Gran Torino and WW Question Answered

Randey and I had a little mini-date night yesterday. I say "mini" because we went to the early show and then picked up sandwiches from Subway on the way home so it really didn't seem too much like a real date. But hey - I'll take what I can get. Anywho, we went to see Clint Eastwood's latest movie, Gran Torino. We both were very moved by this movie. Heck, I think everyone in the theater was. It's basically the story of how a man, totally disconnected from any real human emotion, finds friendship and feeling almost against his will. It depicted a man incredibly alone and lonely, and determined to remain that way, until he finds himself interacting with his neighbors, people he never even wanted to know. This movie contains just about every single racial slur I've ever heard and many I hadn't. But the movie isn't so much about race as about the human condition. Do any of you know someone who has fostered a certain persona, who has learned to hide behind an unemotional mask, who has become so disgusted and confused by a world he or she is unable to grasp that they have just quit trying to interact with it? If so, you'll recognize that person in Walt, the Clint Eastwood character. I sure did. Watching Walt was like watching...well, it's not important that I share who the character reminded me of. It just speaks about the movie and Clint Eastwood's acting ability that the character seemed so real to me. Again, Randey and I were very moved by this movie and give it a firm thumbs up.
Now on to something else. Yesterday, I talked about Weight Watchers and, via e-mail traffic, got into a discussion about reaching my goal weight and then possibly taking it further. You see, when I spoke with my team leader the day that I decided 149 was the end of the road for me, she very clearly stated that I needed to be sure because if I went 2 pounds over that or 2 pounds under that (after having maintained that weight for 6 weeks and being declared a LifeTime Member, at which point I would no longer have to pay to attend the meetings), they would have to charge me again. Someone in an e-mail told me I must have heard her wrong, but I distinctly remember my team leader saying the reason I needed to be sure was because some people just picked the high end of their weight range as their goal, but then continued to try and lose weight, which was against WW rules. So today I called WW for clarification. I spoke with a very nice woman who told me that I could most certainly continue to lose weight after obtaining my goal, as long as I didn't go below the minimum set forth in the WW guidelines. I told her what my team leader had said and she told me that wasn't the first time she'd heard that so she put me on hold in order to investigate further. I must have been on hold for something like 10 minutes, but when she finally came back on the line, she told me that yes, I was only obligated to pay again (once I became a LifeTime Member) if I went 2 pounds above my goal. She went on to say that my Weight Watcher goal and my Personal goal were two different things and that many people did indeed choose the higher end of their range as their WW goal while still aiming for something lower as their Personal goal. So thank you, Mary, for discussing this issue with me and giving me the impetus to seek clarification from WW. I was worried sick about having to stay so rigidly within that range. I'm almost tempted to work on losing another few pounds just to see what reaction I get from my team leader. I've really enjoyed her help and encouragement with my weight loss, but am kind of flummoxed by her almost adversarial reaction to my decision to declare that particular number as my goal weight. She's been so happy about every other "victory" that her response to this sort of came out of left field. Oh well, we'll see...an additional weight loss may never come up so there's no point in worrying about it just yet, eh? And regardless of this one little issue, I am still thrilled silly with WW and what it's done for me.
Guess I'd better run. My boys get out of school early today and I've invited them to join me for lunch at Olive Garden. I'm all excited! I'm kind of taking bets with myself on how fast they'll try to ditch me after the lunch is over, though. Teenagers....

About the Weight Watchers Thing...

As many of you know, I started with Weight Watchers back in May of 2008. When I started, I weighed 205.2 pounds and was wearing size 18 clothes. Yowza, right? I never really thought WW would work and, in fact, told myself that I would stick with it, come hell or high water, for 4 months before I quit, just so I could say that I had "tried everything" to lose weight. I was pretty convinced that it would be a very unproductive 4 months. I was wrong. Almost immediately, the weight started coming off. A pound or two a week, but it was coming off. After the first month, I thought I would be perfectly thrilled if I could just get to maybe 165 pounds again. I wasn't sure if I could do it, but it didn't seem completely unattainable. Well heck...things kept working, I kept losing and before I knew it, I was at 165 pounds. Who'd a thunk?? At that point, I really started to pay attention. I got on the Weight Watchers website and looked up the "healthy weight" parameters for my height and my age. I think it told me I should be between 144 and 150, depending on whether I counted my height as 5'4" or 5'5" (technically, I'm 5'4 1/2"). So I put my goal at 140 (always looking to over-achieve, you know). Well, the closer I got to that, the harder it seemed to be. Not one to make myself suffer unnecessarily (all thoughts about over-achieving notwithstanding), I changed my goal to 144. Eh, what was 4 pounds, right? Okay, so I continued to plug along and then the holidays hit...Halloween, Thanksgiving, blah, blah, blah. Suddenly, 144 just wasn't going to work anymore. I panicked. I got down to 148.8 and that seemed to be as far down as my body wanted to go. Bummer. For over three weeks, I stayed within 2 ounces of that weight. I just couldn't seem to get below it. Finally, in frustration, I told my team leader at WW that I had had enough. I was declaring myself done. And actually, I was pretty happy with being right at 149. I was wearing size 8 jeans, size medium shirts...I was smaller than I'd been since Randey and I had gotten married. I thought I was okay saying enough is enough. My team leader, however, seemed shocked and more than a little bit dismayed by my decision. After discussing it with her, I actually felt like I had failed at something! What the heck? I know she didn't mean to make me feel that way, but from the reaction she had, I couldn't help but feel like I had given up on something, that I had failed. But...it's been more than 4 weeks now and while I've gotten down another pound, I'm still maintaining between 147 and 149. Maybe I could have worked harder and longer and lost a few more pounds. Maybe I should have done that, I don't know. I still feel like I've kind of failed at something and I'm not really sure why that is because I also know that I've succeeded beyond my wildest dreams. I, Kari Hayes, lost 57 pounds! Woo-hoo!!! So I didn't lose 65 pounds, like I had hoped to do at one point. So I didn't get down to a size 4 (like Marie Osmond says she did using NutriSystem). Big deal. Right? Right???? Am I happy with my size and weight now? Yes, a part of me is. Am I wondering if I didn't sell myself short because of some extra holiday eating? Yeah, I guess maybe I am. Does wondering that make me want to turn to a box of Godiva and drown my fears and uncertainties in its chocolate-y depths? Uhhhhhh, no. I'm a practitioner in the ways of the Weight Watcher! I don't feel the need to solve my problems with food anymore. I'd rather surf the net or walk the block! And I'd rather be sitting here wondering if my size 8 butt could get smaller than sitting here believing that my size 18 butt can't. Regardless of any small measure of angst I'm feeling today about my size, I can guarantee you that it's nothing compared to the heartache I felt about it before I joined Weight Watchers. It was good to do something about it. It was good to learn that I could.
For anyone thinking or wondering if they can actually do something about their weight, I urge you to try...I obviously recommend WW, but I know it's not the only thing out there that works. It's just the thing that works for me and it's given me a whole new outlook on life. Give yourself a chance to feel better about yourself, too, if that's what you need. I got the nerve and the urge to check out a Weight Watchers meeting thanks in no small part to a fellow blogger (you know who you are!) who first shared her WW experience with me. If I can pass that along to anybody else out there, please don't hesitate to contact me. I'm always happy to talk about the difficulties and the joys of weight loss!! My absolute only regret is that I didn't do this sooner. Remember, there's no better time than NOW to get started!

And the Darwin Award Goes To.....

ANONYMOUS #3!!! Congratulations, Anonymous! You've just won an all expense paid vacation to a place of your choosing, provided you can pull your head out of your ass long enough to navigate your way out of that padded room you must surely be living in!

I have received 4 comments from 3 different "Anonymous" commenters regarding my political posts of late. One, regarding my last post, said this:

Kari, I have to admit like Vee that I voted for Carter--what a diasterous, weak president. American prestige in the world took a nose dive -it is what will happen IF a Obama person wins (I HOPE not)!!! If the American people elect Obama, they will get what they deserve. I'm only afraid that we who did not support him will suffer along with them. He will NOT stand up to aggressors, he will try to "understand" them-- VB

Okay, so it won't shock anyone that this is actually a comment I agree with (lol). VB, this Darwin award is not for you (and not just because we happen to agree, but also because you explained your reasoning behind your comment). I thank you for taking the time to say your piece. Also, just as an aside, this technically isn't an "anonymous" comment since you did sign your initials, eh? Thanks again for weighing in.

Another comment, also regarding today's post, said this:

oh sorry, I had to laugh out loud when I read Vee say we were a prosperous country until the democrats took over 2 years ago LOLOL!! You women are hilarious and I sure as H*L* don't know where you been livin!!!

Huh. Us women, eh? Well, golly, I'm not sure if it's okay for me to respond to this condescending ass. Wouldn't want to overstep my boundaries, being one of the dreaded "you women" of which this person speaks. Hey, by the way, you are one popular person on my blog today, Vee! I know you're laughing just like I am to have gotten a reaction like this. I won't waste anymore time on this particular putz, except to say this: We women (I think I speak for you here, too, Vee. If not, I apologize!) have been living in the United States of America, where we have been safe from terrorist attacks from 9/12/01 forward, thanks in large part to the actions of President George W. Bush. I don't know where you've been living, buddy, but I hope it's just as safe there for you, too. Hate to say it, but this Darwin Award is not for you either. Not that I don't think you're worthy, but rather I've got someone even more worthy in mind.
Now enough of this woman's time has been wasted on you. Let's get to today's big winner...
The next two anonymous comments I got are from the same person and they're the ones that really burn me up (hence the reason I've declared this person the winner of the previously mentioned Darwin Award!). This first comment was in response to my "Preaching to the Choir" post. Here it is:

Hello, I don't have a blog but enjoy reading them! I would like to point out something, this ACORN mess is voter REGISTRATION fraud, NOT voter fraud! There is a huge difference! ACORN pays their workers by the number of people they can sign up in a day, thats why they commit fraud, so they can make bigger bucks, IT WON'T affect the voting process! Please understand that, thank you!

Uhhhhhh, okay. Excuse me. It's Voter REGISTRATION Fraud, which is like totally different from Voter Fraud, right? I mean hel-lo, dudes! That's like not nearly as bad, right? Hardly worth mentioning. Well golly gee, boy howdy, I feel like an hysterical, hand-wringing ninny, let me tell you. Well, okay, so that's not really how I feel. No, I feel more like a person of superior intelligence compared to ANONYMOUS because I think it is abundantly obvious that ANONYMOUS doesn't have the sense God gave a goat. Understand this, ANONYMOUS: the voter registration fraud that ACORN has committed has already affected the voting process. Let me walk you through it. First of all, think about the sheer expense to the states as a result of ACORN's actions. Election board employees are having to work extra hours, hire extra help and devote untold man hours to determine which registrations are genuine and which are suspect. In most states, that is done by sending out verification letters to the people who have registered so they can verify that the address given is correct. (Can anybody say POSTAGE FEES = EXPENSE?????). If there are multiple addresses used for one name, they still have to send a verification to each address. If the address is verified, fine - that person's name is added to the voter rolls. If they are unable to verify a person's address, (in some states) that person's name is not added to the voter roll, but is put aside in case that person shows up to the polls to vote. Should that person show up to vote and their name isn't on the roll, they are referred to the other list. If they are on that list, they are given a ballot, but that ballot is not counted unless and until their registration information can be verified. Imagine standing in line behind just a few people who have to be processed in this way. So you're right, genius, just because a person registers to vote 72 times does not mean they will get to vote 72 times. It does, however, mean that by virtue of registering multiple times, that person has effectively and needlessly cost the election board in funds and time and if enough of these people who registered multiple times show up at any given voting site, they could slow down the voting process enough to discourage lawfully registered voters from actually casting their votes. So you keep on believing that Voter REGISTRATION Fraud is nothing more than a silly ass game played by some low-level flunkies who just happen to work for ACORN. Way to soak in "the big picture"! I can tell how well you actually think issues through, ANONYMOUS. 'Course, I was able to ascertain that by your next comment (left on my Voter Fraud post), which was:

Dear Lord, please please read my comment on the post before this one, I said, VOTER FRAUD IS NOT VOTER REGISTRATION FRAUD!!! Voter fraud is what happened in the last 2 elections where Bush stole the election! YES HE DID!!!

If I didn't realize you were a blithering idiot before, I surely understand it now. Thanks for the clarification.
I have had it up to here (picture my hand scraping across my forehead) and two feet over with blatant stupidity and/or willful blindness. I don't mind that someone might have a different opinion than me. Hell, I even welcome it. I have to admit, I'm fairly easily bored and it gives me something to do when someone points out a differing view. We can open up a dialogue and exchange views and ideas back and forth. Good times! Happened just this morning with Brenda, as a matter of fact. She pointed out what she felt were fallacies with my Obama Tax post and, thanks to her, I was able to get a broader picture of some things. It was great learning from her and while I still have the same opinion over Obama's Tax proposal, I'm more clear as to the specifics. That was exciting stuff for me. I love to learn - sometimes I love it more than at other times (particularly when I realize I've been wrong about something), but nevertheless, learning is always welcome. This ANONYMOUS, however, was not attempting to open a dialogue. This ANONYMOUS was seeking to lay down an opinion as fact and then just skedaddle on off my blog without so much as a scratch. Think again, dufus. ANONYMOUS, you apparently suffer some deep-seated resentment regarding George W. Bush. I sure do hate that for you. Now get over it. You truly need to because your resentment of W runs so deep that you seem quite willing to overlook and/or ignore a terribly vicious attack against our democracy, i.e., Voter Fraud (the Registration kind, of course). ANONYMOUS, you probably couldn't explain one iota of either candidate's stand on any given issue, other than to say who is the Democrat and who is the Republican. For whatever reason, you seem to think that by trivializing the actions of ACORN and their personnel, it somehow makes their actions "okay" or even "inconsequential". To that I say, DON'T BE AN IDIOT. More to the point, if the sanctity of our electoral process means so little to you, then why in the hell are you even commenting on my blog about it? There are innumerable ways you can show your ignorance without cluttering up my blog. Go give one a try, eh? And do yourself a favor and seek therapy over this W fetish that seems to have such a grip on you. It's not healthy to live like that. (Yeah, okay, that was a cheap shot. I'm just pissed to be confronted with so much ignorance out of one person. In the words of that great American, Senator John McCain, "it's remarkable".)

Okay, I'm done with that. For now. It burns my butt to no end to hear someone say something so ignorant about Voter Fraud. Like even a little bit is okay. Geez.

Okay, I'm really done now. Let me change the subject before I pound my keyboard into oblivion. On to other things...oh yeah, I got pretty good news at my Weight Watchers meeting. I'm down another 1.6 pounds for a total of 44.6. It was much better than last week, when I lost a whopping 2 ounces. Two ounces...good grief. I probably lost that by wearing a different watch or something. But no matter - this week was better so I'm feeling pretty good. I gotta tell you, though, this last bit of weight seems to be the hardest to get off. It's like trying to whittle a chunk of oak using nothing but a feather. It's hard to make much progress! lol

Call me "adaptable"

Okay, so I've discovered that I am quite incapable of just keeping my mouth shut about politics. For those of you who don't enjoy my political posts, I'm terribly sorry. But, as was mentioned in a comment from Cassie, if we were friends IRL (in real life) odds are good we'd be talking about this face to face so why would it be wrong to "talk" about it in Blogland? However...in the interest of maintaining variety, I'll make an effort to throw in some stuff other than politics, too. After all, it's not like I sit around IRL, talking about politics 24/7. Okay, so maybe I do, but variety is the spice of life, right?, so I'll work on spicing things up a bit. I'll start with this post and we'll call it "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly".
Here's "the Good"... my 3rd child's senior pictures:
PICTURE DELETED BY BLOG OWNER
Isn't he adorable? This is Kaleb, my most kind-hearted child. Don't worry - I'm not showing favoritism. I think even his siblings would agree with that characterization. Kaleb is so kind-hearted, he can't even bear to kill a spider. He tends to "set them free", something that I, his arachnophobia afflicted mother, totally disagree with. In most areas of life, he's such a mature kid - I take that for granted sometimes. Like the day he had his senior pictures taken, for instance. I told him to wear the black dress shirt (he looks good in it, no?). I assumed that would be the extent of the wardrobe advice needed from me. I was wrong. I was a bit...taken aback when we got the proofs in and I saw that Kaleb had added the hat and the fingerless gloves and hadn't bothered to button the shirt. I knew I should have gone with him that day. But, even though this is not what I would have chosen for him to wear, I think the pictures themselves came out pretty darn good. We're going to have more pictures taken when he receives his letterman jacket. (I think I'll attend that photo shoot and make sure those gloves don't put in another appearance.)
Now for "the Bad": I was watching TV the other day when an advertisement came on for some new diet cookies.

Before any cookie company lawyers start preparing a lawsuit against me, let me make clear that I am not commenting on the effectiveness of this product. Their commercial cracked me up, though. Not for their claim that these cookies can help you lose weight...no, no, no. The funny thing to me was when they said "Many clients comment that they have actually saved money on our program by eliminating the need to purchase food." When I heard that claim, I thought "Geez! Now even these diet places are appealing to our economic fears!". Ummmm, don't most all nutritionists say that we should eat a balanced diet for optimal health? Eliminating food seems like an awfully drastic diet plan to me. lol

Now for "the Ugly"...Barack Obama's Tax plan. I've been doing some research on this tax plan. I've found points from the American Enterprise Institute, the Heritage Foundation and the Brookings Institute. Who are they, you ask? The more conservative American Enterprise Institute and Heritage Foundation, along with the more liberal leaning Brookings Institute, are generally considered the three most influential policy institutes in the U.S. Here's what they have to say about Obama's tax plan. This chart is from the American Enterprise Institute and it shows the effective Marginal Tax Rates of Obama's plan compared with the current tax law:See how Obama's plan can actually raise taxes for us "middle class people"? By the way, wondering what "Marginal Tax" means? Yeah, me too. Here's the definition for you:

Marginal Tax Rate
The amount of tax paid on an additional dollar of income. As income rises, so does the tax rate.
Notes:Many believe this discourages business investment because you are taking away the incentive to work harder.

Uh, huh. Really clear, isn't it? I'm not an economist, I don't get the tax code all that well, and a lot of this is gibberish to me (hey, I'm being honest here! The only math I'm really good at is figuring out how much an item will cost me if it's on sale. You give me the starting price and tell me the percentage off, I can tell you PDQ just exactly how much that item will cost in the end. lol). However, you can go to the wikipedia link here for a better explanation. (Maybe. Depends on your aptitude to decipher economic talk, I guess.) Anyway, while I don't have a firm grasp on this subject, I think I understand what the basic gist is. And I don't think it's as good for us "middle Americans" as we've been led to believe.

Now here's what The Heritage Foundation had to say about Obama's tax plan:

Among the more prominent elements of his tax proposal, Senator Obama would end the Bush tax cuts and allow the top two tax rates to return to 36 and 39.6 percent. He also would allow personal exemptions and deductions to be phased out for those with income over $250,000. The real kicker, though, is that Senator Obama would end the Social Security payroll tax cap for those over $250,000 in earnings. (The cap is currently set at $102,000.) These individuals will then face a tax rate of 15.65 percent from payroll taxes and the top income tax rate of 39.6 percent for a combined top rate of over 56 percent on each additional dollar earned.
High-income individuals will be forced to pay even more if they live in cities or states with high taxes such as New York City, California, or Maryland. These unlucky people would pay over two-thirds of each new dollar in earnings to the federal government.

Wow! Are we simply out to punish success in this country? You know, I'm not happy about those Wall Street CEOs and their outrageous pay packets, either. In fact, I think it's absolutely ludicrous what these people have been paid in salaries and bonuses. Heck, I'm just as outraged about the huge sums of money actors and athletes get paid in this country. It's crazy! But make no mistake, people. We're not talking about those "ultra rich" people here. These are people who make over a quarter of a million dollars a year. Yeah, it's a lot of money, but it's not an outrageous sum of money. To tax those people at such a rate should bother each and every one of us. These people are not the greedy bastards that ran Wall Street into the ground...they are people who managed to excel in America, something this country has always advocated for. Punishing them for that is not the American way, nor should it be. Here's more from The Heritage Foundation:

Historically, Senator Obama's tax rate would be the highest individual tax rate since the Jimmy Carter days. Tax shelters and tax avoidance strategies were common when the top marginal rate was 70 percent or higher. This new top tax rate will again encourage these gimmicks, reducing investment and economic growth as resources are squandered in an attempt to avoid punitive taxation.

As to the effect on our work force, The Heritage Foundation says this:

These high tax rates could also have a large impact on the labor force. Many workers could choose to reduce their hours or simply retire in the face of such high taxation. Economists usually argue a great deal about what effect minor changes in the tax code will have on incentives to work. However, the Obama plan calls for a tax increase so large that economists will be focusing on the harm to the overall economy rather than just the isolated effects on labor and on capital.

You can read the entire article from The Heritage Foundation by clicking on this link.

Okay, so you think these are just the views of conservatives. Fine. They are. They make sense, but I can see where a liberal would find them suspect. So here's the breakdown from The Brookings Institute as outlined in the Washington Post (click to enlarge):

Looks like Obama is really sticking it to the rich, eh? And what's wrong with that, you ask? Well, I'll tell you. Many of those rich people are the ones who own the companies that employ Americans. You start punishing them for their success and you'll soon find them taking those jobs elsewhere (to a place more friendly to their bottom line) or downsizing their success (and therefore OUR success) in an effort to escape the burden of those outrageous taxes. You'll probably see an increase in the demand for CPA's, though. Everybody and their dog will be hiring them to navigate the way through the tax code in search of each and every loophole available. Also, many of those rich people are the ones who make the biggest contributions to charities. You start taxing them senseless and soon those charitable donations will begin to dry up. I guess that won't matter too much with the Obama doctrine, though. He seems to want the government to provide everything to every citizen. As Obama said, he wants "to spread the wealth around". Sure it's quite a romantic concept, isn't it? I mean heck, America fell in love with this idea back when Errol Flynn slipped on a pair of tights and took on the Sheriff of Nottingham. But do you know what this concept truly is, ladies and gentlemen? It's called SOCIALISM. The definition of socialism?

so·cial·ism (sō'shə-lĭz'əm) n.
1. a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole.
2. procedure or practice in accordance with this theory.
3. (in Marxist theory) the stage following capitalism in the transition of a society to communism, characterized by the imperfect implementation of collectivist principles.

Honestly, people. Look at that chart, the one from The Brookings Institute. It shows you that Obama is taking from the richest and giving to the poorest. Many of you think that's okay. It's not. I'm all for eliminating poverty, but this isn't the way to do it. This is America. We're supposed to strive for success, not aim for mediocrity. Why can't some of you see that's what Obama's plan is geared towards? When did you confuse Wall Street's greed with Main Street's hard work? If socialism is the abhorrence to you that it is to me, you'd better start spreading the word so that your friends and neighbors will feel the need to look into this themselves. As always, don't take my word for anything. Do the research yourself. And decide for yourself which way you want this country to go...

Finding a Weigh Out of Fat

Hey, whatdaya know! A post not about politics. lol Don't get used to it - my politics obsession has not waned any. I'm just taking a break to squeeze in a "weight loss" post. Not that I have much to say about that this week. I don't think I've lost so much as an ounce and, in fact, I've probably found a few instead. But what are you gonna do, eh? I've eaten right this week, I've pretty much behaved myself, I've even learned a new recipe from my brand new Lean Mean Fat Reducing Grilling Machine by George Foreman instructional manual. I know I haven't been perfect, though, so I can't whine as much as I'd like to. (Remember, I've admitted in the past to being a world class whiner - it's a "gift" that I'm usually happy to share with the rest of the world. ha!) But I haven't done much exercising (one walk around the neighborhood does not an exercise regime make) and I haven't been drinking as much water as I should. (sigh) I hate it when things don't work out the way I want them to and then I have to admit it's my own darn fault. It really cuts into my martyr act, you know what I mean? So I guess that's the lesson for this week: if you want to lose weight, do what needs to be done. "Dreaming" of success may be a good start, but it's not enough to make it happen. Too bad, though...I'm pretty good at dreaming. : )

P.S. I have got to clarify something because all your "congratulations" have made me feel a bit of a fraud. When I said last week that I got into a size 8 jeans, remember - that's all I did; get into them. It wasn't pretty and I don't wear a size 8. I hope to wear a size 8 one day. But until then, I'm just goober enough to get a thrill out of squeezing my butt into something that really doesn't have enough material to contain it with any sort of dignity. Yeah, it speaks to my shallowness as a human being, but come on! When you've gone from a size 18 to actually getting a size 8 zipped and buttoned - well, I don't care who you are, that's just exciting. (*big smile*)

Finding a Weigh Out of Fat and Whining

Okay, okay, okay. I know I'm a whiner. To be honest, I'm a whiner from waaaaaaay back. It's sort of a way a life with me. Matter of fact, I guess you could call me a genuine Whine-O. I would say that I'll try to do better in the future, try to not whine about every little thing that happens in my life, but well, then I'd just be a lying whiner instead of just a plain ol' whiner and that would make me even worse, right? I suspect I'll always whine so what's the point of trying to deny it. At any rate, I'm at the point of my latest crisis when even I'm sick of hearing me blubber so I guess that means I need to move on now. Cars and cousins are just a part of life and grousing about either won't change the circumstances surrounding those subjects. At long last, I've arrived at the "suck it up" stage of this particular whine. So YAY me. LOL
Now on to "weightier" issues. I'm happy to report that I've lost another 1.6 pounds for a grand total thus far of 41 pounds. I'm pretty darn pleased with myself about this (ha! Talk about an understatement!). I got a comment on my previously referenced "big whining post" from Vee, asking if I was learning what to do when stressed instead of eat? I have to tell you, I hadn't even thought about it until she asked! But you know, there was a time not so very long ago when I would have buried my face in chocolate cake or maybe a bag of Hershey kisses or even a bag of Flamin' Hot Cheetos when faced with as much stress as we've been through the past few weeks. Without trying to sound like a cheerleader for their program, I have to give credit to Weight Watchers for my not doing that anymore. WW has taught me how to eat and, more importantly I think, they've taught me how to have a healthy emotional relationship with food. I no longer look to food for comfort or solace. I eat because my body needs the fuel, not because I'm feeling depressed or anxious or happy or sad. I'm so glad that Vee asked me that question because I feel much more confident in realizing through actual actions that my relationship with food has changed so dramatically. If I could impart one piece of advice to anyone trying to lose weight, it'd be to learn that food is fuel - nothing more, nothing less. That's not to say I don't want my food to taste good, because I do, but I don't plan my days around food anymore. I don't plan my life around food, other than to eat it because I need the fuel for energy. It's incredibly liberating to not be focused on food 24/7 (and here's to this being a life-long attitude and not just a phase, eh?). Heck, I'm even able to happily focus on other things these days...things like my husband, my hobbies, my home, my clothes... speaking of clothes, let me tell you this; the other day, I was telling Randey that I had tried on a pair of size 8 Levi's and actually got them on! SIZE 8s!!Okay, so it wasn't pretty, but that wasn't the point (*smile*). The point was that I was able to put them on my body and zip them up without rupturing anything. And despite my arse looking like a twisted balloon (strange little creases abounded!), it was a thrill to be able to do that. And maybe in a month or so, those size 8s will fit like they're supposed to. Maybe. Hopefully. (Hey! It's a goal! Don't judge.)
Before I leave, I want to share a picture of the Halloween tree. Yeah, it's the same tree I posted about and called my Fall tree, but I decided to dress it up for Halloween now. I had these "witch shoes" from Hobby Lobby last year. Don't know why I bought them, other than they were on sale after Halloween. They have little handles on them so maybe they are to hold candy or flowers or something, who knows. Anyway, as I was staring at them, trying to think of where to put them, it hit me: I needed a pair of Halloween tights to stick into the shoes! I found some at Wal-Mart, stuffed them with fiber-fill and set them up under the tree. Then I found a totally cool witch hat for the topper. And if I had those gorgeous feather-trimmed witch gloves I'd bought Maddy a couple of months ago, this tree would have arms as well as legs! (Yeah, Jake was pretty grateful those gloves are with Maddy now, too. lol) So what do you think? Too much?

Wednesday's "Finding a Weigh Out of Fat"

I have a question for you guys for this week's post. We've talked about favorite snacks, favorite recipes, favorite tips, etc., but I have an issue that's been bugging me a bit. What do you guys do when you find yourself out and about, away from home, during lunch? What do you eat? I mean, where do you go to find a good, low point (for WW) or low calorie/low fat lunch? Do you bring a lunch with you and if so, what's in that lunch? Do you stop at certain restaurants and get something and if so, what do you get? I know it's important to not skip meals, but sometimes, when I'm running around during the day and find myself getting hungry around lunchtime, I'm at a loss as to where to go or what to get. Any tips? What do you guys do?

The Silver Lining of Hurricane Ike (for me anyway!)

I found out last Thursday that one of my blogging buddies, Jayme, from down near Houston was evacuating to get away from Hurricane Ike. And where, oh where, do you think she and her family evacuated to? My little town, that's where! We were able to meet Friday for lunch. Here we are at Applebee's, just finishing up. And if you read my previous post, you'll remember I mentioned a shirt that I will never, ever, ever wear again because I've now seen this picture and come to realize that my honkin' arms are ginormous and probably shouldn't see the light of day again!! I mean, hel-lo! I really must speak to Randey about letting me leave the house dressed like this. He should know better (ha!). Anywho, lunch was great fun - Jayme and I seemed to be able to talk like we'd known each other for ages! Then we did some shopping together. You all know how I hate shopping, right? But...I'm a good friend so I soldiered on along through store after store in order to show an out-of-towner a good time when they're visiting our fair little hamlet. Oh the sacrifices I make for others...(heavy sigh). Here's Jayme at Ross. We found these baskets and, for some reason, we both thought they were quite funny. They're "labeled". Wonder if the basket police will come take you away if they find you've put "books" in the "stuff" basket or vice-versa? And what's with that "laundry" basket? Laundry for who? Little, bitty, tiny smurf-like people? Here's Jayme and I at On the Border the next day. Yes. We enjoyed lunch a couple of times. So sue us. I have to say, I really enjoyed lunch this day. I luvs me some Mexican food, yessir I do. I love it so much, in fact, that I really, really need to just keep clear of it or I'll undo all the good I've done with Weight Watchers these past four months. lol Cheese and onion enchiladas..... ahhhhhhhhh. Here's a picture of Jayme's daughter, Saira, playing Randey's X-Box (and that's a whole other story we'll call The X-Box Debacle. I'll tell you about that at a later time). Jayme brought Saira over to our house when she came over to use the computer. Saira is a perfectly charming little child with the most wonderful accent and speech patterns. If you could hear her in person, you'd know what I mean. I really enjoyed talking with her. She's great. I also met Jayme's husband Chad and her son Ryan (who has perfect teeth, just let me say that. I know, it's a weird thing to mention, but his teeth were that good! lol). I know that Hurricane Ike was not a happy event by any stretch of the imagination, but I'm grateful that it allowed me to meet Jayme and her family in person. That's my little "silver lining" for this particular natural disaster. By the way, her house and property sustained very little damage by all accounts, although they are still without power and water, etc. Their little town did take a huge hit and I know it'll be a long road ahead of them before they are anywhere near normal again. Keep them all in your thoughts and prayers, if you would.
Here's what else I've been up to. Last year, my daughter-in-law Jodie, decided to do a fall themed tree to celebrate Autumn. This year, I decided to do one, too. What do you think of it?
Here's a full shot of the room. As you can see, it's a small tree. Just enough to make the room glow at night. I love it. Just looking at it puts me in a better frame of mind (geez...does that mean I'm easily influenced? Yeah. Probably. That's okay, though...I can deal with that knowledge. lol).
As some of you know (and thank you so much for your kind words about it!) Friday was my birthday. My son Kaleb, got me this:
House, Season Four! Yay! I love that show. My daughter got me a pair of sandals and a kitchen clock, both of which I need to take pictures of. I liked the clock so much, I hung it up right away and then forgot to snap a photo of it when I was preparing for this post! I'll fix that soon.
Then I got this in the mail yesterday from Annie. I was so touched by her kindness. I was sort of pouting about how I didn't hear from either of my parents on my birthday and was feeling kind of down about it when Randey walked in carrying the mail. Thank you, Annie. Talk about great timing. (I should clarify that I didn't really expect to hear from my parents on my birthday. My mom and I have issues and my dad's memory isn't what it used to be so not having either of them call was not a surprise. I was just being moody about it, that's all!) Anyway, I appreciate the gift and will get good use out of the book, I'm sure.
This is what I woke up to Friday morning:
Roses, a card and a gift. I was kind of surprised because the laptop was our birthday present to each other (Randey's birthday is 6 days after mine). But oh man, aren't these flowers pretty? I love them. And the card was just wonderful, too. By the way, the card says "Happy Birthday Sissy" because everyone in my whole entire family calls me Sissy, including my husband. That's because we were introduced to each other by my sister and his brother, who are married to each other. If Randey ever called me "Kari", I wouldn't know who he was talking to. lol Just goes to show you, people...you can get used to being called darn near anything. I've been called "Sissy" for so long, it doesn't even phase me anymore. :)
Want to know what was in the package from Randey? This thing:

A Jim Shore Halloween cat. I adore this cat. It's so perfect for this time of year and just makes me happy to look at it. I discovered Jim Shore stuff last year. I don't like everything out there that's made by him, but certain things just really appeal to me, for some reason. Like some of the cats. The ones with words like "freedom", "patience", "vigilance" and "curiosity". Love them! I also have a little chihuahua (in honor of Sydney the Wonder Dog, of course!) and a Jiminy Cricket with the words "Let your conscience be your guide!", a saying I've long been fond of, across the bottom of it and a Little Red Riding Hood "Granny" figure. I get a lot of pleasure from just looking at those figures. Don't know why, so don't ask. lol Anywho, my beloved daughter-in-law Jodie, knows of my love of some things Jim Shore. So...being the great gift-giver that she is, she found this to send me (and yeah, I just know she was the one responsible...Nick would have bought me a Star Wars thing instead! ha!) by the way, I'd have loved a Star Wars thing, too! Nick does know his mother pretty well. lol :
Isn't this witch and cat adorable? And doesn't it just put you in the mood for autumn and Halloween and cooler weather??? I love it. I don't think I'd actually seen this figure before. It's totally cool and I'm so glad she picked it out. (Check out the face on the broom. Cracks me up!) But the absolute most awesomely wonderful Jim Shore item ever made is this:
I had actually seen this in a Hallmark store here in town and came so close to buying it for myself. But I didn't. I've been spending way too much money on just "me" lately so I talked myself out of it. (See? I can exercise self control occasionally!) Then I received it from Jodie and Nick. Talk about being all smiles!!! I have spent more time just staring at this beautiful cornucopia. All the little details, the colors, the workmanship. I, quite simply, love love love this thing. Click on the picture to enlarge. You'll see what I mean. It's just darn cool to look at. Thank so much Jodie, Nick and Kara. I'm totally pleased with these two things. You spent too much, of course, but well heck...I'm thrilled with them anyway. Thank you guys! And thanks also to Susan, my BFF, for the gift card. I'll let you know what I end up getting with it. Decisions, decisions.

I guess that's about it for today. I have my weigh in tomorrow at my Weight Watchers meeting. I'm tired of agonizing over it, though. I've decided to take a totally radical approach this week. I'm gonna wear jeans and a heavier shirt and I might even leave my shoes on when I hop my butt up on that dreaded, evil weight measuring device those people call "scales". I know it'll make those scales say I've gained at least 3 pounds, but just think of how virtuous I'll feel next week when I wear my normal (and not nearly as heavy!) regular clothes. Yeah, so it's cheating. I don't care. I need to shake things up a bit and this seems like a perfectly harmless way to do that. I hope to get around to some blogs again soon. I've read a few, but need to go back and leave a comment now. But first I have to cook dinner for my dearly beloved. He's headed out of town Thursday so it's looking good for dinner out tomorrow night. But tonight, it's just me, slaving away in the kitchen (another heavy sigh). See you guys tomorrow!

Finding a Weigh Out of Fat, Volume #...Whatever Number it is We're Up To!

Today I want to talk about WHY it's good to lose weight. I mean, it's really a lot of work, isn't it? and sometimes you can find yourself asking just exactly why is it that you're striving so hard for a smaller butt. Lots of reasons, of course! Your health, for one. Losing weight can help lower your chances of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc., etc., etc. The more weight you lose, the better able you are to get out in the world and MOVE! You know when you climb a flight a stairs and find yourself gasping for air? That's because your poor heart is working double, maybe even triple time just to pump blood throughout your plus sized body. Give your body a break and take some of those pounds off! Your heart will thank you, your lungs will thank you, your legs will thank you. Lose some weight responsibly, though! Talk with your doctor to make sure the plan you pick is right for you. And remember - any "diet" that causes you to lose more than 1 to 2 pounds a week probably isn't one that will teach you how to keep that weight off. Despite popular belief, it doesn't take a ton of will power to all but starve yourself to death. It does, however, take will power to focus on what you eat, when you eat it and why you eat it. Paying attention to those things is what will help you to learn the healthiest way to eat. Let's see now...another reason to lose weight...how about "attitude adjustment". Yeah, I said it. It's nothing more than a stupid, misleading myth that fat people are jolly. Fat people aren't jolly. They just happen to shake when they laugh because it takes a second or two for their gut to catch up with their mouth. Fat people are, whether they want to admit it or not, usually pretty darn unhappy with being large. Every single time I heard a fat person say "I like my size, I'm happy with my size. I may be fat, but I'm healthy", I would think to myself, "Well, it's great that you're so happy being fat, but I'm miserable. But since you've said it's okay, I'll work on convincing myself that maybe it is". I know a lot of people will be ticked at me for saying stuff like this. Don't care. For the most part, we all got fat because we ate the wrong stuff and a lot of it. Nobody in their right mind sets out to get fat. And nobody in their right mind is happy with being fat. Remember that old commercial where the kid says "when I grow up, I want to claw my way to middle management"? Would that have been anymore believable if the kid had said, "when I grow up, I want to be huge so that I can huff and puff my way thru life and watch the rest of the world be active"? Of course not. People don't want to be fat. It's just that so many of us don't know how to change our eating habits and our lifestyles without seeking help. Many of us also think it'd be too hard and would deprive us of too much. That's that "food is my buddy, my friend, my pal" mentality working on you. Get rid of that thinking! I've said it before and I'll keep on saying it; Food is fuel for your body. Period. Stop letting it be fuel for you emotional well being, too. Finally, here's one more reason to lose weight...CLOTHES SHOPPING! As many of you know, I've had a bit of a struggle with the weight loss this past week and a half. It's not a big deal, but since I was doing so well before that, this roadblock has kind of slapped me upside my head and left me reeling. Imagine my thrill when I was at the store and found a cute Halloween shirt and a Christmas shirt and realized that the MEDIUMs fit me! I haven't been in a size medium of anything for years. Many, many, many years. So while the scales have not reflected the effort I've made this past 10 days, the clothes shopping certainly did. A medium. Woo-hoo! (I'll post pictures of those shirts later. They're just novelty shirts, but I love them and can't wait to wear them).
Speaking of clothes shopping, I want to share the names of some clothes manufacturers with you. Why does something like this occur to me, you ask? Because I'm easily amused and some of these names just leave me laughing. Take for instance this one: Sag Harbor. I'm sure most, if not all of you, have heard of this brand. I've probably even bought some of their clothes at one time or another. But can I ask you this? Who in the heck at that company thought that calling a women's line of clothing SAG HARBOR was a good idea? It sounds like a place where your boobies go to retire. Geez. But while Sag Harbor is probably THE worst name for a women's clothing line, their prices are at least fairly reasonable. These pants, for example, cost $18.00.


This next brand is actually the brain child of hip hop rapper, Nelly. Anybody heard of him? He's had several songs out that even an old, dorky woman like myself can enjoy. Well, apparently Nelly likes a shapely woman (a man after my own heart, eh?). In honor of that, he's named his new clothing line Apple Bottom. This just conjures up an image of a giant, double-bubble butt and that's something I'm not looking to have. Love the singer, hate the name of the clothing line. By the way, should you decide to take a bite out of this particular apple, these pants from that line will set you back $81.00. Too rich for my blood. And my butt.

Anybody ever heard of this next brand, Affliction jeans? Now, call me crazy, but unless I'm very much mistaken, an "affliction" isn't a good thing, right? I even looked up the word in the dictionary. The official definition:

af·flic·tion : /əˈflɪkʃən/ Pronunciation Key - [uh-flik-shuhn]; noun
1. a state of pain, distress, or grief; misery: They sympathized with us in our affliction.
2. a cause of mental or bodily pain, as sickness, loss, calamity, or persecution.

And someone thought this was a good name for a clothing company?? Uh-huh. Well, I guess they make up for that confusion with the price tag. A pair of Affliction jeans could set you back $222.00. Sounds like your wallet will be afflicted more than your arse, if you ask me. Here's a picture of what you get for that kind of jack:

Next is another fairly common name, although not one I own personally. Baby Phat. While "Phat" may stand for "Pretty Hot And Tempting" in some circles, I'm not buying it. Yeah, sorry, but I'm not wearing anything with "phat" and/or "fat" in the name. And I darn sure wouldn't wear this brand and have it emblazoned across my thighs, like this pair has. So what do they charge for labeling your body as Phat in ginormous script? $69.00 a pair. This next brand isn't so bad, it just makes me think of some poor old woman who got left out in the rain too long: Rusty Women's Wear. I'd just as soon not be referred to as Phat or Rusty, thank you very much. Besides which, see these ugly britches by Rusty? $46.00. I just don't think these puppies look like $46.00 worth, do you? See these next pants? They're from the "Horny Toad" line of clothing. Yeah, you read that right. Horny Toad. I won't comment further on this name. 'Nuff said, eh? Oh and this particular style is called the "Audry" pant and will cost you $74.00.

I only mention those because of these:
The Horny Toad "Hepburn" pants. Poor Audry Hepburn. What'd she do to offend these guys? Oh, and in case you were wondering, the Hepburns can be had for the low, low price of just $70.00 a pair.

Now for the serious shoppers...I give you the "People's Liberation" brand. You can put your rebellious butt in a pair of these for a mere $171.00. For jeans, yeah, that's what I said...$171.00. Maybe I'm just cheap, but I think the only thing being "liberated" with a purchase of these jeans will be your money from your wallet.
This next company wins the prize for ugliest product and goofiest name. The United Nude Shoe Company, featuring the Porn Toe off white shoe. These horrendous monstrosities will cost you $175.00 if you want to strut your stuff in a butt ugly shoe with a titillating name. In other words, I'm sure Paris Hilton owes 7 or 8 pair but us average, every day folks probably don't own so much as a shoebox with this brand name. Although, if you do, please let me know. I've heard they're very comfortable. (snicker, snicker)
Finally, here's my favorite brand. Although, I'd like the CEO of this company to know that if he changed the name, he might sucker more Average Joanns into shelling out the big bucks for his clothes 'cause just hearing their name was enough to let me know I need waste no more time shopping for their product. This is the Rich and Skinny Clothing Company. Ahhhh. How I aspire to such great heights. Rich and skinny. Oh it's just too much to think on. No point in reaching for the stars when your feet are firmly encased in nothing more than a pair of cheap-o sandals from Cato, eh? Anywho, should any of you want to slap a little "Rich and Skinny" label on your arse, you'll have to shell out about $231.00 a pair. Wonder what's their cut off size for wearing these? I mean, is a size 6 still considered skinny? A size 8? Maybe a 10? Or do they turn their noses up at anyone past a 4?

Oh well, it matters not. Even if my butt gets small enough to wear these, I suspect my wallet will never get fat enough for them. Back to Cato I go....

Everything comes in chocolate...except tomatoes

I'm having a rough time these past two weeks with my weight loss plan. I'm doing everything I'm supposed to be doing, I'm staying within my points, we've been walking 4 times the past week (which is 4 times more than we went walking the past two weeks!) and I still can't seem to get past this spot on the scales. It's starting to wear on me a bit. As I've been ruminating on this dilemma, I've come to realize that America is not a weight loss friendly place to be! Just about everything in our society is geared towards getting us to over consume, in one way or another. Ad execs aren't stupid. They know that we Americans love our food like no other place on the planet so food is what they use to sell their products. Okay, so they use sex, too, but that's not the point of this post so we'll leave that for another time. Back to the food issue. Have you ever noticed how many products use food names to attract us?
Take paint, for example. Check out some of the names given to various paint colors:

whipped strawberry

sweet melon

hint of cherry

raspberry sorbet

pumpkin custard

buttercup squash

golden butter

top banana

fruit compote

lime burst

sonic plum

grapolicious

rich chocolate

smoked almond

chocolate raspberry

sugarcane pink

My gosh, after having looked at those color choices, I'd have to take a lunch break just so I could focus on my decision! Then there's clothes. Clothes "colors" are just as tantalizing. How about a lovely sweater in a color called:

mocha

oatmeal

chocolate

pale ale

plum

berry crush

Godiva (that's just WRONG!)

or

candy pink

You could even pick up a coat to complement your sweater or shirt. Coats come in colors like:

hazelnut

or

melonade

Yummy, right? You can even dress your bed as deliciously as you dress your bod. Sheet colors come in:

chocolate

cinnamon

butter

mulberry

kiwi

and

tangelo

And bath towels! Just as tasty. You can have flavors...er, I mean colors, like:

cocoa

real pecan

chocolate truffle

toasted almond

lime zest

and

lemon twist

Starting to feel like maybe your furniture isn't good enough for your life's menu? Try buying a couch with one of these color fabrics:

honey

berry

cranberry

salt (yes, I said salt!)

and the ever present

chocolate

You can even have your wooden furniture finished in stains called:

espresso

cherry

walnut

maple

pecan

and

honey

You can have curtains and window shades in colors called:

chocolate (of course)

plum

eggplant

oyster

champagne

latte

pumpkin

and

wine red

Feeling kind of unappetizing yourself after you've lavished all that yummy goodness around the house? Don't fret. You can color your hair is all manner of tasty flavors like:

espresso

chocolate mousse

cherry cordial

caramel kiss

iced mocha

spiced chestnut

caramel glaze

truffle

chocolate macaroon

cinnamon stick

almond rocca

french eclair

praline

biscotti

tiramisu

butterscotch creme

toasted coconut

iced meringue

dulce de leche

and

creme brulee'

'Course, once you've done that, you'll need to find the perfect lipstick to complement your new color scheme. Try one of these:

peach luster

honey

mocha

raspberry ice

juicy apricot

candied apple

or

cherry desirable

Will the madness ever end?? It seems like I can't turn my head a quarter inch without encountering something that's been given a name geared to make me salivate! It's no wonder America is fat. And since I've sat here and typed out all these delicious food names, I now feel the need to go visit my kitchen. Wonder if I can convince myself that the bowl of cherry tomatoes I'm eye-balling is actually a box of Godiva chocolates? Yeah...I didn't think so.

At the behest of Shabby in the City, I am entering this post into Scribbit, Motherhood in Alaska's September's Write Away Contest . I hesitate to do this, as I have read Shabby's entry and mine simply doesn't compare. I'm telling you now, her post is outstanding. Actually, forget my post...head on over to Shabby's and read hers. She's managed to turn the subject of color into a world of envisioned wonder. Go read it - I think you'll see what I mean!

"Finding a Weigh Out of Fat" Recipes

Here's a few more recipes that you guys might want to try:

First, let's go with the Cheese and Mushroom Quesadilla
(1 serving, 3 points per serving for WW)

1 burrito size whole wheat tortilla
1/4 cup salsa
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1/4 cup shredded fat-free Cheddar cheese
2 tbsp fat-free sour cream

Spread one half of the tortilla with salsa and sprinkle with the mushrooms and cheese. Fold unfilled tortilla half over filling. Heat a medium size skillet over medium heat. Spray with nonstick spray. Gently place tortilla in the center of the skillet. Cook 3-4 minutes or until crisp. Carefully turn quesadilla over using a spatula. Cook 3 minutes more. Remove from skillet and carefully cut into 4 wedges. Serve with sour cream. (To serve 4, increase quantities to: 4 tortillas, 1 cup salsa, 2 cups chopped mushrooms, 1 cup cheese, 1/2 cup sour cream.)

Spicy Mexican Rice
(4 servings, 2 points per serving)

2/3 cup Mahatma long grain brown rice
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped green peppers
1 cup canned tomatoes
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 cups fat-free beef broth

Spray a skillet with nonstick spray. Place over medium high heat until hot. Add rice, onions, bell peppers, saute until rice is lightly browned and vegetables are crisp tender. Stir in tomatoes and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes or until rice is cooked.
I've actually cooked this rice and the boys love it. I'm pretty fond of it, too. Remember, though, that not all long grain brown rice is created equal so check your labels before you decide to use a different brand. Also check the cooking times for the rice. For example, Uncle Ben's long grain brown rice cooks for 25 minutes, while Mahatma takes 45 minutes (learned about this the hard way!).

Finally and just for the Halibut, here's a fish recipe (get it? Halibut? Heck of it? Never mind...):

Baked Halibut
(4 servings, 4 points per serving)

4 (1/4 pound) halibut fillets
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp plain dried breadcrumbs
2 tbsp capers, drained
1/4 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup minced flat leaf parsley
4 lemon wedges

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a 9" x 13" baking dish with nonstick spray. Place the fillets skin side down in the baking dish; sprinkle them with the lemon juice. Brush each fillet with olive oil, then sprinkle with the breadcrumbs, capers, salt and pepper. Bake until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork, 15-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Spoon any pan juices over the fish and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve at once, with the lemon wedges.

I don't eat seafood or fish myself, so I can't give a personal recommendation as to how this tastes. If any of you decide to give it a try, let us know how it turns out, okay? By the way, this recipe as well as the Cheese and Mushroom Quesadilla recipe come to you courtesy of Joan over at Joan's Journeys. She's the best, isn't she?

Our Favorite Snacks

This post is ONLY over a week late. Sorry about that. Some things just can't be helped, though. But hey - better late than never, eh? So here goes...

Several people chimed in on their favorite snack foods. Seems like our choices aren't as limited as we might have thought (and that's really good news!). Here's the snack tips we got:

From Julie: "I like to use high protein foods. Depending on how hungry I am - make chicken (or tuna) salad using drained canned chicken, low fat Miracle Whip, sour pickles or sweet ones made with Splenda (Mount Olive brand is a good sugarless bread and butter pickle)..then I eat it with celery sticks for a big crunch. That way I don't miss the bread or crackers. Another good snack is fat free cottage cheese with some sugar free Cool Whip mixed in. Even better - stir in some sugar free jello powder - Yummo! My favorite flavor is orange jello."

I don't know about you guys, but I have a weakness for good chicken salad. The irony is, I only figured out a couple of years ago how to make it (I've told you that cooking has never been my forte' in life. lol) "Normal" chicken salad is too high in calories, though. But Julie's method of fixing it gives me back one of my favorite foods. It also demonstrates how we can make healthy choices with our recipes - the low fat miracle whip/mayo versus regular miracle whip/mayo. The sugar free pickles versus regular pickles, the celery in place of crackers or bread, etc. Thanks for the tips, Julie. Great advice.

This is what we got from Jodie: "Truth is I eat things that are already made or fruit for a snack. But I did think of something I used to do that was so wonderful. I may do it again if the prices of fruit goes down. I would make a fruit salad and let it sit in the refrigerator for a day or so. It makes it's own juice/syrup that is wonderful. The best things to use are peaches and strawberries for the juice. You can really add in any type of fruit. You just can't go wrong with fruit."

Fruit is higher in sugar than say a vegetable, but come on...fresh fruit is just plain good for you, regardless! (f you're on weight watchers, be sure to count the points accurately). I agree with Jodie, though, that you just can't go wrong with fruit. (Unless you're Annie and simply can't stand the thought of eating it! lol)

This is a tip from Donna: "Here's a great snacking tip! These are especially yummy in the summertime - frozen seedless grapes! I like the red ones the best. Wash thoroughly, drain, put on a cookie sheet, pop in the freezer, then transfer to a container with lid when the grapes are frozen. Great for snacking while watching TV!" Mary and I heartily agree! Frozen grapes are the best. Even Randey's hooked on them now. He prefers the green ones, but I think the red are the best. If you guys haven't tried this yet, DO IT! Talk about refreshing! Yowza!

From Kat: "Take one no sugar added fudgesicle and let soften until you can scrape it off the stick. Add one heaping tablespoon of peanut butter (I use Simply Jif since it has less sodium and sugar) and one heaping tablespoon of Sugar Free Cool Whip. Stir together until the three ingredients are blended. Put in freezer for 30 minutes. Enjoy! Oh.My.Word! I almost licked the bowl!"
I'm going to add this bit of nutrition information because I know some of you will question the use of peanut butter as a healthy snack. This comes from:

http://www.annecollins.com/calories/calories-peanut-butter.htm

Calorie Table for Peanut Butter
Please note: all calorie values are approximate
Calories:
Peanut butter, chunky (2 tbsp) 190
Peanut butter, chunky (1/2 cup) 760
Peanut butter, smooth (2 tbsp) 190
Peanut butter, crunchy (2 tbsp) 190-220
Bad News About Peanut Butter :
Two tablespoons of Peanut Butter contains 190 calories and 16 grams of fat - as much fat as in a Burger King hamburger. Peanut butter is a high-calorie source of protein. Two tablespoons contains about 8 grams of protein/200 calories, the same protein as 1oz of roast turkey with only 50 calories!
Better News About Peanut Butter:
Peanut Butter is high in fat, but most of it is monounsaturated, the same "good fat" that's found in olive oil. Some studies show that a diet high in monounsaturated fat may actually be good for the heart. In fact, it may even be true that adding Peanut Butter to your weight loss diet may help you lose weight, although the reasons for this are unclear.
Finally: Peanut Butter - A Weight Gain Warning
Peanut Butter remains a high calorie food. So irrespective of it's benefits, you may not consume it in large quantities without upping your calories and gaining weight.

Peanut butter is indeed high in fat, but it's also high in protein. And if you are absolutely craving something, there are worse things to eat, keep that in mind! I think the important thing is to make sure you don't overdo the P.B. content of this snack. It sounds so wonderful, doesn't it? Now me? I don't know if I've got the willpower to limit my peanut butter content as directed so I might leave it out. I've got stars in my eyes just thinking about the chocolate and the fat free cool whip. Oh yeah, baby...this sounds like THE best "guilt-free guilty pleasure" I've ever heard of (food wise, of course)! lol

This came in from Pam: "I like the Jello Sugar Free Pudding cups--both chocolate and chocolate banana. Also, I add one of the sugar free "mix" things to my water, and drink it at the same time. That's usually my afternoon snack. It's sweet and filling!" I've heard quite a few people talk about the Jello Sugar Free Pudding cups - and they all say they're great! I have GOT to pick some up, the next time I'm at the store. Adding flavors to your water is also a great way to get yourself to actually drink all the water you're supposed to every day (who knew making yourself drink enough water could be so flippin' hard?).

This from my Aunt Sandi: "For anyone who loves fruit, this is so easy...take two granny smith apples and 1 large sweet potato...peel the sweet potato and steam for about 10 minutes...while steaming the sweet spud, peel and core two granny smith (or any kind of cooking apple, winesap or what have you...)cut the apple into large chunks, throw in with the potato and steam together...when fork tender, mash or mix together adding 1/8 tsp salt...enjoy! Wonderfully filling, as well...learned this one when we lived in New Jersey (South Jersey, of course). "

Finally, a non-snacking tip from Vee: "Okay, here's a tip, not a recipe. Sometimes I find myself feeling "fatter" when wearing baggy clothing than when I'm actually heavier wearing clothing that fits. Beware of this one...it's subtle! :D" This is so true. I thought I'd feel like I was just really dropping pounds left and right if I wore my bigger clothes as I started losing weight. Unfortunately, though, all I felt was sloppy! And while it's impossible for most of us to buy a whole new wardrobe as we lose those pounds, it's important that we try to wear clothes that we actually feel good in. Go check out your local thrift stores and/or Goodwill - you can often find clothes to "fill in" your wardrobe as you progress from your beginning size down to your goal size. And buy a belt. It's great when you start to feel your britches getting looser...then it just gets annoying as you find yourself constantly hitching up the waistband of those pants about a hundred times a day. Yeah, there are worse annoyances to fight through, but knowing that doesn't make you any happier when your drawers are forever sagging.

Here's a few more snack tips I want to share with you before I sign off. If you do have trouble drinking water throughout the day (like we talked about before), try drinking it through a straw. I don't know why that makes it easier, I just know it does. I fill a glass with crushed ice, pour water in it, grab a straw and before I realize it, I've refilled it a half dozen times and am still ready for more. Give it a try, see if it helps you, too.
For snack food...I'm a big fan of the 100 calorie Orville Redenbacher 94% Fat Free mini bags of popcorn. That's probably my very favorite snack in the whole wide world (after the frozen grapes, of course). I also enjoy the Nabisco Itty Bitty packs of Nilla Wafers. They go great with an afternoon double shot, decaf, no-fat milk cappuccino from Starbucks. In fact, maybe they go a little too great...I sometimes catch myself making a special trip just to have these. lol A bowl of cherry or grape tomatoes goes along way towards taming the munchies for me, too. I could eat those things any day of the week - but then again, I'm a tomato freak so maybe that's not such a revelation. I think the most important thing to remember about snack foods is this: your snack should be something you actually like, not something you're suffering through just for the sake of losing weight. Food is merely fuel for your body - but that's no reason why you can't eat good tasting food, right? Enjoy your snacks. It's okay to do that. Just make sure you're enjoying the right snacks and for the right reasons.

As for my own personal weight loss odyssey...this week was a little wonky, but not enough to freak me out. I'm now at a total weight loss of 36.2 pounds and that's just pretty darn awesome, if I say so myself. I'm a little over halfway to my goal and while I get the feeling the second half of my weight loss aspirations may be a little tougher to achieve than the first half, I'm pumped just knowing how far I've come. I feel like I can do this. With my own determination and a little help from my friends - friends like you guys, who are going through this same thing. Together, we can break free of our unhealthy eating habits and become the active, fun, vibrant, sexy, fit people we all secretly believe ourselves to be underneath all our layers of fat and food indulgence. Right? (Altogether now, say "Right!")

Until next time!