So Much to Share Saturday - Goals and "New to Me" Food Finds

A new month is upon us and hopefully some warmer weather (after the snow/ice storm we are supposed to get tonight).  

Here were my goals for February:

NO EXCUSES - I really want to work on not making excuses for why I don't stay on plan. - I feel like I did a fairly good job with this one!
LOVE ME - I am working on this, but I have struggled the last few weeks with some negative self talk. For February I really want to work on loving myself and feeling good enough for me. - I had a couple days where I felt negative, but I wrote about it and overcame it!
WEIGHT LOSS - I am not going to set a number, but I REALLY want to get under 300 pounds this month!! - DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1 oz of these is 5 points+.  They were SO yummy and really satisfied the sweet craving!

I had a coupon for this so I thought I would give it a try. 2 tbsp=6 points+.  It was good but not something I would eat often unless I had extra points to use.

Fiber One has cookies out.  I tried the double chocolate one.  3 points+ and SO yummy!  They also have chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin!

There are 2 of these flatbread pizzas in each box.  1 flatbread is 5 points+.  This was tasty and easy for a quick lunch and I get 2 servings for the price of one.  AND, if you eat Lean Cuisine make sure you sign up for their Delicious Rewards program.  You earn points by entering the code on each box and they have some fantastic things you can get with your points.  Click here to go to their site.

I joined a new challenge for March.  The challenge is to get some kind of activity EVERY day of the month!  I am excited for the motivation this will give me.  If you are interested in joining, click here for info.

1/2 cup quick oats - 5 points+

2 tsp canola oil - 2 points+

1/8 cup sugar free syrup - 0 points+

banana - 0 points+

black coffee - 0 points+

I usually don't have a morning snack, but I was hungry after my workout!

Yoplait Greek tropical yogurt - 2 points+

Lean Cuisine flatbread pizza (mentioned above) - 5 points+

Green Giant Just For One Cauliflower and cheese sauce - 1 point+

strawberries - 0 points+

Fiber One cookie (mentioned above) - 3 points+

Caramel Vanilla latte made with Starbucks caramel coffee and 1 cup light vanilla silk - 2 points+

Subway double chopped chicken salad loaded with veggies, provolone cheese, and red wine vinegar - 

6 points+

Progresso light soup - 5 points+ for the whole can (YUMMY)

apple - 0 points+

Hershey's spread - 6 points+

Coconut almonds - 5 points+

Whew, that was a long post.  Sometimes I just wish I could tell you EVERYTHING in my head all at once, but this will have to do.  I bought some other new things at the store yesterday so I will share as I try them.  Sending you all love and healthy wishes!!

Keep Losing,

Kari

Thursday Weigh-In Results

Well, today was weigh-in day!  I was nervous, but here are the results:

I was down 1.2 pounds for a total of 103.6 pounds GONE since November 1, 2012.  I am SO glad that the number went down this week! So here is the equivalent of what I have lost:

Check your out at http://ilostwhat.com.  My sister lost another pound for a total of 26 pounds gone!

So in honor of National Eating Disorder Awareness week, I thought I would share some of their positive body image info today.  If you read my blog and Facebook, you know I really struggled with that yesterday.  If you want to see more of their resources, click here  I really like what they have to say here:

Listen to Your Body

Searching for the perfect diet?  Always worrying about counting calories and fat grams in order to control your weight can be difficult and tiresome.  Is there really a “perfect diet” out there anyway?  After all, 95% of attempts to diet fail not because there’s something wrong with you, but because diets don’t work.  Why else would people have to keep searching for new ones all of the time? 

When was the last time you truly had fun dieting?  Most likely you won’t remember it as a pleasurable experience.  After all, it doesn’t feel so great to get hungry for lunch but force yourself to wait an extra hour.  Do you remember feeling irritable?  Did you get a headache or feel your stomach growling?  And didn’t those “forbidden” or “off limits” foods seem to be calling your name even more than usual?  It’s not very much fun, is it? 

The reason strict diets don’t work and aren’t much fun is because your body needs food for energy, just like a car needs gas to drive.  Food is fuel for your body! Your body knows what it needs in order to keep running efficiently—it needs the fuel of vitamin and nutrient-rich foods from a variety of food groups.  That’s why it’s important to listen to your body and respond to its natural hunger.  It will tell you what it needs. And if you don’t listen, it will find ways to keep reminding you—like headaches, a growling stomach, and obsessing about food. 

Three Keys to Listening to Your Body

• The first key to listening to your body is being able to detect when you are getting hungry.  If you are indeed truly hungry, and not just looking for food to cure your boredom, stress, or loneliness, then it is time to refuel.
• The second key is being able to know when you have had enough.  Listen to your body.  When you begin to feel full, you will know that you have had enough to eat.  The goal is to feel content—not  uncomfortably stuffed but not starving either.  For some people this means planning 5 or 6 smaller, well-balanced meals a day instead of 3 large meals.  And remember, it takes about 20 minutes for your body to realize it’s full.  Be aware of what you are eating—eat sitting down, chew slowly, enjoy the tastes, smells, and textures of your food. Learn about mindful or intuitive eating.
• The third key is moderation, nothing to extremes.  Often people hear this advice and think it means they can eat whatever they crave, all the time.  Obviously we cannot survive on potato chips or peanut butter cookies alone.  And if you tried, chances are you’d probably start to crave a balanced meal or fresh fruit or vegetables after awhile.  These cravings are your body’s way of helping you get the nutrients it knows you need.

Eat what you want, when you are truly hungry.  Stop when you’re full.  And eat exactly what appeals to you.  Do this instead of any diet, and you’re likely to maintain a healthy weight and avoid eating disorders.

3/4 cup quick oats - 6 points+

2 tsp canola oil - 2 points+

1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar - 1 point+

1/8 cup sugar free syrup - 0 points+

banana - 0 points+

black coffee - 0 points+

Bob Evans farmers market omelette made with egg whites - 8 points+

fruit - 0 points+

apple - 0 points+

Starbucks grande skinny hazelnut latte - 3 points+

Fiber One chocolate chip brownie - 2 points+

Grilled chicken salad with fat free ranch - 8 points+

hot green tea - 0 points+

2 Sargento reduced fat colby jack cheese sticks - 3 points+

Quest double chocolate chunk bar - 5 points+

Used 38 out of 46 points.

That is it for today! Sending you all love and healthy wishes!

Keep Losing,

Kari

Thursday Weigh-In and LOTS of pics

I apologize in advance for the amount of pictures in today's post! I have a lot to share today! I went to the eye specialist this morning and he said my eye was no better, but no worse.  AND the best part, I did not have to get a shot!  So I am happy with those results.  He is still hopeful that I will regain some vision.

I was glad my appointment was so early this morning.  I was able to make it to my regular Weight Watchers meeting and weigh-in.  Here are the results:

Yep, I was up a little bit! And I am okay with that!  My sister said I could blame it on the swelling in my foot! LOL!  And she was 2.2 for a total of 21.6 pounds gone! The meeting this week was very good.  We talked about eating when we are not hungry.Which, if you have read my blog long, you know I am a food addict and eat emotionally.  I LOVE what my awesome leader said at the end, she said "Don't let your mood eat your food."  I really liked that.  She also asked me to speak at a different meeting next week about my success so far.  I am so nervous when talking in front of other people, but I believe so much in making myself better that I will do it!

I am SO excited about these t-shirts I ordered for me and my family for some of the walks we have registered for:

AND, two of my new fitness thingys arrived today:

I asked for this Arm Pocket for Valentine's day from my hubby instead of the typical candy and flowers.  I am ready to be able to get active again and try it out!  If you are interested, click here for their website.

And my runningluv came today!  This is such a cool thing to always have something on you to wipe to snot or sweat when you are active.  Click here for their website. And right now they are selling the gluv pictured aboce and 100% goes to  With A Will There is A Way to help fund a new wheelchair!!

AND, I talked about this a few weeks ago.  I LOVE mine and I decided to give one away to celebrate over 2,000 likes on my Facebook page.  Click here to enter!

AND one more.  Here is what I plan on making tomorrow for hubby and I for a Valentine's treat:

Nature Valley protein bar - 5 points+

banana - 0 points+

black coffee - 0 points+

2 clementines - 0 points+

2 Sargento reduced fat colby jack cheese sticks - 3 points+

Starbucks grande skinny hazelnut latte - 3 points+

Nature Valley baked oatmeal square - 4 points+

My sister made us dinner again tonight!

Hamburger - 5 points+

Healthy Life bun - 2 points+

Kraft 2% cheese slice - 1 point+

potato casserole - 7 points+

broccoli - 0 points+

This is what I plan on having later.  Please don't judge the candy.  I usually treat myself on Thursday (within points) and hubby gave me these early for Valentine's day so I could enjoy them today!

Reese's - 10 points+

Apple - 0 points+

Used 40 out of 46 points.

That is (finally) it for today!!! Sending you all love and healthy wishes!

Keep Losing,

Kari