Are You Weight Ready For Fall?

We lost our weight so we could finally enjoy a fun summer of feeling great about ourselves. We flaunted the flat tummy at the beach, and enjoyed thoses shorts and tank top at cookouts.

Summer brought gardens full of fresh veggies and meals were light. We traded ice cream for smoothies and protien bars after a workout. Water was a necessity and we drank it alot due to the heat.

It wasn't easy. We struggled with the scales as we saw our weight shift up and down a couple pounds, but we we managed to keep our weight in that safe range.

But beware. Fall is coming. Are you weight ready? Do you have room to gain a few pounds without gaining to much? Fall will bring cool temperatures and out come the sweat shirts and baggy clothes.

The body we worked so hard for will soon go hidden behind large sweaters and jackets. We could easily lose focus on the body we worked so hard to acheive.

Holidays, ballgames and staying inside more will bring on munchies. It's ok, those big baggy warm clothes will still fit next week and probably all Winter long. Soon spring will come around again and the next thing you know those cute little clothes no longer fit over those cute little muffin tops. 

Strive to keep up healthy eating habits as the temeratures drop and physical activities slow down. Dont stop exercising. When it's too cold to be outside, come up with indoor activities besides lifting a spoon. Enjoy the comfort of food but control the baking. While snacking, stay in the kitchen instead of taking it to the bed or couch. Limit eating in front of the tv, this leads to over eating. Remember portion contol is important.

Opt for the tight jeans when you shop and the spandex leggings when you workout. Dont hide the body you worked so hard to get or you might forget where you put it.

Protein Orange Pops

Here I go playing with my food again.

If you know me, then you know I lost 50lbs on Nutrisystem. Also if you know me, your probably tired of hearing about it. I'm just still tickled to pieces that I found a diet that worked for me. 

Its been 2 years and 6 months since I joined Nutrisystem. I am currently on the maintenance plan and have been able to hold on to my weight loss for over a year now. I eat a lot of my own foods but still have a Nutrisystem meal or snack regularly. 

I like to play around and experiment with the foods. You can find some of my other ideas here.

Yesterday was the first day of summer. What better way to cool off than to have some popsicles? Right?
I was drinking a Nutrisystem Turbo shake after my afternoon walk. This time I added an orange. It was so good. I think this is my new favorite. That's when the idea hit me.
"Why not put those cheap-o, throw away, no good popsicle molds I had stashed away, and make some creamsicles?".

BAM! 

 

Delicious! And since one serving makes several popsicles, you can just eat them all without guilt. Yea, go ahead, eat all of them you wish and it still only counts as a Power fuel + smart carb (with the orange). 

• Prepare the shake as directed.
• Add a peeled orange.
• Mix in blender until smoothly blended.
• Sip a little, yum. Add to molds. Now lick the jar.
• Add a little orange zest before freezing for an extra flavor boost.

These popsicles taste smooth and creamy. 

If you want the real deal. Try Nutrisystem's frozen orange creamsicle found at Nutrisystem.com. They are the best! 

Oh and while your there, check out the success stories page and see my success story along with many others! 

Enjoy! 

Nutrisystem Cookies n Cream Mug Cake

Have you noticed I like to play and experiment with foods? Most of the time its Nutrisystem foods. I've been on Nutrisystem now for two years and three months. I lost all my weight within eight months on the program but I continue eating the foods to maintain my weight. I also eat a lot of my own foods too. I've learned how to eat healthy throughout the program. I'm still so pleased with the results I got with Nutrisystem, I simply can't let it go. 

 

I admit, the Nutrisystem cookie sandwiches are not my favorite ( neither are Oreos) but I ordered some again anyway. This time I didn't dip them in milk....I mixed them in milk and with a couple other teaspoons of this and that, I made a cookies n cream mug cake. It was a fun new way to enjoy a dessert that normally I would not like. 

 

It was easy to make and only took about 5 minutes from start to finish. Add another 10 minutes trying to take a perfect photo. Ha!

If your not on Nutrisystem, use Oreos or something. Im sure it will be just as good.

I chose to keep it healthy. It turned out a little dry but good. 

 

 Nutrisystem Cookies n Cream Mug cake

4 Tablespoons- All purpose Flour

1/4 teaspoon- baking Powder

1/4 cup- mini chocolate chips (this is your sugar)

4 tablespoons- milk (I used 2%)

1/2 tablespoon - vegestable oil

2 cookies 

In a mug or remkin, melt chocolate chips and milk together in microwave. 

Add remaining ingredients. 

Mix until smooth.

Fold in crushed cookies.

Microwave for 1 minute.

Enjoy 

Im not sure what the Nutrisystem count is for this recipe, but I think its a dessert and one smart carb. 

Nutrisystem - I DID IT!

Yes I did it!  I lost 50 lbs. and went from a size 12 to a size 4!

I'm excited and I'm proof that Nutrisystem really works. It was not that hard and actually fun.
This is the only diet that's ever worked for me.

After the first couple weeks, I never "struggled with hunger". I went strictly by the program except for Saturday nights (had to have my Mexican food) and a few family dinners along the way. My weight would go up or down a pound or two every day, but by the end of the week, I was always down something. Sometimes it was an ounce, sometimes a pound or more.

It took dedication and determination. I didn't do any excessive exercise nor did I take ANY diet pills.

I made use of my fitBit and made sure to get in at least 3 miles and/or 9 thousand steps in each day. I kept track of my food intake with MyfitnessPal. I had a lot of online support from my FitBit friends, Nutrisystem support groups and MyfitnessPal friends. We talk about food suggestions, do exercise challenges, praise each other, and share success stories.

Whats next for me? I'm going to continue another month with Nutrisystem and making a new goals, I plan to postpone my food shipments while I try to eat right on my own. If I see the weight starts coming back on, I will just have another month shipped to me. This is a little scary for me to venture out to eating my own meals. For seven months, between my husband and Nutrisystem, It felt like I had my own personal chef  preparing my meals for me while I work.

I plan to keep on walking three to five miles a day and continue eating more healthy snacks between my meals such as veggies, fruits and nuts. I'm staying away from sweets, white breads and potatoes.

People say Nutrisystem is to expensive.
Have you ever added up what you spend in a month on groceries?  How much of those groceries go to waste? Just think about it.
There are ways to save on Nutrisystem. After all the discounts, I ended up spending an average of around $150 per month. Here's are ways I did it.

• You can get a discount just for having health Insurance. I have Blue Cross Blue Shield and got an extra 30.00 off each month on my orders.
• Costco.com sales 100.00 Nutrisystem gift cards for 59.00 at certain times. I would order some each month to add to my order. That saved me 80.00.
• Ask someone (like me) that's using Nutrisystem for a "Buddy Bucks. That's another 30.00 off.
• Last but not least, you can chat with a counselor , they may have a special promotions.

The website is easy to use and adding your discounts to your order is simple.
You can cancel anytime but the only catch is if you cancel after the first month, they will charge you a fee, but after two months, you can just cancel without any question or fee.
I would still suggest to anyone wanting to try Nutrisystem, to purchase the one week box from Walmart first before you make a commitment.

Hints on loosing weight :

• Never eat "TO LESS". Eat a little something every 2 hours.
• If you do exercise, Make sure you eat a little something extra with protein.
• Drink lots of water.
• Fiber contributes to weight loss.
• Don't worry about trying to stay away from carbs. You need some carbs to fuel your body. Really!
• Eat lots of vegetables especially green ones .

Wish me luck as I continue on my journey maintaining my weight especially through the holidays.

My Beginning weight- 168 lbs.
My Weight now- 118.8 lbs.

You can read about my whole journey from day one,  HERE.

Nutrisystem-Weekends on My Own

Well I just competed my 6th month on Nutrisystem. That's officially one half year.

I have changed my program to "weekends on my own". That means they send me 20 days worth of food instead of 28. I'm trying to learn to make healthy choices on my own so I can eventually let go of Nutrisystem. Ill admit, I'm scared. I'm afraid of what I may eat. When the foods are right there ready to eat as Nutrisystem is, Its easy to discipline myself. But put me out there where the fried pickles yell my name, and hot dogs are smelling up the air, It makes me nervous. I know I sound silly but its the truth. I do not have much will power but I do not want to get overweight again , so I can do this. By the way. I make the best fried pickles and you can find my recipe HERE.

WARNING: These are dangerous!!!! Stay away if your dieting

The weight is coming off very slow. I only lost a little over 3lbs. during the month of June. I guess that's better than a gain. Ill take every oz. I can get. I think I actually hit a plateau this month. I went 2 weeks with no weight loss then on the third week I lost a few ounces. Then all of a sudden on the 4th week I lost 3 lbs. I just did the same calorie intake and same exercise and finally started loosing again. Those last few lbs. are the hardest and slowest to get rid of.

You can view my whole week by week journey here.

No matter how much or less I loose I have to say that I feel better now. I love going shopping and about everything I grab to try on fits! New York Company has became my favorite store lately as I can fit into all of their size 6s. woohoo!

Some of the changes I have noticed in the six months I've been on this diet are:

• My heartburn and acid reflux have disappeared.
• More energy.
• Better self esteem.
• Sleep better.
• Breathe better.
• I crave healthier foods.
• looser skin (not a fan).
• I'm learning to appreciate water.
• I can curl up in a chair with room left over.
• I do not sweat has much.
• I can easily turn down unhealthy foods.
• I can shop in the Junior department.
• Just all over feel better inside and out.

I absolutely do not have anything to complain about with the Nutrisystem diet.
Whenever I have a question or concern, customer service is always so nice and helpful. I have also made friends with other Nutrisystem users through the website and MyFitnessPal. There is a NS group on there where we all discuss the diet and help each other along. No one talks about politics or world news, Just about the diet and each other. We play goal games and never speak negative about each other. It helps.

MyFitnessPal is a great app to have. You can log all your foods with all the nutritional information you need. If you have a fitbit (as I do) you can sync it with MyFitnessPal. They both are great things to use.

My goal for July is to loose 5 more lbs.. that will put me at my goal weight. I do not mind going under my goal weight for I will be going on vacation in August and would like to enjoy some ice cream without guilt. Maybe even grab me some of those fried pickles.

Ice Creamless Banana Split

 

Who says you cant break rules and enjoy a banana split without the ice cream?
Ok all of you out there wanting to eat healthy and still have a sweet treat without the guilt. Your going to love this.

I created a banana split using all good stuff. I can call it a banana split because I DID split the bananas right?

Here is simply all you do:

• Get a banana and split it in half long ways.
• Drizzle a teaspoon of melted peanut butter onto it.
• Add a mixture of fresh fruit such as strawberries, apples, blueberries, pineapple, etc....
• Add a scoop of sugar free cool whip on top of that and sprinkles with nuts or almonds.
• Now enjoy!

Perfectly healthy and the peanut butter adds protein. You can even add your favorite yogurt in there somewhere.

This is a great way to enjoy a snack without the fat and calories of Ice cream. Not saying its better, but that its better for you if your on a diet. My favorite part is the sugar free cool whip ( not "fat free" its just nasty).You will never know the sugar is not in there. I love that stuff.

 

If you are on the Nutrisystem Diet like I am, this would count as one Smart Carb, one Power fuel plus an Extra.
 

Nutrisystem- Food Ideas

Well this is my fifth month on Nutrisystem and I have continued to loose weight. It has slowed down almost to a halt but I'm still loosing a couple ounces a week and that's better than gaining. I think I'm reaching a plateau. I'm was told that I need to eat more or exercise less. I could be working off more than I'm taking in which makes your body slow down on weight loss, thinking your starving yourself. Isn't it weird how our bodies will do that? I also am aware that I need to drink more water.

So this next month I'm going to change up a few things. I'm going to drink more water, moderate my exercise, and I'm also going to switch up my meals and eat dinner for lunch and lunch for dinner. I've read on the Nutrisystem site that often that will work to get you out of a plateau because it tricks your body into thinking your doing something different. We'll see.

I never know each month if I want to continue with this diet but then I always end up telling myself "one more month". Next month my order will be designed for "weekends on my own" I'm wanting to venture out and learn to eat healthy my way.

Everyone asks me what the foods look like and how they tastes. I still like how they tastes and I'm making them look better. I have taken a few more pictures of my some of my meals to share with you.

Nutrisystem Pizza with an added cup of spinach

Nutrisystem Chocolate cake with added sugar free Cool Whip

Nutrisystem Tuna Salad with added cup of lettuce on wheat round and 1/2 cup of  V8

Nutrisytem Mashed potatoes with added crab meat, onions and Old Bay seasoning then fried in olive oil into patties.

Nutrisystem Water Bottle with added water, cucumber and mint

Nutrisystem Rice Pilaf added into a steamed bell pepper and topped with no fat cheese.

This month I will be attending my Nephews wedding and will be tempted to eat more than I've been eating but in moderation, I think I will be fine. I have survived a couple cookouts and several birthdays, so I can handle this. And yes, I will have cake.

Beginning weight- 168 lbs.
Today I weigh-138.2
I've gone from a size 12 to a size 8.

Nutrisystem- Slowing Down

Just finished my 16th week on Nutrisystem. I feel great! Its been a fun journey and I've lost several pounds and inches now.

The weight is now coming off slowly. Its only about a pound a week. I guess that is better than a pound gained but I wish to loose more. I'm just 15lbs away from reaching my goal. Hopefully the pounds will start dropping faster soon. They suggest I make sure to get all my foods in for the day. Other than NS foods, I'm suppose to have recommended snacks in between. I'm suppose to eat something every 3 hours, 6 times a day and 4 servings of veggies. Seems like a lot of food huh? Well not really because the snacks are things like a tablespoon of almonds, a slice of bread, cheese, or yogurt, etc. Small healthy things.

Nutrisystem- Ravioli

I'm still loving the foods and its gotten a lot easier to say no to other foods I shouldn't be eating.
I went on a beach trip the other weekend and was able to turn down the good smelling foods that were tempted everywhere we went. I did however, eat a dozen oysters one night and Mexican food the next . I also snacked on pop corn, carrots and almonds while laying on the beach all day. I over ate on those snacks but Its was all good. It didn't cause me to gain any weight. I didn't loose any either but no gain was a blessing.

Despite all the rain we have had these past couple weeks I have been able to get in my walks. One day we walked in the rain. Its was rather nice.

           

 

Here I am after that long wet walk, showing off my Dancing With The Stars, "Raise The Barre" tank that Nutrisystem sent me. What a surprise it was for me.

Its been a slow journey lately with my weight loss but I have thought about it and I plan to keep going on this diet. Its so easy to follow. With the discounts I have been collecting, It's gotten to a reasonable cost for me. I still have a few more pounds to shed to be ready for my August Vacation. I hope the pounds start dropping more and more.

Beginning weight- 168 lbs.
Weight after 16 weeks- 142 lbs.
That's 26 lbs. lost!

Nutrisystem- The Reveal

I finally found a "fat" picture so I could show off my reveal. Like most of us, we get rid of the "bad" pictures. I found a photo that I could not get rid of because it was from my Daughters college graduation and it was a good one of her. I made a copy to crop so I can use it for my reveal photo.

This is me after loosing 21 lbs.

I survived Easter weekend with all the fun foods and family dinners. I controlled myself and eat light. I did however, Eat a cookie, a piece of cheese cake and a peep. I did not gain a pound but instead, I actually lost some more ounces.

I step on the scales every morning. I know, they say not to do that but do. It will move up or down a couple ounces each day but mostly down. This gives me the motivation either way, to continue.

I actually cleaned out my closet last weekend and give away my size 12s. My 10's are loose and I can wear an 8. woohoo! I feel good about that. I do struggle with feeling bad when I'm around others that think they are overweight. I shouldn't. Even though I do not think they need to diet, they can if they choose too. Nobody can take the weight off except the person wanting too. I also know how a size 8 or 10 can feel big if you spent most of your life under 100 lbs. which I did. I remember an 8 being a large! Now I'm happy to just be back in an 8. So, everyone is different.

I have lost a couple more pounds this past week and hope to loose 15 more. I plan to continue with the Nutrisystem Diet through May. I have not decided to keep on or postpone my shipments for a couple months. It sort of scares me to think of eating my own things again. But I may try it a month or more to see if I can keep the weight down myself.

I'm still loving the foods I get from Nutrisystem and the program is fun to keep up with.  I could never think of this many foods to eat each day. It never gets boring.

Nutrisystem - More Veggies

Well, I just finished up week twelve on my Nutrisystem diet.

Week eleven was slow. I didn't loose any pounds. I heard there would be weeks like this. My body was hitting a Plateau, I think. So the next week I stepped it up a bit. More food that is.

I have been reading on the Nutrisystem website and found out that I'm not actually doing everything I should be doing. I figured the meals they sent me would be enough and maybe a veggie with it and some snacks between. Well, according to them, I'm not getting enough food. I suppose to have a couple power snacks and a couple smartcarb snacks between my meals. I'm also suppose to be getting at least 4 servings of veggies a day. WOW that's a lot of food if you ask me. Its becoming overwhelming. They have a list of all the foods they recommend me eat between my meals. I may not get all that in each day but I am working on getting at least 4 veggies mixed in somehow.


 Nutrisystem- Tortilla soup over lettuce =taco salad

I bought this really cute crock pot food warmer. I love it.

I can put my Nutrisystem microwavable lunches in there, plug it in when I get to work in the mornings and by lunch time, I have a warm prepared meal ready to eat. I can stuff veggies in with it if I'd like and they will soften up just in time. This little warmer does not cook so I can't add raw meats to it but it works fine for everything else.
 

Nutrisystem- Black Beans and Rice

 It works better than the microwave and I don't have to worry about it boiling over anymore. Plus, anything slow cooked is just better.

Nutrisystem- Three Cheese Chicken with 1/2 cup raw baby spinach

On week twelve, I ate more veggies. I bought some V8 vegetable juice to help me out. I do not like it that well but its a quick solution. I also did my best to get in at least 64 ounces of water a day. Guess what...
I'm loosing again. I lost 2lbs this past week and another inch off my waist. I still have 15 more pounds to go to reach my goal. Wish me luck....

Nutrisystem- Lost More Inches Than Weight

I just completed my 10th week on Nutrisystem. I was afraid I would not have that much to share with you this time because I was getting discouraged.

1. Because of financial reasons I was afraid I would have to back off.
2. My weight loss has slowed down and It was depressing me. I had even gained a pound. Bummer.

Then I realized, It's not that bad. 

1. I found out that my insurance company (BlueCross/Blueshield) has an offer in the wellness program that allows me a small discount on Nutrisystem foods. That made me giddy. Every little bit helps and Lord knows I pay out the whazoo for health insurance.
2. I'm averaging 1 or 2 lbs a week and that's normal. The day that I was a little down on myself, I decided to go measure. Guess what? I had lost another 2 inches in my waist. That's a total of 4 1/2 inches. That got me excited. Yes, I actually lost more inches than weight these past two weeks.

I'm still loving all the meals with the exception of two. I just made sure I didn't add them on my next order. Yes I said it "Next Order" I plan to go through May at least. I still have 20 lbs to loose to reach my goal. I do not plan to cut it out all together, I plan to just postpone my order for a month or two to see how well I do on my own. It will save me some money during the summer for my vacations. Well see. Maybe I can find some more discounts somewhere.

Here are a couple more items I love from Nutrisystem.

Nutrisystem Chocolate Frosted Doughnut

The doughnuts are great. I put them in the microwave for 10 seconds and wahlaha, breakfast.

Nutrisystem- Multigrain Pilaf

The Pilaf was so good. Whatever Pilaf is. I added a side of  homemade Pico De Gallo. You can find my recipe HERE.

I'm still hula hooping and with the warmer weather approaching, I will be doing more walking. I cant wait for summer.


10lbs Nutribear

I found a Nutribear hiding in my last shipment of food. I will get one of these for every 10lbs lost. Looks like I will be getting the 20lbs Nutribear soon. 



Starting Weight- 168 lbs
Weight after 10 weeks- 149lbs.


 

Nutrisystem- One size down

I have just completed my 8th week on Nutrisytem. Im excited to tell you my latest news.
Before starting Nutrisytem I was in a size twelve jeans. Well, I went shopping last weekend. I tried on some pants and guess what? I actually fit into a size eight! Not all the pants I tried on were so giving but I was definitely a comfortable ten. I was so excited that I took my first ever mirror selfie. Ha!

I didn't buy any new pants that day, thought I'd wait a few more weeks, but I did buy some yoga type pants and guess again, I didn't buy a large this time because I fit into a Medium!

I still have a ways to go. I'm almost half way to my goal of loosing 38 lbs. by May.
I will be going through some challenges along the way with birthday dinners coming up Easter, a beach trip and a wedding for my nephew. I will have to stay strong and keep away from the sweet stuff.

Nutrisytem Pancakes

Speaking of sweet stuff, I have enjoyed my delivered meals from Nutrisytem. Especially the doughnuts and pancakes. They're no Krispy Kreme or Aunt Jemima but they were satisfying. The pancakes came in a powder so I could mix up and make myself. I loved it because it gave me an excuse to cook something. I added sugar free syrup on top and enjoyed. Next time I may add some fruit.

I even had a "vacuum sealed" hamburger one night for dinner. That was weird.

Nutrisystem Hamburger

I added some pico de gallo and lettuce. I did not have a bun so I used whole wheat bread, lightly toasted. It actually was not that bad.

I'm still hanging in there and plan to keep on doing it the Nutrisystem way until I reach my goal.

My starting weight was 168lbs
I am now 152 lbs and have lost 2 inches off my waist.

Nutrisystem- Emotions

I just made it though a total of 6 weeks on Nutrisystem.

The past two weeks have been sort of an emotional struggle for me. I have struggles at work as I get no respect and no positive comments. Only let downs,teasing and tempting.  Little do they know, this makes me stronger.

While doing my exercises the other day I started feeling alone. I noticed I have to avoid my friends right now. I have to say no to dinner and lunch dates. This could lead to binge eating and they may not understand.

Some friends and family members that I come across will say things like, "You are fine as you are". "You do not need to loose weight" or You can eat this or that because its not THAT fattening". Or simple comments like "Your silly" or "Your crazy".  Ive learned that the ones that say these things neither have a need or desire to diet so they could not possible know what I'm going through. I have never told someone they are being ridiculous on their food choices nor have I ever tried to tempt someone with food while they are trying to diet.
My husband, daughter and one of my best friends are the only people that I know personally that are showing me support and helping me through this journey. My husband is always commenting the way I look and how my body is changing. He is dieting with me as well but on his own food choices. He does not complain that I do not cook meals anymore or want to go out to eat two or three times a week. He pushes me to exercise and eat healthy between meals.

With all of that being said-  I am proudly announcing that I have just officially joined Nutrisystem and will be having my meals delivered to my door. I signed up for the 28 day program. I will have to start with the fast five again even though Ive already lost over 12 lbs in a month with Nutrisystem. I felt I needed more to achieve my weight goal and since the food was so good, I wanted different varieties and I got to pick over 100 different foods of my choice. This is going to be exciting. I love my results so far and this is the longest I stuck with any diet. Even though I have not stopped the diet, when my package of foods arrive, It will be like starting over and their website will start monitoring my weight goals from week one of the meal arrival.

My Starting weight on January 1st was- 168 lbs.
My weight today is- 155 lbs.
I'm averaging about a pound or two a week. My scale can be different every time I step on it by a pound or two so I'm going to invest in a digital scale as I start my new road of this journey.

Check back every two weeks to see my progress and updates of my Nutrisystem journey.

Nutrisystem Week 4- Cravings are Less

Wow! Its been a a whole month now that I've been on the Nutrisystem Diet plan. I'm loving that this is something Ive stuck with.

Nutrisystem Pizza with added onions and olives

The truth is, Its not even diet food, Its just proportioned meals to keep me on track.  Hard to believe that four weeks ago I sat down for my last fatty meal of a Big Mac and Large fry! I ate it all! Loved it too.

The best thing is I can talk about foods and it does not faze me anymore. I can ride past the doughnut shop or Chinese restaurant without the urge to order something to take home. 

The cravings are not completely gone but the strength to walk away from them is a piece of cake easy. 

Nutrisystem Beef tips and Mashed Potatoes

With Nutrisystem, I get to eat pizza, chocolate, potatoes, muffins and more! The portions are small but the way I'm feeling now is worth it all. I'm excited each week to see how many inches or lbs Ive lost.  Even if it is just a pound, it's a pound less than last week.

I'm going to keep going. 

Here are my results at the end of week four.

Ive lost 2 lbs this week puting me from 168 to 157lbs.
Total for the month....11 lbs. That's exciting to me.

I plan to stay off the scale and wait to weigh in at the end of February. I also plan to post about my journey every two weeks now so I don't bore everyone. So check back Sunday the 15th.
 

Now on to week five!

Nutrisystem Week 3- Noticing Changes

Just finished my third week on Nutrisystem. I'm starting to feel the changes my body is taking on this diet.

I know, I know, it seems like all im going to blog about now is Nutrisystem. Nope. I plan to get back to blogging on other things soon but this diet just has me excited and its helping me out by blogging my results. Just keep following me, Ill have some new things popping up soon. 

I usually suffer acid reflux and heart burn on a regular basis. This started about 4 years ago. Anxiety will trigger it but most of the time it was my eating habits. I would either eat too fast, too much or eat the wrong things. I never could really pin point what caused the episodes because it would be different foods at different times.

Well, I'm here to tell you that since I have been on this Nutrisystem diet, I have not been suffering from the heart burn, and acid reflux. I think the foods im taking in are more healthy and balanced. I'm still enjoying all the meals they provide.

Nutrisystem- Chicken Alfredo

 

Nutrisystem - Chicken Noodle Soup

Im going for another week!  This is the longest I've ever stayed with a diet. I never would have thought I'd be doing it this way but its working for me and im getting used to the portions. Still just buying the 5 day boxes at Walmart. Im just afraid to take that step of ordering a month supply delivered at my door. Im comfortable taking it a week at a time even if it means I have to eat the same meals over again.

Im excited to say I've lost an inch and a half! My pants do not know that yet but the measuring tape told me so. My belly bulge is shrinking slowly. I hope by spring time, I can wear a fitted t shirt and not worry about the spare tire or muffin top around my waist band.

But....

Im disappointed to see I only lost one pound this week. I have to keep going. Maybe up my exerscise a bit. Its just so hard when I work in an office all day and its dark by the time I get home to do any walking. Im hanging in there.

Follow my journey here

Nutrisystem Diet Week 2 - Its Getting Easier

Week two was easier than week one. I'm seeing results already! Last week I lost 6 lbs in just my first week! I'm sure every week will not be as successful, but who knows? I hope so. Id love to be able to lose 30 lbs and get into a new Easter outfit this year.

Again, I bought a five day kit from my local Walmart. It has the same foods as the last kit with the exception of about four different meals. Ive had no complaints so far. All the food has been really good. OK, let me stop right her for a moment and just say, Nutrisystems popcorn is the best ever!!! I would love to just buy the bags alone!! 

I still get a little hungry between meals but there are snack options. I would eat things like almonds, baked kale chips or fat free yogurt. I also bought some of the shakes that are to be used between meals.
 

I like them. They taste pretty good. I'm not going to say they are absolutely delicious, but they taste better than the Carnation Instant breakfast, Slim fast or the Ensures. Yes Ive tried them all.

I would do things like add a cup of lettuce with my Italian dinners such as lasagna, pizza or rigatoni.

Nutrisystem  Meat Lasagna

I would add a tablespoon of fat free or lite dressing on the side and dip the lettuce into it as a I ate it.  I didn't over do it that way. I'm one of those that like a little salad on my dressing. 

So, incase your wondering what I ate on Saturday and Sunday. You know, those two days between my five day diet? Well, for breakfasts I would eat a pack (about 1 cup) of the Quaker oatmeal granola cereals with warm Almond milk. For lunches I would have one piece of toasted wheat bread with peanut butter and a drop of honey or some Tuna with Jalapenos on top. For Dinner one night I had a sushi roll and for dinner the next night I had fajitas from my favorite Mexican restaurant. This was such a treat! I controlled myself. I only ate half of the plate served and ignored the tortillas, rice and beans. That was sooo hard because I love the rice!

Each week I make sure to add some exercise and drink lots of water.

Here are my results after week 2!

When I first started this diet plan I weighted in at 168lbs
At the end of week one I was down to 162lbs.
At the end of week two I am down to 160lbs.

The weight loss was not as much after the 2nd week but everyone tells me that happens. They say thats why you need to stay off the scales while you diet.
Wish me luck as I start my 3rd week and dont forget to check back on Sunday afternoons for my diet updates. follow my journey here.

Nutrisystem Diet Week 1 - The Struggles

Yaaayyy! I survived one week of the Nutrisystem's diet meal plan. In my previous post about trying this diet, I said I'd give you all an update. Ill even tell ya how much weight I've lost!

First I just want to say that I am not doing this for the benefit of Nutrisystem, I'm doing this to my own benefit. My reactions and achievements may not be like anyone else. This is just my personal experience on a well known diet plan. You should try it too sometime.

Here goes:

Each day I drank 64 ounces of water and hula hooped for 15-20 minutes each morning. Also, with the help of my fitbit, I tried to get at least 9000 step in each day.


Day one: Its terrible. Don't get me wrong, the food is great but the portions are small. I'm starving! I'm so hungry. I didn't know I could add veggies and fruit to my meals to help me out so I ate strictly just the meals that were given. However, I did add a glass of Fusion energy juice, which I love. My calorie intake for the whole day was 1020 calories. I'm craving bread!

Day two: I woke up with a head ache. loved the chocolate breakfast muffin and my hunger is not as bad this day. I snacked on lettuce, fresh avocado and mixed nuts between my meals. I cant wait til breakfast!

Day three: No head ache today, just sore from hula hooping. Its getting easier. My breakfast this morning was a bagel. I added just a smear of regular cream cheese to it. yum!. It was like eating a steak. I added some oranges and grapes for snacks between meals. I feel like I have just a little bit more energy and the bloated feeling seems to be going away. Maybe Ive lost a pound but I'm not stepping on the scales just yet. Not until the end.

Day four:  Woke up feeling great. I'm starting to like it now. I'm not even hungry, just cold. Its 10 degrees this morning so I enjoyed the granola cereal for breakfast. Instead of milk, I used almond milk and microwaved it for 15 seconds and wah lah, I had a warm, sweet, and tasty granola cereal. I never got hungry before lunch. Today I added some fresh tomatoes and fruit as snacks. I accidentally skipped morning snack. Unbelievable! I also didnt eat my dessert after dinner. It was popcorn today and I was waiting until I had a craving to eat it but the craving never came.

Day five: This is the last day of meals in my box. I feel great but sorta hungry again this morning (I should have eaten that dessert last night). I do feel balanced and satisfied today. I'm skipping the usual Friday night outing to a restaurant. However, I will be going out Saturday and probably cook something on Sunday. Sorta like a treat for sticking to this during the week days. Ill take it easy though and I'm a little afraid and freaking out since I don't have my meals at hand. I will be attending a birthday party Sunday so I have to avoid the cupcakes and pizza but I can do this.

I'm excited at my results so keep reading and find out what they were.

Here are some questions I have been asked.....

What was the best part of this plan?- Not having to figure out what to eat. Its portion controlled too so I didn't have to measure and weigh everything out. Foods are easy to prepare and simple to take to work with me. They do not need to be put in freezer or fridge and take less then 2 minutes in the microwave.

Worst thing about this plan? - Giving up bacon!!!! I love bacon! Also, I hate not sharing a meal with my husband. He is left to defend for himself. Hes not complaining though.

Will I continue further with this plan?- I've decided to do it another week. Im going to take it week by week. I do not think one week is enough to really show accurate results. Sure there are low cal recipes out there but why stress over what to buy and cook when the Nutrisystem meals are right here and ready?

How did the food tastes?- I liked everything. To me, the meals tasted better than any lean cuisine Ive ever eaten and I like those. The meat in the meals were tender and not fatty, none were tough or had any gristle, the chicken seamed to be all white chunks which I like too. I couldn't wait til my next meal. Something different every day. It was sorta fun.

How much weight did I loose?- I weighed in the first morning at 168 lbs. (I don't mind telling my weight. It is what it is.) Wowzaaa!
The morning after my five days, I weighed in at  162 lbs!!!

THAT'S 6 LBS LOST!!!!
YA ME!!

Everyone is different and weight loss and satisfaction varies with each person. My weight fluctuates two or three pounds from day to day so I'm sure its not completely accurate weight loss but I liked what I saw and it gave me motivation to carry on.

As long as Im doing this diet, I will post my results each Sunday afternoon. So follow me. Any comments are welcome too.

Nutrisystem Challenge

Like everyone else, this time of year I want to make changes to myself, set goals and loose weight. I try all year but its January when I feel the urge to start fresh.

I love to eat and I nibble on everything in the house. If its in the cabinet or on the counter, it will be gone whether I like it or not. I just love to eat. Thats why I can not stick to a diet. But I need to do something or I will hate myself even more when it comes to beach time.

After several diet fails, Ive decided to take a chance with the Nutrisystem diet. I did not want to pay alot of money and sign up for the program from the infomercials on TV. It seems way to expensive when I may not even like it or be able to handle the small portions it includes.

Lucky for me, Walmart carries a five day box. With a price of about $45.00, It includes a five day supply of all the meals I need to accomplish a healthy diet while keeping it proportioned. Hey, I sorta liked walking in, grabbing a box of meals and zooming out.

I hope nobody was paying me any attention because I sure didn't feel like no Marie Osmond as I darted out wearing fat clothes and craving a cheeseburger.

Here is what the inside contents looked like. yum right?

I will be eating like an astronaut for a week.

This is what my first whole day looks like.

 and....

This is what one of my first meal of the day consist of.

A muffin. A little dinky muffin. However, it does suggest eating fruits, nuts or raw veggies with each meal. 

This leaves my husband defending for himself in the kitchen, but he also likes the idea of not having to come up with dinner plans each night. He is a healthy eater already. He eats lots of salads and nuts and walks at least five miles a day. He has lost a lot of weight already on that alone. I hate walking unless its down the beach and I hate eating healthy. This is gonna starve me.

Along with my diet, I plan to exercise with my hula hoop in the mornings before work. I already do about 15 to 20 minutes each morning so I will just continue. Maybe add more wiggle or something. Its dark when I leave work in the afternoons so its hard to go for a walk. (I know, I'm already making excuses ).
Anyway, I'm weighed in so wish me luck and check back Monday morning at a new post with my update on how the week went.



What is your weight loss plan for the new year? I know ya got one.

Meanwhile, will someone please turn the light off at the doughnut shop?