Cheese Cravings!

Well, I felt well enough to make myself a snack today instead of having an extra Nutrisystem snack. Since I've seen this question asked quite a lot lately (may have to add it to my FAQ!), yes, you can choose to have an additional Nutrisystem snack for any snack on your plan that counts as 1 Powerfuel + 1 SmartCarb. For most people, that is the afternoon snack. Although not all Nutrisystem snacks fit their flex guidelines, that's okay. The official guideline is that all NS snacks are to be counted as 1 PF + 1 SC so you are fine to do that when necessary, of course you'll just have to be sure to order additional snacks a la carte if you choose to do this. Helpful tip- some women order the men's program solely because men receive 2 Nutrisystem snacks per day and it's generally only an extra $30 a month on auto delivery, so a pretty good price for the snacks. If you'd like to compare the plans, I've posted more information.

Just remember if you do this, to input your correct plan into Numi so you get the right program to follow! With all the personalized plans lately, there has been some confusion as to what to eat when. The bottom line is, follow Numi. While I don't like to use the app to actually track, since many foods are classified incorrectly, it is absolutely the best way to see what you should be eating and when. Not to mention, of course, the freebies that you can earn for completing the challenges. Don't forget to add them to your auto-delivery so that you don't pay shipping for a free prize!

I digress! Back to my snack. I was absolutely craving goat cheese today, and fortunately I had some in the fridge. Remember to check the nutritional stats on yours, because goat cheese is quite low in protein and doesn't always count as a Powerfuel, depending on the brand. Remember that it must be 80-120 calories and minimum 5g protein (more protein is definitely better). This made a yummy, decadent treat.

Goat Cheese Bruschetta:

3 slices 35 calorie bread
1 oz goat cheese crumbles
1 tomato, sliced thinly
diced onion (optional)
Italian seasoning, to taste

Spray the bread with a little olive oil cooking spray, and top with the sliced tomatoes. Add the Italian spices and top with the goat cheese crumbles. Bake or air fry at 350 degrees for 6 minutes. Voila- a super quick snack that is full of flavour and makes a ton of food!

Count this as 1 Powerfuel, 1 SmartCarb, and 1 veggie.

Fatigue, Health, & Triggers

So I know I haven't been writing much lately, but I'm still here! I've been having some health problems recently and I've just been too tired to write. My chronic conditions have been flaring up and I an exhausted all the time.

Fatigue is also one of my triggers for craving high calorie and fat foods, so I've been trying to watch that lately. Having Nutrisystem entrees around really helps because I can tell myself that I can have a yummy meal faster than if I ordered takeout. The only issue is that I am often too tired to make any of my recipes or do jazzing up- so those are the times I generally choose frozen meals so that I can just heat and eat. The shelf stable entrees are so much easier to "cook" with, and I believe I can make much tastier meals out of them than just doing heat and eat, but that still requires energy that I don't have some days.

So I'm well aware that my health problems are a big part of why I regained my weight. I had maintained a 110lb weight loss for over six years, which is long enough to make me believe that I'll be able to make it last this time if I'm more careful. Over 90% of dieters regain their weight within 5 years, so at least I was past that. It points to the truism that we have to be mindful that we are making permanent changes if we want our weight loss to stick; if we revert back into our old habits and patterns, eventually we will regain the weight. Finding that balance is important! It's unrealistic to say that you'll never drink alcohol or enjoy your favourite foods again. Life isn't about deprivation. But it's also important to develop healthier habits so that when we reach goal and start to maintain, that we beat those statistics!

I find that mindfulness really is one of the best ways to help myself become a better person, not only with my relationship to food, but in general. Before I make a choice, I examine it- is it really what I want? Is it helpful to my goals? And sure, sometimes I want that chocolate martini and I'm okay with that. But most of the time? I'd rather keep the big picture in sight.

I have some great flex recipes I will try to write up to share with you soon, especially since Valentine's Day is coming! We don't have to blow the calorie budget just to enjoy a special evening with someone we love. Don't forget to look up some of my dessert recipes- I have some great ones using the Chocolate Lovers Cake Mug Mix (although they're listed under the tag with the old name, Microwave Chocolate Cake). Try my Black Forest Cake, or my Chocolate Lava Cake, they're both delicious and a great sweet treat.

I'll try to get back to posting recipes and reviews soon! Right now I'm just so close to my next milestone of 70lbs lost, and I can't wait to share that with you.