A Simple Reminder

As you know, I have been doing Weight Watchers which has already been quite a journey and I have only just begun! I think going to the meetings is something that is really helping me stay on track. Going to the meetings gives me support, meal ideas, and tips. A couple of weeks ago at a meeting some one said something that really made me think and continues to make me think every day since I have heard it. It has become my mantra. I have turned it into a little picture to hang on my wall to help remind me to check why I am in the kitchen... is it because I am hungry? Or, is it because I am bored, or feeling emotional? This helps me to stay accountable.

Peanut Butter Granola

Ok, first of all, I want to start out this post by giving myself some props. As you know, I am doing Weight Watchers and I had a pretty big week this week! I was done another 4.2 pounds! YAY! I am almost to my 5% (3 more pounds to go) I am hoping that I can hit that milestone with the next two weeks. With all of this losing and exercising I have also been trying some new recipes that I am pretty excited about sharing with you. This one is only 4pts+ for 1/4C. Woo-hoo!

Here is a yummy, yummy recipe that I found somewhere (I'm sorry, I can't remember where) and I have tweaked to yummy granola perfection. This granola is amazing mixed with yogurt, with milk poured over or on top of a bowl of ice cream. Yup. I am pretty sure that's not good for the weight-loss ;) Anyway, let's begin!

The stars of this recipe include: old fashioned oats (4 C),sunflower seeds(3/4 C), honey(1/2C), vanilla extract (1/2 tsp), cinnamon (1/2 tsp) and peanut butter (1/2 C)

In a microwave safe bowl combine the peanut butter and the honey and put this in the microwave for one minute.

Add the cinnamon and the vanilla extract to the peanut butter and honey mixture and stir this all together very well.

Now take a big whiff. Seriously, is this not the best smell that has ever happened past your nostrils? Ok. I am done foodgasming.

Slowly add the oats and sunflower seeds until all of the oats and sunlower seeds are covered... this takes awhile. This also works out the muscles in your forearm (double bonus!)

Spread out this granola mixture evenly on a lightly sprayed cookie sheet. Put this in an oven that has been preheated to 325. Bake this for about 10 minutes, stirring about halfway through.

Notice the amazing golden color? This is the color you want. Brown is not the color you want. Brown means it is burnt, and I will tell you that I have made burnt granola and it is bitter and disgusting, and it isn't even good on ice cream!

Enjoy!






 

Monday... er... Tuesday Check-In

Last week... oh last week. I did well and met my exercise goal as well as my goal of writing down everything I ate, until the weekend. Those holiday weekends are little buggers. Anyway! I stepped on the scale this morning and was down 2.8lbs. Not a huge vicotry, but a victory nonetheless!

My goals this week:

1. Exercise 3 times
2. Record everything I eat
3. Include at least one vegetable with dinner every night this week (french fries don't count!)
4. Try one new "healthy" recipe

Monday Check-in

I will be checking in every Monday during this journey and setting new goals for myself each week. I've heard that writing your goals down makes them more real and it makes you more accountable... which is exactly what I need.

I weighed in this morning and was the exact same as last week. I did very good staying on track with eating last week (until Friday when I had a serious date with a pan of brownies junk food) but I didn't make it to the gym.

This week I commit to:

1. Exercising 3 days
2. Drinking a minimum of 6 8oz. glasses of water
3. Write down everything I am eating

Today... actually yesterday

So yesterday I decided that I was going to make a big change in my life. I am going to take control of my body.

I'm not sure when it happened. In college, I was healthy, active, comfortable in my body. I graduated from college, couldn't find a job, got depressed, ate to make myself feel better. I also met my wonderful husband. We went out to eat A LOT... restaurants are such a great place to get to know one another! My hobbies changed. I began to enjoy cooking and baking. I began to eat what I was making. I became less active.

Now, you'd think the wake-up call would be the climbing numbers on the scales, the scariness of how difficult physical activity was becoming, my wedding, looking at myself in pictures, my clothes not fitting correctly... but no. It was none of these things. It was a stretch mark forming on my arm.

I guess whatever the reason is, I am doing something about it now.

My goals for Week 1:

• Write down  everything I eat... even those pesky BLTs (bites, licks, tastes)
• Exercise 4 times this week
• Find one new "healthy recipe" and blog about it for you all to see (and try!)
• Drink water!

GO TEAM KIM!