Lean Cuisine Cheese Lasagna Florentine Bake

This frozen entree from Lean Cuisine’s One Dish offerings contains three cheeses, Mozzarella, Riccotta and Romano. I prepared the dish by the directions on the package setting the timer for five minutes and thirty seconds. It came out just right.

But the real question is how did it taste? I would have to say it was pretty good. The pasta was tender but not soggy and the Marinara sauce was was tasty. The three cheeses combined to give the impression of a real cheesy lasagna, even though it wasn’t. I would not hesitate to grab this one again from my grocer’s freezer.



The Specs

270 Calories 7 Grams of Fat 4 Grams of Fiber

Weight Watchers Points 5

Week 32 Status Update

Well if you have been reading my blog lately you have heard about my trials and tribulations of the last few weeks. I can say I have felt better the last two days about my whole situation. I am still struggling with the exercise part but I am staying within the white lines on the eating side.

As I stepped on the scales this week I fully expected to see a couple more pounds added on. But when the little dial settled in it sat squarely in the same place again. I thought maybe the scale is jacked up so I picked up my daughters textbook and weighed again. The scale moved a little farther around the dial so I know it is working.

After 32 weeks of dieting (some weeks less than others) I am still at a total weight loss of Forty Pounds. I am happy that I have not gained but I need to get the pounds dropping again. I know what I need to do; I just have to do it. Thanks again for all of your support and good luck to you on your plans.

Lean Cuisine Grilled Chicken Caesar

I think we may have a new favorite to add to the menu. I tried the Grilled Chicken Caesar bowl from the Café Classics Bowl entrees and it was outstanding. I am pretty picky when it comes to anything called Caesar; I normally either love it or hate it.

This meal contains grilled white meat chicken in a parmesan-Caesar sauce with broccoli and garlic flavored radiatore pasta. Everything about the meal was a hit. I need to find those little pasta shells at my grocery, I liked how they held the sauce. The chicken tasted like it was actually grilled and the Caesar sauce was top notch. It was like getting something to go from an actual Italian restaurant.

I highly recommend going out and getting this one today.

The Specs

230 Calories 6 Grams of Fat 3 Grams of Fiber

Weight Watchers Points 5

The Ups and Downs of Dieting

Ever since I reached that forty pound mark it has been a struggle to stay motivated and on program. I have looked back at my previous posts just to see how far I have come and to remind myself of where I was physically when I started. I am not staying on program consistently day in and day out. Some days I just want to throw in the towel or fat free whatever.

The last few days I have spent more time reading other peoples blogs in an effort to recharge my batteries. I have ran across a lot of good information out there and have read many similar stories of the battle to stay on program. From recipes to exercise tips and beyond it is time well spent when you seek out others that are on this journey with you. As you battle your own ups and downs take some time and surf the blogs of your fellow dieters there is a lot of information to be gleaned and inspiring stories to be read.

Will I get over the hump; only time will tell. One thing I know for sure is that if I don’t I will have no one else to blame but myself and a host of people to give credit if I succeed.

Week 31 Status Update

I could just copy and paste last weeks update again right here. Things pretty much stayed the same for me this week. I am still struggling to stay on program everyday. I didn’t make my walking goal last week and I am already behind for this week. Until yesterday I had managed to maintain the program at work but struggled last weekend. My normal goal for breakfast is to have only three or four points for breakfast, but the last several days I have been having five to six. Lunch I have been fine but then I have not controlled portions in the evening correctly.

All that said brings me to the numbers from the dreaded scale. This week I stayed the same again although I felt heavier. So now for thirty-one weeks I have still lost Forty Pounds. That is still a positive thing but I am not happy about it.

Lean Cuisine Spaghetti with Meatballs

Today’s selection is Spaghetti with Meatballs from Lean Cuisine. Spaghetti is normally a safe choice in frozen entrées. This meal tasted fine but the spaghetti came out in one clump all together. The box recommended a five to six minute cooking time. I chose five minutes. I wonder if I had cut it down to just over four minutes would the spaghetti have come out better?

I might try this one again just to see if a reduced cooking time helps. Otherwise, I will stick with the either the Healthy Choice Spaghetti or the Smart Ones Spaghetti.

The Specs

260 Calories 5 Grams of Fat 5 Grams of Fiber

Weight Watchers Points 5

Week 30 Status Update

It has been an even thirty weeks since I started this diet. I have seen many ups and downs along the way. I know I should have done better so far. I have had times where I stayed strictly on program and other times where I have tossed the program out the window. The good news is that I have not given up. It would be easy to give up and just go back to my old habits but I don’t want to live that way anymore.

This week at weigh in I was hoping for another one pound loss. But, it was not to be. I stayed even on the scales for the week. That leaves my weight loss total at Forty Pounds now for thirty weeks. I need to get back to a routine that involves exercise again. My exercise of choice is simply walking but for the last three weeks I have only been a few times.

My goal for this week is to walk at least four times before my next weigh in. It has been really hot around here lately but I need to just tough it out and hit the streets.

Healthy Choice Grilled Chicken Monterey

Today’s lunch selection is from Healthy Choice and is from their Complete Selections line of frozen entrees. My local grocer had these on sale the other day so I thought I would try it out.

The Specs

300 Calories 7 Grams of Fat 5 Grams of Fiber

Weight Watchers Points 6

I was pretty excited to get a meal that had a dessert in it and a creamy sauce that was only six points. This meal came with a small piece of grilled chicken in a creamy Monterey sauce, rice pilaf, broccoli florets and a side of peach crisp. If you take each component separately then this meal was not great except for the dessert. But together it was a pretty good meal that I wouldn’t mind having again.

The chicken patty was not tough but the texture was a little off. Soft but good is the best way to describe the rice pilaf and the broccoli was tender as it should be. The peach crisp was the star of the entrée though. It is made of two things I really like, peaches and oats.

My advice for cooking this meal is to follow the directions on the package except for one. I have found on all of these Healthy Choice meals that have a peach or apple crips dessert do not remove the cover from the dessert. Just cut a slit in the center of the dessert. I used to peel back the cover as per the box directions but you end up with your dessert boiling onto your turntable.

This one makes it to my lunch menu.

Lean Cuisine Alfredo Pasta with Chicken & Broccoli

Todays lunch selection turned out very tasty. It is another One Dish Favorites from Lean Cuisine. I would highly recommend this one to anyone that likes Alfredo and Broccoli. This one makes it into my favorites section.

I will reduce the cooking time just a bit next time as one corner of the pan was a tad overcooked. The diced chicken had a great flavor and the Alfredo sauce was creamy and good. The broccoli came out just right. The pasta for the most parts was tender except for the little section that overheated.

The Specs

270 Calories 6 Grams of Fat 3 Grams of Fiber

Weight Watchers Points 5

Week 29 Status Update

Okay, after the consecutive two pound gains the previous two weeks I was looking for some positive mojo. Apparently I put my mojo in the bathroom because I found it this morning when the scales revealed a One pound loss. I know one pound isn’t great but after consecutive gains it was a welcome site.

Before I had the two bad weeks I was really getting into a groove with walking in the evenings. I need to get that going again so I can build on this weeks loss. I have reached that point where you have to work harder to keep losing weight.

So, for the 29 weeks I have been dieting I have lost 40 pounds.

Pre Weigh in Jitters

My regular weekly weigh in comes around in the morning and with the results of the last two weeks I am not excited about the visit to the scale in the morning. I did something this past Saturday that I don’t normally do, I check my weight that morning. It made me feel only slightly better, Wednesday is D-Day.

I have heard a lot of talk from other dieters about how often you should weigh yourself. Some recommend only weighing once per week while others say you should weigh every day. I see the good in both approaches but I have chosen to weigh once per week. I have fudged a time or two like this past Saturday, but for the most part I have stuck to the once a week pattern.

What are your thoughts? Pardon the pun, you can weigh in with your comments below.

Lean Cuisine Roasted Potatoes, Broccoli & Cheddar Cheese Sauce

Well, now that I am back on the diet train I have been taking my lunch to work. I wasn’t sure what I had available to take this morning but my lovely wife has been grocery shopping and right there in our freezer were some new items to try out.

Today’s selection is from Lean Cuisine and is from their One Dish Favorites line. I put it in my sack along with a banana and 100 calorie Planters Peanut butter Cookie Crisps. This meal had a nice aroma as it cooked in the microwave. I prepared it per the instructions on the box and it came out just right. The question is how did it taste?

First off I was a little concerned about the cheddar cheese sauce as it reminded me of concession stand nachos. But it tasted fine, just be prepared for the cheese to change texture pretty quick as it cools. The broccoli and potatoes were really good. Both were not too tender and not too crispy. This meal was very hearty and filling. I think this is another meal we can add to the ole’ lunchbox.

The Specs

Calories 220 5 Grams of Fat 5 Grams of Fiber

Weight Watchers Points 4

Week 27 and 28 Status Update

I know I have been silent for nearly two weeks now and I have no one to blame but myself. I have been really struggling with the whole diet thing lately. One of the reasons I started this blog was to be accountable and I have refused that mandate for too long. I almost dropped the diet all together over this past weekend.

I have had several things going on that are out of the ordinary for me in the last couple of weeks. I took some time off from my day job which is highly unusual and I have been given a writing opportunity on a website from another genre. I don’t want that to sound like an excuse for where I am right now because in reality it is the choices I have made that have me where I am right now.

I have restarted my diet again as of Monday and today is my first day back to posting on my blog. Since Monday I have maintained my point goals for the day and have not eaten anything I shouldn’t have. I need to get back to my walking schedule though.

The last two Wednesday weigh ins has shown a two pound gain each time. So at 28 weeks into my diet I now stand at a total weight loss of 39 pounds.

Weight Watchers Smart Ones Chicken Oriental

The Specs 230 Calories 2.5 Grams of Fat 2 Grams Fiber

Points 4

Smart Ones describes this meal as a juicy white meat chicken in a savory Oriental sauce with vegetables and rice. That describes it pretty well. I prepared this meal exactly per the instructions on the box. It came out just right as the rice was not in one big clump and the sauce had not begun to burn and stick to the container. This meal was good and I would not hesitate to select it again.

I like the big slices of carrots that were mixed in. The chicken had the taste and texture of actual chicken breast chunks. As I mentioned before the rice was not clumpy. Sometimes the rice just makes one big ball in frozen meals. Also, this meal gets a gold star from me because it is only 4 points and is hearty.

Week 26 Status Update

For some reason today I looked up at the title of this post and wondered why I didn’t use the term ‘weigh in’? Maybe its because that term can bring a negative feeling for several reasons. One would be that I am in a position that I have to even think about weighing in. Two, it can bring either good news or bad news. Three it reminds me that I have to be accountable to make good changes in my life.

I guess I will stick with Status Update since that doesn’t remind me of any food issues in my life. Besides, I am used to giving status reports often at work.

I wish I had better news to report today but alas, the scales stayed the same again this week. That makes two weeks in a row without a loss. At least it is not bad news but I would have liked to have been down a pound or two before taking a few days off. I do plan on eating somewhere in between the new me and the old me. I plan on making mostly good choices while traveling but I will indulge myself with some food choices that have long been neglected.

Anyway, that leaves me at a total weight loss of 43 pounds now spread over 26 weeks. Wish me luck and we shall see how the scale spins next week.

Healthy Choice Four Cheese Manicotti

I thought I would try something different, something that I don’t even eat when I am not dieting. I don’t think I have ever tried Cheese Manicotti so I thought I would give it a try.

The Specs 270 Calories 4.5 Fat Grams 5 Grams of Fiber

Points 5

As I packed my lunch this morning I was having second thoughts about my selection. This one has a long cooking time which I should have cut by thirty to forty-five seconds. This meal has a thick Marinara sauce that was very tangy. The Ricotta, Mozzarella, Parmesan and Romano cheese filled pasta (enchiladas since I am from Texas) were very good. Although the pasta was a bit tough it was still very satisfying. The side of broccoli was okay, I have had better in other meals.

On the whole I would definitely try this one again. I might even have to try this dish at a fine Italian restaurant sometime. See, when you try something new you often times find a new food you like.

Quaker Granola Bites 90 Calorie Packs

I found a new snack this weekend while shopping with my wife. We were browsing the aisles at Target and ran across the Quaker Granola Bites 90 Calorie Packs. We picked the Peanut Butter flavor and tossed it in the buggy. Quaker also makes a chocolate flavor.

The Specs 90 Calories 3.5 Grams of Fat 2 Grams of Fiber

Points 2

I really like most things granola so I figured I would like these as well. The bites are shaped in little balls and upon popping the first one in my mouth it tasted just like Cap’n Crunch Peanut Butter Cereal. That’s a good thing because who doesn’t like the Captain? Anyway, the little bites have a granola outer shell with a cereal type puff center. I will definitely pick these up and throw them in the snack basket. Right now they are doing promotional boxes that give you one extra snack pack per box.

Enjoy.

Hostess 100 Calorie Cup Cakes

I know these have been written about all over the blogosphere but I just found the Carrot Cake version a couple of days ago. I think they are one of my new favorites to throw in with my lunch. They actually taste like a slice of carrot cake. I also like the chocolate and vanilla flavors but the carrot cake seems more decadent. At two points per pack they fit very well in my Weight Watchers program.

The drawback for me is the price of these little cakes have gone up to $3 a box now. That seems a little steep to me, but if you are patient you can catch them on sale. If you haven't tried them yet go out and get yourself a box of Hostess 100 Calorie Packs CupCakes.

Weight Watchers Smart Ones Lasagna Bolognese

Todays selection comes from the Smart Ones line of frozen entrées and is called Lasagna Bolognese. Described as curly, bite-sized lasagna ribbons in a rich Bolognese-meat sauce with Mozzarella this meal was good but not great. I will say it was rather meaty which was nice. The noodles were tender and the sauce was average. I cooked this one exactly according to the instructions on the box and it was right on.

I wouldn’t hesitate to try this one again but I think the Three Cheese Ziti Marinara is a better choice.

The Specs 270 Calories 5 Grams of Fat 3 Grams of Fiber

Points 5

Week 25 Status Update

This week was a struggle after the tremendous results from week 24. Between birthday parties, eating out and just plain old not wanting to diet anymore I was about 50/50 on plan this past week. This week Monday was a good day, Tuesday was a bad day so hopefully this will be a successful day.

Enough of the whining, this post is all about the weigh in. So what did the scales have in store for me today…… they went flat line as I stayed the same from the previous week. I am still at a 43 pound weight loss. That is good news but I still like to lose one pound a week.

Alright, back to the grind. I will eat within the plan today and tomorrow I will strive to do it all over again.

Say Hello to an Old Friend

I am kind of misleading you with the title a bit but I am feeling a little mischievous as I write this post. This past week I had the pleasure of enjoying something I have not had in a long time. Especially since I have been dieting because I really liked lathering this friend up with butter and sugar. Okay get your mind out of the gutter. The friend I am speaking of is the often forgotten Acorn Squash.

Yep its just a squash, but this is a blog about food after all. I could make a meal on just these squash baked up with lots of butter and some sugar sprinkled on top. I had thought about trying to prepare them in a low fat version but just hadn’t done it until now. They are so simple to make and very good indeed. You just slice them in half, clean out the cores and put them on a baking sheet. They need to bake for about an hour at around 350 degrees. When they are done just take them out and squeeze a little Smart Squeeze or your favorite nonfat margarine substitute on them and then sprinkle with Splenda.

They were fabulous if I do say so myself. If you are tired of just the same old vegetable choices say hello to a friend of mine, the Acorn Squash.

The Top Three Reasons Why I hate Diets

I have mentioned several times on this blog my motivation and inspiration to lose weight. Today, I want to talk about the top three reasons why I hate to diet. This list could be much longer but the motivation for this post comes from the current blog project over at Daily Blog Tips. Daniel encouraged bloggers to write on a subject using the number 3 as the theme.

What is it about diets that you and I hate so much? Is it the restrictive nature of what you can eat? How about the smaller portion sizes? Maybe your favorite foods are on the taboo list. How about since we are dieting we must be overweight? Well, I can’t answer this question for you but my top three reasons are listed below.

Number 1

The number one reason that I hate diets is that you can’t just live care free. Gone are the days when you just ate what you wanted when you wanted. Just joining your coworkers for lunch is now sometimes out of the question because they may be headed somewhere that is not a part of your diet plan. Strolling through the mall and have a sudden urge for a snack, if you are on a diet you need to just keep walking past that cookie, ice cream or pretzel that’s calling your name. Being spontaneous is not allowed when your are dieting.

Number 2

The other thing I really hate about dieting is that healthy food costs more than calorie and fat filled normal food. I can be on the cheap side so this one really bothers me. For example, I can buy a regular loaf of bread for a dollar but my low calorie high fiber bread costs me over two dollars. Stroll down the snack aisle at your grocer and check out the prices of the 100 calorie snacks. I can buy a huge bag of chips for the same price as a small box of 100 calorie chips. All of the lower calorie and reduced fat items are more expensive than their regular counterparts. I’m sure it costs more to make the diet versions than the regular ones but that doesn’t make me feel any better.

Number 3

I love cookies and bread but both are high in calories and can be high in fat also. My family sometimes called me the cookie monster because I love cookies so much. If I had to pick only two foods to live on for the rest of my life it would be oatmeal raison cookies and pizza.

Do you also hate to diet? Join in the discussion and put your reasons in the comments below.

Lean Cuisine Three Bean Chili

The Specs 270 Calories 7 Grams of Fat 8 Grams of Fiber

Points 5

Described as a three bean chili with rice, peppers, fire roasted tomatoes and
corn this entrée from Lean Cuisine is the next contestant in What’ For Lunch!

When I think of cooking a frozen entree in a microwave, I am expecting a very quick meal. This one took all of six minutes. That is not a long time but based on the size of the meal it surprised me that it actually took six minutes to cook and I probably could have left it going for another 35-45 seconds without over cooking.

Enough of that, the meal was very good. However, I did not look much like the picture on the box. That is quite often the case on many meals but this one didn’t come close. First of all I think they forgot to put the rice in my particular box. Strangely rice was listed first in the ingredients. Also, the chili was soupy which is fine it just didn’t look like it would be based on the photo from the box. Aside from those two things the meal was very good. I would rather have Wendy’s chili but this is a good one if you are eating in.

Week 24 Status Update

Today is a great day to weigh in because I will be grilling ribs and hamburgers for lunch today. The three of us are off today for the July 4th holiday. I know I have readers all across the world but let me say to my fellow Americans, Happy Fourth of July! For those of you that have family or friends serving in the military I wish your loved one safety and I want to thank them for their service.

I was really expecting bad news as I weighed in this morning but I ended up being shocked in a good way. This past week I went over on points a little here and there and I missed a couple of days walking due to the rain that seems like it will never end. I stepped onto the scales and thought oops it must be off balance. I checked to make sure it was balanced and I got on again, it read the same. I stepped off once more and then back on making sure I was in the middle of the scale and it still read the same. I had lost 3 Pounds! Finally I was off that one pound at a time mode. Not that one pound at a time is bad I just wanted a little more once in a while.

That surprising three pound loss brings my 24 week weight loss total to 43 pounds. (Insert happy dance here.) Now, after today I just have to make sure I really stick to the plan so I don’t see a gain next week. I am doing really well getting my water in and hopefully I can get some walking in between the rain storms.

Weight Watchers Smart Ones Strawberry Shortcake

When you are looking for a dessert selection that you can fit into your diet plan give the Smart Ones Strawberry Shortcake a shot. Tucked away in your grocer’s freezer section this flavorful dessert is a nice way to finish a low calorie meal. It’s so easy too you just take it out of the freezer and let it thaw. I prefer to eat mine while still a little hard, I like the semi frozen grainy strawberry topping.

The Specs 170 Calories 6 Grams of Fat 1 Gram of Fiber

Points 4

Healthy Choice Low Fat Franks

Its time for those great cook outs with all the trimmings as we approach the Fourth of July holiday. It can be really tough to make good food choices while everyone else is chomping down on beef ribs, cheeseburgers and brisket. Everyone knows that chicken is a healthy meat especially when grilled, but what do you do when you want a good ole hot dog?

Healthy Choice has a solution for you. Look in your grocers refrigerated case next to all of the other juicy fat hot dogs for these lower fat and calorie hot dogs. Each frank, wiener, hot dog or what ever you like to call them has 70 calories and 2.5 grams of fat. Each frank is only two points on Weight Watchers.

Now I am not going to lie to you and tell you that they are fabulous but I will tell you they are an adequate replacement for the real thing. When cooking mine on the grill I baste them with a little barbeque sauce. If I feel like chili dogs then you can cook them in some turkey chili to help with your fat and calorie intake. There are many fat free condiments you can add to give them some additional flavor. If you are lucky you can even find some one point hot dog buns. If you feel like beans and franks then these are for you.

I would prefer to have an all beef hot dog or even a local favorite, Earl Campbell Hot Links but you know I am trying to lose some weight here. Have a great holiday no matter where you live.

Wendy’s Chili – Fast Food and Fiber

There are times when you just have to make a stop at a fast food restaurant due to the busy schedules we all seem to have. Maintaining good food choices can be tough when you turn to fast food for lunch. Luckily for me right between two of my offices is a Wendy’s. I am not a big Wendy’s fan but they do have one menu item that fits very well into my diet.

Wendy’s chili is both tasty and Weight Watchers points effective. A small chili is only four points while the large is 6.5 points. Those figures are without the optional cheese that they will offer you. I also do not eat the crackers they give you either. The small chili which is about eight ounces has five grams of fiber.

The next time you are going to succumb to a cheeseburger just because you are busy give the Wendy’s chili a try.

Smart Ones Chicken Enchiladas Suiza

The Specs 310 Calories 8 Grams of Fat 3 Grams of Fiber

Points 6

"Southwest flavors come to life in this tasty dish of chicken enchiladas, accented with roasted green chiles, topped with sour cream sauce and served with zesty, Spanish rice. So delicious, so satisfying… and another little way you can be good today."

I have tried this offering from the Smart Ones line by Weight Watchers a long time ago and enjoyed it pretty well. The other day while browsing the frozen food section I decided to try it again.

The enchiladas were very good this time. I could actually taste the chicken and the spices were just right. There was a good amount of sauce to scoop up or mix with the rice. Speaking of the rice it came out in one large clump. This is where the extra sauce came in handy. I wonder if they could do refried beans with this one and make it better.

I shortened the cooking time almost thirty seconds which may have effected the rice but it made the sauce just the right consistency. I’ll keep this one on the shopping list because of the enchiladas.

Week 23 Status Update

This week I expected to stay even or see a small gain. There were two days last week that I was way over on points. I even ate a rather large portion of fried chicken tenders from Cheddars and too much of my daughter’s birthday cookie cake. But I did walk several days last week and that helped me.

So without further delay the scale showed that I had lost another pound. That brings me to the Forty pound marker. That felt really good to type. One of the other things that has been beneficial this week is I have increased my water consumption. I have never had trouble getting the minimum down but now I am nearly doubling that.

For all of you that are on this weight loss journey with me I encourage you to keep going. Just remember why you are dieting, for each of us that answer may be different but it is still what should motivate us.

Smart Ones Spicy Szechuan Style Vegetables & Chicken

The Specs 240 Calories 5 Grams of Fat 4 Grams of Fiber

Points 4

This one is another one of those that as it is cooking in the microwave you begin to wonder what else you can find to eat. But I was pleasantly surprised when I did finally twirl my fork in the noodles. This meal was spicy as described and tasty. The Lo Mein pasta noodles were clumpy though. I had a big mesh of noodles that didn't want to separate. The chicken was almost non existent but the overall meal was very good. I am not a big water chestnut fan but I did not pick around these like I normally do.

I'll give this Weight Watchers Smart Ones meal a thumbs up.

Can I Still Jog?

This evening I went for a walk with Bruiser to get some exercise for the both of us. He wasn’t in it for the long haul as he didn’t even make two laps. I brought him back to the house and took off again by myself.

Then I had this strange thought, one I have not had in a long time. I wondered if I could jog any at all. So, I decided to take off I made it about fifty yards before I had to stop for two reasons. One was that I couldn’t breathe and the second was my shorts were about to fall off. Since I have lost 39 pounds I still haven’t bought any new clothes. I walked the rest of the way down the street and turned around.

I had some breath back so I broke into a trot again, this time also making about fifty yards before my shorts nearly fell off. I decided to just walk the rest of the way before I put on any kind of show. Coming down the home stretch I decided to jog one more time. I pulled up my shorts pretty high and took off. This time I made it nearly a hundred yards before my lungs gave out.

Can I still jog? Well, right now only in small bursts. Thirty nine pounds ago it would have been totally out of the question. I’ll continue to walk mixing in some jogging along the way. Who knows, maybe I can even work back up to a spinning class.

Week 22 Status Update

Going in to week twenty two I was hoping to hit the Forty pound mark as I am just two pounds away from that milestone. I didn’t hit the diet as hard this week. We had my daughters Majorette team mates and moms over on Saturday and I cooked hamburgers and hot dogs. Sunday evening my wife and daughter and I were watching movies and decided to order pizza for dinner, only the second time in 22 weeks I have had pizza. Boy was it good.

On to the results, this week I had another one pound loss bringing my twenty two week total to 39 pounds lost. Not the forty pound mark I was looking for but I am still happy with the loss. I walked five days last week and I was able to walk yesterday but I probably won’t get the chance to walk again till Friday. Today will be a bit of a struggle to stay on points. I have several meetings today and then we are leaving for the Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs game tonight. Thirty guys on a road trip will have the junk food flying around.

Quick and Easy Pineapple Angel Food Cake

I have been experimenting with different cake recipes to try to add a little more sweet and less fat to my diet. After the post I made about making cakes with diet soft drinks I received this idea from Andrea via comments. Thanks Andrea it was very good.

This one is just as easy as the diet soft drink cake. All you need is a boxed Angel Food cake mix and a regular sized can of crushed pineapples. For my cake I found a Pillsbury cake mix and Dole crushed pineapples. The directions on the box called for water to be added to the mix. I replaced the water with the can of crushed pineapples. I used the entire can juice and all.

I baked it in a Pampered Chef bundt stone according to the cooking directions on the box. It turned out just right. You can get creative with toppings or you can just slice it and eat it. I did not add anything to mine.

As for the implications for your diet, the good news it is a non fat food. But, it still came out to 3.5 points per slice with the cake cut into twelve pieces. I would have liked to have gotten the points down under three but it just didn’t make it. It is very good though and worth being added to my recipe box.

Healthy Choice Grilled Chicken Marinara

Chicken Breast & Pasta in Marinara Sauce with Broccoli Florets

Today’s lunch selection is from Healthy Choice’s Café Selections line. I had passed over this selection before in the freezer case but finally decided to give it a try. First off I really like the ease of cooking for all of the Healthy Choice meals I have tried so far. I like not having to stir them halfway through the cooking process.

When I first took the tray out of the box I was a little disappointed in the amount of chicken I saw. But after it was prepared I was able to cut each chunk in half and that helped. The Marinara sauce was tangy and tasty. The chicken had a nice flavor but one of my pieces had some gristle. The broccoli florets were tender but not to soft.

From the nutrition label this meal comes in with the following stats.

Calories 250
Fat 4 Grams
Fiber 5 Grams

Weight Watchers Points 5

I will be including this one in my lunch routine in the future. Paired with some fruit it made for a really nice lunch.

Week 21 Status Update

This morning I was looking for good news when I weighed in and that’s just what I found. The needle on the scale almost went around just as far as it did last week, but not quite. It stopped one pound before it got there. A 38 pound loss is where I stand after 21 weeks on a modified Weight Watchers diet. I say modified because I have never been to a meeting.

For the third night in a row I have gone for a walk after work. Bruiser and I walked for about 30 minutes. Next week I want to hit that 40 pound mark.

A Quickie Before Weigh In Tomorrow

Well, I have gone from no exercise to walking two days in a row. It felt really good even though it was really hot. I made a couple of blocks with Bruiser and then went looking for hills after leaving him back at the house. Hopefully I can keep the momentum going in the coming weeks.

Weigh in is just about nine hours away. I feel pretty good going in but the scales will announce their verdict in the morning. I know a few of my readers also weigh in on Wednesdays so I wish good results for all.

A Little Exercise Couldn’t Hurt

I have had a much easier time staying away from the Pizza buffet than getting some exercise. But last night was a little different. My wife, daughter and our puppy Bruiser took a little walk last night. Bruiser couldn’t make but a couple of laps so after we dropped him back off at the house for the air conditioning I kept going.

I’m not sure how far I walked but I intentionally walked up hills at times and really got my heart rate going. I know I need to do this on a regular basis but there are tons of other things I want to do also. We have been taking Bruiser to puppy school at Petsmart for the last few weeks and the trainer suggested that we take him for walks in the morning and evening. Maybe I can use that to motivate myself into walking on a regular basis.

The weight that I have lost so far has been without an exercise program. In the past when I have done Weight Watchers I have either walked a lot or played full court basketball three days a week. I really feel that the rate I am dropping the pounds has been slowed because of my lack of exercise. I firmly believe that no matter how well you stick to the calorie count there comes a time when you hit the proverbial wall and need to do some cardio.

What do you do for exercise? From reading some of your blogs several of my readers are very active.
Good luck and continued success.

Special K Strawberry 90 Calorie Snack Bar

This weekend I purchased a few new items at the grocery store. I will be posting the reviews for each product as I try them out. First up on the list of new products I have tried is the Special K 90 Calorie Strawberry flavored snack bars.

These bars are semi chewy with a vanilla glaze drizzled across the top. As I took my first bite it reminded me of biting into a strawberry pop tart. On a side note I miss Pop Tarts now that I am dieting. Anyway, the overall flavor of the Special K bars is very good; I just wish they were a little more chewy.

If you like strawberry flavored bars I would try these out as they do remind you a bit of strawberries and cream. The bars are 90 calories and will count as two points on the Weight Watchers system.

Healthy Choice Sesame Chicken

White Meat Chicken with Vegetables & Rice in Sesame Sauce

The Specs 230 Calories 4.5 Grams Fat 5 Grams Fiber

Points 4

First off this is one of Healthy Choices Simple Selections frozen entrees. They named it Sesame Chicken but I didn’t really think the sauce could be called a sesame sauce. The sauce was fine but my taste buds were thinking it would be similar to the sesame sauce from one of the Chinese restaurants I used to eat at before I started dieting.

The chicken was very good and the rice had the right texture. As for the vegetables (mostly carrots and broccoli) they were just right. The directions called for a cooking time of 4 to 4 ½ minutes in the microwave. I settled on 4 and it was just right. I did enjoy this offering and will purchase it again. I also like the fact that the last two Healthy Choice entrees I tried you don’t have to pull back the film and stir halfway through the cooking time. I like to just cut a small slit, pop it in and wait for the time to be up.

So, if you like rice, broccoli and chicken I think you will like this one too.

Week 20 Status Update

Okay, we seem to be back on track this week. This mornings trip to the little room where the dreaded scales are turned out to be like Disneyworld, the happiest place on earth. A feeling of dread washed over me as I stepped onto the scales but it was soon replaced by a feeling of joy. If there was a reporter in the room he would have shoved a microphone in my face and asked “you’ve just lost TWO pounds, what are you going to do now?” I’m going to Disneyworld…. No wait I’m going to just keep on dieting because next week I have to do it all over again.

Oh well, such is the life of someone that is battling their weight. But on the bright side I am a winner this week with that 2 pound drop. For 20 weeks I have been dieting following the Weight Watchers point system and I am glad to report that I have lost a total of 37 pounds.

This week I have found motivation from my wife to continue and from my fellow bloggers out there a sense of purpose. So with a new found vigor for my diet I am looking forward to next week’s trip to the scales.

Healthy Choice Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

The specs 220 Calories 3.5 Grams of Fat 5 Grams of Fiber

Weight Watchers Points 4

I almost didn’t pick this meal from Healthy Choice from the freezer case because of the combination of Spaghetti, with peas and carrots. As it turns out I’m glad I did. The spaghetti sauce was tangy and had just enough meat to give me the impression I was eating a hearty meal. The pasta was not clumpy which concerned me with the recommended 4 minute cooking time. Average, is the word choice for the peas and carrots, not bad but not great either.

As an added bonus this meal is only 4 points if you are on Weight Watchers. I like 4 point entrees as it allows me to add more stuff before and after the meal. Today I had a banana before lunch and after lunch I had a 100 calorie Hostess chocolate cake snack. If I get hungry later I have sugar free Jello pudding and a 100 calorie peanut butter cookie pack.

Did Someone Say Cake?

This may be an oldie for some of you but it is definitely a goody. A while back a friend of ours shared this after one of her Weight Watchers meetings. It is really simple and quite good to boot.

The first time my wife made this for me I thought she was off her rocker. But it is really pretty good. First of all who doesn’t like cake? But, when you are on a diet, cake is one of the things we try to avoid. This quick and simple recipe just may help you put more cake back into your diet.

You only need two ingredients to make this cake. One is a diet soft drink and the other is a packaged cake mix. Even though the box will call for eggs, oil and water you just use the soft drink instead. I would check all of the labels of the cake mixes looking for the one with the lowest fat and calories. Depending on the cake mix you select will determine what kind of diet soft drink to use. For example if you pick a chocolate cake mix you can use Diet Coke. When making a white or yellow cake mix you need to use a Diet 7Up or Diet Sprite. When baking your normal sized cake from Betty Crocker, Pillsbury or Duncan Hines for examples you will use twelve ounces of soft drink to one box of cake mix. For me it’s hard sometimes to find 12 ounce cans of soft drinks so I have to buy a 20 ounce bottle and just measure 12 ounces. Bake the cake as per the instructions on the package and you are done.

Some of the tasty things you can do with this recipe are to get a white or vanilla cake mix and bake as cupcakes. Then you can add some low calorie whipped topping and the fruit of your choice and you have yourself a great dessert. I have heard suggestions like mixing low calorie Cool Whip with sugar free cocoa mix to make a cake icing but I haven’t tried that yet.

Let us know if you have tried this recipe and if you have come up with great ways to top it off.

South Beach Diet Chicken Alfredo a la Roma

Breast strips and fettuccine pasta in Alfredo sauce and tomatoes with broccoli, red Bell Peppers and yellow carrots

The Specs 260 Calories 8 Grams Fat 8 Grams of Fiber

This was the first frozen South Beach Diet entree I have tried. I really like their refregerated wraps especially the Turkey and Ham. But this meal left a bit to be desired.

I prepared this meal according to the instructions on the package, if I were to have this one again I would reduce the cooking time by about 40 seconds. The vegetables were pretty good event though the peppers were soggy. The Alfredo sauce was the hightlight as it was creamy and tasty. The chicken chunks were good. HOwever, the pasta was on the tough side and clumpy. Like I mentioned earlier if I reduced the cooking time maybe it would be better next time.

I might give it another shot sometime just to see if reducing the cooking time keeps the pasta from being tough and sticking together. Let me know what you think if you have had this one before.

Week 19 Status Update

As expected my weigh in this morning was not good news. For the first time in 19 weeks I gained a pound. I was expecting a gain since I had eaten plenty of cookies, chips and dips over the holiday.

Now what? Well, I just have to start again this week. The only good thing about having a few bad days is that tomorrow can be a great day. Today was a pretty good day. I kept my eating under control and stayed at my points level.

For the nineteen weeks I have been dieting I have lost 35 pounds. I am looking forward to another loss at next Wednesday’s weigh in.

Week 18 Status Update

Week 18 Status Update

This mornings weigh in was uneventful as the scales settled right where they were last week. That is still a win for me. I can’t complain if they stay the same. If only they had stayed the same for the past few years.

That leaves my total weight loss at 36 pounds. If I could ever get some exercise into the equation I could probably start scaring the fire out of the 50 pound mark.

Inspiration or Despair That is the Question

This post was inspired by a group writing project hosted by Vivien over at Inspirationbit.com. She is always great at making me think and this project was no different in that respect. I hope that by sharing this part of my life it will inspire others while helping me stay the course.

When I think of the word inspiration it conjures up thoughts of desire and purpose. When something inspires me there is a desire to participate or work toward completing a task. This feeling is quickly followed by a sense of purpose and direction. It’s at this point that I begin to take action. In the case of losing weight I was inspired by several factors and along the journey became inspired by family, friends and coworkers.

The word despair reminds me of hopelessness or depression. At times battling my weight problem has seemed an exercise in despair or hopelessness. Luckily the forces of inspiration far outweigh the feelings of despair.

Most of my life I have been overweight. Much of the time I was not really bothered by it, so I did not do anything about it. I have dieted along the way with some success. I had lost as much as 55 pounds and kept it off for a couple of years. In the last couple of years I had reached the highest weight of my life. Just before the first of the year I decided I needed to do something about it.

Just because you know you are overweight doesn’t mean you will be inspired to lose weight. Something more personal needs to push you to make changes. In my case these manifested themselves in different ways and at different times. I understood the health implications of being overweight but it did not inspire me to action. At this point you may be asking what did inspire me.

How about something as simple as putting your socks on in the morning? Sound inspiring? Not really, but in my case every morning when it was time to put my socks on I would become winded with this simple task. I finally decided that was ridiculous and it was time for change.

I normally would go out for lunch everyday at work. Just about every day without fail I would eat to the point of being so full all I could think about the rest of the day was how miserable I was. I didn’t want to feel that way any more.

Some people may see a commercial or TV show and become inspired to look like the person they saw and go out and buy some new clothes. I on the other hand hate to shop for clothes. It wasn’t so much that I had to shop in the Big section it was that I couldn’t ever find clothes that fit very well. The pants were too long or the shirt sleeves were too long. The pants were too baggy in the butt and too long in the leg but the waist fit just fine. I am inspired to be able to find pants off the rack that fit and shirts that fit everywhere.

Once the pounds began to drop and the clothes began to sag I found Inspiration from others. From my wife who constantly told me how proud she was to my coworkers that complimented me on my success. All of these combined with my improved physical condition have helped me to continue. I’ll be the first to admit that sometimes I get tired of counting calories or planning ahead so that I am not rushed into a bad food choice. But, then I will get a comment on my blog or a friend will have something encouraging to say and I’ll keep going.

If you are on the journey with me, battling your weight, I hope you can find some nugget of Inspiration in the letters and words above. Even if you are in the pit of despair look around and within, your Inspiration may be closer than you think.

Weight Watchers Smart Ones – Roasted Chicken with Sour Cream and Chive Mashed Potatoes

The Specs – 180 Calories 4 Grams of Fat 2 Grams of Fiber

White meat chicken in a mushroom and onion wine sauce

Points 4

This entrée was disappointing to say the least. First off I found a bone chip the size of a kernel of corn in it. Secondly the chicken texture was like it had been shredded from all parts of the chicken and then re-formed for the meal. The gravy was way too salty.

On the plus side the potatoes were great. I could have just eaten a big bowl of them. But, then it wouldn’t have been only 4 points either.

I won’t be buying this offering again. But, I will look for those potatoes in other Weight Watchers meals.

Week 17 Status Update – The Journey Continues

You might describe my weight loss as slow and steady. That is just fine with me. This week’s weigh in yielded another one pound loss. That brings my 17 week total to 36 pounds. I’ll take slow and steady every week if it gets me where I want to go.

There are only two things right now that I am beginning to yearn for in the last 17 weeks. One of them is a Dairy Queen Blizzard and the second is a trip to the All You Can Eat Chinese Buffet. Maybe I should tie my next mini goal to those goodies.

Reward Yourself for Dieting Victories

This past week I met my mini goal of 35 pounds lost. Since my diet began I was able to not eat any real pizza. My favorite is Double Dave's. I was tempted many times to have some great pizza but I always held out till I had met that first goal. On Sunday night I rewarded myself, and my daughter with a trip to Double Dave's.

The great thing about this is that I have no guilt. I made a commitment to wait till I reached that mark before I ate any pizza. Normally when you eat something as high in fat and calories as pizza it is a failure and you feel guilty. But for me this was a victory to be celebrated. Now the tough part comes in the coming days and weeks. Just like a baseball team can't keep celebrating their last victory, I can't rest on my victory. I must continue on without Double Dave's for awhile. I must also continue to watch what I eat every day.

I still haven't decided what my next mini goal will be. Until I do I need to just keep to the program day by day.

Week 16 Status Update – First Goal Reached

Today I reached that first goal I had set for myself. When I stepped on the scales this morning I discovered that I had lost another pound. That brings my total weight loss for 16 weeks to 35 lbs. If you have read some of my previous posts then you know what that means…… Double Dave’s Pizza!


I didn’t feel real good going into the weigh in. My work schedule for the first part of the week did not go according to plan. Because of that I did not take my lunch at all. On Monday and Tuesday I ate like I was not on a diet. I went with friends to an old family restaurant and enjoyed home style cooking. You know the kind. When people prepared and cooked food because it tasted good and before they worried about carbs, fat or calories.

I did drink a lot of water in an effort to keep flushing my system. On Monday evening I mowed the lawn, so maybe that helped too. Now that I am at my first goal we will be dining on some awesome pizza, pepperoni rolls and strombolis in a few days.

In the meantime today was a good day. I stuck with my normal 4 point breakfast of muffins and a banana. For lunch it was $5 Turkey Sub day at Subway. For dinner I ate two sandwiches and some non fat Pringles. For dessert tonight I had a 100 calorie Hostess cupcake pack.

I haven’t set a goal to shoot for now that I have hit the 35 lb mark. Maybe I will come up with something in the next few days.

Video Games for Exercise ???

This past weekend my daughter was home and brought with her the Nintendo Wii she got for her birthday. The Wii is not your ordinary video game for the couch potato. I was surprised to learn that the Wii can be a good source of exercise.

The Nintendo Wii is not a game console where you get to exercise your fingers; it is a chance to work out your whole body while playing a game. After playing for just a short time I realized that I was sweating and both my heart rate and respiration were up. This game gets you involved physically in what you see on your television screen.

I also discovered that some games were able to isolate muscles and simulate movements you would find in the gym. For example, bowling is a great game for lunges. You actually make the same motion as you would bowling in real life. Boxing works your arms and you get some leg work out as you bob and weave to avoid the punches of your opponent. Tennis works your arms and you can move side to side as you direct the action on the screen.

If you are having trouble getting active as I am the Nintendo Wii just may be a great tool to get you up on your feet and moving around.

Shrimp Stir Fry from Gourmet Dining

I purchased some new frozen entrees at the grocery store the other day. One of them is from Gourmet Dining distributed by Gourmet Express out of San Antonio, Texas. I have no idea how wide these are distributed. You may want to check out your local grocer for comparable brands and selection.

This particular meal comes with shrimp, Lo Mein noodles, broccoli, peppers, mushrooms and Teriyaki sauce. By the way it is also contains no added MSG’s. I prepared it according to the package instructions. Start to finish it only took about 15 minutes.

The pertinent nutritional information per serving is as follows:

Serving Size 7 oz. with 3.5 servings total
Calories 160
Fat 0
Fiber 3 grams

Weight Watchers Points 3 per serving or 10.5 points for the entire package

In previous years of dieting I had tried several frozen meals like this one and they were quite good. However, this offering was outstanding! The noodles were perfectly tender but not mushy. The vegetables were crisp and the shrimp was delicious. There was just the right amount of sauce to give it a great taste but without drowning it.

I will be heading back to the store for more of these. I really like this kind of food but it is not something I normally cook. So, thanks to the folks at Gourmet Express for making this one easy to prepare.

Week 15 Status Update

Wow!!! What a great surprise this morning. I really felt like this week would have shown no change in my weight but, when I stepped onto the scales……… Two Pounds were missing!!

That’s the kind of news that brings a smile to your face. For the fifteen weeks that I have been dieting my total weight loss is 34 pounds. Now, I just need to stay focused on not exceeding my points for each day. If I can sprinkle some exercise in there somewhere that would certainly help also.

So, for this week I want to continue to get plenty of water in. I can’t stress enough how important drinking plenty of water is. I also really need to get started with some exercise. I would be much farther along if I could get some kind of aerobic exercise in. I have found some new menu items that are very easy to prepare and very satisfying, I’ll share more on that later.

Well, I am now One pound away from my mini goal of 35 lbs. If I make that goal next week then the folks at Double Dave’s Pizza will be having to put up with me again a few days after that.

Getting the Momentum Back

The last few days have been a bit of a struggle. I haven’t blown my diet but I have been fudging the Weight Watchers point system some. As I have had some success in dropping pounds and inches I tend to get a little lazy with my diet. I start out the day knowing that I have had three to four points for breakfast. For lunch I normally take it and that controls the point total for my day at work. However, when I get home I have been neglecting to write down the points so by the end of the night I am over.

Now, I’m not over because I am eating cake and cookies, I’m not even having fried foods and pizza. I’m just eating more of the foods that help me stay on the program. Whether it is two extra 100 Calorie Snacks or more pretzels or chicken it all adds up. So, my challenge for this week is to count those points and to not go over.

Today was a good day. I had my normal breakfast followed by lunch at Subway. I had to travel to one of our stores that is 80 miles away and I did not get a snack on the road. For dinner I made my sandwiches with some beans and then had a snack bar for dessert. The total for the day was two points under my limit.

Tomorrow will be a tough day. We are migrating our computer systems at work tomorrow night so it will be a very long day. Still, I must count those points and not go over. I am three pounds away from my next mini goal and I would like to get there next week.

Week 14 Status Update

Drum roll please………. This weeks weigh in yields a ONE pound loss. Well, not what I had hoped for but it is probably what I earned. This week was okay, but I could have done much better.

I did not eat a lot of bad foods but I did push my points to the limit. There were a couple of days where I did not get much water in. Water intake is very important. I was reading Andrea’s blog today and it reminded me how important it is to keep up with what you eat. By the way, she has two great blogs you should check out if your haven’t already.

The last several weeks I have not written down what I had eaten instead, just keeping up with it in my head. Its pretty easy to keep up with it through lunch but sometimes when I am filling my plate I forget to count something. I am going to try to do better at writing it down.

As for the exercise front I went walking one day this week. Man, if I could just get that going it would really help.

To recap I have lost 32 pounds in 14 weeks by trying to follow the Weight Watchers program. If you are dieting with me, keep at. You can lose weight too.

Weight Watchers Smart Ones Angel Hair Marinara

The Specs 430 Calories 4 Grams of Fat 4 grams of Fiber

Points 4

Angel Hair Pasta with a marinara sauce sprinkled with spinach, yellow and green zucchini.

Well, we have another addition to my lunchbox. This offering from Smart Ones was pretty good. The marinara sauce was tangy and the pasta was sufficient. As for the veggies they still had just the right crunch even after their 4 minutes in the microwave. If I could make a suggestion to the folks at Smart Ones, how about some mushroom added to the vegetable medley?

Next time I’m meandering along the frozen foods isle; I won’t hesitate to take this one home.

Lean Cuisine Roasted Chicken with Lemon Pepper Fettuccini

The Specs 230 Calories 6 Grams Fat 2 Grams Fiber

Points 5

Todays lunch time review is for Lean Cuisine’s Roasted Chicken with Lemon Pepper Fettuccini. The meal has white meat chicken, vegetables, aged parmesan and Romano cheeses. I am not a huge fan of the lemon flavor; however I do like lemonade and lemon and pepper chicken. This meal was very good. It had just enough lemon flavor to let me know it was there but not so much that it turned me off.

The chicken chunks really seemed like diced chicken breasts. The pasta was tender and the vegetables were not mushy. I just wished it had been a little bit bigger meal. But then again if it were bigger it would be more than five points. This entree is definitely being added to my lunchbox.

Go out and try this one, I think you will like it.

Week 13 Status Update

This morning brought a pleasant surprise as I stepped onto the scales. I was fully expecting that I would have gained a pound or two since my last weigh in. Instead, I am holding steady at 31 pounds lost.

Beginning with the Easter holiday followed by a trip to Mexico I had exceeded my points just about every day. However, I did not go nuts eating I just ate what was available and what I wanted. Luckily the desserts in Mexico are less than appetizing. The only dessert I enjoyed was the fried ice cream one night after dinner. There were plenty of fresh fruits so I tried to eat a little more fruit than normal. The only meal that was really fat and calorie packed was breakfast. I ate omelets, bacon and pancakes most mornings. But all in all I think I did okay.

So, after returning home this past weekend I found it a little tougher to stay on the program than it had been before I left. It helped when I returned to work Monday and got back into my routine. I’ll keep plugging along as I try to get to that first mini goal of 35 pounds. My daughter will be glad when I make that goal; she is ready for some Double Dave’s Pizza.

Lean Cuisine Santa Fe-Style Rice and Beans

The Specs 290 Calories 6 Grams Fat 5 Grams Fiber

Points 5


Reminding myself that this is a frozen meal for those of us on a diet, helped me get over that feeling of disappointment after dining on this one. It had some kick to it but it was kind of soupy. Overall it was not awful but I probably won’t be buying this one again. It had a sour cream and chile sauce that tasted good but it made the meal too soupy.The black beans were on the hard and dry side.

Lean Cuisine makes some very good frozen dinners like the panini breads and pizzas. One of their meals that I do like is an enchilada dinner that ironically tastes similar to this meal. Do you have a favorite Lean Cuisine meal? Post it in the comments and I'll check it out.

Just a Quick Note

I am back from our vacation in Los Cabos, Mexico. We had a great time. I wanted to take a quick moment to let you know that I did not go completely nuts eating everything in site while I was there. I have only gained one pound since my last weigh in. Yea!

I will get back to my regular updates over the next couple of days. In the meantime here is one of the pictures from our trip.

We Will Resume Regular Programming in a Few Days

This is a test of the emergency blogging center for people away from their computers. For the next few days I will be away from my PC and unable to update you on my progress. I will also be taking a short pause from my diet. I am not planning on going nuts but I will eat some things I probably shouldn't. I will make good food choices where I can.

So, for the rest of you I hope you have a good week and much success with your diets.

Healthy Choice Chicken Parmigiana

Breaded Chicken Breast with Marinara Sauce and Cheese

The Specs 370 Calories 9 Grams of Fat 6 Grams of Fiber

Points 7

This frozen entrée rates a thumbs down from me. The funny thing is that the broccoli was better than the meat and the pasta. It also had a cinnamon apple crunch desert that was pretty good though. But the main course was a disappointment. The breaded chicken breast had an unwelcome texture. I guess I would describe it as soggy. The pasta cooked together in one lump and the marinara sauce was virtually non existent.

I will leave this one in my grocer’s freezer next time.

Low Fat Tips Made Easy

Just a quick note on a couple of things you can do to help reduce the calories and fat in your meal planning. Tonight we changed our normal menu up a bit by replacing our customary chicken breast with fish. It was a nice mix up in our menu and fit in well with my diet.

Tonight I prepared one of my favorite vegetable dishes, baby carrots sautéed in fat free Italian dressing. But instead of the usual chicken I had thawed out some Tilapia filets. I placed them on foil in a baking dish and then poured some fat free Italian dressing over them baking them until the meat was flaky.

I wanted some bread to go with the meal so I made some cornbread from a prepared mix. One way to cut some calories and fat is to use skim or low fat milk instead of whole milk. Most prepared mixes also call for an egg. If you substitute Natural Eggs or Egg Beaters you can eliminate some more fat and calories. My teenage daughter likes corn bread but she was reluctant to try it with the “fake” eggs. When she finally gave it a chance she couldn’t really tell the difference.

To recap you can use fat free Italian dressing to give fish or chicken a snappy flavor while helping reduce fat. Whenever you can, substitute eggs for non fat Natural Eggs or Egg Beaters.

How do you use Italian dressing? Do you have some tips for reducing fat in your meals? Leave a comment and lets see what kind of things people are having success with.

Week 11 Status Update

This week has been a pretty good week. I have noticed a change in my attitude towards food. Several times when I have been thinking about what to eat for a particular meal I haven’t thought about what would be good or satisfying. Instead I just tried to figure out what would fit with the points I had left or set aside for that meal. Maybe I am beginning to think of food as a fuel instead of something that brings pleasure and comfort.

My mini goal of 35 pounds is getting closer. The reward for that milestone is still a trip to Double Dave’s Pizza. As I stepped on the scales this week I was hoping to have lost 2 pounds or more. The scales granted my wish as I lost 2 more pounds this week. That brings my 11 week total to 31 lbs.

Next weeks update will be late as I will be out of town on Wednesday. I will be on a company trip with my co-workers. I plan on not counting points while I am away. However, I intend to make some good choices too.

If you are dieting with me I wish you success. It can be done and yes, it is worth it.

Make You Own Ice Cream Sandwiches

Everybody likes ice cream, well most everybody. With summer approaching I thought it was a good time to pass along this recipe for Ice Cream Sandwiches. I try to keep several of these in the freezer at all times. They make a great snack and you only need two ingredients to make them. Well, three if you count the plastic wrap.

1. Graham Crackers – Read the labels and try to get the ones that will count the least points.
2. Frozen Whipped Topping- Again read the labels as you can get fat free, sugar free or light.

First of all you want to set the whipped topping out to thaw some. I normally just put it in the fridge for a while. I put about two and a half tablespoons of whipped topping on one of the graham crackers (two of the four rectangles) and put the other cracker on top like a smore. Then you just wrap it up in the plastic wrap and place in the freezer.

My sandwiches that I just made tonight came out to 1.5 points. Depending on the nutritional information of your ingredients your points may be more or less.

Weight Watchers Smart Ones Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

The Specs 310 Calories 6 Grams Fat 5 Grams Fiber

Points 6

This meal from Weight Watchers claims to be improved with chunky meat sauce. It did seem to be meatier than previous spaghetti offerings. The package describes the meal as a tender spaghetti in a delicious hearty meat sauce with onions, mushrooms and tomatoes. I did not notice the onions. I only had about 3 mushroom slices, I would have like more.

The meal had a good taste and was filling for lunch time. I would not hesitate to try this one again.

Week 10 Status Update

This week has been a tough one from the work standpoint. I have worked nine straight days and extra hours on several of those days. With the hectic schedule I have had to try to plan ahead a little more to keep from eating the wrong foods. Last Friday I worked 17 hours and was able to resist taking the easy way out and eating a cheeseburger from a drive thru. Saturday was not quite as long but was filled with temptation. One of my favorite foods was available in the employee lounge. Pizza was its name and evil was its intention. Lucky for me the pizza was from one of the two places that I like to eat salad from. We have a local Italian restaurant called Bruno’s and they make a tremendous salad. Anyway, I ate a very large plate of salad with Kraft Fat Free Italian dressing and I left the pizza to others. Sunday I skipped lunch and had a sensible dinner. Monday I had a low fat sandwich and fruit followed by Subway on Tuesday.

So, what did the scales have to say about my week? Drum roll please…….. Tada! I lost 4 lbs last week. That brings my ten week total to 29 lbs. I am very happy with that. However, it is getting to the point I have to go buy some new clothes. It’s getting harder and harder to hold my pants up.

Well, as those of you who have tried dieting many times know, I just have to keep going. It doesn’t get any easier so I have to be careful what I eat. If you have a bad day you have to make sure the next day you follow your program. Every day that you eat too much or the wrong things makes it easier to fall back into hold habits.

I have a small goal for myself. It may seem trivial to some but I am using it as motivation and a way to keep my eye on the prize so to speak. When I lose 30 lbs I am going to Double Daves for Pizza. I have not had any real pizza in the last ten weeks. If all goes well I could be eating real pizza next Wednesday.

Keep working at your program whatever it is; it is worth it. The good news is that you can lose weight.