Category: Weight Watchers

Weight Watchers Weigh In [Week 5]

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

Weight Watchers Freestyle, weekly weigh-ins and meal ideas

It’s time for my weekly accountability post, otherwise known as my Weight Watchers weigh in. 

Ever since re-joining Weight Watchers a little over a month ago, I have been posting weekly updates.  It’s been scary and hard and motivating to share my weight loss journey with you.  I’ve been inspired by all the comments over on my Youtube channel and have really enjoyed watching your weight loss journeys, too.  It’s been amazing to know that I am not alone.  Sometimes I think us women tend to take on the world by ourselves because we’re afraid someone might judge us or might not understand.  But let me tell you – we are underestimating ourselves!  We are strong and supportive by nature.

So thank you!

This week went so. much. better than last week.  If you remember last week I had a gain that I was not happy with.  So this week you can imagine my happiness when I saw a loss on the scale!  I even want to personally thank the weight watchers leader who helped me get an even bigger loss!  If you’ve been around meetings for awhile then you know they took away the ability to remove your shoes for weigh in.  Some meetings allow you to place a paper towel on the scale so you can go barefeet, others don’t.  I was out of town and this new meeting did not have any paper towels nearby.  I mentioned wishing I didn’t have my heavy shoes on that day and the leader asked me to step off the scale.  She had me take off my shoes, place them on the scale (which they weighed 1.2 pounds!!) and then she zeroed out the scale.  I put my shoes back on and then stepped up on the scale for a second time.

SO HAPPY!

You can watch this week’s Weight Watchers weigh in online or down below:

For the upcoming week my goals are simple – walk more and track what I eat.

I’m also going to start a blue dot challenge for the rest of this week. I like the feeling of getting a blue dot at the end of the day (I’m a former bravo sticker junkie!) so it’s going to be good to see that accomplishment each day.

What are you new goals for this week?  Leave a comment and let me know!

Weight Watchers Weekly Check In [Week 4]

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

Weight Watchers Freestyle, weekly weigh-ins and meal ideas

Another week and another Weight Watchers weigh in.  

This week wasn’t the best for my weigh in’s, but you can watch the video online or down below to see why:

As you can tell I have some work to do this week to make up for that gain.  I know Weight Watchers is all about portion control and being mindful about what you eat, which is something I completely failed at this past week.

At least I realize what I need to work on, right? That’s a good thing!  I’m not in denial or clueless as to my recent weight gain. However, that just means I have to work extra hard to reset those habits of mindless eating and temptations.

This week my goals are simple:

Walk more in the evenings and prepare food in advance for those tired week nights.

I had a girls weekend over Memorial Day and I basically walked all over Eureka Springs, Arkansas.  I was also very mindful about what I ate and didn’t splurge too much, except for that one margarita!  I have plans to continue with my increased activity level through out the rest of this week.

I’m hoping for another Weight Watchers check in like last week.  I’ll work hard and keep my fingers crossed.

Weight Watchers Weekly Weigh-In [week 3]

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

Weight Watchers Freestyle, weekly weigh-ins and meal ideas

Another week and another weigh-in. This week my goal was simple – track everything that went into my dang mouth. Sounds simple, right?  But with a two year old offering you a “my bite, my bite” of his snacks, his lunches, his dinners it can be hard.

I actually accomplished two things this week – tracking more of what I ate (I wouldn’t say I was 100%, but more like 90%) and pretending to take a bite off my son’s fork.

I also realized that I enjoy having my weigh in on Saturday.  It means my weekly points resent on the weekend, so if I want to splurge then I can and I still have a few days before I weigh in.  Like this weekend, I didn’t go overboard, but on Saturday night we ended up having hibachi with friends and our kids.  I loved every second of it.  J and I split a plate, which was perfect. I filled my plate with all the vegetables since he doesn’t really like them (I did share some with out son – don’t worry!).  I finished about half of my plate and then took it home to eat on Sunday.

I tracked what I ate, which didn’t look pretty but at least I tracked it.  I also realized that I have 5 days before I weigh in again, plus I still have some weekly points leftover.  So I’m doing pretty good!

Here’s this week’s Weight Watchers weigh in – you can watch the video online or down below:

The weigh in went better than I could have imagined!  I ended up losing 4.6 pounds for a total of 4.4 pounds overall (stupid weight gain from last week).

This next week my goal is to continue tracking what I put into my mouth and to stop snacking from my son’s plate completely.  I’ve become pretty good at pretend eating, but sometimes it’s hard to pass up.

I’m leaving on Saturday after my weigh in to have a girls weekend, so I’m going to try extra hard this week since I know next weekend will be hard for me.

Weight Watchers Freestyle Check In [Week 2]

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

Weight Watchers Freestyle, weekly weigh-ins and meal ideas

I don’t know what it is, but lately I am getting comfortable with being more open online.  I’m not sure where my fearlessness is coming from – maybe it’s just too hard to keep up with what I have and haven’t made public or perhaps I’m just too tired to even try.  But I have to admit – I kind of like it.

I also have received some of the sweetest comments, emails, DMs, and text messages from readers, friends and family that make me realize I’m not alone.  Sometimes us moms (or women in general) think we are the only ones facing a particular issue.  So we try to hide it and keep it on lock down.  Desperately trying not to let anyone in for fear of judgement.

It’s sad!  It really is!  I’m no better though.  Sometimes hitting upload on a new video or publish on a new blog post can be terrifying.  When I first started my blog I was in my early twenties and could not care any less about anything.  I was a rebel that way.

Now here I am over a decade later and I’m terrified that someone might think I’m weak, powerless, a bad mom, a bad business owner or whatever.  So I sometimes let that stop me.  But then other times I push through the fear and send my message out into the world.  Sometimes I get negative feedback, but most of the time (like 98% of the time) I get something great back.  I get encouragement, I get “I can so relate to you”, and that makes it all worth it.

So in the spirit of being more open and transparent, I’m going to start sharing my weekly Weight Watcher weigh-ins with you.  They’ll be quick, I’ll share real numbers with you and share what didn’t work so great (or went amazing).  Now, if you missed last week’s blog post then make sure you go check it out because I joined Weight Watchers…again.  Last week I shared a lot of personal feelings on why I joined Weight Watchers, what my goals are and what kind of pushed me over the edge with my body.  It’s a doozy!

Alright, let’s get this week’s weigh in started.  Here’s what I’ve figured out in my first full week back on Weight Watchers – they have completely changed the plan.  So I have a lot to learn, but I am excited!

In this video you can see how my week 1 weigh-in went, if I lost weight and what my plans are for next week.  Watch online or down below:

What are my goals with Weight Watchers?

Lose weight is an obvious one, but it’s a big one.  After getting married, moving, having a baby and so much other stuff I’ve really seen my weight creep back up.  I had worked hard in the Spring of 2017 to lose 20 pounds and I kept it off the rest of the year.  However, when it was crunch time on my CFP exam I used that as an excuse to over indulge.  So I quickly added that 20 pounds, plus an extra 10. BOO!

My second goal is to be a great mom.  I always have visions of being able to play, run, and just be a fun mom with our son.  I know that if I didn’t do something now about my weight, the pain in my knees and being tired all. the. time that I was going to miss out on a lot.

My favorite changes to the Weight Watchers plan?

The list of over 200 foods that are zero points.  It is amazing!  A total lifesaver! I remember when I did Weight Watchers the first time (8+ years ago) a banana was 3 PointsPlus.  So I hardly ate them, but I love them.  I remember thinking I could eat this banana or a Little Debbie snack cake for the exact same point value, which one should I choose.  The 30+ year old would say the banana, but the 20 year old picked the snack cake every single time.

So having fruits and veggies and meats and so much more be zero points, that’s going to be a huge benefit.

Blue Dot Challenges – I have a lot to learn about these, but I am excited.  It’s just another way to encourage me to stay on track.

Why I Joined Weight Watchers…Again

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

why i joined weight watchers, second time on weight watchers

The title of this post says it all… I joined Weight Watchers … again, for the second time. 

In today’s video, I’m going into how I feel about joining, putting myself out there and sharing it for the world.

Let’s be honest, being open about weight struggles isn’t easy for anyone.  It’s especially hard at this point in my life because I feel like I should have my stuff together.  I am a wife, a mom, a career woman and a business owner.  So it’s hard to admit that I’m failing at something – and it’s not a little something.

You may think it’s just weight, be proud of your body.  It created life.  But I see something that creates boundaries for what I want to do.  I want to be the best mom possible.  And that means being able to play in the backyard without getting tired.  I want to be able to climb a flight of stairs carrying my toddler who wants his mom without gasping for air half-way up.

So it’s more than weight, it’s health. 

In today’s video I’m going through why I joined Weight Watchers and what prompted my decision to just DO IT. I remember the first time I joined back 8 years ago and the feeling I felt that day.  I knew having that feeling came from being in sync with a room full of women striving to do better.  These women are all in different places in their lives – some are like me, thick in the toddler mom life and others are retired learning how to be a grandma.

But there is something about this group of women that can help motivate me and keep me accountable to reaching my goals.

You can watch my video online or down below.

Easy-peasy Healthy Breakfast Bar Recipe

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

Healthy Breakfast Bar Recipe

Looking for a healthy breakfast bar recipe?  Want a recipe for a delicious chocolate peanut butter banana oatmeal bar for breakfast?  Well then you have come to the right place.

J asked for breakfast food the other day and  suggested granola bars.  The pre-packaged ones are good don’t get me wrong, but I just have a problem with filling our bellies with junk.  I looked up a healthy breakfast bar recipe and found one that caught my eye.  I did a little edit to some ingredients to make it a little healthier.  And I ended up with a tasty, healthy breakfast bar recipe.

Healthy Breakfast Bar Recipe

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. whole-wheat flour
1 c. rolled oats
1/2 c. sugar substitute
5 t. baking powder (you can use 2 t. baking powder and 1 t. baking soda, but I was out of baking soda)
1/4 c. milk chocolate chips
1/8 c. Peanut Butter
1 large egg
2 large egg-whites
1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
1/4 c. milk, fat free
1 c. mashed bananas (approximately 2 full bananas)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease 24 muffin cups

Stir flour, oats, sugar, baking powder (and baking soda) and chocolate chips in a large bowl.

Whisk egg and egg whites together; mix in applesauce, milk, peanut butter and banana.

Create well in middle of dry ingredients and pour in wet ingredients.  Stir until moisten.

Fill muffin cups until about 1/2 full.

Bake for about 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.  Cool before serving.

Healthy Breakfast Bar Recipe

There ya have it a healthy breakfast bar recipe that was super easy to make.  Oh and the best part one of these little bad boys is only 2 weight watchers point plus value.  Sweet!

Looking for other uses for Oatmeal around the house? Check out how I gave my dog a homemade oatmeal bath to soothe her itchy skin.

Cheers!

I adapted from this recipe from allrecipes.com. 

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A tough subject: My Weight Loss

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

beforeandafter

As I sit here with my fingers on the keyboard the only thing I can is let out a heavy sigh, my weight loss is a tough subject for me.

  The subject of my weight is really, really difficult for me.  I’m sure it is for a lot of people and I hope that someone out there can relate.  Truthfully, I am scared to write this post, I need to set aside this fear that I have building in me with every keystroke and get down to it.  Enough stalling already.

My weight loss and weight gain is a sore subject.  I have never been this super fit girl, I was not athletic in school, and I love sweets.  Actually, I have an unhealthy relationship with sweets.  People laugh at me, but if I see sweets or know they are nearby it’s ALL I can think about.  The thought of a cookie in the kitchen will consume my mind.

Let me preface this with – I was never heavy in high school.  I maintained a good balance between running around with friends and having a Mom prepare dinner for me.  Then when I moved to college and started living in a place where I had a choice that is when the weight gain started.  I could choose between dorm food, the Taco Bell that was in walking distance or ordering a $5 large pizza; let’s face it, those are not good choices.  So, the weight gain started.  On May 4, 2010 I was the heaviest I had ever been and I had enough.  It was time to focus on my weight loss.  I stopped complaining and I stopped feeding my sadness with more bad food.  I joined Weight Watchers.  It just clicked and I loved the Weight Watchers program from the start!

In the next year I lost over 50 pounds.  50 pounds!  That’s crazy people!  Then the best thing happened I got offered a job to be a leader for Weight Watchers.  I was ecstatic about this opportunity to share my story with others and help them along their weight loss journey.  All was going great for a year and then I started slipping and the weight started creeping back on.  I finally quit my job at Weight Watchers convincing everyone that it was because of a new full-time job and I could not simply take off for 2 hours every Tuesday to lead my meeting.  In reality though it was because I had gained weight and was no longer at my goal.  I was/am ashamed about that fact, but I just could not stop the landslide.  I could not find the drive or motivation to track, get in my healthy guidelines or be active on a regular basis.  I do not know why my motivation was gone.

It just was.

weightloss2011

Now fast forward a few months and I am further away from my goal weight and my wedding is just 4 months away.  I’m sickened by my actions and my ability to let myself lose what I had worked so hard to gain.  Or is it gain what I had worked so hard to lose.

It’s time I do something about it… again.  I figured posting on here with pictures would really help my motivation.  I can do this again.   I know I can.  I know I can.

weightloss2012

So, here we go.  I will commit to tracking my food – all of it, every day.  I will attend Crossfit 3x a week because I really do love it and feel so good after I am done, I will stop saying the words “I’m fat” because that is doing absolutely nothing for my self-esteem.  I will replace those words with “I’m learning” and “I will be healthy.”  Finally, I will commit to a weekly roundup on le blog of what was successful and was not successful.

If you want to join me then please do.  I would love the company and we can support one another.  I know that I will not reach my goal within 4 months, but I will look damn good in my wedding dress.

I will not let tomorrow’s holiday or a weekend at the lake break my confidence or give me an excuse to slide a bit.  It’s going to be a good week and I will be proud of my accomplishments.

Cheers!

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

smoothie So this morning I concocted a yummy, healthy smoothie. It was super easy, super quick and did the trick.

Ingredients:
1/2 frozen banana (I already had it sliced and in the freezer)
1 c. fat-free milk
1 t. PB2 (powdered peanut butter is my favorite right now)
1 packet of Weight Watchers chocolate smoothie mix

Combine the ingredients in a blender until smooth. The frozen banana will give it a thicker texture and won’t water it down like ice will.
smoothie2
The best part of this smoothie? It’s only 4 PointsPlus values! The banana and PB2 are both 0 PP+ values.

If you haven’t tried PB2 yet then I recommend it. 2 Tablespoons are only 1PP+. It can be combined with water or your daily oil, which is my favorite because it makes it a bit creamier.

The only sad part about my smoothie was when I finished it! HA!

Cheers!

reflection of the past 3 years

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

Photo on 2012-10-22 at 10.43 #2
I know, I know.  It’s a bit late around here, but I’ve been working all day and then came home to cook a delicious dinner for J and I.  Then in ironic fashion I sat on the couch for two hours while watching The Biggest Loser.  At least I got in some activity at work today!

Now, here I am prepping for my Weight Watchers meeting tomorrow and it’s got me thinking about where my life has taken me the past 3 years.  It’s been a pretty amazing journey and I’m happy to say that it’s nowhere near over.

I’ve discovered so much about myself.  For instance, I’m an extrovert.  I didn’t know that 3 years ago.  I love to cook healthy.  Developing a healthy body starts with your mind.  When I started to lose weight 3 years ago it never occurred to me that your mind needs to be in partnership with your body.  Once my mind snapped to it, then the rest followed in suit.  Such a great feeling!

Cheers!

P.S. I am still well aware that I need to share my Resolutions still.  However, for January I decided no more Diet Coke and so far … so good! I’m a week strong!

Diet 7-Up Biscuits

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope everyone had a day filled with love and yummy goodness!


J and I celebrated our first Thanksgiving together this year.  Due to work schedules we both weren’t able to make the drive home, especially since our drive is in opposite directions of one another.  It just made it too difficult.  So, we made the best of it and celebrated on our own.

I got there just in time for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to start, which is my absolute favorite part of the day.  I’ve seen a 7-Up Biscuit recipe on Pinterest lately and it looked delicious.  I adapted the recipe to be a bit more Weight Watcher friendly and the results were a-mazing.

Ingredients:

2 C. Heart Smart Bisquick
1/2 C. light Sour Cream
1/2 C. diet 7-Up
1/4 C. melted butter (I used I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter)

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix sour cream and bisquick together.  Add 7-Up to mix.  The dough will be really soft.  Melt the butter and pour into the bottom of a 9×9 pan.  Next, sprinkle some bisquick mix onto the counter and spread out the dough.  You don’t want to knead the dough, but just pat and spread to be about one-inch thick.  Use a glass or a biscuit cutter and cut out biscuits.  Place in pan and bake at 450 degree for about 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown.

Makes 9 servings – 4 WWPointsPlus per serving

I had one biscuit that didn’t want to cooperate when I was putting it into the pan… I’m sure you can figure out which one that was.  Oh well! Recipes can’t always be picture perfect, but they were still delicious.