cause the mountains to run.
All you seek, I could give, and pleased you would be. You would have what you want...
But you wouldn't know Me.
You'd not know the depth of my love for each saint; you'd not know the power that I give to the faint;
You'd not learn to see through the clouds of despair; you'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there;
You'd not know the joy of resting in Me when darkness and silence were all you could see;
You'd never experience the fullness of love, as the peace of My Spirit descends like a dove;
You'd know that I give and I save (for a start), but you'd not know the depth of the beat of my heart;
The glow of My comfort late in the night, the faith that I give when you walk without sight,
The depth that's beyond getting just what you asked of an infinite God, who makes what you have last.
You'd never know, should your pain quickly flee, what it means that 'My grace is sufficient for thee.'
Yes, your dreams and desires overnight would come true,
But oh the loss! If I lost what I'm doing in you!
So be silent, My child, and in time you will see that the greatest of gifts is to get to know Me.
And though often My answers seem terribly late, My most precious answer of all is still, 'WAIT.'"

Twenty Worst Drink Choices

Here is the latest email from Dr. Jacobs.

Here is an interesting article from Men’s Health magazine. It talks about some of the worst products out there and why they are bad. More importantly, it gives better choices. 20 Worst Drinks in America 2010

My Struggle with Closet Binge Eating

Last week I walked into my weekly Weight Watchers meeting, just like it was any other day. But I walked away floored by the information that had been shared with me. I have known now for quite a while that I am an emotional eater. What I did not realize until last week is that I am also a closet binge eater. However, I believe that emotional eating is deeply connected with binge and closet eating. On Friday I posted the Meeting Summary notes from last week’s Weight Watchers meeting. If you have not read them…you should! This could be an issue for you too and you just have not realize it yet. Please go read the notes, then come back and finish reading the rest of this blog...I’ll wait for you.

Well, are you a closet and/or binge eater? I am both.

As a binge eater, I will be very good at times and have self-control while other people are around. I care very deeply about what other people think of me. I am always wondering what people think about me when I eat something. I wonder what they think when I go for that second cookie. But, when I am alone, there are times where I find myself eating everything in the house. I probably binge eat alone to save face in front of other people.


For me, closet eating started at an early age. My Mom would go to the store and come home with snacks for everyone. I would eat them. Rarely would I eat them in front of everyone else, but I would take them in my room to eat them or I would scarf them down so no one would see that I was the one who had eaten the last cookie. Mom would ask us where the snack(s) went to and I would lie and tell her that, “It wasn’t me.” Little did I know it would start habit patterns that would continue on even into adulthood. To this day, this is my biggest struggle even at Lifetime, because I have a tendency to hide the food I’m eating.


At any moment my emotions can trigger either one or both of these negative eating habits. My main trigger emotions are stress, depression, and boredom. This past Saturday evening was so challenging for me, because I was sad and homesick while my husband was at work. This is a bad combination for me. Normally, when I get like this I just eat until I feel sick to my stomach. But this time I knew that this was not true hunger and I refused to give in to the demands of my emotions. I began to fight back by trying to distract myself. I brushed my teeth, turned on music, called a friend, got on the Weight Watchers message boards, and drank some water. The Lord gave me the victory, because Saturday I only ate one point over my Daily Points allowance!

If you do not know your trigger, trust me that it is worth it to take the time to find out. Daily we need to be on guard so that we can say no to unhealthy eating habits like these listed above. God is the source of all strength and we can do nothing apart from Him, so make sure to bring Him into your weight loss. I am here to testify that He is faithful!

Linguine with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Linguine with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Source: Southern Living, FEBRUARY 2010

Ingredients
1 (16-oz.) package linguine
1 (7-oz.) jar sun-dried tomatoes in oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 (4-oz.) package crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons thin fresh basil strips

Instructions
1. Prepare linguine according to package directions.

2. Drain tomatoes, reserving 2 Tbsp. oil. Cut tomatoes into thin strips.

3. Heat pine nuts in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, 5 minutes or until toasted and fragrant. Remove nuts from skillet.

4. Increase heat to medium, and sauté garlic in 2 Tbsp. reserved oil and olive oil in skillet 1 minute or until garlic is fragrant. Stir in tomatoes, and remove from heat.

5. Toss together tomato mixture, hot cooked pasta, feta cheese, and basil in a large bowl. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts.

Yield: Makes 6 servings

Asian Salmon

Asian Salmon

Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
1 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp onion, minced
1/2 Tbsp dark sesame oil
1/2 tsp dried dill weed
1 pound pink salmon fillet(s), 4 (4 oz fillets)

Instructions
Make several shallow slashes in the skinless side of the salmon filets. Place filets skin-side down in a glass baking dish. In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, pepper, onion and sesame oil. Pour the liquid over the salmon, cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium saucepan combine the rice, water and dill weed. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium low heat until rice is tender and water has been absorbed, about 20 minutes.
Remove cover from salmon, and bake in the marinating dish for about 30 minutes, or until fish can be flaked with a fork. Serve salmon over the rice, and pour sauce over.

Serves 4 Points 4

Stop Drop and Take Control

Here is a summary of my Weight Watchers meeting on August 3, 2010.



Ever find yourself binge eating uncontrollably? How about the sneak eating- hovering over the kitchen sink in the middle of the night so there is no crumb evidence? We have no problems eating an apple in front of others but an ice cream cone-NO WAY?

Lets learn a way to conquer these times. The best thing that you can do once you’ve realized you have lost control is to

1. Stop what you are doing.
2. Drop what you are eating
3. Have a plan to take control!

Identifying and understanding eating triggers can help you prevent this from happening. A trigger can be defined as something that sets in motion a course of events.

When it comes to eating triggers, they fall into three separate categories: trigger foods, trigger feelings, and trigger environments.

• Trigger Foods
A trigger food is a specific food that sets off a course of overeating where control is lost and excessive amounts are consumed. The most common trigger foods are sugar/fat combinations (e.g. ice cream, cookies) and fat/salt combination (e.g. nuts, potato chips). Food triggers are fairly uncommon and should not be confused with favorite foods (foods that are highly preferred), comfort foods (foods that are linked to a sense of home and contentment) or food cravings (desire for a food that has not been consumed in a long time). With a true food trigger it is the food, not an emotion or situation, that triggers the out-of-control eating. For example, open the bag of potato chips and it will be gone, regardless of mood, time of day or place. To help manage trigger foods, it is important to identify the food and avoid it altogether, at least for a certain period of time, and then reassess periodically.

• Trigger Feelings
A trigger feeling is an emotion, good or bad, that sets off a period of overeating. Unlike food triggers, which initiate overeating of a specific food, after an emotional trigger any available food will do. To manage trigger feelings, it is important to first identify the specific emotion that initiates the overeating and then develop positive strategies to cope with that emotion without using food.

• Trigger Environments
A trigger environment is a specific situation or place that sets off a period of overeating. Common examples include walking into a movie theater, going to a buffet restaurant, attending a sporting event or visiting a relative. To manage trigger environments, it is important to identify the specific location, people or events that set off the overeating. As with trigger foods, avoidance is an effective strategy for many people. For example, if the movie theater is a trigger, then going to a play or museum may be a better option. If visiting relatives in their home sets off an eating frenzy, ask to meet in a restaurant or elsewhere. When avoidance is not an option, it is important to develop tactics that minimize the likelihood of overeating.

Bottom Line – Inevitably, eating triggers happen. When this occurs, it is important to recognize them for what they are and think about how you could avoid it from occurring in the future. Behind every behavior – even negative ones – there is a positive intention. When you use food as a bandage for an emotional wound, you're seeking out a positive feeling. That feeling might be comfort, relaxation, happiness or entertainment. But whatever it is, you're eating in the hopes of achieving a positive state of mind. Think about the negative feelings that have caused you to use food as a bandage in the past. What positive feelings were you hoping to achieve by eating? Now try to imagine reframing these positive emotions with positive activities, rather than framing them with food. For example, what could make you feel less stressed, happier, more relaxed? Maybe you could frame these emotions with a call to a friend, a long walk, a good book or a hot bath. Keeping your hands distracted is a good technique and maybe keeping your mouth happy with a piece of sugar-free gum or candy. How many non-calorie activities can you come up with to help you heal an uncomfortable emotion? Be creative! After all, a cookie lasts as long as it takes to chew it, but a healthy lifestyle lasts a lifetime!

So what is going to be your plan to take control? Are you going to go for a walk, are you going to drink water, are you going to chew gum, are you going to phone a friend? It is important that the next time you find yourself eating uncontrollably, and you realize that you shouldn’t be, there has to be that next step. Have a plan for what YOU will do the next time you find yourself there.

Remember : WHAT YOU EAT IN PRIVATE SHOWS UP IN PUBLIC!