The search begins!

So I'm a little crazy- I've always been the kind of person who gets things when other people said it couldn't be done. I like being able to find a way to do it. Of course, in weight loss, this is usually a good thing- I find a healthy way to make things that I like. With Nutrisystem, some of that is coming out, but the crazy in me is trying to find a way to get hold of discontinued meals. I think I'm nuts, because even if I find something I love, odds are that I'll never be able to find it again! But, I want to try as many things as possible, so there it is. Since Nutrisystem food has such a long shelf life, maybe I'll be finding discontined items for a while. I hope to keep finding the Beef Tacos, now that they are gone from the Canadian site. I have to ration the few I have left!

Florentine Sauce with Chicken Fettuccine (Dinner):


This was my first discontinued find, and it was delicious. Why on earth did Nutrisystem get rid of these??? The chicken and noodles were in a rich, creamy sauce with spinach. It tasted too decadent to be a weight loss entree! I am trying to hunt down more of these as well.


Peppermint Cookie Patty (Dessert):


I was expecting to love this since I adore mint and cookies, and it got good feedback on the Nutrisystem boards. It just didn't do it for me, though. It is basically a chocolate coated soft, chewy mint patty- there was no crunch from a cookie. I was expecting the mint to be more of the soft, melty kind like in After Eight bars. Having to chew the mint really made me think of bad mint bubble gum. With so many great desserts to choose from, I'm not going to waste any more time on this one.


Apple Granola Bar (Breakfast):


OK, this was the first item I've actually taken one bite out of and thrown in the trash. It tasted dry and crumbly, and the fake apple taste was just overwhelming. I couldn't possibly eat it. I used to read posts about people throwing away items and I said to myself, at about $3 a pop, I wouldn't be that wasteful, but I guess everyone has their breaking point! I am really not a fan of the fake flavours- would it have been so hard to put in some dried apple chunks?


Apple Strudel Bar (Breakfast):


I had some trepidation about this, since I'd had the Apple Granola Bar the day before. I took a bite and the icing and heavy sweetness of the strudel bar seemed to mask most of the fake apple taste. I'm not crazy about this and I won't order it again, but I was able to eat it. It was much better than the other bar.


Sloppy Joe Mix (Dinner):


I decided to try the Sloppy Joe Mix with pasta instead of a bun, like I speculated in my last post. OMG, this is diet food??? You've got to be kidding me. I prepared the Sloppy Joe Mix following package directions except that I only microwaved it once- I didn't want it to thicken up too much. In a saucepan, I added chunks of my favourite veggies- onions, bell pepper, mushrooms, and tomatoes, and added the Sloppy Joe Mix on top. There didn't really seem to be enough sauce, so I got the idea to add a half cup of fat free cottage cheese for my protein serving. I prepared my pasta serving (I use Catelli Smart), and dumped it into the saucepan to mix, and then served it. It was rich, cheesy, and delicious. Dan had a bite and he wanted to eat it himself! I am definitely adding more of these to my next order.


Beans and Ham Soup (Lunch):


When I first opened the can, this looked very unappealing. The soup had separated, leaving a clear liquid floating on top. Fortunately, I had a recipe up my sleeve to try with this! Cut up two fat free/low fat hot dogs (no more than 100 calories total), and dump the soup on top. Then add a tbsp of Splenda Brown Sugar Substitute, and a few squirts of ketchup and mustard. Stir until blended, then microwave for two minutes. It tastes like weiners and baked beans. I was sure I took a photograph of the finished product, but I can't seem to find one so I suppose it smelled so good that I was too eager to dig in! I'll get one next time. This was delicious and I'll be ordering more!

Tips for Eating at a Buffet

I had a wonderful time in Niagara Falls this weekend! It was so relaxing. We went to the spa, hung out in our suite overlooking the falls, and spent a little time at the tables and came home with a few extra bucks (which is always nice!).

During the weekend, I chose to stick to program as much as possible. I brought a Nutrisystem breakfast, lunch bar, and dessert with me, and I chose healthy add ins like Subway's grilled chicken salad.

My biggest challenge came on Sunday night when our friend met us up there for dinner. He had comps for the Grand Buffet for the three of us, so I was going to have to try and find a way to avoid all my old habits if I didn't want to torpedo my weight loss!

Here are my suggestions if you find yourself at a buffet restaurant. Go to the salad bar with a dinner plate and make yourself a massive salad with all your favourite veggies. Salad bars frequently have lean proteins like hardboiled eggs, cocktail shrimp, or mussels as well- throw them on to bulk up your salad. Most buffets do not have fat free salad dressing, so either keep a packet handy in your purse or try using a squeeze of fresh lemon and some vinegar to jazz up your greens.

After you finish your salad, check out the soup bar. There is usually one clear broth type soup. Have a nice big bowl of soup. By the time you're finished soup and salad, you're probably feeling pretty full if you've already been working on portion control. At this point- go for it. If there's something you really want, have it. Use a salad plate or a side plate when you go up to the buffet and take a small serving of the dinner items. You're probably not hungry enough to do any real damage and you won't feel deprived of your favourites. Just stop eating once you are full and you'll be OK. By the time I had my salad with shrimp and a bowl of vegan onion soup, I was stuffed. I had a tiny piece of broiled salmon and a few more shrimp and I was done.

I was really happy with the way I handled food this weekend. Did I miss a few things? Sure. The Fallsview Deli has delicious sirloin burgers with caramelized onions and pepper jack cheese, fries with gravy, and enormous slices of your favourite cakes, giant muffins and cookies. But, I honestly felt my dinner was almost as good! I had a lean turkey sandwich on whole wheat with mustard, lettuce, and tomato, with a side garden salad. It was really good! Would I have enjoyed the other meal? Absolutely. But it's not worth the bloated feeling and extra pounds. I'm ready to make this a lifestyle change and I will not allow myself to fall back into my old habits. I really want to get to my goal this time. And I'm going to do it.

Looking forward to the weekend!

I'm excited for the weekend, not only because I get away, but because I can prove to myself that I can still lose weight even in the "real world". I was inspired by last night's episode of the Biggest Loser, where the contestants went home for a week and some still posted record weight losses (I can't believe Sam lost 14lbs!), even with all the temptations of their favourite foods and friends. If they can do it, I can do it, too!

Here are some new meals that I have tried:

Italian Herb Flatbread Pizza (Dinner):


I think of the three pizzas, this is my favourite. It feels bigger than the Thick Crust Pizza, and I love the herbs and spices on the flatbread. I topped it with turkey pepperoni and my favourite veggies.


Chicken & Pasta in Cacciatore Sauce (Lunch):


I don't think I've ever had this before even prior to trying NS, so I am not really sure what it's supposed to taste like. I took a bite and it tasted like pasta in diced tomatoes with a little kick. I prefer my pasta dishes to be a little more sauce-y and less tomato-y so I wasn't really a fan of it but I think this may be personal preference because NS's pasta dishes tend to be quite good.


Red Beans and Rice with Sausage (Lunch):


Oh my goodness where has this dish been hiding and why haven't I tried it before??? It was absolutely amazing! There was actually a decent size serving of rice and several chunks of sausage. This was a nice, spicy dish that was loaded with flavour. As soon as I tried it, I immediately rearranged my auto delivery to get lots of these with my next order!


Chicken Tortilla Soup (Dinner):


This came as a freebie with my last box. If it hadn't, I would never have ordered it. With all the delicious things I can choose from for dinner, I can't imagine what would possess me to choose soup of all things. I decided to give it a try, since I like the lunch Black Bean Tortilla soup. I was disappointed with the bland flavour- it just didn't taste right to me. If it was a little zestier, I might have considered it again, but as it is, I really didn't care for it.


Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing with Diced Chicken (Lunch):


I figured this meal would be easy for days where I am having lunch at a restaurant so I could just order a plain garden salad and add my chicken and salad dressing to it and still be eating a NS lunch. I opened the chicken pouch and about six sad little pieces of chicken were inside. The dressing was definitely not creamy- it was more of a vinaigrette based Caesar. Again, I have nothing against that type of dressing, but why on earth would they label it creamy? I wish some of the descriptions were more accurate. Would I eat it again? Yes, because I do like the convenience and it's easier to eat out with it instead of a lunch bar. The dressing had a bit of zip to it and I like that. I did use my lunch protein to add some more chicken though and found myself surprisingly full afterwards. This won't be one of my favourites but I'm sure it will make an appearance from time to time.


Fettuccine Alfredo (Lunch):


I like this meal as is, but I decided to jazz it up a little. I added diced tomatoes, red onion, green pepper, and mushrooms and fried them in a pan with a little Pam spray while the fettuccine was being made. I chopped up a serving of chicken and added that as well. The result was a delicious, filling pasta dish that I really enjoyed.


I'll be doing my weekly weigh in post on Monday next week since I am not bringing my computer to Niagara Falls (the hotel charges a whopping $14.95 a day for internet access, ouch!), and hopefully I'll have more good news!

It's been seven weeks...

Nothing like progress to make you feel great! I weighed in today and I lost 3.4lbs this week! I've been unable to get much exercise in lately since my husband has been out of town, so it's a good feeling to know that I can still lose just by eating smart. Of course, I want to get back to getting in my workouts 3x a week again though.

I have another big challenge coming up next weekend- my husband and I are going to Niagara Falls for 2 days to celebrate our fifth anniversary, and to have some time to ourselves while our son gets quality time with Grandma. My plan is to bring my NS breakfasts and lunch bars, and then to eat something reasonable for dinner. I am not sure how this is going to look on the scale but I am going to do my best to stick to program as much as possible. I've lost over 18 pounds in 7 weeks- the last thing I want to do is shoot myself in the foot! It's really not worth it. Sure, you enjoy the food for a few minutes, but then what are you left with? That heavy, bloated feeling and a sense of guilt.

I've been feeling so positive about myself lately that there's no need to self sabotage! Weight loss isn't easy. It's a decision you make multiple times every day, so you really have to be committed to your goal. Remember- you're worth it!

Yum!

I've really been enjoying trying all the new US foods. I still have quite a few left to sample and I'm looking forward to it. Variety is definitely the spice of life in this case- there are enough things I enjoy that I can see myself sticking to this program for as long as it takes to lose the weight. For the first time in my life, my weight doesn't seem like an insurmountable issue anymore- I know I can do it!

Here are some of the new foods that I have tried.

Chocolate Rainbow Delights (Dessert):


These came free in my order. I wasn't too sure what to expect from the name but they were basically M&Ms. I like the desserts that have more smaller items because it takes longer to eat them, so you get to enjoy them for longer.

However, I didn't just eat them plain! I saw a great idea on the Nutrisystem boards to jazz them up. Mix one cup of popcorn (a free food), some nuts (I chose almonds, my fat serving), dried fruit (I like apples, make sure there is no sugar added!), and the Chocolate Rainbow Delights for a yummy snack mix. It was a great choice for sitting in front of the TV and having some munchies. This is definitely on my reorder list.




Turkey Hot Dog (Lunch):


This was again, a freebie. I hadn't planned on ordering any because I've been eating veggie dogs occasionally as my protein serving so I haven't been feeling hot dog-deprived. The first thing I noticed when I opened the package was the smell. It smelled like bad cat food, honestly. After I followed the directions and microwaved it, it still smelled gross but I decided to give it a try with a whole wheat bun that you are supposed to add. I made a veggie dog at the same time for comparison. The texture of the NS hot dog was just right- it felt like a real hot dog when I was chewing it. I really couldn't get past the smell though so I won't be ordering it again. My veggie dog was thicker and denser (and thus, less hot dog-like than the NS dog) but it doesn't stink and it still tastes yummy with ketchup and relish, plus I can have it and a meal, so why waste my meal on a hot dog?


Strawberry Shortcake Bar (Dessert):


I was excited to try this because I adore strawberry shortcake. I was very disappointed by NS's take on it, though. The strawberry part was like one of those chewy Fruit To Go candies, very stiff, sticky, and synthetic strawberry-tasting. I know there was more to the bar underneath it, but I couldn't taste it because it was overwhelmed by the chewy strawberry part. The bar was so stiff it was difficult to chew as well. Maybe I just got a stale one? I don't know. I don't plan to order this again though. There are so many desserts I love that I don't see the point in wasting time on one that was just "meh" or worse.


Sloppy Joe Mix (Dinner):


I really enjoyed this! The sauce was somehow sweet and zesty at the same time, and it was full of meat chunks. There was far too much to eat with the whole wheat bun you are supposed to add, so I ate a lot of it plain. It was still good. I am considering using pasta to make spaghetti bolognese next time instead of the bun- I think it would be really delicious that way.


Chocolate Chip Cookie (Dessert):


This cookie was soft and cake-y. It was good, but basically just a soft chocolate chip cookie. Not too much to say about it. It was very light and not overly sweet. I was thinking it wasn't going to be one of my favourite desserts, but I did find myself wishing for another bite once it was finished.

New foods and more tips and tricks!

I've been away for a few days visiting family so I haven't had as much time to be online as usual- still sticking to my program, though. I had my first major challenge this week. I went out to dinner with a friend, and I decided to eat my NS dinner before going out to reduce the possibility of temptation. I just ordered a big garden salad with fat free dressing. I was really proud of myself. Of course, my friend ordered a burger and fries and seemed to take perverse pleasure in trying to get me to eat some fries. Then after dinner, he tried to get me to split a dessert! It wasn't easy, but I didn't want to throw away everything I've done for something that would taste good for a few minutes and then be forgotten. If I got through that, I can get through anything!

Here are some of the new things I have tried.

Fudge Graham Bar (Lunch):


I really liked this! It smells exactly like a graham cracker and I liked the chocolate. I think this would be good with a little of Walden Farms calorie free marshmallow dip on top- it would taste exactly like a S'more. It was more chocolatey than fudge-y, which I like better anyway.


Macaroni and Cheese with Beef (Dinner):


Since I liked the regular Macaroni and Cheese, I figured I would like this and I was right. It tasted exactly like Hamburger Helper cheeseburger macaroni. Loved this- it definitely made me feel like I was cheating. There is absolutely nothing missing from the flavour. I think Kraft Dinner and Hamburger Helper could take a page from NS here.


Carrot Cake (Dessert):


This was pretty good. I wasn't impressed by the frosting, since I was expecting the usual cream cheese type. This didn't really make much of an impact on the flavour so as far as I was concerned, it was only there for appearance. The cake itself was very good though and I enjoyed it.


Meatloaf and Tomato Sauce with Mashed Potatoes (Dinner):


My question here is, where's the beef??? The box shows a nice thick slice of meat loaf, a pile of mashed potatoes, and dill pickle slices. The entree was almost entirely mashed potatoes with a couple of bites of meat loaf. Now, I like mashed potatoes as much as the next person (despite the unappealing look of the entree in the photo), but if I just wanted to eat potatoes, I'd have the lunch Cheesy Homestyle Potatoes. I was disappointed because this is one of my personal favourite comfort meals and I don't think it's going to be one of my go-tos. It was okay, but not what I wanted. And why would they put dill pickle slices on the box if they don't give you any? They haven't done that for any of the other meals.


Buffalo Chicken Wrap (Dinner):


Loved this! It is zesty with a kick, and I found it very filling. There is too much meat and sauce to fit on their wrap, though. For some reason they give you a wrap for this meal and not for the veggie fajitas. I also thought it was a little odd that the wrap tasted slightly sweet but it was OK. I added some onions, bell pepper, lettuce, and tomatoes after taking the photo and it was a really yummy meal.


Here are a few things I've tried with the NS meals to jazz them up a bit.

Granola Cereal (Breakfast):


I turned it into apple crisp and it was fantastic! Chop up your apples and stir them up with cinnamon and a little brown sugar Splenda, and a little sugarfree maple syrup if you like. Top them with the granola cereal and 1 tsp of butter (yes, I am stealing your dinner fat serving but it's worth it!). The butter will melt in the oven so it doesn't need to be stirred or anything. Bake for 20 minutes and enjoy! You can also make this the night before and just microwave it in the morning- it tastes just fine.


Cheesy Homestyle Potatoes (Lunch):


I got the idea from the Nutrisystem boards to make potato salad! First prepare the potatoes as directed. Then I hardboiled an egg and diced onions and celery, then stirred in a little mustard. This was incredibly filling and yummy. At first I didn't add enough mustard so the cheesy flavour was a little odd for potato salad, but I just added a bit more and it was fine. I really enjoyed this. Add whatever things you'd normally add to potato salad (except mayo but you don't need it) and try it out! You can eat this warm or refrigerate it and have it cold like regular potato salad.

Weigh In Day!

I was happy to see I was down another two pounds today! I was a little nervous this week because I was feeling a bit bloated, but so far so good! I'm now down 15lbs in 6 weeks! It's really exciting to see real progress.

This is the best decision I could have made for myself. I am getting my health back and soon, hopefully, I'll be getting my favourite jeans back, too!