Craving some chocolate

Sometimes you just need some chocolate. Well, how about fixing your craving but not regretting it later? I make sure that I have some chocolate choices on hand so I'm not tempted to go get something that will eat up all my calories for the day.

Sugar-free pudding

Sugar-free or fat-free chocolate pudding only has 70 calories. And for a 4-pack you can find it on sale for only 79 cents! Awesome and very satisfying and delicious.

Fiber One 90 Calorie Brownies

These brownies are really good. They are a little pricey at the grocery store, but I bought a big box of them at Costco for a reasonable price. You won't regret the extra bit of money spent for them!

100 Calorie Packs

There are a lot of brands of 100 Calorie Packs and there are a lot of choices! I like the chocolate covered pretzels. I bit of salt, and a bit of chocolate. Yum. I buy the big box of assorted 100 Calorie Packs at Costco unless there's a great sale at the grocery store.

Fudgsicle Fudge Pops

40 calories for these pops. Very good flavor too--I've tried some "no sugar added" fudge bars and they have a weird taste. Only about $3.50 for a 20 pack... a great price!

Healthy... yes, healthy, ice cream!

(picture from thekitchn.com)

Who doesn't LOVE ice cream?? Healthy and ice cream kind of seems like an oxymoron but it's actually true! If you haven't already seen this banana ice cream already, you're missing out! It is super creamy and it will satisfy your ice cream craving.

I like to make it with: 2 bananas, vanilla, milk, Ziploc freezer bags.
*You will need a food processor (a blender won't have the same effect)

Start with over ripe bananas and slice them to be about 1/2"ish thick. Put into the freezer bag, making sure that it's only one layer of slices (so the slices won't stick together). It will take about 1 -2 hours to freeze, however the bananas will keep for a long time in the freezer. I like to prepare a lot of freezer bags so I can pull it out and make ice cream whenever I want.

I also use 2 tablespoons of milk to help blend the bananas, and a teaspoon of vanilla for flavor. I don't use peanut  butter or any other ad ins that would add a lot of calories. I have blended in some sugar-free chocolate pudding mix for a chocolate taste. Also a bit of chocolate syrup on top is yummy and it won't add a lot of calories.

For step-by-step instructions just google "banana ice cream" or this site has good instructions (with pictures):
http://www.thekitchn.com/stepbystep-instructions-for-on-97170

I used to get "lighter" ice cream, or frozen yogurt, but there are still A LOT of calories and fat in that. Now, if I'm craving some ice cream, I make this. It only takes a few minutes and it is absolutely delicious! It only has a slight banana taste.  I feel guilty eating it.... but I don't need to be. Go make some now!

Popcorn and BUTTER!

When I get the munchies I will either eat the Special K Cracker Chips or pop a bag of 100 calorie popcorn. When I did weight watchers this was my number one snack. I love popcorn and the 100 calorie snack bags make a perfect snack. I like the butter, but sometimes it can be a little dry... so I will spray just a few spray's of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! Spray (Zero calories). Or, for a different flavor, I'll pop some kettle corn. Yum!! If you wait for a sale (almost seems like they're on sale all the time), it's only around $4 for a 10 pack. Pop-Secret, Orville, and Jolly Time all have 100 calorie snack bags.

      

Even though I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! Spray can be almost $4, it is so worth it! You won't have to sacrifice the delicious taste of butter, but you also won't consume unwanted calories. With zero calories it is great for toast, grilled cheese sandwiches, and anything else! If you can't find it on sale, the best price is at Walmart.

Snacks for a Skinny Girl

One of my favorite snacks is baby dill pickles. Zero calories. How awesome is that?? They are delicious and you can find it for less than $4 (and usually they're on sale). Sometimes I'll have it with Weight Watcher's low-fat string cheese. It is 70 calories per stick and about $3.99 for a package of 12. That is a great price compared to other string-cheeses I have seen.  I've only been able to find the Weight Watchers brand cheese sticks at Walmart.

                       

I am a major snacker and I love chips. Special K has these new "cracker chips" that only 110 calories for 27 chips! That is A LOT of chips. They come in 4 different flavors: Ranch, Sea Salt, Cheese, and Sour Cream and Onion. My favorite are Cheese and Sour Cream and Onion. They are about $3.79, which is a little pricey so I wait until there is a sell and buy in bulk! I eat these almost every day!

As much as I love Special K Cracker Chips, sometimes I need a real potato chip. Kettle Brand Baked Chips deliver. Just make sure you get the baked. I've never been into the plain potato chips, but the Hickory Honey BBQ is delicious! I was at target the other day and saw a 100 calorie bags so, if a whole big bag is too tempting these will do the trick.

                                                                                                 

The Journey Begins

So, I have decided to start a blog about my journey in losing weight. This isn't my first time at shedding some pounds. I lost about 40 lbs a few years ago and was at my skinniest since high school freshman year, but I gained it all back (and then some) after I got married. I vowed I would never be "one of those people" that gained weight after marriage--but hey! it's really hard not to! Those dinner date nights at restaurants and the late night drive-thrus, combined with the fact that I married a super awesome guy that loves me and thinks I'm hot no matter what size I am, made it really easy to avoid the scale. Plus I LOVE food. The pounds really did sneak up on me.

I had a hard time finding jeans that fit well while I was shopping one day. It forced me to realize the weight I've gained. I decided that it's time to shed the pounds! I got the motivation back to get healthy and lose the weight! I miss that feeling of being able to try almost anything on and look good--instead of hunting for anything-- ANYTHING-- that makes me look good.

The first time I lost weight I signed up for Weight Watchers. It was awesome and it worked. This time around, I didn't want to spend the money for a membership and decided to see if I could do it on my own.  

So far I've lost 10 pounds so far! Yay! (The counter below will reflect what I've lost up-to-date)

Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Calorie Counter

When I started being serious about getting healthier, at the beginning of this journey, I realized I had forgotten a lot of helpful tools (and yummy delicious food) that I used before. So, this blog is to help myself (if I need a refresher course down the road, say post-pregnancy) and anybody else.

I've been using myfitnesspal.com to help me track my weight and the food I eat. The key to weight loss is tracking everything you eat. Just being aware of the calories you put into your body will help tremendously. I have the myfitnesspal app on my kindle and it is sooo fast and sooo easy (it's better than any app I have used for tracking food). It also tracks your fitness and your weight! And you can see your friends's progress so it helps for motivation.

The hardest thing about losing weight is the beginning. First: finding the motivation, second: believing you can do it, third: avoiding temptations, and fourth: going grocery shopping for new and healthier things.

Well, actually grocery shopping was (and still is) kind of fun for me. There are more healthier and calorie conscious snacks-- and even treats! yay!-- then there was when I did weight watchers. And I love discovering something new and yummy to eat... because I LOVE food.

The next post, I will share delicious diet-friendly snacks and treats (and just food in general) that I have found.