I'll just have a salad...

mixed greens
shredded carrot
diced tomato
chopped mushrooms
sliced onion
1/2 avocado (4.5pts)
1/2 can tuna in oil (drained - 3pts)
salt & pepper
Total = 8pts

The residual oil in the canned tuna serves as "dressing". And eating half an avocado is just heaven! I threw in another 0.5pts for good measure.

Engagement Party: Before & After

As Erika mentioned, we are both getting married this year. It is all very exciting- the planning, the gifts, the late nights curling up with my fiancé, Ian. However, with each party, comes endless snapping of pictures. Translation: Angle arm & tilt head, try to look as thin as possible.

A few weeks ago, my Dad held an engagement party for us. (see Jen’s posting of Martini Points). As I zipped up my little black dress, I felt that all of my hard work had finally paid off. I felt great!



Until… I was scrolling down through the pictures and found this:


Now there is a lot going on in this picture: Ian is about to fall asleep on the couch, Ian’s Mom looks lovely and is wearing Chanel shoes, Ian’s Dad has fallen off his chair thanks to the Martini Bar, the dog is walking around and wait- what is that thing in white off to the right? Dear LORD- it is my stomach. Though I am clearly horrified, this was the best reminder that my work is not done. I cannot sit back and enjoy caviar (as I did last weekend with champagne & crème fraiche).

So this week, I am focusing on tracking and planning my meals. It isn’t easy, but when I feel my resolve start to weaken, I take a glance at my new screen saver entitled “Stomach in White.”

What's for Dinner?

Grilled Walnut Encrusted Tilapia (5pts)
- combine 1TB finely ground walnuts + 1TB bread crumbs (2pts)
- coat 5oz tilapia filet (3pts) w/egg white & cover with walnut mixture, salt & pepper
Near East Rice Pilaf (1/2 cup = 1.5pts)
Grilled Asparagus (1tsp olive oil, salt & pepper = 1pt)
Wine (8oz = 3.5pts)

All grilling was done on my trusty stovetop grill pan.

This was a delicious and healthy dinner (with wine to boot) all for, you guessed it....Eleven Points.

They're bbbaaaaccccckkkkkkkk.........

Just when you thought it was safe to support Girl Scout Troupe #7142.

Point count in one GS cookie = 1+

Point count in one GS cookie serving = 4+

Average time of one GS cookie in mouth = 20 seconds

In comparison, 2 servings of wine (8 oz) is less points (3.5) than one whole serving of GS cookies. Not to mention the wine has no fat and gives you a buzz. Yeah, I'm gonna stick with the wine, thanks.

Snack Attack!

I love sweets and I love snacking. And I love snacking on sweets.

Easily accessible quick fixes that satisfy a sweet or salty tooth.

Rice Crispy Treat = 2 pts
WW Red Velvet Mini Bar = 1 pt
WW Peanut Butter Bliss Mini Bar = 1 pt
Lorna Doone 100 Calorie Packs Shortbread Cookies = 2 pts
Buttered Popcorn (2 cups) = 3 points
Pretzels = 2 pts

These Ain't Paula Deen's Recipes!

One of the things I've been loving about WW is figuring out low-point meals.

Last week, I made a movie-watching crowd-pleasing meal of whole wheat spaghetti w/ turkey meatballs + Caesar salad for 7 points (minus the wine and garlic bread).

A few nights later, it was scallops wrapped in jumbo prawns with a honey mustard glaze + spinach and mushroom couscous for a low key dinner at home with Loreal and her sister that registered at 5.5 points.

This weekend, Loreal whipped up this hearty breakfast (in bed) for me because I was sick:

Omelet
3 egg whites = 1 pt
1/4 cup avocado = 2 pts
1/8 cup diced tomato = 0 pts
1 slice deli ham, diced = 0 pts
1 tbs goat cheese = .5 pt
Sides
100 calorie Thomas' English muffin = 1 pt
1 tbs Land o' Lakes buttery spread = 2 pts
1 tbs light sour cream = .5 pt
2 tbs salsa = 0 pts
Drink
6oz Trop50 orange juice = 1 pt
Coffee w/ Splenda & 2 tbs 1% milk = .5 pt
Total Points: 7

And tonight, I put this together post-workout (modified a bit from the WW Weekly newsletter):

Turkey chili serving = 4 points
>Ground turkey
>Pinto beans
>Mexican style canned tomatoes + fresh tomatoes
>Spices (chili powder, oregano, cumin, s&p)
>Diced onion, sauteed
>Pam olive oil spray
Mission low carb tortilla, baked crispy = 1 pt
1/8 cup shredded cheese = 1.5 pts
1/4 cup avocado = 2 pts
1.5 tbs light sour cream = .5 pt
Total Points = 9

What did Loreal think of that meal? "I have to be honest with you, I feel like licking that plate right now and that says something"

Success!

That's One Small Step For Man...

There is one steadfast barometer for weight gain or loss. Ski pants.

Ski pants generally don't shrink or expand to any great degree, and for 3/4 of the year, you don't wear them. My ski pants sat idle from May - December 2009, while I lived my non-winter life. Summer bar-b-ques, cocktails at restaurants out on the patio, holiday parties. As I gobbled my way through the year, I had forgotten....about those ski pants in the closet.

January finally came back around and quite out of nowhere one morning, I reached for the pants. I suddenly got very nervous. How tight would they be on my thighs? Would I be able to put chapstick or my phone on the front pocket without it protruding out? Would I be able to button those buttons without them popping back open?

Tahoe....we have a problem.

The ski pants turned out to be so tight, I was wishing I had a tight pair of pantyhose to put under them -- not because it was a cold, snowy day and I needed the insulation...but because I needed something to suck myself into them. Luckily I have a long ski jacket, so I was able to cover them up on top. But they sure were uncomfortable.

Two weeks later and two and a half weeks since the start of WW, I found myself starring back at those pants this weekend. I had forgotten about them, how uncomfortable they were, how I didn't want to take my jacket off. The weekly weigh-in is one thing, but these pants were going to tell all.

As I stuck my leg into them, I was nervous again. But as I slipped them on......I felt a difference. My legs went in easier. And buttoning was much less of a chore. I felt like on this warmer winter day, I was going to be able to take my jacket off and be okay with it! And they just felt good.

Don't get me wrong. They are still not loose or falling off my hips yet, by any means. But the way those ski pants fit showed me my first real tangible evidence of progress. It will be two more weeks until I get them back on again, and next time I won't be nervous. I'll have happy butterflies as I make a giant leap into them.

For now,
That's one small step for man....