BrandNewAmy

Well...it is my one year anniversary, and sadly, not a good one. I started this blog quite awhile ago with the intent that I would keep it up and keep my weight loss up. Well, sadly, I decided to check on my site {because I completely forgot about it} and realized that one year ago, yesterday, I decided to make a change with my life. It didn't last. I stopped blogging and I don't know that I ever started Clean Eating. I've researched it to death, but I just can't get on board. Why not? I don't know. I really don't know. I guess my best answer is that I'm lazy, and likely don't want it enough. Heck, I'm sitting on my couch right now whining about this rather than getting up and doing something about it. I'm so frustrated. UGH! I want to lose weight, I need to lose weight, why can't I? I. Don't. Know. Enough of the whining and crying. I'm starting over, starting now. I'm forgiving myself for the crap I ate so far today and I'm...

Well, I haven't been successful on my journey after 'firing' Weight Watchers but I have held my weight steady for the past couple of months. I was thinking of starting back up at WW but I want to try something more 'realistic' for me. So after doing a lot of research, I've decided that I'm going to give Clean Eating a try. It sure seems an awful lot like Weight Watcher's old CORE program, or as I like to call it "back-to-basics". I'm heading out of town on Sunday to watch my daughter compete at her gymnastics meet and lucky for me, it is near a Trader Joe's! So, mama's doing a little shopping on her way home! Wish me luck!

I started Weight Watchers back in January of 2012. I lost 23 lbs. between my start date and April. I then lost and gained the same two pounds over the next month or so and then pretty much gave up on WW for the summer. Two weeks ago I started back up only to find that most of the foods I ate were not available through WW eTools and I had to find out their nutritional values some other way. I ended up using MFP so often that I finally started keeping track in both places. A couple of days ago I started to think. Do I really need to continue to pay $43/month for a product that is fairly incomplete when I can pay $0/month for a fairly complete product? Seems like a no brainer. I do worry that I'll lose something from not attending meetings on a weekly basis, but since I've been leaning more toward MFP and less toward WW, I've realized that I do have a pretty decent support system here. As an added bonus, my hubby uses MFP! So, I've made the decision to formally fire WW and...

OH MY HEAVENLY COOKIE! This is my first recipe from Dashing Dish and I am in love!!! It was simple to make and tastes fabulous. I am certainly going to be making more in the future!! This is a members-only recipe so I'll share the link but you won't be able to access it unless you are a member (which is totally worth it!).  { link } Dinner tonight was from Dashing Dish, too. My finicky daughters (9 and 5) didn't like --- one liked part and the other didn't like the other part --- it but I loved it!! Here is a photo from my plate! {Please excuse the 1/2 eaten taco. I was already eating before I remember to take the pic!} { link }

About a month ago I stumble upon the nicest website, Dashing Dish . This gal, Katie, created this site to share some fabulous recipes and exercises. I've been peeking at it ever since and then finally, today, I decided to pay for a membership ($5 a month is what she suggests but if you can't afford that, then Katie will take less. Be honest people!!) and get access to all of the recipes. I'm going to make a menu for next week, develop my grocery list, and shop! I'll let you know how it goes!

I am down 18.8 lbs. since I began my journey on January 22, 2012. The last couple of weeks I lost and gained the same 2 lbs. and started to give up hope. Today I woke up and decided that I wouldn't lose hope, so I went to my Sunday morning meeting and decided to start again! The meeting was about keeping up during the summer so here are the goals that I have set for myself: Weight ---My weight today is 150.6 lbs. ---What I hope to weigh by Labor Day (in 13 weeks) is 135.6 lbs. Activity ---Activities I'll be doing are playing with my kids, walking the treadmill, and (hopefully) getting back to Zumba classes. ---Something new I'll try is running outside. I currently run/walk on my treadmill but I'd like to continue this activity outside, if possible. ---How often and how long I'll plan to be active: I would like to continue my run/walk program for 3x/ week. BUT I'd love to up that to about 6x/week (work 3 days, rest, work 3 days, rest, etc.) Lifestyle...

I don't have much to post today but couldn't go without acknowledging my 100th day on Weight Watchers! I feel good!