SB Day Seven Begins...

Good morning friends, happy....Monday?? Yuck. Mondays are not my favorite day of the week. But this Monday marks the beginning of my 7th day on South Beach phase 1. If you've been reading my blog, you'll know that phase one is TWO weeks of NO carbs. Not fun, not fun at all my friends.

I am going to tell you the truth, this is extremely hard. I don't know if this weekend was so excruciating because it was just that, the weekend, or if it's because I really hate this phase and want it to die. Either way, I had a very difficult time over the weekend. But, by sheer will power and determination, I made it. The weekend is over and I successfully stayed on the plan. No carbs for this bread loving girl.

Yesterday we went to a friends house for dinner - they had hamburgers and ribs...yummmm! I, instead, had a hamburger patty with mustard and 2% cheese on it, and steamed broccoli and cauliflower with 2% cheese on it. It was filling. And the good news is that I stepped on the scale this morning and I'm down 4.5 lbs. So my hard work is paying off at least....

If you notice I lack enthusiasm over this diet today, it's because I do. I find myself obsessing over carbs at night. Last night it was Raisin Bran. All I wanted was Raisin Bran. Sooooo bad. It was awful. When I was on Weight Watchers the beauty was that if I wanted that raisin bran, I could have it. You just watch your portions. And if you want to splurge one night, you can, because the plan allows for that. So, today I find myself wondering if this is the right diet for me. So restrictive. I realize it's just two weeks, but I am really contemplating going back on Weight Watchers (the points system) or back to just plain old counting calories. I'm just not sure. I plan on sticking with South Beach today, but I am going to seriously think about what works best for me. I don't like feeling deprived. :(

Well, that's all for now. I'll be back later to tell you about whether I'm sticking with it another week, or if I'm switching back to my old "go-to" Weight Watchers. It always worked for me when I put my mind to it....

Until next time, happy eating and thanks for reading!!

-Sommer

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I Dream of CARBS!!!

Hello friends, Happy Saturday! Woo hoo, there is nothing better than the weekend. I literally live for the weekends. It's my sanity.

Well, I am closing on day 5 of the South Beach Diet, and I have continuously stuck to the plan from day 1. I have to say, the carb cravings are supposed to go away after just a couple of days (according to the book), but that would be a NEGATIVE for me. I am STILL craving carbs! I'll even admit, there was a mild breakdown with tears today. Yes, tears. I love carbs that much. This diet is NOT easy, but I told myself I was going to do this. And I am. I am going to get through this two weeks with no carbs. I CAN DO THIS! No matter how hard or how much I just want a damn piece of bread or a baked potato, or ice cream....oohhhhh ice cream - I am going to complete this challenge. For myself. And because even though it's hard, it's working. And that's motivation enough for me.

Here is what I had to eat today:

Breakfast:

Scrambled eggs with mushrooms, bell pepper, tomato and onion, topped with 2% shredded cheddar and 2 pieces of turkey bacon.

Lunch:

Not much of a lunch because I ate breakfast really late, but I had a snack of Jell-O Sugar Free Strawberry Gelatin and a couple of 2% cheese cubes

Dinner:

I had Salt Grass baby! Oh yes, I had something other than chicken for dinner. That lean steak melted in my mouth......so delicous and such a NEEDED change from chicken. Ugh...I'm getting burned out of chicken. I had the Saltgrass K-Bob with beef tenderloin, a house salad (with no carb-y toppings) and steamed veggies. It was satisfying, but I have to admit. That awesome looking loaf of Shiner Bock Beer Bread they give you that sat on the table throughout our entire meal was awfully yummy looking. My boyfriend was sweet enough to hide it from me...but still. It was there. I am proud to say that I did not have any though! Pat on the back....

For dessert I am going to have a Blue Bunny No Sugar Added Fudge Bar. Yummy!

Well, that's it for today. I am off to watch the Texans play the Saints with my sweet boyfriend. To all of you out there who are facing a challenging diet, you can do it! Until next time, happy eating and thanks for reading!!

-Sommer

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Leeeeeeettt's Play Baaallllll!

Hello friends, happy Thursday again. LOL. That's right, this is my second post for today. But my post this morning was an update on yesterday, and this post is an update for today. Day 3 of the South Beach Diet.

Tonight I went to the Astros game. I got AWESOME seats right behind the dugout (literally, I could set my cup on the dugout) and it was a good game! Astros - 3, Mets - 2. Oh yeah!! Go back to NY, Mets!

Today was a success. I did have a few challenges but luckily with a little will power, and some help from my mom, I overcame!! Here's what I had to eat today:

Breakfast:

Scrambled eggs

Snack:

Almonds

Lunch:

Here's challenge number 1 - I had a hair appointment at lunch and didn't have time to pack my lunch this morning before work. So I was on my way to my hair appointment and was STARVING! My WONDERFUL mom offered to bring me lunch to the hair salon! She is awesome, and it really saved me. Otherwise I would have had to wait another 3 1/2 hours to eat! Here's what I had:

Mixed greens and spinach salad from Salata (delish!) with tomatoes, sprouts, mushrooms, cucumbers, cauliflower, broccoli and grilled chicken. VERY fresh and filling! I wish I had a Salata near my office, I would eat there every day!

Snack:

Baby Dill Pickle

3 - 2% Milk cheese cubes

Tbsp All Natural Peanut Butter on a stick of celery

Dinner:

Dinner was challenge two. We had to eat on the way to the game, and I knew that if I didn't eat before the game, I would be starving before it was over and might succumb to the temptation of all the yummy yet awful for you ball park food. So we stopped at Corner Bakery Cafe. Here's what I had:

Green salad with cucumbers, roasted chicken, tomatoes and artichokes. Good, but a little boring. The Salata salad was much better. BUT, I also think I am burned out on salad today. Nonetheless, it was healthy and followed the plan, SCORE!

One thing at Corner Bakery I did see was that they have Three Lentil and Veggie Soup. I want to look this up to see if its something I can eat. Hopefully Corner Bakery will have their nutritional info on their website....we'll see.

Well, I am super tired and off to have a Blue Bunny No Sugar Added Fudge Bar before climbing into bed. I'll be back soon to update you on my progress.

Until next time, happy eating and thanks for reading!!

-Sommer

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South Beach Diet: Day Two

Hello friends, happy Thursday!




I just wanted to do a quick post this morning to tell you about day #2 on my South Beach Diet adventure. But, before I do that, I had to add this to this blog. Every time I say or think South Beach Diet, it reminds me of the movie Mean Girls (loved it) where "Regina George" says "It's called the South Beach Fat Flush. All you do is drink cranberry juice for 3 days.....I want to lose 3 pounds...." This cracks me up and I've been remembering it for the last few days. LOL. Ahhh, if only we all had it as easy as Regina George and only wanted/needed to lose 3 lbs! What a life!

Ok, well day 2 went great! Except for craving yummy carbs all day, I did very well. I stuck to the plan and am feeling great this morning because I got on the scale, and amazingly I am already down 2 lbs since starting on Tuesday! Here's what I had to eat yesterday:

Breakfast:
Scrambled eggs with salsa (tiny bit of salsa)

Snack:
Baby Dill Pickles (yummmm!)
2% milk cheese cubes

Lunch:
Green salad with bell peppers, cucumber, tomatoes, reduced fat feta, baked chicken breast, garbanzo beans and 2 tbsp. FF italian dressing

Snack:
Almonds

Dinner:
My honey and I went to Cheddars for dinner and I had Grilled Salmon and steamed broccoli.

Dessert:
Blue Bunny No Sugar Added Fudge Bars (2) - 35 calories a piece

Very satisfying! Although I have to admit, at Cheddars I was seeing other people get that croissant with honey butter drizzled on top and it made my mouth water. But I didn't eat one. Hopefully the cravings will go away soon...I know my boyfriend would sure love if they would. LOL.

Well, I said this would be a short post. I'll be back soon to tell you more and how I'm doing. Until next time, happy eating, and thanks for reading!!

-Sommer

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Cake, Cake, I Won't Partake....

Hello friends! Happy Tuesday!

Well, day 1 of Phase 1 of The South Beach Diet, my new venture in healthy eating, has gone well! I have stuck to the diet all day. EVEN with the temptation of CAKE at work! Yes, that's right, we had CAKE at work today to celebrate a birthday. It looked delicious.....but, I did NOT eat any. The carb-loving fat girl in me was screaming, "Eat the cake!!!" but the part of me that wants to badly to feel and look great said NO! But just to give you somewhat of an idea of what I went through, see below. This picture doesn't do it justice though....


So, on my first day here is what I had to eat:

Breakfast:
2 pieces of turkey bacon (not that great by the way....it looks and tastes kind of like bologna...)
2 scrambled eggs (these didn't turn out good either....I took two bites and threw them away, better luck tomorrow?)

Snack:
Almonds

Lunch:
Salad with tomaotes, cucumbers, bell pepper, baked chicken breast, reduced fat feta, 2 tbsp fat free italian dressing

Snack:
2% Milk Cheese Cubes

Dinner:
Baked chicken breast seasoned with FF italian dressing
Black beans
Broccoli with low fat American cheese

I am very satisfied right now. I DID read last night after my grocery shopping trip that you can have sugar free fudgesicles or sugar free popsicles as dessert. So, I plan on going back to the grocery store tonight to stock up on those bad boys!!

Oh, I also worked in a workout today. I did the elliptical machine on a 3/5 interval. I didn't work out long, but wanted to get my blood flowing for a little while. I worked out for 15 minutes and burned 193 calories according to my Polar Heart Monitor watch. Man I love that thing! I plan on working out again tomorrow.

My goal is to lose 10 lbs during this 2 week phase. I am very excited and feeling great so far!

I want to add to this blog that I am simply a regular person who is on a journey to maintain a healthy weight for life. I am not any kind of expert in the foods people should eat, as everyone's body is different and what works for me may not work for you. Everyone's journey is different, and most people's journey is very difficult. It takes a lot of determination and will power, and I personally go through phases of having a LOT of those things, and having very little. It's a lifelong struggle, and I can appreciate anyone who is attempting to take on that struggle. Although I try not to complain when I am not seeing results, or even when I am not putting forth the right amount of effort and just think "My life sucks..." I understand that everyone needs an outlet and some inspiration sometimes. If you are struggling on your journey, remember that you are not alone.

Ok, that's it for tonight. I hope this post has inspired you! Until next time, happy eating and thanks for reading!

-Sommer

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New Week, New Diet

Hello friends, happy Monday!

Well, it is the start of another new week. I have not been feeling motivated counting points, and counting calories is not getting me results fast enough. Also, I am really feeling like I need to cleanse my body. SO.........I am trying the South Beach diet starting tomorrow! I am very excited...and really hoping that I'll see some good results and that this change will help jump-start my weight loss.

For the first two weeks of the South Beach Diet, you cannot have any high carb foods, such as breads, pastas, potatoes, corn, carrots, rice, grains, NO fruit :(....etc etc etc. You also cannot have any sugar or alcohol. You CAN have lean proteins, eggs, nuts, non-carbie vegetables, beans, low fat or fat free cheese, etc. This is going to be a challenge for me. I am a carb-sugar-loving-girl, and giving all of those things up is going to be HARD! BUT, I AM going to do it. After two weeks, you can start incorporating healthy "good" carbs, like fruit, whole grain pastas and breads. But only for one meal a day.

During the first two weeks I should see significant weight loss. I'm excited to see results! I have already gone grocery shopping and stocked up on foods to snack on. Here was my grocery list:

Boneless skinless chicken breast

Bag lettuce for salads (lunch)

cucumbers, tomatoes, bell pepper (for salad)

Reduced fat feta cheese

2% Milk cheese cubes (for snacking)

Almonds (snacking)

frozen veggies such as broccoli, asparagus and edamame

Fresh veggies such as squash, spaghetti squash, califlower (for steaming)

Ground turkey breast (for SBD friendly taco salad)

Black beans

Eggs (breakfast)

Fat free shredded cheddar

Turkey bacon (breakfast)

It was quite a grocery shopping session, and I am super pumped about getting started tomorrow. :) I think as long as I can make it these two weeks, I will be accustomed to this and can keep going!! Wish me luck! I'll be back tomorrow to tell you about my first day 86 carbs!!

Until then, happy eating and thanks for reading!

-Sommer

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McNugget Road-Bumps

Hello friends, happy Tuesday!

Well, my day started with a dentist appointment, followed up with an endocrinologist appointment, and in between I went to work, and back to work afterwards. So, I had kind a hectic day. Unfortunately, I was not able to pack a lunch, and I was not a good example for what to do in that situation...BUT, I was a great example for what NOT to do! I ended up eating McDonald's for lunch amidst my trips to the doc. I had a 10 piece chicken nuggets and a medium order of fries (diet coke). It was not worth it....it was very much a lunch on the go. I ate in the car from work to the second appointment.

Want to know the up-side? I'm not letting it ruin my day (food wise). Typically when I get off track, even for one meal during the day, I will blow the rest of the day because I feel like it's already ruined. Well NOT today!

When I got home, I went straight to the gym for a 30 minute workout on the elliptical machine at a 2/4, then a 3/5 halfway through. According to my FABULOUS heart monitor watch, I burned 359 calories during my workout! Awesome!

When I got home from my workout, I logged onto www.myfitnesspal.com and tracked all of my food for the day in my food diary, and discovered that with my workout, I could actually eat dinner and not go over my calories for the day! Woo hoo! Now, I had to eat a VERY light dinner. But that's ok. I am really going to try to make it stick and not snack on anything else tongiht. Here's what I had:

1 nectarine
1/4 cup low fat cottage cheese (2% milk)
6 almonds

The protein in the cheese and almonds will hopefully keep me full for the evening. :)

So you want to know how bad my McDonald's was? Here's the breakdown:

10 piece chicken nuggets - 460 calories, 27 carbs, 29 g of fat, 24 g protein*
Medium order of fries - 380 calories, 48 carbs, 19 g of fat, 4 g of protein*

Here's the kicker, and I would have never guessed this:
HONEY (counted as 4 tbsp.) - 255 calories, 69 carbs, 0 fat, 0 protein*

So my lunch, while NOT very satisfying was a whopping 1095 calories, 144 carbs, 48 g of fat, 28 g of protein. WOW! So, here's what I would do next time. If I am on the go, and really need to eat fast food, I will get a child's portion. If I had only eaten 4 nuggets instead of 10 it would have cut my calories drastically. I would probably cut the fries altogether. And bypass the honey.

So, lesson for today - you CAN have a BAD lunch and still stay within your calories for the day if you work out, and have a light dinner. It's all about balancing.

Ok friends, I am going to relax a little now. As always, happy eating and thanks for reading!

-Sommer

*All nutritional values were obtained from My Fitness Pal. Check it out at www.myfitnesspal.com.

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When you fall off the horse....

Hello friends, happy (as happy as a Monday can be) Monday!

Well, as you can tell, I haven't posted in a while. I fell off the horse, yet again. I am SURE I will fall off the horse MANY more times in my life. But, as most of you can understand, leading a healthy lifestyle and maintaining an ideal weight is difficult for some (including me). The key is that every time you fall off, you HAVE to get back on. No use sitting on the ground feeling sorry for yourself. No one is going to get back on the horse for you. You have to do it yourself. :)

Here is my weakness - whenever anything happens in my life that takes my focus off of my eating habits, I get off track. A few weeks ago, I discovered I have an ovarian cyst. Well, hopefully it is gone by now (or at least has shrunk enough that I cannot feel it anymore). I was in quite a bit of pain, and wasn't able to exercise due to that....and that led to eating badly.....and that went from a few days....to a few weeks. And here I am. I need to work on my ability to focus on my eating habits, regardless of what's going on in my life. That's my goal.

So, today, I decided I needed to try something different for my weight loss journey. As you have probably read, or already know because you know me, I have followed Weight Watchers for the last two years. Well, I seemingly have become "immune" to the influence of WW. Although the program is WONDERFUL, and it truly WORKS if you follow, I am just having a hard time staying motivated. I need a change. So, starting today, I am counting calories instead of "points."

I am using http://www.myfitnesspal.com/ to do this! This website is awesome! You can track your daily food, exercise, etc. all online with the assistance of an extensive food database giving you nutritional values! You can put it your weight, height, age, goals and it will tell you how many calories you should consume per day, and how much exercise you should do per week to obtain your goals. And the best part is, it's FREE!

I am feeling very motivated with this new method of watching what I eat. And here's what I've had today:

Breakfast:

Cinnamon Raisin Bagel with 1 tbsp cream cheese

Lunch:

Weight Watchers Smart One

Snack:

Nectarine
6 almonds
Fiber One Oats and Chocolate Bar

Dinner:

4 oz. chicken breast (boneless, skinless - baked) over a large salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, 6 croutons and 3 tbsp fat free italian dressing (Wishbone brand)

After dinner:

Weight watchers Dark Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream Bar

Currently I am still under 1200 calories for the day (which is my goal). I also worked out today after work with my Polar Heart Monitor Watch. This thing is AWESOME! I put on the watch when I walked out the door, and started my exercise tracking then. In 28 minutes (20 min on the elliptical machine and 8 minutes walk to/from the gym) I burned 296 calories. And I know it's accurate! Very cool!!!

So, my lesson for today (LOL) is that you are NEVER done with your journey. It is never too late. You can ALWAYS start over. So what if you've gained 15 lbs, get back on the horse and lose it again. You can do it. And no one but you is going to do it. It's YOUR journey, so start today!

Until next time, happy eating and thanks for reading!!

-Sommer

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Weigh in and Eclipse!

Hello Friends! Happy Thursday!

So, I am disappointed because my weigh in yesterday didn't go as well as I would have liked. In fact, it barely went anywhere. I only lost 0.3 lb. :( After staying within my points EVERY day and working so hard to come up with new healthy foods to incorporate into my diet, I am really down that I didn't lose at least a pound. If you've ever attempted to lose weight, you know that a weight loss week is what keeps you pumped to stay on track the next week. When you don't lose weight, it makes you feel like you're working hard for nothing. However, I know that tons of things can affect weight loss, and that it will all even out when the time is right. So, I fully plan to stay on track this week as well, and hopefully my loss this week will be bigger. If not, that's ok, I'll be happy with a pound.

I am going to try to start incorporating exercise this week as well, and I'll get to use my new heart monitor watch! I have already started programming the settings, but this thing is not easy to figure out. I need to spend a little more time getting familiar with it. But I am so excited to start using it!

As far as food, I've been sticking to my 1 point english muffins for breakfast (with "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray"), a Weight Watchers Smart One for lunch, afternoon snack of fruit and Jell-O sugar free pudding, and 100 calorie popcorn if I need it. I am a creature of habit. I find something that works, and I stick to it. I'll probably be burned out on Smart Ones here pretty soon, and start doing something different. But for now it works. For dinner last night I had candy and peanut butter crackers! I know! Awful! But I only went over my points by 3 (of which I'll use my 35 extra points). I had to find SOMETHING quick, fast and that I could stick in my purse, because last night was the Eclipse premier!!!

That's right, I, a 28 year old grown woman stood in line for an hour and a half prior to this movie to see it on opening night! I can't even remember the last time I stood in ANY kind of a line for a movie. And before the movie started, I was starting to remember why! It was so packed! Luckily, because we got there at 6:00 pm (and the movie started at 7:30 pm) we weren't too far back in the line and got a really good seat. You better believe there were people of all ages (mainly women) to see this movie. It's probably been a year since I read Eclipse, so I don't remember all of the little details, but the movie was AWESOME! I think I would see it again. And I'll definitely buy it when it comes out on DVD to add to my collection. In my opinion, it was better than the first two movies - I think this was my favorite book too. I am super excited to see what Breaking Dawn is like. I've heard it's being split into two movies.....can't wait!

So, are you Team Edward???


OR Team Jacob????

They are both HOT in my opinion! And when I read the book I was really torn because they are both such good characters!

Anyway, that's it for today. I'll be back soon to tell you how I'm doing. I am going to dip into my 35 extra points this week....I think I deserve a little treat. Not sure what though.....

Thanks for reading and until next time, Happy Eating!!

-Sommer

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Leftover Schmorgasborg!

Hello Friends! Happy Tuesday! Do you know what tomorrow is??? The premier of ECLIPSE! Yes, I've been counting down. I'm super excited!

So last night, just as my last post said, we went to Olive Garden for dinner. Yummy! Like I said before, Olive Garden has all of their nutritional information on their website and it makes it super easy to figure out your points for your dinner out. Fabulous! It even shows you the nutritional information of the bad stuff....like......Chicken Alfredo! Oohhh, it is soooo good but you better believe it is SOOOOOO BAD! Check it out! After reading that, I don't think I'll ever eat it again....even to use my extra points. And in case you didn't know, their salad is pretty bad too. I think I serving came out to 9 points. EESH! Here's what I had to eat:

Minestrone Soup - 2 points :)
Linguini Alla Marinara (1/2 dinner serving) - 4.5 points
Breadstick (I had to have one they are SO good) - 3 points

That brings my entire dinner out to 9.5 points. Not bad!

So tonight for dinner I had a schmorgasborg of leftovers. I am a leftover girl. I am so used to cooking for one, and saving my food so I can eat it for several days - I am a penny pincher people! So leftovers are GREAT for me because it just means I don't have to cook that night. Tonight's dinner was a variety of tastes. Here's what I had:

Chicken, Bean and Cheese Burrito - 4.5 points (1 mission carb smart soft taco sized flour tortilla, 1/4 cup ff refried beans, 1/4 ff cheddar cheese, 1 oz chicken breast)
Roasted Red Potatoes (see my post from Sunday) - 2 points
1/2 corn on the cob - 0.5 point
Salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, 2 tbsp. reduced fat feta, 2 tbsp ff italian dressing - 1 pt

Total dinner points: 8 points

Here's what else I've had today:

Breakfast - Thomas 100 Calorie English Muffin with spray butter - 1 pt

Lunch - WW Smart One Pasta Primavera - 5 pts.

Snack: FF Jell-O Pudding - 1 pt.

It doesn't seem like I've had a lot of food before dinner, and I didn't. I have been drinking LOTS of water, and it seems to be keeping me full. Nice! Hopefully its flushing the sodium out of my system too, because I weigh in tomorrow. :-/ I SHOULD do great, but based on the scale Monday morning, we'll see. But I still have not gone over my points at ALL. So I should lose weight! Wish me luck!!

Ok, I'm going to wrap this up and enjoy a little Weight Watchers Giant Cookies and Cream Bar. Yummmmm - I'm out of VitaTops! :( That's ok, I'll get more tomorrow. Those little babies are delicious!

Thanks for reading, and until next time, Happy Eating!!

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Wrong direction, scale!

Eclipse is almost here!!!

That's right! I got my tickets for Wednesday's premier of Eclipse today! Woo hoooooo! I cannot wait to see this movie! Yes, yes, I am a Twilight fan. I read all four books and absolutely LOVED them. And I am not usually into the supernatural stuff...like Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings....but Twilight I LOVE!

Ok, so I got on the scale this morning even though today isn't my weigh in day, and I'm up two pounds from the day before (yes, I have weighed myself twice this week....not supposed to officially weigh in until Wednesday). I don't understand! I have been eating so well. I haven't used ANY extra 35 points. I think I must be retaining water. So today it is my mission to drink as MUCH water as possible to flush any sodium out of my system before Wednesday. :) Hopefully it works, because I've been working SO hard! So far, I've had two 700 mL bottles of water. I'm working on my third. Wish me luck.

On to food. Here's what I've had to eat today:

English Muffin for breakfast - 1 pt.

WW Smart One (Lasagna Pasta Bake) - 5 pts.
Sugar Free Jell-O Pudding - 1 pt.
1 bag 100 calorie smart pop - 2 pts. (probably not the best for sodium but I was hungry and needed a snack)
Nectarine - 1 pt.

Tonight is dinner with my sweetheart, and then one of my weekly shows The Real Housewives of New Jersey. :) I think maybe we'll hit up the Olive Garden for dinner. I love eating there because they have all nutritional information on their website, and I can figure out the exact points of what I'm eating. Which is GREAT, especially for eating out!

OH, and guess what just came in the mail? My heart monitor watch! Going to pick it up today from my mom's. Yeah! Can't wait to start using this gadget!

Ok, I'll be back soon. Until next time thanks for reading and happy eating!

-Sommer

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End of the weekend...

Hello friends! Well, it's the end of the weekend. :( That always makes me so sad, but I've enjoyed a nice relaxing weekend with my bf. It's actually been quite a lazy day today, I only left the house once to go get dinner supplies from the grocery store. :) BUT, the dinner we made was FANTASTIC. We (well I should say HE) grilled pork tenderloin and asparagus....and you'll see a sausage link there too, but I did not partake in that. I also made roasted red potatoes (not pictured), corn on the cob, and a HUGE salad with tomatoes and cucumbers. It was delicious, and the entire dinner was only 7.5 points. See picture below...

This was such a good and healthy dinner. Here's the points breakdown:

3.5 oz pork tenderloin (grilled) - 3 pts.

1 cup asparagus (seasoned with salt, pepper and a little spray butter) - 0 pts

1/2 cup roasted red potatoes (2 lbs. of red potatoes cubed and cooked with 1 package McCormick Onion and Garlic Potato Seasoning and 1 tbsp EVOO, bake for 45 min at 400 degreees) - 2 pts.

Corn on the cob (1/2 cob) -0.5 pts

Salad with 1/8 med. avocado, 1/8 cup reduced fat feta, tomatoes, cucumbers, fat free italian dressing - 2 pts.

SO GOOOOOOOOD!!!! :) :) Kudos to my bf for grilling the meat and asparagus!

Now, on to my FAVORITE after dinner snack/dessert! VitaTops! See above. These bad boys are DE-LISH and are only 1 point! Yes, I said it, 1 point!! Now, I usually just eat it by itself, but it tastes like a brownie and I've heard of people putting a scoop of low fat ice cream on top. Sounds yummy! They make these in all different flavors, and they can be found in the freezer section of your grocery store. LOVE them!

This is my cute little dog hoping for some food to fall on the floor. :) This is her favorite past time.

This week I am so excited because my new Polar Heart Monitor watch is here!!! Courtesy of my mom and step-dad for my birthday! I can't wait to start using it so it will tell me how many calories I'm burning. ALSO, Eclipse comes out this week in theaters!! Woo hoo, can't wait!

Ok, well I am going to turn in and watch a little Kourtney & Khloe Take Miami before bed.

Thanks for reading my posts and until next time Happy Eating!

-Sommer

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Delicious new food adventures!

Good evening friends! Well, I have only good news to report! Since Wednesday I have stayed within my daily points range EVERY day! I am simply taking it one day at a time, and it's working. I am feeling great, and VERY motivated! In my last post I said I'd be back to share some of my recent Weight Watchers friendly recipes....so here I am. :) I also have some lovely pictures of my meals to share! My most recent food adventure is WW friendly chalupas!!! YUMMMMM. They were delicious, and the idea was courtesy of my wonderful boyfriend. So thanks, honey! See picture below.

Don't these look SO good? Well they were. Here's the receipe:

2 Mission BAKED Tostada Chips (serving is 3 chips for 3 points, I used 2 chips for 1.5 points)
1/4 cup fat free refried beans - 0.5 point
1/4 cup fat free cheddar cheese, shredded - 1 point
3 oz ground 96% lean ground beef (with low sodium taco seasoning) - 3 points
1/2 cup each (or whatever amount you like) lettuce and tomatoes
2 tbsp picante sauce
Total of 6 points!! Now you can also garnish with sour cream if you choose, and I chose to add 1/8 of a medium avocado. This was so good! So good in fact that my honey and I enjoyed leftovers two nights afterwards!! (You can also use the leftover meat, lettuce and tomatoes to make a low point burrito, which is what I did for lunch today).

The above picture is my Chicken Teriyaki stir fry with 1/2 cup of brown rice, also delicious!

The stir fry cooking up!! Here's the recipe:

10 oz chicken breast, cut into pieces

One head of broccoli

Asparagus

Snow peas

Match stick carrots (which I forgot to put into my last batch so you don't see them here)

1/4 cup teriyaki sauce (I use Kikkoman original)

Saute your chicken with 1 tsp of olive oil. When chicken is almost done, put in veggies and an additional tsp olive oil. When veggies are tender, chicken is cooked through add teriyaki sauce and mix well. Serve 1/3 of your pan over 1/2 cup of brown rice = 7 points! A great low point dinner!

This is my honey's AWESOME chicken and veggie kabobs!! They are DELICIOUS and very low points! Just use the amount of chicken you want, choose your veggies (we used squash, zucchini, mushrooms, red bell pepper, purple onion and tomatoes). They just looked so pretty I had to take a picture. Season however you like!

Ok I'm wrapping this up so I can watch a movie with my honey. Taking this one day at a time has been key to getting back on track this week. And the best part is, all of the food I've been cooking has been so fresh and delicious that I haven't even needed to use any of my "extra" 35 points. :) :) :)

I'll be back soon to tell you more about what I've been eating lately - including VitaTops!! So good! More later. Thanks for reading and until next time, happy eating!

-Sommer

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My 28th Birthday!!

Gorgeous sunflowers from my boyfriend for my birthday!

Hello friends! I know it has been a long time since I've written on here. I have really been struggling with my weight over the last couple of months, as you may have read in my previous posts. Well, up until now it didn't get much better. I was good for a short while, then I went out of town for the weekend and lost it again. I had started to feel really bad about myself, but I told myself that after my birthday it was time to get serious again. And I am back on track now, taking it one day at a time. Each day it gets easier, just like it used to be. And I've been cooking some really good new recipes, which I will share soon (I've taken pictures of the food but left my camera cord at my boyfriend's house and can't upload any of my pics!). Recently I've made chicken teriyaki stir fry and last night I made DELICIOUS Weight Watchers friendly chalupas! There were YUMMY, and the idea was courtesy of my fantastic boyfriend, who is very supportive of my weight loss goals. We made everything the Weight Watchers way. :) Pictures and recipes to come, I promise!

Now, on to my birthday. I just turned 28!!!! The number 28 seems so.....old. I hate to say that! But it does. I only have two more years left in my 20's! Noooooooo!! LOL. My birthday celebration was a lot of fun. Friday, a group of 17 friends and I went to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner, and then a few of us hit up Howl at the Moon afterwards for drinks and entertainment. Very fun! Then on Saturday (my actual birthday) the celebration continued at my mom's house, where she and my step-dad cooked dinner and we celebrated with my grandparents, brother and his gf, and of course my bf. It was so nice to be with family! Below are some pictures from Friday night.

So to wrap this up...I'll be back SOON to share pictures and recipes from my latest food adventures, along with points values and what I have been eating lately. I just need my camera cord!

Thanks for reading and until next time, Happy Eating!

-Sommer

Arena and me at Howl having a nice big drink!!

Cheesecake Factory for my birthday

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Six Point Spaghetti

Hello friends!

Well I didn't get a chance to write yesterday but I got up extra early this morning so I can write before I leave for work. Yesterday was a success, it was just the LONGEST DAY EVER! I hate days like that - when the day just drags on. But I made it through, AND stayed within my points, so in my book that's a good day! I came home from work and made spaghetti with meat sauce and garlic bread for dinner. I've blogged about this spaghetti before, so if you'd like the recipe look at my blogs from last year, I believe it's called "Spaghetti and Garlic Bread, Oh My!" The sauce recipe is there. But basically I made the spaghetti sauce (with 96% lean ground beef, you could also use ground turkey, but I personally prefer cow) and use whole wheat noodles. For 1 cup of noodles and 1 cup of sauce its only 6 points! Now seeing as I eat Weight Watchers SmartOnes for lunch sometimes that are 6 points, this is WAY more food for the points value, and its VERY filling. Check it out below.

1 cup wheat noodles, 1 cup Sommer's WW Friendly Sauce w/ meat, 1 Natures Own White Wheat Hamburger Bun with spray butter, garlic salt and oregano (toasted) = 7 point dinner

This is one of my favorite meals to cook because it is very easy, does not take much time at all, and tastes really good (you would never think its WW friendly). So here's what I had to eat yesterday:

Breakfast:

Thomas Multi-grain Light English Muffin - 1 pt.

Dannon Light & Fit Strawberry Yogurt (4 oz) - 1 pt.

Lunch:

WW Smart One - Lasagna Florentine (pretty good) - 6 pts

Afternoon snack:

Jell-o Sugar Free Pudding (chocolate) - 1 pt.

WW String Cheese - 1 pt.

Dinner:

Spaghetti w/ Garlic Bread - 7 pts.

Dessert:

WW Ice Cream Candy Bar (SO DELICIOUS!) - 3 pts.

That's it for the day! This weekend will be a challenge, but I know I can do it! I'll be back after the weekend to tell you how I did. Wish me luck!

Until next time - happy life, happy eating and thanks for reading!

Sommer

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Greek Yogurt & Strawberries

This is a great idea for breakfast, or a simple snack. I had this tonight after dinner to fill up the rest of my points for the day. I used Oikos Greek yogurt (honey flavored, but you can use plain also) and sliced strawberries. I find the Greek yogurt a little sour to taste, so I added some splenda to sweeten it up a bit. You can decide for yourself. You can also try adding a little granola to this. Check it out!

5.5 oz Oikos Greek Yogurt with 1 cup strawberries - 3 points

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Grilled Shrimp Salad

Hello friends!

Well day 3 has been successful! Since I wrote this morning this post won't be long. I had a good day at work and had a nice dinner and got to catch up with some girlfriends this evening. We went to Cyclone Anaya's - cool little "Mexican" food place! I went online and looked at their menu before leaving so I could make a smart decision for dinner. I decided on the grilled shrimp salad - which was very simple. Grilled shrimp, avocado, jicama and some sort of dressing. I got mine minus the avocado (I LOVE avocado but didn't want to use the points on it) and minus the dressing. Instead of dressing I asked for balsamic vinegar on the side, which I really like as a substitute for salad dressing. Its just tangy enough, and gives the salad a good flavor. So dinner was a success, AND I kept my hands off the tortilla chips!

Here's what I had to eat today:

Breakfast:
Thomas 100 Calorie English Muffin - 1 pt.
Dannon Lite & Fit Vanilla Yogurt (4 oz) - 1 pt.

Lunch:
WW Smart Ones Fettucini Alfredo - 4 pts.
Fiber One Oats and Chocolate Granola Bar - 2 pts.

Afternoon snack:
Jell-o Sugar Free Pudding - 1 pt (I like this better than the mousse)
WW String Cheese - 1 pt.

Dinner:
Grilled Shrimp Salad with tomatoes and jicama, dressed with balsamic vinegar (counting 1 tsp. EVOO as I'm sure the shrimp was grilled with some oil) - 3.5 pts.

Dessert:
WW Ice cream candy bar - 3 pts.

I still have 3.5 points left for today! Not sure yet what I'll use them on. I am feeling satisfied from my salad and dessert. On the menu for tomorrow - Spaghetti with meat sauce for only 6 points per serving! I'll be back tomorrow to tell you all about it.

Until next time, happy life, happy eating and thanks for reading!!

Sommer

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Day Numero Dos (a day late)...

Hello friends! I am actually writing this on Day 3 of my journey (starting again) to lose weight. Yesterday at work, I was starting to feel my allergies kick in and decided to take a Zyrtec. I JUST bought the over-the-counter Zyrtec and have never taken it before, but I used to take it prescribed by a doctor and it worked. Well, it worked alright, and knocked me the heck out too! By the time I got home, I was ready to pass out tired. I ate dinner and then fell asleep on the couch, and slept all evening. I got up at mid-night and got into bed! Man! I don't know which is worse, having allergies or being exhausted all day!

Anyway, so I didn't get to write last night. But I had a successful second day back on the plan! Here's what I had to eat yesterday:

Breakfast:
Thomas 100 Calorie English Muffin - 1 pt

Lunch:
Weight Watchers Smart One Lasagna with Meat Sauce - 6 pts (not as good as the Ravioli)
Fiber One Oats and Chocolate Granola Bar - 2 pts

Afternoon Snack:
Jell-0 Chocolate Mouse (sugar free) - 1 pt.
Weight Watchers String Cheese - 1 pt.

Dinner:
3.5 oz tilapia (leftover from night before cooked in EVOO) - 3 pts
1/2 cup brown rice - 2 pts.
3/4 cup steamed veggies - 0 pts.

Dessert:
Weight Watchers Ice Cream Candy Bar (SUPER YUMMY!) - 3 pts

That takes me to my 20 points for the day! I did not work out, because of course I was sleeping ALL evening!

Today I've brought my lunch again, and I have dinner tonight with a couple of my girlfriends, which I am really looking forward to. But I am determined to stay on plan. So, before I go, I am going to take a look at the menu and decide what to eat before I get there. That way, no temptations! AND the cool thing about the restaurant we are going to, they have "Skinny" margaritas! Not sure yet it I'll get one, but nice to know its an option!

I'll write tonight about my day today. Until then, happy life, happy eating, and thanks for reading!!

Sommer

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I think I can, I think I can....NO, I KNOW I can!

Well, it has been a LONG time since I have blogged about my diet. Wow. My last entry was on August 25th. Whew. It has been a crazy few months, and unfortunately the stresses of life have gotten to me, and I've gained 10 pounds. When I stepped on the scale, I literally wanted to throw up. :( No good. My clothes are tight, I can feel the weight. It has really made me down. BUT, the good news is that I know exactly what I need to do, and I know that when I am dedicated to losing weight, and follow my Weight Watchers plan, it works. So, I CAN do this! I am GOING to do this! I now have about 25 lbs to go, and I am determined to get there (and if I can get there by October 9th, my 10 year high school reunion, that would be the cherry on the cake).

Over the last few months I've tracked some days or weeks, and fall off the wagon and won't track for a while, and start tracking again. Its a vicious cycle. Anything has thrown me off track. Last week, I did great on Tuesday but got beautiful flowers and YUMMY truffles delivered to me on Wednesday, and the truffles ruined me. Delicious as they were, they completely threw me off course and now here I am, the following Monday trying to get on track again. I WILL stay on track this week. One day at a time. One pound at a time!

I have been very good today. Granted, it's only 7 pm....but I have 1.5 points left for today and I am confident I will not go over that. Here's what I had to eat today:

Breakfast:
Thomas 100 Calorie English Muffin - 1 point

Lunch:
Weight Watchers Smart One - Ravioli Florentine (very tasty) - 5 points
Fiber One Granola Bar (Oats and Chocolate) - 2 points

Afternoon snack:
Weight Watchers String Cheese - 1 point
Jello Sugar Free Mouse - 1 point

Dinner:
3.5 oz of pan fried tilapia (used a little lemon pepper and cooked with 1 tsp EVOO for 3 pieces) - 2.5 points
1/2 cup brown rice - 2 points
3/4 cup steamed veggies with 1 slice Kraft 2% singles - 1 point
Garlic toast made with a Natures Own White Wheat Hamburger Bun - 1 point

Dessert:
Weight Watchers Giant Cookies and Cream Bar - 2 points

Activity for today:
30 minute Elyptical Interval workout on a 2/4 - Earned 4 points

I still have 1.5 points left. Not sure yet what I'll do with them. Maybe I'll have some fresh strawberries and Oikos Greek Yogurt.

So, I think my journey is back off to a good start! I'm very excited and looking forward to seeing some results! Come on 25 lbs!

Until next time, happy life, happy eating.

-Sommer

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