Baby Steps...

...are the words that i keep repeating to myself.

Baby steps.

I didn't end up over 200lbs in a day and i'm not going to get rid of it in a day. In fact, i'm not going to get rid of my weight in a week, a month, two months or six months. Okay, i'm personally wishing for six months, but don't repeat that.

I want to be 130lbs to be my target weight.

That's 75 POUNDS that i'll need to lose.

75 pounds.

But my heart keeps whispering "Baby steps, baby steps...you're re-learning how to take care of yourself and how to eat correctly for the rest of your life. You MUST change or you'll be right back where you started, dear one...."

I need to listen to this heart of mine.

I need to listen and not be so concerned about the number that i want to be. Because it is just a number, right? It's not ALL of me...

It's not all of me.

I wonder....

...if i will try to get every food item in sight into my mouth as February 1 approaches?

sigh...

Of course, if i would just realize that it's not like i'll never have dessert again, maybe i would stop thinking about food.

Mini Ham & Cheese Frittatas

Mini Ham n Cheese Frittatas

1/4 pound cubed fully cooked ham
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
6 eggs
4 egg whites
3 tablespoons of minced chives
2 tablespoons of fat-free milk
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper

Divide ham evenly among eight muffin cups coated with cooking spray; top with cheese. In a large bowl beat eggs and whites. Beat in the chives, milk, salt, and pepper. Pour over cheese, filling each muffin cup three-fourths full.

Bake at 375 degrees for 22-25 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Carefully run a knife around edges to loosen; remove from pan. Serve warm.

A Starting Date...

...has been picked for my joining Weight Watchers.

I picked February 1, 2011 to join.

Again.

Yeah.

This would be my second third FOURTH time at joining Weight Watchers. I wonder if Weight Watchers gives out prizes for "Most Attempts" or "Most Times Joined"?

Why did i pick that date?

I haven't the foggiest. I guess i figured that everyone else was joining on January 1st so i would try to be different.

I'm tired of looking around, wondering if i'm the chubbiest Mommy at my daughter's school.

I'm tired of not feeling my best.

I'm tired of wearing size 14/16 clothes.

I'm tired of being out of breath from running up the stairs.

I'm finally tired of excuses.

Finally.

Over the sand dune...

...is kinda like fence sitting. You don't know what's on the other side of the sand dune unless you get your chubby butt in gear and get moving up.

Could it be a beautiful beach?

Could it be more sand dunes?

Will you get up, be brave and climb to see what's on the other side?

Or will you just admire the view, missing the joy of seeing what's on the other side?

Sitting on a fence...

I couldn't find a photo of a piggy sitting on a fence, so i had to settle on the eagle sitting on a fence. Of course, i'm sure that it would be hard for a piggy to strattle a fence...

I seem to sit on a fence a lot. I don't lean too far forward, or too far back. I don't lean too much to the left or the right. I just sit there, watching and waiting. I don't know what i'm watching or waiting for, but i do know that while i'm sitting there, time is slowly passing me by.

Fence Sitter.

hmmm....

It's not even like it's a smart thing to do, just sitting on a fence. While i'm sitting on the fence, the decisions that i should be making just sit there, staring back at me, daring me to make up my mind, to take some kind of action, ANY kind of action. Not wanting to make the wrong decision (or the hard decision), i make no decision. I'm beginning to think that even a wrong decision would be better than no decision.

Not being brave isn't a good thing.

It can also lead to sitting on the fence for way too long.

Which is exactly what i've done with my healthy and my weight.

In not wanting to fail, in not wanting to to do the hard work that is needed, i have just sat there, waiting, doing nothing. Nothing happens, you know, if you don't take the first step of getting off the fence.

And i'm proof of that.

Let's see....

...after talking to someone who has already taken the plunge into darkness joined Weight Watchers, she casually mentioned that Weight Watchers is wanting the new member to focus on loosing 5% of their weight first and then, focus on the next 5% loss, which brings it to 10%.

I don't know what happens after that 10%, as i've never gotten that far in the program.

hahahahahahaaaa.....i just kill me some days.

Any way, that means that my 10% total pounds to loose is 20 pounds.

And 5% of that is 10 pounds.

Loosing 20 pounds will put me at 189lbs.

It's going to be a slow journey isn't it, for This Little Piggy, seeing that i'm starting at 205lbs, eh? Of course, while everyone else is happy with the "Steady and slow wins the race" spill, i'm more of a "Let's get it off NOW" kinda gal.

So much for being a "Let's get it off NOW" kinda gal....sigh.

For these two....

....are the reason that i can't give up.

These two are my life.

I have to change my lifestyle because if i don't, i won't be here to take care of, love on, and hug on.

I owe them the mission to get healthy.

I owe me this, too.

And so, This Little Piggy is going back to Weight Watchers.

Because i can't do it alone...

...and it's time for me quit pretending that i'm getting healthy when i'm not. Talk is cheap, you know.

I've re-done this blog. I'm not sure if i will keep it a secret from friends and family yet. I don't know if i'm ready to share my struggle with others who don't know. It's been such a big and personal struggle that i've hidden from everyone.

Which is really hysterical when you think about it...like friends and family can't see that i'm about 80lbs overweight? Some secret, eh?

Some of my friends are joining Weight Watchers. I'm going to join, too. I'm not ready to go to meetings with them, yet, so i'm going on a different day, but we are sharing ideas, recipes, info and thoughts. How ironic that women that i don't really know have the same exact struggles and thoughts about food as i do...

I'll blog daily after i join on my day...

Instead of feeling anxious, i'm feeling remarkably calm about all of this. Usually, i'm a bag of nerves. Maybe it's because i'm finally, finally ready to do this?

Yes, i think that i'm finally, finally ready to do this.

Lighter Buffalo Chicken Dip

A recipe from Krisandra...

This sounds good for a Super Bowl WW Friendly Dip and serve with baked chips, pretzels or lite crackers. I've eaten this before it was made WW friendly and its good.

Lighter Buffalo Chicken Dip
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 9 • Serving Size: 1/2 cup • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 3 pts
Calories: 107.9 • Fat: 4.9 g • Carbs: 5.4 g • Fiber: 0 g • Protein: 10.3 g

4 oz reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1 cup fat free sour cream
1/2 cup Franks hot sauce (or whatever hot sauce you like)
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 tsp white wine vinegar

2 cups (2 breasts) cooked shredded chicken
Mix the first 5 ingredients together until smooth. Add the chicken and put this in the crock pot on low for 3-4 hours. Serve warm. Makes 5 1/2 cups

Southwestern Salad

A recipe from my friend, Melinda, that is one of my favorite, too!

One of my favorite salads that is super easy and delicious!

Southwestern Salad
1 bag of Romaine lettuce
1 can of corn (rinsed and drained)
1 can of black beans (rinsed and drained)
2 cups of low-fat or fat free cheese
1 jar of salsa (your choice)
baked tortilla chips crushed
Ranch Dressing Low fat

Layer in a salad bowl and serve. It is so yummy! Should serve around 7. That makes it around 5 points + your dressing.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup...

Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 9 • Serving Size: 1 cup • Old Points: 3 pt • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 169.2 • Fat: 1.2 g • Protein: 18.5 g • Carb: 21.2 g • Fiber: 2.3 g

Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 1 bowl (1-1/2 cups) • Old Points: 5 pt • Points+: 6 pts
Calories: 253.8 • Fat: 1.8 g • Protein: 27.7 g • Carb: 31.9 g • Fiber: 3.4 g


1/4 cup flour (to make gluten-free use 2 tbsp cornstarch instead)
2 cups water
4 cups fat free milk
1 large celery stalk, chopped
1/2 medium chopped onion
8 oz sliced baby portabella mushrooms
2 chicken bouillons
fresh ground pepper

pinch of thyme
10 oz frozen classic mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, green beans, corn)
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed small
16 oz cooked chicken breast, diced small
salt

Create a slurry by combining 1/2 cup of the cold water with flour in a medium bowl and whisk until well blended. Set aside.

Pour remaining water and milk into a large pot and slowly bring to a boil. Add celery, onion, mushrooms, chicken bullion, thyme, fresh pepper, frozen vegetables and return to a boil. Partially cover and simmer on low until vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes. Remove lid, add potatoes and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add chicken, and slowly whisk in slurry, stirring well as you add. Cook another 2-3 minutes, until soup thickens, adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Chicken Tortilla Soup...

A recipe from my friend, Melinda...

For dinner tonight I made Chicken Tortilla Soup. Most of you probably have this recipe or a version of it but I figured it up and it only has around 4 points. I "guestimated" that it will make about 10 1-1/2 cup servings.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 lb of chicken. I use 4 chicken breasts and just bake them or put them on the stove and sautee until done.
2 (15 oz.) cans of black beans, undrained
2 (15 oz.) cans of corn, drained
2 (10 oz.) cans of rotel, MILD is what I use
1 to 1-1/2 cups of your favorite salsa
1 (15 oz.) can of tomato sauce
4 oz of chopped green chilis (optional)

Dump everything in a pot and then shred your chicken and add to the mixture. You can also serve with a few tortilla chips (use baked) and some low-fat cheese and fat-free sour cream. Yummy and delicious!