6 Week Weight Loss Challenge- Week 4

Sorry this post is a day late again but I didn't get a chance to weigh myself yesterday!

Well, as I said in a previous post, I've been sick this week so I haven't gotten in any exercise at all which is disappointing. My whole family is sick so between trying to take care of them and myself, I just haven't had any energy leftover for much of anything.

I did get back on the horse today though- my son and I went to a FitMom + Baby class at Fitness 360. It was pretty good! I know if I hadn't been doing the Shred at home it would have killed me though. Some of the moves were straight from the Shred so I had at least practiced them before. I really had no idea how to use the giant balls for ab work though- I kept slipping around since I'd never used one before. Hopefully that will get easier!

I can see how much the exercise has revved up my weight loss and my metabolism by my number this week- I lost only 0.6lbs. No complaints though- that's still 0.6lbs less than I weighed the week before! And I really want to make exercise part of my lifestyle so this is great incentive to stay active.

I also wanted to share a milestone with you all- this was my 52nd week on Nutrisystem. I've officially been following the program for a year and lost nearly 85lbs. Overall, I'm thrilled with the changes in my body and my life, and I'm looking forward to seeing what I can accomplish this year.

1st weigh in January 9: -2.7 lbs (1.46%)
2nd weigh in January 16: -1.3 lbs (2.16%)
3rd weigh in January 23: - 2 lbs (3.25%)
4th weigh in January 30: -0.6 lbs (3.57%)
5th weigh in February 6:
Final weigh in February 13:

How did you do this week?

Party Favourites

If you go through my recipe page, there are several items that would be great to serve as appetizers for your Super Bowl party- just cut them into smaller servings so that multiple people can enjoy them, and watch your serving sizes! Things like my Portabella Mushroom Pizzas, Jalapeno Cheese Poppers, Macaroni Salad, or my Chicken Quesadilla.

One thing I always used to serve at my parties were mini quiche. They're cute, tasty, and appropriate whether you are having a brunch or a dinner party. Since the crust is one of my favourite parts, I assumed that these would be permanently off the menu. I was surprised and delighted to stumble across this recipe from the Biggest Loser Cookbook that could be easily adapted to make a great breakfast or a plate of delicious appetizers.

Flex Meals (Breakfast):




Asparagus Mini Quiches:

1/2 cup chopped onion
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup + 3 tbsp Egg Beaters
2 tsp Dijon mustard
6 whole wheat tortillas (not low carb- they'll get soggy and not crisp!)
4oz shredded cheddar cheese
6 medium asparagus spears, chopped into rounds
salt and pepper to taste

Spray a muffin tin with Pam butter spray and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a small pan, sautee the onions and garlic in PAM until the onion is sweating. In a bowl, mix the milk, Egg Beaters, mustard, and salt and pepper. Use a 3 1/4 inch cookie cutter (or a drinking glass if you don't have one) to cut circles from the tortillas. Fit them into the muffin tin. Divide the onions, asparagus, and cheese evenly among the tortilla cups and pour the egg mixture over top. Bake for 22 minutes or until the tortilla shells are crisp and lightly browned.

My husband tried one and he says they don't taste low fat at all- he said he'd definitely eat them.

If you count calories, make sure to account for the portions of the tortillas that you don't eat (or you can go ahead and eat them if you want). I weighed mine before and then weighed the scraps after to see what actually went into the recipe. This recipe serves four people three mini quiche each and counts as a flex breakfast entrée of 1 Powerfuel + 1 SmartCarb (don't forget to add any of your required add ins for a complete breakfast). 166 calories, 17g of carbs, 1g of fat, and 16g of protein. Or enjoy them as appetizers at only ~55 calories each!

Disappointed

I had a really, really long day today. I didn't get a lot of sleep and it just felt like everything went wrong. My son wasn't feeling well, he was late for his doctor's appointment and we had to reschedule, etc, etc. I was feeling pretty tired and stressed out.

In the "old days", I would have ordered a pizza. I thought about it, and realized it would just allow me to prolong the pity party. I'd eat it, feel sick to my stomach, and ask myself why the heck I was torturing my body. So when I got hungry, I took out the fixings for one of my favourite dinners- the Nutrisystem Spaghetti with Meat Sauce over a bowl of spaghetti squash.

Unfortunately, as soon as I opened the box, I knew this was not going to be my "comfort dinner"! Instead of the large white tray the entree used to be packaged in, it was in the little black tray that most of the other pasta meals come in. When I took off the plastic top, I could see that there was lots of sauce sloshing around in the dish- another change. The sauce in this entree used to be thick and stick to the noodles. And that was the worst part- the serving is considerably smaller and less satisfying. I used to have a nice ratio of pasta to spaghetti squash- I could actually pretend I was eating a giant bowl of all pasta, which really helped on those days where I needed to at least feel like I was pigging out. Tonight, it was clear that I was eating squash with some noodles mixed in. And the worst part? The reformulated entree is actually higher in calories than the previous version! Why would anyone want less pasta for more calories? I'm not impressed.

So, was it bad? No, but it's just not the same anymore, and I'm really going to miss it. I'm going to have to find a new comfort meal, so it's back to the drawing board.

Disclosure: This post was written by me and was not edited by anyone. The opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own and have not been influenced in any way. Nutrisystem Canada is providing their food and program to me free of charge for my weekly updates. I was not compensated for writing this post.

Valentine's Day Giveaway!

The kind folks at CSN Stores are having another giveaway here at Stomach Rumblings!

CSN Stores has offered to give one of my readers a $35 gift certificate which can be used at any of their more than 200 online stores which sell everything from toys and baby items to a corner TV stand, to cookware and great gadgets. It's definitely a great site for one stop shopping.

I really like one of their sites, Cookware.com. They have lots of great gadgets that help make it easy to cook healthy recipes. My husband tries to keep me away from it because we are running out of space for kitchen gadgets!

My long time readers will know that if you don't have one, I highly recommend getting a puff pan.



Check out my recipe page for some great and healthy ideas using a puff pan (especially my corn dog puffs). I've got some more coming, I just haven't had time to write them up yet.

If you've already got a puff pan, you might be interested in something like this vegetable slicer- who says healthy food can't be pretty, too?

The winner of this giveaway will receive a $35 gift certificate to be used at any one of their sites- you can get whatever you like- it doesn't have to be cookware.

How do you enter? You'll receive one ballot into the draw by commenting here with your email address and telling me what you would choose from CSN Stores.

Extra Entries:

* Follow CSN Stores on Twitter (1 entry)
* Follow Stomach Rumblings via Google Friends Connect or subscribe via email (1 entry)
* Write about this giveaway in your own blog or on Facebook and post a link here (2 additional entries for each place you post it)
* Add Stomach Rumblings to your blogroll or website (1 entry)

Don't forget to make one comment on this post for each entry and include your email address so I can contact you if you win!


I'll draw the winner on February 7th at 10:00pm EST, using Random.org to select the winning post. The winner will have 48 hours to claim their prize or I will draw another winner. The contest is open to US and Canadian residents.

Good luck and thanks to CSN for sponsoring this giveaway!

NEW Items!

I was so excited when I opened my box yesterday and saw the NEW items! Even with all the different recipes I use, it is definitely nice to have some new options available.

Here is what I think about the new entrees.

Scrambled Eggs with Vegetables (Breakfast):



Since it wasn't too long ago that I tried the Nourish Scrambled Eggs, I was expecting something pretty similar. I was surprised to see that this entree comes in a packet like the Pancake Mix instead of a paper cup like the old egg breakfast.

Normally I'd add Egg Beaters to this to use my dairy/protein but I wanted to taste this one exactly as is, so I followed the directions for stovetop prep, and I was pleasantly surprised by how yummy it was! I really didn't care for the Egg Frittata but these Scrambled Eggs have a great sausage-y flavour (while still being on the vegetarian menu) and texture. The seasoning is very flavourful, and I loved the little potato chunks. It is also much more filling than most of the other breakfasts, at 12g of protein. Although I am a big fan of the pastry-type breakfasts, I'll be reordering this item.


Peanut Butter & Jelly Bar (Lunch):



Not being a big fan of grape jelly, I wasn't really expecting to like this item so I only ordered one to review. When I took the first bite, it was overwhelmingly sweet, rather like a jelly candy with a hint of peanut butter. The aftertaste is quite strong and I decided not to finish it. If you like grape jelly, your opinion of this item might be different. I think I'll either stick to the Chocolate Peanut Butter Lunch Bar when I need a PB fix, or just make myself a flex lunch on light bread with PB2 and sugarfree strawberry jam.


Italian-Style Wedding Soup (Lunch):



When I first opened the soup cup, I was a little surprised to see that the soup looked rather gelatinous- in fact, it poured out into my bowl as a solid, cup shaped lump! I was a little apprehensive but decided to go ahead and microwave it and see what happened.

Fortunately, just like the Flame Broiled Beef Patty- it turned into something yummy!



I really enjoyed this soup. It wasn't bland at all- very flavourful. I loved the seasoning blend NS used and the tiny meatballs were very satisfying. I was full after a cup of this soup but thought fondly of having it again sometime soon. In my opinion, this one's a winner- no doctoring up necessary.


Butter Flavored Popcorn (Dessert):



When I first heard that Nutrisystem was coming out with popcorn as a dessert, I confess that my reaction was disappointment. I eat popcorn all the time as a free food, so why would I want to "waste" a dessert on it when I could have both? But, I figured I'd give it a fair chance, so it was the first thing I tried out of my new BBB.

I poured it into a bowl and it was a fairly generous serving- definitely larger than my free food 1 cup popped, and it smelled wonderful and buttery! I tried it, and to me it tastes just like movie popcorn- salty and a little buttery. I really enjoyed it! If you have a popcorn craving, having it as a free food can be a nice light snack, but this dessert definitely tastes like cheating. So you'll have to decide on your own if it's worth "giving up" a dessert to have this instead of using a free food, but definitely give it a try before you make that decision. There are going to be a lot of these on my next auto delivery!

Overall, I am really impressed by these new items. When I was told the names of the entrees coming out, I wasn't all that excited but I'm really happy to have them as part of the menu now. I can't wait to see what other new items Nutrisystem brings out this year, because these were pretty darn good.

Disclosure: This post was written by me and was not edited by anyone. The opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own and have not been influenced in any way. Nutrisystem Canada is providing their food and program to me free of charge for my weekly updates. I was not compensated for writing this post.

Giveaway Winner!

The winner of a copy of Alpine Weight Loss is:

Chelsea Decker said...

I can't believe you get to try all of these amazing things because of your blog! Isn't it amazing how influential the power of speech can be!? I would love to read this book and see how his outlook can help my outlook on weight loss!

Congratulations! Please email me your mailing address and I will have the book sent to you.

Non Scale Victories

My 80lb bear arrived! I was so happy to see its fuzzy little orange face because I worked hard for this one. I laughed when I read its nametag because it was so appropriate for me at this point; Workout Bear. I'm really trying to get myself into gear so this bear is helping to keep me motivated. The past few days my whole family has been sick so I haven't been able to do the shred, but I'm planning to get right back on track as soon as I feel up to it again.

Now for my non scale victory! I've noticed for a while that my wedding rings have been very loose on my finger but I didn't really want to do anything about it too early in my journey because I figured I'd have to resize them again when I reached my goal. Today, I decided to go into the store where my husband bought them and find out exactly how many sizes I'd lost. I was thrilled to hear that I've lost three ring sizes! I think that means it's time to get them sized, and boy would I be happy to have to plunk down $40 and get them sized again when I reach goal!

Do you have a non scale victory to share with us? What have you noticed that made you realize that you've lost weight? Maybe your skinny jeans fit now, or you've had to buy new ones. Sometimes, the little victories are sweeter than the number on the scale.

Superbowl Sunday

I just got a request from one of my readers for a legal dip recipe that she could use for her upcoming Superbowl party. I completely forgot that it's nearly Superbowl Sunday! So I'm going to be hosting an Appetizer Week so you can get some great, healthy ideas for your menu.

Here are two ideas you can start off with (and my final two reviews from the Basic plan, excluding the brand new items I haven't yet received!):


Pretzels (Dessert):



I've mentioned before that I'm not really a salty snacks person so these just aren't my cup of tea. I have read about people melting the Nutrichocolates over them to make chocolate covered pretzels (then, of course, you eat only half a serving) and I might have to try that in the future and see if that improves them for me. For now, I'm happier with one of the sweet desserts.


Zesty Herb Snack Mix (Dessert):



This is like Chex Mix but has a little bit of salty kick to it because of the paprika. It's not spicy but zesty is definitely the right word, according to my husband who is reviewing it since I figured he'd enjoy it more than I would.

The funny thing is, this came in my original box way back last February when I had a free week, and I couldn't find anyone who wanted to eat it! I had to order a new one just to make my reviews complete. I just reminded my husband that we gave a bunch of bags of it away and he scowled and opened up his mouth and pointed inside! So I guess this gets the Husband Seal of Approval!

Don't forget to check back for some great appetizer recipes this week!

Disclosure: This post was written by me and was not edited by anyone. The opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own and have not been influenced in any way. Nutrisystem Canada is providing their food and program to me free of charge for my weekly updates. I was not compensated for writing this post.

Spice & Everything Nice

I've heard a few people mention that while Nutrisystem is great, they do miss the taste of a good home cooked meal. Well, there is nothing stopping you from occasionally incorporating some homemade meals into your program; just follow Nutrisystem's Flex Guide.

Here are a few great meals that I've tried and my family has really enjoyed.


Flex Meals (Dinner):



Pineapple Chicken:

12oz chicken breast, diced (or 4 Nutrisystem Grilled Chicken Breasts)
2 2/3 cups pineapple tidbits in juice
1/2 Spanish onion, diced
1 small green pepper, diced
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/3 cups brown rice, cooked
black pepper, paprika to taste

Put veggies in crock pot. Drain pineapple and reserve juice, putting tidbits in the pot. Add chicken to pot. Mix pineapple juice, mustard, soy sauce, garlic, pepper, and paprika, and pour over chicken. Stir well.

Cook on low for 7 to 9 hours, thicken with cornstarch/water mixture just prior to serving. Serves four.

This counts as a dinner entree + fruit, so you still need to have your vegetables and fat serving. One portion has 293 calories, 47g of carbs, 2g of fat, and 23g of protein.


And here's the recipe that I shared earlier from the book Alpine Weight Loss- I tried it for myself and it was delicious! I modified it slightly to fit into the Nutrisystem plan. If you enjoy Indian food I definitely recommend giving it a try.


Flex Meals (Dinner):



Chicken with Butternut Squash in Ginger-Curry Sauce:

3oz chicken breast (or Nutrisystem Grilled Chicken Breast) cut into chunks
3/4 cup butternut squash, cubed
2 tablespoons Indian curry
1 medium piece fresh ginger root
1 tsp olive oil
1/3 cup basmati rice, cooked

Sauté chicken in olive oil in a pan on medium heat for about 3 minutes. Add the squash, curry, and ginger, and cover. Cook for another 2 minutes, and then add 2 cups of water to the pan. Cook for another 3 minutes, and then lower the flame and let simmer until the squash gets soft and the water turns into its own ginger curry sauce. This takes quite a while so keep checking on it and stirring! Serve over the rice and enjoy!

I was thinking next time of adding some plain Greek yogurt to the curry and seeing how that turned out. It was not super spicy so if you want it hotter, make sure you add more curry powder to the entree. As the recipe is posted, it counts as a dinner entree + 2 veggie servings with 314 calories, 40g of carbs, 8g of fat, and 24g of protein.

Alpine Weight Loss has lots of great recipes like this one for you to try, so don't forget to enter the giveaway for a free copy of the book! The giveaway closes tomorrow at 10pm EST.

6 Week Weight Loss Challenge- Week 3

It's been a pretty good week. I finally advanced to level 2 of the 30 Day Shred, which is absolutely killing me. I have very little upper body strength so some of the exercises are just brutal for me, plus I need to buy a new pair of running shoes. I was working out barefoot which was fine for level 1 but I'm sliding on the floor during level 2 so I need better grip so I can actually do the exercises! Also, I just have bad coordination in general so I've been having trouble with a few of the moves. I'll just have to keep practicing until I get it down!

Level 1 is still a good workout but it's not killing me like it used to- I don't remember how bad I felt the first day I did it but level 2 has me dripping with sweat and I'm not even getting the full benefit of it since I can't do it all yet! Hopefully with time. I wonder how bad level 3 is!

I'm very excited to share that I reached a milestone today- my BMI is no longer in the obese range! I know it's embarrassing that I had to lose this much weight to get to this point, but I can't change the past. I am so happy to be "merely" overweight. I'm getting closer and closer to my ultimate goal of a healthy body weight!

1st weigh in January 9: -2.7 lbs (1.46%)
2nd weigh in January 16: -1.3 lbs (2.16%)
3rd weigh in January 23: - 2 lbs (3.25%)
4th weigh in January 30:
5th weigh in February 6:
Final weigh in February 13:

How did you do this week?

A Creative New Lunch Idea

I've read about some people lately getting bored with the food, so I thought I would try and come up with some new ideas. My son thought I needed some more inspiration with the lunches, so he got right to work when he saw my Big Brown Box!



He experimented with different ways to use the cup lunches, until he finally hit on it- they make great blocks!



So next time you are feeling bored with your food- just try thinking outside the box!

More Reviews

I've only got a few more reviews to do before I'll have reviewed every item on the Basic plan. I am hoping to have those done by the end of next week. I was very excited to hear that my order had been delayed so the new items are en route and I should have them soon. I'll be sure to post the reviews quickly so you can see them!

I'm also hoping to be able to do some reviews of the Select meals next month. I'll be visited a friend in the US so hopefully I can try them there. I've heard great things about them so I am really looking forward to sampling them myself.

Here are some new reviews!


Wedged Potatoes with Sliced Beef Steak (Dinner):



The potatoes in this dish are really nice- 3 large wedges with skin. I do occasionally miss potatoes on this plan and these were satisfying. The sauce was rich and yummy although as usual there was lots- this is a good dish to serve with extra veggie servings.


Pasta Primavera with Tofu (Dinner):



Well, yeah... you can't like everything! I'm not a big tofu fan in general but I didn't really even care for the sauce on this one either, and the texture just didn't work for me. I love baby shell pasta but this dish wasn't my thing.


And like I've mentioned in previous posts, make sure you try everything at least twice! I decided to give a few items a second chance and I'm so glad I did! I had a Cinnamon Bun Bar this morning and really liked it! It didn't have the cloying sweetness I remembered from the past, so my taste buds have definitely changed. I'm going to have to try a few other things I wasn't crazy about to see if I like them any better.

Don't forget to check out my giveaway for the book Alpine Weight Loss! The giveaway ends on January 25.


Disclosure: This post was written by me and was not edited by anyone. The opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own and have not been influenced in any way. Nutrisystem Canada is providing their food and program to me free of charge for my weekly updates. I was not compensated for writing this post.

The Importance of Exercise

I have a really awesome scale that not only tells me what I weigh, but it also tells me my body fat percentage. To be honest, I usually get off the scale before it gets to that point because I've been so focused on the ultimate number. Today, I let it flash- I've been getting close to a personal goal so I figured I'd see good news there, too.

Well, I didn't. I've lost more than 80lbs and I'm not super overweight anymore, and my body fat percentage is still 36.5%.

That is not cool. It really makes me regret my decision a year ago to focus on healthy eating to the exclusion of exercise. I figured that I'd still be losing weight, I tried to walk as much as possible anyway, and I hated gym class so I didn't think I'd do it anyway. And now, here I am. I would for sure have lost weight faster than I did if I'd been exercising all along, not only because exercise burns calories but because having more lean muscle mass boosts your metabolism- a double score.

Not to mention that I'm starting to get some loose skin, which bothers me more than I thought it would. Sure, I love that I'm nearly 110lbs lighter than when I had my son, but there's a vain part of me that hoped (hopes!) to be able to wear a bikini someday. Regular exercise during my weight loss program would have helped keep my skin tighter so maybe it would be less unsightly. It's not terrible but with another ~40lbs to go, it may get worse. Hopefully starting to exercise now will help things.

So the bottom line is- YES, you can lose weight without exercising. But why would you want to? If you're committing to a healthy lifestyle, you need to exercise. Cardio and strength training are so good for your body and most of us live such sedentary lifestyles- we need more than that. Having a higher body fat percentage puts me at higher risk of a variety of health complications later in life, and isn't that what I wanted to avoid in the first place by losing the weight?

You can start small- there's no need to go crazy and exercise 6-8 hours a day like they do on the Biggest Loser! I do 20 minutes a day with Jillian Michaels and boy does she beat me up! Once I finish the 30 Day Shred, I plan on trying another of her DVDs. I've also signed up for a Mommy & Baby fitness class weekly on Mondays. I just feel better and have more energy when I exercise, and it gives me a sense of accomplishment when I finish my workout even if I didn't feel like doing it today. And it's sure nice to have that positive feedback from my body!

So get off your butt and DO IT!

New Items!

Nutrisystem has just released four brand new entrees! I'm going to try to get them for review as soon as possible, but unfortunately my delivery was just processed so it might be a little while before I can get my hands on them. Hopefully it won't be that long!

Here is what is now available:

Scrambled Eggs with Vegetables


I'm very interested to see how this compares to the old Scrambled Egg items. The Nourish versions were way too low in calories and carbs for an entree, in my opinion. The flavour was fine though. I'm looking forward to trying this.

Italian Style Wedding Soup


I haven't had this even as a non diet food in ages... curious to try Nutrisystem's take on it.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Lunch Bar


I must confess that this sounds really gross to me. I am not a grape jelly fan in the first place and I liked my peanut butter sandwiches plain. But who knows- I've been pleasantly surprised before!

Butter Flavoured Popcorn


I'm curious to see how they managed to put protein in popcorn! I'm not sure I'd generally want to "waste" a dessert on popcorn when I can have 1 cup anytime as a free food, but I love popcorn so I'd like to try it!

Hopefully I'll get hold of them sooner rather than later so I can share my thoughts with you!

My Answer to Wendy's

So on the weekend, I had a friend come over. He was nice enough to bring me a sub for lunch but stopped for himself at Wendy's. And I gotta tell you, those fries smelled SO good. I haven't had "real" fries in almost a year. And honestly, I don't really miss them. A lot of stuff that I thought I enjoyed just doesn't taste good enough to be worth what it does to your body. I seem to recall feeling kind of dull and gross after eating fast food anyway most of the time.

But this time... the smell really had me. He also had a cup of chili with him which made me remember how I used to love making chili fries at Wendy's. So of course, I had to come up with a way to enjoy them again!


Chili with Beans (Dinner):



Chili Fries:

1 pkg Nutrisystem Chili with Beans (or Vegetarian Chili)
1 serving Cajun Fries
diced onion, tomatoes, green peppers
1/4 cup canned diced tomatoes in juice
chopped green onions for garnish
sour cream (optional)
chili paste (optional)

I started off with a serving of my Cajun Fries, except I didn't add the chili powder and instead I did add a little bit of sea salt. While they were baking, I sprayed a pan with PAM olive oil spray and cooked the vegetables until they started to soften. I dumped the chili on top and let the dish simmer until bubbling. Add the chili paste if desired and stir well.

When everything's ready, put the fries in a bowl and pour the chili on top. Add your sour cream and green onions and dig in!

This was SO good and definitely took care of that craving. Who needs fatty fried potatoes when I can have yummy vegetables that taste like this?

Count it as a dinner entree, 3 vegetable servings, and a free food if you use the sour cream. You may also choose to count it as 1 vegetable serving and 1 carb serving if you prefer- butternut squash is a starchy vegetable so it is either 2 veggie servings or 1 carb, according to Dietary Services, as long as you limit your quantity.


Disclosure: This post was written by me and was not edited by anyone. The opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own and have not been influenced in any way. Nutrisystem Canada is providing their food and program to me free of charge for my weekly updates. I was not compensated for writing this post.

Breakfast

In the "old days", I used to skip breakfast. I don't eat cereal, and most sweet stuff is really bad for you. Have you gone to the grocery store and looked at the nutritional facts on a muffin, lately? The ones I used to eat had over 500 calories per muffin! That's insane!

I remember when I first started Nutrisystem, I was delighted because I could eat all the sweet stuff that I used to crave for breakfast. I mean, a chocolate muffin? Seriously?

I also love that I've been able to replicate some of the more decadent breakfasts that I used to enjoy. This one will definitely make you feel like you're having a special treat. Save it for those lazy weekend mornings!

Pancake Mix (Breakfast):



Fruity Crepes:

1 pkg Nutrisystem Pancake Mix
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup water
4 tbsp low fat ricotta cheese
1 tbsp fat free cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp Splenda
1 fruit serving of your favourite fruit

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a pan, heat up a little water, 1 tsp Splenda, and your fruit serving, sliced thinly if it's strawberries- you don't need to slice blueberries or raspberries or the like. Simmer on medium heat until they form a syrupy mixture and turn off heat. Spray a large pan with PAM spray and heat it on medium. In a bowl, blend the pancake mix, milk, and water until smooth. Pour half the batter into the pan- it should fill the full base of the pan. Flip the pancake when it's set and set aside when cooked. Make the second crepe. While it's cooking, mix the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, splenda, and vanilla extract in a small dish. Spoon half the filling inside each crepe and roll them up. Top with the fruit sauce and bake in the oven for ten minutes. Top with a puff of whipped cream if desired and enjoy!

I made mine with strawberries but these would be great with blueberries or raspberries. You could use the Blueberry Pancake Mix if you wanted to make them fruitier. I also considered making cranberry orange or apple cinnamon crepes. The flavour can be varied if you add different extracts to the ricotta filling as well- you can make this dish whatever way appeals to you! Count it as a breakfast entree + a dairy/protein serving, fruit, and free food.

Disclosure: This post was written by me and was not edited by anyone. The opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own and have not been influenced in any way. Nutrisystem Canada is providing their food and program to me free of charge for my weekly updates. I was not compensated for writing this post.

6 Week Weight Loss Challenge- Week 2

Sorry I'm a day late, but we ended up taking an impromptu mini-holiday to Niagara Falls and I didn't have access to a scale yesterday.

I had a really awesome time, though! We stayed at the Marriott Niagara Fallsview hotel. As a general rule I really like staying at Marriotts because the service is great and the rooms are comfortable, and now I can add because they serve delicious, healthy meals as well.

Their breakfast buffet is really great- they have a make-your-own omelette station with lots of fresh vegetables and you can request egg whites. Along with all the "usual" breakfast items that I stay away from, they have hot oatmeal with dried fruit and nuts, fresh fruit, fat free yogurt, and whole wheat toast. It's easy to have a healthy, on plan breakfast that tastes great.

We also went to their hotel restaurant, the Terrapin Grille, which overlooks Niagara Falls. It's beautiful at night when the falls are lit up and especially when they shoot off fireworks! I had a house salad with Niagara icewine vinaigrette (it is amazing!) and broiled lobster tails with plain steamed veggies and a multigrain roll for dinner. Delicious and a great flex dinner. Now, the champagne that we had later that evening wasn't, but it was worth it :)

This week I lost 1.3lbs, which I see as a triumph given that I ate out all weekend plus the alcohol. I also confess that I did not exercise on the weekend. I brought my gym shoes but made excuses to avoid using them. I've already exercised today though and I've got 18 more days to go to complete the shred!

1st weigh in January 9: -2.7 lbs (1.46%)
2nd weigh in January 16: -1.3 lbs (2.16%)
3rd weigh in January 23:
4th weigh in January 30:
5th weigh in February 6:
Final weigh in February 13:

How did you do this week? Comment and share your results with us!

Review and Giveaway

I'm always interested in exploring different approaches to weight loss, and when I was offered the opportunity to review the book Alpine Weight Loss, I jumped on it.

Stefan Aschan of Vienna, Austria, is the author of this book, which was just released this month. He starts with the idea that we frequently see obese Americans and Canadians, but somehow Europeans don't seem to have the same sort of weight problems that we have. And when I picture Europeans, I think about drinking wine and eating cake at little cafes, so I have often wondered how they stay so svelte! I was very interested to learn about Mr Aschan's program.

Alpine Weight Loss is not just another fad diet where you will lose weight quickly and then yo-yo back to where you were and then some. It is a series of strategies to change your lifestyle to become a healthier and more active person, which will help you "train yourself young". We envy the vitality and strength of young adults but with a little effort, we can keep ourselves that way! I love how Mr Aschan's book is so empowering- he talks about changing "I can't" to "I can" and taking control of your life and becoming the person you want to be. The mindset he discusses involves believing in yourself and not trying to be perfect- because none of us are. I think that's a really positive way to view any change but especially weight loss, which is one of the hardest things to do and stick to. He also includes worksheets in the chapters of his book to help you organize your thoughts and make specific goals to achieve.

He writes about the Glycemic Index, which I can tell you from personal experience on Nutrisystem plays a very important role in weight loss. He offers suggestions to replace high GI items you may enjoy with healthier, low GI foods.

He also gives us the At-Home Alpine Aerobic Solution and the Alpine Longevity Strength Program, with a variety of exercises you can do at home. If you're bored of doing the same elliptical or treadmill every day, this can provide welcome change to your routine (which will also increase your body's fat burning!).

The book includes some great recipes, like his Chicken with Butternut Squash in Ginger-Curry Sauce. I'm looking forward to trying this one!



Ingredients:
1 organic chicken breast
1 medium butternut squash
2 tablespoons Indian curry
1 medium piece fresh ginger root
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt

Chop the squash and chicken into equal pieces. Sauté chicken in olive oil in a hot pan for about 2 minutes. Turn after one minute. Add the squash, curry, ginger, and sea salt, and cover. Cook for another 2 minutes, and then add 2 cups of water to the pan. Cook for another 3 minutes, and then lower the flame and let simmer until the squash gets soft and the water turns into its own ginger curry sauce.

The principles he discusses in his book are applicable to any weight loss program- Nutrisystem, Weight Watchers, or just doing it on your own. I definitely recommend reading Alpine Weight Loss if you want to make a lifestyle change. I don't think I'd be able to cut back as far on dairy as the book recommends, but I certainly believe that lean proteins are a better choice for my body!


Mr Aschan is offering one Stomach Rumblings reader a free copy of his book!

Mandatory entry: Comment on this post with your email address and let us know that you'd like to read Alpine Weight Loss!

Additional entries (make a separate comment here for each):
- Follow Stomach Rumblings via Google Friends Connect (1 extra entry)
- Follow Stefan Aschan on Twitter or Facebook (1 entry each)

I'll draw the winner on January 25th at 10:00pm EST, using Random.org to select the winning post. The winner will have 48 hours to claim their prize or I will draw another winner. The contest is open to US and Canadian residents.

Disclosure: I was provided with a copy of the book Alpine Weight Loss for review purposes. This post was written by me and not edited by anyone, and I was not otherwise compensated for writing this post.

Nearly Done...

I meant to be finished reviewing all the shelf stable Nutrisystem entrees before the first of the year, but unfortunately a few photos were lost so I needed to reorder the meals. I'll get them posted as soon as I can!

I've also been told that there are four new meals coming out very soon- from what I've been told there will be scrambled eggs for breakfast (maybe similar to the discontinued ones but I am not sure), a peanut butter and jam lunch bar, lunch Italian wedding soup, and popcorn for dessert. I have no idea about the time frame but it would be nice to have some new choices! I'll make sure to order them as soon as they are available so I can review them here.

As usual, Nutrisystem outdid itself on this Mexican entree. I really enjoy their Mexican style meals because they definitely don't taste like diet food. Give this one a try if you want a cheesy, filling lunch!

Black Beans & Rice (Lunch):



I got this recipe idea from Nutrisystem's new Recipe Center- check it out if you haven't yet! There are lots of great recipes in there.

Mexican Pizza:

1 pkg Nutrisystem Black Beans & Rice
1 Flatout wrap
romaine lettuce, torn
diced tomato pieces
1 oz light Tex Mex cheese
2 tbsp fat free sour cream
jalapeno peppers (optional)

Add boiling water to the Black Beans & Rice entree (be careful not to put too much water in this one!) and set aside, covered. Put the tortilla in a bowl or a taco shell pan in the oven and bake for 5 minutes or until set. Place the lettuce and tomato in the bowl and top with the NS entree. Sprinkle with cheese and sour cream, and dig in!

This was really good! I'd like it to be a little spicier so next time I am going to add green onions, a little hot sauce, and diced jalapenos I think. I had a hard time getting the Black Beans & Rice to the correct consistency- I added water and covered but it didn't "set". I had to microwave it for a really long time before it finally turned into more of a solid than a soup. I think next time I am going to use a lot less water.

Normally I don't like having salad for lunch, but this was big, cheesy, and gooey enough to keep me satisfied! Counts as a lunch entree, 2 dairy/protein servings, a vegetable serving, and a free food.

Wait a sec- TWO dairy servings? And what if you don't have a carb to use the wrap, you ask? Well, that's the awesome thing about Flatout wraps. They have 9g of protein each and only 90 calories so they actually fit the requirements for a dairy/protein serving. The carbs are still a little high so I wouldn't recommend you do this often (and you can certainly make this in a real bowl if you don't want a taco bowl) but it goes really nicely with this meal in my opinion and is worth giving up an extra dairy serving.

Disclosure: This post was written by me and was not edited by anyone. The opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own and have not been influenced in any way. Nutrisystem Canada is providing their food and program to me free of charge for my weekly updates. I was not compensated for writing this post.

Tres Hurras Mexico!

I've said it before and I'll say it again- try everything twice before you give up on it or you may realize you're missing out! Maybe your taste buds have changed or maybe you just didn't like the way it was prepared the first time, and the second time it will knock your socks off!


Southwest Style Chicken Wrap (Dinner):



Mexican Pizza:

1 pkg Nutrisystem Southwest Style Chicken Wrap
1 tbsp roasted red pepper hummus
chopped onions and bell pepper
1 oz shredded light Tex-Mex cheese

Open the tortilla package and heat in the microwave for 10 seconds before attempting to unfold it. When it's warm, unfold it carefully and put it on a baking tray. Spread the hummus on the tortilla and top with the wrap filling. Add your vegetables and sprinkle with cheese, and bake for 12 minutes at 400 degrees. Cut into slices and enjoy!

I like a thicker "crust" to my pizza, so I substituted a Weight Watcher's whole wheat pita instead of the tortilla. If you choose to substitute out, follow the NS description of a carb serving, 80-120 calories, 15g of carbs. The included tortilla is 80 calories (per Nutrisystem Dietary Services) if you are counting calories and wish to substitute out. The hummus is your fat serving (~45 calories, 5g of fat), and I saved a dairy serving for the cheese. You may wish to use red bell pepper for a more authentic taste but I prefer green.

One thing I often think we miss out on when on a weight loss program is really gooey, messy food. It seems like most of the time, those are the items that are awful for us. Well, make sure you have a napkin when you eat this and a fork to pick the pieces off your plate- it will satisfy your gooey meal craving!

I read about food pairings in my Women's Health magazine and I found an online article that discusses it. Some foods complement each other well so your body is better able to absorb the nutrients. And if it happens to taste as great as roasted red pepper hummus, well then! :) Because of mass production, vegetables and fruits are becoming less nutritious as well, so we need to get all the nutrients that are available!

I am a little disappointed that I just submitted my order yesterday for January because I don't have any more of these and this dinner was awesome! I enjoyed it much more than I did just eating it on the wrap like I did before. Oh well- I have enough things to make that I can wait for a little while!

Disclosure: This post was written by me and was not edited by anyone. The opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own and have not been influenced in any way. Nutrisystem Canada is providing their food and program to me free of charge for my weekly updates. I was not compensated for writing this post.

New Look

All the new features are fully functional! You can see there is a new menu bar right under the title that should make navigation a little easier, and I've cleaned up the sidebar. You also now have an option to subscribe to this blog and receive posts by email if you want to make sure not to miss any!

Definitely check out the Recipes tab. In the past, you were able to click on a Nutrisystem entree tag in the sidebar and see all the posts where I mentioned that entree, which also contained recipe ideas. That feature is still available, but I've also created a recipe section where you can search by meal type instead and it will take you directly to that post. I found a few recipes I've made in the past but not for a while that I think I'm going to have to make again- they are yummy!

If you have any comments or suggestions for blog features please feel free to share them with me either by commenting or by using the Contact Me page.

I've also got a great flex recipe to share with you. When I was on the cruise, one night they made this great dessert with a white chocolate pudding and fresh raspberry puree. I was at the store and saw a box of Jello Fat Free Sugar Free White Chocolate Pudding so I decided to see if I could make it at home myself!

Flex Meals (Dessert):



White Chocolate Raspberry Treat:

1 pkg Jello FF SF White Chocolate Pudding
2 cups milk
4 fruit servings of raspberries, crushed with a fork (reserve 4 whole)
4 tbsp whipped cream (optional)
4 tbsp protein powder (optional)

Mix together the pudding mix, milk, and protein powder until well blended and allow to sit for 3 minutes. I recommend chilling for a while- I like the flavour better that way. Take a clear glass (I was thinking martini glass but I didn't have one) and spoon 1/8 of the raspberry puree into the bottom of each glass. When pudding is prepared, spoon 1/2 cup of pudding into each glass, and top with 1/4 of the remaining raspberry puree. A squirt of whipped cream and a fresh raspberry on top gives this treat a really nice look. Makes four servings.

If you skip the protein powder this dessert is slightly low in protein but not by much. Each serving has 112 calories and 5g of protein (the minimum in any dessert that NS makes). Adding the protein powder gives an additional 5g of protein for 20 calories, so it definitely could be worth it if you have it handy.

I think I may try this with chocolate pudding next time- that could be really yummy!

6 Week Weight Loss Challenge- Week 1

I love Jillian Michaels. Jillian Michaels is awesome. Did I mention I love Jillian Michaels? I'm over the moon. I lost 2.7lbs this week! I haven't had a weight loss this large (with the exception of the 1st week back from the cruise) in months. I can actually feel the difference in my body after only 7 days. I can't wait to see what I'll feel like by the time I finish the full program.

AND... I get my 80lb bear! I can't wait! I know it's just a little thing but it's so nice to get that tangible reward for all my hard work.

1st weigh in January 9: -2.7 lbs (1.46%)
2nd weigh in January 16:
3rd weigh in January 23:
4th weigh in January 30:
5th weigh in February 6:
Final weigh in February 13:

How did you do this week? Comment and let us know! Also, it's not too late to join if you'd like to participate in the remaining 5 weeks- just post here and tell us that you're joining!

How do you like our new image here at Stomach Rumblings? It was designed and installed by Jen at Jae Bird Design. Definitely check her out if you're interested in a new look for your blog! We're still finishing up a few final functions but I'll post and let you know when the new sections are ready!

New Recipes

So I've finished four days of the 30 Day Shred. The first few days I was so sore afterwards and it never really went away. I joked that I'd rather be beaten with sticks but really I was glad that I could feel something- it means the workouts are doing their job. I stupidly forgot to take measurements of my body before I started because I would have liked to see what kind of effect the program is having. Oh well.

Today was a little easier- I felt like the workout was hard and I was sweating like crazy, but it wasn't as brutal as it was when I first started. Maybe in a few days I'll be ready to move to level 2, the intermediate workout. But I can tell you that I definitely recommend this program- I've taken a peek at the scale and it's working! There have been moments where I had to keep going on sheer force of will because my muscles were turning to jelly, but I made a commitment to you all and I'm going to honour it.

I also have a few awesome new recipes to share with you! Definitely give these a try.


Blueberry Muffin (Breakfast):



I like blueberry muffins and I've enjoyed this entree, but I haven't been ordering it as much recently because I like other things more. After I tried this recipe, I've added it back to my auto delivery!

Blueberry Bread Pudding:

1 pkg Nutrisystem Blueberry Muffin
1/4 cup Egg Beaters
1/4 cup milk
2 tbsp fresh blueberries (optional)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp Splenda
dash of cinnamon

Spray a baking dish with PAM and preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Tear the muffin into little pieces and put them in the dish. In a bowl, mix together all the other ingredients and pour over the muffin pieces. Bake for 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

I always pictured bread pudding to be like rice pudding which I think is gross, so I hadn't even considered recipes like this. Then I realized it was actually more like French toast that is baked in the oven. Well, I'm all over that! I tried this and it was really good- I'm definitely going to have it again. I am wondering if a little ricotta cheese baked on top would go nicely with it- I'll have to try that next time. I put a little SF maple syrup on top and it was a great breakfast. It counts as your entree + dairy serving.


I got this recipe from Hungry Girl and it is really tasty and so filling! I definitely recommend you give it a try if you love seafood.

Flex Meals (Lunch):



Hungry Girl Seafood Chowder:

1 29oz carton of no salt added chicken broth (believe me, you won't notice missing salt)
One 14.75-ounce can cream-style corn
Two 6-ounce cans crabmeat, thoroughly drained
One 6-ounce frozen fillet mild white fish (such as tilapia or cod)
2 cups (about 7 ounces) frozen cooked ready-to-eat shrimp
1 cup sweet corn kernels
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/2 cup instant mashed potato flakes
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
black pepper to taste

Place all ingredients except potato flakes and sour cream in the crock pot, and mix well. The fish fillet goes in whole. Cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours. Stir to break up the fish fillet. Add potato flakes and sour cream, and stir very well. If you like season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Serving (1 generous cup): 138 calories, 1.5g fat, 553mg sodium, 16.5g carbs, 1.5g fiber, 5g sugars, 14.5g protein.

This is a great lunch substitute! I love seafood and try to use it for my protein servings as often as possible, but it's nice to be able to enjoy it for a meal, too. If you are on Nutrisystem's Select program, you are able to get seafood meals. I hope I will be able to try them sometime soon (they don't ship the frozen meals to Canada, unfortunately).

Disclosure: This post was written by me and was not edited by anyone. The opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own and have not been influenced in any way. Nutrisystem Canada is providing their food and program to me free of charge for my weekly updates. I was not compensated for writing this post.

Role Models

Did you watch the season premiere of the Biggest Loser tonight? I admit that I'm an addict. In fact, if you read way back to the beginning on my blog, it was an episode of the Biggest Loser that spurred me to start my own weight loss journey. I watched Ashley, from season 9, get her RealAge with Dr H. Ashley was significantly more overweight than I was when I began my journey, but she's my age so it was a reality check. Her body thought she was 30 years older. 30 years. Nothing is worth giving away that much of my life.

But, I digress! Honestly, I'm not sold on the health benefits of the show. I believe that losing weight slowly and steadily is best for your body and makes you more likely to keep it off. But hey, I'm human and I like drama and watching people succeed.

Without giving away any spoilers, tonight's show made me think. A lot of the couples were parent-child this time around. It made me think of being a role model for my son. I don't want him to grow up with an unhealthy, overweight mother. I want him to be raised with a healthy lifestyle so that he has this as a foundation of the way things should be.

Role models can have a major impact on our lives, our choices, and how we see ourselves. Think of your role model and how he or she has affected your life.

Now think of yourself. Whether you know it or not, you are a role model to someone. How do you want them to see you? What can you do to make that happen?

When you lose weight, you are a role model to us all. You give hope to the people who are just starting their journeys that it can be done. You prove that with determination and willpower, that you can achieve whatever goal you put your mind to. And that's something to be proud of.

Ouch!

Well, I think Jillian Michaels is trying to kill me, and I'm only on level one of the 30 Day Shred! But I am very proud to say that I completed the entire workout. It's definitely tough but I am hoping it'll be worth it because it's been hours and I can still feel my muscles! I wonder how the Biggest Loser contestants manage doing exercises with her for hours a day when it's hard on me to get through a lousy 20 minute workout DVD. I've been told, and I'm sure it's accurate, that I'm going to hurt more tomorrow and later this week, but I know I can get through it!

It's not too late to sign up for our 6 Week Weight Loss Challenge if you still want to! Just comment on the post and tell us that you're in! You can give your starting weight if you want but you don't have to if you just want to track pounds lost (I'm sure you've all noticed that I haven't given mine!). See if you can beat me over the next 6 weeks, and if you do, make sure you have a nice non food reward for yourself! My friend Rebecca wrote a great post in her blog with her incentives for the challenge- check it out!

I also still have a few reviews of Nutrisystem menu items to share with you!


Mexican Style Tortilla Soup (Lunch):



I left this one since so far I haven't been all that impressed with Nutrisystem's ethnic cuisine, but I realized after I made it how silly I was. All the Mexican style entrees I've tried (TACOS anyone???) have been awesome! The soup has a nice little kick to it but it isn't spicy and the flavour is really nice. I still have a hard time just having soup for lunch but with a big salad with grilled chicken on top, it was a nice meal. I'd definitely order this again.


Beef Pot Roast with Vegetables & Gravy (Dinner):



Unfortunately this entree is discontinued because it's quite good! It tastes very similar to Dinty Moore Beef Stew but with larger pieces of beef. The flavour is really quite nice, but the sauce is a little runny. If you have an extra carb serving it is perfect to soak up the sauce after you enjoy the meat and vegetables. If you find this on eBay or Craigslist, give it a try!

Disclosure: This post was written by me and was not edited by anyone. The opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own and have not been influenced in any way. Nutrisystem Canada is providing their food and program to me free of charge for my weekly updates. I was not compensated for writing this post.

A Little Extra Motivation

Well, after my huge loss last week, it wasn't too much of a surprise to have a very small one this week, but it was still disappointing. I lost 0.8lbs. I still have 5lbs to lose to get back to my pre-cruise weight- hopefully they will come off quickly! I really want to see my 80lb bear in my January box!

And to that end, I decided it's time to get back in high gear to make up for all this wasted time.



Starting today, I'm doing the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. I was given the DVD as a Christmas present and I'm a little nervous because I've read the reviews that says it really kicks your butt, but maybe that's just what I need right now. So over the next 30 days, I'll be sharing my thoughts on this exercise program.

To give myself even more motivation, a friend and I started another 6 week challenge. There's nothing like a little healthy competition (bad pun intended!) to spur you on! No matter where you are in your weight loss journey, why don't you join us? Feel free to post your starting weight here and track weekly on my posts(if you like) or just keep records yourself and see how you do. Give yourself a non food reward if you beat me :) And be sure to tell me about it- that will definitely make me work harder!

By the way, you may have an easier time reaching your weight loss goals if you check out the Sensa weight loss system. Read these Sensa reviews to find out more about it!

Happy New Year!

I wish all of you a very happy 2011 and hope that this year brings you happiness and peace. Remember that it will be what you make it!

I read a really good article in Thursday's Globe & Mail, one of my local papers, and I wanted to share the highlights with you.

Andre Picard, writer of Second Opinion, talks about what he believes are the keys to successful weight loss, and whether you are following Nutrisystem, Weight Watchers, or just doing it on your own, I agree with him. The titles are his, but the comments are mine.

• Eat Breakfast
  If you skip breakfast, you're more likely to be ravenous later in the day and gorge on whatever's handy instead of eating a balanced, healthy meal. Also, your body needs food as fuel in the mornings to keep your metabolism going. It's better to eat light portions more often than to have one or two heavy meals.
  
  
• Banish Fatty Foods from the Home
  If it's not there, you can't just eat it on a whim- it would require you to go out of your way for it. Most of the time, you can convince yourself it's not worth it.
  
  
• Be Consistent
  I think this one deserves highlighting because it seems to be the one left behind frequently. We want to teach ourselves new habits to maintain a healthy lifestyle. If we're constantly "cheating" or going off program, we're not allowing ourselves to form those healthy habits, and we're never going to cure the desire for going off program. Foods don't have to be forbidden, but you'll find that the longer you avoid something, the less tempting it is to you.
  
  
• Plan Activities
  It's easy to make excuses to avoid exercise- we've all done it. I used to rack my brain to make up a reason to avoid going to the gym. Our bodies need exercise to be healthy. Find an activity you enjoy- exercise doesn't have to be like a repeat of high school gym class. And you'll find, as I always did, that you feel better after exercising even when you didn't want to do it in the first place.
  
  
• Tune Out
  Picard has a different idea behind this point, but I interpret it as how to relate to negative people. We've all been in the situation where our friends or family discourage us from losing weight or becoming healthier. I had a friend continually try to tempt me with French fries and dessert. It's not worth it- just keep smiling, listen to your friends who tell you how great you look and ignore the people who drag you down.
  
  
• Weigh In
  This is a good idea as long as you don't take it to extremes, as I found out. Watching my weight fluctuate daily just brought me down. But I do remember that I felt like I woke up one morning and didn't know how I'd gotten as big as I was- if I'd been weighing myself, the weight couldn't have crept on that quickly without me putting a stop to it. After I reach my goal weight, I plan to continue weighing myself weekly to ensure that I don't slide back again.
  
  
• Record It
  Food journals can be incredibly helpful. Sometimes we don't realize how much we've eaten until we see it in print! Nutrisystem provides all their clients with a daily food and exercise journal, but even if you're doing this on your own, I strongly suggest keeping one. You might be surprised at how many calories you're taking in by snacking without realizing it!
  
  
• Share It
  Like I've said before, although I am so glad that my blog has been able to reach so many people and help you on your journies, I write this for myself, too. You, my readers, help keep me accountable. If I didn't have to tell anyone when I put a foot wrong, it would be a lot easier for me to justify going off plan. Thinking about having to tell you about it when I know I am helping to give you a source of motivation always makes me think twice if it's worth it- and it's not. So thank you very much for being a part of my journey, and for allowing me to be part of yours.