Thanksgiving Challenge: Week 6 - Power Up

For the last five weeks we have been making small changes to help us be more successful in our weight loss. It's hard to believe that we only have 3 weeks left!!

I am so excited about this week's task! This week, we are supposed to include one Weight Watchers Power Food at each meal. I included the Weight Watchers Power Foods List below so that you could begin to add in these foods throughout your day. I do not eat a Power Food with each meal, but I am going to try to accomplish this goal throughout this week.

Power Foods List

Fruits
Included: All fresh, frozen or canned fruits without added sugar (unsweetened) — whether or not it has PointsPlus values per serving

Not included: Dried fruit, fruit juices
Apple
Applesauce, unsweetened
Apricots
Banana
Berries, mixed
Blackberries
Blueberries
Boysenberries, fresh or frozen, unsweetened
Cantaloupe
Casaba melon
Cherries, fresh
Clementine
Cranberries, fresh
Currants, fresh
Dates, fresh
Elderberries
Figs
Fruit cocktail, canned, unsweetened
Gooseberries
Grapefruit
Grapes
Guava
Honeydew melon
Jackfruit, uncooked
Kiwifruit
Lemon
Litches (lychees)
Lime
Loganberries
Loquats
Mandarin orange (tangerine)
Mango
Melon balls
Mulberries
Nectarine
Orange
Papaya
Passion fruit
Peach
Pear
Pineapple
Plums
Pomegranate
Raspberries
Sharon fruit
Pumpkin
Starfruit (carambola)
Strawberries, fresh
Tangelo
Tangerine (Mandarin orange)
Watermelon

Vegetables
Included: Most fresh, frozen, or canned without added sugar or oil — whether or not it has PointsPlus values per serving; potatoes — white, red, sweet
 
Not included: Juices, vegetables prepared with ingredients that are not Weight Watchers Power Foods (for example, corn in butter sauce, dried tomatoes packed in oil); avocados; French fries; olives; plantains; sweet pickles
Artichoke hearts, cooked
Artichokes, cooked
Arugula
Asparagus, cooked or uncooked
Beans
Beans, refried, fat-free, canned
Beets Bok choy, uncooked
Borscht
Broccoli, cooked or uncooked
Brussels sprouts, cooked
Cabbage, all varieties, cooked or uncooked
Carrots
Cauliflower, cooked
Celeriac, cooked
Celery
Chard, Swiss, cooked
Collards, cooked or uncooked
Corn
Corn on the cob
Cucumber
Dandelion greens, cooked or uncooked
Edamame, in pods
Eggplant, cooked or uncooked
Endive
Escarole
Fennel
Giardeniera (vegetable medley, without olives, packed in vinegar)
Grape leaves
Greens beet collard dandelion kale mustard turnip
Jerusalem artichokes (sunchokes)
Jicama
Kohlrabi
Leeks, cooked
Lentils, cooked
Lettuce, any type
Malanga
Okra, cooked or uncooked
Onion
Parsnips
Peas
Pepper, any type
Pimientos, canned
Potatoes
Potatoes O’Brien, frozen
Potatoes, new, cooked
Potatoes, sweet
Potatoes, white or red
Pumpkin
Radicchio, uncooked
Radishes
Rhubarb, cooked or uncooked
Rutabaga, cooked or uncooked
Salad
Salsa
Sauce, tomato, canned
Scallions
Spinach, cooked or uncooked
Sprouts
Squash
Squash leaves
Stir-fried vegetables, without sauce
Taro, cooked
Taro leaves, cooked Tomato paste
Tomato puree, canned
Tomatoes
Turnips, cooked or uncooked
Yam
Zucchini, cooked

Whole Grains
Barley
Bulgur
Cereal, hot
Cornmeal
Couscous, whole-wheat
Hominy, cooked or canned, whole
Kasha (buckwheat groats)
Macaroni
Millet
Pasta
Popcorn
Quinoa
Rice brown, cooked wild, cooked
Spaghetti
Urad dal (split matpe beans without skin)
Wheat berries, cooked

Non-Fat Dairy and Dairy Substitutes
Cappuccino made with fat-free milk
Cheese cottage, fat-free hard or semisoft, fat-free soy, fat-free ricotta, fat-free
Cream, sour, fat-free
Creamer
Latte made with fat-free milk
Milk fat-free soy, calcium-fortified, unflavored
Soy cheese, hard or semisoft, fat-free milk, calcium-fortified, plain yogurt, plain
Yogurt fat free, plain light, artificially sweetened

Lean Proteins
Not included: Canned fish or shellfish packed in oil; meats or fish with breading or added fat; Processed meats, such as hot dogs 
Beans, refried, fat-free, canned
Beef
Beef, ground
Bison, lean, all visible fat trimmed, cooked
Buffalo, water, trimmed, cooked or raw
Caviar (fish roe), any type
Chicken breast drumstick giblets, cooked gizzard, cooked
Cornish hen, cooked, without skin
Egg whole, chicken substitute white, chicken
Elk, cooked or raw
Fish
Ham
Lamb
Lobster, steamed
Luncheon meat
Ostrich, cooked
Peas, black-eyed (cowpeas), cooked
Pork
Sashimi
Seitan
Shark, cooked
Shellfish
Tofu
Tripe, beef, cooked
Tuna, grilled, frozen
Turkey
Veal
Vegetarian burger, frozen, fat free
Venison, cooked

Plus More
Bouillon (any type except court)
Bread, reduced-calorie, any type
Broth, any type
Chicory (curly endive)
Gelatin, sugar-free
Kim chee
Muffin, English, light
Mushrooms
Pickle, unsweetened
Pico de gallo
Poi
Roll, hamburger or hotdog
Sauerkraut
Soup
Sweetbreads, cooked
Tempeh (fermented soybean cake)
Water chestnuts
Watercress

Wordless Wednesday: Our Little Pumpkin

Thanksgiving Challenge: Week 5 - Take Time

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We are already on week 5 of our 8 Weeks to Thanksgiving Challenge!! I cannot believe that we are more than halfway done with our challenge!! We have already tracked and discovered, enjoyed friends without food, snacked and tracked, and got active.

This week is called, "Take Time", because Weight Watchers wants us to set aside 5 minutes of "Me Time" a day to reflect on how well we are following the Weight Watchers program.

When I first read about this topic, I laughed! I am a Mom of an 8 week old little girl and some days I don't even have time to take a shower! However, Weight Watchers wants me to find time to take for myself!? Impossible! I realize that this isn't the best attitude to have, but I want to be honest with you all and let you know that this did not come easy for me. I wasn't sure how I would be able to do this every day.

It seems like I don't have time for much of anything these days and I am nervous that I will not be able to successfully complete this part of the challenge. However, I do think that this is important to my weight loss success, so I am going to try. I hope that you will do this with me!

First, sit down and figure out the best time for your 5 minute "me time". Your time is not going to be the same as mine and that's okay. Make sure that you put your "me time" on the calendar or in your phone, so that you do not forget about it.

Next, make the most of your time. Like I said earlier, I do not have 5 minutes to waste each day. Below are just 3 questions to ask yourself during your 5 minute check-in. Really make an effort to reflect on your day and make changes so that you can be more successful tomorrow!

- What did I do well, that I should keep doing?
- What will I try to do differently in the future?
- What are my top 3 goals? Has anything changed?

This is a very important week, because we've got roughly 225 food-related decisions to make each day! Taking just 5 minutes each day to check-in with our Plan can inspire more thoughtful decisions - and better numbers at the scale.

Share in the comments section when you plan to have your "me time" each day this week.

Thanksgiving Challenge: Week 4 - Get Active

How are you all doing with the 8 Weeks to Thanksgiving Challenge? Have you been making some good changes that are impacting your weight loss journey?

For me, life has been busy, so I am glad that I have been able to do this Thanksgiving Challenge and focus on a small goal each week. Even though these changes seem small, they will help me to reach my ultimate weight loss goal.

Last week, during week 4 of our Thanksgiving Challenge, Weight Watchers wants us to try a new activity for 10 minutes everyday. Just 10 minutes!!

Here are a few examples that were given during the Weight Watchers meeting of ways that people met last week's challenge.

What can you do in 10 minutes?

- Climb stairs

- Walk (outside or on a treadmill)

- Run

- Jump rope

- Turn your house into a gym

- Follow the TV leader

- Have a ball

 

When can you sneak it in?

- at the mall

- buying groceries

- at a sporting event

- gassing up the car

- at a sporting event

- making dinner

- in the office

- watching TV

- picking up the kids' toys

Please leave a comment and share the 10 minute workout that you fit in last week.

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Week 5 - Take Time

Don't forget that this week we are going to spend 5 minutes each day reflecting on how you plan to work the Program into your day!!

Buttons and a Zipper

I've been wearing maternity clothes for months. I have a good reason for being in maternity clothes and her name is Olivia! I do not regret the time that I have spent wearing maternity clothes. However, I am more than ready to begin wearing clothes that come with buttons and a zipper!

Unfortunately, I have very few clothes that fit me right now. I still don't fit into my normal clothes yet, because of the extra baby weight I put on during my pregnancy. I don't have any bigger sizes, because I gave them away after I reached my weight loss goal.

On Saturday, I decided to make a special trip to Target to get some jeans that actually fit. I needed at least one pair of jeans that fit me for two very simple reasons. First, my overall self confidence is better when I am wearing clothes that fit me, because I think I look good. Looking and feeling good helps to motivate me to continue to lead a healthy lifestyle. Second, while I lose my baby weight I want to wear pants with buttons and a zipper so that I know whether or not I've eaten too much. It is hard to wear stretchy clothes all the time, because it makes it harder to tell if I have eaten too much and/or have gained weight.

Thankfully, Target had jeans on sale for just $15!!

I love my new jeans and the way they make me feel! Ultimate, it's not about the number on the tag or on the scale. I believe it is more important that I am happy with myself. These jeans helped to give me a proper dose of perspective. It was also encouraging to realize that even though I have to lose some weight, it is nothing compared to what I had to lose when I begin my weight loss journey in 2008!

{Just for fun}

Here is a new picture of Olivia! She is almost 8 weeks old!

Thanksgiving Challenge: Week 3 - Snack and Track

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I cannot believe that we are already on our 3rd week of our Thanksgiving Challenge!! Before we move on lets review what we have learned so far.

Week 1 - Track and Discover
We need to be tracking no matter what! We need to be tracking even when we make poor food choices. It's important to find a way of tracking that works for you, especially if you hate tracking.

Week 2 - Friends Without Food
There are more important things in life than food! Let's stop focusing on the food on our plates and begin to pay attention to the people sitting across from us! Find other activities to do with your friends that won't jeopardize your weight loss program.

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Week 3 - Track and Snack

This week we are focusing on tracking all of those late night snacks!! This week's topic is perfect for me, because I have always been a late night snacker! Even while I was losing weight the first time on Weight Watchers I would plan my day knowing that I would want to enjoy some after dinner snacks. I would save the majority of my daily pointsplus, so that I could eat dinner, dessert, and a snack.

I'm going to be honest when I say that I wasn't willing to change my habits. However, I did set up a few rules for myself so that I would be able to continue to stay on plan.

1. No eating past 9:00pm.
2. Track what I eat.
3. Make healthy choices. For example, I would eat Veggie Straws instead of buttery popcorn.

These rules have been really important over the last 7 weeks as I have been up late with Olivia. I want to eat and snack while I am up with Olivia, but I have to remind myself of the rules I set up for myself. It's okay to eat, especially if I am genuinely hungry, but I need to make sure that I still make good choices.

Oh! One more thing, do you remember how I told you I struggle with closet/binge eating? One of the main reasons I like eating late at night is because there isn't anyone around to watch me eat. This is a bad habit that is so hard to break. I think in the last 7 weeks, I have even fallen back into this more than I would like to admit. If you struggle with this too that's okay! You are not alone!

This week, how do you continue to stay in control and on plan during the late night hours?

P.S. It's a miracle I even got this post written, because Olivia's being fussy today. I put her in the Moby Wrap and she finally fell asleep long enough for me to finish this. I love being a Mommy!

Thanksgiving Challenge: Week 2 - Friends Without Food

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Sorry that I left you hanging last week without anything about the Thanksgiving Challenge. I cannot believe that there are just six more weeks until Thanksgiving!!

Last week's step was to find opportunities to socialize without eating. I have a hard time with this one, because my family and friends like to eat! When I spend time with my friends and/or family foods is always involved. I think that this is just the routine we have gotten into, because we cannot come up with anything else to do. Just in case you are like me, I have included a list from Debbie Brzozowski that gives us some great ideas of ways to have fun without food.

Is this a challenge for you to? Last week, what were some ways that you began to socialize without food?

- Go to your local Chamber of Commerce/Visitor’s Center (or go online) and find out about all the free, fun stuff to do in your town.
- Go to a local museum (libraries have free passes!)
- Check out your city-center or downtown area.
- Visit the historical sites in your town.
- Take a ride on public transportation. You see things differently when you are not driving.
- Visit a state park.
- Walk your dog.
- Go roller-skating.
- Go fishing.
- Go for a bike ride in your neighborhood.
- Have a picnic.
- Go bird watching.
- Hike through the woods.
- Go to the beach.
- Watch a sunset.
- Find a non-profit that you are passionate about and get involved.
- Play “Design on a Dime” and change up a room in your home
– swap out towels, placemats, flower vases, etc. and recreate a room with stuff you already have.
- Make crafts that can later be given as holiday gifts.
- Make a home movie.
- Make sock puppets.
- Have your kids put on a play.
- Write a letter to a friend or family member (preserve the lost art of hand-written notes).
- Plant an indoor herb garden.
- Scrapbook.
- Play board games.
- Put a puzzle together.
- Listen to music.
- Plan an at-home spa day.
- Borrow a DVD from the library or rent a $1.00 movie at BlockBuster Express or Redbox.
- Read a book or magazine.
- Take a nap.
- Find free games to play online.
- Connect with friends on Facebook.
- Reconnect with an old friend and send them an email.
- Pile up in the car and go for a ride in the country.
- Learn how to juggle.
- Make a video for "Funniest Home Videos".
- Take up competitive chess.
- Go for a walk in the park.
- Study something part-time that's always caught your interest.
- Invite someone for a game of tennis.
- Go for a ride on a bike.
- Spend an afternoon looking through your old photos and organizing them.
- Go to an art gallery for a browse.
- See what's on at your local theatre go check it out.
- Go to the top of a nearby mountain and check out the view.
- Call an old friend you haven't spoken to for a while to see how they're doing.
- Go to the local cinema and take in a film.
- Go bowling.
- Dance.
- Challenge yourself to learn a foreign language.
- Go to the zoo.
- Paint or draw something.
- Join a public speaking society such as toastmasters.
- Organize a poker evening.
- Go for a swim at your nearest lake, river or beach.
- Kick a football in the local park with a friend.
- Go out to a local festival or carnival.
- Form a book club and meet up to discuss what you've read once a week.
- Go camping.

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Week 3 - Track and Snack

Don't forget that this week we are going record everything little snack that we put in our mouths!