dietSNAPS App

I Don’t Have to Be Perfect??

Carman — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 15:58:50 +0000

Is everyone having an AWESOME summer?! I know our summer has been insanely busy and chaotic – not AT ALL what I had envisioned when school was getting out in May. I had dreamed of days at the beach and pool and lazy days watching movies with my kids. We have probably gotten to do those things counted on one hand. Its crazy how life sometimes changes and doesn’t go as we plan – even if it is a fun crazy busy summer!!

So if you can imagine my summer not going as I had planned then you can imagine how much harder it has been to stay on ‘track’??? Super duper hard! I still track daily with my dietSNAPS app to stay mindful of what I am eating but I haven’t been keeping close track of my daily WW points target. Thankfully I have maintained the same weight all through this summer craziness! Taking a step out of the big picture has helped me realize this………

I also realized that because I have changed and created healthy habits over the last 17 months – that I am going to be okay as long as I maintain those habits. So don’t fall away completely away from your healthy habits and keep using your dietSNAPS app and you won’t ever fall completely off the bandwagon.

Recipe – Asian Slaw Salad

Carman — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 15:37:12 +0000

This is a yummy light lunch I did last summer that I threw together one day before taking the kids to the pool to have a light refreshing dish in this hot TX heat and humidity.

I also liked that it was different than a regular salad.

Cast of ingredients I used.

For one serving:

a huge handful of Fresh Express coleslaw mix (the more colors the better)

1Tbsp almond accents

2 Tbsp Wish Bone Lite Asian dressing (or to taste-start with 1 Tbsp)

McCormicks salad supreme, salt, pepper-to taste

Combine together.

Chill.

Then enjoy!!

*Can add shredded chicken, ground turkey, or lean turkey sausage to make it a complete meal.*

Honest, Accurate, Complete, Consistent!

Lexy — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 12:06:01 +0000

A friend of mine shared this awesome article with me about the importance of keeping a food journal! Of course, from personal experience I KNOW how important this is… but it’s always nice to see it validated in an article. Take a moment to check it out!

Weight Loss Techniques That Work - ABC News By MIKAELA CONLEY (@mikaelaconley)

For those interested in keeping a food journal, researchers gave the following tips to study participants:

• Be honest – record everything you eat

• Be accurate – measure portions, read labels

• Be complete – include details such as how the food was prepared, and the addition of any toppings or condiments

• Be consistent – always carry your food diary with you or use a diet-tracking application on your smart phone… dietSNAPS!!!

Struggle Leads To Success

Tracey — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 16:19:09 +0000

It’s no news to anyone, I’ve said it a million times and I created dietSNAPS for this reason alone, but I’ve literally struggled with weight for as long as I can remember. Even when I was at my thinnest at 118 lbs, I thought I was fat. So, it hasn’t always been a matter of the actual number, but rather an overarching issue with being comfortable with my body.

Over the years, this discomfort as well as my issues with food (Stressed? Eat. Sad? Eat. Bored? You guessed it – eat.) has slowly but surely resulted in my putting on the pounds. I’ve lost 27 lbs since 2010, but I still have a long way to go. I started Weight Watchers in April after being so inspired by Lexy and Carman and I’d done WW before and knew that it worked. In my first 11 weeks on WW, I lost 7.6 lbs. I know, I know…I am a slooow loser. I work out 3-4 days a week and always stay within my points, but after decades of dieting, my body does not let go of the pounds willingly.

Source: anditslove.tumblr.com via Andreia on Pinterest

About a month ago, Lexy and Carman started talking about Visalus. It’s a company that sells weight loss products, most notably protein shakes, and they invited me to take the Visalus 90-Day Challenge with them. I should tell you that Visalus is an MLM – multi-level marketing – and I was raised to always think MLMs were a scam. I’m not trying to be harsh; that’s just what I believed. But, I trusted Lexy and Carman. I was also really excited about the idea of adding two protein shakes to my day and getting in my “dark leafy greens” (Lexy makes her shakes with spinach and I knew I would too). It also didn’t hurt that Lexy told me the shakes tasted like CAKE. I figured I had nothing to lose — no pun intended!

Source: google.com via Brittany on Pinterest

I started three weeks ago today. I didn’t use the shakes as a meal replacement, but rather I simply counted the points and added them into my day. I routinely added one first thing in the morning, around 7am, and one after dinner, around 9pm. Prior to this, I didn’t eat breakfast until 9am or so. I just can’t really “eat” until then. I thought that with the shakes I would end up waiting to eat my “real” breakfast, but I found that I was still hungry at 9am, so that didn’t change.

Anywho, my first week I actually had a burger and French fries for the first time in months. I also only got in two of my four workouts. Come weigh in, I didn’t lose anything. Nada. I stayed exactly the same. I didn’t go over on my points, but I used my Weeklies and Activity Points and I almost never do that.

Week two, I had potato chips twice, a tuna salad sandwich (which I never eat) and I made pizza at home. And, I only got in ONE of my four workouts. Again, I didn’t go over on my points, but I used my Weeklies and Activity Points again. Now, I usually weigh in on Sundays, but I was leaving on a 3-day road trip on Saturday morning, so I weighed in then.

I got on the scale and could not believe my eyes. I had lost FOUR pounds. At first, I literally thought I had gained 6 pounds because the last number was an 8 (it had been a 2) and so I thought it must have gone up. I was floored! This NEVER happens to me. I was pressed for time to get on the road, but I stopped and called both Carman and Lexy and they were just so happy for me. I was on cloud nine. I didn’t expect to take my shakes with me on the vaca, but you can darn well bet that I did once I had seen that number on the scale!

Now, not surprisingly, the road trip made it hard to eat well and I gained two of the pounds back (I probably should have gained more!), but I lost them again this week. Again, this never happens for me. It usually takes me two or three weeks to re-lose any gain.

I’m telling you all of this in detail so you understand what’s been going on, but the absolute biggest thing for me in all of this is that I finally feel like I turned a corner. I knew that when I started on WW that I would not stop until I reached my goal, but I was still eating things that weren’t going to get me closer to my goal and even though there are many out there that can eat their Weeklies and Activity Points, I’m not one of those gals. I need to stick to my Daily points only.

For whatever reason, this four pound loss has finally, after 27 total pounds, given me that real taste of success. Now, I only want to eat things that feed my body, but more important, things that feed my spirit and feed my commitment to health. I’m turning 40 next summer and even though I wanted it more than anything, now, I can truly see myself at 40 having the best body of my life: strong, healthy and lean. My 40th birthday present: a surfing excursion with my sisters and close girlfriends. : )

Source: 2.bp.blogspot.com via Lindsey on Pinterest

As Carman likes to say, “You gotta keep on keepin’ on!” Let’s do this! We CAN do this! All of us! I know how hard it is and I’d love to hear how you’re getting there. Or, if you’re not getting there just yet, what’s your journey been like? If you’ve had that a-ha moment, what did it for you? Speak up, please! We love to hear what’s working, or not working, for you! It takes a village…

Flashback Friday – Hitting my WW Goal!!!

Carman — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 15:59:39 +0000

ONE YEAR AGO on June 25th, I hit my WW goal weight!!!! I remember that day being coolest day ever as I realized that I had made a HEALTHY LIFESTYLE change to get to my goal weight instead of dieting. I adopted the WeightWatchers principles and Healthy Habits and applied them into my life daily – which over time created a drastic result and huge accomplishment in my book!!!!

I want to give a HUGE THANK YOU to Tracey and Laurie for creating the dietSNAPS app which was a monumental part of my success as well!! Once I started tracking my meals with pictures, it opened up a whole new world and perspective for me! I was able to REALLY ‘see’ what I was eating and putting into my mouth each day. I have been able to recognize my eating patterns and choices that I make based on what’s happening in my life. I have also gotten to know my body better by learning and figuring out what fuels my body and gives me more energy versus what drags me down. I am able to do this all by looking back on my days and weeks in my dietSNAPS journal.

I love the quote that says “Success leaves clues” because tt is TRUE!!!! I have been able to maintain my WW goal weight (actually 5 lbs under) for a WHOLE year!!! I still apply the same principles and mentality every day. I keep doing it because it is my lifestyle now and IT WORKS!!! Using WW’s and my dietSNAPS app is what keeps me stable and from slipping back into old habits. When I feel myself slipping, I just go back to the basics of tracking and taking pictures and almost immediately I feel better and am back on track.

Here are my top 10 most important things I have learned on my journey and that I still apply and use today:

1. It is a LIFESTYLE change – not a diet!!!! I had to learn that concept and ACCEPT it in order for this to work. I also learned I could have those not-so-healthy foods that I dearly love – but that I had to learn to eat them in moderation and to always plan when I would allow myself to eat them so I can always stay in control – instead of letting food control me.

2. Track Track Track! I learned that I HAVE to track what I eat/drink/exercise because I do get lazy when I don’t. I also learned that I am visual person and using the dietSNAPS app for over a YEAR now has literally changed my life on how I see and deal with food and was the best method I had ever come across for tracking. Try it out for one week and see what YOU think!

3. Learn to LOVE exercise by making it FUN!! It HAS to be part of this new lifestyle or you won’t get far. I learned that I LOVED trying new classes like the 6 week Body by Frances Boot Camp I did or new classes at our gym like Muscle Blast, Boot Camp, Spin, and Body Pump!!! I also love running and try to sign up for 5K, 10K’s and hopefully another half marathon in the future to kept things fun and challenging! I have seen my body change and take new shape from challenging myself in these classes by incorporating strength training with circuit training and cardio.

4. Get a Friend that has similar goals to do it with you!!! The buddy system really does work! Like I said before, I would have given up had I not had Lexy and Cyndi and our blog at FireLitesFire to help keep me motivated. It is a lifesaver!

5. Own your weigh ins! This is hard – but it is all about keeping it real and facing the facts of your journey. When you have a great week then take ownership of that and be happy and proud of your accomplishment no matter how big or small!! If you have a bad week – its OK because everyone has set backs - but getting on that scale and owning it means you are accepting the fact that you are not perfect, and you are gonna let it be a guide and motivator to resolve to do better the next week. Also, when you attend the WW meetings, you get tons of motivation and ideas!!!!

6. Don’t compare yourself to others!!!!! This one really is easier said than done for sure. When I find myself going there and comparing myself to others, I now immediately think of a quote I heard that said ”When we compare ourselves to others, we are comparing their strengths to our weaknesses”. That always helps me put things back into perspective and go back to comparing and competeting with MYSELF. My goal is to be my BEST SELF I can be. So I will look at old pictures, body measurements, clothing sizes, or past scale weights to see how I am progressing . Only when I do it that way am I being fair and nice to ME.

7. Make a list of your favorite foods and meals! This REALLY comes in handy for me all the time. Some days I don’t feel like fixing anything but can be motivated when I look at my list of trusted foods. Also after trying new things some times we forget about things we liked in the beginning – so its nice to have an ongoing list to keep adding to for ideas.

8. Keep your pantry and fridge stocked with healthy and your favorite choices! I always have to remind myself that ‘I can’t eat it if I don’t buy it-or make it’ (in my case cause I love to bake and cook!) I love that I discovered the ZonePerfect bars almost a year ago that have lots of protein and taste awesome (only 5pts+ so a perfect snack)!! I have not gotten tired of them YET and still eat one everyday as a snack. There are lots of ways to replace the things you love with healthier choices.

9. Read healthy living blogs and recipe blogs for inspiration and ideas!!! Reading others success stories and journey’s motivates me and reminds me that I can do anything I set my mind to! Some motivating peeps I follow are Keeping Up With Katie, Peanut Butter Fingers, Peanut Butter Runner, Roni’s Weigh, SkinnyRunner, just to name a few ladies that are just awesome! I also love reading recipe blogs because I am always on the lookout for healthy new recipes and meal ideas to try for my family. I have come across several ones I love like Hungry Girl, SkinnyTaste, GreenLiteBites, Danica’s Daily, and Dashing Dish. Its all about helping each other, motivating, and sharing ideas!!!

10. Just Keep On Keeping On!! In the beginning when I was ready to give up because I didn’t see results right away, I decided this would be my mantra. That no.matter.what- I would just keep on keeping on and eventually something good would happen – and guess what!! It did!!! I had LOTS of ups and downs on this journey but I always came out on top in the end because I just kept sticking with it and putting one foot in front of the other. It still gets me through the rough times even today.

I hope these tips help you with your journey!!!!! If I can do it – ANYONE can do this!!!

Recipes for Fun July 4th Treats!

Carman — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 19:20:11 +0000

Who says you can’t eat healthy and good treats for a holiday??!! Check out these awesome looking treats for the Fourth of July I came across on Pinterest!

Flag cookie pizza

Rice Krispie Firecracker treat

4th of July strawberries

Patriotic Cool Whip Parfaits

Patriotic Fruit Kabobs

Do you have fun plans for the 4th??

Have a Happy and Safe 4th of July from the dietSNAPS girls!!!!

Be Nice to Yourself

Carman — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 04:20:28 +0000

I find it interesting how we are always nice to others when they are having a hard time, down on themselves, or unmotivated. Think about the things you say to your friends when they are having a rough time…….why do we not say those same things to ourselves when we are having a hard time or frustrated??? Interesting isn’t it…..when you really think about it.

Why are we so hard on ourselves when we go off track?? We know that no one is perfect – and that includes ourselves!! We are our own worst enemy! We know ups and downs are to be expected and that change takes time – but yet we still beat ourselves up. Knowing that, we have to identify those times when we are unkind to ourselves and figure out what is holding us back from showing compassion to ourselves. Its so important that we are nice to ourselves – because we can’t get away from ourselves!!! Wherever you go – there you are!

We have to learn how to treat ourselves more kindly and be more positive and uplifting. We need to create positive mantra’s to replace the negative trash talk – we’ve gotta stop the trash talkin’. You can use reframing to redirect negative thoughts or behavior and figure out better solutions to help you move forward to achieve your goals. Keep a good attitude!!! We need to put ourselves at the top of our lists!! Reflect on the changes we have made and focus on those and how we good we feel now verses before. Set new mini goals. Do nice things for yourself. Have the snacks and foods on hand that you can eat. Surround yourself with a great support system of friends and family – for motivation and ideas. Look forward and not behind us anymore – let the past go cause it doesn’t matter anymore!

The number one thing that we DO know is that emotional eating doesn’t solve ANYTHING! One thing we need to remember is – ”If it’s not hunger – then food wont fix it.” We have to remember that food is not comfort, our friend, or our healer – food is just to FUEL our body!!!

To deal with our emotions in other more positive ways we could- go take a nap, talk to a friend, exercise, go on a walk, deal with the actual problem that’s causing the emotions, don’t take on or consume yourself with everyone else’s problems, go read a book, listen or dance to music,……just to name a few.

What things do you do that are nice and kind to yourself???

I love this motivational quote:

What Food Can Do-

Food can fill our stomachs.

It cannot fill our souls.

Food can nourish our bodies.

It cannot nourish our hearts and minds.

Food can make our taste buds happy.

It cannot make us happy.

Food can give momentary pleasure.

It cannot give lasting pleasure.

Food can distract us from our pain.

It cannot take away our pain.

-Author Unknown

What are non-food ways you deal with your obstacles??

Spaghetti Squash – a Pasta Substitute??

Carman — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 20:48:32 +0000

I get a daily Hungry Girl e-newsletter (if you don’t get them you should!!! TONS of great tips and easy recipes!!) - a recent newsletter was A Salute to Spaghetti Squash. I LOVE spaghetti squash and I love all the fun ways you can incorporate it into your recipes and a great way it is to get another serving of veggies in. I have replaced spaghetti squash in place of pasta and starchy things in a lot of my meals. It only has about 40 calories per cup, has lots of fiber in it, and doesn’t have all the carbs that are in pasta.

Its such an easy veggie to prepare and in this newsletter she explains the different ways to cook it and tons of cool recipe ideas. I love to microwave it (mainly because its quicker!) and then I salt and pepper it and add it to everything. She also has tips on if you’ve never eaten it before how to slowly try it in your recipes. Click on the link above to read her awesome newsletter!

Here are just a few recipes that we love with spaghetti squash!

Spaghetti Squash Alfredo

Alfredo Spaghetti Squash with Chicken

Turkey Chili Over Spaghetti Squash

Teriyaki Turkey over Spaghetti Squash

Veggies over Spaghetti Squash

Have you ever tried spaghetti squash??

If so, what do you like to eat it with???

Are You Drinking Enough Water??

Carman — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 20:36:08 +0000

Do you drink enough water?? Most of us don’t and it is SUPER important that we do!!!

Here is something interesting:

Here are some great facts about Water from HERE:

1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. (Likely applies to half the world population.)
2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is mistaken for hunger.
3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism as 3%.
4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.
5. Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.
6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain or up to 80% of sufferers.
7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a ! printed page.
8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%., and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.

A GREAT tip to get more water in throughout your day – Get a gallon jug or water bottles and mark them for certain times of the day!!! Make sure you’re drinking that amount of water (or more) to that line by your slotted times and you will start to feel so much better!!!

source

How do you get your water in each day??

When You Want To Quit

Lexy — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 12:55:26 +0000

There are times when living a healthy lifestyle seems so simple and other times that it feels like torture. I know there are tons of things that can affect my feelings… and I think it’s important to take notice of the times when things feel unusually difficult. For women, it could simply be “that time of the month”…

Source: google.com via Kristin on Pinterest

I just came across this Weight Watcher’s article “When You’re About To Quit.”

They offer 8 tips to help you keep going even when you feel like you can’t…. I’ll add my opinions next to their tips…

*Quit or keep going: it’s up to you… They say to imagine yourself at a crossroads… if you continue staying off plan, it’s so much harder to get back on. I completely agree. When I recognize that I’m way off track… I usually focus on the next 3 days. I use those 3 days to pay close attention to my foods, drink lots of water, and make sure I get in some exercise at the gym.

*Expect it… like I said before, for me… I know that when I am pms-ing… it’s gonna be a hard week. It helps me to recognize that “it is what it is.”

*Get a move on motivation… I LOVE a good success story! It’s not hard to find them either… a quick google search and you will find other people like you! It gives me hope that I too can have the same success if I am consistent and patient!

*Eliminate the word “quit” from your vocabulary… I love this one. They say instead of “quitting”… tell yourself that you are just going to maintain for a while until you get your motivation back. There is nothing wrong with that! It’s way better than gaining all those unwanted pounds back.

*Don’t let plateau’s put you off… I remember that for about a month before I reached my goal weight… I was on a plateau. I can honestly say that it was a very frustrating experience. What if I had given up? I don’t even want to think about that. Like Carman says, keep on keeping on. It will happen.

*Figure out what has worked in the past… This is why I love my dietSNAPS app. I can easily look back at weeks when I was losing weight and see what I was eating. It helps me plan my menus for getting back to that same success.

*Try meal ideas… I’m a fan of finding new recipes. I have recently discovered Skinny Taste!

*Find a meeting… Get yourself in the company of people who you know will help motivate you, like the people at Weight Watchers meetings. I love our Thursday meetings with Karen. I look forward to seeing familiar faces each week… and Karen is just awesome!!!

A few months ago, I saw this very inspirational video clip from the Barcelona Olympics in 1992… I really wanted to share it on here and I hope it helps you make the choice to never give up!!