Weight Watchers Wednesday: Bravo stickers!

Bravo, Bravo! Celebrate all your accomplishments!

That's what Weight Watchers teaches you every week. I love going to the meetings every Thursday to get motivation and such encouragement each week from friends and my leader.

I am a big believer in "the bravo sticker." Each week, WW members can share an accomplishment, non scale victory, or obviously an awesome weight loss week to get a bravo. When I did WW last year, I got tons of bravos and they were visual to me, so it was one of those little things that added up to a big deal. :) I hope that you who are doing this WW program feel the same way. It's a huge key to success in my book.

Here is a key chain with tokens and charms. My goal is to earn most, if not all of them. We can do this, y'all! It's possible each and every day, one step at a time, one pound at a time!

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians 3:1-2

Weight Watchers Wednesday: Working it Out!

Happy Wednesday, y'all! I meant to work on this blog entry and post it before now, but it is STILL Wednesday and that's what counts, right? :) I wanted to share a couple of quick things with you.

I love the Skinnytaste website. I found this awesome PB & J smoothie recipe and love it. It may sound a little strange to some people, but I loved it, and thought it was so easy. It is only 6 PPV and it's filling, too.

Let's talk about getting fit. I am certainly not where I would like to be, but I am working on it and that's what matters. Mary Kay Ash always said, "It's not where you start, it's how you finish." And I definitely agree with her. I know it's hard for some people to go to the gym. For one, it can be pretty pricey; also others prefer the outdoors or even the motivation to get up and get moving.

I put my tennis shoes on and go! I still do Walk Away the Pounds some, but since I started back on WW on July 3rd, we have been walking in our neighborhood or a local trail. It's great for us to get out there and go. God's creation is beyond gorgeous, so we love to let Jackson "experience" the outdoors on our walks.

I love these elastic hair bands. They are great for pulling your hair back or keeping your hair out of the way. When I reach small goals, I try to make it fun and "reward" myself with something like this. They have really cute designs out there as well.

I have lost 7.8 pounds since July 3rd! Tomorrow is weigh in day and I hope the scale goes down!

Find your favorite way of working it out and do it. For me, it's walking. What's your favorite way to work out?

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 1 Corinthians 6:19

Back at It...Weight Watchers Wednesday!

Weight Watchers Wednesday is back, y'all! I'm just going to get right to the point. Once I found out I was pregnant last August, I was kind of ready to be on a "Weight Watchers break." I did not want anything healthy and I gained quite a bit of weight back when I was pregnant. EEK. Yikes. Let's just leave it at that. However, I ALWAYS said that I would get right back on Weight Watchers as soon as I could. On July 3rd, I joined again and I am already so glad I did. I have lost 6.6 pounds already!

We enjoyed these yummy chocolate chip clouds from Skinnytaste. They are SO awesome, only 1 point per cookie, and great to make for a party or get together. My sweet Russell made these and he did a great job!

I made this Skinny Mom Deep Dish Taco Pizza, guacamole, and had chips with it. It was SO great!

So tomorrow is weigh in. My sweet friend, Jenna, has been encouraging me so much. She is also doing Weight Watchers and we walk with our boys a few times a week. I am so ready to see big results and I am not giving up until I hit goal. It's possible!

I am just loving this sweet lil Jackson Bear. He is one of the main reasons I am back at it for sure! So-those who are doing Weight Watchers-welcome back to Weight Watchers Wednesday!

I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

Independence Day

It's catch up time on the blog! I am going to try to update every two days until I am caught up for the month of July. It's been busy but really fun!

 

 We had a low key 4th of July, but we enjoyed staying at home for the day.

 I made red, white, and blue fruit skewers with cheesecake yogurt dip for our 4th dessert. I loved the recipe and will definitely make it again!

 We always love sparklers to celebrate!

 Russell got this firework to light up right in front of our house.

 Money going up in smoke!

We also just sat in the back of Russell's truck that night and enjoyed our dessert and saw a few neighborhood fireworks. It was fun. God Bless the USA!!!

I have to share about these really fast. Dole banana dippers are my new favorite thing (yes, I have a lot of favorite things). Run to the grocery store and get them. They are a great treat! And only 3 WW PPV! YAY!

 

Please continue praying for sweet Maddie and her family! See the post below.

 

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. John 8:32

Back on Track

 

Hello again! I hope y'all are having a great week so far.

I know it seems like forever since I posted a "Weight Watchers Wednesday" post. Here's a glimpse into my favorite workout routine.

 Yep, it's Walk Away the Pounds!

I bought this on Amazon a couple of months ago for a whole eight dollars. I'll just say it was well worth it. Leslie Sansone definitely has the gift of encouragement and adds such a fun and energetic spirit to each walk.

I have never been much of a gym going person, so I have been slowly adding to my own "home gym".

 I don't have this book, but it's definitely on my list. It comes with a two-mile walk DVD. Getting fit with faith-what a great way to put it!

 This is another one of my new favorite's. Active Link! It is great. It measures all activity every day.

Yum. Cheddar walnut apple salad is amazing. I'll continue to enjoy it more this summer for sure!

A few months ago, I got a little "off track" with Weight Watchers. However, these tools shown above are the best things to help get you back on the band wagon. Whatever your goals are, I encourage you to keep going. Don't quit!

 

Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! Psalm 8:1

Flavored with Love

Those of you who read my blog know that I love coooking. I have said before that the very first ingredient that I add in every recipe is love! It's flavored with love, of course!

I have to share a couple of my favorite recipes with y'all! One is my favorite salad and the other is raspberry chocolate bars. They are both to die for. But the best part? They are Weight Watchers friendly! Here they are!

I named this salad "Meredith's Marvelous Salad", but you can just call it, "Marvelous Salad." :)

 

Marvelous Salad

 I am certainly no Pioneer Woman, but I do love to document just about everything.

Ingredients:

2 cups Romaine lettuce

sliced red onion

3 oz. chicken breast strips

1 Tablespoon dried cherries

1 Tablespoon goat cheese

1 Tablespoon almonds

2 Tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette

 Wash lettuce and dry well. Tear in to pieces, of course. I need a salad spinner!

 Chop almonds roughly.

 Heat chicken strips in skillet. I usually heat if for about 5 minutes.

Add almonds, dried cherries, goat cheese, sliced onion and chicken.

 Oh my goodness, I promise you it is so worth the prep time for this.

Add dressing on the side!

I love watermelon, so I had this with my salad. So good!

WW PointsPlus Value: 7

 

Everyone loves chocolate, right? Well, most people love it. You can never go wrong with this dessert. I made it for my mom, sister, nephew and niece when they came to visit and they ate it up! :)

 

Raspberry-Chocolate Shortbread Bars

Ingredients:

2 cups Bisquick Heart Smart baking mix

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 Tablespoons fat free milk

1 14 oz can fat-free sweetened condensed milk

1 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

3 Tablespoons chopped pecans

1/3 cup seedless raspberry preserves

 

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9x13 pan with foil and spray with Pam. Whisk bisquick, brown sugar and butter in large bowl.

For topping, transfer 1/4 cup to small bowl.

For crust, drizzle milk over remaining mixture; stir until evenly moistened. Press evenly in pan to cover bottom.

Bake until edges brown, 15 minutes.

For filling, microwave condensed milk and 1 cup chips in large bowl on high 1-1.5 minutes. Stir until chips are melted well.

spread evenly over hot crust. Stir pecans into topping; sprinkle over filling. Add jam by 1/2 teaspoonfuls over topping, spacing 2 inches apart.

Sprinkle topping with remaining 1/4 cup chips.  Bake until filling is set, 25 minutes. Cool. Lift from pan using foil. Cut into 30 bars.

PointsPlus Value:5

 

I hope y'all enjoyed these!

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him. Psalm 34:8