Build a Smarter Salad

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In the meeting room this past week we talked about "Building a Smarter Salad".

Did you know that when you dine out at a resturant picking a salad can be a very dangerous choice? Many of you might consider salads "safe", but I am here to tell you that this is not true. Just in case you do not believe me, I am going to give you some examples of what I am talking about.

{Chili's Caribbean Salad with Grilled Chicken}

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This salad sounds appeal with fresh pineapple, mandarin oranges, dried cherries, red bell peppers, green onions, cilantro, sesame seeds, honey-lime dressing, and grilled chicken. However, in total for one salad it is 16 pointsplus!

{Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad}

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Like the salad we read about above this sounds very tasty with fresh Asian greens tossed in a tasty Oriental vinaigrette and topped with crispy noodles, toasted almonds and golden fried chicken tenders. However, if you order the regular sized version of this salad with dressing it is 38 pointsplus!

These are just a few examples of salads that are high in pointsplus values. Always be sure to check the nutritional information before dining out, so that you can make the wisest choice possible!

Eating out and ordering a salad might not be the best choice for you. However, enjoying salads at home are a great option. When you make a salad at home YOU choose what goes on top of your salad. This week Weight Watchers encouraged us to look at our choices and make sure that we are building the best salad that we possibly can!

Here are just a few things to remember as you being to build better salads of your own.

1. Fill your plate with 0 pointsplus fruits and vegetables. Make sure that the majority of your plate is cover with fruits and veggies. These are not going to cost you any pointsplus. In addition, fruits and veggies are going to keep you feeling full and satisfied for a longer amount of time!

2. Try to avoid piling on high pointsplus valued toppings. If you enjoy croutons that's great, but is that going to keep you full for the longest amount of time? Maybe choose to top your salad with a protein like chicken instead! Also, you might have three or four favorite toppings to put on your salad. Try using just one or two, so that you can keep the pointsplus values down. Rotating through your favorite toppings each time you have a salad will help you to enjoy them more when you actually get to each them.

3. Beware of high pointsplus valued dressings! When I first started Weight Watchers I refused to give up my fatty dressings, because I enjoyed them so much. However, as I lost weight and had less and less pointsplus values to use each day, I reevaluated my high pointsplus dressings. Finding an alternative was a great option for me, because then I could use those pointsplus values on something else I really wanted!

Everyone is different and what I enjoy on my salad is probably not the same as what you like to eat. That's okay! Take time to build a salad that works just for you!

A Quick Post

It’s been a busy day already and it is not even lunch time!! I don't have a lot of time to blog, but I wanted to try and touch base with you all.

This morning, I had my weekly doctor’s appointment. Everything with both me and Olivia looks great and I am so thankful that we are healthy!! Just 29 more days until my due date!

Also, I wrote a blog post over at my other blog called, "Filling Empty Arms". If you would like to check it out and read it, please click the link. I wrote it last week and posted it this morning. It explains some of the things that have been on my heart recently.

Recipe Review: Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sandwiches

This recipe is another one the I found on Pinterest! I pinned it a long time ago, but I have never taken the time to make it. I thought that it would be too high in pointsplus values. This recipe ends up being about 6 pointsplus per sandwich. I thought that might be too high for breakfast, but it has actually done a great job of keeping me full until lunch time. You cannot beat that!

I think that the next time I make it I will try to find an english muffin that is less than 3 pointsplus per muffin. I have been enjoying these for breakfast all week and I cannot wait to make them again! They were not only easy to make, but they taste good too!

The ingredients

Just grab a muffin tin and spray each spot in the tin with cooking spray. Then crack an egg in each muffin area. Stick these in a 350 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes.

Given that I was making a bunch, I just sliced all of my muffins in half and laid them all out on a baking sheet. After about 10 minutes in the oven (you can toast these at the same time as your eggs are cooking).

Once everything has been cooked, you just have to piece it all together.

Take half of a muffin, add some cheese, add an egg, and apply the top half of the muffin. You could hit the sandwich with some pepper if you wanted or even some hot sauce!

After constructing my sandwiches, I stuck them on a baking sheet and put them all in the freezer, uncovered and unwrapped for about an hour.

Pull them all out after an hour or two and wrap them individually in plastic wrap or foil and then store them in a freezer safe plastic bag.

I ended up making 12 breakfast sandwiches that are ready for me to eat later on in the week!

I reheated mine in the microwave and it tasted great!!

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Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sandwiches

Adapted from: Macheesmo

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Servings: 12

Serving Size: 1 breakfast sandwich

Calories: 367.3

Fat: 10.3 g

Fiber: 7 g

Protein: 20.9 g

Old Points: 7 pts

Points+: 6 pts+

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Ingredients

12 large eggs

8 oz Weight Watchers Mexican Style Shredded Cheese

12 Thomas Hearty Grains English Muffins, 100% Whole Wheat

cooking spray

Instructions

Cooking the Eggs

Just grab a muffin tin and spray each spot in the tin with cooking spray. Then crack an egg in each muffin area. Stick these in a 350 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes.

Toasting English Muffins

Given that I was making a bunch, I just sliced all of my muffins in half and laid them all out on a baking sheet. After about 10 minutes in the oven (you can toast these at the same time as your eggs are cooking).

Making the Sandwich

Take half of a muffin, add some cheese, add an egg, and apply the top half of the muffin. You could hit the sandwich with some pepper if you wanted or even some hot sauce! I would never call this Fast Food, but its definitely a fast way to make food.

Now you have two options:

Eat Immediately 

If you wanted to eat these right away, just stick them back in the oven for 5 or 10 minutes until they are warmed through and the cheese is melted and delicious.

Store for Later

If you want to store these for later, stick all your sandwiches on a baking sheet and put them all in the freezer, uncovered and unwrapped. Leave them in there for about an hour. This will give them a chance to give off some moisture and also freeze a bit. If you were to wrap them up right away then there would be all kinds of liquid that would condense. But don't forget about them or they'll get freezer burned. Pull them all out after an hour or two and wrap them individually in plastic wrap or foil and then store them in a freezer safe plastic bag. They will keep for a few weeks without a problem.

*Tip for Heating (or Reheating)

Oven

From completely frozen to warm and melted, it’ll take about 25 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Microwave

I heated mine in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. Be careful, because with the microwave the muffin can get soggy.

Weight Watchers and My Pregnancy - Update

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I blogged about Weight Watchers and My Pregnancy back in February. Since then, I have been receiving emails and comments from many of you who want to know how my weight gain is going. The most recent message I received was from Kristen, who just discovered that she was pregnant herself! This is not the way she thought her weight loss journey was going to go, but she is excited about the new addition to her family. Kristen had one question for me, "Can you offer any advice about how you were able to maintain your health and weight during your pregnancy?"

As I began to write Kristen back, I was shocked at how much I had to write about when it came to my pregnancy and healthy living. So, I've decided to turn my email into a blog post! I hope that this will encourage and help other people like Kristen, whose weight loss journey's are being put on hold for little bundles of joy.

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Preface

Before I begin, I want to make it very clear that what I am going to write is my opinion. It is NOT the opinion of Weight Watchers or anyone else. I am writing from my own personal perspective and opinion. I am not a professional nutritionist, just a woman trying to lead the healthiest lifestyle possible while I am pregnant.

With that being said, I think I should share with you that OFFICIALLY you cannot follow the Weight Watchers program while you are pregnant. A portion of the Weight Watchers health notice states, "Weight Watchers prohibits participation in its weight loss plan for children under the age of 10, those individuals with an active medical diagnosis of bulimia nervosa, those whose weight is less than 5 pounds above the minimum weight of the Weight Watchers Weight Ranges, and during pregnancy." To read the entire Weight Watchers health notice, please click here.

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As many of you already know the most important thing is for you to eat so that your baby can grow and be healthy. Like I said above, you may not officially follow Weight Watchers while you are pregnant. It is important to check with your doctor to see what he/she recommends that you eat throughout your pregnancy.

I felt like it is important to say these things, because I do not want any of you taking extreme measures to avoid gaining weight during your pregnancy. This is a sacrifice that we make as mother's while we share our body with our unborn child. Above all, it is a privilege to be able to provide for our child in this way.

For me, I could not let go of Weight Watchers completely. Maybe it's because I have been on this plan since 2008 and it has become a way of life for me. Or maybe it is because I am a Weight Watchers leader and try to continue to be an example to my members of healthy living. However, for some reason, I just could not let it go.

Throughout my pregnancy, I have been able to follow the principles of the Weight Watchers program, with permission from my doctor of course.

Exercise - I have been walking and exercising throughout my pregnancy. I walk at least 30 minutes 3- 4 times a week. This has been one of the best things I have done for myself and Olivia! I am 35 weeks pregnant and still have energy to move around and get things done. I think that this has been a result of my exercising. If you are pregnant and you do not exercise, I highly recommend that you get moving!

Good Health Guidelines - I continue to follow the principles of the Weight Watchers plan when it comes to my eating habits as well. I try to fill my day with fruits, vegetables, lean protein, whole grains, and more! I try to eat filling foods that keep me satisfied throughout the day.

Tracking - I have continued to keep track of my daily pointsplus values. It's not so that I will stay within a certain target number, but so that I will know what I am eating throughout the day. I did not want to default back into mindless eating again.

Weigh In - I know that the doctor weighs me in at each and every appointment. However, I have continued to weigh myself once a week to see how much weight I am gaining. This has helped me to know where I am at each week. It's not discouraging, but encouraging to know that I am gaining weight for my baby girl.

Please do not misunderstand me. I have not done this perfectly! I have given in to more cravings and splurges than I would like to admit. According to all the baby books I've read "healthy" weight gain for me is anywhere from 25-35 pounds. I am 35 weeks and so far I have already gained 36 pounds.

I am not frustrated with my weight gain, because I know that this is what Olivia needs from me right now. I am thankful that I have been able to continue my healthy lifestyle throughout my pregnancy, so that I can give my baby girl the healthiest start to life that I possibly can.

Just remember that there are lots of ways to continue to remain healthy throughout your pregnancy. These are a few things that worked for me. Always be sure to check with your doctor first!

Wordless Wednesday: Ride This Out

Activate Your Environment

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In the meeting this week we focused more on just getting started. We discussed things that we could do to our own environments right now that would help encourage us to move more.

So let's talk about your environments.
• What small changes could you make inside your home that would encourage more activity?
• car?
• workplace?
• garage?
• yard?

Let’s bust those excuses. Maybe we need to put our tennis shoes and a pair of workout clothes in our car, in a locker at work, or even in the middle of the floor in the living room.

Maybe we could actually pump up the air in our bicycle, dust it off and set it out more in the open in the garage.

Do you need to uncover your treadmill or workout equipment? Is it covered in clothes and dust?

What about those commercials, could you squeeze in time there to just get up and walk around versus fast forwarding through them.

Do you need to hide the remote, so you are forced to get up off of the couch? Park further away, take the stairs instead of the elevator. Every hour take a 5 minute break to walk around.

You have to start somewhere. Simply strive today to move more than you did yesterday. Each day become more aware of how often you are sitting still, and make an effort to decrease that amount of time tomorrow.

"Working out can be a pain, but the truth is sometimes you have to do stuff you don't want to do to get where you want to be. The key: just getting started."

- Marlen Esparza, Olympic boxer

This article from the Weight Watchers website does a great job of summarizing what we talked about in the meeting room on Saturday, July 21, 2012.

Move More — For Good
Ways to make activity a lifelong habit and setting up your environment to activate your activity level.

You've heard it a million times: Consistent, moderate exercise is a key component not just of weight loss, but of good health in general. It can help reduce your risk of developing cancer, heart disease and diabetes. And there are plenty of feel-good benefits too. It helps to relieve stress, boost your energy, and improve your sleep.

But you already know all this, so why is it still so hard to get out there and get going?

Motivated to move
"No time" is a popular excuse, but what it's really about is a lack of motivation. You've probably heard your Leader or other meetings members talking about a powerful solution to this problem called Motivating Strategy from Weight Watchers Tools For Living.

Motivating Strategy helps you use your imagination to determine the goals you really want to achieve and then take steps toward them — whether those steps are tracking PointsPlus® values, eating more fruits and vegetables, or exercising.

It works because it connects you with an action's positive results. For example, use a Motivating Strategy to find the motivation to be more physically active, and you'll envision what it feels like to be a physically active person — what you look like, the things you get to do and wear, the way you spend your time and relate to others.

Once you're motivated to be more active, it's time to take those crucial first steps. Here are some tips for getting started:

1. Choose activities that you actually enjoy. You're not likely to keep up any exercise you dread doing.

2. Start small and work your way up by increasing your intensity or the amount of time you spend doing the activity.

3. Think about the season. Now that summer is here, how can you take advantage of the nice weather?

4. Buddy up. Do you have any friends or family members who are also trying to get fit? Can you do an activity together?

What do you need to have in place to get started today??

" Any activity becomes creative when the doer cares about doing it right, or doing it better."

- John Updike

Stop Waiting for Tomorrow

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I really enjoy receiving emails and Facebook messages from YOU my readers! Thank you so much for taking the time to open up and be vunlerable with me, someone you have never even met. I take time to pray for each one of you as I read your stories. Receiving your emails helps me to know what you all are struggling with, and it gives me some direction to know what to write about on my blog throughout the week!

This morning after reading and responding to several emails I was overwhelming with this desire to talk to you about getting out of the "waiting for tomorrow" mindset. Last week, I shared a meeting summary with you about Turning Slip Ups Into Success. If you have not read it, I would highly recommend that you check it out. 

If you are traveling the road called, weight loss, you have probably experienced your fair share of slip ups and failures. Anytime when we get off track and/or off plan we have two choices.

Option #1: The first thing we could choose to do after a slip up is to throw in the towel altogether. We can let discouragement take us farther and farther away from our goals until we have gained most, if not all, of our weight back. We choose to focus on the negative and see ourselves as a failure.

Option #2: The other option that we have after a slip up, is to decide to learn from our mistakes and setbacks. We decide that all of our hardwork is too important to throw away, because of one mistake. We find the courage necessary to get back on the scale and get back on plan.

When you choose option #2 you begin to realize the strength that God has given you to be successful on your weight loss journey. With every slip up you learn a little bit more, but each time you choose to continue to persevere. Before you know it, you will reach your weight loss goal and have developed a little bit more character along the way.

If you had a slip up last night or six months ago the solution to your problems is one in the same. Get back on plan TODAY! Stop waiting for tomorrow and making excuses for why you can't do it. This morning decide to change your mindset and choose to learn from your mistakes. It's not going to be easy, but you are worth it!

Below I've included a video of Mandisa's song and lyrics for, "Waiting For Tomorrow", because it has been such an encouragement to me. I pray that it will give you the encouragement you need to get back on plan today.

If you are committing to get back on plan, please leave me a comment, so that I can be praying for you! 



"Waiting For Tomorrow"
By, Mandisa
Maybe tomorrow we'll start over
Maybe tomorrow I will finally change my ways
Said the same things yesterday
Don't know why I'm so afraid
To let you in
To let you win
To let you have all of me
Can't spend my whole life wastin'
Everything I know I've been given
'Cause you've made for so much more than
Sittin' on the side lines
I don't wanna look back and wonder
If good enough could've been better

Everyday's a day to start over
So, why am I waiting for tomorrow

Maybe today I'll start believing
That you're mercy is really
As real as you say it is
It doesn't matter who I used to be
It only matters that I've been set free
You rescued me you're changing me
Jesus take everything

Can't spend my whole life wastin'
Everything I know I've been given
'Cause you've made for so much more than
Sittin' on the side lines
I don't wanna look back and wonder
If good enough could've been better

Everyday's a day to start over
So, why am I waiting for tomorrow

Oh, I'm makin this my moment now
To grab the hand that's reachin down to save me You saved me
And I'm makin this my moment now
To grab the hand that's reachin down to save me You saved me

Can't spend my whole life wastin'
Everything I know I've been given
'Cause you've made for so much more than
Sittin' on the side lines
I don't wanna look back and wonder
If good enough could've been better

Everyday's a day to start over
So, why am I waiting for tomorrow
I'm gonna grab the hand that's reachin down
And I'm not gonna wait until tomorrow
Oh, tomorrow