Ain't No {Fat} Shame in My Game!

On Friday the 13th of June, I broke my ankle. The incident was, and continues to be, painful and has altered my life significantly this summer. I realize that I have plenty to be thankful for, like the fact that I won't need surgery and that my friends, Tracy and Steve, have let me move in with them while I recuperate. But, I really miss my normal routine! I miss my apartment and evening walks with the dog. I miss being able to answer the door when my delivery food arrives and standing up to take a shower. I miss time spent alone and my independence. One of the most surprising realizations, however, has been how much I miss my morning sessions at the gym with my sister.

The pit and the aftermath

Danielle and I recommitted to the gym in March. It wasn't easy to get used to the alarm clock sounding off at 5:15 am, but having someone to rely on for a backup call/text when that snooze button was winning the war against my self resolve was a huge help. By the second week, I found myself looking forward to my pre-work workouts. I didn't realize it at first, but there was something very different about my approach to the gym this time around; my primary focus wasn't on seeing the numbers on the scale go down, it was on fitness. I was most interested in challenging my body to do something it had never really done before- I wanted to be able to run. Each week, I relished in the achievement of running a little bit further or faster than I had the week before. I think that this difference was my key to finding enjoyment in the gym, and I am sad that I won't realize my goal of running my first 5K this summer.

Not only had I discovered a new pastime that I enjoyed, but suddenly the lens through which I saw myself in the mirror was changing. I was drawing self confidence from how I felt physically, and that was shaping how I related to my appearance. I was stronger and more fit, and that felt darned good despite the fact that the scale might not have budged. In fact, I had stopped weighing myself- that's how little the scale mattered. Why should I rain on my own parade just because I hadn't lost the weight I set out to lose last year? I was kicking ass on the treadmill, and that's what mattered most because that's what made me feel awesome! I decided to consciously eschew the fat shaming mindset that I had internalized over the years, and instead I would celebrate my fitness accomplishments.

Ain't no shame in Whitney's game, or mine!

I'm fortunate that I started tapping into this mindset before my accident; it has helped me to remember to be kind to myself throughout the healing process. There have been occasional moments of panic: "But how will I fit into a bridesmaid's dress in September?!" (Answer: I'm going to buy a dress that fits and makes me feel fabulous!); and "Should I starve myself until I can get back to the gym?" (Answer: Heck no! I'm going to need nutrients in order to speed up my recovery, and ice cream packs some great calcium.); and "Do these crutches make me look fat?" (Just kidding. I knew right away that the crutches made me look tough.). I have had to cling firmly to this new form of self love and self acceptance that isn't predicated on the size of my clothing, while surrounded by influences that insist that my current size is a problem. I cannot allow myself to spiral into a pit of self loathing over my broken ankle weight gain. I can choose to focus on the memory of that post-gym high. I know that when I'm off of the crutches and out of the AirCast I will relish a return to the gym, and I will slowly and safely start working towards that 5K goal once again.

Cheers to that!

When I first created this blog, the core purpose was to document my experiences with Weight Watchers and to share delicious and healthy recipes. It evolved into something much more than that, and I love filling my little corner of the web with food, photography, travel tales, and reviews of my favorite places and products. I recently canceled my Weight Watchers subscription, because counting points isn't working for me at this point in my journey through life and Providence. As a result, the format and content of this blog might change a little over the coming months; for example, I won't be able to provide you with the PointsPlus values of new recipes. I do need to continue to make a commitment to my health, so I will continue to share related content here. I simply realized that it was time to try something new and, after some careful deliberation, I have decided to try the Herbalife plan. I found a great coach through my Facebook friends list, and I'm currently waiting for my first order to arrive.

As with the gym, I'm approaching this new plan with a focus on my overall health and well being and won't be obsessed with the numbers on the scale. My activity level is extremely limited right now, so I'm hoping to avoid letting my health deteriorate too much while my ankle heals by focusing my attention on a balanced diet. Whether the pounds come off fast or slow on Herbalife, I can assure you that I'm going to wear my horizontally striped fatkini proudly this summer because, for whatever reason, I feel like a glamorous pinup girl when I wear it; and I won't let the fat shaming majority make me feel bad about that.

I must thank Carol Rossetti for her images and her words!

Starting Simply

We're almost a full month into 2014, and I'm still stuck in that frenetic loop of reflecting on 2013 and goal setting for the year ahead. I'm proud of last year; I challenged myself and learned a lot along the way, it was humbling. I came out of 2013 knowing a bit more about what I value in, and expect from, my relationships with the people in my life. I also know now that it is liberating to give yourself permission to stop sweating the small stuff and to break free of the busy trap. I didn't achieve all of my 2013 goals, though, and I started this year even further from my goal weight than I was last January.

At this time last year I was diving back into the world of Weight Watchers, and was excited to try their new 360 Program; it was even the reason I started this blog! On my return to the meeting room this year, I learned that they have debuted the two week Simple Start program for new, returning and rehabilitating members. I just completed the starter course, and was thrilled with the results. It was a relatively easy way to wade back into the weight loss waters since there's no need to count Points Plus Values or measure portion sizes.

Thanks, Simple Start- down 6 pounds in two weeks!

I learned to trust, and have faith in, myself last year; I'd like for some of that to carry over into my weight loss journey. Believing in the lifestyle changes that I need to make will go a long way towards helping me finally reach my goal weight. I've made some resolutions outside the health and fitness realm, but I won't bore you with the full list. I'll be trying to keep things simple this year, it worked well during my first two weeks at Weight Watchers, and I think it'll serve me well in general as I tackle 2014!

A simple plan (found on Instagram)

What resolutions have you made for the year ahead? If you're a Weight Watcher, have you given Simple Start a try? What did you think?

{Lack of} Progress Report

I published my last weight loss progress report back in March. Some time in early April I fell off track and stopped attending Weight Watchers meetings. Last Saturday I returned to the scales for a weigh in. Here's how it all went down.

"Go ahead and step on the scale," said the chipper Weight Watchers employee.

She didn't use words to tell me that I had gained a bunch of weight- her face said it all.

"When's the last time you were here?" she asked, trying unsuccessfully to regain her composure.

"I guess it's been a few months," I answered sheepishly.

A few months of glorious eating...

But maybe I shouldn't have entirely eschewed counting points!

 

I hurried into the meeting, already underway, needing to be inspired.

Our leader was discussing low points plus methods of incorporating power foods into our breakfast routines.

Still reeling from my experience at the scale, I wasn't in the mood to pretend to care about power foods when I took my seat.

I did my best to silence that negativity quickly.

By the end of the meeting I had stopped feeling sorry for myself, and was clapping enthusiastically as members received "Bravo" stickers for sharing their accomplishments with the group.

I'm slowly getting back on track, and have made a conscious effort to count points over the last week. I'm hoping to receive a much more positive reaction at the scale one month from now.

One Monster of a Smoothie

Last week was a beast! I had to put in sixty hours at the office, and to make matters worse I tweaked my back on Friday morning while leaning towards the mirror to put on some mascara. So, Friday's fifteen hour shift was made all the more painful by persistent back spasms. 

I knew that Thursday, Friday and Saturday would be hectic, so I made a concerted effort to load up on as many healthy meals as possible during the first half of the week. I packed big salads to enjoy with lunches the first three days of the week, and incorporated plenty of grilled and steamed vegetables with dinners. On Friday and Saturday, though, there was no time for a sit down meal. I grazed on the leftovers from each event that I was managing: so, my diet consisted of leftover bagels, cold pizza, cheese and crackers, and bar snacks. I guesstimated the points plus values I used up on junk, and the results were pretty grim. I'm not sure I consumed a single power food over a two day period!

Cheese balls

On Sunday morning, I slept late. It felt great. Despite getting plenty of sleep, I still felt sluggish when I rolled out of bed. The week had been challenging mentally, physically and nutritionally. While the extra rest had helped with my mental and physical ailments, I was still in need of a nutritional boon. I decided that it might be the perfect time to try out one of the Green Monster smoothies that I had read about on multiple food blogs.

Everything about these smoothies is amazing! It's amazing that they taste great, despite looking like swamp. It's amazing that they almost instantly elevate your mood. And it's amazing how many vitamins and minerals you can blend up and fit into a glass. Now, despite being heavy on the fruits and vegetables, these smoothies aren't without points plus values. The number of points involved will depend on what you choose to include.

Green Monster Smoothie (recipe below)

Green  Monster Smoothie

Servings: 1 Serving Size: about 2 cups Points Plus*: 7 pts
(adapted from Skinnytaste.com)

Ingredients 

1 cup Fat free milk 
1/2 medium Banana, fresh frozen
1/2 cup Strawberries, fresh frozen
1 cup Chopped spinach, fresh frozen
1 tsp Reduced fat peanut butter
3 oz Fat free Greek yogurt

Directions 

Blend ingredients together until smooth. It's best to put the milk in first, and then layer the rest of your ingredients on top. Since I used frozen fruits and vegetables, I used the ice crush function first and then the milkshake function blended it all together. I served over ice.

Today's version: homemade coconut berry popsicle, milk, spinach, strawberry & cucumber

*PointsPlus values calculated using the Recipe Builder on the Weight Watchers website

Progress Report: Month 2

Considering it's the shortest month of the year, and that I spent the first weekend snowed in, February was jam packed with birthdays, luncheons and special occasions. During the weekend of the 15th I attended three birthday parties and ate in three different restaurants over the course of two days. It was a fun month, but it was plain exhausting!

The minute my social calendar filled up, I knew that one intoxicating little word would contribute to the defeat of my willpower: c-o-c-k-t-a-i-l-s. After all, you can't go to United Skates of America to celebrate a friend's 32nd birthday without meeting for a couple of glasses of wine first, can you? And is a girl really supposed to turn down mimosas at a BBQ birthday brunch? In my meager defense, I showed up at each of last month's events with the best intentions- whether that meant arriving at a restaurant with a well researched menu plan, or showing up at a friend's house armed with diet soda and my favorite Skinnygirl vodka. Whatever the situation, I was prepared... Until I ordered that second beverage, and then all bets were off! After a couple of drinks, I'd find myself powerless in the face of draught beer and party snacks.

Vodka-laced hard milkshake, the most decadent cocktail on the menu at Harry's Bar & Burger!

Social obligations are only going to kick into overdrive from now through Labor Day, and it's clear that I'm going to need a better game plan. It's Monday evening, and I only have nine of my weekly 49 points remaining. Alcohol is most definitely to blame. What started out as a points plus-friendly evening of sushi and a single martini with friends turned into a night of bar hopping and beer-swilling. By the time I got home, I was drunkenly ravenous and opted to eat again before bed. I wish I had prioritized drinking lots of water instead, because my Sunday morning hangover was no fun! Resolutions don't stand a chance in the face of a hangover, so I ordered a recovery pizza and parked myself on the couch for a day of Netflix and napping.

Cucumber sake martini

Between Saturday nights on the town, and Sundays spent on the couch, it's no wonder the scale didn't move much this month. I already know that March is going to be even more challenging than February because I'll be putting in a lot of late nights at work. I'm going to be busy. I'm going to feel stressed. In all likelihood, I'm going to be fairly miserable by mid month and will want to turn to lazy, fatty, comfort food and wine for solace. If I add in some evenings of drinking with friends and post-bar taco binges, I'll be setting myself up to fail again.

Saturday's Weight Watchers meeting was all about setting measurable goals. I've never thought about giving up my cocktail habit but, for the first time, I'm considering it. Each week that I get closer to turning the big 3-0, my hangovers get just a little more miserable. With only one day off a week this month, I can't afford to waste that day on the couch paying for the night before. If I'm going to stay on track, I've got to be prepared to spend that day grocery shopping and cooking/planning for the week. So, I'm going to give operation "1 Sober Month" a shot, starting today. Wish me luck!

I guess I'll have to wait until April to try out the Bacon Maple Ale.

And now, the numbers...

I only lost 1.7 pounds this month, bringing me to a total of 9.4 pounds lost so far this year. I've misplaced my measuring tape, but doubt that I've lost much in terms of inches from my waist, hips, arms, bust or thighs.

Comfort Food for the Snowed In Soul

This past weekend I got snowed in; a whole bunch of us on the East Coast did! A pesky blizzard named Nemo covered states from Pennsylvania up through Maine in a thick, white blanket. I was lucky, though. Not only did my power stay on throughout the storm, but my friend, Luke, made the trek down from Cambridge to get snowed in with me so that he could assist with the snow removal.

I have a weak lower back, and shoveling is a surefire way to end up bedridden and out of commission for at least a week. Luke took pity on me and did all of the heavy lifting when it came to digging my car out of a massive snow drift and clearing the driveway. I had to find some way to keep busy while he was out in the cold, so I took to the kitchen. I felt a little less guilty about how hard he was working as long as I was putting delicious food on the table!

Comfort food is extra comforting when enjoyed while snow is falling. The world outside slows to a stop, and your soul is able to relish a silence we rarely experience in our daily lives. On Friday evening, as the storm was picking up strength and inches were quickly accumulating, I fired up the oven and put together a vegetable laden baked macaroni and cheese. I wanted to enjoy something that tasted indulgent, without breaking all the rules. I found that the addition of vegetables made this dish more filling and satisfying than a typical serving of macaroni and cheese. This recipe came together in a very freestyle manner, but was quite tasty in the end. How could I go wrong, really? After all, pasta and cheese are two of the most comforting and delicious foods known to man- or, at least, to this woman.

Baked Vegetable Macaroni and Cheese 

Servings: 8 Serving Size: about 1 heaping cup Points Plus*: 7 pts

Ingredients

Cooking spray, olive oil
12 oz Elbow macaroni (I used Smart Taste)
1 cup Uncooked broccoli florets (I used fresh, frozen would probably work too)
1 package Frozen cooked squash 
1 cup Frozen spinach
1 cup Spaghetti squash, cooked
1 can Campbell's Healthy Request Cheddar Cheese Soup
1 tbsp Mustard
2 tbsp Ketchup
2 tsp Sriracha
Onion powder, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Slap Ya Mama seasoning, to taste (optional)
1 cup Shredded sharp cheddar cheese, reduced fat; reserve 1/4 cup for topping
1 cup Shredded mozzarella cheese, reduced fat; reserve 1/4 cup for topping

Directions

Gather your ingredients and preheat the oven to 350°. Prepare a 9" x 13" baking dish with cooking spray.

Add the macaroni and broccoli florets to a large pot of rapidly boiling water and cook according to the directions on the box of pasta. You'll want to ensure that the noodles are al dente so that they hold up to mixing and baking. While the pasta and broccoli cooks, defrost your squash in the microwave.

Drain the pasta and broccoli in a colander, and add it back to the pot. Add the remaining vegetables, spices and condensed soup. Stir. Add 3/4 cup of each of the cheeses, mix well and pour the contents into your prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining cheese, and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden.

Tonight I enjoyed leftovers with a side of roasted cauliflower & chicken.

*PointsPlus values calculated using the Recipe Builder on the Weight Watchers website

Progress Report: Month 1

Yesterday marked my one month anniversary on the Weight Watchers' 360 plan. Did I celebrate this first milestone by waking up, making a nice, big cup of hot coffee, and arriving at my meeting early? Nope. I slept late, missed my weigh in and fell- nay, jumped- off the healthy eating wagon!

I spent Friday night at my friend's house.  On Saturday morning we slept in, skipped breakfast because we found ourselves engrossed in TiVo'd episodes of "The Following", and then found ourselves famished and in the mood for a delicious treat by the time noon rolled around. At her husband's suggestion, we sent out for lunch. I fought with myself as I scoured the menu, truly torn between a craving for something naughty and wanting to stay within my points. Unfortunately, my willpower was lacking and I ordered a giant grilled chicken carbonara sub. I had no idea that the large sandwich would be so, well, large! Grilled chicken isn't normally a bad choice,  the trouble lies in the fact that the loaf of Italian bread was topped with lots of crispy bacon, melty cheese, and ranch dressing. The greasy and delicious curly fries we ordered weren't a very points friendly decision either. As if I hadn't done enough damage to my points allowance over lunch, when we found ourselves hungry again that evening, we decided on decadent ice cream sundaes for dinner.

Would you blame me if I decided to pretend that this day didn't happen? As soon as I placed my order, I consciously pushed all thoughts of Weight Watchers out of my mind. I didn't want to taint my junk food high with the all too familiar aftertaste of guilt. I needed to forget all about how many of my weekly points I was blowing on empty calories. I decided not to think about eating my five servings of fruits and vegetables or trying to make sure I got in some low fat dairy. I would take a "Don't ask, don't tell" approach to the day.

I had a change of heart, however, as I was getting ready for bed. The day did happen, but it didn't mean I had to blow the whole week ahead of me. If I didn't at least estimate how many points I had consumed, I would have no idea how to budget my weekly points between now and my next weigh in. I would be setting myself up to fail again each and every day. I'm human, and even in the wake up a bad decision (or two) with the 360 plan I'm starting to learn that I can take back control at any time. One gigantic meal is not a sane reason to blow the whole week, it doesn't have to automatically mean that I'll see a gain at the scales next week. So, I did some menu research and estimated the points in each meal. It turns out I still have 26 of my weekly points left, and the fact that I was able to own up to everything I ate is a huge non-scale victory for me.

Saturday's damage report 

It was eye opening to take a look at just how many points my off-plan day used up. I hate that I used to eat like that regularly, daily even, without batting an eye. It's no wonder I gained so much weight. Sure, I knew that what I was doing wasn't great for my health, but it was easier not to care. It was easier to eat first, and deal with feeling a little guilty later. It's harder to wrestle with those feelings before eating, and to choose not to overindulge. I think that a part of me felt like I would be missing out if I didn't treat myself to a day of junk food. It turns out that I don't I actually miss it as much as I've conditioned myself to believe I do. That's because, in reality, I still eat what I want. Over the last month I have had a little bit of reduced fat ice cream almost every day, I've been out to eat and enjoyed delicious 3 course meals, I've even consumed my fair share of bacon. So, there's no need to feed into the belief that I need to succumb to a day of binge eating.

I weighed in today so that I could plug in a weight for Saturday's missed meeting. I'm up half a pound, and feel like I can attribute some of that to the damage I did yesterday. 

And now, the numbers...

This month I managed to lose 7.7 pounds, in addition to inches from my waist, hips, arms, bust and thighs. I can't complain!

My official E-Tools progress report

Workday Workout: the Washroom Edition

I'm not ready to head back to the gym just yet. January 17th marked the fifth month in a row that Planet Fitness took $20 from me for a membership that will continue to go unused- at least for few more weeks. I know that working out is an important part of weight loss, and that it's a vital component of a healthy lifestyle. Heck, I even know that, after the first grueling month, I will undoubtedly grow to look forward to spending a few hours a week on the treadmill. The fact remains, though, that right now I'm not ready to lace up my sneakers and walk through those gym doors.

I am, however, warming myself up to the idea of a return to the gym by incorporating a short series of simple exercises into my workday. This is my second week of these near daily exercises- I'm taking weekends off. I'm hoping that they might kick start a little muscle toning, and that they might be helping me burn a few extra calories throughout the day. Incorporating just a little additional movement is subtly motivating me to want to add in even more daily activity. My Weight Watchers ActiveLink monitor picks up on these bursts of movement, so I am able to measure the impact its having. I've gone from registering 0 activity points per day at the beginning of the month to an average of 1 daily point (my daily goal, based on my last 12-week ActiveLink challenge, is 2 activity points).

Are you lucky enough to have your very own office at work? If so, I'm jealous! I work for a university, and my desk is in the very open reception area of a busy building on the main green. Faculty and students are constantly walking past the glass wall in front of my desk, and are frequently stopping in to check their mail or ask me questions. This means that mini workouts at my desk are not an option unless I want people watching me; I don't. So, what's a gal without an office to do if she wants to sneak in some exercises during the day?

Well, it turns out that there is one room at work in which I find myself completely alone a few times a day: the washroom (aka restroom). It follows, then, that the washroom is the perfect place for me to squeeze in a little bit of exercise. Studies show that too much time spent sitting during the day is harmful to our health, and health professionals suggest that we should be trying to get up and move a little once an hour. I figure that prolonging my quick washroom break by a minute or two to get in some exercise before sitting down again has to be a good idea.

 

The Routine

 

Abdominal Isolation

While I wash my hands, I do an abdominal isolation. Isolating your abdominal muscles requires some concentration and hard work. You will want to be sure to keep your back straight and shoulders down, while you draw your belly-button in and down towards your to spine. Really focus. The idea for this exercise was inspired by Jennifer Jolan's "The 5-Second Flat Belly Secret - Lose 2-3 Inches from Your Belly in Less Than 1 Month." (I'll likely review this book when I've completed the 1 month plan.)

Flu Season Bonus: The CDC recommends that we wash our hands for at least 20 seconds; I find that doing this exercise ensures that I'm meeting their suggested standard since I try to hold the isolation for 20-25 seconds. I then relax my abdominal muscles while drying my hands.

Jumping Jacks

After washing my hands, it's time for jumping jacks. I'm up to 15 each time I'm in the washroom.

Pushups

We have a nice sturdy sink in the washroom, so I've been using that surface to do a set of 15 pushups to conclude my washroom circuit.

That's it! It might not seem like much, but I feel good about the fact that it is more than I have been doing for the last few months. I drink a lot of coffee and water throughout the day, so on some days I'm getting in 4 or 5 "circuits". I haven't yet cheated once- if I'm in the washroom at work, I'm not leaving until I've done my mini workout.

I've actually added a kitchen exercise this week, but only when I'm alone in the room. While I'm washing my breakfast and/or lunch dishes, I sneak in a few squats. There's a window next to the kitchen sink, so I'm pretty sure that the people in the building across the street can see me squatting. I'm trying to ignore this possibility for now.

Homemade Pizza, Hold the Carbs

When my last Foodler-ordered dinner-for-one ran me nearly $90, I resolved to cut back on delivery food in 2013. This means that, in order to satisfy my frequent cravings, I'm going to be making lots of homemade pizzas over the next 12 months. I've got a foolproof, low points plus pizza recipe that I'll share at some point, but clearing enough space in my tiny kitchen to roll the paper thin dough can be a pain in the ass. So, when I came across this carb-free recipe on the internet, I was excited to lighten it up with a few Weigh Watchers friendly substitutions and give it a try.

I only had 4 oz of fat free cream cheese in the fridge, so I did a 50-50 mix with the reduced fat cream cheese that I had on hand. Next time I'd use only the fat free cream cheese, that shaves off 1 point per slice, so that's how the recipe below is constructed. I was worried that the cheese "crust" might lack flavor, so I mixed in some garlic paste and a dash of salt and pepper. The crust smelled amazing while it was baking- so much so that my dog sat in the kitchen and whined at the stove for 25 minutes.

The finished pizza was delicious! The crust held up quite nicely, and I didn't have to use a fork to eat the pie. Did I miss a traditional dough crust? Maybe a little- I just love my carbs. But this pizza was not lacking at all in flavor. I'll be interested to see how this pizza reheats for lunches later this week, and I'll likely freeze a couple of slices to find out how it fares after defrosting. I can already tell you, however, that the cold slice I ate a few minutes ago was pretty darned tasty!

Cheesy Low Carb Pizza

Servings: 8 Serving Size: 1 slice Points Plus*: 5 pts

Ingredients

Crust:
1/2 cup liquid egg substitute
8 oz softened fat free cream cheese
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese  
1 tsp garlic paste
Salt and pepper, dash each according to your preference
Cooking spray

Sauce and Toppings:
8 oz tomato sauce, canned and fat free
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp onion powder
Crushed red pepper, to taste

25 ea turkey pepperoni
2 ea white mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp green onion, chopped
1 tbsp basil paste
1 cup shredded, part skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees while you mix the cream cheese, egg substitute, Parmesan cheese, garlic paste, salt and pepper in a large bowl. I used a spatula to combine the ingredients, but a fork or spoon would work just as well. The mixture will be runny, but this will firm up when you bake it.

Coat a 9"x13" baking pan with cooking spray, and pour the crust mixture into the pan. Smooth out an even layer of the mixture, and then bake the crust for 25-30 minutes. The crust is going to shrink a little while it bakes, that's normal. Pull it out of the oven when it has browned lightly.

Turn the oven up to 425 degrees, and let the crust cool for a few minutes while preparing your toppings. I chopped up some mushrooms and green onions that I had hanging around, and pulled out some turkey pepperoni, basil and shredded, low fat mozzarella cheese. I opened a small can of tomato sauce and mixed in some garlic powder, onion powder, and crushed red pepper flakes. Use whatever pizza sauce you prefer, but keep in mind that a jarred sauce might increase the points plus value of your pizza since those sauces are often made with oil and added sugar.

Top the cooled crust with the tomato sauce, and sprinkle on 1/3 cup of the shredded cheese. Add the vegetables, basil and pepperoni (or whatever toppings you decided on), and then cover with the remaining cheese.

Bake for another 10-15 minutes, until the cheese has melted. Remove from the oven and let the pizza cool for at least 10 minutes, allowing the crust to firm up and making the pizza easier to slice and serve.

*PointsPlus values calculated using the Recipe Builder on the Weight Watchers website

New Year, New Me: 360 Degree Evolution

Happy new year to me- and to you, if anyone out there is reading this!

Like many people, I've resolved to lose some weight in 2013, so I found my way back to a Weight Watchers meeting today. I've had success with Weight Watchers in the past. In fact, I lost 17 pounds between January and June of last year, and I felt amazing! Unfortunately, I've managed to gain 26 pounds since the end of June. I like eating well, and I like the idea of being active and healthy. So, I have always liked Weight Watchers- both in theory and in practice.Weight Watchers has rolled out its new program since I let my membership lapse in October, so I decided to stay for the Power Start session at the end of the meeting to find out what "360" is all about.

With the new 360 program, Weight Watchers emphasizes that in order to lose the weight and keep it off, you're going to have to do more than just increase your activity and track what you're eating. The plan takes into account that we're whole people with very full lives, acknowledging that a lot of factors impact how we lose weight. 360 aims to put us back in control of our life as it relates to food by introducing us to ways to manage the spaces we occupy throughout the day and by encouraging us to establish new routines.

Reading the new Weight Watchers literature has made me realize that I could benefit from incorporating this 360 approach into my whole life. Weight Watchers wants us to take a holistic approach to weight loss, and I want to feel whole and complete in all areas of my life. I want to commit to exploring my passions more fully over the next year, and I think that this 360 approach will help with that. What does that mean exactly? To be honest, I don't know yet; it will evolve along the way. I do know that I'm looking forward to this coming year, though; I'm excited about losing weight and finding new opportunities for growth and fulfillment.

360 degrees. A full circle. Complete.