When it rains, it pours

Last night we had our sweet friends, the Madlams over for dinner. Once again I made my three bean salad and we grilled out burgers. I also made some grilled videlia onions. I peeled and cored the onions, put butter and garlic in the core and a little Worchestershire sauce and wrapped them in foil and threw them on the grill! Corrie and I were sitting on my kitchen counters just chatting and sipping wine and I decided we should be social with our husbands and kids and join them on the porch. As I was walking out the back door I busted it! I was carrying a drink, chips and chip dip in my hand at the time and it was all thrown in the air. The glass broke, the dip smear all over the floor and I was in serious pain. I fell on my hip and knee. I spent the rest of the night with an ice pack on my knee.

After dinner (which was yummy) we were hanging out of the deck and one of the little ones had to go potty and needed help. That's when we noticed that water was pouring from the hallway light in the ceiling! It was flooding the floor and I just knew it was BAD. Turns out our toilet overflowed (unused) in our master bath and flooded through the bathroom and into our bedroom and master closet. Long story short everything is fine, but we had to rent a rug doctor and suck the water out of the carpet.

So that's what our weekend started off like.

We grilled out AGAIN tonight, this time with minimal injuries or water leaks. Chicken was on the menu this time. I used a fabulous marinade! The chicken came out so sweet and tender. I served ome brown rice and peas and BAM! Heathy dinner on the table. :)

Here's the delish marinade:


• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Throw it all in a zip lock bag with chicken and let it marinate for 4 hours before grilling. I'm telling you- it's GOOD!

Unfortunately I could not go walking today because I wanted to give my knee a break. I'm glad I did because it feels so much better now. Hopefully by Monday I'll be back into the AP gang.

Today's Tracker:

Breakfast:
Lowfat yogurt:3
High Protein Granola: 3

Lunch:
Slice of Veggie Pizza: 5 pts
Breadstick: 3 pts
Greek Salad: 4 pts

Snack/weird afternoon craving:
Whole grain pop tarts (notice how I try to make it healthy by including "whole grain"): 4 pts
Icecream with almonds and chocolate syrup: 10 pts

Dinner:
Chicken: 5 pts
Brown Rice: 3 pts
Peas: 0 pts

Total: 40 pts (Darn you poptarts and icecream!)

Mental Note: Don't bake cookies!

I did a bad thing. I made a batch of my favorite cookies last night. I was good last night and only ate a couple. Then today after a long morning out with the kids I came home and devoured the entire rest of them batch. ACK! See, this is why I don't bake. Because then you have extra delicious stuff laying around. Wow....haven't had one of those moments in a long, long time. Now my stomach hurts so bad from the sugar. My poor baby is probably doing flips in there, dosed up on sugar. :(

Other than that it was not a bad day food wise. The kids had a well visit with their doctor today and then playgroup afterwards. I planned well and packed healthy foods. I've been craving summery salads and came up with a three bean salad that was divine! Here's the recipe:

Three Bean Salad

1 can red kidney beans
1 can chickpeas
1 small package frozen edemame
1/2 red onion chopped
1 basket cherry tomatoes, halved
Fresh cilantro to taste

Throw those together and add olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, rice vinegar and regular balsamic vinegar. I know, lots of vinegar. I just splashed it on until it tasted right. Then I sprinkled a little bit of sugar to help the vinegars mix. Little salt and pepper and you're done! Very tasty and lots of fiber and protein.

Here's my tracker:

Breakfast:
Alternative Bagel: 2 pts
WW's cream cheese: 1 pt
Mocha: 3 pts

Lunch:
Bean Salad: 5 pts

Um, Snack:
A gazillion cookies......who the hell knows! (smacking head)

Dinner:
Spaghetti: 5 pts
Broccoli Slaw: 4 pts

I need to get in some fruit. Maybe sliced strawberries after dinner during LOST!

152 lbs...

Had my prenatal today and that was my weight. Good deal. I mean I'm not thrilled to gain 10 lbs in 13 weeks, but it's not out of the norm. She double checked the heartbeat to reassure there was just one. Just one. I don't know if I wanted two to feel better about looking 6 months pregnant at 3 months or what. But I've had this weird fear all along I"d have twins. I mean, of course it would be great and I'd be thrilled. But it's still twins.

I made it to Total Body yesterday! Woooohooo! BIG accomplishment. I wasn't too shabby either. Kept up rather nicely if I do say so myself. I got a little cramping in my legs during the cardio circuits, but I think it was due to needing more water. More water. It's my perpetual problem....I need to drink more water! My ass is sore today. And my arms. I did lots of push ups and squats. I just kept thinking about labor and strengthening my body for that process. It felt good.

Today my plan is to walk 2-3 miles. I'll go after the kids are up from their naps.

Thankfully the nausea has been absent the last few days, with the exception of late night nausea. So I'm feeling much better and have more energy (hence going to Total Body). This thrills me because I've been eager to resume my normal activity level. My goal is to be active 5 days a week. Weekends off. That always worked well before. I figure a few classes at the Y and then some walking the other days. I'm afraid running is not working. :( My hip starts aching and gets worse. It creeps up when I'm walking too, but not as sharp. I'm hoping my chiropracter can help with that one.

Okay, I'm off to get a short nap in before the kids wake from theirs.

Tracker later...

Holy Energy Batman!

I woke up today (after only 7 hours of sleep which is usually not enough these days) and I hit the ground running! I was out the door to Target to get diapers. The kids and I picked up our usual at the Starbucks at Target. Then we hit IKEA to get these great potty seats they have that look just like the Baby Bjorn ones except they're $3.99. I found some book shelves that Ed has been wanting in a dark wood got those two. I came home, did lunch, put receptive nappers down to nap and then proceeded to put together both shelves and surprise Ed with a new office upstairs in our room. It's about time we get things together and at least pretend we're organized.

THEN I cleaned up our back yard from the BBQ. Phew! Washed dishes, cleaned the kitchen and now I'm on my way to Total Body! LOL I'm on a roll.....

Here's my tracker so far:

Breakfast:
Lowfat yogurt: 3pts
High protein granola: 2 pts
Mocha: 4 pts

Lunch:
Picked at some leaf over bean dip: 5pt
Chips: 4 pts

Dinner:
We're going to Salsa for dinner. I'll probably get chips, salsa and a salad of some sort. I'll update when I get home.

TOtal Body: +4 pts

Reasons To Eat

Memorial Day involved some yummy steak (I think my body is craving iron), hot dogs and hamburgers and all the fixin's. Baked beans, slaw, potato salad, sodas. We had fun and grilled out with some neighbors and now I'm really tired.

Here's a pic of my best friend Monica and I at the cookout. She's due in Sept with her little girl. We didn't think we'd ever end up pregnant together. But here we are. Me, 3 months. Her, 6 months. Our bellies look the same size though. Grrrrrrrrr.....


My day was quite interesting as far as food goes, but I've got the balls to post what I actually ate:

Breakfast:
Alternative Bagel: 2 pts
WW cream cheese: 1 pt
Mocha: 3 pts

Lunch:
Ham Bean Soup: 4 pts
Roll: 1 pt

Snack:
Quacker granola bar: 2 pts
Mango: 1 pt

Dinner:
Hot Dog: 6 pts
Baked Beans: 4pts
Broccoli Slaw: 2 pts

Dessert:
Chocolate ice cream cone: 7 pts

2nd Dinner (ahem):
1/3 piece of steak: 4 pts (I was craving the meat like crazy)

Tomorrow is a new day! I WILL walk tomorrow!

300th Post!

That's pretty cool! I started this blog in June of 2006 and have remained faithful to my weight loss journey ever since. :) Feels good to see that "300" for some reason. Reminds me of how far I've come. 2 years on plan! There have definitely been bad days and I have not been perfect, but I've made changes that have changed my life forever.


I started at 225 lbs after the delivery of Amelia. I did one month of Jenny Craig (it was a special) and lost 15 lbs. Then I could not fathom eating anymore frozen meals. I immediately joined Weight Watchers and have been on it ever since. I know it's the plan I'll do the rest of my life. :) It's funny but I'm already looking forward to the breastfeeding points I get when this peanut is born. LOL I lose so quickly when I breastfeed. It's like a fun game.

It's been a hectic week. My aunt had a heart attack (at 47). Luckily she's okay and is being released today from the hospital. She going to have to drastically change her diet according to her doctor. She's been hit with the reality that her eating has not only caused her to be overweight, but jeopardized her life. Her eyes are open. Mine were too as I sat in the hospital room visiting her. There is so much incentive to eat healthy. Our youth is stolen from us when we let years go by and feed our bodies junk. All the more reason to find balance and start now. Not Monday.

My mom has been in town because of my aunt and we've been eating out a lot. Luckily I've made healthy choices. Lost of salads, soups and protein. I craved a burger last night and ordered one. I ended up eating 1/4 of it (if that), most of my fries (shared some with Amelia) and all my ceasar salad. I figure that's gotta be SOME progress right? LOL I very well could have skipped a salad and just ate the burger and fries.

I'm really trying to avoid diet drinks. I have a weakness for diet coke or coke zero on certain occasions. I'd prefer a real coke over anything, but sometimes I don't want to give up the points for one. And even thought it seems easy to substitute a diet soda, they are soooooooo bad for you. Especially when you're pregnant. So I'm really trying to avoid it all together. With an occasional coke. I've been drinking a lot of sparkling water. All flavors. I'm really starting to like it! It has taken some practice for me. An acquired taste if you will. My favorite is LaCroix. I've been buying it two cases at a time. No aspartame, bubbly and fresh! Perfect beverage.

Here's my tracker for today:

Breakfast:
WW's muffin: 3 pts
Mocha: 3 pts

Lunch:
Bean soup: 4 pts
Ceasar salad: 4 pts
roll: 1 pts

Morning weight: 149 lbs

Not sure about dinner yet as my step dad is coming into town this afternoon and we're not sure if we're going to go out to eat or eat in. Either way I'll be making healthy choices!

Back to life...

We just got back from a much needed family trip to the beach. It was divine! Warm sun, sand, ocean...couldn't ask for anything more. We ate some friggin yummy food! Fried shrimp, oysters, scallops, hushpuppies...... Good eats. I let myself indulge and just stopped when I was full. Worked well. I didn't gain this week.

I was able to take one long walk on the beach while I was there. My nausea was kicking in and the only thing that felt good was sitting in the shade on my chair. Walking in the sun was not something my body was willing to do. :) But one day I felt good and did it. So only a few APs earned at the beach.

I was able to hit the grocery store to get some fresh fruit and veggies in this house. I feel like we've been living on processed junk and take out. Blech. I need something with nutritional value! I keep waiting for the morning sickness to run it's course but it keeps popping back up. I think I'm going to have to push through it and cook my meals anyway. There is just something about feeling pukey and preparing meals that do not go hand in hand. Does not make for an easy way to stay on plan. But I gotta force myself to say no to chinese, pizza, and mexican. Those have been the running rotation for a while now. But my body and baby deserve better. And it's not like I can't have those things and still eat healthy. They just need to be the exception, not the standard.

Same with exercise. Nausea has kept me from my favorite place. The YMCA. I miss, miss miss the classes. I miss having energy and feeling strong. It's the polar opposite of the first trimester. But again, I think it's time that I set the pace and get myself back into the routine. Even when I don't feel like it. Exercise will only do me good. Fresh, oxygenated blood to the placenta and my brain. Energy. Better sleep at night. Can't lose right? Right. So I gotta pull myself up by the boot straps and get my pregnant ass to the gym! LOL

Morning scale reading: 150 lbs. (Never thought I'd see those again!)

Tracker:

Breakfast:
Weight Control Oatmeal: 2 pts
Mocha: 3 pts

Lunch:
1/2 Publix Sub: 6 pts
Chips: 6 pts (had more of those than the sub)
8oz water

Snack:
Orange: 1 pt
Alternative bagel with WW's cream cheese: 2 pts

Dinner:
2 Slices Homemade Whole Wheat pizza with mozz cheese, pepperoni and broccoli: 10 pts
Fresh expresses Asian salad: 3 pts
Coca Cola: 3 pts

Walked 3 miles at the river with the kids: +3 pts

Total:33 pts
Flex Used: 5 pts

30 Flex left

Birth Hangover...

I had a sweet friend give birth last night and was invited to be a part of it. I love me some birthin'. But anytime I attend a birth I end up with a "hangover" of sorts. I got home (along with some other friends that went) at 1am. Ed let me sleep until 9:30am. You'd think that would be a great night of sleep. But I still woke up feeling tired.

I took the kids to Starbucks (of course), then the park, then Chick-fil-A, then home for naps. Phew! Eating was okay. I left the house forgetting to eat breakfast so I got a higher point breakfast than usual and that put me into Flex by the end of the day.

Here's my tracker:

Breakfast:
Starbucks Reduced Fat Blueberry Coffee Cake: 7 pts
Mocha: 3 pts

Lunch:
1/2 Spicy Chargrilled Chicken Wrap: 3 pts
1/4 Spicy dressing: 2 pts
Large Fry: 6 pts

Snack:
Blue Corn Tortilla Chips: 3 pts
Fresh Guacamoli: 3 pts
Salsa: 0 pts

Dinner:
Spaghetti: 4 pts

Total: 31 pts
Flex Used: 3 pts

18 Flex Left for the week!!!

Happy Mother's Day!

Today was a sweet day. My babies brought me a mocha and cards in bed. They were so proud. Amelia kept handing me the card she did over and over saying "I lub boo!" I took a bath ALONE and had time to actually shave and soak. LOL I got dressed all purty and we went to church. Lunch followed at my favorite breakfast place- The Flying Biscuit. Eggs Benedict with grits! Can't get better than that my friends!

Later in the afternoon I went to the mall to look for some maternity jeans. There is a new kind of maternity jean out there that I was determined to get. I have some under the belly kind, but with this being my third pregnancy, I've got a bit of a "lip." For lack of a better word. Let's just say my belly skin hasn't quite filled out yet. Makes for an awkward belly shape. That and all my old maternity doesn't fit. I have some hand me downs, but they still don't fit well. Anyway, I found the ones I wanted and bought them! SO much more comfortable. Buying a small still doesn't get old....

Afterwards I went to the river trail and walked 3 miles. Half way through my left hip was dying. I walked with a limp the rest of the way. I've got to get to a chiropracter here soon. I know it's a misalignment issue. Pregnancy does a doozy on my hips. And the only time I have the pain is when I try and walk or run. But I don't want to not walk or run, so I need to get it worked out.

It's offical

I'm 3 days shy of 11 weeks and I've popped. Not only popped, but full on popped. Like I need maternity clothes over night. *deep breaths*

I keep telling myself: 'This is what your body does Jen. Don't panic. The weight will come off again. You're starting out 30 lbs lighter than you did with your last pregnancy.' Yet I still sort of panic when I become aware of how much my belly is poking right out there. According to my scale I've gained 6 lbs. Which isn't bad for me. but certainly more than average. Oh well.....


It probably didn't help that I ate 4 pieces of pizza tonight. I can't recall the last time I ate 4 pieces of pizza. I was famished. I could not get the full signal. And now I'm paying the price. I feel like crap. Icky, stomach ache and feeling like it would feel GREAT to throw up.

Sorry, don't mean to be Debbie Downer. Just feeling icky. I was doing so good the last few days following Core and eating well. Now I feel yucky. Just need vent. Tomorrow is a new day...

Loading up on the freshness...

Went to the local Farmer's Market this morning. My God I love that place! Yesterday I didn't have lick of nausea, so I was really eager to go to the Market and even got excited. (It's been hard to go grocery shopping when I'm sick) I got lots of fresh fruit. Bananas, a huge flat of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, oranges, avacados, apples. I got some soft tofu too, so I see some fresh smoothies with added protein in my future. I also got the coveted hummus that the market makes. I love that stuff! I ate that with some carrots and blue corn chips for lunch. So did Amelia. We just camped out on the couch and devoured it. LOL

I made it to Total Body yesterday. I was sooooooo disappointed to see a sub. And not only a sub, but THIS sub. I swear I don't know why she subs. She's sweet and I'm sure she's a great person, but she's not a good instructor. The class was supposed to be an hour and by the time we were done with cardio and doing abs it had only been 35 mins. Every class I've been to that she's subbed in has been like this. The real instructor (my fav evah!) is gone on her wedding and honeymoon. So I suppose I can have some grace for it, but it was the first time I was up for Total Body in a LONG time. Anyway, pushed myself and worked up a good sweat. :)

I got on the scale (I know) and it read 147.5 lbs. *deep breaths* I think despite my efforts (which in all honesty has not been the best) I've still managed to put on some weight. Oh well. Yesterday was the first time I felt the fog lift and didn't feel nausea until 11pm. So maybe I'm turning a corner. I'm 10 weeks. My goal is to eat Core foods and use my 35 Flex to eat any non Core. ANd now that I don't feel pukey, I think that it will be much more realistic to follow through.

Here's today's tracker. I have dinner planned too!

Breakfast:
Steal Cut Oatmeal with a little SF syrup
Mocha: 1 pt of flex

Lunch:
Hummus: 1 pts for oil
carrots
Blue corn chips: 3 pts

Snack:
Tofu smoothie

Dinner:
Grilled chicken
broccoli
baked potato

5 Flex used.

Planning to earn 3 APs. So I'll only have to count 2 Flexies.

Life is busy!

Just pushing along. Having a hard time updating this blog lately. I think by the time I get on the computer at night I'm usually brain dead. :)

So far so good. I'm coasting on the wave of of the first trimester and trying to make healthier choices. Junk food is so tempting and I have to admit I've given in a lot. But I do think that even when I do chose the junk food, I don't eat it like I used to. I usually stop if I get full and I only really eat when I'm truly hungry. Overeating just doesn't suit me well these days. It makes me more sick than if I didn't eat at all.

Here's my daily tracker:

Oatmeal: 3 pts
Mocha: 3 pts

TJ's Veg chili: 6 pts
Salad with cherry tomatoes and avacado and dressing: 4 pts

3 hershey kisses: 3 pts
raisen brand/milk: 4 pts

Chicken stew: 5 pts

Activity points: 3 pts (walk 3 miles)

I'll probably have another 3 pt snack before bed.

Total: 28 pts