The Beginning

“The first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want.”
   Ben Stein (born 1944);
   Actor, Writer, Political Commentator

I am a professional singer (classical music). I, within the last year, had to purchase new Tuxedos (both one with tails and one with a regular dinner jacket) because the ones I had didn't fit anymore. I was starting to embody the stereotypical opera singer look.  I have had several issues in the recent past related to my health. I have 2 children (one is almost 5 and the other is 12 months) and another on the way (due in September).  I knew I wanted to get my life and my health in order, so, I started Weight Watchers on April 12.  I was 250 lbs and uncomfortable in how I looked and felt.  I have been about as diligent as anyone can be on any diet.  I dove, belly first, into this diet and have not looked back.  Sure it has not been easy, I have wanted to just eat like I usually would, but I have soldiered on and kept on point. In the 3 weeks that I have been on this diet, I have now lost 10.6 lbs and am working on getting more active to help the weight come off even better.

I want to use this blog as a way to share my journey with people.  I hope that, maybe, I can inspire people who might need that extra push to start, or help keep some on task who are wavering.  I am really enjoying how losing this weight and eating better is making me feel.  I have more energy (which I need as much as I can get with soon to be 3 girls) and I just feel better.

My days have gotten easier to manage as I go.  I am eating breakfast every day, which I used to not do.  I am eating smaller portions of healthier food, more frequently, trying to make sure I stay within my daily point allotment. They do give you 49 extra points per week, but I try not to get into those, which doesn't always happen. I am also trying to keep myself busy, which with all that I have going on in my life, is NOT a problem. I am eating the Smart Ones frozen meals and deserts, which, by the way, are not bad.  I have been really enjoying them.  Lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, too (most of them are free in terms of points).  It's been an interesting but welcome transition.

I hope you enjoy reading this, and will continue to join me.  I am not sure how frequently I will post.  I am going to try to get something up at least 2 to 3 times per week.  Please let me know what you think. 

I did want to take the time to share some of the recipes that I have tried and found to be truly delicious. I am going to share all that I try as I go.  Here are some of them so far:

Crusted Honey Mustard Chicken

Weight Watchers Recipe

Ratings (322)

10PointsPlusValue

Prep time: 12 min

Cook time: 15 min

Other time: 0 min

Serves: 4

We added a twist to these baked, not fried;chicken breasts by coating them with honey mustard before dipping them into cereal crumbs. So crisp, so tasty, so good.

Ingredients 1 spray(s) cooking spray    2/3 cup(s) lite honey mustard dressing    1/8 tsp table salt    1/8 tsp black pepper    2 tsp dill, freshly chopped    1 medium uncooked scallion(s), finely sliced    1 cup(s) cornflake crumbs    1 pound(s) uncooked boneless skinless chicken breast(s), four 4 oz pieces    Instructions Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a shallow pan with cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine honey mustard dressing, salt, pepper, dill and scallions; remove 1/3 cup and set aside. Place cornflake crumbs in a shallow bowl. Dip chicken into dressing mixture and then cornflake crumbs; place in prepared pan. Bake until chicken is golden and no longer pink in center, about 15 minutes. Drizzle remaining dressing mixture (the 1/3 cup that was set aside) over chicken breasts and serve. Yields 1 piece of chicken and about 1 1/3 tablespoons of dressing per serving.

Whole-Wheat Chili-Mac

Weight Watchers Recipe

Ratings (1146)

6PointsPlusValue

Prep time: 18 min

Cook time: 30 min

Other time: 0 min

Serves: 6

This one-pot hearty meal can easily be altered to meet your family's tastes. Try subbing ground turkey breast for the beef and whole-wheat spirals for the elbows.

Ingredients 12 oz uncooked 93% lean ground beef    1 medium uncooked onion(s), chopped    14 1/2 oz canned stewed tomatoes, Mexican-style, undrained    1 1/4 cup(s) canned tomato sauce    2 Tbsp canned green chili peppers, diced, drained    2 tsp chili powder    1 tsp ground cumin    1 cup(s) uncooked whole wheat elbow macaroni    15 oz canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained    Instructions In a large skillet, cook beef and onion until meat is browned, about 10 minutes; drain off fat. Stir in undrained stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili peppers, chili powder and cumin; bring to a boil. Stir in uncooked macaroni and kidney beans. Return to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until macaroni is tender, about 15 minutes. Yields about 1 1/4 cups per serving. Notes Serve with grated parmesan topping, fat-free sour cream and low-fat or fat-free shredded Mexican cheese, if desired (could affect PointsPlus values). Pulled Chicken Barbecue Wrap Weight Watchers Recipe Ratings (103) 10PointsPlusValue Prep time: 15 min Cook time: 22 min Other time: 0 min Serves: 4 Habanero hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and onion give our homemade BBQ chicken wraps classic Southern flavor. Ingredients 1 cup(s) diet cola    1 cup(s) ketchup    1/4 cup(s) Worcestershire sauce    1 tsp hot pepper sauce, habanero-variety recommended    3 Tbsp steak sauce    1 tsp dehydrated onion flakes    1 tsp garlic powder    1 1/2 pound(s) uncooked boneless skinless chicken breast(s)    1/8 tsp table salt, or more    1/8 tsp black pepper, or more    4 medium whole wheat tortilla(s)    1 cup(s) mixed greens    Instructions Preheat grill or broiler. Combine cola, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, steak sauce, onion flakes and garlic powder in a heavy saucepan; gradually bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat slightly to obtain a gentle simmer; simmer barbecue sauce until reduced by a quarter, about 6 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, start to prepare chicken. Season chicken with salt and pepper; grill or broil chicken until cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes per side. Remove chicken from grill and pull apart into shredded bite-size pieces with 2 forks (so you don’t burn your hands). Combine chicken and barbecue sauce in a medium bowl; mix to evenly coat chicken. Divide chicken mixture among tortillas, spooning about 1 cup of filling onto bottom half of each tortilla; top with mixed greens. Fold tortilla bottom over filling and then fold sides in toward center to enclose filling. Yields 1 wrap per serving. Notes For a change of pace, serve the chicken mixture over mashed potatoes or rice. Or plate it with light slaw and cornbread. Penne with Spinach and Tomatoes Weight Watchers Recipe Ratings (406) 7PointsPlusValue Prep time: 14 min Cook time: 15 min Other time: 0 min Serves: 4 So fresh, so flavorful. For variety, use thin broccoli spears instead of spinach, and pecorino romano instead of the feta. Ingredients 8 oz uncooked penne    1 tsp table salt, for cooking pasta    1/4 cup(s) canned chicken broth, (see note)    2 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced    8 oz fresh spinach, washed, stemmed, coarsely chopped (about 5 cups)    1/4 tsp dried oregano    1/4 tsp table salt, or to taste    1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste    1 cup(s) grape tomatoes, halved    6 Tbsp crumbled feta cheese    Instructions Cook penne in boiling salted water according to package directions. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking liquid before draining pasta. Meanwhile, heat broth in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until aromatic, about 2 minutes. Add spinach, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach is tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add cooked penne, reserved cooking liquid and tomatoes to skillet. Increase heat to medium-high and cook until tomatoes are slightly pulpy, stirring occasionally, about 2 to 3 minutes; add cheese and heat through. Yields about 1 1/4 cups per serving. Notes Use vegetable broth to make this vegetarian Baked Mac & Cheese with Broccoli Sorry, I don't have a picture of this one.  Community Posted Recipe Ratings (1) 7PointsPlusValue Prep time:N/A Cook time: 25 min Other time:N/A Serves: 8 Ingredients 1 tsp Dijon Mustard    1 Tbsp salted butter    1 small uncooked onion(s)    1/3 cup(s) all purpose flour    2 1/2 cup(s) fat free skim milk    1 1/2 tsp table salt    1 tsp black pepper    1 spray(s) cooking spray    3 Tbsp (grated) parmesan cheese    2 1/2 cup(s) uncooked broccoli, broccoli florets    2 Tbsp garlic powder    12 oz uncooked multi-coloured rotini, use any type of twisted pasta desired    1/4 cup(s) panko breadcrumbs    1 3/4 cup(s) (shredded) shredded fat-free Cheddar cheese    Instructions Preheat oven to 375. Spray non-stick spray in shallow baking dish. Set Aside. Boil water (add small amount of salt to water) -- once boiling, add pasta, cook according to instructions. When 3 minutes are remaining until pasta is done, add broccoli florets. After 3 minutes, drain pasta and broccoli and return to pot. Meanwhile, melt 1 tsp butter in pan, once melted add onion to pan. Cook onion on medium-high with lid on for about 5 minutes, then remove lid and add flour and garlic powder. Stir to coat onion. Continue cooking for one minute, then add milk, stirring constantly to prevent clumping. Once throughly combined, allow to simmer for several minutes until thickened. Remove from heat, add salt (start with 1 tsp), pepper, cheese (start with one cup), and dijon mustard. Mix until melted. (Taste cheese sauce and adjust ingredients according to desired taste... more cheese if desired or more salt, garlic, pepper, ect.). Gently mix cheese sauce with pasta and pour into greased baking dish. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top and add parmesan cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Serves: 8 Enjoy!!