These are a Few of My Favorite Things

Raindrops on rainbows and whiskers on kittens,

Bright copper kettles and warm woollen mittens.

Oh wait, I'm talking about my favorite things that have actually helped me on my weight loss journey. Seeing others sites with tips have encouraged me o pause from my issues and try to lend a helping hand. Since I've been doing Weight Watchers a long time, I thought I'd past on some of my loves. Above all, I am the parent of 3 boys: a 7 year old and two 2 year old twin boys and I work full time as a teacher. I need easy and convenient while still being healthy. I hope you find it useful and practical.

0 point go to's:
Individually portioned baby carrots

Crystal Light- Classic Orange/Lemon already bottled (the mix-in packets contain aspartame which gives me headaches)

Sugar free jello

Splenda French Vanilla coffee mix-ins

Light Progresso soups

Sugar Free Chai tea

Smucker's Sugar Free Strawberry Jam with Splenda

1 point go to's:

Bing cherries/Black plums/Strawberries/Pineapple

PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter- This deserves an explanation. I LOVE peanut butter but I never want to spend the points on my measly 24 point day allotment. This tastes like peanut butter, is organic, only has 54 calories and 1.87 grams of fat and you get 2 tbsp for 1 point!!! So if I use the Sara Lee bread and Smucker's Jam mentioned, I an eat a PB & J sandwich for 2 points!!!! The shipping is a bit pricey but it's so worth it. Here's a link to the site: http://www.bellplantation.com/

WW reduced fat cheese/Laughing Cow cheese wedges

Sara Lee 45 Calorie 100% Whole Wheat

Hershey's 60 Calorie Caramel sticks

Jello Sugar Free Dulce De Leche Pudding (so good!)

Weight Watchers Giant Fudge Bar (Not only do I like it better than Skinny Cow Skinny Dippers, you get more food for less points)

2 Point Go To's:

Smart Pop 94% Fat Free Popcorn

Fiber One Bars (My fav is Caramel & Oats)

Rold Gold Honey Wheat Braided Pretzels

Newman's Own Spelt Pretzels (for those who are wheat/gluten free eaters)

Athenos Baked Whole Wheat Pita Chips

Pacific Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

Quakers Oats Lower Sugar Maple Sugar Instant Oatmeal

My 3 Point Go To:

Microwaveable Baked Potato- Again, when my family wants something quick they usually want fast food. I only eat out once a week so that doesn't work for me. I make sure I have plenty of these potatoes to make for a quick and filling meal. Here are a few different things I do with them:

Baked potato topped with turkey chili and 1 slice WW cheese = 8 points

Baked potato topped with 3-4 oz. pulled BBQ (made with Ketchup and Coke 0) chicken = 6 points

Baked potato topped with a bag of Birds Eye Steam Fresh Broccoli and 1 slice WW cheese = 4 points

My 5 point go to's:

Clif Bars

Amy's Organic Especial Black Bean & Rice Burrito (can be the one with cheese or nondairy they both are 5 points)

Other things that have helped me:

I subscribe to these 3 magazines:

Shape

Weight Watchers

Redbook

And I love these websites:

Hungry Girl http://www.hungry-girl.com/

Weight Watchers http://www.weightwatchers.com/

Dotti's Weight Loss Zone http://www.dwlz.com/

Healthy Dining Finder http://www.healthydinigfinder.com/site/

Example #1 of my Issues

The other day I went to order my normal coffee order: 20 oz. iced sugar free skinny vanilla latte (2 pts.).


The barista says to me, "Why are you ordering a skinny?" Shocked, I think my mouth dropped a little, I said, "Because I have to." Then she started to laugh a little...laugh!!! I was bracing myself to get pissed or defensive. What was she getting at? Can't I get a coffee without being harassed??? Then she said, "You don't need to you're so skinny, you're perfect." My first thought is...how can she even see me? I'm sitting, buckled up, in my mini van??? Then, instead of being gracious and just saying 'thank you' I said:

Excuse #1 "Well you don't know what I looked like before."

Excuse #2 "I was almost 200 lbs. at 5'4."

Excuse #3 "I had twins just 2 1/2 years ago that stretched out my tummy, so I'm recovering from a tummy tuck."

This is why my husband says he no longer compliments me. I have a real issue with the word skinny. Skinny girls were the girls I grew up with who could eat anything they wanted and would still be 100 lbs. I would NEVER use that word to describe me. I would say I'm healthier, more fit, weigh less than before. Not Skinny. Hopefully some day I won't have such an aversion to this word. Again, I'm sure people are thinking, "Why is she complaining??? I'd LOVE to be called skinny." I used to think I would love it to. I just don't see it yet.

My Very 1st Blog

I am attempting to write a blog as a way for me to reflect upon my feelings and above all, try to feel like a normal person. What do I mean by 'normal'? I mean someone who can look at themself and see what other people see. You see, I have what I refer to as...ISSUES. Let me start at the beginning (well a brief beginning). I am someone who has ALWAYS thought of themself as a bigger girl.

When I think of my childhood I think, chubby.

When I think about the teenage years I think, above normal.

My college years, getting even bigger.

And finally my married life, fat, Fat, FAT!

Finally at my peak weight I started having fertility issues. It wasn't until I heard the words, obese, polycystic ovaries, mild endometriosis and the big one: PREDIABETIC that I started to lose weight with the help of Weight Watchers. Losing just 30 lbs. helped me to get pregnant...with twins!!! After having the twins, I went back to Weight Watchers and in a little over a year I made Lifetime. I wanted to lose a bit more though...and then a bit more...and finally a bit more. I currently am at the bottom of my recommended Weight Watchers scale and weight less than I did in high school! Here is the kicker...apparently I don't see myself as others do. I cannot take a complement. I start to make excuses for myself rather than embrace the comments I get. You see...ISSUES.

When I was fat, I thought I looked pretty good. I knew I was big, but I thought I looked good. Looking back at my pictures now I say to myself in the most loving way, "What the hell was I thinking???" I was big. Now that I am smaller, my mind still sees a big girl even though I hear the 'skinny' word almost every day, I don't see it. I thought when I lose weight I'm going to be able to weigh whatever I want, heck, I'll want to walk around naked because I'll look so good. Yeah that's not how I feel at all. I see saggy skin, stretch marks, and a flat ass. And the one thing I miss the most from my fat days...my boobs! Where did my boobs go? I want them back!!! After kids and losing 74 lbs., I have what I like to refer to as tribal boobs. You know, like the kind you see in the National Geographic magazines. That's me!

Is this normal? My mind and body are not on the same page and it's been a year and a half. When will they be in sync? I drive my husband CRAZY!!! Please tell me I'm not the only one with these issues. I go to my Weight Watcher meetings still almost weekly and I know I should voice these feelings but I don't because I know when I was bigger the last thing I wanted to hear was a Lifetime member complaining about their body. So hear is where I will finally let out my issues in hopes there are others out there like me.