Saturday, March 29, 2008

Weigh in Report for March 29th

Guys.....I am down another pound! Total loss is 62.6 now! I am very grateful for this loss because I was worried about my Vitamuffin debacle that was my week. I made sure I threw in some low point days and even though my heart wasn't in it, I did get my basic workouts in.

After meeting, I walked with my friend at the local college for about 3 miles. Starting the week off on the right foot I'd say!

Friday, March 28, 2008

New Accomplishment

I am thrilled to say that yesterday I only used one of my points on something sweet. Eating sweets and chocolate in particular has always been my favorite pasttime. Over the past week, I stopped bringing Fiber One bars with me to work. I have still been eating my no pudge brownies for dessert in the evening, but last night I decided I would forego that and stick with a 1 pt WW fudge bar instead. I did it! I only used one of my daily points on chocolate. I wonder if one of these days I'll be able to go a whole day without chocolate?
Here is my food journal for yesterday

yogurt 1 pt
banana 1 pt
English muffin with Pb2 and fruit spread 2 pts
salad with tom, mush, carrots, FF ranch and bacos 7 pts
orange 1 pt
popcorn 1 pt
apple 1 pt
6 oz chicken 6 pt
1 cup cottage cheese 3 pt
1/2 cup taco soup 1 pt
1 cup broccoli 0 pt
WW fudge bar 1 pt

Total points used 25

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Gaining Control Once Again

I think I all the things I bought on my shopping trip this weekend sent me a bit over the eating edge. I have had a very difficult time controlling my eating since Saturday. I am so used to eating pretty much the same stuff day in and day out, that all the new choices I brought home sent me for a loop.

I only ended up eating one point over my daily points but the manic, out of control feeling was very reminiscent of my pre healthy days. I felt like the Warner Bros. Tasmanian devil spinning around the kitchen yesterday looking for my next victim. I of course have already devoured the Vitamuffins. (All three boxes!) I’ve already made and ate the polenta. It’s like I want to try everything and want to do it all at once. I am already planning what day I am going to make the soy meatballs and the ahi tuna steaks. At least the next time I go shopping to TJ’s the stuff won’t be so new and novel.

Today I feel much more in control. Although I did start my day with three little hemp/flaxseed meal/black bean brownies (1 pt each) that I made to share at work. All those that enjoyed the brownies giggled like high schooler’s when they saw the box said hemp. The rest of the day has been uneventful. I had my super yummy salad with chicken breast and tomatoes and mushrooms and still have to eat my two pieces of daily fruit.

Monday, March 24, 2008

Trader Joe's and Whole Foods

We started at Trader Joe’s (TJ’s). When we pulled in the parking lot, we both groaned because the store looked so small. Never fear it still took us two hours to shop all of the isles in my new favorite store. Trader Joe’s was amazing.

So many tantalizing options. Here are a few things I picked up: Soy meatballs, greek cucumber dip, rice crisps (potato chips), Chicken potstickers, chili lime chicken burgers, Black bean and rice burritos (for John), TJ’s cereal (like cheerios), a few of their reusable grocery sacks, organic apples, ahi tuna steaks.

We were very careful to calculate the points per serving on everything before allowing it in our carts. I found TJ’s to be quite reasonable as far as prices go, but wonder if one of the other Michigan locations has more square footage. Oh, and the flowers….they had beautiful flowers that were quite cheap!

Whole Foods or as many people call it “Whole Paycheck” was next on our list. It was only about a mile from the Trader Joe’s and by the time we got there we were starving. Whole Foods has the most amazing hot bar buffet, along with a salad bar, and sushi bar and deli. You fix your plate with whatever you like, pay at the cash register and then eat it at the little area with cafĂ© tables and a big screen TV.

The selection of hot food was amazing. Nothing you can get in our neck of the woods. I tried this baked polenta with mushroom gravy over it. I had never had polenta before and am now a big fan!!!! I also sampled the Orange ginger tofu stir-fry. OMG….I have always enjoyed tofu, I just don’t know how to cook it, well, I am going to figure out how they made that dish. I could eat it everyday. Oh and the samples…… they were everywhere! Cheese, truffles, hummus, fruit smoothies…..you name it, someone was passing it out to try.

I am also a big fan of Quiche Lorraine which is not very WW friendly but since I didn’t have to temp myself with a whole big pie, I did enjoy a slice of it. They also had organic homemade mac and cheese that was divine. Pretty pricey, my little plate of food came to over $10 but being able to sample so many different and exotic (for me anyway) foods was priceless.

We did find a big stash of Vitamuffins there and both bought a few boxes which for me was a mistake. I have already eaten way too many of them. They had a beautiful selection of organic fruits and veggies and their store was enormous.

I plan to go back to both stores on a regular basis, and I will always vote for eating lunch at Whole Foods but enjoyed shopping at TJ’s more.

Weigh in Report for March 22nd

Down 1.4 pounds for a total gone of 61.6 pounds lost since the end of July. Not too shabby. Stacey and I left right after WW meeting to go to Ann Arbor for our soon to be monthly trip to Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. More about Saturday’s trip in a later post.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Trader Joe's and Whole Foods

I am planning my first trip to both Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods this Saturday. I have never been to either store because the nearest one is over two hours away. I have heard so many people raving about both stores that I am going to add some extra funds to my grocery budget this week and plan to try some new things.

I am planning to take a big cooler and have a blast. Hopefully, my friend that lives in the area will be able to meet me for a minute too.
The only thing I’ve had that Trader Joe’s carries is their low fat, low cal peanut butter (love it!) and I have been told they carry different varieties of No Pudge Brownie mix. I’ve always wanted to try Greek yogurt (Fage) so that is on my list. I also hear that they have great Turkey meatballs (Thanks Skinny jeans).

If anyone has any thing that they absolutely love at either place, please give me a heads up so I can check it out. I’ll be sure to let you know what all I buy and give a review.

Comparisons

Looking through the archives here at work, I found a few old pics that I want to share with you.

The first pic is from Thanksgiving weekend 2006.







This 2nd pic is from the company Christmas Party in 2006





















This is from company Christmas Party this year (2007)















I can unequivocally say I can see a huge difference in my body and in the sparkle in my eyes.
Yeah me!