As most of you know, I'm a Weight Watcher. Ok, so I'm more of a semi-practicing Weight Watcher. It's kind of like a Catholic who only goes to church on major holidays. But I'm really trying hard to find a work-life balance amidst the chaos that is my life right now (which is a bit of lingo I'm not a big fan of, but it exists whether or not I like the term) and want to recommit myself to being more diligent about my Points and activity. I could be losing weight at a much more effective rate and I think I may have found the kick in the pants to do so.
Each year, Weight Watchers sponsors an event called Lose for Good to help fight world hunger. If you join Weight Watchers or are already a member, the pounds you lose from September 5th through October 23rd will help generate up to $1 million to feed children and families dealing with hunger, both around the world and here in the United States. There are various ways to help, in addition to pounds lost, including redemption of coupons and participation in social media. Here is how the contributions will be tallied, per the fine print on their website.
A few years ago, I bought a set of orange, Teflon-coated non-stick cookware by Rachel Ray. I love the design of the pots,as they're a little higher on the sides and the handles are silicon. They're my favorite pots and pans I've owned, but when Kathy told me about how Teflon releases toxins in the air a while back, I've been hesitant to use them. When I do, it's on med-low to cook eggs, but otherwise, I kind of avoid them. Total bummer.
I decided to get a set of "green" cookware so that I didn't have to worry about toxins. Some of you may know I have a bunny, Lulu, and while some of those toxins may not affect me, small animals can be quite sensitive, I learned. So I bought a set of Cuisinart Green Eco-Friendly Non-Stick Cookware.
At first, I thought they were the best thing since Teflon -- things slid right out of the pan and clean-up was a snap. But despite following every cleaning request (no dishwasher, let cool before cleaning), the thrill was gone after about a week or two. I noticed during cooking that my food started to stick, especially my egg whites, even when I used my Misto olive oil mister liberally and cooked at a medium to medium-low temperature. Allegedly, the non-stick coating they use is not toxic, but only if you don't cook at high temperatures, which also kind of sucks because sometimes, well, you just need to cook things on high.
I've been thinking a lot about sabotage lately. We had a really lengthy discussion in a Weight Watchers meeting regarding the way our loved ones sabotage our efforts to live a healthier lifestyle, and it was really shocking to me to hear the way some spouses/partners/etc (actually--MANY spouses, not just 'a few') were reacting negatively to their significant other's weight loss. The general consensus is that it comes from insecurity and fear and, of course, the loving/nurturing way to deal is to be firm, but stand your ground. Less politically correct, of course, would be leaving a flaming McDonald's bag of poo on your mother's doorstep or slipping a laxative into your husband's brownies, I suppose.
No matter what type of "diet" (excuse me, lifestyle) you follow, be it Weight Watchers, low carb, low calorie, or whatever blows your dress up, a tortilla will set you back, in all arenas. How something so flat can contain so many calories, carbs and points, is beyond me. I know it's a better alternative to a giant kaiser roll (but come on, a kaiser roll is SO good, ahem. I'm getting ahead of myself), or something else like that.
I started Weight Watcher's three months or so ago. This is the second time I've done it, and because I was so determined, I've had much better results. However, now that I'm closer to goal, I got hit with a loss of a WHOPPING three points, which if you're a WW groupie, you know how much it stings. I was going along, in my little groove, and then realized, I had to recalculate just about everything in order to make sure I wasn't going over my daily allotted points.
I happened to hit up Trader Joe's one day, which isn't a normal stop of mine, and I came across their whole wheat, reduced carb tortillas. I tend to be leary of low carb anything, because it tastes like sand and dust, in my opinion, but I decided to give it a shot, and here's why. According to the WW calculator, it's ZERO points. A zero point tortilla? I'll bite.
And lo, it was delicious!! They're soft and chewy, with a great taste. I can eat one as a snack, with a cheese wedge or make myself a nice little wrap and not have to sacrafice any points, and still feel satisfied. They are a little on the small side, but this doesn't bother me, because my favorite? Is the two point egg burrito:
I do like oatmeal. I do. I do I do I do I do I do. No, really. But for some reason, I can't get it together to make a pot of steel cut oats. I prefer the little packets of instant because... well, it's convenient. But seriously, Popular Brand Oats Man, those little packets are kind of a joke. I need at least 2 of those things to make any kind of a meal, but they're so full of sugar, I just can't "afford" 2 packets. So... I end up skipping oatmeal altogether, even though it's good for me, even though I like it.
Enter BetterOats™. For once, Facebook was useful and I saw their ad placed in the sidebar, so I clicked to learn more. Intrigued, I contacted the company and they sent me some coupons (one freebie and one 55 cents off). My local Albertson's carried almost every variety of their oatmeal, so I grabbed their "RAW: Pure and Simple Multigrain" in Chai Spiced. I like all things Chai, so I figured it was a good bet.
And it was! I busted it open this morning and still feel satisfied. The portion is generous, the packaging is tall and slender (environment- and pantry-friendly) and you can even use the packet itself to measure the amount of water you'll need. I was bummed out I couldn't use the hot water spigot on my water delivery cooler -- they specifically say not to add hot water, but to add cold and then microwave for 2 minutes. But that was just as easy.
The flavor was definitely spiced and delicious. I was a little concerned about all the grains -- thought it might be a bit too "hippie", but the texture was chewy, creamy and kept my interest. The package boasts whole organic grains like oats, barley, quinoa, rye and wheat, as well as whole organic flaxseeds. It's low in sugar (made with cane juice) and fairly low in sodium for a packaged food (220mg -- evaporated sea salt). There's nothing on the ingredients list I don't recognize, which is very satisfying. At 160 calories, 2.5g of fat and 4g of fiber -- I do think it could have more fiber. It's 3 WW Points, which some might consider high for a simple bowl of oatmeal. But it was filling and as I said, a more generous portion than the usual instant packets. I also consider that the stuff in it has other benefits, so I don't mind the 3 Points.
I'll definitely be eating this again. Though, next time, I may add a little Silk Light Vanilla Soy instead of water -- I think it'll sweeten it a bit more and add another layer of flavor and texture. And while that will add a Point or two, I figure the health benefits and all-day energy a well-rounded breakfast offers makes it worth it to me. Maybe some egg whites and for around 6 points, you have a filling, healthful breakfast.
I'm not a huge fan of salty snacks, but lately I have been craving something crunchy and different than your standard potato chip or dorrito fare. We had a few friends over last week and I told my husband to pick up a few chips and dips for the occasion and much to my delight he brought home Baked Scoops. He also picked up some salsa to go with them, which I happen to hate (no tomatoes please!). We had a jar of Salsa Con Queso Dip, which isn't bad, but I have issues with portion control; even if I scoop out two tablespoons (40 Calories, 2.5 grams of fat = 1 WW Point), chances are I'm gonna go back for more. Afterall the jar is already open and just taunting me with it's cheesey goodness.
Instead of caving, I pulled out a Laughing Cow cheese wedge (35 calories, 1.5 grams of fat = 1 WW point and keeps my portion control in check) and decided to try it out with the baked scoops (15 scoops = 2 WW points). I have to say it was damn good. The baked scoops are light but pack a powerful crunch. I found it hard to distinquish any real taste difference between these and the heftier original. Add a schmear of cheese on top and you have quite a delicious and filling snack.
This combo has now been my favorite snack choice for the last week and a half. Anyone else find a great snack combo and then stick with it for awhile?
I'm curious about weigh-ins. I do the Weight Watchers Online thing -- I tried the meetings, but just couldn't get into it -- so I don't weigh "in public". I hated getting on a scale in front of another human -- like going to the doctor's office. It says something about my neuroses that I am worried more about the disappointment of the group leader or doctor than I am about the actual number on the scale. Virtual strangers' impressions of my efforts was too much of a focal point for me, so I bailed on meetings and went back to doing it how I was successful the first time: online. I was never a big "joiner" anyway.
Plus, with WW online, I could weigh-in first thing the morning, naked, empty and minus accessories. I disliked the meeting weigh-ins because the meetings were always close to mealtimes and despite trying to wear my very most lightweight clothes and shoes, the number always more than what my home scale said. It was discouraging, to say the least. (For those who love their meetings and leaders and weigh-ins, I'm not knocking your experience, just commenting on my own. It's not my brand.)
But back to the naked weigh-ins -- do our clothes and shoes really make that much of a difference? I suppose if you're counting every fraction of a pound (and let's face it, most of us are) it matters. I know I've done every trick in the book to get the scale to read as light as possible. But if I think about it, that seems ridiculous. Who am I fooling? I am trying to take a fresh approach and not get too discouraged when the scale fluctuates a half to one pound. As long as I'm going in the right direction most of the time, I'm trying to take victory from that.
In the sweltering months of August, sometimes you need a lil' pick-me-up. I know I could have used one last week at BlogHer '10 in New York City. It was HOT, hot, hot the first couple days.
When I got home, I was thumbing through some back issues of Health Magazine and I found this quick recipe for an Energy Spritz. (April 2010, page 25).
Energy Spritz
2 bags of white or green tea
2 cups of hot, filtered water
2 drops of lemon or orange oil
Brew tea with hot water. Let cool to room temperature; discard tea bags. [Ed. -- heh, "tea bags"] Combine tea and oil in a spray bottle. Refrigerate and mist on when your skin feels dry or needs a lift.
I've done something really similar to this with ginger tea and a little lemon juice instead of white/green tea and oil. The scent of the ginger is really mood-lifting and calming at the same time. It makes me feel like I'm in Origins.
Another soothing spritzer is an oldie, but goodie of mine:
I get one of those little hairdresser spray bottles from Sally's or some other beauty supply, fill a third with Thayer's and the rest with seltzer. (Plain seltzer, not lemon or whatever -- just plain -- but I guess you could use an "essence of" as long as it doesn't have any other ingredient but water.) Chill it in the fridge and when the A/C goes out and it's 95°, hit the fridge and spritz your face, chest... anywhere that needs cooling down.
The seltzer makes it invigorating (you could use still water if you wanted), the rose water a pleasant scent, relaxing. It takes you to a better place.
A word of caution: DO NOT get plain witch hazel. You must get the Thayer's Rose Petal Witchhazel (or their Lemon, Cucumber, Lavender or Peach varietes, if you're into that -- though I've never seen those in stores. Maybe Whole Foods?). It's cheap, under $10, and worth the hunt if you can't find it easily (I get mine at CVS). Regular witch hazel stinks so bad, I couldn't get away from myself fast enough. Trust me on this, it smells like burned toenails. But Thayer's does make an unscented variety if you're not into scents at all.
The witch hazel is clarifying, like an astringent (only without alcohol), so you're not only cooling off, you're getting a mini spa break, kind of. Or at least, that's what I tell myself when I'm standing with the fridge door open, cooling off and spritzing down.
Got any good summer-cool-down ideas or doubleduty beauty tips?
Much like Joey from Friends, I looooove sammiches. If sammiches were a food group, it would be right up there next to vodka.
Kathy's husband turned me on to what we've called The Steve Sammich: a 2 Point (Weight Watchers-style) sammy so big, you won't miss any of the extra points. They all start with the same basic foundation: 1 Point bread (like Nature's Own slices or Deli Thin Rounds) and Hillshire Farms lunchmeat (or other low-calorie lunchmeat, but we like Hillshire Farms because 6-7 slices is 1 Point). Those two foundation items are where the 2 Points come from. The modifications are up to you. Here are a couple of our favorite combos:
Kathy's Sweet n' Cracked Turkey Sandwich
Nature's Own Light Wheat Bread (2 slices)
6-7 slices of Hillshire Farms Cracked Pepper Turkey Breast
A few slices of Bibb or Boston Lettuce
Sliced sweet peppers (from the jar, as many as you like)
Salt n' pepper (go easy on the salt)
1 tbsp fat-free Mayo (like Hellman's/Best Foods or Kraft)
1 tsp of Dijon mustard (like Grey Poupon)
A couple "Sandwich Stacker" pickles (licked -- seriously. Kathy likes her pickles with the juice licked off before adding them to her sandwich or else the rest of the sammy gets soggy.)
Tomato slices to your heart's delight
Assembly:
Untoasted bread. Mayo on the bottom, then the turkey. Add lettuce, pickles, tomato, then the peppers and top with the other half of the bread. It may sound weird that I'm telling you how to assemble a sandwich, but after a few tries, assembly seems to make the difference when keeping the sandwich together and not sliding all over the place, especially if you want to pack it in your lunch for the office.
ooo...this is my first Donut post, and I'm terribly excited--and terribly rusty! It's been a while since I blogged, so, y'all be gentle with me, m'kay? Hi, I'm Wendy, former Couch Potato. On January 4, I declared 2010 to be the Year of Getting Off My Fat Ass and Doing Something About It. I joined Weight Watchers that day (Joelle TOLD me I'd love it--how could I have ever doubted?), and I became a happy, happy points counter. (WW 4EVA!) The results have been pretty good so far--I'm down 42 pounds and around 23 from my goal. My cholesterol is down 25 points and I no longer get winded when I walk to my mailbox (victory!). Not that I don't still love my couch (because I dooo! I love my couch!), but the ass-groove is much smaller than it used to be.
Our local gym offers both BodyPump™and BodyFlow™classes, and the night before last was my first BodyPump. I was super nervous about this class, because while I do an hour of cardio every day, my strength routine has been somewhat lacking--I have zero upper body strength, but I've learned a great deal about what I can and cannot do this last year--and the "Can Do" list is far greater than I ever realized.
I realize it's been a little quiet around here. I've been working really hard to get some projects finished before leaving for BlogHer '10 in NYC tomorrow.
I've been looking forward to BlogHer, but admittedly, have been feeling not my most presentable, physically. I had these great plans at the beginning of the year, like every person with a several (dozen) pounds to lose, "I'm going to lose 50 lbs and get in shape by BlogHer! Maybe I'll lose 100 lbs! I'm going to go and be smokin' hot at BlogHer!" You are free to envision little sparkles in my eyes and hands clasped in Who-ville type euphoria.
I think we can all guess how that panned out. I'm a mere 17 lbs down. So, let me break it to you gently: I'm still fat. In fact, I'm not just curvy, I'm fat. And I'm not happy about it. I mean, I'm not sitting at my desk, waving a bag of Fritos in the air, declaring myself fat n' proud -- I'm not that kind of girl. I'm not flogging myself with licorice ropes, either, but I'm disappointed that I didn't meet my goals. I'm annoyed with myself that I'm going to strut my proverbial "shit" at a conference full of women not looking my optimum. It's disappointing. Does this mean I'm not going to strut said aforementioned "shit"? Well, no... that's still going to happen. Because I amthat kind of girl.
Let's not kid ourselves, while BlogHer is a great community, women can be judgmental. They may not voice it (though often do), but may be thinking it. And all it takes is for one to speculate whether or not someone thinks they're fat to send some women into a self-doubting tizzy. I'm not suggesting the women who attend BlogHer are catty -- definitely not. I've met several of them, I am good friends with a couple employees -- so this is not BlogHer specific, it's woman-specific. You get women in a crowd and something happens. High school happens.
So, while I'm definitely not happy about the current state of my weight, I can't do much about it now, can I? I don't have a genie in a bottle or a fairy godmother to magically whittle 50 lbs off me before my 12:05 flight tomorrow. All I can do is accept myself the way I am right now, warts n' all (a colloquialism I've just decided is really pretty gross). I am who I am -- a good person, funny, kind, occasionally caustic, but generally approachable and easy to befriend. I'm outgoing, bright, talented and maybe a little particular about my vodka. There is so much more to me than some extra weight. And its not like I have an udder growing from my forehead -- weight can be fixed... just not in time for this event.
I've decided that I'm going to enjoy myself, contrary to my imperfections. I'm going to meet new people and old friends. And if there are those who wish to gossip about how I'm so much fatter than they thought? Well, they're right. I'm much fatter than I thought, too. But at least I'm not the jerk judging someone about it.
If you're attending BlogHer, I look forward to meeting you there -- hope you'll say hi. :) See you in NYC!
YOU GUYS! I totally have to tell you about my idea. Ok, someone else has probably already thought of it, but I felt like freakin' Edison while I was in the kitchen last night making myself a cocktail.
I've been pondering lately what to do with my blue cheese Laughing Cow wedges. Not that I can't just tear off the foil and nom it is as-is, but I was looking for innovation. And lo, the vodka gods... they spoke to me. They got really close and whispered in my ear, "Blue cheese-stuffed olives..." all seductive-like.
BLUE CHEESE STUFFED OLIVES, y'all.
So last night I broke out my best martini olives, sucked out those pimentos and started stuffing. It was messy, but since Laughing Cow is already so soft and pliable, it went in pretty easy (I just used my fingers. *stuff stuff stuff*). One wedge gave me about 6 big olives with a bit left over (which I ate, of course).
I skewered a few of those babies and plopped them right into my martini and yea, verily, it was delicious.
The cheese dissolved just enough to make my martini blue-cheese essenced, though stirring with your olives will quicken the dissolution of your cheese. I was worried about it dissolving faster and giving me blue cheese-vodka soup, but it didn't... stayed tidy inside the olives just like straight-up blue cheese does. And when I was ready to munch them, the flavor was just right. Not too intense, but blue cheesey and I didn't feel as guilty about having cheese in a beverage.
Vodka Martinis with Laughing Cow Light Blue Cheese-stuffed olives, my friends. I love you that much.
I ran across this article from Eat, Drink and Be about a pending lawsuit filed by the health advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest, who say the drink label on Vitaminwater is misleading to consumers. Coca Cola (who owns Vitaminwater) tried to have the case dismissed out of court but the judge decided it would proceed. I have to laugh and nod at this lawsuit for all the reasons you might think. Yes, companies shouldn't mislead people into thinking they are buying a cow if the thing is barking like a dog. But as a consumer I have to say "Whaaaaat?" I mean really. I know most of what is out there on store shelves is just a bunch of crap with really good marketing. McDonalds tries to make me think their McSalad is healthy and Wendy's tries to make me think their loaded baked potato is a better choice. Even Planet Smoothie wants me to believe that I'm just buying myself a few servings of fruit. It's all about PR and Marketing and commercials and advertising and getting people in the door or the money out of their wallet. I understand it. I embrace it. That's how business works. We live in a world run by marketing.
But I also know that I am smart enough to realize that just because something says "vitamins" on it doesn't necessarily mean its JUST vitamins. Coca Cola is a huge corporation and I've even purchased Vitaminwater before. Not because I thought I was buying vitamins and water. Because its a tasty beverage. I'm pretty sure the Center for Science doesn't give consumers enough credit to know the difference. However, I do think large companies have a responsibility to people to be truthful about their products. Sometimes fine print isn't enough. I don't think this warrants that Coca Cola change the name of the product though... they have already built a brand and I think most people know what they're buying (I hope). But they could be clearer on the label that there is also sugar , and lots of it. 32.5 grams in one 20-ounce bottle to be exact.
The lawsuit claims their labeling violates the FDA's requirements. I doubt this will progress father than a settlement but we shall see. Read Eat, Drink and Be's article on the subject.
To say I've not been diligent in my fitness endeavors over the last week or so is an understatement. I've walked only a few days, I've not gone to the gym in an aeon and I can't remember the last time I put on my Fitbit. This is not good.
I've been insanely busy with work. Crazy. Insane. Crazy. I somehow became overbooked and am burning the candle at both ends to get my schedule somewhat caught up before I leave to go to NYC for BlogHer in 10 days. So, like I always do, I put everything that has anything to do with caring for myself on the backburner -- no gym, no cooking, no walking, no sleep. I have made some efforts to see friends this past week and catch a movie, though a couple are still due for some Joelle-time. Unfortunately, Joelle doesn't get much Joelle-time right now, so it's hard to make room for everything. I could do with a day of absolutely nothing. And maybe a massage. And a martini.
I'm looking forward to BlogHer being over. Not because I don't want to go -- I totally do -- and can't wait to see Kathy, I just know that there will be further indulgences, which I will try to reel in. I hope that when I return I'll be ready to re-focus my energies in a healthier, more self-caring direction.
Strangely, I've still been losing weight ... not much, but some. I think because I don't have time to think about food very much. I remember to eat when I can and I've been drinking a crazy amount of Pellegrino (or Archer Farms Sparkling Mineral Water), which I'm sure has helped, though not the most well-rounded, nutritious way to do it.
I want to start going to Pilgrimage of the Heart yoga studio. I've been shopping for a studio and like the look of this one. I have a friend who loves it. It's clean and bright, peaceful and zen without being overly new-agey. The gym is fine for cardio, but yoga in a glass room surrounded by hardbodies and meatheads doesn't really appeal to me. I'd rather be surrounded by accepting, cool people of all shapes, ages and sizes who are all there to get in touch with themselves and provide support to others in the same practice. But, I don't want to sign up for the 2 week new student package until after I return from my trip so I don't waste the 5 days I'm gone. I'm hoping a nuturing practice like this will help me remember that I matter; that in order to work at my best, I need to take care of myself. No one wants creative work done by someone so pooped they couldn't color a Denny's placemat.
Have you strayed a little? Gone totally off track? Put everyone else's needs before your own... again?
I firmly believe everyone needs to check in with themselves from time to time, even when I don't always practice that belief. Too bad there's no Foursquare location for that. "Yourself: 358 Meters -- Sorry, you are too far from this location, you receive no points for this check-in." If I could earn badges for checking in with myself, I totally would. We should all at least be the Mayor of Ourselves, don't you think?
You know I love my Fitbit... when I can remember to wear it. It's totally unobtrusive, I love all the stuff it tracks and it's been fun to use... if you're one of those people who is retentive like that and likes to track things. I am one of those people.
So far, the Fitbit memberships have been free to one and all -- and they still are, so don't panic. But they've also released a very reasonably priced premium service that I may check out. At only $49.95 a year (not a month, which is what I thought it was at first and almost fell off my chair), you are able to track pretty much whatever you want. In addition to all their awesome free services, you can also create custom tracking (i.e., if you want to track how many cigarettes you smoked -- assuming you're trying to quit! -- or sodas you drank or sit-ups you did -- you can make a custom tracker for whatever you like!), "benchmark" yourself against your peers (others in the Fitbit community -- if competitiveness is your motivational thing), and apparently, get more "in-depth analysis" of your data than you do with the free version. AND, you get a Fitbit trainer, which takes your activity level and calculates a 12-week fitness program to help you meet your goals. Fancy schmancy!
There's a free week trial of the Fitbit premium services, which I think I'll check out and see if it's worth the $50/yr. I've been considering putting my Weight Watchers membership on hold temporarily because at $15/mo, I just don't use it as much as I do my free Fitbit profile. I feel the exercise is more accurately tracked on my Fitbit (WW crushes my juju when I sweat for 30 minutes and only get 2 measley Points® for it ) and find logging food in two places is becoming tedious and time consuming.
Don't get me wrong, Weight Watchers is a wonderful program and I lost a lot of weight on it. But when you do it for a long time, sometimes you just need to shake things up a little. Fitbit's calorie-counting lets me see at a glance how I'm doing and look at food in a more reasonable, matter-of-fact way. I'm less obsessed with Points and counting and cutting corners to squeeze out an extra half a Point so I can have that Giant Fudge Bar later tonight. I am enjoying the more simplified "calories burned/calories consumed" method right now. Counting calories used to be such a pain in the ass, which is why Weight Watchers is so great, especially for new dieters. But now with tools like Fitbit (and it's similar competitor, Bodybugg), it's not as much of a production. What I've been calling Calorie Reality™ has been effective for me lately.
Whether I keep my WW membership active or not, I'm definitely going to keep using my Fitbit. I don't use my sleep tracking as much as I thought I would (I tend to remove the wristband in the night and found myself being concerned I'd lay on my wrist and turn off the recording), but I like that it has the option if I want it. And with more features being offered by Fitbit, it's looking to be a strong contender in the fitness market.
Do you have one? Do you love it? Do you think you would try the paid membership? Yes, no?
[I am not paid by Fitbit or anyone, for that matter, for my product endorsement -- at least not yet! And even if I were, I'd never endorse something I didn't believe in. I dig this product, simple as that.]
As most of you know, I'm a Weight Watcher. Ok, so I'm more of a semi-practicing Weight Watcher. It's kind of like a Catholic who only goes to church on major holidays. But I'm really trying hard to find a work-life balance amidst the chaos that is my life right now (which is a bit of lingo I'm not a big fan of, but it exists whether or not I like the term) and want to recommit myself to being more diligent about my Points and activity. I could be losing weight at a much more effective rate and I think I may have found the kick in the pants to do so.
A few years ago, I bought a set of orange, 
No matter what type of "diet" (excuse me, lifestyle) you follow, be it Weight Watchers, low carb, low calorie, or whatever blows your dress up, a tortilla will set you back, in all arenas. How something so flat can contain so many calories, carbs and points, is beyond me. I know it's a better alternative to a giant kaiser roll (but come on, a kaiser roll is SO good, ahem. I'm getting ahead of myself), or something else like that. 
I do like oatmeal. I do. I do I do I do I do I do. No, really. But for some reason, I can't get it together to make a pot of steel cut oats. I prefer the little packets of instant because... well, it's convenient. But seriously, Popular Brand Oats Man, those little packets are kind of a joke. I need at least 2 of those things to make any kind of a meal, but they're so full of sugar, I just can't "afford" 2 packets. So... I end up skipping oatmeal altogether, even though it's good for me, even though I like it.
I'm not a huge fan of salty snacks, but lately I have been craving something crunchy and different than your standard potato chip or dorrito fare. We had a few friends over last week and I told my husband to pick up a few chips and dips for the occasion and much to my delight he brought home 
I'm curious about weigh-ins. I do the 
Joelle's Rose Schpritz
