Hi friends!
I’ve got a bit of a different blog post today. My boyfriend, Dan, has graciously offered to answer questions regarding his own Weight Watchers journey. It has been very special sharing this experience together and I’m thrilled you’ll get to hear his perspective. 🙂

1.When did you begin WW?

I first joined WW when I was a junior in college. I went to meetings over the summer with my mom and lost about 30 lbs. I then rejoined in the summer of 2019 and dropped about 25 lbs. At the end of summer I started a new job and fell off track. I had about a six month spell where I was off plan and not eating healthy. It was during that six month span that I gained all of the weight I lost back and gained 15 lbs more. About three months ago, I found my way back to plan using the online only version of WW and have lost 40+ lbs. 

2. Why did you join WW?

I could say that I joined WW to “lose weight” or “be healthy” but I would be lying. I think the real reason I joined WW was to help regain my confidence in myself. I have always been confident in who I am and what I can accomplish, but when I balloon in weight it’s easy to forget that. As I have been steadily losing weight I have become much more confident. I recently started creating content for several websites and I don’t think I would have had the confidence to perform in front of the camera even three months ago.

3. What is one of your favorite non-scale victories to date?

I recently was able to fit into one of my favorite shirts that I haven’t been able to fit into since last summer. That was an incredible feeling!

4. Favorite WW recipe?

Drizzle Me Skinny’s One Pot Chicken Parmesan is a recurring dish for me that is point friendly and also very tasty!

5. How do you stay active?

Staying active is probably my biggest struggle. One thing I have found is to pair your workout with something you love. For example, I have a workout that I like, and by now I pretty much know it by heart. I will pull that up on the TV and put it on mute, and play music through my soundbar. I get to do a workout I like with music I love! I also like going on walks and listening to podcasts, it makes going for a walk so much better!

6. What is the biggest change you have noticed in yourself since adapting a healthy lifestyle?

Outside of my boost in confidence, I would say what I am most happy about is I haven’t had the urge to binge eat in months. I used to order Domino’s and eat an entire pizza, but now I barely can finish a Subway salad! 

7. WW snacks you enjoy?

This is going to sound awful but Healthy Choice Steamers. I have about 50 daily points. I usually eat 0 point foods for breakfast, and then 20 point meals for lunch and dinner leaving me with about 10 points for a snack. I often will grab a Healthy Choice Steamer and add a little mozzarella cheese for a nice snack. I have seen the steamers run from 3-7 points! Why have a granola bar when you can have pesto chicken with vegetables?!

8. Low point alcoholic beverages?

I proudly consume both Truly and White Claw hard seltzers. 

9. How do you curb your food temptations?

I think the secret isn’t to curb them, but to indulge reasonably. I love Chick-Fil-A. I might actually be borderline obsessed with their spicy chicken sandwiches. The key is to know how many points you have and figure out a way to budget what you love into your plan. Denying yourself forever will only cause an eventual spiral out of control. 

10. What keeps you motivated to stay the course?

The love and support of my amazing girlfriend! ❤ 

11. How do you find time for yourself?

I always dedicate the last couple hours of my day to me-time. Once 9 p.m. hits the chores can wait and it’s time to sneak under a blanket and watch some Netflix!

12. Advice for someone just starting out in their weight loss journey?

Move! You can move however you like. You can go for a walk, join a Zumba class, swim laps, it doesn’t matter! Your body needs to keep moving so you don’t lose muscle mass. If you lose weight, and your body loses muscle mass, your body’s metabolism will slow down considerably! Losing weight shouldn’t be the goal as much as losing fat should be! Also, pro tip, starving yourself on weigh-in day does nothing but trick you into thinking you weigh less than you actually do. Treat weigh-in day like every other day and lose the weight naturally and gradually. 

13. Anything additional you would like to add?

Addicted to caffeine? Coffee creamer eating up all your points? Check out Crystal Light with Caffeine. I was able to cut out so many points from creamer and it has changed my life.

If you have any questions for me or Dan, leave them below!

Much love,

Jen

Hi friends!

Guess who is back on Weight Watchers?! This girl! I finally had enough of how I was feeling and on May 28th I hopped back on! And let me tell you, it feels very good! I’m currently down 15+ pounds and am feeling better every day. This time on WW is a little different. I’m going to take it slow and not race to the finish line (which is my goal weight). I found maintaining my weight to be pretty difficult after about a year, so I’m hoping by going slow, I’ll have a better chance at maintaining my weight long term. I’m also giving myself grace along the way and am letting myself enjoy all life has to offer! For instance, this past weekend was one of my very good friend’s bachelorette party. I enjoyed delicious food and some alcoholic beverages and then got right back on track the following day.

My first major goal I set for myself was to get back under 200 pounds (or onederland as they call it in the weight loss world) before my friend’s wedding and I checked that off a month early! I’m looking forward to putting on my bridesmaid dress in just under three weeks and standing tall and confident! Make sure you check back for pictures!

Stay safe and healthy,

Jen 

It’s the great pandemic of 2020, and we’re all staying home to help stop the spread of COVID-19. It’s been a month and I’m going a bit crazy – thank goodness for my roommate, her dog, and my parents (the only people I’ve been in contact with).

Here are some activities that can help pass the time and keep some normalcy in your life:

Virtual calls

These have been a lifesaver for me in order to stay in touch with my friends and family. I’ve had virtual happy hours with my co-workers, Facetime calls, and plenty of phone calls. It’s been SO nice to see faces and chat about our lives.

Exercise

Moving my body is key to helping me stay in control of my life during these uncertain times. Whether it’s a home workout, running on the treadmill, or going for a walk with my roommate and her dog (it’s nice to get fresh air!), I always feel a sense of calmness after working out.

Hobbies

One of my absolute favorite activities is to crawl into bed after a long day and read a book. My mind is transported to another place, and whatever may be on my mind is forgotten while I read. I also game occasionally with my boyfriend and BFF – we get to talk about life all while harvesting crops (any Stardew fans out there?)! My parents and I have also been playing games – in particular, Monopoly! I’m also guilty of watching Tiger King on Netflix.

Keep a Routine

I’ve found during this time that keeping a routine is very important. During the weekday, I get up and dressed before starting my work day. I feel ready to tackle the day with a nice outfit on and my hair brushed. I also keep my meals on schedule and try not to eat at odd times. When the work day is complete at 5:00 p.m., I turn off my computer and take some time for myself.

This is a very stressful and uncertain time for us all. I’m hopeful that things will begin to turn the corner soon, and this time in our lives will soon be behind us. If you need someone to talk to, don’t hesitate to reach out to me!

 

Love from 6 feet away,

Jen

I thought this would never happen….I thought I’d be someone who stayed at their goal weight for many, many years. But here we are. It’s been a little over 2 years since I reached my goal weight and I’ve gained a significant amount of that weight back. It’s not easy to admit. I feel ashamed and angry at myself for letting this happen. But I also know that honesty is important and will help me to get back to where I want to be. I’m not filling my body with nutritious food or exercising often enough. I could list all of the excuses in the world (asthma, vacation, holidays, sprained ankle). And while these do attribute to a small reason for my bad habits in the last year or so, they in no need have to continue to keep being my “reasons for being off track.”

A large part of this weight loss journey is mental. I know that my weight does not “define me” and I’m beautiful at any size, but wearing clothes that have become tight and feeling “blah” more times than not have made me realize that it’s time to hop back on the road to healthy eating and exercise. I rejoined Weight Watchers a few months ago as a monthly member (this means I pay every month like I used to before achieving Lifetime). That helped for a few weeks until I badly sprained my ankle training for the Bix. That sent me into a whole new dark hole where I took pity on myself and ate like a complete idiot for a good month. Dashed were my dreams of running the Bix and the QC half marathon this year (not allowed to run until October). And while those can become my goals for next year, it’s hard to not feel down on myself right now. 

I’m also not bashing all of the wonderful things that have happened this year! I traveled to Australia with my best friend where we snorkeled in the Great Barrier Reef, saw a symphony performance at the Sydney Opera House, and climbed the Sydney Harbor Bridge (something I never would have had the courage to do before joining Weight Watchers!). On top of this adventure of a lifetime, I also met a wonderful man who not only supports my goals, but also joined Weight Watchers and attends weekly meetings with me. Having your significant other on your weight loss journey with you makes all the difference!

This post is a commitment to myself to eat healthy and exercise. I’m going to faithfully count WW points and even join a gym! I have so many exciting events to look forward to this year (like my brother’s wedding!) that I want to feel my most confident attending. I encourage any of you reading this who know me personally to reach out and ask me about my progress on my journey as that will help keep me accountable. And if you are struggling yourself, please know that you are never alone.

Here’s to crushing goals and feeling confident!

As I reflect on 2018, one word comes to mind. UNEXPECTED. Going into the year, I had goals I wanted to accomplish, but it’s those goals I never planned on that really make me proud.

I tried Barre and Yoga for the first time and was surprised at how they pushed my body in new and challenging ways. I liked it so much I attended additional classes!

My main goal of 2018 was to run a 5k. I had walked a couple before, but I wanted to RUN this one. My roommate trained with me and on May 26, 2018, I crossed that one off my bucket list! I was a very happy girl that day. Accomplishing something that was a dream so long ago is an indescribable feeling.

I planned on running a 5k in October, but my roommate convinced me to sign up for the 10k. And on October 27, 2018, I checked an (unexpected) goal off my bucket list (one I hadn’t even put on there!). It was extremely challenging (especially after months of asthma symptom flare ups), but I never imagined I’d be at that point in my fitness journey.

In total, I ran 4 races and power walked 2, attended Barre, Yoga, and countless Zumba classes. I continued to push myself and set new goals.

For 2019, these are my goals:

1. Run the Bix 7
2. Attend 4 new fitness classes/activities.
3. Work out 3 days a week.
4. Run a half marathon?! [WOW! I cannot believe I just said that!!]

So here’s to crushing my fitness goals in 2019!!!

Jen

I’ve had a hard time gathering all of my thoughts for this post, hence why it’s taken a few weeks to write. When I first started Weight Watchers in February 2016, I could only dream of hitting goal, Lifetime, and now maintaining for one year. I honestly can’t believe that a whole year has come and gone. A lot has happened in the past year and so much has changed. But one thing has remained the same: I am still committed to a healthy lifestyle because I am worth that – and so much more.

But I never imagined that the most difficult part of my healthy lifestyle journey would be maintenance. I thought losing the weight would be the hardest part of my journey. Weight Watchers provides you with incredible tools to lose weight, but once you reach your goal, I feel like you’re kind of on your own. In my opinion, Weight Watchers doesn’t do the best with providing you support to help you maintain your weight (which I hope they change in the future). The first six months of maintenance were a breeze, and I easily stayed within my weight loss range. But once the holidays came and went, things got tough. I lost the weight I gained over the holiday, but then March hit and my social life really picked up: Long weekends away, social gatherings with friends, and personal stress, to boot! I found it VERY difficult to manage. And I became very anxious over the scale. The most anxious I’ve ever been. It came to the point where I dreaded going to the Weight Watchers meetings to weigh in – and that was not what I should feel. I should have been happy to attend the meetings and not terrified. I know that this was also my doing, and if I would track consistently and exercise regularly, I likely wouldn’t have this “scale anxiety” problem (more to come on this topic in a future post). I can’t tell you the last day I honestly tracked. When I was losing weight, I could gain a few pounds and not stress about it because I knew it would come off in the next couple of weeks. Now, I stress when the scale fluctuates even a pound. I become even more nervous the closer to the end of the month it gets (as a Lifetime Member of Weight Watchers, you are required to weigh-in once a month to continue your membership) because that means my weigh-in is imminent.

The biggest thing I struggle with is my “splurges” and “indulgences.” I find myself going a bit crazy those first few days after I weigh in for the month because I’ve got 4 weeks until I have to weigh in again. I realize this isn’t the healthiest thing, and I still need to figure out this whole “balance” thing. I can have treats, but I need to be better about working them into my daily points versus just having a free-for-all.

But then I reflect back on all of the GOOD things that have happened this last year. I trained for and ran a 5k as well as a 4-mile race. I power walked two 5k races and medaled in both! I attended a couple of Barre classes and a Buti Yoga class. I continue to push myself physically and mentally. This year has been about setting new goals for myself so I don’t lose sight of the big picture and the reason I started this healthy lifestyle journey in the first place. I smile every time I reflect on the amazing things I’ve accomplished. Things I never imagined I’d do 70 pounds ago. I’m also thankful for friends who push me and family who constantly encourage me. This journey would be 100 times more difficult without the incredible support I received and continue to receive.

And remember, you have to do this for yourself and not anyone else. You are in control of your happiness.

Keeping chasing your dreams!

Guess what I did on May 26th?! I ran my first 5k! After losing 70+ pounds, I realized I needed a new goal to strive for to keep my momentum going and to keep the weight off. I walked a 5k in October and power walked a 5k in December. After the December race, I decided on a goal of running a 5k in the spring. My roommate, Erin, who is an avid runner, agreed to train with me. We used the Couch to 5k app which I highly recommend! It’s an 8 week program all on your phone. Each day increases the amount of time you walk and run, and after 8 weeks of training, you can run a 5k! We started Couch to 5k in December and finished two days before the race (the winter months really put a damper on our training).

The Night Before the Race

I loaded up on pasta and a salad for dinner and drank lots of Gatorade to make sure I was hydrated for race day! I laid out my clothes to wear for the race, took a shower, and went to bed at a decent hour but had trouble falling asleep (I wonder why?!).

Race Day

The morning of the race I woke up at 6:30 am. I was wide awake and ready for the race! Erin and I arrived at the course about 30 minutes before start time, so we took a 10-15 minute warm-up walk. Soon it was time to line up at the starting line! It was 8:00 am and already in the high 70s and VERY humid. The perfect conditions for a race, right? 😉

My heart was beating so fast! Right before the shotgun fired, I tapped Erin on the shoulder and said, “It’s time!!”

Then the shotgun rang out, echoing around me, signaling the start of the race.  We were off!

I left the starting line with a huge smile on my face. 🙂 I felt good the first .5 of a mile, but knew it was going to catch up to me…and it did. By the first water station, I was grateful for the 15 seconds or so to walk and gather my stamina. Then we continued on. I felt like the halfway point of the race had to be coming up fairly soon, but it felt like forever! Once we made the turnaround, I had renewed motivation. I had already made it halfway, so what was stopping me from making it all 3.1 miles?

It was definitely hot and muggy outside. The sun was beating down on me with no shade in sight.

Along with the two water stations, I stopped only a couple of other times, for only about 10-20 seconds.

Erin was great about pushing me along and not letting me walk for long. The longer you walk, the harder it is to get running again. The race route weaved along a quiet neighborhood, and there were quite a few people out on the course cheering us on. Just when I thought I couldn’t run anymore, someone would shout, “You’re doing great!” and Erin would chime in, “Come on, Jen, keep going!”

Finally, I could see the finish line in sight (and a giant hill). I told myself to keep pushing forward and that I did! When we only had about 20 feet to go, Erin yelled, “Run as fast as you can!!” I thought my legs were going to fly off of my body, but I ran with all of my might to the finish line!

I HAD DONE IT!

Results

I finished in 38:01 with a 12:15 mile. For someone who has never run a 5k before, I was pleased with that time! This time now gives me a baseline for future races – which I most definitely plan on doing! I already have my eye on a race in July (Moonlight Chase, anyone?) 🙂

All in all, this race was everything I hoped it would be, and I’m so glad I pushed myself to set this goal for myself. It definitely wasn’t easy, and I had quite a few moments during my training (and the actual race) where I didn’t think my body would allow me to continue. But I can’t wait to do more races and continue to push myself! 😀 

I’m not sure about you, but I am always looking for ways to enjoy my favorite things, but with fewer calories and sugar. One of these favorite things is flavored water. I love finding new ways to sweeten up my water (plain water can get a bit boring at times, am I right?). I was so excited when I was contacted by Southern Breeze Sweet Tea to try their sweet tea! I’ve never been a fan of sweet tea, mainly because I know all of the calories and sugar that can be found in a glass of that stuff. So being able to finally enjoy sweet tea without the calories and sugar sounded like a win-win to me!

I received four flavors – Original, Half & Half (half tea, half lemonade), Peach, & Raspberry.

Before I give you my review, let me tell you something. I have always vowed to give my honest review. So what you read is 100% my true opinion. 🙂

For best results, the instructions tell you to pour 8 oz. of cold water over 1 tea bag, steep for 5 minutes and then toss the bag out. I was a little hesitant that there wouldn’t be much “sweet” flavor from the tea bag, but I was wrong! The tea is sweet, but not overpowering. The peach, raspberry, half & half and original flavors are subtle, which I like, but you can definitely taste them! Too much sweet in my opinion is a total turn off. My favorite flavor was the Half & Half, which surprised me because I really thought the Peach flavor would be my favorite. But I enjoyed all of them so much and can’t wait to continue using them! One issue I found is that you only get one use out of each tea bag. I tried reusing the bag for another glass and found it to be extremely weak. But other than that, I don’t have any complaints!

If you want to get your hands on some guilt-free southern sweet tea, go to www.southernbreezesweettea.com and enter “APRILSHIPFREE” valid 4/1 – 4/30 for free shipping on your 1st order!

Thanks again, Southern Sweet Tea! You guys are the sweetest (hehe). ❤

We’ve all had those moments where we’re craving a candy bar or cookies or a pan of brownies. And once in a while, it’s completely fine to give into those cravings. But how else can you satisfy your sweet tooth without costing yourself hundreds of calories (and a few extra workouts at the gym)? Here are some items to grab – or activities to do – when the sugar fairy is knocking at your door (SmartPoints included):

Fruit – This is a great 0 SmartPoint food to grab! My favorites are bananas, grapes, oranges, strawberries, and apples.
Halo Top Ice Cream – If you haven’t tried Halo Top ice cream, you are seriously missing out. A ½ cup ranges anywhere from 3-6 SmartPoints. My favorite is Red Velvet. Also, I have a secret…last year I won a Halo Top Giveaway and was mailed all 17 flavors! 🙂
Enlightened Ice Cream – Also very good and similar to Halo Top! I love the Oatmeal Cookie flavor!
Fiber One Brownies – These are 4 or 5 SmartPoints and definitely satisfy my chocolate craving. The Cookie Dough Supreme ones are excellent!
Weight Watcher Mini Bars – I wouldn’t have been able to control my sweet tooth and lose 70 pounds without the incredible Weight Watcher Mini Bars. My all-time favorite are the Chocolate Pretzel Blast Mini Bars. They are only 2 SmartPoints, which is such a steal! And they taste like you’re eating a high calorie candy bar (such as a Take 5).
Elevation Caramel Nut Bars (found at Aldi) – These are 5 SmartPoints and are very similar to a Twix! They are also very generous in size.
Sparkling Ice (or any flavored carbonated water) – I was never a huge pop drinker even before joining Weight Watchers, but sometimes regular old H2O can be a bit boring. They have SO many flavors to choose from that you never run out of options! And they’re 0 SmartPoints!

You also have to understand that it is completely fine to have that decadent brownie if that is what you are really craving. You’re not going to help yourself by eating 3 Fiber One Brownies and not even being satisfied when you could have just had the real thing. It’s all about moderation. It’s a tough thing to learn, but saving those special treats for when you REALLY want them makes them all that more special.

Nobody’s perfect and we all have slip ups. But being prepared is half the battle. 🙂