Jenn's Losing It

Weight Watcher's Freestyle that is! It's been just about a month since Weight Watcher's Freestyle was introduced in the meeting room.  Incase you were on the fence about heading back to the meeting room - do it, you may like the changes that have come to the program.  The WW Freestyle is their new program that builds on the already very successful Smartpoints.  Now there are MORE foods with a Smartpoints value of zero so there's less measuring and tracking.  That's right folks Weight Watchers listened to their members and staff - people just hate all the measuring and tracking (not everyone, I know).  They also listened to the fact that members we're using all of their daily points...drumroll...you can now roll over up to 4 Smartpoints per day!  Which is awesome, especially if you're enjoying those zero point foods!  Rolling over those Smartpoints allows for even more flexibility and freedom to live every moment.    So of course the ...

Plan how you'll have a Happy Holiday! We discussed this topic in the meeting room just prior to Thanksgiving, however I feel it's just appropriate for Christmas dinners!  The Great plate!  It's all about the plan.  When you're at a bountiful feast during the holiday season you can choose what foods are worth it to you (or not) and enjoy the day to the fullest without losing sight of your goals.  The secret is to plan ahead.  Preparing for a holiday dinner may seem daunting and I would agree, but chances are you can predict 90% of what is going to be at the table, even if you are the guest and not the host.  Remember that when you're with family and friends you love, it doesn't matter what you're eating!  Thinking about the menus ahead of time cab help you anticipate challenges ( yummy gravy, buttery mashed potatoes), set priorities (cheese and crackers vs pumpkin pie) and ask for what you need.  You can also decide whether to stick to ...

Learn how to manage your feelings without food. When you eat in response to an emotion, that is emotional eating.  It's learned, not innate, response.  Think about it, have you ever felt the need for a big serving of pizza or your favorite comfort food?  I know I have.  I have so many triggers that send me right to food.  The biggest trigger for me is when I have an educational meeting for my son.  I have been attending these meetings for seven years and they never get easier. I'm learning how to cope better when it comes to emotional eating.  I started attending Overeaters Anonymous meetings and I am currently working my way through the Twelve Steps, but every day is a new challenge.  Emotional eating can lead to ups and downs with your weight.  Especially if you feel guilty afterward - which then leads to more eating!  But when you learn to do something else in response to this emotion, you're more likely to lose weight and main...

What really affects your cholesterol numbers? What is cholesterol?  We all have cholesterol in our bodies, a fat like substance that's part of our cells.  You might already know your LDL ('bad cholesterol) and HDL ('good" cholesterol numbers and that high LDL can leaf to heart disease but dietary cholesterol the kind found in foods like eggs, shrimp and other proteins doesn't actually affect our cholesterol levels.  Recent research has shown that there's no evidence to support that eating foods with cholesterol causes heart disease. So what does contribute to heart disease?  Dietary cholesterol isn't the enemy, but saturated fat is.  We now know that a diet high in saturated fat can contribute to high LDL cholesterol and heart disease.  To keep your own cholesterol levels in a healthy range, be mindful of sat fat amount in different foods, check the nutritional labels of packaged foods for that information. FACT: Animal sources account for most dietary...