Weight Watchers Called!

Okay, actually they sent me an email, so I replied, then they replied......and guess what????





I have a Phone Interview on Monday!!! Whoop Whoop!! I am super excited! Now I just need to remember to only have ONE cup of coffee before my interview so I don't ramble on like I know I can do when I'm excited!

I try not to post anything on my blog that I would regret later, but in case anyone at Weight Watchers Corporate wants to check out my blog, the pictures I recently posted in the blonde wig......we're admittedly a bit creeeeepy!!

A sense of humor is a good quality in an employee. Right?

Did I mention I'm super excited?!?!?!?

Breakfast




Lunch





Snack



Dinner





Refresh...I can eat 26 points a day.
I can earn Activity Points by doing exercise, and eat them if I choose.
I have an allowance of 49 points that I can dip into if I chose.
I should drink a minimum of 6 (8 oz) glasses of water each day.

The food I ate and it's PPV

Breakfast = 1 tsp Coconut Oil, 5 Egg Whites, Salsa,
1/2 C Oatmeal, 1 T PB2 Powder (8)
Snack = Coffee with Milk (1)
Lunch = Salad Bar loaded with Veggies and Chicken (8)
Snack = Whey Protein Shake with frozen Raspberries (3)
Dinner = Chicken Breast, Steamed Broccoli (8)

Total = 28

Today's Exercise.....

Walked 4 Miles
45 Minute Trainer Session

How many glasses of water I drank today = 12
Activity Points Earned Today = 6
Activity Points Earned This Week = 15
Remaining points from my 49 Points Allowance = 13
ALCOHOL consumption = none

This just made me giggle........





"love the life you live, live the life you love"

A Rainy Day and a Coffee Mug

I love a rainy day spent at home.

I accomplished so many things on Monday, but unfortunately, I was so wrapped up in completing my list of task, and so cozy, neither grocery shopping OR exercising ever did happen, but a few things that shouldn't have happened......did.

😜

The dreary weather FORCED me to spend most of the day (okay, the entire day), in my pj's, drinking coffee, either sitting at my computer or doing ODD things around the house.





It seemed to be a good day to focus on my new computer, so I watched a few tutorials, played around on it a bit, and scheduled my second class at the Apple store.

This past weekend, I discovered that there is a Blogging Conference in Kansas City this weekend! I have been looking for a conference to attend (there are several!), but none of them were close enough that I could justify the cost involved in traveling, so I was super stoked to find one in town!!

I am officially registered to attend Thursday, Friday and Saturday! I then felt the need to watch a few different tutorials about blogging and read all that I could. There is SO much to learn and so much computer jargon that is going right over my head!! It's a bit intimidating, but I am hoping to learn lots this weekend!

I am also working on a project with my dad for the Downtown Overland Park Parade on Saturday, September 28th.

My dad just made this Over Sized Radio Flyer Wagon and can hardly wait to show it off! He asked for my help. He would like for me to portray a child sitting in the wagon while he pulls it in the parade with his Farmall Tractor! We've done several things in the parade together, so I am just as excited as he is!



He would like to make things even more entertaining by pulling this regular sized wagon BEHIND the over sized wagon with a Small person (doll....child...mannequin) riding in it, with possibly a MINIATURE wagon behind the regular sized one!!






Who knows how this will all turn out and what the three of us (me, the smaller me, then the even smaller me) will wear or what we'll do with our hair, but we are certainly having fun trying to figure it all out!

A neighbor was kind enough to lend me this after I posted on Facebook that I was looking for a Child Size Doll!






Yesterday, I remembered I had a blonde wig somewhere in the basement that possibly resembled the hair on this doll!! So.....me and my coffee mug went to the basement to do some digging......and guess what????
Found the wig! I was amazed at the resemblance, so of course I dressed us alike and put on the wig! I snapped a few pics! I tried to make the same expression as my new friend.

Any suggestions for her name??


This picture seemed a little dark.....




Okay, a little creepy. I was going for her expression.




Perfect!



None of my friends on Facebook seemed to enjoy my pictures, but many of them were kind enough to express concern for my mental health.

Remember earlier in the post when I said a few things happened, that shouldn't have? Well, there ya go. Maybe I SHOULD have left the house yesterday!!

Then......I ate within my points, actually I didn't eat enough, but I have been neglecting my high protein diet these past four days. I must admit, I became a little bored with my Protein/Veggie/Whey Protein Shake menu. I know increasing my protein was helping me get below 160, and I MUST get back at it TODAY!!!

The rain made it difficult to get outside to walk yesterday and I used that as an excuse to do no exercise at all instead of just getting on the treadmill.

I wrote myself a note last night and put it by the coffee pot.......reminding me how far I had come and that this journey isn't over!!

Today? Lots of protein, water, exercise and planning for the rest of the week!!

Breakfast




Snack




Lunch




Snack?




Dinner




Refresh...I can eat 26 points a day.
I can earn Activity Points by doing exercise, and eat them if I choose.
I have an allowance of 49 points that I can dip into if I chose.
I should drink a minimum of 6 (8 oz) glasses of water each day.

The food I ate and it's PPV

Breakfast = Greek Yogurt and Coffee with Milk (4)
Snack = Coffee and Blueberries (0)
Lunch = Chicken Salad with Carrots (6)
Snack = Turkey Taco Salad with Guacamole (8)
Dinner = 1 Egg, 4 Egg Whites, Cheese (4)

Total = 22

Today's Exercise = zero

How many glasses of water I drank today = 8
Activity Points Earned Today = 0
Activity Points Earned This Week = 9
Remaining points from my 49 Points Allowance = 15
ALCOHOL consumption = none


"love the life you live, live the life you love"

Friend Makin' Mondays

Check out Kenlie's website out by clicking HERE!

She does Friend Makin' Mondays every week! It's a great way to connect with other Bloggers!

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

Kenlie's answers were great!

These are mine!

Ten Things That Make Me Happy

1. This Guy! I never thought I could feel so much love from a man, and for a man.






2. The rest of the family! Four Healthy Kids and Three healthy Grandkids makes me very happy!

3. Our parents. At our age, I know many friends that have lost one, or both of their parents, and I know we are blessed to each still have both of our parents in our lives.

4. Driving my car with ALL of the windows down and the sun roof open!!!! It has to be REALLY hot or REALLY cold for me to not have the windows open. Oh, and the tunes are cranked! Yip, I'm THAT girl....or lady...woman?

5. A ridiculously LONG bath. If the water gets cold, I drain some and add more hot. I could sit in there and think or read for hours.......

6. That first cup of coffee in the morning. I can hardly wait to get to the kitchen.

7. Snuggling with my dogs. Yes, they are completely spoiled with my attention. They do not wear clothes or have fancy blingy beds, but I can't keep my hands off of them.







8. Girlfriend time. Doing something together or just sitting around. It's always good.

9. Give me 70 Degree weather, and NOTHING could upset me.

10. The beach. It doesn't happen nearly as often as I would like, but when it does, I am VERY happy!





I could think of a gazillion more!!!!!

Now it’s your turn to answer this week’s questions! Take time to get to know someone new this week, leave a few comments and come back and link up in the comments. Happy Monday, friends!


"love the life you live, live the life you love"

Simple Sunday.....Simple Thoughts

Slept in......took a walk, then took Tucker for a walk.

Enjoyed a Late Breakfast with Mike.




Piddled around the house.....

Had a snack......




Then another........




Then a friend wanted to walk, so sure, why not?

Chatted on a friends deck with some other girlfriends and enjoyed the cool weather.

Late Lunch with Mike. The relaxing day got away from me. By now it was almost 4:00 in the afternoon!




Late Snack




Even Later Dinner





Fresh and Light!







Refresh...I can eat 26 points a day.
I can earn Activity Points by doing exercise, and eat them if I choose.
I have an allowance of 49 points that I can dip into if I chose.
I should drink a minimum of 6 (8 oz) glasses of water each day.

The food I ate and it's PPV

Breakfast = 1 Egg, 4 Egg Whites, 2 T. Turkey Sausage Crumbles, Cheese (5)
Snack = Whey Shake with PB2 Powder (4)
Snack = 12 Almonds (2)
Lunch = Turkey Taco Salad (8)
Snack = Whey Shake with Frozen Berries (3)
Dinner = Chicken Salad with a little Light Mayo, Celery and Grapes,
Salad with Mixed Greens, Strawberries, Feta and White Pear Vinaigrette and Olive Oil (12)

Total = 34

Today's Exercise =

Walked 3 Miles alone
Walked 1.5 Miles with Tucker
Walked 2.5 Miles with a friend

How many glasses of water I drank today = 10
Activity Points Earned Today = 6
Activity Points Earned This Week = 9
Remaining points from my 49 Points Allowance = 15
ALCOHOL consumption = none




"love the life you live, live the life you love"

A Wine Weekend Confessional?

The weather this weekend is the kind of weather I truly wish we had six months out of the year. I love the seasons and the variety of weather we have here in the Kansas City area, but there is nothing better than a weekend with the temperature in the 70's and being able to enjoy morning coffee on the deck, morning or even afternoon or evening walks, and eating dinner outside with friends (and maybe a glass or two of wine).

Something about this weather also puts me in a completely relaxed state of mind.....and the only real plans we had for the weekend were just that......relaxing plans. Nothing stressful to prepare for, no trip to pack for, no big obligations. I woke up Friday knowing it was going to be a great weekend, and I knew I was going to do whatever I felt like doing.

Friday I enjoyed some wine and great conversations with friends.

Saturday night we went to dinner with friends at Louis Wine Dive in Brookside. Check out their website HERE.

This was our second trip there and I ordered the exact same meal. The Salmon, asparagus and Goat Cheese Salad.

Whenever I make a commitment (no drinking for 12 weeks), then retract on it, I feel like I need to fall all over myself explaining. I feel disappointed in myself. Then I go back and forth. Am I just making excuses. Am I just being honest? In my honesty, do I just kind of sound ridiculous?? I really don't know the answer, but my blog in many ways feels like my confessional, so that's what I do. Blogging keeps me accountable and forces me to deal with my choices. I can't ignore my choices and I can't pretend that they didn't happen. I think breaking through the plateau made me feel relaxed on things a bit, but I need to keep my "relaxing" limited so I can continue to lose, and then be able to maintain.

We had friends over before we went out to dinner, and the four of us shared a bottle of wine. It was perfect and relaxing. We then went to dinner. We were able to be seated outside, and I enjoyed a glass of wine with our appetizer. Then I had a glass of wine with dinner. (Mike was our designated driver and had water. Didn't want anyone to worry.) Everything about dinner was perfect. The friends, the weather, the atmosphere, the food.....and yes, the wine.

We then went to Sunset Grill (surprise!) for an after dinner drink where I had coffee for the rest of the evening.

I made myself get on the scale yesterday (I was down from Friday) and this morning (I was the same as yesterday) and I was pleased. I am hoping to NOT have carb cravings (or any cravings at all) today!

I'm heading out the door soon to walk the dogs, then take a long walk for me. Later.....yard work and squats and lunges.

Hoping to cook something new and different on the grill and spend the day outdoors!!

Okay, confession finished. I feel better.

Yesterday's Eats.......

Breakfast





Snack




Lunch

I bulked up my salad with Broccoli Slaw! I love a lot of crunch in my salad!

A Weight Watcher member recommended the Chunky Guacamole made with Greek Yogurt from Trader Joe's, and I'm glad they did! It was just as creamy and delicious as I had hoped it would be!





Perfect finish for my salad......




Appetizer





Dinner





Refresh...I can eat 26 points a day.
I can earn Activity Points by doing exercise, and eat them if I choose.
I have an allowance of 49 points that I can dip into if I chose.
I should drink a minimum of 6 (8 oz) glasses of water each day.

The food I ate and it's PPV

Breakfast = 5 Egg Whites, Cheese, Strawberries, Coffee with Milk (4)
Snack = Whey Protein Shake with Frozen Blueberries (3)
Lunch = Turkey Taco Salad (8)
Dinner = Deviled Egg, Bruschetta, Salmon Salad with Goat Cheese, Two bites of that toast and Wine (26)

Total = 41

Today's Exercise = Walked 7.5 Miles!!

How many glasses of water I drank today = 15
Activity Points Earned Today = 9
Activity Points Earned This Week = 9
Remaining points from my 49 Points Allowance = 23
ALCOHOL consumption = Red Wine

Thanks for listening.........

:)





"love the life you live, live the life you love"

150's Feels Pretty Darn Good!

As I was driving to my Weight Watchers meeting on Friday morning, I decided that when I got there, I would take the "No Weigh In" pass. The last six weeks have been a pattern of lose, gain, lose, gain, lose......and I knew with last weeks BIG loss, that this week would likely be a gain, and I was still gloating about my weigh in of 156!

For the first time in my four year weight loss process, I am really starting to feel "normal". I just wanted to walk around knowing I weighed 156. When I walked into my meeting, a huge part of me felt like I was cheating if I skipped my weigh in, so I stripped off all of my jewelry, pee'd, exhaled (my usual weigh in procedure) and stepped on the scale. As expected, I was up a pound. Because of the pattern of the last few weeks, it didn't seem to bother me. I'm still so ecstatic about weighing less than 160, I'm a little giddy!!

Later in the day, I was off to the Apple store for my first One on One class with my new computer!! I think this is pretty cool, and I might be the only one that didn't know this, but you can buy a membership that allows you UNLIMITED Mac computer, One on One, classes for a Year!! I'm going to learn so much!! Super excited, and so far, everyone I have ever worked with at the Apple store has been a lot of fun and super nice!

My new Mac is barely bigger than the iPad! How cute is it? I have no idea what I am doing on this screen, and I keep touching the screen like you do with the iPad and wondering what the deal-e-o is???

Um.....This is going to take a little time.




Breakfast.......

.......was spent at Starbucks, blogging.





Lunch

I grabbed lunch at a salad bar on the way to the Apple Store.




Snack?

Then I decided I really wanted to sit on my deck with a glass of wine.




When Mike came home, our next door neighbors came over for a bit and we enjoyed the awesome weather and some wine on the deck. Later, Mike and I headed to Sunset Grill for dinner. A LOT of people at my WW Meeting like Sunset Grill too! I always guess at the points, but I do have a variety of things on the menu that I like.

This is a favorite for sure. It is their Chicken Tortilla Soup. It's a broth base that is full of veggies and chicken. It's topped with a few tortilla strips, and I always ask for a side of sour cream to cut down the heat of it just a bit.
I call the bowl 5 points.

Dinner





Then I ordered the Caesar side salad (On Friday, the Soup and Salad meal is $8!), and I eat this with very little dressing and pick out the croutons.




Seven weeks ago, I said I wouldn't drink for the next 12 weeks, and I had every intention of doing so. When I went to visit Tess, a part of me just wanted to unwind and chill and enjoy some wine with her, so I did.

Yesterday was much the same. I'd had a full week, I was feeling really good, a girlfriend came over for a bit in the late afternoon, and I just wanted to chill, and enjoy some good wine, so I did. I don't think I messed anything up. I plan to continue to keep eating more protein, the exercise schedule is going great, and I feel like 150 will happen by the end of August, but I do also think by not drinking for so many weeks, that helped me break through my plateau, so feeling good all around about the last seven weeks.


Refresh...I can eat 26 points a day.
I can earn Activity Points by doing exercise, and eat them if I choose.
I have an allowance of 49 points that I can dip into if I chose.
I should drink a minimum of 6 (8 oz) glasses of water each day.

The food I ate and it's PPV

Breakfast = Starbucks during my meeting (3)
Snack = Oatmeal and coffee at Starbucks (7)
Lunch = Salad Bar with Chicken, Veggies and Strawberries (2)
Snack = Salad and Wine (10)
Dinner = Salad, Soup, Wine (15)

Total = 37

Today's Exercise = Day Off

How many glasses of water I drank today = 12
Activity Points Earned Today = 0
Activity Points Earned This Week = 0
Remaining points from my 49 Points Allowance = 39
ALCOHOL consumption = Red Wine (really good red wine 😊)





"love the life you live, live the life you love"

A Perfect Early Morning......

.......spent hanging out on the deck with my coffee, some tunes (Mike finished staining the deck AND put new speakers outside!) and the dogs while they catch a few rays of sun before it gets too hot!

Look at King Tucker taking over the cushion! He looks at me with Pride while Mishka pouts and looks in the other direction with disgust. They are ridiculous.






Then out for a short 6 mile walk with some friends in the neighborhood!!
We kept a great pace of 4.0 MPH and got in almost 10,000 steps!




I came home from our walk and did my strength training while tripping over the dogs, who were BEGGING for a walk of their own.

So I earned a few more activity points and walked my furry friends.

:)



Breakfast




Snack





Lunch




I had a little Rotisserie Chicken left, so I sautéed some Onions and Zucchini in 2 tsp of Garlic Infused Olive Oil and seasoned it with "No Salt" Cavenders seasoning, then added the chicken at the end to heat it up, crisp it up and help it fall part a bit.




Served with a side of juicy fat Blackberries!




Snack




Dinner






Refresh...I can eat 26 points a day.
I can earn Activity Points by doing exercise, and eat them if I choose.
I have an allowance of 49 points that I can dip into if I chose.
I should drink a minimum of 6 (8 oz) glasses of water each day.

The food I ate and it's PPV

Breakfast = 1 Egg, 4 Egg Whites, Cheese, Salsa, Strawberries,
Coffee with Milk (5)
Snack = 1/2 C Oatmeal, 1 Truvia, 2 T PB2 Powder, 1/4 Banana Sliced (5)
Lunch = 5.5 oz Chicken, 2 t Olive Oil, Zucchini, Onions, Blackberries (8)
Snack = Whey Protein Shake with Frozen Raspberries (3)
Snack = Almonds (2)
Dinner = Basically, lunch tasted so good, I added some baby portabella mushrooms to the zucchini, onions, and chicken.....added a few tablespoons of stir fry sauce and served it over 1/2 C. brown rice. (10)

Total = 33

Today's Exercise......

Walked 6 Miles
Squats, Lunges and Other Stuff

How many glasses of water I drank today = 12
Activity Points Earned Today = 7
Activity Points Earned This Week = 26
Remaining points from my 49 Points Allowance = 0
ALCOHOL consumption = none

I really think my body wants to lose, gain a little, lose, gain a little, lose, gain a little.....so with last weeks big lost, I honestly won't be surprised or too disappointed with maintaining, or a small gain at today's meeting. It just means next week a loss!! I have five weeks to goal, and I am feeling more and more confident that it will happen as scheduled!!


"love the life you live, live the life you love"