tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5412802668021038352024-03-05T00:15:46.362-05:00Finding My LauraThe Ins and Outs, Ups and Downs, Heres and Theres of Weight Loss....and some other things you probably won't care about!stratcat45http://www.blogger.com/profile/12516825222020769669noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541280266802103835.post-58262971464511626972024-02-24T14:47:00.005-05:002024-02-25T15:59:33.712-05:00Hello!<p> I'm still here.</p><p>Had a bad week but am still pushing forward. Still off track most days, but not all.</p><p>Let's talk eating out shall we?</p><p>I think it's important to know what to order eating out, because you can't avoid eating out (though if prices keep increasing, I won't be eating out much).</p><p>Like for instant....I had lunch from <b><u>Chick Fil A </u></b>: </p><p>12 grilled nuggets (0 pt) with a side of fruit (1 pt) and diet lemonade (0 pt). I had ordered the Zesty Buffalo Sauce (1 pt) for the nuggets but they accidentally gave me BBQ sauce (3 pts); but the lunch was still only 4 pts total. Back when Chick Fil A first started offering grilled nuggets, it was just that - grilled nuggets. Now they marinate them and I really hate the taste, however, adding sauce over them really makes them taste better. Chick Fil A is very expensive and I'm thinking to keep things cheaper, I need to keep fruit at work and only purchase the nuggets.</p><p>Some more eat out meals:</p><p><b><u>KFC: </u></b> Original chicken breast with skin removed (2 pts) and mashed potatoes with gravy (4 pts)</p><p><b><u>Applebee's: </u></b> Blackened Cajun Salmon (1 pt); 6 oz. Top Sirloin (4 pts); 8 oz. Top Sirloin (5 pts); Grilled Chicken Breast (0 pt); Garlicky Green Beans (3 pts); Steamed Broccoli (3 pts)</p><p><b><u>Chipotle:</u></b> This is how I build my bowl: Brown Rice (6 pts); Steak (3 pts); Chili-Corn Salsa (0 pt); Tomato Salsa (0 pt); Lettuce (0 pt). I keep fat free sour cream (up to 5 tbsp for 1 pt) and reduced fat cheese (1/4 cup for 3 pts) at work to top it off...but if I'm not at work; I get both of those items on the side to control it a little. I also like to keep baked tortilla chips on hand so I don't buy theirs. This is a more pointy meal; but if you have the points worth it.</p><p>I like to mess around with the WW app in the restaurant section and look for point worthy food. It helps to prepare. About every 4 to 6 weeks I have a night out with the girls; on that day I do mostly zero foods and not in large amounts. I want those points for the evening.</p><p>Another option is to go to the websites of the chain restaurants and figure out points; remember their nutritional information doesn't take into count the zero foods list.</p><p><br /></p><p>If you end up somewhere that isn't a chain, you have to play the guessing game when it comes to points. I always try to find something similar in the app.</p><p>I know this post is all over the place.... I've been dealing with a lot. My mother isn't well and isn't going to get better and I just lost one of my dogs due to illness. So yeah, I'm stressed!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>stratcat45http://www.blogger.com/profile/12516825222020769669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541280266802103835.post-12407491557956810092024-02-02T14:35:00.000-05:002024-02-09T14:37:47.534-05:00Let's Review Those Tries<p><b><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">I'm going to</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #444444;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">try</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #444444;"> </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">to walk a mile each day. (I have my walking pad to help)</span></span></i></b></p><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b><span style="font-size: medium;">I'm going to</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> try</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;">to drink 48 oz of plain water a day. (This is what WW <u>use to</u> recommend)</span></b></i></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i><b>I'm going to try to stick to the WW program. (Just rejoined in-person meetings)</b></i></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i><b>I'm going to try to read one chapter of a book per day. (starting today)</b></i></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Other than the last one....LOL!! Actually this is the start of my week. I almost have all the water in already! I drink 8 oz. first thing in the morning; 8 oz. while I'm making my coffee; 8 oz. before I leave for work and 8 oz. on my way to work. Yep, I have to pee when I get to work! I'll have the other 2 in by noon. Then I drink whatever I want or add a flavor pack to my water.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I'll start my walking today and I am tracking! Gotta get to a book though.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Anyway, I weighed in at a meeting last night for the first time in FOREVER and at the highest weight I ever weighed in at. Not good; but I'm there and on track and hopefully I can get some of this weight off. We always aim for that first 5 pounds....but I'm aiming for the first 15 pounds. I really need to get the much off and yes, I know, it's not going to happen in a week.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></div>stratcat45http://www.blogger.com/profile/12516825222020769669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541280266802103835.post-16923347152792358712024-01-31T20:48:00.001-05:002024-01-31T20:48:15.225-05:00The Big 6 - 0<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> So I turned 60 yesterday and it was pretty uneventful. My one co-worker took me to lunch and then CC took me to dinner and movie with popcorn! We always do that for each other on our birthdays - dinner and a movie.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">CC and I had been talking about doing small trips on occasion; and since this was a big birthday for me...she gifted me a weekend trip! We're going to Evans City, PA!! LOL! That may not mean anything to many of you; but it's where the movie <i>Night of the Living Dead</i> was filmed and we've always talked about driving up to see the cemetery, museum and the mall where <i>Dawn of the Dead</i> was filmed. We'll also be close to Pittsburgh plus roadside attractions along the way. No date planned yet, we will go when it's warmer.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">On the Weight Watchers front.... as I mentioned, I rejoined and will be heading to my first meeting tomorrow night. Hubby told me just to skip coming home from work and just go straight there. He'll handle all the pets at home. It'll put me there early, but there's plenty of shopping all around!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I actually got my six servings of water in today! I tracked also.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Another thing....I bought this:</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp6_kyHQj9lju3JsTBVCilvRJ0Rm7K9ThuO5YCDKJJkO3ytlVQYYhvmxp1V_0ZMvBXjs_TGzvsHLMfL9syFBrvg9Cx18_hTj_1WWa7CYm1o-vkSvl17XGqAJyomrKBPfjJTa3Oj8esw_z1sACSTSnLY0HqZpHPuOg6GiqiwR8bNHxaJV9qqMVq2p5DJugZ/s753/Screenshot%202024-01-31%20204329.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="567" data-original-width="753" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp6_kyHQj9lju3JsTBVCilvRJ0Rm7K9ThuO5YCDKJJkO3ytlVQYYhvmxp1V_0ZMvBXjs_TGzvsHLMfL9syFBrvg9Cx18_hTj_1WWa7CYm1o-vkSvl17XGqAJyomrKBPfjJTa3Oj8esw_z1sACSTSnLY0HqZpHPuOg6GiqiwR8bNHxaJV9qqMVq2p5DJugZ/w400-h301/Screenshot%202024-01-31%20204329.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It's a walking pad; basically a treadmill without the holding bars. Now I have no weather excuse for walking! In case you're interested: <a href="https://deerruntreadmill.com/products/deerrun-q1-mini-under-desk-treadmill" target="_blank">Deer Run Treadmill</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So I'm off to a pretty good start!</span></p>stratcat45http://www.blogger.com/profile/12516825222020769669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541280266802103835.post-31479263146483425062024-01-26T12:29:00.003-05:002024-01-26T12:29:29.618-05:00A Quick Update<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> I haven't done well this week. Eating wise was okay, and I managed to maintain; but everything else went wrong.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">As I've mentioned, this hasn't been a good month (or year) so far for my family. First we had issues getting my Mom placed in a nursing facility (one side was saying she was too bad for assisted living and the other side was saying she wasn't bad enough for a nursing home). That got worked out but in the middle of that, my brother-in-law suddenly needed open heart surgery. We had snow....and then my one cousin's husband passed away and now my one aunt just passed. Not a good start to the year. On the 30th I'll be 60. I was expecting to start some celebrating, but I was hit with a head cold this morning...just hoping to feel better in the morning or the birthday is a bust.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">On another note, I've decided to go back to Weight Watchers meetings; I'll just have to leave work a little earlier to make it. Though I was stuck in a contract for the app; because I was upgrading they were really nice about it, they cancelled that one (and refunded some money) and then I was able to sign up under one of the deals for the meeting. So we'll see how that goes.</span></p>stratcat45http://www.blogger.com/profile/12516825222020769669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541280266802103835.post-80229701307848492142024-01-21T16:59:00.004-05:002024-01-21T17:02:32.269-05:00It's Been Rough But Moving Forward<p><span style="font-size: medium;">We've had quite a week family wise, but things have settled down a little bit. It always seems to be something.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I've been moving forward though. Over the weekend I finally made the Cream of Wheat Mini Bread Loaf. There's different types of flavors; but I just went with a basic one:</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">1 very ripe mashed banana (or 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce or 1/2 cup pumpkin)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">1 egg</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">4 tbsp Cream of Wheat ( I used the regular)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">1 tsp baking powder</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">1/2 tsp cinnamon</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">dash of salt</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2 packets of sweetener of choice</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Lily's Chocolate chips</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Mix all ingredients except chocolate chips well. Pour into mini loaf pan sprayed with oil spray. Put chocolate chips on top (press in a little). Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">You get this:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpOFYzHsn8kl9FUIHyZzveZVvdNCCDF03Mum2lbglttbVqZIkCMfSK5aEzV_DHvwqYVxAboNVsDmMsHJwaRYvtTi55XHotwIcz8l2VX8wJu3iLddRmu4BXD8g8syOajyQrnTSnYd8VpCNui5VTDnbbn6L372F5lDiaE2pVXZ5nFrwnMohCSM5U7pUyC5Sx/s4000/20240120_095109%5B5930%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpOFYzHsn8kl9FUIHyZzveZVvdNCCDF03Mum2lbglttbVqZIkCMfSK5aEzV_DHvwqYVxAboNVsDmMsHJwaRYvtTi55XHotwIcz8l2VX8wJu3iLddRmu4BXD8g8syOajyQrnTSnYd8VpCNui5VTDnbbn6L372F5lDiaE2pVXZ5nFrwnMohCSM5U7pUyC5Sx/w300-h400/20240120_095109%5B5930%5D.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">They are so good!! The two I made this weekend I did with bananas as I had some that were very ripe...I decided to make them for breakfast this week, so today I made 5 using unsweetened applesauce. Though mini loafs, they are a big serving and very filling. Point value will depend on which plan you're doing and how many chocolate chips you plan on using. In my case I'm using Healthi's Carb Conscious plan (similar to WW Point Plus) and it came to 4 bites (Healthi's version of points).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I'm making meatloaf tonight, so that will also become tomorrow's lunch. Tomorrow night is pork & sauerkraut, which will become Tuesday's lunch, and Tuesday night is Slow Cooker Three Bean & Chicken Chili, which, of course, is Wednesday's lunch. Still working on Thursday and Friday! I have a hard time meal planning lunches - I can't eat the same thing over and over. For breakfast yes, lunch no. I do better if leftovers from dinner become my lunches.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>stratcat45http://www.blogger.com/profile/12516825222020769669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541280266802103835.post-92200876365909325312024-01-16T00:00:00.001-05:002024-01-16T12:29:47.322-05:00A Product You Should Look For<p><span style="font-size: medium;">If I order a sandwich out...I like a crusty hard roll. I don't want it on bread or a hamburger roll. I want a sub.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I always look for the little club rolls at stores. They use to be so easy to find and now seem non-existent. Sometimes I will buy the large sub/steak rolls and cut them in half and just use half. Another option is to pick your roll and pull out the bread on the inside to get the roll to the weight you want in order to have the points you want. I always consider rolls should be 3-4 pts.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I was in Walmart and found these in the bakery section (not the bread aisle):</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPLD0oQsRMN6SR99rMD9L28pcOj_PGg2hstIrPvATeROjnSWaroRLMog8qogTrPPjNwqwgCHC1zP6_31YnlzZv-1TvXa7Y0L38kdfW1QqnyLwoPXI8_ye4WtFihlVZqRt4vTIYahReUc6NoUiHgES7qdoSP8OWz_oz8WuJG_W2i2ZI8EHKWKsDYl-UxQ/s4000/20230507_154739%20(002).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPLD0oQsRMN6SR99rMD9L28pcOj_PGg2hstIrPvATeROjnSWaroRLMog8qogTrPPjNwqwgCHC1zP6_31YnlzZv-1TvXa7Y0L38kdfW1QqnyLwoPXI8_ye4WtFihlVZqRt4vTIYahReUc6NoUiHgES7qdoSP8OWz_oz8WuJG_W2i2ZI8EHKWKsDYl-UxQ/s320/20230507_154739%20(002).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhshJfm0RyqHmhp660mhYUUaa8y6YieOoAZ1sVzTcU9lu80esCvNRTYalp5kkAK496G9t6UrNBvKMOP9JvyiqlTvvdFCzToqBm6Tivk9KvmHbMx0EZaMIq4x9WM1h-M49q3M214rKqjcVUou2oWH--y2kLAWbp-uW-N4SGK5Oz1b2I-S7U8JEt56cd1jQ/s4000/20230507_154723%20(002).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhshJfm0RyqHmhp660mhYUUaa8y6YieOoAZ1sVzTcU9lu80esCvNRTYalp5kkAK496G9t6UrNBvKMOP9JvyiqlTvvdFCzToqBm6Tivk9KvmHbMx0EZaMIq4x9WM1h-M49q3M214rKqjcVUou2oWH--y2kLAWbp-uW-N4SGK5Oz1b2I-S7U8JEt56cd1jQ/s320/20230507_154723%20(002).jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Crusty like I like and only 3 WW points!! (I've included the nutrition label so you can check what they are on your plan, if you do another). They actually weren't very expensive either! However, I will advise that you should freeze them and take out as you need them - they'll mold fast otherwise.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I'll add 1-1/2 oz. Virginia Ham and a half a slice of Sargento's Thin Sliced Swiss and 1/2 a tbsp of light mayo for a total of 6 points! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I actually had this sandwich today along with a mini cucumber and chicken corn soup. This bread makes you feel like you're cheating, lol!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I've seen others post about these rolls and someone mentioned they make french bread pizza with them! We have a local sub shop that makes awesome steamers (you may know them as sloppy joe's); I prefer them on a mini sub roll rather than the hamburger but don't like the upcharge to a sub price (even though the mini sub uses no more steamer than the regular). Next time I know that we're going there, I'll just order the regular and switch it to one of these when I'm back in the office!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I'm also going to start using the Healthi app more with the Better Balance plan. When WW runs out, I just can't see continuing with them...unless they bring back in person meeting times that I can get to.</span></div><br /><p><br /></p>stratcat45http://www.blogger.com/profile/12516825222020769669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541280266802103835.post-28788959012312285672024-01-14T09:26:00.001-05:002024-01-14T09:26:07.385-05:00A Quick Update!!<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I've been all over the place since starting...... my parents are elderly and live with my one sister. At the moment my mom is in a rehab facility and not doing well. In the middle of all this my sister's brother had to have unexpected open heart surgery. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It hasn't been a good start for the year, my response was <i>"This is the worst year ever and we're only 5 days in."</i> So weight loss went down the list as well as my posting here.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I'll admit, when things get rough...I go off course. I need to work harder at that and come up with a solution.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I belong to a WW FB group that posts recipes and such. There are several of these groups that are very similar. The recipes they post are actually stolen from other websites. I wouldn't mind this if they've give credit to the website, but someone always posts it as their own (even the photos are stolen); they also do the same thing with products found to be low points. Be aware of these groups, because many times the recipes posted can be from older WW plans; that means the points aren't accurate.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Anyway, this particular group posted something about Rao's Soups. You may be familiar with their sauces but now they make soups. I did a search and found this:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.thekitchn.com/raos-soups-reviews-22953698" target="_blank">The Kitchn Rao Soup Reviews</a><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I'm going to hunt these down. Winter months, cold.....I can eat soup for lunch! My hubby works at a diner and I had him bring me a quart of their chicken corn soup home. Sure theirs <i>is</i> better than what comes out of a jar or can..but Rao's would keep better at work. I used to have what I called an "oops" drawer; an emergency drawer at work filled with point friendly products, in case my breakfast or lunch were accidentally left on the kitchen counter. I need to start that again; sometimes I just don't want what I'm packing for lunch.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">And isn't that the point, wanting to eat what is in front of you? We need to learn how to turn our favorites into point friendly meals. Don't force yourself to eat things you don't like! You'll never stick to the plan!</span></p>stratcat45http://www.blogger.com/profile/12516825222020769669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541280266802103835.post-80450512634321711352024-01-01T00:00:00.001-05:002024-01-01T00:00:00.192-05:00HAPPY NEW YEAR!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_FNzdbaOENSewGXjJfjP-pF6ra4C-R111ziRdSvZrSHGxi9i_rd8WxhL48xL3WR2gBsPAWYX84gx7btgVPz6YH8N7IXkuCEdkuvl6fWftiroMjOynlVwtR14p4A-YobTDXZT2W_DH6l0gG2Vz2PfkOL7UQbC5Fl7sLC17Xq_ViLC2j7ngADR2WvYPqmKb/s559/Screenshot%202023-12-28%20090946.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="493" data-original-width="559" height="565" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_FNzdbaOENSewGXjJfjP-pF6ra4C-R111ziRdSvZrSHGxi9i_rd8WxhL48xL3WR2gBsPAWYX84gx7btgVPz6YH8N7IXkuCEdkuvl6fWftiroMjOynlVwtR14p4A-YobTDXZT2W_DH6l0gG2Vz2PfkOL7UQbC5Fl7sLC17Xq_ViLC2j7ngADR2WvYPqmKb/w640-h565/Screenshot%202023-12-28%20090946.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>stratcat45http://www.blogger.com/profile/12516825222020769669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541280266802103835.post-79515528207689574802023-12-31T16:48:00.000-05:002023-12-31T16:48:10.787-05:00Before the Start of a New Year<p><span style="font-size: medium;">Because we're on the last day of the year and a lot of us, myself included, will be starting on a weight loss journey; I felt I needed to do a post.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">To start always remember: </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Diet:</b> <i>the kinds of food that a person, animal or community habitually eats</i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Willpower:</b> <i>the ability to control ones actions, emotions or urges</i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Regardless which you've chosen to follow (Weight Watchers, Healthi, Noom, Nutrisystem, Atkins, Keto, etc..) remember it's a <i>program</i> not a <i>diet</i>. So don't listen to those who constantly yell "<i>it's a lifestyle change not a diet</i>" because it is in fact a diet...<i><u>what you are eating is a diet.</u></i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">You do need willpower for your program. You need willpower to overcome your bad habits; once you can do it, they will become good habits. Follow your program, use your willpower and the good habits will come.<br /><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">As I've mentioned before, I don't do resolutions or goals. I feel they are either pass or fail. I do <i>tries</i>. I just <i>try</i> to do better than I've done before. I'm always a work in progress. My <i>tries</i> for the year are: tracking, staying on program, walking, water and just using all that for better habits. I'll achieve some of these daily, some not....but I'm<i> trying </i>and that's what matters.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">We will work this together, a day at a time.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Happy New Year!</span></p><p><br /></p>stratcat45http://www.blogger.com/profile/12516825222020769669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541280266802103835.post-27316387786493197952023-12-29T00:00:00.002-05:002024-01-04T09:01:27.268-05:00The Pros and Cons of Weight Watchers<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">There's a lot of postings on the WW FB Groups lately both cons and pros of Weight Watchers. Some are still upset over the closing of meetings, firing of employees, what will eventually happen to lifetimer status, and the purchasing of a weight loss drug company; which is changing the whole path of what WW stood for. Others are standing behind WW and are mad about all the negative comments.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Where do I stand?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I'm probably more on the con side of WW at the moment.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Weight Watchers provided me with a way to lose weight without making me feel deprived of the foods I loved. In 1998 the first points program was introduced; that particular program would remain around in one form or another (but always using the same way to calculate points) until late 2010. TWELVE YEARS!! Points Plus got introduced in November of 2010 and would last until 2015. FIVE YEARS. Then Smart Points arrived and would last for TWO YEARS and then we had Freestyle for about ONE YEAR before it became the Green, Blue, Purple plan and then it bounced into Personal Points where you chose your own zero food list and then a year later we were back to Blue/Freestyle only with the Personal Point Calculation. Whew!!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In other words.... The first point plan lasted 12 years but since 2016 WW has had FIVE plans. That's right 5 plans in 7 years. Apparently we're either over achieving or can't commit to a program.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">That's why I'm on the con side - I'm frustrated with all the plans. Though I think the original and points plus were the best plans. I do think if weight watchers wants to commit to the personal point calculation, they should do so with plan options - like the color ones. One for those who want to count points for everything, one for maybe just fruits/veggies being zero pts., one like the current one; one like purple and one like simply filling. That may seem like a lot; but it's better than forcing everyone into one plan, especially when you offered it and then took it away.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I for one don't like losing daily points to accommodate a zero food that I don't eat and/or rarely eat. I just don't. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Also if anyone is on the Healthi App and doing one of the WW programs on it, they are still doing Weight Watchers! Don't knock them for it.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">As far as weight loss drugs...I could care less if you use them or not, as a matter of fact if your doctor thinks that's the way to go then by all means follow your doctor's advice. I don't believe, however, that WW should be offering this service via a website. Sorry, I just don't.</span></p><p><br /></p>stratcat45http://www.blogger.com/profile/12516825222020769669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541280266802103835.post-23556851089100171842023-12-28T15:14:00.008-05:002024-01-04T09:02:35.130-05:00Willpower and Being Kind<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> <span>So what exactly is "willpower" and do I need it for weight loss?</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I bring this up because someone posted about receiving another ad from WW <i>"You don't need more willpower, you need the power of Weight Watchers clinic".</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">She didn't like what it was saying; which is basically "you need our drugs".</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This, of course, started one of those conversations that eventually ended with someone telling her if she thinks willpower is all you need for weight loss she's missing the point and another saying she should leave WW if she doesn't like it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Remember my post from here: <a href="https://findingmylaura.blogspot.com/2022/09/update-and-ww-dont-dos.html" target="_blank">Don't Be Negative With Others</a> It kind of applies here as well.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Willpower:</b><span> </span><i> <span style="background-color: white; color: #212529; font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures;">the ability to control one's own actions, emotions, or urges</span></i></span></p><p><span style="color: #212529; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures;">Now, willpower alone won't get you there, but you do need willpower as part of a weight loss journey.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #212529; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures;">But that wasn't what the post was about...everyone missed the point. Her point was as a weight watcher member already, she doesn't need to constantly receive ads from them telling her she needs more then just their plan. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #212529; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures;">That's it! That's all she was saying! And, yet, the <i>"holier than thou"</i> WW crew popped out to defend their god - you know, that does no wrong.</span></span></p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212529; font-variant-ligatures: no-common-ligatures; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">She has every right to be a WW member AND not agree with them all the time!!</span></span></h1><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">And guess what? So do you!!</span></div>stratcat45http://www.blogger.com/profile/12516825222020769669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541280266802103835.post-63357436580177424372023-12-28T07:00:00.002-05:002024-01-01T11:56:04.647-05:00Healthi App<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> I'd thought I'd spend a post discussing the <a href="https://healthiapp.com/" target="_blank">Healthi App</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Healthi was formally itrackbites.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Healthi is an app that offers older Weight Watchers plans. <i>They do not offer the current plan</i>. They do not use the term "points"; instead they are called "bites".</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I've heard some people say that the points are off from the calculations in WW. Let me repeat to you... <i>Healthi <b>does not</b> offer the current WW plan</i>.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">A lot of people prefer the older plans. I happen to be one of them. I'll put a legend on the sidebar with my abbreviations for Healthi.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The plans offered through Healthi are:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://healthiapp.com/weight-loss-plans/conquer-cravings" target="_blank">Conquer Cravings</a>. This is the closest you'll get to the original points plan offered by WW. There were different versions of this program and this particular plan in Healthi follows the last version, where everyone had 35 weeklies (instead of banking points or such). If you need to learn portion control, this is a good program to get started with.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://healthiapp.com/weight-loss-plans/carb-conscious" target="_blank">Carb Conscious</a>. This particular one is a favorite of many. It mimics the Points Plus program. It is not a low carb plan despite its name. It's just the first time that WW looked at the carb count of a food item in it's calculation. This is my plan of choice.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://healthiapp.com/weight-loss-plans/sugar-smart" target="_blank">Sugar Smart</a>. Sugar Smart is the original smart points plan and was referred to as the Green plan as well. If you have an issue with sweets, this is the plan for you. It also encourages protein. I like this program as well.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://healthiapp.com/weight-loss-plans/better-balance" target="_blank">Better Balance</a>. This one is the Freestyle, later called the Blue plan. This is one of the plans where offering a zero point food list came into play. It's the closest you will get to the current WW plan - HOWEVER, how foods are calculated is different - which is why people complain that the calculations are off...again, <i>this is an older plan - not the current one</i>!<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://healthiapp.com/weight-loss-plans/calorie-command" target="_blank">Calorie Command</a>. Pretty self explanatory - this is counting calories - no bites/points.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://healthiapp.com/weight-loss-plans/keeping-keto" target="_blank">Keeping Keto</a>. This is a Keto plan. I know very little about Keto plans.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>FYI:</b> Better Balance and Keto are only available with the Pro version of the plan. To see the differences between the Free version and the Pro version: <a href="https://help.healthiapp.com/support/solutions/articles/13000060388-1-3-getting-started-pro-free" target="_blank">Plan Differences</a>. Trust me, the Pro version is worth it!! Don't join pro right away; as you're learning the app, they will offer you deals. Also look for codes from their coaches. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">With the Pro version you can also track a secondary measurement with your bite plan: calories, macros or both. This is helpful to some, but I find too many numbers just throws me off!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">If you're disgruntled with WW...Healthi is the place to go!!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p>stratcat45http://www.blogger.com/profile/12516825222020769669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541280266802103835.post-71568254752274088792023-12-26T00:00:00.006-05:002023-12-26T15:45:53.745-05:00Holiday Over, Moving Forward<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">So we've got one holiday out of the way with one more to go! For me, New Years isn't a big deal, we don't do anything and if we do it'll be steamed shrimp - and that's a zero point food!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I'm hoping I'm through the worst of it now. Probably will get back on my plan consistently beginning on Friday, as that's when I start my week; but I will try to keep things under control the rest of the week.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I've bought some Dannon's Light & Fit Yogurt for breakfast. Cherry flavor I'll add some Lily's chocolate chips to; I found an orange flavor and I'm thinking....that will make a really good smoothie: Premier Vanilla Protein Shake, Sunkist to go flavor packet, a small orange*, spinach (you can't taste it) and ice! Mmmmmmm...... It'll cost me 5 points but that's about 44 grams of protein!! That's a good start for the day.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I think a small garden salad and a packet of tuna & crackers will get me through lunch, then just a normal dinner. Tomorrow night I'll do pork chops with baked potatoes (we ended up not having that the other night); Wednesday is a night out after work; Thursday I get off work early so maybe another dinner at home.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I hate that I feel like I always have to be thinking about food!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span><i>*I never count the points for fruit in a smoothie (even though WW says to). Why? For the most part I don't overdrink in smoothies, I don't use more than 1-2 fruits in a smoothie and not counting them has never hindered my weight loss. YOU DO YOU!!</i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>stratcat45http://www.blogger.com/profile/12516825222020769669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541280266802103835.post-29514895678255126562023-12-25T00:00:00.001-05:002023-12-25T00:00:00.200-05:00HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhveFOl9OY-L-JSy-ZHbJhiphpuRO-xpD3tntaYbEfox2tSOkJqAZ4cRMCH03HhkWDrjhuRM7xZDBNRzg3RKXKCBEbkgkChmg3RMkyzU245vxFnZnZCDfjZ9tt7PjS3VqqT1ym6Br-yNBkTVKv7yB99wbAsgYcRrpAeIeT8Uaf01J_lQxBH90zgMZxsFWqS/s526/130476090_10224131674509927_5484704611113011150_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="526" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhveFOl9OY-L-JSy-ZHbJhiphpuRO-xpD3tntaYbEfox2tSOkJqAZ4cRMCH03HhkWDrjhuRM7xZDBNRzg3RKXKCBEbkgkChmg3RMkyzU245vxFnZnZCDfjZ9tt7PjS3VqqT1ym6Br-yNBkTVKv7yB99wbAsgYcRrpAeIeT8Uaf01J_lQxBH90zgMZxsFWqS/w400-h400/130476090_10224131674509927_5484704611113011150_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>stratcat45http://www.blogger.com/profile/12516825222020769669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541280266802103835.post-44091245886851189772023-12-23T12:16:00.002-05:002023-12-23T12:20:17.363-05:00Good Food Day<div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;">Though I'm only half dieting during the holidays, I'm doing well today.</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;">For breakfast I had 2 eggs (0 pts), 2 slices of light bread (2 pts), 3 slices fully cooked bacon (3 pts), a cup of skim milk (3 pts) and a banana (0 pts). For a total of 8 pts.</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;">That may seem like a lot for breakfast, but it's actually not as it's filling. </span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;">For lunch I'm having a grilled chicken breast (0 pts), a tossed salad with light dressing (1 pt), and an orange (0 pts). </span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;">Then dinner is Pork chop coated with shake n bake (5 pts), peas (0 pts) and baked potato (4 pts).</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;">It still leaves me 5 pts of my dailies! Which I may or may not use. Course I may end up eating more than my allowed points (snacking), but I think meal wise I've done well!</span></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto" id="composer_signature"><div dir="auto" style="color: #575757; font-size: 12px;">Sent from my T-Mobile 5G Device</div></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div>stratcat45http://www.blogger.com/profile/12516825222020769669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541280266802103835.post-49261551047812385752023-12-21T06:07:00.005-05:002023-12-21T06:07:45.386-05:00Quick Update!<p><span style="font-size: medium;">I wanted to give an update on where I am...</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Obviously not in weight loss mode; I fell off and once I started getting back on track, the holidays hit. Today's the party at work....then Christmas.....</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I just decided to wait it out to at least next week.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I've got some ideas for breakfast to get started and meal prep. I have a hard time with meal prep as far as lunch and dinner go - I like a variety.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So that's my update!</span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">HAPPY HOLIDAYS!! </span></b></p>stratcat45http://www.blogger.com/profile/12516825222020769669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541280266802103835.post-54573415296202162102023-12-19T09:27:00.004-05:002024-01-04T09:06:05.967-05:00Let's Discuss Weight Loss Drugs and WW Apologizing<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">In case you haven't seen the news or a news article in the past 2 weeks.... WW CEO Sima has been apologizing for WW for not recognizing the need for weight loss drugs.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Sima.... to the best of my knowledge, I don't need an apology from WW. As a matter of fact, I'm rather offended that you are making it sound like I'm not capable of losing weight without you shoving a pill down my throat or jabbing me with a needle.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Your program and meetings worked just fine for me; but you've taken what I needed to lose weight away in order to push your new agenda. I get it, you're a business; your job is to make the company money. You're not the WW that I love and want; and though you are trying to offer many things to accommodate a bunch of different people's needs; all you're really doing is pushing your new agenda and pushing the rest of us out.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">That's not cool and that's what you should be apologizing for.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I have nothing against weight loss drugs (or weight loss surgery for that matter); I do not think WW's "clinicians" should be advising anyone of this though. I think if this is the path someone chooses to follow; they should do so with their own doctor.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Do you want to be on these meds forever? Because you will have to be, if not, the weight will come back.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Are you following a healthy plan or just eating whatever? I watch people do both when on these drugs.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Is your insurance going to cover the cost of the drugs? Or are you? These are questions you should ask yourself before handing over your hard earned money to Weight Watchers. To my understanding the WW core program is included in the medication program (not the in person meeting one) and there is a special program just for those using weight loss medications; but anyone can access this plan in the settings on the app.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">And isn't it amazing that Oprah <i>just happens</i> to go public with the fact that she uses weight loss drugs at the same time Weight Watchers is announcing their new approach? What a sales tactic!</span></p>stratcat45http://www.blogger.com/profile/12516825222020769669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541280266802103835.post-63236973099626499932023-11-26T09:00:00.000-05:002023-11-26T09:26:28.793-05:00A Product Review<p><span style="font-size: medium;">After reading about how wonderful these are; I finally broke down and paid the high price for them:</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQcd6ifkRkLdx74CQeQ0APZZVILQ8pzG3S4vbaOasKkFRW-dyT_ZpJObwC991umX3QmBSf-ExXDIqr84A8KAb2xisOfLPSPxAqALQ2jidyebQN5KgmCpcnLNYTEKN00s4kZ9vKt1ST6ohbTUjmkMsYtfb-yE-bt2_CD9jMbrLfQscWYUmQVrDWfaULb3d/s4000/20231022_180438.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQcd6ifkRkLdx74CQeQ0APZZVILQ8pzG3S4vbaOasKkFRW-dyT_ZpJObwC991umX3QmBSf-ExXDIqr84A8KAb2xisOfLPSPxAqALQ2jidyebQN5KgmCpcnLNYTEKN00s4kZ9vKt1ST6ohbTUjmkMsYtfb-yE-bt2_CD9jMbrLfQscWYUmQVrDWfaULb3d/s320/20231022_180438.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFtwxigKzsc3jD7dbhVuM9nOs7uc24eQLCyjioqZzLp6PEPMZTmZzLRBbmbtmMk-j9nhLpZeGk377rVz_I1WIUyET2wItPA5olstW-IoGlQ44orW3gh0VFPJGsDBAL3OvhadxshNG5kUPA-VjUakFHS8yJWCFneVcb4dvtcFurNPWjGWdKoG5WI7a0psw_/s2427/20231022_180734.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2427" data-original-width="2059" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFtwxigKzsc3jD7dbhVuM9nOs7uc24eQLCyjioqZzLp6PEPMZTmZzLRBbmbtmMk-j9nhLpZeGk377rVz_I1WIUyET2wItPA5olstW-IoGlQ44orW3gh0VFPJGsDBAL3OvhadxshNG5kUPA-VjUakFHS8yJWCFneVcb4dvtcFurNPWjGWdKoG5WI7a0psw_/s320/20231022_180734.jpg" width="271" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-size: medium;">PopTarts are very high in points on WW. These are much lower in points and are high in protein. People rave about them online. They are pricy, it cost me $10 for a box of 4. I would have preferred the option to just purchase one, but that wasn't a possibility at my Walmart. Anyway, I just had one and must say I wasn't impressed. It was nothing like a poptart. It was more like a soft sugar cookie with icing and a smear of filling on the inside. I'll finish them up, but I won't be buying again.</span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>stratcat45http://www.blogger.com/profile/12516825222020769669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541280266802103835.post-62626668825253866772023-11-25T10:51:00.006-05:002023-11-25T10:51:00.128-05:00One Bad Meal.......<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh236kSedEH632qcUAoLvECZoBpzZQrok_JkIXAEx25EA1nNxh3QhgyQkOv7b5U-aAT9oiuiCdnBXolQ4t8oIVxR7KlEJlepEDmbNAuCqevUArhLogpkasBayNlBk2KC6oDsS95IFIbLRZCqFop6jjblGcOyVSYUZ1o4YI51RnItKEpmiS4wualyvTDWFVL/s672/BDlw4BzCEAEebp9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="672" data-original-width="554" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh236kSedEH632qcUAoLvECZoBpzZQrok_JkIXAEx25EA1nNxh3QhgyQkOv7b5U-aAT9oiuiCdnBXolQ4t8oIVxR7KlEJlepEDmbNAuCqevUArhLogpkasBayNlBk2KC6oDsS95IFIbLRZCqFop6jjblGcOyVSYUZ1o4YI51RnItKEpmiS4wualyvTDWFVL/w330-h400/BDlw4BzCEAEebp9.jpg" width="330" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There's a lot of truth in this meme!!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A bad meal won't make you fat. You didn't gain weight from one bad meal. Just like you won't lose weight eating one good meal.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">However.... don't let one bad meal derail you! Shake it off, pick yourself back up and get back on track!!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The one good meal??? Hey, keep eating those!</span></div><br /> <p></p>stratcat45http://www.blogger.com/profile/12516825222020769669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541280266802103835.post-69980911678351821492023-11-24T12:00:00.002-05:002023-11-24T12:52:01.891-05:00Week Update!<p><span style="font-size: medium;">So how did my week go????</span></p><p><span><span style="font-size: medium;">Well I managed a </span><b><u><span style="font-size: large;">2.1 lb. loss</span></u></b><span style="font-size: medium;">!!! It probably could have been more, but Thanksgiving being the day before weigh-in most likely threw me off. However, I expected no loss or even a gain due to the holiday - so I did really well!!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">How did I do with my tries?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I did track my food and though not perfect with choices, I did track...so I'm on plan.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I walked a mile each day with the exception of one (cold and pouring rain) and the holiday.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Water I wasn't as good at, I do much better with that when I'm working (I was off all this week), so I'll get back to that this week (though I still need to try to work on that when off work).</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Book? Nope haven't read a thing; need to find a good one!</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So my week has started over today and I've tracked my breakfast and lunch and have walked my mile!! So off to a good start, now for some water!</span></p>stratcat45http://www.blogger.com/profile/12516825222020769669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541280266802103835.post-38990652202322905462023-11-24T10:15:00.001-05:002023-11-24T12:52:49.857-05:00Let's Try<div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;">I'm not a resolution maker , mostly because I never keep them and then I feel like a failure.</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;">I feel the same way about goals.</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;">So I do <i><b>"tries"</b></i>.</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;">I'm going to <i>try</i> to walk a mile each day.</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;">I'm going to<i> try</i> to drink 64 oz of water a day.</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;">I'm going to<i> try</i> to stick to the WW program.</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;">I'm going to<i> try </i>to read one chapter of a book per day.</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;">If I don't walk the mile or drink the water or read the book or do the WW program, it'll be okay...as long as I'm<i> trying</i> my best.</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;">So what are your <i>"tries"</i>?</span></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto" id="composer_signature"><div dir="auto" style="color: #575757; font-size: 12px;">Sent from my T-Mobile 5G Device</div></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div>stratcat45http://www.blogger.com/profile/12516825222020769669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541280266802103835.post-28458989432461933282023-11-23T04:00:00.001-05:002023-11-23T04:00:00.142-05:00<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtlg_ZZ19ZI3CPkPIe0VXEGLYtpkDAmeEWkJqgE2NQNevbKiFa0L65kOfHavuPJUPaQmaLCXEfTT0uCAwUuPfvTxBFkbiC5iM0UMxKSBXj7-8d8of5o3aVh_kGiL-evTwWe2zwL6PVbdNvRqleyJu0yfEqbNjMLizwOuE-3Of65CvEbu7syxiSBPrEt3Cg/s2392/HappyThanksgiving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1342" data-original-width="2392" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtlg_ZZ19ZI3CPkPIe0VXEGLYtpkDAmeEWkJqgE2NQNevbKiFa0L65kOfHavuPJUPaQmaLCXEfTT0uCAwUuPfvTxBFkbiC5iM0UMxKSBXj7-8d8of5o3aVh_kGiL-evTwWe2zwL6PVbdNvRqleyJu0yfEqbNjMLizwOuE-3Of65CvEbu7syxiSBPrEt3Cg/s320/HappyThanksgiving.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>May you enjoy your day! Don't stress over the food - YOU GOT THIS!!</b></span></p>stratcat45http://www.blogger.com/profile/12516825222020769669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541280266802103835.post-3447420167195717052023-11-22T05:30:00.001-05:002023-11-22T05:30:00.131-05:00Water, Water & More Water!!<p><span style="font-size: medium;">Water always seems a big topic in the weight loss communities. Everyone has an opinion on the amount and what counts as water.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">For starters - plain water is best for your body; your body needs it and knows how to process it; but some just have a hard time with plain water.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I see a lot of people with HUGE jugs/cups/mugs/etc.. filled with water to drink throughout the day. Hey, if that works for you GO FOR IT! But me? That is so overwhelming I'd never get it done.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I prefer drinking water in smaller amounts; I do 8 oz. servings at a time. Why? A serving of water is only 8 oz. and once you see that measured...getting 6 or more of that size in seems doable.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I do six servings of water a day. Why 6? Because when I initially started WW, that was the healthy guideline to follow. However, they allowed any type of liquid to count (sodas, juices, broth) as long as you counted the points (if the liquid had any) as well. Over time that has changed and they now kind of say plain water.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I personally can drink plain water, but I realize not everyone can and that's okay - you do you! I start my morning with a serving, another before I leave the house, another on the way to work and pretty much by lunchtime, I have my six servings in! After that, I pretty much drink whatever I want! </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Some people drink 8 servings a day and some say you should drink 1/2 your weight in ounces. I don't know what is the correct method but again YOU DO YOU!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Also keep in mind that almost everything (food included) has some amount of water in it; so consider that as well.</span></p>stratcat45http://www.blogger.com/profile/12516825222020769669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541280266802103835.post-26473233589093631892023-11-21T12:27:00.002-05:002023-12-14T10:47:45.487-05:00Comcast / Xfinity<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">Shall we discuss Comcast/Xfinity or whatever they refer to themselves as.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">One of my email accounts is requiring me (by Comcast) to change the password. When I hit the Reset Password button it takes me to a message to go to a link to reset (that does nothing more than take me back to the same message). Calling customer service? Yeah, that doesn't help - it's all automated - so it wants to email/message me links that do nothing more but take me to the same message. It takes FOREVER to get a live person and then they are not understandable or sound so far away I can barely hear them.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I've tried online chat, reddit forum, xfinity forum, etc.... all run me through the same things over and over and then tell me to call Customer Service that can offer no more.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I don't want to change the password on this account. Comcast is FORCING me to; but cannot advise on how to do so.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So what are my choices Comcast? Am I forever not allowed access to my account????</span></p>stratcat45http://www.blogger.com/profile/12516825222020769669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541280266802103835.post-47734700626800503512023-11-21T03:00:00.002-05:002023-12-14T10:46:06.831-05:00Don't Be Negative With Others<p><span style="font-size: medium;">I was on one of my WW FB groups where a new person was asking why fruit wasn't free anymore on the plan....... the first response pretty much told her that nothing is free and everything has calories, blah, blah, blah....</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I really hate that answer and see it all the time. Don't play the know-it-all...you know what she means "She doesn't want to count points for fruit". The person, of course, answered somewhat confused...as she should of been, you didn't answer her question. Immediately the person who owns the group (yep, the influencer) commented that the person who answered was telling her how nothing is free. Alrighty....we still haven't answered the question.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I, of course, answered it as did a few others. All she said was that she was not eating healthy at all and wanted her fruits and veggies to be on her food list. There then was a few comments basically asking her how she expected to lose weight if she didn't eat healthy! Don't be the downers people! Answer the question, be encouraging. There was so many ways this could be have been answered. For example:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">"<i>Hey, you must have answered that you are pre-diabetic or diabetic; go into settings and change it and then fruit will be on your zero food list but if you are diabetic, you may want to count fruit. Oh and FYI - zero points doesn't mean zero calories, nothing is free. Good Luck!"</i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">See? It was an easy way to answer the question and give your know-it-all advice as well.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">And when she mention not being a healthy eater? Rather than berate her; a simple:</span></p><p><i><span style="font-size: medium;">"It's great that you want to add healthier foods to your diet. Good Luck with your journey."</span></i></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Don't be negative with others struggling!</span></p><p><br /></p>stratcat45http://www.blogger.com/profile/12516825222020769669noreply@blogger.com0