Weight Maintenance Month 12: Week 2 Weigh-in

I lost…0 pounds! Although it would have been nice to lose some weight, I’m just glad I didn’t gain any. Actually, it means I balanced things out pretty evenly – the way I should be in between weigh-ins. Here’s a recap of what happened this week:

  • Water: Plenty of water most of the week, although I did also have things like lemonade and root beer a couple of times.
  • Fruits and Veggies: I didn’t have some with every meal, but most. I did balance some of my splurges out by adding fruit, and I had a lot of fruits and veggies for nighttime snacks.
  • Exercise: None this week.
  • Portions: Except for the festival, the dinner after the movie, and the dinner after softball, I did well on portions, even on some of the splurges – 1 roast beef sandwich, 1 doughnut, 1 chili dog, 1 slice of pizza.
  • Planning: I planned, but the week didn’t always go according to that plan. Sometimes I adapted well, sometimes not. For the festival and the two bigger dinners, I ate what I planned, but then I gave in and ate more.

Well, I guess I’ll go another week, although there are two festivals going on over the weekend and I’m going to dinner with friends next week. I’ll do my best for one more week (after that we go on vacation), but I’m also going to keep enjoying the summer.

No regrets.

Weight Maintenance Month 12: Week 2

It is the first week of summer vacation and I really want to be done, but I did pretty well balancing family activities with losing weight last week, so I’ll try again this week and see how it goes.

Day 1

  • Lunch: Roast Beef Sandwich, Apple, Water
    My dad brought over Arby’s for a special last day of school lunch, so I had a roast beef sandwich with some Arby’s Sauce and half of an apple.
  • Breakfast: Cereal, Milk, Water
    I hadn’t had breakfast and was hungry later, so I had a bowl of Kashi® Island Vanilla biscuits with 1% milk (I would have added fruit, but there wasn’t any left).
  • Dinner: BBQ Chicken Sandwich with Coleslaw, Grapes, Water, Ice Cream Sandwich Square
    Leftover Crockpot BBQ Chicken from last week on a toasted whole wheat bun and topped with leftover coleslaw, with grapes on the side and the last ice cream sandwich square from last week for dessert.
  • Snack: Veggies, Dip, Triscuit, Grapes, Fruit Bar, Water
    I figured a light snack would be best, but I was also pretty hungry, so I had sugar snap peas and cherry tomatoes with low-fat veggie dip, 1 reduced-fat Triscuit, grapes, and a That’s It Fruit Bar.

Day 2

  • Breakfast: Doughnut, Banana, Water
    My husband got doughnuts for the first day of summer vacation, so I had one glazed blueberry doughnut and half of a banana.
  • Lunch: Chili Dog, Root Beer
    Family lunch at the local chili dog place near us – chili dog with cheese, pickles, and mustard, and root beer.
  • Dinner: Festival Food
    There’s a summer festival with music, art, and lots of food booths that I love, and I wasn’t going to miss out. I started light with a grilled shrimp skewer, and some garlic bread and lemonade that I shared with my family. I had a couple of bites of an elote cup that my husband got. Then I had some Jamaican curry and rice that I planned on sharing, but my husband ended up getting something else, so I ended up eating all of it. Then my daughter wanted to try a boba smoothie, but then didn’t really like it and my older daughter and husband had their own already, so I ended up drinking that. And then when we got home I kind of went completely off the rails and had some snacks. I knew this was going to be my “cheat” day, but yikes! I’ll just have to try to do really well the rest of the week.

Day 3

  • Breakfast: Pepperoni Pizza, Water
    Not really breakfast, but my first “meal” of the day – I brought my daughter to a birthday party and had 1 slice of pizza.
  • Lunch: Cereal, Banana, Milk, Water
    All backwards today – “lunch” was Chocolate Cheerios™, sliced banana, and 1% milk.
  • Dinner: Turkey Sandwich, Water, Brownie
    Light dinner – turkey sandwich with whole wheat bread, light mayo, whole grain mustard, reduced-fat cheese slice, turkey, and shredded carrot. We got a brownie from the local chocolatier and I cut it into 4 portions for all of us to share for dessert.

Day 4

  • Breakfast: Cereal, Banana, Blueberries, Milk, Water
    1/2 cup Grape-Nuts®, sliced banana, blueberries, and 1% milk.
  • Snack: Banana, Water
    I had a late breakfast and just needed something to tide me over until dinner, so I had the other half of the banana from breakfast.
  • Dinner: Pizza, Apple, Water
    We were dropping the kids off to camp with my parents, and they invited us to have pizza with them. I had 1 slice of supreme pizza, and an apple that I brought.
  • Snack: Popcorn, Peaches, Fruit Bar, Water
    Low-fat popcorn, canned peaches, and a That’s It fruit bar.

Day 5

  • Breakfast: Cereal, Milk, Water
    Kashi® Island Vanilla biscuits; no fruit because we were out!
  • Lunch: Peanut Butter Crackers, Apple, Water
    Just something to tide me over – a package of peanut butter crackers and an apple.
  • Dinner: Chicken, Carrots, Rice, Green Beans, Water, Truffle
    The last of the leftover Chicken and Carrots with Wine Sauce, brown rice, and canned green beans, with a chocolate truffle for dessert.
  • Snack: Tomatoes, Pickles, Fruit Bar, Triscuit, Water
    Grape tomatoes with low-fat veggie dip, 1 reduced-fat Triscuit, pickles, and a That’s It fruit bar.

Day 6

  • Breakfast: Cereal, Milk, Water
    Same as Day 5.
  • Lunch: Peanut Butter Crackers, Apple, Water
    Same as Day 5; this time eaten at my daughter’s softball game.
  • Dinner: Veggie Wrap, Sweet Potato Fries, Water, Truffle
    We ended up going out to dinner with my father-in-law after the game. I chose a veggie wrap, which may not have been too bad, but then I also had sweet potato fries…and a chocolate truffle when I got home.

How Did I Do?

Only 6 days this week – I weighed myself a day early since I knew I was going to an event with food and drinks the next day. I am very unsure about this week. I had a lot of unexpected splurges – Arby’s, doughnut, chili dog, festival food, pizza, and a veggie wrap with sweet potato fries at a restaurant. I did my best to fit most of them into my Points for that day and/or balance them out – I only had one roast beef sandwich and had an apple on the side, only one doughnut with a banana, one chili dog with no chips, and only one slice of pizza. But, I overate at the festival (and after the festival), and probably ate too much the last night. The rest of the meals were fine – plenty of water, fruits, and veggies, and correct portions. When I was hungry at night, I loaded up on fruits and veggies and low-Point snacks.

How will it all add up in the end? We’ll see! It was a good first week of summer vacation though.

No regrets.

*Note: I am using tools from the Weight Watchers® program circa 2007, because that’s what I have. So, the Points values that I am using may differ from the current program.

Weight Maintenance Month 12: Week 1 Weigh-in

I lost…2 pounds! A good week – especially considering the takeout, ice cream, and Memorial Day food. Here’s what may have helped:

  • Water: Plenty every day, plus I made sure to bring some with me if we were going to be out and about.
  • Exercise: No workouts, but we did walk quite a bit when we went to the beach.
  • Fruits and Veggies: Some with almost every meal, plus some for snacks, and I added some to balance out takeout instead of fries / chips.
  • Portions: Also important this week – when I had a doughnut, I had one. The chicken burrito was pretty small. I stuck to a single scoop of ice cream in a cup. I tried to have just a little of almost everything on Memorial Day. Other than that, I stuck to serving sizes and loaded up on fruit and veggies.
  • Planning: I brought fruit to go with takeout and tried to choose lighter options. I made sure there was lighter sides and dessert when we celebrated Memorial Day. I made a couple of light dinners to have throughout the week. I stuck to fruit / veggies / light nighttime snacks when I had them.

Summer vacation is starting, so I’m not sure if I’m going to get all the way down to my target, but I’ll go for at least one more week and see how I do.

No regrets.

Weight Maintenance Month 12: Week 1

Day 1

  • Breakfast: Doughnut, Fruit, Water
    1 sour cream glazed doughnut and some fruit.
  • Lunch: Chicken Wrap, Apple, Water
    We were on our way to the zoo, and I was going to get a grilled chicken sandwich from Wendy’s but apparently they don’t make it anymore (!!), so I got a grilled chicken wrap instead. Definitely not as good, but there weren’t a lot of other options. I also brought an apple to go with it.
  • Dinner: Chicken, Carrots, Rice, Green Beans, Water, Ice Cream Sandwich Square
    Leftover Chicken and Carrots with Wine Sauce, brown rice (about 1/2 cup), and canned green beans. We stopped at the ice cream sandwich shop on the way home; I got one, but cut it into four pieces and had one for dessert.
  • Snack: Fruit, Water
    I had a doughnut for breakfast and I didn’t know how many Points the wrap was for lunch, so I went with just fruit for a snack.

Day 2

  • Brunch: Cheerios™, Banana, Strawberries, Milk, Water
    Late breakfast – Cheerios with sliced banana, strawberries, and 2% milk.
  • Dinner: Chicken Burrito, Apple, Water, Ice Cream
    We went to the beach, stopped at the burrito place for lunch, and then the ice cream place for dessert. I got the chicken burrito (luckily they weren’t too big), had an apple that I brought, and just got one scoop of ice cream in a cup.
  • Snack: Snap Peas, Melon, Water
    Again, I wasn’t sure how I did on lunch/dinner, so I figured fruit and vegetables for a snack would be best.

Day 3

  • Brunch: Grape-Nuts®, Banana, Strawberries, Milk, Water
    Another late breakfast – Grape-Nuts (1/2 cup) with 2% milk, sliced banana (half of a banana), and some strawberries.
  • Dinner: Pork Skewers, Couscous, Pineapple, Water
    Spice-Rubbed Pork Skewers with Tomatoes (4 skewers), Peanutty Couscous (1/4 recipe), and fresh pineapple.

Day 4

  • Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast with Banana, Water
    Whole wheat toast with 1/2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter and sliced banana.
  • Lunch: Memorial Day Food, Water
    I tried not to go too crazy, but I did have a little bit of almost everything: brat, fruit, salad (with low-fat dressing), baked beans, deviled egg, dessert (I made Cool, Cream Chocolate Dessert from Cooking Light magazine).
  • Dinner: Hot Dog, Fruit, Water
    Hot dog with ketchup and mustard, and more fruit.

Day 5

  • Breakfast: Granola Bar, Water
    Quick breakfast on the go: Nature Valley™ Fruit & Nut granola bar.
  • Lunch: Turkey Armour® LunchMakers®, Water
    Crackers, meat, and cheese, and the tiny candy bar included for dessert. Probably should have added some fruit.
  • Dinner: Chicken, Carrots, Rice, Watermelon, Water, Ice Cream Sandwich Square
    Basically same dinner as Day 1, except watermelon instead of green beans.
  • Snack: Grapes, Triscuits, Salsa, Water
    Grapes, and 3 reduced-fat Triscuits with salsa.

Day 6

  • Breakfast: Cereal, Strawberries, Milk, Water
    Kashi® Island Vanilla biscuits with strawberries and 1% milk.
  • Lunch: ??
    I forgot to write down what I had for lunch – but it may have been half of a turkey sandwich and some fruit? (whole wheat bread, light mayo, whole-grain mustard, turkey, low-fat cheese slice, pickles)
  • Dinner: BBQ Chicken Tacos, Coleslaw, Fruit, Water, Ice Cream Sandwich Square
    Crockpot BBQ Chicken (2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cooked on LOW for 4 hours in BBQ sauce and water and shredded) on 2 small tortillas and topped with coleslaw (1 bag coleslaw, 1/2 cup cider vinegar, 3 Tbsp. sugar, 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper, 1/2 tsp. celery seeds), fruit on the side, and a ice cream sandwich square for dessert.
  • Snack: Veggies, Dip, Fruit Bar, Water
    Veggies with low-fat dip, and a That’s It Mini Fruit Bar.

Day 7

  • Breakfast: Kashi, Blueberries, Milk, Water
    Same as Day 6, except with blueberries instead of strawberries.
  • Lunch: Burrito, Apple, Water
    Amy’s Organic Black Bean Burrito (microwaved frozen burrito), and half of an apple.
  • Dinner: Pork, Couscous, Melon, Water, Ice Cream Sandwich Square
    Leftovers from Day 3 (only 3 skewers this time), with melon instead of pineapple and another ice cream sandwich square for dessert.
  • Snack: Popcorn, Apple, Water
    Low-fat popcorn and apple slices.

How Did I Do?

Honestly, I have no idea. I tried to balance things out and keep portions small – 1 doughnut with fruit, a takeout wrap with an apple, a chicken burrito with an apple, fruits and vegetables for nighttime snacks. When Wendy’s didn’t have a grilled chicken sandwich, I had a wrap instead. When we got gourmet ice cream sandwiches, I divided it up into four portions to eat throughout the week. For Memorial Day, I made sure people were bringing fruit and salad, skipped things like chips and bread, kept portions small, and made a light(er) dessert. I made a couple of light/healthy dinners to have the rest of the week.

Sometimes, you’re doing stuff with your family that involves food and you need to make a choice. Sometimes you decide to choose something lighter. Sometimes you decide to not have anything at all and just enjoy your time with them. Sometimes you enjoy the burrito, or the ice cream, or the takeout, or the Memorial Day food, but without going too crazy. Which one is best? Whatever works for you! Whatever doesn’t make you miserable and lets you enjoy your time with your family – and hopefully doesn’t tip the scale the wrong way. But even if it does, just enjoy that time, and then start again and keep going.

No regrets.

*Note: I am using tools from the Weight Watchers® program circa 2007, because that’s what I have. So, the Points values that I am using may differ from the current program.

Extra Recipe: Cool, Creamy Chocolate Dessert

For Memorial Day, I wanted to make a lighter dessert that would also be kid-friendly, so I decided to make Cool, Creamy, Chocolate Dessert from the May 2008 issue of Cooking Light magazine. A shortbread-like crust with toasted pecans is topped with a sweet cream cheese layer, then a chocolate pudding layer, and then whipped topping. Definitely a crowd-pleaser.

As advertised – cool, creamy, and chocolatey

Here are my recipe notes:

  • I toasted pre-chopped pecans in a dry skillet over medium-low heat until fragrant and lightly browned, then chopped them a little more before adding them to the flour/butter mixture.
  • I can never find fat-free cream cheese in blocks anymore, and I didn’t want to have half of a 1/3-less-fat cream cheese left over, so I just used all 1/3-less-fat cream cheese.
  • It says to put the last whipped topping layer on right before serving, but you can probably do it before (the leftovers were fine).
  • I skipped the cocoa on top.

Enjoy!

Extra Recipes: Spice-Rubbed Pork Skewers with Tomatoes and Peanutty Couscous

Two recipes from the May 2006 issue of Cooking Light magazine: Spice-Rubbed Pork Skewers with Tomatoes and Peanutty Couscous. Pork tenderloin is cut into strips and marinated in chile paste and a mixture of brown sugar, coriander, garlic powder, pepper, salt, cumin, and ginger, then threaded on skewers with a cherry tomato, grilled, and topped with soy sauce and sesame oil. The couscous is made in the microwave – heat chicken broth, add couscous and let sit, then mix in soy sauce, peanut (or sesame) oil, crushed red pepper, garlic powder, chopped peanuts, and green onions. I served it with fresh pineapple (which would have also been good grilled). Great flavors, and I thought it was even better the next day.

So much flavor! Probably could have added another fruit or vegetable though

Spice-Rubbed Pork Skewers with Tomatoes

  • 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/8 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1 1-pound pork tenderloin, trimmed
  • 1 tsp. chile paste
  • Cooking spray
  • 2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tsp. dark sesame oil

Prepare grill (for gas grill, we heated it to about 400 degrees). If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for around 15 minutes so that they don’t burn on the grill. Combine brown sugar through ginger in a small bowl. Cut pork in half crosswise, then cut each half into 8 length-wise strips. Combine pork strips and chile paste in a shallow dish; toss to coat. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture evenly over pork; toss to coat. Let pork stand 10 minutes.

Thread 1 pork strip and 1 tomato onto each of 16 10-inch skewers. Place skewers on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Combine soy sauce and oil; drizzle over pork. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 4 skewers).

Nutritional Information: 196 calories, 6.6 grams fat, 1.2 grams fiber

Peanutty Couscous

  • 1 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
  • 5.7 oz. couscous
  • 3 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. peanut oil (I couldn’t find a small bottle and didn’t want to buy a giant bottle, so I used the sesame oil I already had instead)
  • 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped roasted peanuts
  • 2 sliced green onions

Microwave chicken broth in a covered 1 1/2-quart casserole dish at HIGH for 3 minutes. Stir in couscous, cover, and let stand 5 minutes. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, oil, and spices. Fluff couscous with a fork, then stir in soy sauce mixture, peanuts, and onions. Yield: 4 servings.

Enjoy!

Weight Maintenance: Weigh-in #12

Although normally I weigh myself to check in about a month after my last weigh-in, this time it’s actually been about two months. I wanted to wait until after Mother’s Day so I could enjoy all of my treats (and leftover treats afterward). Then I weighed myself about 4 days ago, and I had gained A LOT. But, I had eaten quite a bit at a family gathering the day before (and some of the leftovers the night before), I was probably low on water, and I was pretty bloated. I was not ready for that to be my starting point though, so I decided to give myself a few days to drink more water, watch my portions, eat more fruits and vegetables, and see where I was at after that. I lost quite a bit in 4 days, so now I “only” have 7 pounds to lose!

Here’s what I did during the 4 days to get to this point:

  • Water: I drank water all day, every day. Probably most of the weight I lost was water weight; when my body was getting enough, it could finally release the water it was holding on to.
  • Fruits and Vegetables: I made sure I had some with every meal, and most of my snacks were all fruits and/or vegetables.
  • Portions: Breakfast and lunch were easy – I just had a lot of my usuals (whole grain cereal or oatmeal with low-fat milk and fruit, whole wheat toast with natural peanut butter and banana, half of a turkey sandwich with fruit, healthy soup with whole wheat toast spread with a little olive oil, Turkey Armour® LunchMakers® with fruit). For dinners, a couple of nights I had 1/4 of a ham steak (made 2 ham steaks total, baked then broiled with a can of pineapple rings in juice), about 1/2 cup of sweet potato (baked, then mashed with a little whole grain mustard), and broccoli (microwaved in the bag then tossed with olive oil, salt, and pepper). I also had Chicken and Carrots with Wine Sauce served with brown rice (cooked in chicken broth and olive oil) and canned green beans. For snacks, I had fruits and vegetables except for one night when I had a small bag of Goldfish® Pretzels and a bag of Welch’s® Fruit Snacks during my daughter’s softball game (I had planned to eat dinner afterward, but I couldn’t wait), so then I just waited and had a bigger “snack” later (6 reduced-fat Triscuits with salsa, a low-fat cheese stick, and fruit).

So, I just have to keep doing what I’ve been doing, and I should be ok!

No regrets.

Weight Maintenance Month 11: Week 2 Weigh-in

I lost…3 pounds! I am 2 pounds away from my goal, but I’m calling it good for this month because we have spring break and Easter this week, and then we are going away for our anniversary the week after that. So, in other words – close enough, good for now, etc.

I did pretty well this week though; here’s a recap:

  • Water: Plenty every day – I even made sure to bring water with me if we had activities going on.
  • Fruits and Veggies: Some with almost every meal and snack.
  • Exercise: Not so much.
  • Portions: I kept portions small and measured and counted when I needed to. When we had dinner at my mother-in-law’s, I had some of everything, but didn’t go crazy. When I had a cupcake, it was only half.
  • Planning: I had breakfasts and lunches that I knew work for me for losing weight. I had mostly fruits and/or veggies when I needed a snack. I made healthy dinners. When we were going to a hockey game or a children’s museum or a trampoline park, I made sure I ate beforehand and had water with me.

That’s it for now…I’ll check in again in a month!

No regrets.

Weight Maintenance Month 11: Week 2

Day 1

  • Breakfast: Cereal, Milk, Blueberries, Water
    Kashi® Island Vanilla biscuits with blueberries and 2% milk.
  • Lunch: Salmon Salad, Triscuits, Carrots, Water, Tootsie Roll
    Lemon Salmon Salad (only ate half) with 6 reduced-fat Triscuits, some carrots, and a midgee tootsie roll for dessert.
  • Dinner: Lasagna, Salad, Garlic Bread, Water, Chocolate
    Lazy Lasagna (actually less than a serving size because I cut it into more than 9 pieces), 1 small piece of garlic bread, salad (lettuce, grape tomatoes, shredded carrot, less than 2 Tbsp. light Ranch), and a Ferrero Rocher chocolate for dessert.
  • Snack: Orange, Fruit Bar, Water
    1 orange, and a blueberry That’s It Mini Fruit Bar.

Day 2

  • Breakfast: Oatmeal, Mango, Water
    1/2 cup quick oats mixed with salt, cinnamon, and slightly less than 1 cup 2% milk, microwaved for 90 seconds, stirred, microwaved for another 30 seconds, and then I stirred in some peeled, chopped honey mango.
  • Lunch: Salmon Salad, Triscuits, Orange, Water
    Same lunch as Day 1, but with an orange instead of carrots, and no dessert.
  • Dinner: Chicken Cacciatore, Green Bean Casserole, Jell-O Salad, Grapes, Water, Brownie, Ice Cream
    We had dinner at my mother-in-law’s house. There were some snacks beforehand, but I stuck to grapes. I tried to keep portions small for the meal (less than 1 cup of pasta with sauce, 1 chicken thigh, and 1/4 – 1/3 cup of casserole and salad), and then had a brownie and a small scoop of ice cream for dessert.

Day 3

  • Breakfast: Cereal, Banana, Strawberries, Milk, Water
    Chocolate Cheerios™ with sliced banana, strawberries, and 2% milk.
  • Lunch: Burrito, Orange, Water, Tootsie Roll
    Amy’s Organic Black Bean Burrito (microwaved frozen burrito), an orange, and a midgee tootsie roll for dessert.
  • Dinner: Chili, Corn Muffin, Melon, Water
    1 cup of leftover chili, a corn muffin, and some cantaloupe.
  • Other: Hot Dog, Water
    We went to a hockey game; I ate dinner beforehand so I didn’t have any of the food there (I figure I can get it any time we go to a hockey game), but then my daughter snagged one of the hot dogs they shoot from a cannon, and she only wanted half, so I ate the other half.
  • Snack: Fruit Bar, Water
    I probably should have skipped any snack or only had fruit since I had the hot dog, but I know the That’s It Mini Fruit Bars are only 1 Point and I really wanted one.

Day 4

  • Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast, Banana, Pear, Water
    1 slice whole wheat bread, toasted and topped with 1/2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter and sliced banana. Also had a pear.
  • Lunch: Turkey Sandwich, Apple, Water
    Half of a turkey sandwich (whole wheat bread, light mayo, whole grain mustard, reduced-fat cheese slice, turkey, sliced pickles) and an apple.
  • Dinner: Lasagna, Garlic Bread, Salad, Water, Tootsie Roll
    Same dinner as Day 1, except I had lite Catalina dressing on the salad this time, and a midgee tootsie roll for dessert.
  • Snack: Carrots, Dip, Triscuit, Grapes, Water
    Carrots and 1 reduced-fat Triscuit (yes, 1) with low-fat veggie dip, and also some grapes.

Day 5

  • Breakfast: Cereal, Milk, Strawberries, Water
    Kashi® Island Vanilla biscuits with strawberries and 2% milk.
  • Lunch: Turkey Armour® LunchMakers®, Apple, Water
    Crackers, meat, and cheese, and the tiny candy bar included for dessert. Also an apple.
  • Dinner: Chicken Salad Wrap, Carrots, Potatoes, Water, Chocolate
    Chicken salad (1 Tbsp. light mayo, country Dijon, 4.5-oz. can chicken breast drained, 7 dried cherries, 7 lightly salted almonds) on a whole wheat tortilla, plus canned carrots (did 2 cans drained and microwaved with 1 Tbsp. butter spread, but only had about 1/2 – 3/4 cup), roasted potatoes (tossed with olive oil and salt and roasted at 400, tossing occasionally), and a chocolate covered cherry for dessert.
  • Snack: Fruit Bar, Cheez-Its®, Water
    A That’s It Mini Fruit Bar and 5 reduced-fat Cheez-Its.

Day 6

  • Breakfast: Cereal, Milk, Banana, Blueberries, Water
    Grape-Nuts® (1/2 cup) with 2% milk, sliced banana (half of a banana), and some blueberries.
  • Lunch: Soup, Toast, Water
    Half of a can of Campbell’s® Chunky® Savory Vegetable Soup with some soup toast (whole wheat bread spread with 1 – 2 tsp. olive oil and toasted).
  • Snack: Melon, Orange, Water
    A few pieces of cantaloupe and an orange.
  • Dinner: Stir-Fry, Rice, Melon, Water, Cupcake
    Chicken Stir-Fry served over about 1/2 cup of jasmine rice, with some honeydew melon on the side and half of a cupcake for dessert. I used a little over a pound of chicken, but also lots of veggies – half of a large onion, half of a bag of broccoli, 3 bell peppers, half a bag of sugar snap peas, and part of a bag of shredded carrot. This time I just seasoned the chicken with salt and pepper, but still added ginger, garlic, and soy sauce.

Day 7

  • Breakfast: Oatmeal, Apple, Water
    Same breakfast as Day 2, but with chopped apple (half of an apple) instead of mango.
  • Lunch: Turkey Sandwich, Apple, Water
    Same lunch as Day 4, but with only half of an apple.
  • Dinner: Stir-Fry, Rice, Melon, Water, Cupcake
    Same dinner as Day 6.

How Did I Do?

I think I did pretty well this week. I drank plenty of water, ate plenty of fruits and vegetables, and watched my portions. The only extra Points I had were probably at dinner at my mother-in-law’s, the half of a hot dog at the hockey game, and the cupcakes, but none of those were big portions. I skipped nighttime snacks or kept it light.

No regrets.

*Note: I am using tools from the Weight Watchers® program circa 2007, because that’s what I have. So, the Points values that I am using may differ from the current program.

Weight Maintenance Month 11: Week 1 Weigh-in

I lost…4 pounds! “Only” 5 to go. I wasn’t sure how it would turn out with the bigger meal on Day 6 AND the cupcakes this week, but looks like I did well enough for the rest of my meals and snacks to lose! Here’s what happened this week:

  • Water: All day, every day. There were a couple of days when we were out and about when I didn’t drink as much as I probably should have (although I did bring a water bottle one of the days), but I drank plenty before and after.
  • Fruits and Veggies: With almost every meal and snack. When I did have a snack, it was pretty much just fruit and water.
  • Exercise: Not on purpose, but I did do some lifting and toting one day, and another day I had to walk quite a ways to and from my car when a parking ramp was full.
  • Portions: I stuck to smart potion sizes, except for the one big dinner on Day 6. I had cupcakes, but only half of one each day (and not every day). Other than the cupcakes, desserts were only small bites. I measured when I needed to. I either skipped nighttime snacks or had fruit.
  • Planning: I mostly stuck with some familiar meals that I knew work for me for losing weight. When we had friends over, I only had one hard seltzer. When I ran out of time to make dinner, I had healthy takeout and had carrots instead of fries. When I chaperoned my daughter’s field trip, I packed a lunch that I knew would work for losing weight but also not leave me too hungry (and water). And, although I didn’t exactly plan it, even though I had a big dinner on Day 6, I hadn’t had lunch, so technically, I could eat two meals’ worth (and I skipped a snack that night).

No regrets.