Fritters.

Welcome to the blog today y’all. I hope you had a nice weekend and that it has been a pleasant week for you so far. I actually had a great weekend. I weighed Saturday morning and I was down 1.4, bringing my total loss to 72.8. I am so close to that 75 pounds! I'm hoping no more than 2 weeks and I will be posting a new picture! I also went up to Birmingham Saturday to spend some time with Jordan...



We went to dinner at Carraba’s, which is an Italian place and it was SO good. I think I ate my weight in their fresh baked bread. After we ate, we had some time before our movie so we walked around the World Market (which I love). While we were there, I bought some Candy Buttons (which I always called candy dots but whatever)...



I realized after I got them that they are only 40 calories for a big, long sheet of them. That means they are only one point per serving and if you only have half of the sheet, you don’t have to count them at all! I will definitely have to remember that because it’s nice for movies to have something to snack on when everyone else has fried Oreos or buttered popcorn. They just taste like little bites of sugar but it’s still something you can munch on. After that, we went to see the movie The Switch which is the new one with Jason Bateman & Jennifer Anniston. It was pretty cute. I wasn’t totally floored by it or anything but I thought it was funny and sweet and the little boy in the movie is absolutely adorable. It was a good weekend...Jordan and I always have fun.

After my mom made an awesome dinner Sunday night, I went over to my friend David’s to watch the Emmy’s. I think a couple of specific congrats are in order...




First, I LOVE that Modern Family won for best comedy. I also wanted Glee to win but Modern Family is genius in my opinion and was definitely one of my absolute favorites last season. I also want to give a shout out to Jane Lynch from Glee. She is hilarious on the show and her Emmy was well deserved. I also loved her dress and thought she looked gorgeous. I think Jimmy Fallon did a great job. There were lots of folks I was very happy for and I also realized I watch A LOT of comedy now and leave out all of the dramas that are popular. I just don’t have time to pick up any more TV...I already watch way too much. Anyway, it was a fun night...I love award shows.

It is also time to report on a recipe...



I made Roasted Herb Potato Wedges & Vegetable Fritters. The potatoes were baked after I mixed them with some salt, pepper, garlic and Dijon mustard. They tasted pretty good. The fritters were basically tiny pancakes that had onions, mushrooms & garlic. I also spiced them with a lot of salt & pepper. They called for bell peppers but I don’t eat those so I put mushrooms in instead. I thought they were really good. You just create a sort of batter and add the veggies then plop them in a skillet to cook on each side. They were easy and different and filling. Don’t let the word pancake throw you off, they aren’t sweet...just tasty! I also really like to say, “Fritters,” which is why I titled the blog that today.

I think that pretty much sums everything up...I will be back Friday to exude my excitement for the beginning of FOOTBALL SEASON! Roll Tide!


“Craig Jones: We ain't got no sugar.
Smokey: No sugar? D**n. Y'all ain't never got two things that match. Either y'all got Kool-aid, no sugar. Peanut butter, no jelly. Ham, no burger.” Craig & Smokey-Friday (I was thinking about this movie today...I think it’s time I watch it.)

WRAPPIN' IT UP

I don’t know if y’all are aware of this but a week from tomorrow, Alabama will officially begin their football season AND some of us will get a four day week for labor day! Needless to say, I am looking ahead about a week. I will have an appropriate Alabama oriented blog sometime next week to express my happiness and excitement for the upcoming season. Until then though, I think I can focus enough to discuss a few other things.

First, I hope you all have nice weekends ahead of you. I don’t have any major plans tonight...I hanging with my family and I’m kind of OK with having a low key night just to relax. I am finally getting my hair done and my eyebrows waxed tomorrow. It’s been WAY too long so I’m very excited about that. Tomorrow night, I am going to Birmingham to hang with Jordan. Once football season starts, it’s hard to find time for anything else on Saturday’s. Even if there is an off weekend or an away weekend, you end up using those to catch up on all the things you couldn’t do on game day. I’m excited to see him. We are going to have a nice dinner and go see a movie...plus...we always have fun together. Sunday, I will have dinner with my parents and then I’m going to my friend David’s to watch the Emmy’s which I’m pretty pumped about. It should be a good weekend.

This week, I went to the orthopedic doctor to check on what I knew was carpel tunnel. When I sit at work, I sometimes get very sharp pains to my elbows and wrists. I also asked him about my knee pain and then numbness I get at night or when I stand for too long. He didn’t really have much to offer. I should have known that though. When it comes to your joints, the only fixes are either temporary or involve surgery. I definitely am not the kind of person that wants surgery unless I absolutely need it. I have wrist splints but I can’t type in them and they are very uncomfortable. Really, the most pain I have is in my elbows so I bought a brace that may or may not help. Anyway, he basically told me to try to get work to provide a more ergonomic work space (easier said than done) and take 3 ibuprofen in the morning and 3 at night. Seriously, I paid $45 for that. My mother told me to take ibuprofen...I suppose I should pay her too? Oh well, live and learn...I also learned that as long as I I have a job where I sit all day and as long as I exercise, I guess I will just live with aches and pains in my joints.

I guess I told y’all that just to complain but also to tell you a bit about my week. I also watched a Netflix movie this week...



My mom told me about this movie like 2 or 3 years ago and I just got around to watching it. I’m glad I finally did because it was really good. It’s about a debate team in the early 30’s at an all black college in the south. I debated in high school and college and it is so interesting to see how much it’s evolved. It’s also eye opening to see how far we’ve come in terms of race relations and how far we still have to go. I would definitely recommend this movie. You may want some tissue but it’s inspiring.

I did want to share a new food item what my mom introduced me to before I end for the day...



I was already familiar with sandwich/deli thins which are just thin pieces of bread that you can use for a bun. I was very excited about these because they are as round as a regular bagel, they just don’t include all the fluffy bread. They are actually quite good with some low fat cream cheese and a whole bagel with the 1 point Weight Watchers cream cheese makes for a 2 point breakfast and you really can’t beat that. It is especially good on days like to day when your workplace has “Flapjack Friday” and the first thing you smell when you walk in the is pancakes and bacon.

I think that’s pretty much it for my rundown of the week/weekend.

Have a good one! Bye!

“Have no fear for giving in
Have no fear for giving over
You'd better know that in the end
Its better to say too much
Then never say what you need to say again

Even if your hands are shaking
And your faith is broken
Even as the eyes are closing
Do it with a heart wide open

Say what you need to say.” Say-John Mayer

New Kicks!

Hello all. I hope everyone had a nice weekend and a good start to the week. My weekend was OK. I shopped a lot. I didn’t really find much in the way of clothes though. I don’t know if it’s just a bad time or I was bloated but nothing seemed to fit right. I didn’t lose any weight last week so I think that sort of bummed me out because I really am aiming for that 75 pounds. I know that’s greedy so I won’t complain any more about that, I just felt a little disappointed that I didn’t lose. Usually, when I don’t lose, I know why...this time was a little confusing...so I immediately started evaluating why I might not have lost. Anyway, it’s fine. I will get there soon enough. It’s also really good news that I didn’t gain any weight. It was funny because I weighed and I was up .2 (which I don’t really consider a gain) so I used the bathroom and tried again and I was up a little more. I tried weighing a few times on Saturday and every time I did, I was heavier so eventually I just said forget it and decided I would wait until next week and try again.

So, aside from the shopping and the scale time I spent this weekend, it was pretty good. I ate two great cheat meals, hung out with friends and family AND my mom bought me some new shoes...



I desperately needed a new pair and I finally found some. It took me forever to find some that fit and had support. I have VERY wide feet and I have no arches. I don’t just have flat feet, my ankles go inward when I walk so it’s important that I have good shoes. I have also lost weight in my feet so it is not easy for me to find shoes. It took A LOT of time...just ask my Dad. It also takes me awhile to break a new pair of shoes in and it’s a very painful process. My feet hurt pretty bad walking yesterday but hopefully it won’t take them long to stretch a little and for my feet to adjust to them. So...thanks again Mom!

After I walked yesterday afternoon, I came home and made my recipe...



It was Turkey Bacon Biscuits and Macaroni & Cheese. Weight Watchers has a ton of different recipes for mac & cheese because it’s a comfort food and we never want to give those up. I chose this one because it used Dijon mustard and I have some of that in my fridge that I need to get rid of. The problem with any pasta dish is that you get less and it is always more in points than you want to spend. That little bowl of macaroni and cheese was 5 points. Luckily, I had a lot of points left for dinner so I could get seconds but as always, I like to maximize the amount of food I get. The biscuits were awesome. They were easy to make and very tasty. They were also only 2 points per biscuit. I will definitely be making those again.

Anyway, I really enjoy cooking and I think this recipe thing has shown me a lot of ways to make filling foods. I also watch a ton of Food Network so I’ve learned a lot about how to improvise without recipes and come up with my own things. Ok-that was pretty much all I had. Have a wonderful night!

“Got no feel, I got no rhythm
I just keep losing my beat
I'm ok, I'm alright
Ain't gonna face no defeat
I just gotta get out of this prison cell
Someday I'm gonna be free, Lord! Somebody to Love-Queen

Elbows and their Evil Ways

I’m happy that it is Friday but I keep trying to remind myself how amazed I get when I realize how quickly time goes by and how it can sometimes be depressing that one minute it’s Christmas and the next it’s August and I haven’t done nearly the amount of things that I wanted to...so even though it seems like I’m living for Friday, that sort of defeats the purpose in getting upset when so much has time has gone by and I haven’t written a novel or even read an entire book for that matter. Sorry, that might be a little much thinking for a Friday but I was just thinking this morning how much I anticipate the weekend. I’m not sure that I will do anything to change that...just a thought. Happy Friday all the same.

So, I don’t have much other than a few random thoughts I would like to share so try to hang in there with me. I would like you to take a look at the picture below.



This, my friends, is a rather unflattering picture of my elbow boob. My mother calls them cabbage patch elbows (for the record, she’s never referred to mine that way) and I’ve heard that the slang for the loose skin of the elbow is called the weenus. I, however, call this clump of awfulness above my elbow an elbow boob because, that sort of just makes sense to me. I also have knee boobs, but you don’t need to see that. Now, I have lost a good deal of weight over the past year and, of course, I have made lots of progress in certain areas of my body. There seems to be a few areas though (lower belly, under arms) that are sort of stubborn. I do a very loose interpretation of arm exercises every morning where I lift weights but that doesn’t seem to help. This elbow boob is taking residence and I honestly don’t know what I’m going to do to get rid of them (they are on both sides naturally). I am kind of in a place where I can’t afford training and/or a gym right now. Any suggestions on workouts that I can do at home that will get these things down to a normal size? I’d greatly appreciate it.

I’m not sure how to transition from that but I will try anyway. I actually don’t have much on my agenda for this weekend other than random, routine things. I have to get my car serviced and shop and I MUST find some tennis shoes this weekend...so all of that is my goal. Other than those few things, I think this will be my first weekend in awhile to sort of relax and I’m pretty happy about that.

I wanted to also reiterate that you should all be watching “The Big C.” It premiered this week and it’s great. I laughed and cried...and I love Laura Linney. I also watched The Road...



If you haven’t already seen this horrific movie, I recommend NEVER watching it. It’s a movie based off of a book about a post-apocalypse world. There are cannibals and fires and earthquakes. The movie follows a father and son just trying to survive. Good gravy it’s depressing. It was also sort of ironic because as I was sitting there watching in my apartment and also at times watching from my elliptical, I thought, why is this so shocking? There are MILLIONS of people starving across the world. It is just that Americans are so used to luxuries that we forget how blessed we really are and how we would have an extra hard time surviving in those types of situations. Anyway, the movie did make me think but it was pretty gut wrenching.

I’d like to wish my Aunt Brenda well. She had knee replacement surgery last week and was having an awful time. She is doing slightly better now but I wish her well and a speedy recovery. Love you Brenda!

I think that sums up everything I wanted to say.

Well, y’all have a good weekend.

Be safe!

“There's a place in the sun that she's never been
Where life is fair and time is a friend
Would she do it the same as she did back then
She looks out the window and wonders again

Is there life out there
So much she hasn't done
Is there life beyond
Her family and her home
She's done what she should
Should she do what she dares
She doesn't want to leave
She's just wonderin’
Is there life out there.” Is There Life Out There-Reba McEntire

Dream Within A Dream Within Some Mashed Potatoes

Greetings y’all! I hope everyone had a nice weekend and a bearable Monday. My weekend was busy as usual but was pretty good. Jordan and I went to Birmingham to say goodbye to Nichole on Friday night...



As I said, Friday, she moved to New York for school and we’ll miss her!

I also saw Inception again on Sunday afternoon. I went with my mom & Oma this time and it was just as awesome the second time around...



I don’t know if I talked about it the first time but I think I am obsessed with this movie. I think the writing/plot of this movie is just genius and it definitely makes me wish it was my idea! I am really excited by movies that explore the mind and make you think. I think I could go again and again. I haven’t seen a movie more than once in the theatre in a long time. The movie itself is good but you also get to look at all the hot boys the whole time...the movie is full of eye candy. Honestly, I’d go again in a second.

When I weighed Saturday, I was down 1.4, bringing my total to 71.4 pounds. I feel like I have momentum so that’s a good thing and I’m hoping to get to 75 within the next 2 or 3 weeks so I can post a new picture. In that spirit, I cooked a Weight Watchers meal last night for recipe night...



It was BBQ Pork Sandwiches, Parmesan Mashed Potatoes and I made some green beans to go with it. Cassandra was home last night and she helped and also ate. The pork was just sliced up tenderloin (which is no easy feat by the way-slicing tenderloin-it’s gross and it moves while you are trying to cut it) that goes in a skillet and then you add garlic, onion, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. It simmers, then you add it to a low calorie bun. Once you get the pork cut up, it’s no problem. If I make it again, I’ll probably just used pre-cut pork chops. The potatoes are just mashed red potatoes with buttermilk and parmesan cheese. Both of them were very tasty...Cassandra liked them too! I think both of them would go back in the “I’d Make This Again” column.

So, since I have been earning activity points on the weekend, I have tried to find exercises I can do that earn a lot of points so I can eat more...sad isn’t it? Anyway, I was looking through the list of activities last weekend and realized that I could jump rope for 20 minutes and earn 4 points. I thought that was an awesome trade of time and points so that’s what I did. Well, I always have a certain level of discomfort in my knees. A lot of it has always had to do with my weight but my doctor did say that my knees felt arthritic the last time I went to the doctor so I am always having to adjust the position that I’m sitting or laying in because my knees start to hurt. WELL...the day after I jump roped, my left knee hurt SO bad. It has never felt this way...like someone set a fire in my kneecap and went camping. Luckily after several doses of ibuprofen it got better after a few days but I guess jump roping is out for me in the future. I know swimming is a knee friendly exercise but what else other than walking is there? I have GOT to get on the rowing interest I have acquired. Anybody got any other ideas?

Well, I think that is all! I hope everyone is having a great week! I am looking forward to the premier of Weeds and The Big C to catch up on...I’ll let you know what I think!

Bye!

“I think positive emotion trumps negative emotion every time.” Cobb-Inception

“Don't you want to take a leap of faith? Or become an old man, filled with regret, waiting to die alone!” Saito-Inception

Bye Nichole!!!

I have yet another busy weekend in store but it should be a great one! Before I tell you about that, there are a couple random things I would like to share. First of all, I am always prepared as far as snacks go because you never know when you might feel like you are starving. I like to keep 1 point snacks around so I don’t end up at the vending machine. Well, I ran into these 10 calorie, zero point Jello snacks...



First of all, I want to know where the heck to find the flavors in the picture. The picture shows a raspberry and orange pack. I haven’t seen that anywhere. I’m not the biggest Jello fan but if I feel like I’m hungry, I can eat 1 pack and not have any points taken away. My favorite flavor is orange. I like strawberry OK but I HATE lime and cherry. Well, all I could find was a lime and orange combo pack. I decided I would choke down the lime to get to the orange since they only had combo packs. I get it home and there are FOUR lime’s. I mean...gross. Anyway...they are good in theory but I won’t get them again unless I can find one or two flavors I will eat in one pack.

Now for a total shift and a random TV update. 1) You know how I went totally gaga over that new Breakthrough with Tony Robbins show? Well, I’ve already given up on it. I can’t ever find it on and I can’t search for it on my TV to DVR it. I don’t understand why it’s so hard to track down but it wasn’t awesome enough to justify stressing out over it and the second episode wasn’t that great at all...lol...so I’m done with that. 2) After waiting way too long, Cassandra and I finally added HBO and Showtime. I’m so excited because even though my parents are very gracious to let me watch my shows at their house, it will be nice to not have to go anywhere just to watch TV. I don’t need to spend any extra money but many of my favorite shows are on HBO or Showtime. We got it just in time for the premiers of Weeds and The Big C...YAY!

Ok-I think that is all of the miscellaneous comments I wanted you to read. As far as this weekend goes, as usual, I will be eating good food and hanging with my family and friends. I get to see Jordan, so that’s always nice! I am also going to help stock the “Grotto” which is the place where I go to tailgate. Some friends of mine rent an apartment right next to the stadium and that’s where I go before and after the games. I love the atmosphere there and since football season is so close (SO FREAKING READY AND EXCITED), it is time to stock it up so it will be ready.

Now, last but not least...



Nichole is moving to New York for school and I am so happy for her but we will miss her!!! The picture above, if you can’t tell, is of me and Nichole at Moe’s. Sure, this picture is kind of embarrassing and so is the fact that Moe’s is probably where we’ve spent the most time together since we lived in the same house, but it is going to be weird not going there with her. I met Nichole in college...we worked together and became friends. We are both crazy and she accepts all of my idiosyncrasies...so that’s always nice because I have a lot. She’s going for her Masters and her PhD. I know she will do awesome! Good luck Nichole! I will DEFINITELY be visiting (mostly for selfish reasons) you!

There may be pictures to post next week from the weekend. I am not sure that I will have as big of a weight loss as I did last week but it shouldn’t be bad. I hope you all have a fun, relaxing weekend! Bye!

“Start spreading the news, I’m leaving today
I want to be a part of it - New York, New York
These vagabond shoes, are longing to stray
Right through the very heart of it - New York, New York

I wanna wake up in a city, that doesn’t sleep
And find I’m king of the hill - top of the heap
These little town blues, are melting away
I’ll make a brand new start of it - in old New York
If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere
It’s up to you - New York, New York

New York, New York
I want to wake up in a city, that never sleeps
And find I’m a number one, top of the list, king
of the hill, A number one

These little town blues, are melting away
I’m gonna make a brand new start of it - in old New York
And if I can make it there, I’m gonna make it anywhere

It up to you – New York, New York
New York. “New York, New York”-Frank Sinatra

Oh...Decaf Please...

Hello all. Hopefully, you are having a splendid day. It’s been an odd day for me. I didn’t get much sleep last night. It’s kind of annoying because a couple weeks ago, I started taking a pill to help me sleep. It didn’t really help me fall asleep but it was helping me stay asleep but the past couple of nights, it’s like I’m not taking a pill at all. I tossed and turned all night. It’s like my thoughts are racing back and forth and I can’t calm them down. I think my next proactive step will be to eliminate caffeine after lunch. I am pretty much going to try and stay away. I love Diet Coke but I love sleep more and I was thinking that I had A LOT of caffeine yesterday, so that may have had something to do with it. I am going to make myself some caffeine free tea and I already buy the caffeine free Diet Coke so that is a start. I just have always been the kind of person that cannot function without sleep. Even as a VERY young baby, I was sleeping through the night so the shift to borderline insomniac is something I am not adjusting to well. I keep telling myself that I should get up and be productive when I’m just laying there but mostly I just pout. Also (since I’m complaining), our air is out AGAIN so that didn’t help the sleeping situation.

Ok-enough of that-Monday night was recipe night...



I made oven fried chicken tenders and onion rings. I also served them with both green beans and barbecue sauce (Jack Daniels-Hickory Brown Sugar Flavor-It was delicious). The onion rings were my favorite. At first, I didn’t think there was enough bread crumbs on them to make a difference but it turned out I just needed a little and they were crunchy and low in points. I will be making those a lot in the future. The chicken was good too. You dredged it first in a Dijon mustard/buttermilk mixture and then dipped them in the bread crumbs. It was a tasty dinner that really made it feel like you were eating a lot of food you never get to eat if you are on Weight Watchers and that’s always a quality to look for when you cook.

So, since I took my one millionth step, I haven’t worn the pedometer because there is no longer a need to be obsessive about how many steps I’ve taken. Well, I wore it for over 4 months so it’s been really weird without it. I am happy to have the freedom from the pedometer and all but I was so used to clipping it on every outfit I had and checking it constantly that I have found myself looking for it every time I sit down or get ready to leave my apartment. It might take me awhile to get used to it but it is nice to avoid pacing around my room trying to get in enough steps. Now, I just do my 45 minutes a day and I am done. I exercised so early this morning that I had to second guess myself that I even did. I think I must have been half asleep when I did it. It’s a good thing though because I’m done for the day and I barely even remember doing it.

I think that is all I have for the day. I am off to trivia tonight and dinner with Jordan tomorrow. It seems like I always have plans...that’s OK though...I always think I want to sit at home and do nothing and then when I actually do get the chance to do nothing, I usually get right up and figure out somewhere to go or something to do.

Talk to you soon!

Peace!

“All of these lines across my face
Tell you the story of who I am
So many stories of where I've been
And how I got to where I am

But these stories don't mean anything
When you've got no one to tell them to
It's true...I was made for you
I climbed across the mountain tops

Swam all across the ocean blue
I crossed all the lines and I broke all the rules
But baby I broke them all for you
Because even when I was flat broke
You made me feel like a million bucks
You do

I was made for you

You see the smile that's on my mouth
It's hiding the words that don't come out
And all of my friends who think that I'm blessed
They don't know my head is a mess
No, they don't know who I really am
And they don't know what
I've been through like you do
And I was made for you...

All of these lines across my face
Tell you the story of who I am
So many stories of where I've been
And how I got to where I am
But these stories don't mean anything
When you've got no one to tell them to
It's true...I was made for you.” The Story-Brandi Carlile

Lots of Reasons to Celebrate!

Happy birthday to my roommate and bestie Cassandra!!! We went out this weekend to celebrate and had all kinds of fun! I hope you have a great birthday Cass!

I also had some serious weight loss/healthy lifestyle progress this weekend...




That’s right...I finally walked 1 Million Steps!!! I had to get them in by 11:59PM Saturday night and I think I broke the million somewhere around lunch time on Saturday! I ended up with a total of 1,003,501 steps in 130 days! It felt really good to accomplish that. It was a bit anti-climactic but when I actually think about it, I worked really hard and got it done and that always feels great. I am also excited about the opportunity to mix up my exercise a little. I am still going to exercise 45 minutes a day and then at least 30 minutes on Saturday and Sunday just to make sure that I keep the momentum going.

In other related news, I lost over 2 pounds last week bringing my total loss to 70 pounds!!! I am doing great right now and I don’t plan on cheating at all...at least for a few weeks because I am doing so well. I knew I felt lighter...lol. Also, I know that the one cheat meal per weekend day seems to really be working. I know that I won’t lose 2 pounds every week but hopefully I will pick up the pace a bit so I can post that down 75 picture I really want to take very soon.

I didn’t really have much else to share today other than to brag a little and wish Cassandra a happy birthday. I had a nice weekend...I saw family and friends...went to see Grown Ups (which was pretty cute) and got to relax a little. It is a Monday so I’m a little sluggish so I think I will just let that be that. I hope you all have a wonderful day and week!

“These boots are made for walking, and that's just what they'll do
one of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you.

You keep lying, when you oughta be truthin'
and you keep losin' when you oughta not bet.
You keep samin' when you oughta be changin'.
Now what's right is right, but you ain't been right yet.

These boots are made for walking, and that's just what they'll do
one of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you.

You keep playin' where you shouldn't be playin
and you keep thinkin' that you´ll never get burnt.
Ha! I just found me a brand new box of matches yeah
and what he know you ain't HAD time to learn.

Are you ready boots? Start walkin'! These Boots Were Made For Walking-Nancy Sinatra (Though it’s been covered a billion times.)

Start Livin' Y'all!

We made it! It is time for another weekend to begin. Aside from the stifling, horrible, choke you to death heat, it feels like football season is finally getting near because of all the buzz! I am sure that I will be talking about it more in the coming weeks but it has been on my mind this morning as Alabama started practicing this week.

As some of you may know, Weight Watchers has a slogan...



I actually think this is a pretty good one. The difference between Weight Watchers and what I have done in the past is that it truly doesn’t feel like a diet. I RARELY feel like I’m starving (and even if I do, I can eat, I just usually choose to save most of my points for dinner) AND it isn’t one of those gimmicky diets where they completely deprive you of something your body needs (like carbs with the Atkins diet). I really don’t believe in dieting anymore. I am someone who has struggled with weight my whole life. I have tried different diets in the past...like the Richard Simmons diet when I was a teenager that took me WAY down to 1200 calories a day right away or the Atkins diet which meant I was eating WAY more bacon than one person ever should. The truth is, as many of you know, these diets DO work in the short term. However, any time you stray from those rules, your body immediately puts the weight back on. With Weight Watchers, I have gradually decreased the amount of food I eat. Counting points can be a pain but it forces you to make decisions about what you eat. When you really want a loaded baked potato, you can have one but that’s ALL you can have for dinner so you think...OK...I’ll have a baked potato, skip the butter, cheese & bacon and that way I can have a meat, veggie and snack later. There are very few times that I see that as a compromise, I see it as a win because I ALWAYS vote to maximize the amount of food I eat. I am by no means saying Weight Watchers is perfect or that I do it perfectly (I am terrible about getting my vitamins and milk servings in) and as always, you have to be ready yourself before you can really do it but I do want to put it out there that I don’t feel like I’m on a diet...even though I do joke about having diet rage sometimes....if I’m being honest...that’s just my regular rage...lol.

I know that sometimes eating healthy can be tough...ESPECIALLY if you don’t like vegetables. Fortunately, I love most vegetables with the exception of peas and beans so I cook A LOT with squash, onions, zucchini, green beans, mushrooms, potatoes, etc. My roommate Cassandra is not really a fan of many (or any) vegetables and she is always saying how she wished that there were recipes that had veggies in them but they were hidden. I’m sure there are cookbooks out there (anybody know of any?) but you can really just figure it out yourself. You can always chop vegetables VERY tiny and put them in your pasta or casseroles and if it’s a vegetable like squash or green beans...you won’t be able to taste them at all...especially if you finely chop them. That way, you are getting all kinds of fiber without you even knowing it. I am the kind of person lately that will go through the pantry and throw random crap into a skillet...




Obviously, if you HATE vegetables, this might not be for you but I made this the other night. It’s not a recipe or anything but I threw ground beef, garlic, W sauce (all of which will overtake the “yucky” flavor of the vegetables you don’t like), potatoes, squash, broccoli, onions and mushrooms. It was so good and filling. You don’t have to use ALL of those ingredients but you could definitely use the meat & potatoes and then hide some squash in there.

The point is, there are ways of getting around a dislike of healthy foods. Using a lot of spices, garlic and onion is really helpful in doing that. I love those types of meals I just throw together...it reminds me of being a kid when my mom would always make these awesome, random concoctions that she made by using what we had...not to mention...it’s ALWAYS cheaper to eat a meal like that than to go out.

Ok, lol, I think I’m done going on and on about hoping you all will Stop Dieting & Start Living. I hope you all have a fun weekend planned. I think I have one in the works...maybe a movie tomorrow and then tomorrow night I will be going out with Cassandra to celebrate her birthday. Sunday...I plan to rest until I need to rest from resting! I should have an awesome “1,000,000 Step” report on Monday! Have a great one! Bye!

“Here's this guy, thinks he's bad to the bone
He wants to pick me up and take me home
Well, I don't think so
I don't think so

Cage fights, PlayStation, X-Games, Raider Nation
Oversize pants with an ego to match
It's not like I'm not trying
'Cause I'll give anyone a shot once

And, I , I close my eyes
And, I kiss that frog
Each time finding
The more boys I meet the more I love my dog

Why can't they be like the ones that mean everything to me
The warm and loyal, open and friendly
It's not like I'm not trying
'Cause I'll give anyone a shot once

I close my eyes
And, I kiss that frog
Each time finding
The more boys I meet the more I love my dog.” More Boys I Meet-Carrie Underwood

Do Y'all Need A Breakthrough?

Happy Wednesday Everyone. It definitely feels like a Wednesday. It’s just sort of blah and there is this looming feeling that you know you have two more days to go in the week. It’s been an OK day though. I slept pretty well last night thanks to what I call my “happy night time pill.” Those things are miracle workers. It does take a while for me to gain enough strength to pull my body out of bed in the morning but the rewards are worth it because I am definitely sleeping better. I can’t wait to try it Saturday night when I don’t have to set my alarm on Sunday! I also slept better because I was in my own bed. My parents were in Virginia and thankfully they returned home safe and had a good time. I am especially happy they are back because I was able to hand animal duty back over to them. I think they are much more well suited to deal with slobber, vomit, crying and snoring then I am...also...I’m just glad they are back!

Because my parents and I often vacation together, they always make sure to bring back souvenirs if one of us doesn’t get to go. I got a couple cool t-shirts...and a couple of strange gifts...




The first is the Lady Anti Monkey Butt. Evidently this is like baby powder or a lady Gold Bond or something. If I’m being honest, it’s for chaffing in the nether regions...I’m not gonna lie...I’m pretty satisfied with this souvenir...you never know when you might need it. The other is lip balm with a very interesting name. In case you can’t see, it’s called, “100% pure free range chicken poop lip junk.” Its slogan, “put put it on your lips.” Basically, it’s just lip balm that has beeswax and other stuff in it...it just has a funky name. Also, I think it’s funny that there is a disclaimer that states that there is no actual chicken poop in it. I mean, they WERE in Virginia so I do understand that these are the types of souvenirs they acquired. I like them all though...I’m glad they thought of me.

So, I don’t know if you know who Tony Robbins is but he is a mentor that has gained fame by helping out thousands of people including many celebrities. He now has a new show called Breakthrough...



I was vaguely aware of Tony Robbins before the new show because I had heard people mention him in passing and he was also in the movie Shallow Hal. The premise of his new show is to take people who have experienced extreme tragedy and work with them to turn their life around. The first show was based around a married couple. The day the two of them were married, the husband went to jump in the pool to celebrate and cracked his head on the bottom and instantly became paralyzed. Throughout the show, Tony forces them to do things that they never thought were possible (like skydiving and desert racing) which strengthened their relationship. I know that these shows can be bad because they purposefully trigger the sympathetic parts of our brain that make us cry and feel bad about ourselves...it’s those feelings that keep us watching sometimes. For some people though, it’s a turnoff. I was definitely touched by this show. I am a sucker for shows that help people that deserve it. Even though I know the producers try to keep you watching by tugging your heart strings, I do think this show is inspirational. Not only does it make you realize how blessed you are and how no matter what you are going through...others have faced it too...and sometimes worse. It’s that whole, “nothing is new under the sun,” thing. Watching other people turn their lives around makes you think you might be able to as well. I don’t know...I liked the show...It’s the warm fuzzy kind that makes you want to get to the projects that you’ve been procrastinating on forever. I think y’all should check it out. It’s produced way better than Losing it with Jillian by the way if you didn’t like that show. They aren’t trying to force mental issues like she was...the issues are already there...Tony is just making them do something about it.

Just a thought...if you all like that painful, tearful, inspirational kind of show...you should check it out.

Well, I'm starving so I feel like that means I’m doing Weight Watchers right this week...lol...just kidding...but seriously...I think I might lose this Saturday when I weigh. I can always kind of tell when I’m headed in the right direction. I hope I don’t end up eating these words but I definitely don’t feel like I’m gaining right now. I’m walking my behind off and eating right...I think I deserve a good day on the scales. I will keep you up to date!

Have a good rest of the week!

“A singer in a smoky room
A smell of wine and cheap perfume
For a smile they can share the night
It goes on and on and on and on

Strangers waiting
Up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching in the night
Streetlight people
Living just to find emotion
Hiding somewhere in the night

Working hard to get my fill
Everybody wants a thrill
Payin' anything to roll the dice just one more time

Some will win, some will lose
Some were born to sing the blues
Oh, the movie never ends
It goes on and on and on and on

Strangers waiting
Up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching in the night
Streetlight people
Living just to find emotion
Hiding somewhere in the night

Don't stop believin'
Hold on to that feelin'
Streetlight people

Don't stop believin'
Hold on
Streetlight people

Don't stop believin'
Hold on to that feelin'
Streetlight people.” Don’t Stop Believin’-Journey

Meat & Potatoes

I know it’s Monday but I hope that you aren’t having a typical one...I hope it’s better! Mine has been OK...I’ve been highly productive but I am pretty tired. I have been staying at my parents while they are out of town and I did NOT sleep very well last night. Dixie, the Springer Spaniel that’s about 14 years old cried constantly all night and my other dog, Pacey, snores like a grown man...plus...they keep it WAY too hot in their house...anyway...I had a lot on my mind and I couldn’t sleep but surprisingly, I am feeling OK...I’m just not excited about walking in this heat tonight. It seems like I haven’t blogged on a Monday in a long time but I guess that’s because I usually make my recipes on Monday nights and blog about them on Tuesday but last night, I made my recipe for my Oma...



I made Balsamic Chicken with Mushrooms & Bacon Cheddar Mashed Potatoes. Both of those were Weight Watchers recipes and then I added some green beans and bread to go with it. The chicken was great. I was worried I over cooked it but it turned out pretty tender and the mushroom sauce gave it nice flavor. The chicken is initially marinated in a Balsamic & Dijon Mustard sauce and then you top it with the mushrooms. It was pretty tasty. The potatoes have bacon and low fat cheese and they are made creamy by adding fat free milk & sour cream. They were also quite good...adding the crispy bacon made for a nice touch. It was a good ‘ole comforting meat & potatoes meal. Very filling!

We balanced out the healthy meal with Cold Stone Ice Cream. I was SO excited because it had been forever since I had it. I really liked the way my new system of one cheat meal on Saturday and one on Sunday instead of cheating all day Sunday turned out. I think that I will definitely stick with it. I allow myself one cheat meal per day, one cheat dessert on ONE of the days and 15 points. Plus, I add whatever activity points I get so if I want more food...I have to earn it. It worked out really well. I weighed Saturday morning and I was right at about the same as I was a couple weeks ago when I was down 67 so my 2 or 3 slip-ups didn’t hurt me too bad. If I do well this week...I might even lose some on Saturday morning!

I had a good weekend. It was a very busy one and I kind of wish I had the opportunity to rest a little more but it was productive and fun. I got to hang out with some friends and Oma and we ate good food so I’d say that’s pretty satisfactory. Oma & I went to Wal-Mart Saturday morning. Saturday mornings are ALWAYS crazy at Wal-Mart, especially right now as school is about to start. We were going to check out and right in between the checkout lines and the school supplies in the front of the store was this...



Now, does that look smart to you...a bunch of fish in plastic containers sitting on top of a flimsy TV tray? One bump and all of those poor beta would be flopping all over the place. Leave it to Wal-Mart to do something stupid like that.

Anyway, one good thing about staying at my parents by myself is that I get to hang out with Pacey...



He’s so sweet. Every once in awhile...he is lovey-dovey when he doesn’t want anything. Most of the time, he’s only nice when he wants outside or a treat or dinner but from time to time, he will snuggle up with you for no reason at all. He’s not a huge fan of having his picture taken though. I usually have to force him because he tries to turn his head when he sees the camera.

I think that is pretty much it for the day. I don’t have anything else to report so I will end it here. I have you have a fine afternoon and evening! Bye!

“I don’t need a lot of things
I can get by with nothing
Of all the blessings life can bring
I’ve always needed something
But I’ve got all I want
When it comes to loving you
You’re my only reason
You’re my only truth

I need you like water
Like breath, like rain
I need you like mercy
From heaven’s gate
There’s a freedom in your arms
That carries me through
I need you

You’re the hope that moves me
To courage again
You’re the love that rescues me
When the cold winds, rage
And it’s so amazing
’cause that’s just how you are
And I can’t turn back now
’cause you’ve brought me too far.” I Need You-LeAnn Rimes