I haven’t been to skinnytaste.com — lots of great stuff on there! I am so making the Santa Fe Chicken during the week…the crock pot is the best invention ever made, I swear. ;-D

Thanks again!

Jen

These chicken bites are a great and easy appetizer: http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/index.aspx?recipeid=190401

I like to make soup on Sundays and then eat it for lunch all week. I love this Italian Wedding Soup:
http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/index.aspx?recipeid=109361

Or, I buy a bag of the precut butternut squash from Trader Joes. Cook in the microwave per the instructions on the back of the bag and then make a soup with it. There is also a recipe on the back of the bag but it’s basically you puree the quash and then add 1 cup of hot fat free chicken broth. I also add about a 1/4 cup of fat free half and half to make it a little richer. Add salt & pepper and you have a very low point soup.

This is also a fantastic corn bread recipe that is really easy to make and sooooo good:
http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/index.aspx?recipeid=66571

Have you checked out http://www.skinnytaste.com? These are my favorites of hers that I make all the time:

Broccoli Cheese & Potato Soup
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/12/broccoli-cheese-and-potato-soup.html

Santa Fe Chicken (omit the chicken broth as it’s too soupy then serve over rice or over a baked potato – be sure to stop with more chopped cilantro or green onions, ff sour cream and low fat shredded cheese)
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2009/02/crock-pot-santa-fe-chicken-425-pts.html

I’m with you on the real bread. I actually really like the taste of the sandwich thins, but now I’m eating the new Weight Watchers whole wheat bread (2 POINTS/2 slices), and that’s pretty good. I’ll definitely go check out the protein bread from Trader Joe’s — I’ll take absolutely any excuse to go there!

Yes, please do feel free to comment! Always! To answer your question, I honestly don’t eat too many processed foods. The ones I listed (e.g. Vitamuffins) are more my daily “treat” snacks that keep me sane and satisfied, you know? Gotta get my chocolate fix somehow. But, like I said, I’ll still eat these foods from time to time…it’s just a matter of getting used to the idea that what were once 1 POINT, no-guilt snacks now have to be budgeted into my daily menu a little better.

I think it’s just a mental thing, honestly. I became so accustomed to a certain way of eating, and certain foods that I relied on a day-to-day basis, and now everything has changed. And, admittedly, I can be resistant to change…

In any case, I have been trying to eat even “cleaner” in recent months, and with the new program, I’m proud to report that I’m doing better than ever!

I’m slowly but surely improving my cooking chops, and I’m relying heavily on WW recipes labeled “easy” with a 45-minute or less prep/cook time. I’m taking it slowly, and one day at a time. So, yes, PLEASE do send along some of your favorite WW recipes! Some of the ones I’ve made so far are absolutely delish…and, others, well, not so much. I’d love to hear what your go-to meals are!

As always, thank you for your sound advice, and for keeping things in perspective. I know exactly what you mean about focusing on one goal at a time, and taking it one day at a time. That’s one of my many, many struggles: I’m impatient, and my perfectionist tendencies make me want to tackle everything all at once (so I can see big results all at once). Of course, we all know it doesn’t work that way.

I’m definitely continuing to earn APs, but I’m currently experimenting with how many I can eat to get the scale moving. I had been eating ALL of them, every single day, for quite some time…and we all know how that’s been going! So I’m playing around with how many I eat and how many I save, and on most days, that means I’m better served reaching for an apple instead of popcorn for a snack, or more chicken and fewer potatoes at dinner.

I’m definitely still eating carbs — believe me! — but I think I’m just still getting used to the idea that everything I used to eat without a second thought are suddenly significantly more POINTs: my Vitamuffins, sandwich thins, low-fat ice cream, etc., and that’s making me want them more, if that makes sense. I hate that those stinkin’ little Weight Watchers desserts are now upwards of 4 POINTs, you know? I think it’s just the principle of it all.

Thanks again for reading! I really appreciate your support, and am looking forward to your feedback again this year!

Jen

As for the new Points Plus, I don’t really notice missing the carbs. With all the activity you’re doing, certain you are earning enough APs to have those carby items that are higher in points? Are you using your APs? I know for me, if I don’t use my APs daily I don’t lose or don’t lose much. Something to think about.

It’s so nice to read you here again!

Thanks so much for reading, and for your kind words! I’m absolutely loving your book (and blog). I really do feel as though you’re talking directly to me; I’m ashamed to admit that I’m guilty of every single one of those productivity busters. I know they’re destroying any hope I had of ever being able to sit at my desk and actually do what I say I’m going to do…and make this whole dream of being a freelance writer a reality.

I’m already taking small steps to apply some of your tips: starting with organizing this disaster of a workspace. It all seems so obvious; how can I expect to take myself seriously (or get anything done) when I’m buried under stacks of magazines and have no system in place to track submissions and invoices? And yet I continue to do everything in exactly the same way, because if I were really trying and still couldn’t make a decent living as a writer or reach my goal weight, then I’d definitely feel like a failure. It’s crazy when you think about it, but it’s definitely comforting to know I’m not alone!

I started thinking about how these inner battles I’m constantly having with myself are affecting my success in everything I’m trying to accomplish, whether it’s landing a byline in my favorite national magazines or losing these last pesky pounds once and for all. It’s nice to know that there are plenty of simple steps I can take, and that it’s okay to set concrete goals and envision what I want for the future.

Believe it or not, Chapter 11 is exactly where I left off reading last night, and you can be sure I’m going to try absolutely anything to conquer this fear once and for all. Can’t wait to get started!

Thanks again!

Jennifer