Weight Watchers Blog

What success looks like

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 22:30:00 +0000

Have you ever wondered what success looks like? Well, here it is in black and white....

Ha ha ha. So true! Especially when it comes to this journey.

I've been really, really sick for about a week now. Not eating the way I usually do. (I've pretty much lived off soup, crackers, fruit, and string cheese for days.) As far as health and my healthy lifestyle are concerned, I feel like I'm stuck somewhere in the middle of the swirly mess pictured above. My plan is to start cooking, tracking my food intake, and exercising tomorrow. Well, exercising might have to wait another day or so. Until I can get this cough under control. I don't want to push myself to the point of a relapse.

It's not just the illness part of life that's throwing me off. I'm training for my first full marathon, and keep popping up with injuries left and right. My left knee did not like passing the 16 mile mark! Not at all. In my mind, I should be able to follow that training program, run ever mile as suggested, and finish the marathon with no problems. HA! I should have known that wouldn't workout as planned. Again, as far as running goes, I feel like I'm stuck in the middle of the swirly mess pictured above.

I keep trying. I've been sick before, and made it through. I've set exercise goals for myself and lived to tell the story. It's difficult for me to take a few steps back, but that's life. Whether I like it or not, set backs are a part of this journey.

[Holding my mug of coffee in the air.] If you feel like you're stuck in the swirly middle of just getting started & total success, here's to getting back on track!

Need a push to get started (or keep going)?

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:28:00 +0000

No matter where you are within your journey, you can appreciate this video. It's almost 5 minutes long, but worth watching every second of it. Now, it is about a guy running. Don't let that scare you away! The main theme of this video really has very little to do with running. It's about a guy named Ben, and he totally changed his life by simply taking one step. Then another. And another. I could tell you all about it, but I'd rather you watch it for yourself. It had me in tears. Make sure to watch the look on his face as time goes on. A complete transformation unfolds before your eyes...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SbXgQqbOoU

Part of me is rubbing off!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 22:28:00 +0000

No, I don't mean rubbing off in a "chafed" kind of way. I'm referring to the years and years of dedication I've put into living a healthy lifestyle. I was on the phone yesterday when my (almost) 14 year old slipped me this note...

"I'll go workout with you."

"I'll go workout with you." Those words stopped me dead in my tracks. I could hear the person on the other end of the line yammering away, and I sat there frozen not listening to a single word of it. My brain was frantically trying to absorb the words I had read. You would have thought the note said, "The cat is dead on my bedroom floor!".

I couldn't believe what I was reading. They're precious words I've longed to hear for several years now. I've hoped for so long that he would embrace health and fitness earlier in life than I did. I've paved the way for my family, and watch them resist with (what seems like) every step. After all these years of trying to create a healthier life for all of us...I see a glimmer of hope.

PS...He went with me and did GREAT! Thank goodness I have such a sweet little exercise instructor. She guided him through the entire class in her gentle, thoughtful manner. If only I had contact with someone like her when I was his age!

PSS...notice the greasy pizza stain on the bottom left corner of the paper? Yes, yes? That's nice, eh? He was eating leftover pizza from Friday night when he wrote the note. There was a time when there wasn't any leftover pizza in our house, and it's not because we weren't ordering it every Friday night. If we actually had any leftover, it certainly wouldn't have made it to Tuesday night! lol I very much wanted to "crop out" that stain, but when I realized how far we've come over the years, I changed my mind. That stain can stay. It's proof that we've changed. Proof that reaches far beyond the scale. :)

Back to basics

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 18:58:00 +0000

Do you know what that is? I'll give you a second to think about it....

[This is your "thinking time".]

[Hope it's going well for you.]

[I was talking about the whole "thinking" process when I wished you well.]

[Any guesses yet?]

Well, if you guessed "Heather's new Points journal", you would be 100% correct. Yes, the time had come to change things up for myself. I purchased a new little spiral notebook, and it's a miracle how such a simple purchase put the "acc" back in "accountable" for me!

Training for a full marathon is difficult. I'm hungry! This is no longer a matter of protein and fat and fiber and filling foods vs. junk. When you run for hours and hours at a time....you're body CRAVES food. Tracking is a must, or things can easily get out of hand. Ask me how I know this tidbit of info. Funny how I fall right back into the "I deserve a giant plate of nachos" boat after a 16 mile run. There are certain parts of this journey that will never change. I need to stick with what works for me. Tracking works. It's not for everyone. I get that. However, it does work for me. Back to the basics.

PS...you heard me loud and clear when I said I ran 16 miles, right? SIXTEEN MILES. I feel the need to brag my ass off because it was a hell of a lot of work. It was actually 16.3 miles. I also feel the need to brag about the point 3 because that might have been the most difficult portion of the run. I wrote about it on my running blog if you'd like to read about it. Here's a link: http://www.willrunforcoffee.com/2012/04/163-miles-bitches-new-distance-pr.html

PSS...my running blog recently won "best blog" award from our local paper here in Vancouver, WA! The host a contest each year called Best Of Clark County. I won. Go me! I'm mentioning it here on LeadingTheWeigh.com because I would have never even STARTED running had it not been for losing weight, gaining strength, and finding my voice along the ~~weigh~~ way. Funny how one journey leads to another. Here's a link to the article about my new winning title: http://www.willrunforcoffee.com/2012/03/youre-officially-reading-clark-countys.html

I'm really pushing the limits of this comfort zone thing, people.

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 21:46:00 +0000

*S*P*L*A*S*H*

I'm way outside my comfort zone with swimming, friends. However, I'm sitting here writing about it. Clearly, I didn't die during this week's classes. That's a good sign. I've had two classes so far, and I'm loving it. Well, perhaps love is a bit strong. Strongly like might be a better term to describe my feelings.

1st Swim Class:
The first night, we jumped into the pool, and the instructor told us to start off with a "crawl stroke". I had no clue what that was. She showed me. I did it. I was on my way across the pool, and realize swimming is a lot harder than I remembered. It's really different hauling a 39 year old partially injured body across the water vs. my old 4th grade self. Image that. By the time I made it across the pool the first time, I was so out of breath, I thought I would never recover. I hung out by the side of the pool long enough to pull myself together, and I took off to go back to the start. Midway through that lap, I sucked in a bunch of water, and started choking. I did my best to just keep going. Once I could touch the side of the pool, it literally took me a good 5 minutes to quit coughing & catch my breath. She had us practice a back stroke, and then back to the crawl again. I'm not sure how many times I went back and forth that night, but I was exhausted (mentally & physically) by the time class was over.

2nd Swim Class:
Last night, it was....easy. Not easy like, "Hey look at me, I'm such a pro...". Just better. Calm. Relaxed. Breathing was a lot more regular. We learned the breast stroke, but my brain wasn't catching on to the concept of hands & feet moving at separate times (this is why I don't dance!!!). I need to work on that one a bit more. I wasn't as exhausted when I left the building compared to the first class. I'm wondering how much of the exhaustion from Monday night was emotional. Have you ever done that? You get so worked up about something, you collapse once it's OK to do so. Anyway, I'm headed to the pool tomorrow morning to do laps. I want to practice that breast stroke before Monday rolls around. Oh, and PS, there's a reason why those fugly swim team suits are cut super high on the chest. It's so your boobs don't *POP* out as the water pushes your suit off your body while swimming. Ask me how I know about this. Guess who gets to go buy a new suit before tomorrow morning's lap swim?

Since I'm already stepping out of the comfort zone to swim, why not do it some more? In the past two days...

I signed up to run the Ragnar Relay Northwest Passage race in July! 190 miles with twelve female friends I met through a local running club. Yes, I do run a lot. All the time, actually. However, I've never done a 24 hour relay. I'll run 3 different times (legs) throughout the race. One of the times will be in the middle of the night. We'll get little to no sleep. Most of our time will be spent driving in a van. What was I thinking when I signed up for this???? I think I've lost my mind. On the other had, I get to see 190 mile of spectacular Washington scenery. It's so beautiful here, and the Seattle area is even prettier. You can read more about the event here: http://www.ragnarrelay.com/race/northwestpassage
I signed up to be a running buddy for Girls On The Run, a national organization helping girls grade 3 through 5 build character through being active. I'M SO EXCITED TO DO THIS!!!! If you would like to become a volunteer in your area, be sure to check out their web site to see if there's a chapter in your area: http://www.girlsontherun.org/
I called the woman who instructed a fabulous self defense class for my daughter's Girl Scout troop a couple of weeks ago, and asked if she would be my self defense instructor. She has agreed to start an hour long day time class on Tuesdays and Fridays! Twice a week for $40 per month. With me running alone as much as I do, I feel as though these classes are a necessity. Her classes were currently evenings only, and I already have classes or kid events going on EVERY evening during the week. I'm thrilled she has agreed to do this class. If you're in the Portland / Vancouver area & would like to join me, please do! You can learn more about Georgia & her martial arts / self defense classes over on her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Columbia-Martial-Arts-Academy/148384704998

Swimming, self defense, a 190 mile race with 12 other women, and volunteering to run with future athletes. 11+ years ago, if you would have told me I would have a week like this, I would have slapped your face right off your face. My how things have changed. My comfort zone must be super stretchy like a pair of cheap pantyhose these days. Who knew? I think I'll stop here, though. There's nothing worse than getting a big snag in cheap hose. There's no recovering from that kind of action. :)

Stepping out of my comfort zone (once again)

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 23:22:00 +0000

Tonight, March 5th, I start swim lessons. Is that the dorkiest thing you've heard in a while? Because it certainly is for me.

I can't believe I am doing this. My heart feels like it's about to leap out of my chest just telling you about what I'm preparing to do. I so badly want to go for a run to burn off all of the anxiousness I'm feeling right now, but my ankle and hip are stopping me today. Funny enough, those aches and pains are some of the reasons I signed up for a swim class in the first place! I keep popping up with all sorts of running injuries. Swimming is so much easier on knees and hips and ankles compared to running. If I can incorporate it into my weekly routine, I can't help but think I would be better off in the long run.

Uggg, I'm so nervous. You want to know what's going through my head right now?

I don't enjoy wearing a swim suit in public.

I don't enjoy being serious, and I have a feeling this class will require quite a bit of seriousness.

I don't enjoy forced leg shaving, but considering the whole swim suit ordeal....shaving is need.

I'm glad I got that bikini wax a few weeks ago!

I've never worn a swim cap.

I tried putting the swim cap on & it snapped really hard against my ear which hurt like a bitch!

The last time I wore goggles, they leaked and I freaked.

What if I don't catch on & get it?

What if the instructor is a horrible, mean person?

Can I get my money back if I hate this class?

What if I'm the worst swimmer in the class?

The list of negatives can go on and on and on. I'm going to stop myself here. Dead in my tracks. I'm getting myself very worked up for absolutely no reason. It's just an 8 week class - two days per week. I can do this. I'm running a marathon in June for God's sake! I ran 1,000 miles last year! If I can do all the things I do....I can certainly go take swim lessons.

PS....I felt this way when I joined Weight Watchers all those years ago. That feeling got me pretty far. So perhaps this feeling of discomfort when embarking a new path is a good thing.

Have you stepped outside your comfort zone lately? Especially with exercise. I would love to know what you've done to shake things up for yourself. (If your answer was "no" - it's time to start shaking things up.)

Sometimes it only takes a quote to turn things around

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:55:00 +0000

I really don't have a lot to say today. It's going to be a CRAZY week between everyday life, doctor appointments, events with my tween & teen, exercise classes, writing. Throw in a bikini wax along the way, and the week is booked solid. However, I saw a quote yesterday that made so much sense to me, and I want to share it with you.

"When you don't give up, you can't fail."

I love this. I simply love it. No matter how hectic things seem, don't give up. Do the best you can that day. Period. Don't give up, and realize there is no such thing as "perfect". If you keep going, it will benefit your health, your family, your life. If you don't give up, you can't fail.

Do you have a favorite quote that helps get you through this journey? If so, I would love to hear it. Leave it for all of us to read in a comment below.

Happy 10 year goal weight anniversary to me - I'm getting stronger!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:26:00 +0000

I saw this little guy on Facebook this morning. The image speaks volumes.

What doesn't kill you makes you __________. How would you finish that sentence? Think about it for a second, or minute, or even a day if need be.

12 or so years ago, my reply would have been something along the lines of "defeated", "sad", "miserable", "exhausted", "resentful", "guilty", "embarrassed".

A few years ago, the answer would have been "angry", "bitter", "irritated".

In the past year or two, I can honestly say "stronger". What doesn't kill you makes you STRONGER. I feel so strong compared to how I felt when I first started this journey. [I am literally shaking and in tears as I type this. I had no idea how STRONGly I felt about the topic until just now. Pun fully intended.]

So, happy goal weight anniversary to me!!! 10 years. I still remember the day I started this journey (nearly 11 1/2 years ago). I remember it like it was yesterday....yet it seems like forever ago. Almost like the day belongs to another person. In a way, it does.

I've learned a lot along the weigh. I've learned that this journey has really very little to do with what the scale says. I am more than a number. Blah, blah, blah. We hear that all the time, right? "You're more than a number....". Guess what? It's true. I get it now. It has taken 10 years of dealing with a lifetime of "fat damage" to realize exactly what that means.

At this point in time, I am healthier than I have ever been. This is a progressive journey of good health. Funny, isn't it? Because all I wanted to do when I got started was wear size 6 jeans. In my mind, 6 sounded better than 18, which was the size I was sporting around. Actually, I ended up having to buy a 20 just before signing up for Weight Watchers. Having to buy those 20s made me cry. I wanted to wear pants that didn't make me cry. I wanted the scale to tell me a magic number that didn't make me cry. I wanted to look in the mirror and not cry upon seeing my own reflection. I wasn't thinking of bettering my health or being a good roll model for my kids. I just didn't want to cry anymore. I was all cried out.

Little did I know, there would be more tears flooding my path from time to time. Sometimes, they are honestly tears of sadness. That's life! They are never as desperate & hopeless as the tears I used to shed, but still sad. At times, I have really struggled with this journey. There are things that make it easier, but shitty days are just.....shitty days. I eventually learned to pick myself up and dust myself off. Starting over is part of the journey. In a way, everyday is a new start. It's an ever evolving process, and you must learn to roll with the punches. The good times out weigh the bad most of the time. It's difficult to remember that when you're smack dab in the middle of a pity party, but it's true. During those good times, the tears are tears of joy. Or shock. Or bliss. Or pure excitement. Like the tears in this picture....

Yep, I was crying in that picture. Some of it was due to the pain I had been enduring for the past 13.1 miles, but mostly they were tears of bliss, excitement, joy, and shock! This one was taken at the finish line of the Vancouver USA Half Marathon last year, and I could hear my husband screaming my name from the sidelines. When I looked up, my eyes went directly to him. In a sea of people, I found him instantly. He was beaming ear to ear and pointing to his watch letting me know my finish time was way better than predicted or expected. I was giving him a fist pump & a big "YESSSS" all at the same time. It's my very favorite picture ever. When I die, I want that picture shown at my funeral. I like it THAT much. That's how I want people to remember me. I mean, I don't want them to remember me crying, stinky & sweaty, or having bloody/missing toenails at the time. I want them to remember that I tried my best. I gave it all I had. I didn't quit even though I wanted to (on more than one occasion). During that race, there were times I had to slow down & take a little break, but I kept moving forward even when I thought I was going to die. When I look back at the past 11 1/2 years since starting this journey, the entire time frame looks like this picture. That's exactly what the big picture looks like. Start. Then, finish what you start. Start over when you must. Keep moving along. Cry when and if needed. Finish strong.

After losing 20+ pounds.

In my case, what doesn't kill you does make you stronger. And by you, I mean me. I am certainly stronger, in so many ways, compared to 11 1/2 years ago when I decided to change my life. (Side Note: See the picture to your left for proof of all my jibber jabber. That is what I looked like 11 1/2 years ago. You might not see it through my sheepish smile, but I was crying on the inside. NO, I wasn't pregnant. NO, I had not had a baby recently. That belly was just.....alllllll me. Letting it all hang out for the picture. I finally felt brave enough to take such a picture. To let my husband see it - like he didn't know already. Keep in mind, this was before the days of every household having a digital camera. I actually had to take the film in to be developed, and felt humiliated when I had to go pick them up at Costco. I just knew the staff had all been passing them around. Laughing. Now I'm glad I took the pictures, but I wasn't so sure about my actions back then!) I can look back now and see that I'm even stronger than when I made it to my goal weight 10 years ago. Why do I keep mentioning 11 1/2 years ago if I'm celebrating a 10 year anniversary? I wouldn't be celebrating today if I hadn't decided to start this journey so long ago. To me, they're now one in the same.

Anyway, I'm going to finish this happy anniversary blog post by dedicating something to the old me. I'm slightly obsessed with the new Kelly Clarkson song, Stronger. Have you heard it? (If you haven't, you must. The video link is listed below.) I've had it on my ipod since it was released a couple of months ago. I love for it to come on when I'm feeling completely spent during a long run. There's really nothing better than hearing it at mile 11. That's usually the time I feel like curling up into a ball & crying! So it's great for running, but I can't help but think the lyrics were written for the old me. The "before" Heather. So, Old Heather, this ones for you....

Stronger by Kelly Clarkson

You know the bed feels warmer,

Sleeping here alone,

You know I dream in color,

And do the things I want.

You think you got the best of me

Think you had the last laugh

Bet you think that everything good is gone.

Think you left me broken down

Think that I'd come running back

Baby you don't know me, cause you're dead wrong.

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

stand a little taller

Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone.

What doesn't kill you makes a fighter

Footsteps even lighter

Doesn't mean I'm over cause you're gone.

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stronger

Just me, myself and I

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

stand a little taller

Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone.

You heard that I was starting over with someone new,

They told you I was moving on, over you

You didn't think that I'd come back,
I'd come back swinging

You try to break me but you see

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

stand a little taller

doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone.

What doesn't kill you makes a fighter

Footsteps even lighter

Doesn't mean I'm over cause your gone.

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stronger

Just me, myself and I

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

Stand a little taller Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone

Thanks to you I got a new thing started

Thanks to you I'm not the broken hearted

Thanks to you I'm finally thinking 'bout me

You know in the end the day I left was just my beginning..... in the end...

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

Stand a little taller

Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone

What doesn't kill you makes a fighter

Footsteps even lighter

Doesn't mean I'm over cause you're gone.

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stronger

Just me, myself and I

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

Stand a little taller

Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn676-fLq7I

Wow, if Old Heather only knew back then what she knows now, perhaps she wouldn't have cried so many tears. No more feeling "defeated", "sad", "miserable", "exhausted", "resentful", "guilty", "embarrassed", "angry", "bitter", "irritated". Just stronger.

Where are you within your journey? You can tell by the way you fill in the blank. What doesn't kill you makes you __________. Hopefully, the word you use is stronger (or something similar and/or positive). If not, then it's time to take a step forward.

Planning ahead....chopped peppers for the freezer

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:04:00 +0000

I ended up with 10 cups of yellow and 14 cups of red when it was all said and done. I cook from scratch a lot. Actually, everything is 100% homemade these days (most boxed/prepared foods contain gluten). Anyway, buying veggies when I see them on sale for super price saves me money, but MAN the time put into these little peppers make me question my actions. I'm not going to complain. I have peppers in the freezer. That's all that matters.

I need to find a new way to freeze stuff. I'm trying diligently to not use plastic baggies. I have some awesome beeswax coated paper bags, foil, and BPA free containers for the fridge, but no good solution for freezing. If you know of a good way to freeze this type of stuff (as compact as possible)...please let me know.

I made a chalkboard menu board!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:40:00 +0000

I made a magnetic chalkboard for my weekly menu, but it's too small! Boooooo! The concept is cute, though. I'm on the hunt for bigger & better. I could keep this one for the menu board, but I really want to use all 7 days of the week worth of magnets I made (with glass rocks). At this point, I'm barely fitting 6 of them on the board. Priorities, right? Of course I'm right.

I've posted the weekly dinner menu in my house for years now. It solves a lot of problems within the household:

I cannot seem to remember what's for dinner 5 seconds after decide what we're having. "Mom of tweens & teenagers brain" has officially gotten the best of me. [I can't call it mommy brain anymore because the kids no longer call me "mommy". :-| ]With a menu written down, all I have to do is step into the kitchen for a quick look.
It keeps the kids from asking me the dreaded....what's for dinner?
I'm all about planning ahead when it comes to weight loss & maintaining. If you know what you're having for dinner, you can plan out the rest of your day around that meal. Clearly, dinner is the most special meal of the day for me. Your favorite meal might be lunch, breakfast, or your coffee break at work. My suggestion would be to pick your favorite meal & work around it. Plan, plan, plan.
If I have a menu...I know what I'm making. If I know what I'm making, I know how to grocery shop for the week. It's sad to say, but there was a time when I would go to the store & buy whatever I wanted with no plan in mind. Stuff ended up rotting in the fridge or sitting in the pantry for two+ years. These days, I check the pantry before deciding what we're making. Fill in the gaps by flipping through my favorite cookbooks. Then I head to the grocery store for the items I need.

Anyway, I'm now on the hunt for a larger frame. The "board" part is just a piece of sheet metal that I painted with "brush on" style chalkboard paint.

Do you post a menu at home? How does it help you stay on track with the whole healthy lifestyle topic?

I won, I won! I won the 2011 fitness challenge!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:08:00 +0000

I rarely win anything, so you can imagine how surprised I was to win the 2011 fitness challenge [hosted by my friend from back in the day, Karen]. Check it out!

Thank God for photo editing software! lol

You might remember me chatting about Karen in a post about here and here. She ran it with me when I was in town to visit my parents. Well, she diligently kept track of each participants numbers throughout the year. Would send an update monthly. I had good months....and some not so good. It really depending on if I was injured or not. You know what was funny about this challenge? I followed through with more cross training and physical therapy exercises because I knew someone was watching me! How sad is that? It all boils down to accountability for me in some way. My goals for the year helped me stick with the challenge, too.

At the end of the year, it all added up to something good. $81.00 worth, to be exact! Kent told me to spend it on something for me, but I decided to hand over the check for our savings account. We're paying off December's Disney World trip, and every little bit helps. Since I had such a fun time there, I consider that "something for me". :)

[Side Note: I'm proud of myself. I don't say that often...or nearly enough. Winning this challenge was just as emotional for me as making to the 1,000 mile mark on 12/31/11. Thanks to Karen for coordinating it all. Thanks to everyone who ran with me in 2011, or supported me along in some way. Thanks for reading this post.]

Whoops. I meant to post this on my running blog, but I'm going to leave it since it kind of pertains to the topic of living healthy. I sure as hell wouldn't have been writing about winning a fitness challenge 11 or 12 years ago! Thank goodness for goals, life changes, and sticking with it even when the going got tough. :)

Injured...a set back with exercise

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:23:00 +0000

Ouch!

I'm reaching out to all of you for a bit of input. I've somehow hurt my knee (again). I don't think this is running related since it started hurting during my time off from running. However, it hurts. It really hurts. Especially when I run, walk, sit, stand, move in my sleep, breathe, blink, cook, do laundry, vacuum the carpets, scrub toilets, etc. This injury is gonna get me out of a TON of housework, friends! That might be the only good thing about it, though. lol

I'm making an appointment to go see what could be wrong. I feel as though that's kind of a theme in my life. I go see the sports med doc every 6 months or so with a new injury. Gotta keep those insurance companies in business, right?

Anyway, what time of DVD workouts are you guys liking these days. I'm thinking a lot of my gym routine will be put on hold until this stops hurting. Maybe home workouts are in order for now. Something that doesn't require running or jumping.....or lots of knee bending. Does such a DVD exist? I think I own all of the WATP (walk away the pounds) DVDs. I'm really not wanting to buy more at this time. Plus, the walking/running movement hurts at this point in time.

With allll that being said, I'm headed to the gym tonight to ~~sit and pout as my favorite class gets their groove on~~ find a machine that doesn't hurt me. I know the pool would be a great option considering the knee pain, but the rules at my gym are super strict. The class times are crazy, and one of the local colleges hogs up a good portion of the non class times. Plus, I'm feeling a tad lazy, and don't want to partake in any strategic shaving of the bikini line just for an aquatics class. :)

Aloha, I'm back from Maui!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:02:00 +0000

ALOHA!

I'm back from Maui!!!! I said that like I'm excited to be back in Vancouver, but I'm so not. Kent and I did not want to leave. We wanted our kids to go back home, but we would have stayed in a heartbeat had someone volunteered to be temporary parents for my cherubs. Just one more week. Alone. Without anyone whining about being bored. Check out what we came home to...

Snow. Boooooo. Anyway, sticking to a plan of any sort is often times beyond difficult on vacation. I think I finally figured out the trick to it.

Journal, journal, journal! Activity and food. It's amazzzzzzing how things rapidly get out of hand, and it starts with just a handful of chips.
If you can be in charge of cooking your own food....DO IT! We stayed in a resort with a full kitchen in each room. We hit Costco as soon as we picked up our rental car, and then we were off to the grocery store for items not needed in such large amounts. No worries, I bought pineapple wine at Costco. That is always needed in bulk amounts when traveling with extended family! lol Pineapple wine is 0 Points when traveling with a party larger than 4. ;)
Take advantage of ANYthing active. We ran, we biked (sort of), we swam in the ocean, we swam in the pool, we hiked, then we hiked again, we walked everywhere. It was SO MUCH FUN! Trust me when I say, the Heather from 10+ years ago would not have put fun and active in the same sentence. Who am I kidding? I wouldn't have said that 5 years ago. The love for activity has popped up in recent years.
Indulge only in things you cannot get at home. Kent and I celebrated his birthday alone Saturday night. We decided to hit a local restaurant with traditional Hawaiian cuisine. I had Lau Lau that evening. I ditched all of my vegan goals, and enjoyed every single bite. It was amazing. Totally worth it. No guilt!
If you require special foods, pack them along in your suitcase. I did. I wasn't sure how readily available gluten free bread would be, so I packed some bagels & a burger bun. Sounds weird, I know. However, they sure did come in handy! I never once saw a loaf of GF bread in any of the stores. Oh, and my GF granola bars came in handy during our hikes!

I would love to hear your own personal tips for traveling & staying on track! I'm not talking about perfection. I'm sure we've all been to that point in our journey where we strive to be perfect....and pull it off. That gets old after a while. Learning to be real about what happens on vacation, rolling with the punches, and figuring out how to live life without being a slave to your journal eventually falls into place for those of us who have kept off the weight for a long period of time. So what are you doing on vacation that helps you stay focused, on track, or get back on track once you get home? I don't want to hear what your Aunt Joan does or about something you read in a magazine. I want to know what personally works for you. Do tell!

PS...here are a few snippets of activities I participated in while in Maui. They are links to my other blogs that you might or might not pay attention to regularly. I'll update the links as I add the hikes, other runs, etc. It takes so much time to to all of this blog stuff! I would love to sit here all day blogging my life away, but life doesn't let that happen. Funny, really.

The 1st Run Of 2012...
http://www.willrunforcoffee.com/2012/01/first-run-of-year-in-maui.html

The 38 Mile Downhill Sunrise Bike Ride...
http://www.willrunforcoffee.com/2012/01/38-miles-in-mauidownhill.html

The Food...
http://365daysglutenfreevegan.blogspot.com/2012/01/days-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-vacation-in.html

Day 4 of the year & I'm already off track with my goals!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 19:26:00 +0000

Gahhhhhhhhhh! What the hell happened? How does everyday family life suck the energy out of me? I'm not sure how, either. However, it ends today. Do you hear me? TODAY!

Now, I did make a pinky swear to myself last month. I promised my legs (and very blistered feet) that I would take the first couple of weeks off running in 2012. Mentally, it's killing me. I need to run. On that same note, I also made a follow up pinky swear to myself stating I would hit the gym on my regular gym days (3 days per week) AND my running days (3 days per week) to make up for the non-running commitment I made to my body. Have I done that yet? No. No I have not. I have been toting kids around to orthodontist appointments, dentist appointments, going to the grocery store, then off to another one, then another, cleaning up after Christmas, getting the next few months of life in order which has meant being on the phone or computer all day long, gearing up for our trip to Maui, etc., etc., etc.. I feel like a mobile secretary who doesn't get paid!

On top of not exercising, I've been eating double portions at dinner. Luckily, it's only happening at dinner. I blame myself for being such an awesome cook. I mean, it's really fabulous stuff I'm making here, people. Sigh. However, that cannot continue. I think it all started a few days back when I was finally able to taste and smell food again (after being sick for a couple of weeks). Whatever the reason, it has GOT to stop! Sadly, I write it all down in my little journal. Double portions and all. Oh, and I washed it all down with half a bottle of wine last night. Nice. At least I was happy when I realized I had eaten that way 4 nights in a row. lol

I am here to tell you, it ends today. Today, I have my workout planned. Literally written down in my journal. It will be a home workout, but it's an ass kicker. My favorite group cardio/toning class is tomorrow night at the gym, and I will be there. I've already written down what I'm going to eat today, like a road map of sorts, and I'm sticking to the plan. I made sure to add yogurt & nuts as an after dinner snack. The water bottle is full. I'm wearing my favorite sports bra AND my workout shoes. I'm set.

Thanks for listening. You would think I was new at this instead of a seasoned veteran of weight loss & maintenance. This is why it's so important to keep track of it all. So you can see the pattern forming. I hope your week is going better than mine. If it's not going as swell as you'd hoped, what needs to change?

Off to do my first 25 push ups of the day (and year)....

So long 2011....hello 2012!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 05:02:00 +0000

So....how'd it go? 2011, I mean. I've heard a lot of people complaining about it. I'm actually pretty pleased with the way it all fell into place. In my opinion, I had a fairly crappy 2010. So I deserved a good 2011.

I followed through will each of my health goals. Including big one....running 1,000 miles in one year! You can read about it by clicking here. I'm still riding the high of making it to that goal. I haven't decided if I want to give myself a high five or cry tears of joy. Once the reality of it sinks in & the blisters heal, I might just do both. There were other goals I knocked out of the park, but I'm tired of talking about last year. Let's chat about 2012....

I've created 10 goals for myself. Some are health & fitness related. Some are not. They might sound crazy or trivial, but these are things I've wanted to do for a while, and never seem to get around to. I do pretty well if I create a goal for myself, so I figure that's really the only way I'll ever get around to accomplishing the items on the list is if I put them on an official list.

Make myself a quilt. Yep, I love to sew. I seem to not create enough time to actually do it, though.
Run a marathon. 26.2 miles of bloody & blistered toe bliss. Lucky for me, Santa signed me up to run one this summer! I found the registration Christmas morning, under the tree, with a note that said, "I believe in you." :)
Journal each day. I'm pretty good at journaling anyway, but I'd like to be more detailed with it. Keeping track of day to day life as well as what I eat.
Cut ties with negative family members & acquaintances. I've already done this to some degree, but there's always room for more. How sad that some of them are relatives. Sigh. Negative people are energy vampires, and I have no time for that. Life is too short!
Try at least one new recipe each week. This one is pretty self explanatory.
No more weighing in (on the scale). I haven't in quite a while, and MAN have I been happier. I fit in the same old clothes I've been wearing forever. In my book, that's maintaining.
Workout 6 days per week. 3 days running....3 days cross training.
Give myself a rest day. Not just from exercise. From EVERYthing. I need a day to just enjoy life. Enjoy my family. Enjoy being me.
Learn how to use my DSLR camera. I've had it for at least four years, and still have no clue how to use it. Since it cost an arm and a leg, I damn well better learn how to use it.
Go vegan. I know. As if being gluten free isn't bad enough, right? Veganism is something I've been considering for quite some time. Since I'm the designated family chef, the rest of the family will follow along. Will they be happy? Of course not. They never are...so I might as well do whatever I want. Life will go on. I've created a new blog where I will document my journey throughout 2012. Check out 365 Days As A Gluten Free Vegan by clicking here.

I hope your 2012 is healthy & happy! Do you have any goals set to ensure healthy & happy will happen for you?

Can you limit your sitting & sleeping to just 23 1/2 hours a day?

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:02:00 +0000

The new year is taunting us from around the corner. Have you thought about your goals for 2012? If one of them is to exercise more, and that has traditionally been something you struggled with in the past, watch the video below. Perhaps it's time to reframe the way you think when it comes to exercise. Same concept we've know about since grade school, just a new, updated frame around the big picture. Even though I'm an avid runner, and have learned to enjoy cross training alongside the miles spent pounding the pavement, this video was very enlightening. Keep in mind, 36 years of my life were lived with a strong hate for exercise. It took seeing things in a different light to change my mind. I hope this video does the trick for you.

Can't view the video on my blog? Click this link to watch it on youtube. :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUaInS6HIGo&feature=share
FYI: I'll be posting my 2012 goals once the kids are out of school for Christmas break. Until then, there's very little time to even turn the computer on....much less type a blog post. Start thinking about YOUR 2012 goals now so we'll have something to chat about. :)

Pumpkin Spice Pie

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 19:27:00 +0000

Ohhhh, poop! I meant to post this recipe last week, but never turned on my laptop. Kent was in Japan for the week (business trip), and I was on my own with two very busy teens, precooking all of our Thanksgiving goodies, prepping for a party I had at my house Friday night, etc.. I'm so sorry for the delay, and hope someone gets to enjoy this recipe (other than my family). lol

With Thanksgiving just days away, two kids, one husband, limited time, waaaaay too many things to do between now & Thursday, two races to run this week including one Thanksgiving morning....I'm baking pies today. Not tomorrow. Not this evening. Today. If they don't get baked today, I'm screwed! Pie-less and screwed. I better hurry up with typing this blog post & get back into the kitchen.

I picked up two gluten free frozen pie crusts at Whole Foods last week so I could make a double dose of my favorite pumpkin pie. I found the recipe years ago in Weight Watchers magazine, and never looked back. Everyone in my family, including my super picky 80 year old father, loooooooves this pumpkin pie recipe. (Don't deny it, Dad. We watched you inhale nearly an entire pie all by yourself last year!) Anyway, give the recipe a whirl. It's easy. Calls for the most common ingredients. Including a frozen pie crust! What's not to love?

Not only that, a slice of this pie is less than half the calories of traditional pie. If you check out the Thanksgiving Points Cheat Sheet I posted earlier today (here's the link), you'll find that traditional pumpkin pie is 9 Points per slice (old Points...not Points Plus). This is just 4 Points for 1/8th of the pie! I loooove more bang for my weight watchin' buck. The first time we tried it, I was a bit leery of the molasses. I am NOT a fan of molasses. I was surprised to find I couldn't detect a molasses flavor at all. :)

Pumpkin-Spice Pie
2/3 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon corn starch
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
2 egg whites
2 Tablespoons molasses
1 cup fat-free evaporated milk
1 (9 inch) deep dish pie crust, thawed

1) Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon ginger, allspice, and salt in a large bowl. Add the pumpkin, egg whites molasses: whisk until well blended. Gradually add the evaporated milk, whisking until smooth. If not serving immediately, cover and freeze in an airtight container up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, whisk until smooth.

2) Preheat oven to 425. Place the empty pie shell on a cookie sheet (The cookie sheet is for easier transport from the counter top to your oven - it also helps eliminate an oven fire if any filling oozes over the pie shell edge while baking. Ask me how I know about this!). Pour the filling into the pie shell and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350; bake until knife inserted into center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Cool on rack for 2 hours. Serve once cooled. Cover & refrigerate up to 1 day.

Recipe came from the 2005 November WW magazine.

Serving size: 1/8 of pie
4 Points Per Slice (old Points....not Points Plus)

PS...If you're searching for MORE pumpkin recipes, I have a printable batch of them here. Everything from this pie recipe to a super delish pumpkin pasta with sausage! Check it out by clicking here.

Thanksgiving Cheat Sheet

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 18:59:00 +0000

Everyone needs to pick a path to travel when it comes to holiday gatherings. That's part of learning to cope with food, emotions, traditions, making new traditions, etc. This year, I'm in charge of most of the cooking. That means I get to make things MY way. I realize not everyone gets that luxury. Going into a holiday meal with a plan is your best bet! Listed below are traditional Thanksgiving foods. Pick and choose. Some of this stuff can be eaten any old day (like mashed potatoes & gravy). Other things might only roll around once a year, and be worth every calorie spent. You might decide to simply not care that day & then get back on track once the holiday is over. It's up to you. Which path will you take? Whatever you choose, remember one thing, it's a holiDAY not a holiWEEK!

DISCLAIMER: This information does not reflect any Points or plan changes made in 2011. In other words, this info is Points based....not Points Plus. :)

TURKEY LEG (WITH SKIN), 4 OZ, 6 POINTS

WHITE MEAT TURKEY (NO SKIN), 4 OZ, 4 POINTS (FF)

GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE, 1 CUP, 5 POINTS

GREEN BEANS (STEAMED), 1 CUP, 0 POINTS (FF)

CORN CASSEROLE, 1/2 CUP, 8 POINTS
CORN, 1/2 CUP, 1 POINT (FF)

CANDIED SWEET POTATOES, 1 CUP, 8 POINTS

MASHED SWEET POTATOES, 1 CUP, 4 POINTS (FF)
BAKED SWEET POTATO, 1 LARGE, 3 POINTS (FF)

GARLIC MASED POTATOES, 3/4 CUP, 6 POINTS
PLAIN BAKED POTATO, 1 LARGE, 3 POINTS (FF)

CANNED CRANBERRY SAUCE, 1/4 CUP, 3 POINTS
HOMEMADE CRANBERRY SAUCE , 1/4 CUP, 2 POINTS

BREAD STUFFING, 1 CUP, 8 POINTS
WINTER SQUASH, 1 CUP, 1 POINT (FF)

PUMPKIN PIE, 1 SLICE, 9 POINTS
PECAN PIE, 1 SLICE, 12 POINTS
APPLE PIE, 1 SLICE, 7 POINTS

WHITE ROLL (WITHOUT BUTTER), 1 ROLL, 3 POINTS
WHEAT ROLL (WITHOUT BUTTER, 1 ROLL, 2 POINTS
WHIPPED BUTTER, 1 TBSP, 2 POINTS
LIGHT MARGARINE, 1 TBSP, 1 POINT

BROWN GRAVY, 1/4 CUP, 2 POINTS

WINE, 2 OZ, 1 POINTS

(This list was compiled from a few different sources: my 2009/2010 Complete Food Companion books, a list WW leaders were given to share with members, and my etools account from http://www.weightwatchers.com/.)

I'm no longer swimming toward pie!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 18:49:00 +0000

So, I haven't had much here on the blog in quite a while. Nothing relevant or juicy, anyway. A calendar here or there (which I've decided to discontinue, by the way). A lot of you have noticed the uncharacteristic quietness. Part of me appreciates the kind notes you send. Other times, I don't want to be reminded of the past. I'm not exactly sure what's going on in my head. I feel like I'm kind of over talking about "my journey" all the time. For a while, it was therapeutic. I even talked about it for a living as a Weight Watchers leader! I made videos. I blogged religiously for years. Here's what some of you didn't know, I had a web site from the first day I started my journey way back when nobody else had a web site. I have been talking about this for years! For someone who was clearly born to talk, I feel all talked out. Since this blog really is all about me, I don't want to chitter chatter about something just to have a blog post published. I want the posts to have meaning. For months now, I've been searching for something to blog about that helped explain where I'm at with this strange new chapter in life. Who knew the spark I needed would come to me via late night television?

Kent and I were watching Conan a few nights ago, and one of our favorite comedians, Patton Oswalt, was a guest on the show. I knew I liked this guy. His stand up routines crack me up. He has a bit he does about '80s rock videos stating they all look like they're being filmed in a "spark factory"! So true. Remember all of the big hair, tight pants....and tons of SPARKS that seem to come from no where? lol Anyway, this interview where he speaks of his weight loss journey sent me to a new level of ultimate like for the guy.

"If Kevin James or Paul Giamatti drop weight, I'm done.

I don't want to be the last Pudge out there!"

"But damn it, I'm gonna go swimming. I lost 1.2 pounds this week. So I get there, and there's pie...."

Bahhhhhhh! I'm not sure if it's so hilarious to me because....

I could so totally relate to the "I'm swimming toward pie!" story. How many times have we ALL done something like that? Crazy, but we have all done it to some degree. Don't get me started on how I used to go to ______ (fill in the blank with any of the fast food restaurant names in the Salem, Oregon area), pay with cash (no paper trail), eat in my car - IN THE PARKING LOT - so nobody would see me, then toss the wrappers & cash receipt before leaving. Nobody knows, right? I honestly had no clue that everyone could see it. They could see my weight climbing, my health declining, and my sense of worth no longer existing.
Oh, or maybe it's because I heard so many similar stories over the years working as a leader for Weight Watchers! I've heard it ALL and then some.
Perhaps the "not being able to have a dance party with my kid because I was too fat & out of shape" scenario hit a little too close to home. I spent many, many years of my life, even before I had kids, overweight and out of shape. My weight was not baby weight, folks. It was years & years & years worth of eaten emotions showing up in the form of pounds. It was exhausting to be me! I needed to lean up against a wall to catch my breath when I hauled laundry upstairs. I literally sat & watched other people being active because I was too out of shape to join them, too embarrassed to do anything about it, and too ashamed/scared to admit I needed help. To be honest, I didn't even know where to start! I cannot imagine going back to that phase of life again.

For me, that's what was so comforting about Weight Watchers in the first place. Knowing I wasn't alone was a huge plus. My entire life, I thought I was the only one. The. Only. One. Totally alone. Nobody else could possibly understand why I ate. I myself didn't understand it at the time. The crazy ass stories you hear in the weekly meetings (or on the message boards & web sites if you're an online member) are a crucial part of the healing phase. Self realization. Recognizing destructive behavior patterns. Patton is so right about the meetings, though. Super helpful & informative, especially when you're first starting out. However, the stories are simply not nearly as interesting as those "I T-boned a bus" blurbs from AA meetings! I mean, come on. What weight watchin' story can compete with that?

With that being said, I hope Patton finds his path. I hope everyone out there trying to improve their health does. I hope that, like me, you are able to look up one of these days & realize you're no longer swimming toward pie! In the mean time, I'll be talking about other things here. Stuff that's more relevant to what I'm doing now instead of what I did back then. I don't really give a hoot about Weight Watchers. It was simply the tip of the iceberg for me. Counting Points started a chain reaction of better health. Simple...yet effective. However, I no longer wish to talk about it. Things I care about these days? There are so many, I'm not sure where to start. I'll give it a shot.

I care about living the healthiest life I can live. Period.
I care to not get wrapped up in what others are doing (especially if what they're doing does not support the things I care about).
I care to not let energy vampires suck the life out of me (which leads to stress, stress eating, emotional damage, etc).
I also care about keeping them away from my veins once I realize what they're up to (which leads to a power shift, empowerment, self worth).
I care about continuing to journal my food intake because it helps me stay focused, properly fueled for the amount of activity I'm hammering out, and thoughtful with food choices over a period of time.
I care about becoming a super fit individual.
I care waaaaay too much about running, and talk about it almost daily on my running blog, www.WillRunForCoffee.com!
I care about anything and everything gluten free/Celiac related.
I care about fueling my body with foods that will help me be & stay active.
I care about facing my demons instead of hiding from them like I used to.
I care about learning to forgive those who triggered my "fattitude" in the first place.
I also care about getting those negative people out of my life once they've been forgiven.
I care about being a healthy, active role model for my kids.
I care about creating dinner menu, after all these years, because it makes family life flow, the budget stay on track, and evenings calm.
I care about routine, being organized, sewing, cooking, sleeping, resting, walking, exercise classes, running races, decorating my home, becoming stronger (in more ways than one), letting my friends know they are appreciated & loved, etc.
I care about keeping my husband healthy so we can spend as much time on earth together as humanly possible.
I care so much more about "treating my body as a temple" than ever before. I get it now!
I care about setting new goals.
I care about reaching those goals - no matter how many tries it takes or who tries to hold me back.
I care about me, and that's something I sure as hell wouldn't have said 11+ years ago!

I simply need to figure out a way to talk about all of these cares here in Blog World. Be patient. I'll figure it out. Moving forward.

If the embedded video isn't working, here's a direct link:
http://teamcoco.com/video/patton-oswalt-thinks-disney-is-corrupting-the-youth

Kentucky Pork Chili (and another half marathon under my fuel belt)

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 19:31:00 +0000

I know, I know. I've not been around much. My little family keeps getting busier and busier. And I thought toddlers were a lot of work! These teens & tweens keep me on my toes. Not only are they busier than ever with school activities, scouts, friends, etc....but they eat A TON. Holy smokes, can they pack it down. Luckily, I'm making the most incredible chili today. It's super hearty, and will be ready as soon as they get home from school. I needed something fast to throw together because it's a jam packed day today. In comes the slow cooker. Perfect since we won't be around this evening to cook. Plus, whatever I decided to make had to be loaded with veggies, protein and carbs. Why? Because the day before yesterday, I ran another half marathon (you can read all of the nitty gritty details & full race recap on my running blog, www.WillRunForCoffee.com). Today is a recovery day, and my body needs healthy fuel to rebuild. This chili recipe is perfect for today's needs & ferocious post half marathon appetite!

Anyway, I had to take a minute to share the recipe with you. It's from the old WW Slow Cook It book. Full of delish ingredients that can be easily substituted for whatever happens to dwell in your pantry, fridge or freezer.

Pardon the cutting mat backdrop. My sewing room gets the best light for pictures. lol

Click image to read and/or print.

For me, I subbed the zucchini for butternut squash. Why? Because I had it in the freezer - chopped up into bite size pieces & ready to cook. Plus, it's finally fall! What's more fall'ish than squash? This recipe creates a sweet chili. Think you won't like it? Give it a shot before snubbing. I felt the same way when I first read the recipe, but quickly changed my mind once it hit my pie hole. It's totally different than the same old, same old chili. Don't get me wrong, I love my favorite, go-to chili recipes. However, sometimes a change is nice.

I'm crossing my fingers you're able to print it so the text is large enough to read. I don't have time to type it out for you (sorry). You'll have to convert the Points yourself if you're following the new plan. All of the nutritional info is listed on the bottom of the recipe page.

Happy cooking!

Making time to get stuff done....

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 01:08:00 +0000

Chicken & Spanish Rice

The past few weeks have been loaded with chaos. The kind of chaos that makes you want to sit and stare at a wall for a while. With no children around you. No noise. Just.....quiet. I'm not going to whine about it. I've decided I'm going to start taking Mondays off in an attempt to get "family stuff" done. One of the things on the list is cooking ahead. Even if it's just cooking that will serve my family for the current week, ahead is ahead. I'm so sick of scrambling at 7pm trying to wrap up the loose ends of dinner. Even with my weekly dinner menu planned, it's so much nicer to have some of the items prepared & ready to roll.

Use those baby spinach containers!

Now, this cooking ahead thing is something I used to do on a regular basis. Life throws curve balls. Things change. Schedules change. Tastes change. Kids get older. Pickier. It's time to get back into the groove of what works for my family. Cooking and freezing ahead does take a wee little bit of planning. For instance, today, I pretty much focused on working with chicken. I like to focus on one thing & hammer it out. It makes for a much easier clean up, in my opinion.

Today, with determination & 3 hours of time, I...

...threw 24 frozen chicken breast tenderloins in 2 gallon zipper seal bags. One bag got doused with BBQ sauce. The other with salsa. Into the freezer they went. Two main dishes are now ready to roll. All I need is to either thaw & grill....or toss them frozen into a slow cooker (great for shredded chicken tacos or BBQ sandwiches). Easy. No thinking involved. Just yank it out of the freezer & go with whatever floats your boat that day. I love having options.
I also made a giant batch of Spanish rice. Brown rice, a jar of salsa, chicken broth, salt, pepper, garlic powder. Again, easy. Once it was done cooking, I spread it out on a jelly roll sheet to cool quickly. Then I dished it up into quart size zipper seal bags. I can either counter top thaw it or nuke it in the microwave. We eat a LOT of Mexican food, so this will be so handy for me.
I also cooked down a 5 pound chicken for homemade chicken broth (because I like it better than store bought). Now I have tons and tons of chicken meat off the bone, ready to add into recipes. I bag both the broth and the meat. [Yes, you can bag broth. It's strange looking, but thaws quickly if you lay it flat while freezing.]
Oh, and I made banana pumpkin bread (made a double batch so I can freeze one loaf to eat in the future). I had to swap the flour(s) listed for my special gluten free stuff, but I can't wait to try it! [recipe link]
And a couple of pots of soup that can be frozen for quick lunches.
I almost forgot about the rice casserole.
I also chopped 24 green bell peppers, bagged them into zipper seal bags, tossed them into the freezer. Perfect for cooking with during the fall & winter months when peppers tend to get expensive at the store! I wish I would have chopped them into smaller pieces, but I was in a hurry 7 doing my best to get it all done today. :)

Need a couple of tips for getting the biggest bang as far as freezer space goes?

I keep all of my baby spinach containers from Costco & use them for storing small freezer items. Especially baggies of stuff. Like the bell pepper I chopped today. It allows me to keep the deep freeze fairly organized. I blogged about it a couple of years ago. Read about it here. [tip link]
Label your bags BEFORE filling them! With a Sharpie, write what the dish is, how many servings, the nutritional info, etc. Everything you'd want to know come serving time.
I do my best to freeze all of this stuff flat before loading the bags into spinach containers. Broth, casserole fillings, pasta, rice, diced veggies, etc. I even freeze my cooked steel cut oats in zipper seal bags! No kidding. It makes for easy stacking. I can even set the frozen bags upright in those spinach containers if I want. Just squish out as much air as possible before you seal up the bag. Place the flat bags on a cookie sheet & stick the whole sheet of whatever you're freezing into the freezer overnight. From there, you can organize it however you wish. Yes, a frozen baggie of cooked oatmeal looks strange, but it tastes good once it's warmed up! :) Check out what I'm talking about as far as the "flatness" of freezing stuff flat...

Quart size zipper seal bag with 1 cup steel cut oats.

Same bag shown from the side. Very flat & stack-able!

PHEW. I'm tired. I did a lot of cooking today, but I did forget to cook one thing. Tonight's dinner! lol Guess I better get crackin' on that. It's breakfast for dinner night. I'm sick of looking at chicken. I've looked at it all day. I agree with my kids....pancakes are sounding pretty awesome right about now.

I would love to know what "think ahead" things you guys do that help you stay on track with healthy eating. Fast food & convenience meals are really not options for my family now that I can't have gluten. Plus, it's expensive to eat out with teens! Oh my GOD they eat a lot. Please share your ideas.

Ready for fall weather & recipes!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 16:51:00 +0000

Taste Of Home Stuffed Pepper Soup

I'm so ready for fall!
I am thankful my darling cherubs have gone back to school!
I've missed blogging!

All three statements are true as true can be. In celebration of fall lurking around the corner, kids going back to school, and reentering the blogging community.....I cooked. Oh, how I cooked. I dug my crock pot out & fired her up. It's time. If I cook enough delish soups, stews, and casseroles in it....fall will come sooner. I just know it.

Some of the recipes (links below) I whipped up this week have been posted on my blog in years past. However, the pepper soup recipe....I couldn't find here on the blog. So strange. I make it all the time, and would have bet money on it being listed here, but it wasn't. I've been holding out on you! Be angry...because it's one of the best soups EVER. Well, if you like stuffed peppers, that is.

{DISCLAIMER}
So, the Points listed are old Points. They're fabulous tried and true recipes. I know you can figure out the value(s) of them on your own. The pepper soup recipe has all of the nutritional info so you can do the conversion easily. The other two do not. I will do my best to list recipes with nutritional data from now on. Pinky swear.

Stuffed Pepper Soup
This is a tweaked version of the original Taste Of Home recipe. I never but the beef bouillon in it, and it always tastes great. This week, I used 2 pounds of ground chicken breast (not just plain ground chicken which has a much higher fat content due to the dark meat added in) instead of half beef half chicken. Use whatever meat you would like. Play with the recipe, and see what works best for your family. I've used TVP in it instead of meat before, and the taste was odd. Just a heads up. :) {Click here for recipe.}

Slow Cooker Lasagna
This was a recipe we passed around at Weight Watchers several years ago. You might have it in your own collection if you've attended meetings for what seems like forever (like me!). So the Points listed are old Points. Since I can no longer have gluten, we swapped regular noodles for a gluten free rice version. (I need to remember to cut the cooking time in half next time when using gluten free pasta. Not only does my slow cooker seem to cook hotter than most, but GF pasta gets too mushy when cooked too long.) Despite the mushiness....this was an awesome dinner! I could have easily eaten it 'til I popped, but I had on my big girl panties & stayed in control. (Because clearly the answer to not being in control is wearing big girl panties, right? lol) {Click here for recipe.}

Mexican Corn Chowder
The only item I have to omit due to gluten issues is the cream soup. To be honest, I don't even miss it. If I were you, I'd leave it out. This is the BEST soup. My son, who normally dislikes soup, love it. He is a teenager now, and could seriously eat the entire pot on his own. (Why do teens eat so much????) I have learned the hard way to make a double batch of this one. {Click here for recipe.}

Happy Cooking!!!!!

September 2011 motivational calendar

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 22:16:00 +0000

It has been HOT out. We could all use a little motivation to keep us from losing our cool. Print the calendar below. Keep it somewhere you'll actually see it throughout the day. Enjoy!

Click here to download and/or print the calendar.

It's September...so get ACTIVE!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 22:04:00 +0000

Oh my goodness. Can you believe it's SEPTEMBER already? Where has 2011 gone? I feel like I'm still new here, but I've been in Washington over a year. Life is passing by quickly. I don't spend much time online anymore. Mainly...because I don't want to. I'd rather be out in the yard working, or grilling up fabulous new recipes, hanging out with my family, or running in the glorious sun. (The rainy season is so long here, I don't want to miss a single ray of sunshine.) Perhaps you'll hear more from me once it starts raining again. Until then, here are the activity calendars for September. Print one. Place a sticker on the days you workout, or write whatever your exercise was for the day on the calendar.

Click here to download and/or print "blackboard".

Click here to download and/or print "one big sunflower".

Click here to download and/or print "goals".

Click here to download and/or print "plain Jane".

Don't use the excuse that it's too hot out. Crank up the A/C, and pop in a Leslie Sansone DVD. I joined a gym a while back, and have loved taking cardio/toning classes. I've been going two hours at a time at least 5 days a week, and the membership came in super handy when the doc said I needed to take a two week break from running so my shin splints could heal. What better time to take advantage of the gym than in the middle of August??? Today was my first run in weeks, and nothing hurt. It was amazing! Better go print myself a calendar & write down my 3 miles before I forget. Until next month....

Weighing in...week 3 (8/9/11)

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 17:14:00 +0000

I shared with you a couple of weeks ago that I bit the bullet & went to see a sports dietitian. It was difficult to wrap my brain around running 26-35 miles per week, counting Points like a pro, and GAINING WEIGHT. It was beyond maddening. Quite frankly, it was time for me to move on from the whole Points system. A frightening thought for me at the time. Well, the dietitian helped me get my priorities straight, and three weeks into eating about 1,000 calories more per day, I'm down 1.3 pounds!

So, how's it going, you ask?

The first week was the toughest. Eating more made me feel like I would burst. I was so full....there were several days I came close to vomiting come 9pm. Not cool. I did notice around day 4 or so, I was still feeling beyond full, but three hours later I was STARVING. I for sure woke up my metabolism.

The second week, I was simply trying to find my groove with the concept of food exchanges vs. counting calories/Points. Now I'm good with it all. I get to count exchanges, and I feel as though getting to count something has helped me transition from Points to exchanges a little easier. You all know journaling my consumption is important to me. It's how I lost the 80 pounds to begin with, and is almost like therapy for me. I have to keep track of everything for the dietitian....so I'm still happily journaling for now.

"I want it now!"

This is the end of my third week. To be honest, I was hoping to have lost more by this point. I think we're all that way, right? It's the whole instant gratification thing. I'm like Veruca Salt in a way. "Don't care how...I want it NOW!!!" (See video clip here.) However, I can instantly see the positives, and put my Veruca-like tendencies aside.

I'm happy that the scale did not go up (again).
I made it through a "lady cycle" staying under my starting weight. I typically gain 3 - 5 pounds in water weight each month. I was extremely bloated this cycle, and managed for that to not show on the scale. That gives me hope.
I'm no longer running down the road dreaming of cheeseburgers!!! I'm finally satisfied!
I reached way beyond my comfort zone, and asked for help from an outside source. I did it when I joined Weight Watchers, and it was time to do so again.
I've learned what my body needs.
I've learned the perfect combination of foods for anyone into endurance sports.
I've learned how to merge it all together while living a gluten free lifestyle.
I get to eat 1,000 calories more per day....and not gain weight. What's not to love about that?
I lost 1.3 pounds while firing up my metabolism!!!
My list goes on and on.

It doesn't matter what plan you're following, as long as it's a plan that's healthy, fits your current life, and is working for you. Here's to all of us striving for better health!