Good Work-Outs and a WW Update

In order to redeem myself after a weekend-o-eating-and-drinking-without-abandon, I have been working out hard this week.

On Monday, I did a 20 minute swim, and a 40 minute run.
On Tuesday, I did 16 miles on the stationary bike (about 50 minutes), and 4 miles on the treadmill (about 40 minutes)
And this morning I ran 5 1/2 miles (about 60 minutes).

I have done these workouts solo because Bex has been out of commission with a sick baby. But I need to give her a shout out because she officially finished her FIRST Triathlon on Sunday!!! Woo-Hooooooo for Bex. She is officially a Triathlete. How cool is that.

The triathlon that she did was the Rebel Man Sprint in Oxford, MS. It was a 400-meter pool swim, a 10 mile bike, and a 5K. She finished in under 2 hours, and did not finish last! That was her goal....to not come in last! I think there were like 50 people who finished after her so she beat it by a long shot. And I am really proud of her because except for the transition areas, she didn't stop.

Even though the bike was very hilly, she never got off her bike. She said she saw some girls walking their bikes towards the end but she persevered!

Even though she was wet and tired, she ran the 5K without a break. She passed a few MEN on the run course and pressed on for a strong finish!

I am so proud of her, and proud that she is my fun friend. She has come such a long way, and works so hard juggling her duties and wife, mother, and .....ATHLETE. ha ha! Love it....

Go, Bex, Go!
Go, Bex, Go!

Okay so enough about Bex...back to me. hee hee.

Each morning this week I have been soooooo tired. I'm talkin' about dragging some hiney ladies. It's not easy to come back from vacation. But each morning I have forced myself out of bed for these workouts. I am learning that the old saying is so true....When the going gets tough, the tough gets goin'....or something like that. But that's me....tough. Tuff Stuff.

I wanted to make note of one thing I did differently on the bike for that 16 miler on Tuesday. During the last few minutes I did bicep curls and tricep kick-backs without weights. Does that make sense? Just to keep my heart rate nice and high, and to get in a little itty bitty arm workout while on the bike. I wouldn't try this on a real bike, just the stationary bike. It works on the stationary bike because you don't really have to balance on the stationary. And I could feel it in my arms the next day! So just a little suggestion there on how to turn your stationary bike routine up a knotch.

Weight Watchers Update: So I have amazingly good news on the WW front. I felt certain I would gain a dress size as a result of my Mini Spring Break 2010, but I actually LOST this week! And 2 pounds, at that! Current weight is 154.5. Weight loss to date is 17 pounds.

Not only did I lose 2 pounds, I also got a super-cool Weight Watchers key chain for losing 10% of my starting weight (171 lbs.). Classy. I will carry it with pride.

Next week is the last week of our 5-week session (remember if I don't lose 2.5 pounds in 5 weeks I have to pay the $55. If I DO lose the 2.5 pounds, Boyd Gaming foots the bill!). So I need to maintain or lose in order to avoid that $55 payroll deduction. We shall see...

Delray Beach = HEAVEN!

I'm back from sunny West Palm Beach! And oh my goodness I am not kidding when I say I was a teensy tinsy bit depressed when I woke up on Sunday morning and realized we had to leave to come home! The Delray Beach area was AMAZING, the hotel was awesome, and the wedding was a BLAST!

I did NOT count points all weekend. It was lovely. But I was conscious of my portions and the amount of sweets I was eating. Sweets are my weakness.

This group of girls are like sisters to me. We were sorority sisters at Alabama from 2001-2005 and have kept in touch ever since. We are able to get together at least twice a year for weddings, showers, bachelorette parties, etc. We always have a hilarious time together and our reunions are never long enough! I love this group so much and wanted to put them all in my suitcase to take home with me! And the great part is that all of our husbands get along, too. The boys really could not be more different but they love each other! :)

So we left bright and early on Friday morning and arrived in West Palm around 3pm. We changed and got ready for the rehearsal dinner which was at a great steakhouse and martini bar right there in Delray.

Sidenote: I got my dress for the rehearsal dinner at Dillards. It was on sale marked down from $170 to $50. Then I got to the register and it was another $20 off so I got it for $30!!!! Love it when that happens....

Some of the girls after the rehearsal dinner. Look at all those pretty jewel tones!

Me and Kristin

Kathleen and Ryan havin' a beer after dinner!

On Saturday I got up and....wait for it....actually went for a run! I had packed my running clothes and tennis shoes with high aspirations of sweating at least once while on vacation. I had forgotten to change my phone to eastern time, so I woke up an hour late, thus cutting my run short. But I did about 2 miles which I figure was better than no miles.

After a glorious sunny run (in only shorts and a T-shirt!!! I'm used to donning about three layers!) we had a bridesmaids brunch in the courtyard of the hotel. Kelly's mother's friends threw it for us, and it was soooooo nice. Mimosas and bagels to start the day!

Here are all the 'maids at the brunch:

After the brunch, we had an hour or so to kill before hair and make up started so we soaked up some sun while we could!

Jessica, Kathleen, and I chillin' poolside.

10:30am+Bloody Mary in hand+pool with the girls=PERFECTION!

We spent the rest of the day enjoying each other's company and getting ready. It was so fun to have a full day with all the girls. I laughed so hard all day....I will count that as my ab workout. Ha! Here are some more pics of the wedding day:

Christina and me in the brial suite...almost showtime!

The best part...THE DRESS! Kelly looked like she walked off the cover of Modern Bride. Seriously.

Kelly seeing her dad, brother, and brother-in-law for the first time that day!Me and Jess waiting to get our pictures taken.

Mr. and Mrs. Bussard's first dance together!

Christina, me, and Caitlin at the reception. Love these girls!
Tom and me at the reception. What a cutie he is, yes?

Brian and Amy at the reception...they are newly weds, only been married about 4 months!

On Sunday morning I woke up and...wait for it....went for a run AGAIN! Remarkable, yes? I ran on the beach for a while and it was really hard. Ha ha. It was high tide so I had to run in the soft sand which I quickly figured out was harder than it looked.

So I ran down the beach, and ran back on the road. I had forgotten my watch with my GPS in it, but I ran for 10 songs which I figure was about 3 miles. No record-setting or anything, but better than nothing!

I actually like running on vacation because it is a great way to see the world. As much as I love running in the Delta, the scenery does get old after a while. I think that's the way it is no matter where you live. The same 'ole run day after day is going to get old.

So running when you're on vacation is a great way to recharge your batteries and see your destination on foot! And I loved the way I felt all day after getting in a run in the morning.

After my run, Tom and I reluctantly packed our bags and checked out of the hotel. We walked across the street to an amazing restaurant for brunch. I had a ridiculous salmon-and-goat-cheese omlette (again, who needs WW points on vacay?), and Tom had a Western Omlette. And French Toast. And hashbrowns. Safe to say he won't be blowing away any time soon.

All in all it was a fun weekend and now we're back to the daily grind.....

Have a great week everyone!

WW Update and a Vacay

Weight Watchers Update: This is going to be short and sweet because I am ANNOYED that I gained 1/2 pound this week. Current weight 156, weight loss to date 15 pounds. Done.

I will be MIA for the weekend because I am going here:

With all these girls:

and will be drinking lots of these:

I am going to Del Ray Beach, Florida tomorrow morning to be in my friend Kelly's wedding on Saturday!!!!

Kelly and Jayson are two of the most fun-loving, friendly, crazy, caring, partying people you'll ever meet and I cannot WAIT to stand beside them as they get married on this weekend. Not to mention the ridiculousness that will ensue at the reception afterwards.

Here is a picture of the happy couple:

Just kidding! Ahahhahaha! I am too funny.

This is a picture of Kelly and some old man they ran into at her Bachelorette party. Ha! Here they are for real...

Look at them, aren't they PRESH? I heart them.

We have had a great time celebrating Kelly and Jayson's engagement over the past year, and I know their wedding will be a BLAST.

Here is the bride, cliff-jumping at her engagement party:

And me with Kelly and her sweet mama Ms. Anne!

Hooray for Kelly and Jayson!!!!!

It will be a much-needed BREAK from the Delta, and I must be honest I do not have great aspirations of working out while on vacay, but will report back if for some reason I get a bee in my bonnet and decided to go for a beach run or something.

Love yall....have a great week (over the hump....whew!) and weekend! Pictures to come....

Mock One: Results

Well, good news...we survived our first 'triathlon.' Although it was not the usual race atmosphere (Bex and I were the only participants) we had a good time and were proud of ourselves for simply finishing. It took us a little longer than we had hoped, but that's alright because we did out best and at this point that's all that matters.

The weather could not have been better. Partly cloudy and breezy, about 69-71 degrees the whole time. Perfect!

We started out our morning by getting Erin (my BFF and neighbor) to give us and our bikes a ride to the gym so we could swim, and then bike directly after. Erin's five-year-old son, Webb, rode with us and was very interested in our 'race' that morning.

Webb: "Miss Laura, are you and Miss Rebecca runnin in a race?"

Laura: "Well, yes, I guess you could say we are running in a race."

Webb: "I really hope you win. Do you get a trophy if you win?"

Laura: "No, no trophy today."

Webb (looking inquizitive): "Okay. Well, if you win I'll give you my Chuck E. Cheese Medal. And a VALENTINE."

Laura: "Awesome! Thank you so much Webb!"

Webb: "Okay Miss Laura so when you see me later don't forget to tell me if you won so I can give you your medal."

What a sweet soul he is.

So anyway, once we were at the aquatic center, it was on! Here are a few FAQ's about our first (fake) triathlon!

How long did each leg take you?

The swim was 1/4 mile long, which is only about 400 meters. This took us 10:18. Just to give you a point of reference, Micheal Phelps set a world record in the 400-meter IM at the 2008 Bejing Olympics. He finished it in 4:03. Hmph.

The bike was 12 miles long and it took us 57 minutes. The bike leg we hoped to finish in 40-50 minutes so the 57 minute finish was disappointing for us. Bex was having major issues with her bike gears, and that slowed her down drasticlaly. I know if both of us had been going to full steam ahead, we would have pushed each other to a better tine.

The run was 3.1 miles and took us exactly 31 minutes. This is a 10 minute mile for the run, so we were very pleased about this.

What did you wear?

For the swim, obviously we just wore bathing suits, goggles, and swim cap. We wanted to make our transistions as quick as possible. After the swim we dried off, threw on our bike shorts over our suits, along with t-shirts and a light long-sleeve shirt. Plus socks and tennis shoes. We wore this outfit for the bike, along with our super-cool helmets.

For the run leg, we just took off our long sleeves and ran in shorts and Tshirts. For my real triathlon in May, I will purchase what they call a 'Tri Suit.' A Tri Suit is basically a wet suit with bike padding in the shorts. It is quick-drying so you can wear the same thing for the entire race, thus making your transistion areas quick and easy.

What did you eat before/after/during the race?

Like any other workout, I ate my Luna Bar and Emergen-C, pre-race. I have found a new Luna Bar flavor that is the Bomb.com. Blueberry Bliss. It is ssooooooo yummy. Like a blueberry granola bar with blueberry jam on top with icing drizzled over it. And it's good for you! Only 3 WW points, ladies.

After the bike leg, I was starving and Bex felt a headache coming on. So we each ate a HammerGel. I had Apple Cinnamon and she had Vanilla. She said the second the gel got in her stomach she could feel her headache subside. The caffeine and a few calories did the trick. Remember to refrigerate your HammerGel up until you eat them. They are better COLD!

Once we were done with the final leg, the run, I had some water and a Muscle Milk. And I felt really good! Not too exhausted, but still felt like I had gotten in a really good (and I mean REALLY good) workout.

How did you FEEL during each leg?

Swim: Since the swim was first, I thought it was the easiest. And it was very short. I am a bad swimmer, so it will always be a challenge for me. I just concentrated on getting in a rythm, stretching those arms as far out as I could, and getting my breathing down pat. It was not leisurly, but I wasn't dying either.

Bike: I did fine on the bike. But poor Bex was having serious issues with her gears slipping. I found a good pace, and just enjoyed the day while she was just laboring away. Bex and I always stay at the same pace in every sport. We always start together and ususally finish within seconds of one another so I knew her slow biking was not due to her athletic ability, but her bike instead. I probably could have pushed myself and fininshed in a more reasonable time, but I really wanted to stay within sight of Bex because she is my partner! The bike was hard, but I felt good. My hiney did not get too sore as I feared it would. And my legs felt strong and steady the whole time.

Run: The run was the hardest I think simply because it was last, and our bodies were starting to crave more hydration and calories. We had our HammerGels prior to the run, but I am definitely going to need more than that for the Olympic distance. Although we finished the run in a really good time, it was hard. We were really pushing it. Usually Bex and I trot along at a leisurly pace, but not this time. We both had our eyes on the prize, trucking away with iPods a'blaring. I was really wearing down around the half-way point of the run. But two quotes kept ringing in my ear:

"You feel that pit in your stomach? That pain is fear leaving the body. That pain is CHANGE taking place." Jillian Michaels

"When you feel it get hard you just have to push through it. You just have to push through it or else you'll never improve." Jacob the guy that works at the gym (sorry Jacob I don't know your last name).

So needless to say when we crossed our imaginary finish line it was a relief. We were both pleased with our finish, and just the fact that we DID IT! Three sports in one workout is an accomplishment in itself, and we feel good about it.

If someone had told me a year ago that I would be able to swim, bike, and run (ANY distance) all in one workout, I would have said, "This 180-pound fat butt? I don't think so. Pass the gravy." Ha!

Here are some pictures of Bex and I with our bikes after the finish.

Don't we look like Lance Armstrong?

The rest of my afternoon was lovely. I got to spend it with this cutie:

We ran some errands together while her mommy got her nails done and did some shopping. Then all got together at my in-law's to celebrate Sara Whit's birthday.

Steak+Potatoes+wine+birthday cake= the perfect way to end the day. Plus some fun time with the fam never hurts.

A lot of people say Lilly looks like her Uncle Tom! What do you think?

I hope you all had a great weekend! Talk soon, friends!

Oh, ps....if you have any questions just leave it in a comment and I'll answer them in a future post.

Culture in the Delta

Happy Friday girls! Who doesn't LOVE a Friday?

I wanted to give a shout-out to a new Delta treasure I've found recently. My sister in law mentioned the blog Hello Delta to me some time ago and I've enjoyed following it ever since!

Kallie Dreher is a photographer out of Benoit, Mississippi. She does an amazing job of capturing the true essance of the Delta in her photos. She also specializes in portraits (even PET portraits! Love that.) and weddings. Her prices are great, and the end result is even better.

I love the way she sums up the culture of the Mississippi Delta in saying, "The only thing richer than the soil is the culture, with a history that sets it apart from other areas of the world."

Kallie was nice enough to let me use a few of her photos for my blog (note the new and improved homepage pic, and the two pics on the right side over here). If you are in the Mississippi Delta area please keep her in mind for all your photographing needs!

Here are a few examples of her work!

Thanks, Kallie, for helping me spice up my blog with some Delta photos! :)

Have a great weekend, everyone!

MIA

Guys! So sorry I've been MIA for a week. I got emails this morning from two different friends asking where had I been? Was I okay? The blog is empty and lonely! It made me feel good that people actually read. :)

So the reason for my unexcused absense was because last week was a crazy one for me. On Wednesday and Thursday I spent the days loading in a the Southern Womens Show in Memphis. The casino I work for was the presenting sponsor so we had a huge booth (huge, as in, 1600 square feet. Yeah.). The show took place Friday through Sunday during which I worked 12-14 hour days each day. So needless to say by the time Monday rolled around I was in no mood to do anything that required brain activity or dealing with the general public. I took Monday and Tuesday off, back to work on Wednesday, and am just now getting my inbox to a manageable state. Whiddled down my unread emails from 300 to 70! Woot!

So that is the reason for my neglectful blogging. So sorry. But I'm back now.

This Saturday Bex and I are doing our first practice triathlon. We have lovingly dubbed this event 'Mock One.' 'Mock' because clearly this is not a real race, just practice for me and Bex. And 'One' because this is one of three mock-triathlons we will do before the Big Day on May 23. Hopefully I will be able to talk Tom into waiting in the driveway for us to cheer us in at the 'Finish' line.

First we will go to the gym on Saturday and will swim 1/4 mile. Weather permitting, we will then bike 12 miles and run 3.1 miles (a 5K). This is the standard distance of a sprint-distance tri, and we feel like if we can finish this we will be feelin' pretty good.

Time-wise, I am hoping to finish in about an hour and a half, give or take a few minutes for the transisitions. Here's how it will go (again, hopefully)

• Swim: 10-11 minutes
• Bike: 45-50 minutes
• Run: 30-32 minutes

So wish us luck because it'll be interesting. Our rain plan is to just do the bike at the gym and the run on the treadmill. If we have to do this we will be very disappointed, and it will make our time look better (biking on a stationary bike is faster than biking on the road)....but we've got to get it done even if it rains, so it is what it is.

Check back on Sunday or Monday to see if we survive....I mean, how we did. :)

*****

I have a new product I have been trying lately.

Disclaimer: The maker of this product is not paying me for this endorsment. I wish they were but they are not. If you know anyone that works for them please let them know I love them and would like for them to pay me for this lovely advertisment that a total of about 40 people will see. :) Thanks.

I have been feeling like with the two-sport workouts I've been doing, I'm not getting enough protien. I had looked in to supplements (thanks Amy for all your suggestions), protein powders, all that good stuff.

My concern with the supplements was that some of the reviews said they had weird after taste, and a few other minor but annoying side effects. For the protein powders, I was a little worried they'd have TOO much protein, and I'd wind up looking too bulky and wasting points.

So after the Move It Memphis 10K there was a vendor at the finish line giving out samples of their product, Muscle Milk. Have any of you tried Muscle Milk before? I think it sounds gross but I really like it. They make a product called Muscle Milk Light that has only 100 calories, but 15 grams of protien. Lean protien is a necessary component to losing weight and getting those long, lean muscles we all love (case in point: Purple Bathing Suit Girl). I have been drinking one 9-oz Muscle Milk Light within an hour of a good hard workout. If I take it before, I'll have it an HOUR before my workout. If I take it after, I'll have it about a HALF HOUR after my workout. If you are planning to try a protein shake/drink before your workout, use your best judgement as to when to take it. Some people's stomachs are more sensitive to others when it comes to eating pre-workout.

The protein is helpful to repair your muscles and this particular product is low in fat, calories, and sugar because (to quote the Muscle Milk brochure) "someone who is training for football season needs to eat differently than someone training for bikini season." And clearly we are the bikini season crowd around here.

Here are some details about it, in case you want to try it for yourself:

• Taste: Drink it COLD. It tastes like chalky chocolate milk. For a protein drink, it tastes pretty good. Also comes in Strawberry and Vanilla.
• Cost: I bought a four-pack of 9-oz bottles at Wal-Mart for $7.75. Not too bad considering what you're getting.
• Nutition info: 100 calories, 0 sugar, 15 grams of protien, 2.5 grams of fat, 6 grams of carbs.
• Weight Watchers: a 9-oz bottle is 2 points! That's really low!

Weight Watchers Update: So I was nervous about this week's weigh-in for a few reasons. Because of the show, I had little time to work out but DID have to lug around my equipment all weekend so certainly burned a few calories there.

Also, we handed out candy at our booth, so Jolly Ranchers, Dum-Dums, and Sour Patch Kids were staring up at me all weekend and I caved *quite* a few times.

AND...now for the whammy...our booth was across from the German Roasted Nuts booth a.k.a. THE DEVIL. Have you every had German Roasted Nuts at a carnival or trade show? They are ridiculous. Think pecans + butter + sugary-goodness mixture + roasted, and put in a little plastic baggie of heaven. All this equals THE DEVIL.First of all, they're a lot like movie popcorn. You can smell them a mile away, and if they could bottle the smell of German Roasted Nuts and put it in a pretty glass bottle I would wear it as perfume. So delish.

Second of all, did I mention they are THE DEVIL!?!?

I swear I looked over at one point and there was a little red deamon on my shoulder saying, "Don't those nuts smell gooooood? Who cares about your waistline? Who cares about those size six jeans? Just do it. Do-it. Do-it. Do-it."

And so I did.

I caved and ate, like, a million German Roasted Nuts over the weekend. Okay maybe not a million but probably 50. And that is 49 too many. I don't even want to think about how many WW points are in one German Roasted Pecan. Ick.

But I digress.....

I guess it might have been all the loading and unloading and running all over the AgriCenter all weekend, but I lost 2 pounds this week at weigh-in! I was pumped because I was praying for a loss, any loss. I would have been happy with 1/2 pound!

So current weight is 156. Total weight loss to date (since December 23) is 15.5 pounds!

AND Helen (my mom, sometimes I call her Helen) sent me another care package of size 6 pants, all of which fit me, and one of which I am wearing as I type.

Gotta love that Weight Watchers!

Short Post!

Today is a short post because I am crazy busy getting ready for a big fun trade show this weekend. I'll be at the Southern Womens Show in Memphis all weekend long if anyone is up that way!

Weight Watchers Update: Today was the first meeting of my SECOND 10-week session of Weight Watchers. I lost enough weight in the first session so my company paid for it. I am hopeful I'll do as well for the second. Today I GAINED 1/2 of a pound since last week. Current weight is 158. Weight loss to date 14 pounds.

I am noticing a pattern here, are you? Two weeks of little to no action and then !BOOM! One week of good strong loss on the scales. Let's hope we see that !BOOM! next Wednesday!

Since I'll be working all weekend, I won't be eating badly, but will have little time to work out. So we'll see how it goes. I am annoyed but hopeful. :)

Okay, I'm off to load my van and bop up to Memphis for the next five days!

Braggy McBraggerton

So I recently read on another blog that shall remain nameless where the author lost about 30 pounds. The main focus of her blog is not about health and fitness at all, so she didn't mention anything about her weight. Until her readers (she has like a bazillion followers) started noticing the change in her pictures and asking her "WTH?!!? When and how did you get so skinny, sistafriend?"

So she posted about how she lost the weight (shockingly enough, through diet and exercise). She started the post by telling her readers that she hadn't mentioned anything until now because she didn't want to come across as bragging or fishing for compliments.

Um, WHY NOT?!

Do you think it's annoying and self-centered of me to have this blog centered around fitness and weight loss?

I want to be clear that I don't think of my blog as a forum for me to talk about how awesome I am like I'm some kind of authority on fitness and weight loss. Cause I'm not. I'm just someone who has been carrying around an extra 20 (okay we're all friends, let's be honest....closer to 30) pounds since high school and I'm DONE with it!

When I started this blog, it began as a way to keep myself accountable. Once news is out in cyber world, and strangers are reading what you write, you gotta walk the walk if you get my drift. And it's been great motivation for me. Then once the WW began and I started to see changes, it turned into "I can't believe this is finally working and I need to share it with the blogosphere!" and I wanted to spread that good news to other girls out there who I know have shared the same struggle that I have.

So I say all this because.... I have a story that I want to share that is nothin' but BRAGGING on myself. Ha Ha.

My mom is also doing WW. Those of you that know her are probably thinking, “Um excuse me but WHY would she do Weight Watchers? She is abnormally beautiful as she is.” I agree. But she really just had a few vanity pounds she wanted to shed.

She is most comfortable at a size 4 or 2…she is naturally very petite…and had gotten past that. So she started WW a few weeks ago and has had consistent weight loss every single week! I am so proud of her she’s lost like 6 pounds and only has a few more to go.

As a result she has a few pairs of pants that are too big for her now. So she sent them to me. I was skeptical.

Laura (whining) : “Mo-ooooooommmmm…I am NOT going to be able to get into those pants.”

Mom (always the optimist): “Well, if you don’t fit into them now, I know you will in a couple of weeks.”

Laura (never one to turn down free clothes): “Hmph. Okay fine.”

So the package of pants came yesterday. Two pairs of Gap jeans and two pairs of dress pants from Ann Taylor. All size 6.

Insert ‘JAWS’ theme song here.

Size 6 is my nemesis. I have been pretty convinced I will never see a size 6 again as long as I live. But I reluctantly opened the package and tried on the pants anyway. Reba and Dolly were in the room with me looking at me like, “Come on Mama, you can do it!”

Black pair of dress pants: FIT. Whhhhhhaaaaaaaat?!?!?!?! I was amazed. Surely they were mis-sized. Maybe it was a fluke. Or the fact that they were black. Black pants = can’t go wrong.

So I tried on the next pair.

Brown pair of dress pants: FIT AGAIN! Double Whhhhhhaaaaaattt!?!?! It wasn’t a fluke. I have now successfully gotten into TWO pairs of size 6 pants. VICTORY!

You can see in the picture they are high-waisted with a wide leg, so that helps. But whatev, a size 6 is a size 6.
Now for the true test. The jeans.

More ‘JAWS’ music.

Now for the whammy….BOTH PAIRS OF SIZE 6 JEANS FIT ME. Button and all. And here’s the best part….no muffin top. This is not only a victory…this is a GOLD MEDAL! I can easily remember a time when I looked like a busted can of biscuits in a size 10. And just three short months ago Laura’s butt in a size 8 equaled two pigs fightin’ under a blanket.
But not anymore and NEVER AGAIN!

Isn’t it great to know that in order to get into a size 6 all you have to do is eat like a rabbit and run about a thousand miles a week? Just kidding. It isn’t that bad but it does take hard work and dedication. No fad diets here.

Even thought these pants fit, I am not out of the woods yet. I think these two brands are pretty forgiving. Like, if someone asked me 'what size are you?' I would probably say 8 and try on an 8. With hopes of having to say, "Oh, these are too big. I need a 6."

Hahahahahah.

Okay I have a recipe for yall that I got out of a Weight Watchers cook book. Whatever you do, dont go to this website and compare my recipes to hers. Her food is much better and so are the pictures. Ha ha....I am just using a good 'ole point-and-shoot camera so the pictures aren't anything special.

Easy Chicken Parmesan (6 points)

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts or cutlets
• Salt and Pepper
• 1/2 cup of tomato sauce (home-made or out of the jar)
• shredded mozzarella cheese
• fresh basil

Directions:

• Spray skillet with cooking spray. Heat skillet on stove on medium-high heat. Trim chicken of fat, and place between cutting board and wax paper. Pound to 1/8-1/4 inch thick. This is simply to make even cooking easier. If you don't want to do this you don't have to but I recommend it.
• Season chicken with salt and pepper. Place chicken, seasoned side down, in skillet.
• Brown on each side (approx. 5 minutes per side, depending on how thick your chicken is)

• Place chicken in casserole dish in a single layer. Cover with tomato sauce and cheese. Microwave for 2-3 minutes on high.

• Sprinkle basil on top. Fresh is best, but I only had dried and it was fine. Serve! Sorry, I accidentally deleted the picture of the finished product. :(

I was lazy so I used jarred Home Style Tomato-Basil sauce.

Yes, it is Kroger brand and yes, I am on a grocery budget. This sauce is pretty good and of course economical. I made my 'Single Poor Girl's Pasta' the other night because Tom was at a meeting. It was so good! 'Single Poor Girl's Pasta' is just 1 cup of whole wheat penne with this sauce and a little cheese. It is a great quick-and-low-point dinner when you're eating solo!

And I use this cheese:It is only 2 points for 1/3 of a cup which is great!

So there you have it. Happy Friday everyone!

It's supposed to warm up this weekend so GET OUTSIDE why doncha?!?

WW Update(s)

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Some of you have written me and asked what I EAT on a day-to-day basis while on Weight Watchers. I think sometimes WW can sound a little daunting, what with the thought of measuring out your food and counting your points and all that good stuff. But it's really not that hard. Bex always tells me I am a little OCD because I so enjoy accurate record-keeping so WW is right up my alley (Aishlea, you and your little accounting mind would love it, too! Not that you need it, Skinny Minnie).

But for those you who think it's a pain to write down everything you eat....um....I really don't know what to tell you. About 90% of the weight-loss/healthy eating plans out there will tell you to write down what you eat. So it's just something you have to do. Get over it. Just do it and it will become second nature eventually. If it were convenient or easy you would have done it by now.

So anyway, here's an example of a typical day for me:

• Breakfast: Pre-workout I'll have a Luna Bar (womens protein bar) and an Emergen-C. Post-workout is 1/2 cup Frosted Mini Wheats in 1/2 cup of 1% milk topped with mixed berries. Sometimes I'll have a coffee with Equal and a fat-free flavored creamer. Approx. Breakfast points: 4-7

• Mid-morning: 2 clementines Snack points: 1


• Lunch: 1 steak fajita with about 3 oz of meat. 1 Tablespoon of sour cream and loaded with salsa, lettuce, and tomato. Grilled veggies as a side dish, Diet Coke to drink. Another favorite lunch of mine is a huge salad loaded with pretty much everything on the salad bar and minimal dressing. 1/2 cut cottage cheese and 6 Saltine crackers. Fat-free Yoplait yogurt for dessert. Approx. lunch points: 7
• Mid-afternoon: apple or banana with 1 Tablespoon of peanut butter. Lots of water, too! Snack points: 3


• Dinner: 1 cup whole-wheat penne pasta, 1/2 cup of jarred marinara sauce, 1/3 cup of low-fat mozzerella cheese. 1 cup of 1% milk. For dessert I'll usually have a Skinny Cow Ice Cream sandwich or fudgesicle. Or last night I had 17 Sour Jelly Bellys. I have to have dessert of I'll bindge on sweets if I deprive myself completely! Approx. Dinner Points: 9

After eating all this in a day, and doing about an hour of moderate exercise, I am right at my Weight Watchers point quota. My base points are 21, then I add 3 or 4 more points if I workout. So on a typical day I total around 25 points.

So there you have it. Eat your heart out! I'll continue to update as I find good filling meals that work with Weight Watchers.

Weight Watchers Update: Well, here I am just bragging away about my healthy eating habits and all. I always go to the scale on Wednesdays in hopes of coming back with good news for you girls. However, I'm afraid there is no good news to speak of today. No loss. No gain. Stayed the same. Just chillin' at 157.5. Annoying!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hate working so hard all week....sweating, counting points, making sacrifices....and then when Wednesday finally rolls around....nothing. Whatev.

Our leader did read us a success story today of a woman who said something that stuck with me: "It is frustrating to have a week when you follow the program to a 'T' and don't see a change on the scales. You just have to push through it, knowing that you will most likely have a loss the next week." So that's what I'm doing. Pushing through.

After all, I did lose 3.5 pounds last week which was huge so maybe I'm just kind of even-ing out. Well, fingers crossed and skinny thoughts for next Wednesday!