Tag: food

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.

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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.

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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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Summer To-Do List

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

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It’s official. Summer is here. The humidity is up and my allergies are finally starting to subside, a little. I put together a little list of fun things that I’d love to do in these next few months. What do you have on your to-do list?

1) Attend a Cardinals Baseball game
2) Go to the lake as much as possible
3) Grill majority of our meals
4) Learn to make a new summer cocktail, preferably with raspberries.
5) Work more on our wedding plans (getting those invites addressed without pulling out my hair)
6) Commit to Crossfit at least 3x a week (fingers crossed)
7) Spend time with J’s family and my family
8) Teach Tiny a few new tricks
9) Start saving for my Bachelorette party(!!!) in NOLA.
10) Go to Founder’s Park to watch a movie

Cheers to a great Summer!

4 Tips for Healthy Eating

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAphoto source

In the past 3 years I have learned a lot about myself and a lot about eating healthy. I have my good days. I have my bad days. Just like the majority of us out there.

A few items I’ve learned about eating healthy.

1) You must be realistic with yourself. If you love chocolate (like I do) or salty foods (like J does) then telling yourself you will never eat a kit-kat again is just plain pointless.

2) Listen to your cravings. When I crave chocolate it could mean a variety of things. First, it’s that lovely time of the month and I’m feeling vulnerable. Second, you are having a bad day and your serotonin levels might be low; and you want a jolt of feeling good. Third, your magnesium levels might be low.

3) Moderation. I can put down a pack of cookies like no one’s business. I know this lovely fact about myself. I avoid putting myself in those situations.

4) Forgive yourself. When I was first on my journey to healthy eating I would get so upset with myself if I allowed my old habits to come forward. What happens when you’re sad? You want something to make you feel happy. For some of us that’s food. So we eat. Then we realize that we shouldn’t have done that. So we get sad again. What happens when you’re sad? You eat. It’s a vicious circle. The best thing you can do for yourself is to forgive yourself. Your mind, body, and emotions will thank yourself.

Just a little advice from a girl who has done the opposite of every single one of those points listed above and has learned the hard way. Take my advice.

Cheers!

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.
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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!

6 months to go

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

Love <3 #branson

Here we are: six months to go till J & I say “I Do.”  Whew! TIme flies when you are having fun.
Trying on my WEDDING DRESS this afternoon. I'm so excited! #wedding #weddingdress #thebigday
I found my dress – that was a huge weight off my shoulders!  My dress is absolutely perfect, in every way.

Here are a few tips that I’ve discovered along this wedding planning process:

– check your budget.  It’s very, very important to stay on top of your budget. Buying wedding gifts, favors, and little things here & there can really do a number on your budget.  You think you are a-okay and in the green, but then as you get closer to the big day and final payments are due then you might shock yourself.

– prepare your rehearsal dinner. I have the venue booked for our rehearsal dinner and a menu in mind, but it’s time to start narrowing down your guest list. If you’re wedding plans are similar to ours then a small, imitate dinner is all you’re looking for.  Our venue is a room at an event center where we can come and go easily.  It’s small enough that we are envisioning a room full of family and future family sharing stories, laughing, and eating some good food.

– block hotel rooms.  J had one task that he made his own. I had no input in which hotel he blocked, I just wanted to make sure that we had a room.  I have to admit – he did good!  We have one of the nicest hotels in Springfield reserved with a shuttle for our guests so no one will have too much to drink and no way to get back to their room.

We are still working on finding an officiant.  It’s next on our list and will be done ASAP! It’s making me a little nervous that we don’t have someone booked yet, but can have everything fall into place perfectly.  So far, I will not complain about how smooth the wedding plans are going.

Cheers!

Wacky Springtime

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

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It’s finally springtime in Missouri … well at least it is today. It was in the 80s earlier this week and then snowing on Friday. So, we don’t know how long this weather is going to last. When we do get a burst of nice weather the dogs have eaten every second of it up.  Well, J & I have soaked up using our new grill a lot too… I’m not complaining!
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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.

Falling

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

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Today, I am sitting on the couch with a box of tissues next to me with a sniffling nose watching Home Improvement reruns.  It reminds that fall is finally here.  Weird reminder, I know.  That’s how my brain works.

I love, love, love fall (that’s a lot of love right there) and couldn’t be more happy that it’s finally feeling like fall around here. I’ve busted out my boots, some scarves and my most comfortable sweaters.

This fall I’ve decided to make a pact of creating new fall-inspired foods. So far, I’ve made my first apple pie and pulled pork tacos. That was just one day. I was a bit zealous!

Here are my favorites about fall: carving pumpkins, richer coolers outside, layering clothes, walks in the park with the dog and boy, cooking healthy delicious comfort foods, and blah, blah, blah.

I could go on and on, but there is one drawback to fall weather. Allergies. They are the worst. Absolute worst.

What is your favorite season?