Chili... It makes you fart

I love chili.  It is very low in calories and very satisfying.  When I don't have time to make homemade chili, I go for a bag of this stuff.

It is very low in calories and only 2 Weight Watchers PointsPlus for 1 cup.

Pretty tasty and all you do is add a can of tomato paste and water.  Super easy.  Try some!

Warning:  This chili gives you the worst smelling farts ever.

Holiday Herbal Tea

My friend Deanna at the big W told me all about these yummy herbal teas.  I just had to try some.  So far, these are the ones I have been drinking.  This is a nice treat to curb my cravings and they are 0 points, so even better.  I use Splenda in mine to make them sweet.

 The gingerbread spice is a strong tea and a bit too strong for me, but my pappy loves this one.

The sugar cookie is sweet, mild and very yummy.

But, my favorite is this one: Candy Cane!  Mild, minty and sweet.  Ahhh... so warm on a cold day.  I even have the hubby drinking this stuff.

Life Time Member

A couple of weeks ago I received my Weight Watchers life time award.  It was so exciting for me!

This is me receiving my award from my most awesome leader, Cyndy   Notice the little clappers in the peoples hands.  Yeah they were all clapping them for me.  To top it all off, a friend of mine showed up to support me.  It meant so much to me.  Sweet!

Here is the life time charm, a little key.

Now my key chain is complete.  Feels so good...

And yesterday I received this Lifetime membership card in the mail.  It is official! I am at my goal.  Now keeping it off may be the hardest part of all.  So far I am doing well and am 5lbs under my goal, but I am really working hard, dieting like crazy.  Will it ever end?  Nope, don't think so.  This is a lifetime adventure for me.

Awesome Recipe blog...

I attended Weight Watcher's at a different meeting time this week.  It was kind of interesting hearing a new group of people talk.  The leader was great.  They must have the cream of the crop at our center because my regular leader is amazing as well.  I ran into a couple of people I knew, so I had someone to sit by.  I am going to miss my friends, but this is a hard time of the year and my Saturday mornings are slam, packed.  Ok, ok, ok... Enough of the rambling.  This is what I learned from this week's meeting.  A new recipe blog!  Sweet!

Skinnytaste.com

This gal has it all and all of the PointsPlus figured out for you.  I was told by a very reliable source that all the food they have made has been wonderful.  Check it out.  I can't wait to start making her dishes and bring back some normal food into my life.  Tired of meat and veggies.  I am so ready to try Enchiladas for 4 points instead of my 12 point ones.  Get in my belly!

Weight Watchers Changed The Program (a little)

Ok, ok, ok... everyone seems to be freaking out about the new program changes this year for Weight Watchers.  Don't fret, I have it all figured out.  Everything stays the same except the following:

• You are going to lose some daily PointsPlus values.  So if you have 29 PointsPlus with the old program, you are now only allowed 26.  You need to have your points recalculated. 
• You can adjust your points.  Say you are allowed 32 points, but you seem to not be losing weight.  Well you can lower you points to meet your weight loss needs, but never go under 26.  26 is the lowest you can go my friends.
• They are talking a lot about the Simply Filling  program and suggesting this as an option.  They have always had this program, but they never really talk about it.  Well now they are talking.

That is it.  Nothing to stress over.  They do have a new calculator which I purchased only because I feel the old one is a piece of poo.  It is the same process for figuring out points so you really don't need it.  It is a much nicer calculator and if you buy it before January, it is $5.00.  It will go up to $10.00 after January.

I am excited about the new system because I have been one of those people that can't eat 29 points and still lose weight and it has always frustrated me.  I am glad to be a part of a program that is willing to change to meet the needs of their members.

Good luck with the new program and the new year.

I did it!

I reached my Weight Watchers goal and my personal goal.  I did it!  You can too!

Talking Turkey...

Okay my fellow dieters, how are you going to handle Thanksgiving dinner?  Are you taking the day "off" and just enjoying the holiday?  I surely was until I attended my Weight Watchers meeting this week.  Cyndy got me all pumped up to do good.  Plus Saturday after Thanksgiving I will receive my lifetime award for reaching my Weight Watcher's goal.  I have been maintaining my goal weight for six weeks and would hate to lose it over one dinner, even a turkey dinner.    Plus it is only one day and it is just food.  IT IS JUST FOOD!  That is what I keep telling myself over and over.

I am going with a plan.  Yes I will eat a bit extra, but I will not "Gobble 'til I Wobble".  I have already pictured my plate in my head.  I have already decided what is worth most to me.  Do you have a plan?  Before you "gobble 'til you Wobble".  Keep these PointPlus Values in mind.

Stuffing 1/2 cup = 5
Gravy 1/4 cup cream = 4
1 cup canned turkey gravy = 1
2 oz Turkey 1 slice cooed breast or thigh = 3
Mashed Potatoes 1/2 = 3
Candied Sweet Potatoes 1/2 cup = 5
Green bean casserole 1 cup = 6
Pumpkin or apple pie = 11
Pecan pie = 14
Cranberry sauce 1/4 cup = 3
Roll = 5

My Weight Watchers leader also told me about the three-bite rule.  If you take three bites of something and it isn't just wonderful, don't finish it.

So I'll ask you what Cyndy asked us in our class.  Do you REALLY want to "Gobble 'til you Wobble"?

May your stuffing be tasty

May your turkey plump

May your potatoes and gravy

Have never a lump

May your yams be delicious

and your pies take the prize

and may your thanksgiving dinner

stay off your thighs

Have a happy Thanksgiving!

Chili

 The other day I was grocery shopping and noticed Bear Creek soup mixes on sale.  So I started looking at the packages, trying to find the lowest calorie one and this is what I found.

Chili!  I still prefer my Aunt Janet's recipe that I make all the time, but for a quick lunch this is some pretty darn, good stuff!

1 cup of this is only 2 Weight Watchers PointsPlus and 80 calories.  A cup fills up a bowl pretty well.  Chili is just awesome on a cold day.  Go and try some today!  MMMMM!

More bread

I am seriously loving Sunflower Market!  Look at the 1 Weight Watchers PointsPlus bread I found on my last trip...

 Yes, it is White bread!  I know I know I know, white bread is bad for you... wheat is a power food... blah, blah, blah.  But this girl needs some White bread.  It is my all time favorite.  This stuff is so yummy and chewy and has made me one happy dieter!

I 

I also tried some of the Apple Cinnamon Streusel.  It is also 52 calories and only 1 Weight Watchers PointsPlus.  Hot diggity dang!  So good, it is like having a dessert.

They have all kinds of low-calorie breads to choose from.  Some I haven't tried yet.  Go get you some baby!

Fun Mail!

After I reached my life time goal weight I received this nice note in the mail.  I seriously adore my Weight Watcher's leader.  She totally motivates me.  One week after a 2lb weight gain I tried to give up and she talked me into at least staying for the meeting.  I swear she changed the content of the meeting to be directed to motivate just me.  That is the reason I didn't give up.  Thanks Cyndy!

Do you have someone or something that motivates you?  Do you ever feel like giving up?  I know I do.

Clam Chowder

Progresso has a Light New England Clam Chowder that is only 2 Weight Watchers PointsPlus per serving.  The can has 2 servings so for 4 PointsPlus you can have the entire can.

Is it as good as my hubby's homemade (12 point per cup, very high in calories and fat) chowder?  Oh heck no, but for 4 points it is pretty tasty.  Reminds me of most chowders that you would get at restaurants like Skippers or Sizzler.

Celebration

A celebration for me reaching my Weight Watchers goal was in order.  So my hubby went and bought my favorite foods and cooked them up for me.

Lucky for me my two favorite foods are artichokes and crap legs.  The artichokes I usually dip in mayo, but I dipped them in balsamic vinigar this time and it was so good and only 0 PointsPlus.  The crab legs I usually dip in melted butter, this time I warmed up some spray butter and dipped the crab in that.  It also was delish.  It is so good to know that I can still have my favorites without going off my diet plan.

Just so you know I am not done celebrating just yet.  I have a feeling that I deserve something BIG!  What do you think?

SHAPE Magazine- 3 year subscription for only $12! (cover price $107.64)

 

 Deal Details:
Get a 3 year subscription (12 issues each year) of SHAPE Magazine for over 85% off the cover price!

Is your household all about fitness and well-being?  Then you will definitely not want to miss out on this amazing deal!  For the ultra low price of just $12 you will get a 3 years of SHAPE Magazine delivered right to your door.  That's 12 full issues each year for 3 years!  At over 85% off cover price this deal won't be around for long, so get it before it's gone!  Looking for a great gift idea?  With our separate shipping address option on the payment page you can even order as a gift! 


*This deal will conclude on Saturday, October 29th at 11:59pm MST
*Orders are for US only
*Allow 8 to 12 weeks to receive first issue 


Description:
SHAPE Magazine is edited to deliver useful techniques and an understanding of fitness. Top experts from diverse fields of exercise, nutrition, psychology and beauty join forces with nationally known journalists to make each issue a how-to manual for a healthful lifestyle. 

CLICK HERE TO ORDER!  Hurry this deal is ending soon.

Homemade Fat Free Ice Cream

I have an ice cream maker.  It is a really cool one.  I have had it for about 5 years now and love it!  Poor Mr. ice cream maker has been stuck in the closet for two years while I have been dieting.  It was time to bring him out of the closet again.

 All you need is some sugar, vanilla extract, and some of this...

Put in your ice cream maker and let it mix.

This is what it looks like when it first starts mixing.  Just looks like milk.

Then it starts getting thick.

Here it is mixing away and almost ready.  Looking out my window I saw a huge peach on my tree and thought why not.  The added peach was a great idea.

All done and yum tum tum!  This was excellent and was only 3 Weight Watchers PointsPlus for 1/2 cup and 100 calories.  Guess how many points the fattening homemade kind was?  10! Yeah I'd rather not have that even though it was super yummy (a few bites landed in my mouth by accident).

Do you want to have some of your own?

Low Calorie Homemade Ice Cream

1 1/4 cup skim milk
1 1/4 cup sugar
3 cups fat free half and half
1.5 tbs vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients.  Add to your ice cream freezer and enjoy!

This could kill a person...

Before starting Weight Watchers I always wondered why I was fat.  I never was the kind of person that would go and buy a dozen doughnuts everyday and eat them all alone.  I never really thought I over ate.  Now that I have been following Weight Watchers I have learned so much.  I now know why I was overweight.  I was eating the wrong things not knowing they were so bad.

Like this Hungry-Man meal.  I only bought this because I had a good coupon that made it 25 cents and I thought it would be great for the hubby to heat up for lunch.

After heating it up in the microwave I thought it looked disgusting.  I wasn't raised on TV dinners so this was a shocker for me.  I also felt it was pretty small being a "Hungry-Man" meal and all.

 Then I grabbed my Weight Watcher PointsPlus calculator and started calculating.  I was thinking probably 12 points.  It was 22 PointsPlus!!!  Not only was it high in points, check out the fat, sodium carbs and sugar.  Sick!

I couldn't feed this to the hubby without telling him... The guilt would kill me.  Guess what?  He ate it anyway.  Sick!

So if you eat TV dinners.  Stop!  They make you fat!!!  You may think you hardly ate anything, but you just ate almost an entire day of calories and points in one little tiny meal.  Gross!

Guess What I Got Today?

Do you know what this is?  This is the charm that Weight Watchers gives you when you have reached your goal weight.

I finally got mine today.  It is mine all mine and I am so excited!

Looks pretty sweet with all my other Weight Watchers bling.

The hubby went out and bought me some crab legs and artichokes.  Two of my most favorite foods that happen to be low in calories and points.  Now I just have to maintain this weight for 6 weeks and then I will be a Weight Watchers lifetime member.

I am also a couple of pounds away from my personal goal.  When I reach that I will be really celebrating.  I think I will throw myself a party.  What do you think?

Pretty Funny!