Snack Attack--Weigh In :O)

This week at WW we talked about snacks that we eat to help us get from one meal to the next. My new favorite is 1tbsp of peanut butter with an apple. I cut it up into disks and then smear the pb on it. SO delicious. The crunch of the sweet apple with the peanut butter is the perfect snack to hold me over. In fact this past Saturday, it was my lunch time meal. It was refreshing and filling--of course i had two tbsp and two apples for that meal. Some other snacks the members suggested were the Fiber One brand granola bars and brownies. Don't get me wrong I love Fiber One but they are addicting and if you eat too many---you erupt!!!! Another suggestion was yogurt and one man in the meeting stated he has a turkey sausage and smears mustard on it for his snack, and its only three points!!!

This week I was DOWN 2.8 pounds for a total of 58.8 pounds gone!!! My goal of 75 pounds by November is getting closer and closer into reach. I keep thinking about how much my health is improving and how much better I feel, not only physically but also mentally. I feel that I look better and this helps with self-confidence. Not that I have struggled with that but when you are heavier people do look at you differently and for me that is not fair. I hope to not judge others by their appearance but to accept everyone for the differences--after all God is the one who made us all and He makes no mistakes!!!

So what are you favorite healthy snacks??

Keep pressing on!
J-Tru



This just in: I was reading my friend Mandy's blog and she had a link to the saltiest foods....check it out. Some may be surprising!!!

was i born fat? OR was i born skinny?

Its no secret that I have decided to make a change in my diet and start eating better plus exercising. Why am I doing this?? Well the answer is b/c I want to be healthy. This got me thinking the other day, was i born with a fat gene?? Was I predestined to be overweight?? The answer is NO! While eating lunch one day this past week I picked up The Elgin News from August 4, 2011. In this little paper was a fantastic article by Dr. Chester Ferguson. In the article he stated that " our genes contain the predetermined code that is built into all living things. This code does determine to a large degree our health potential but not necessarily our outcome." I think this is where people get the idea that they are born to be fat. But the truth to that is that people use it to justify their poor family health history or their own poor nutrition choices. In the article, Dr. Ferguson uses this as an example: " All living things have what we call limits of matter. This simple means that a person with one kidney may not be as healthy as a person with two kidneys or will certainly have some limitations but they can reach 100% of the maximum potential for a person with one kidney." So with that stated, no matter what your family health history or genetics YOU have the choice to either meet your maximum health potential or not. To meet your potential you may need to exercise, eat nutritional meals, and take a look at your stress levels. It is our responsibility to make GOOD choices. You don't have to give up chocolate cake or ranch dressing BUT you did need to have them in moderation. Don't eat chocolate cake every day or pour two cups of ranch dressing on your salad. So was I born fat? No, but I did make the decision to eat what I ate and am now working to reverse that. Eating well balanced meals and exercising is the BEST way to combat obesity and I am going to win this battle.

Never Giving Up!!
J-Tru


The Elgin News, August 4, 2011, Does What I Eat Really Matter, Dr. Charles Ferguson

We are Foodies...

It is not secret that Rob and I love to eat. We like to eat out often but we do save some money eating at home. I have decided that we are going to spice up our meals--chicken, chicken, and more chicken- by trying new recipes. So if you have any that you love please pass the along.

The first one we are trying is Pork Chops with Salsa Beans. This recipe was emailed to me by Pillsbury so I thought we should try it for Sunday Lunch. Here is the recipe....

2 pork chops 1/2 inch thick (it called for bone in but we prefer boneless so that is what we used)
1/2 teaspoon peppered season salt
1/2 cup Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers Niblets Frozen Corn
1/4 cup Old El Paso Salsa
1 can (8oz) baked beans (undrained)

Heat a skillet over Medium Heat. Sprinkle chops with peppered season salt; place in skillet. Cook 2 to 4 minutes or until browned on both sides.
In a 1 1/2 quart slow cooker, mix corn, salsa and beans. Top with pork chops, overlapping as needed and pressing gently into bean mixture.
Cover, cook on low setting 4 to 5 hours.

We doubled the recipe and it cooked in the same amount of time. The dish was very good. We loved the flavors.

Enjoy!
J-Tru

Roddys First Vet Visit

Rob and I got up early on Saturday to take Roddy to his first vet appointment at Carolina Veterinary Practice in Oburg. We were told about them from Robs aunt and uncle. We headed over and of course our little one had no clue what he was in for. He was in his crate for the 6 minute drive and whined the whole time. I complete the paperwork and then it was time to meet the doctor. We met the doctor and he was super nice, so was the assistant. We told him about Roddy and then it was time to get the shots and other info. Roddy was given one shot and also a dose of de-wormer/hartguard protection. He had a fecal specimen taken as well and he didnt even whimper. He was a trooper. Roddy was calm once the doc had completed the exam and he wanted to snuggle with mom. He did get his nails trimmed and that was the only time he whimpered b/c one was cut to close. They assistant whisked him to the back of the office and fixed him up. He was weighed and came out at 4.6 pounds. Rob thought he was 7 pounds but he is still a little guy.

We brought him home and he layed on me the rest of the day. He was sore from his shot but after a few hours of loving from mom and dad he was back to his playful and chipper self.

We love him so much :O)
J-Tru

Got another 5 pound STAR!!!

WHOA its already AUGUST!!!! That is absolutely insane that we are in the eighth month of 2011. Today was the first day at the new weight watchers location in Camden. I arrived and told my cousin, Carla, that I wasn't sure if I wanted to weight today but I did it anyway. I was hoping for at least .6 pounds to get me to 55 pounds BUT I lost 1.6 pounds and now have lost 56 pounds!!! That is right folks I am inching closer and closer to 75 pounds!!!! I am excited to see the changes in my body and also love feeling much better--healthy is the main goal for me!

My goal this week is to step up on my exercise when I am able to get to the gym. I have two days where I wont be able to get to the gym this week so I am also going to watch my food intake very closely.

Enjoy your food!
J-Tru

Week Number...Oops I forgot!

Ok, so I have lost track of the exact week number I am on with Weight Watchers BUT according to my handy dandy weight record I am on week 26 (this does not take into account holidays that the weigh in was closed). This past week was interesting when it came to exercising. I only exercised ONE day. On the other days I had something planned and exercise could not be squeezed in so my main goal was to stay within in my points!!! That is exactly what I did too. It paid off in the end b/c at weigh in today I had lost 1.2 pounds!!! Grand total as of today is 54.4 pounds!!!! This also meant that my points decreased again. I have now gone from 45 points in January to 32 points in July!!! This is now the challenging part b/c I really have to watch what I am eating and take into account how hungry I am. I am also excited b/c this gives me the opportunity to prove to myself I am able to do this and continue this journey from now to oblivion.
I also volunteered to take the weekly journal this week, and jot down everything I ate, the exercise, and of course how I am feeling each day. I cant wait to read what the other members have written as well.

Happy Eating!
J-Tru

Roddys Top Ten

The Top Ten Things Roddy Loves:

10-His Breeders, Johnnie and Allan Judy at SC Rosegarden Dachshunds
9- following his mom everywhere through the home...he stays right with me everywhere i go.
8- laying on moms clothing, he will lay on them where ever they are.
7- his orange dinosaur. he likes to grab it and shake it until he cant shake it anymore
6-his mini tennis balls. he is quickly learning to run after them and bring them back to us
5- night time yogurt snack. he laps it up like crazy!
4- chasing his tail. i cant help but giggle each time he does this....so far he has caught it but he hasn't hurt himself.
3- NAPS!!! Roddy loves to take naps on his moms lap and on her neck/shoulder area.
2-His Daddy, when mom is not around! :O)
1-His Mommy...that would be me!!!

He enjoys lots more too, but we will talk about those in another post.

J-Tru