Is it time for a new start?

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Celeste

The new year is almost here, which is always a great time to jump on board the healthy living train. But nothing says you have to wait until the new year. Why not start now?

If you have ever thought about joining Weight Watchers, why not come to a meeting to check us out. Everyone is always invited to attend one meeting for free. So, what are you waiting for. Come visit me and my staff to find out about the program – which by the way was rated as the number one weight loss diet (Yes, I despise this word, but whatever) by U.S. News and World Report.

Below, I have listed all the meetings that I do each week. You can also go to the Weight Watchers website and click on the “meeting finder” to find one if your area. Click here for more information.

Okay, so here is where you can find me each week:

Monday

CentraCare Clinic, Melrose – weigh-in starts at noon and the meeting starts at 12:30 p.m.

Senior Center, Sauk Centre – weigh-in starts at 5:30 p.m. and the meeting starts at 6 p.m.

Tuesday

PrimeWest Health, Alexandria – weigh-in starts at 6:45 a.m. and the meeting starts at 7:15 a.m.

University of Minnesota-Morris – weigh-in starts at 11:45 a.m. and the meeting starts at 12:15 p.m.

Morris Community Library, Morris – weigh-in starts at 4:30 p.m. and the meeting starts at 5 p.m.

Wednesday

Senior Center, Alexandria – weigh-ins start at 7:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. and the meetings start at 8 a.m., 10 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.

Ambulance Garage, Wheaton – weigh-in starts at 3:30 p.m. and the meeting start at 4 p.m.

Thursday

Encore Capital Credit, St. Cloud – weigh-in starts at 10 a.m. and the meeting starts at 10:30 a.m.

Wolters Kluwer, St. Cloud – weigh-in starts at 12 p.m. and the meeting starts at 12:30 p.m.

Glacial Ridge Hospital, Glenwood – weigh-in starts at 5 p.m. and the meeting starts at 5:30 p.m.

Friday

Weight Watchers Center, Waite Park – weigh-in starts at 11:45 a.m. and the meeting starts at 12:15 p.m.

If you have any questions about Weight Watchers or the meetings, PLEASE send me an email and I will do my best to answer! You can send an email to celbeam@gmail.com. I would LOVE to hear from you!!!!!

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Here’s this week’s recipe!

Posted on December 1, 2011 by Celeste

Yes, I know it is after Thanksgiving, but I am going to share with you the recipe I used for a crustless pumpkin pie that my family enjoyed on Thanksgiving. It was quite tasty; even my mom and dad liked it.

I know I will definitely make it again.

Oh, and on a little side note, if you by chance don’t have any vanilla extract in your cupboards, feel free to use vanilla-flavored vodka. It works.

See, the thing is, I don’t bake. Ever. So that means, I don’t have the necessary baking ingredients on hand. Ever. I even had to borrow a pie plate from my mom because I don’t own one. This was my first time EVER making a pie in my whole life. Anyway, back to the vodka.

When we realized we didn’t have any vanilla extract, my husband suggested I Google substitutes for the flavoring, so I did. People had suggestions for rum, brandy and other alcohol, so I thought what the heck. I remembered that we had a little sample bottle of UV Cake vodka and cake basically tastes like vanilla, so I used it. And….it worked just fine. OK, granted it was just a teaspoon of it!

So, here is the recipe (made with vanilla extract) and a picture for you to enjoy:

15 oz can pumpkin

3/4 cup egg substitute (like Egg Beaters)

12 oz can fat-free evaporated milk

1/2 tsp salt

3 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp vanilla extract

2/3 cup Splenda

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.

2. Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Mix until smooth.

3. Pour into a 9-inch pie plate.

4. Bake at 400ºF for 15 minutes and then bake for another 45 minutes at 325ºF.

5. Pie is done when knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Makes: One 9-inch pie

Serving size: 1/8 of the pie

PointsPlus values per serving: 2

Weight Watchers Crustless Pumpkin Pie

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Being thankful

Posted on November 24, 2011 by Celeste

It’s Thanksgiving Day morning and my husband is busy getting the turkey in the oven before we head out the door to run our first-ever Thanksgiving 5K Turkey Trot. I think it should be fun!

As promised, I am going to fill you in on what I am thankful for this Thanksgiving – November 24, 2011.

Here goes:

1. Most people don’t think I am a very religious person because I don’t go to church, but I am thankful for/to God. I am thankful for everything he has provided me with – the sun, the moon, the stars, the clouds, the flowers, the birds, the wonderful world we live in. So, I may be a little irritated at him for taking some very important people away from me (apparently he needed them more than me), I still thank him each and every day I am alive on this beautiful Earth.

2. My son. Yes, moms and teenage sons have their “moments,” but we also have “our moments,” and those are the ones I will treasure most. Brandon truly is one-of-a-kind and I love him for all that he is. He’s outgoing, bright, funny, helpful, responsible, a hard worker, strong, caring and yes, I do believe he is loving, although he may disagree with some of what I said!

3. My husband. What more can I say except I love him with every ounce of my being. He is not only the best husband in the world, he is my best friend. He makes me laugh, he makes me smile, he makes me melt and feel all giddy inside. He cooks. He cleans. He grocery shops. He loves football and reading and hanging out. But best of all, he loves me and I know it and feel it…each and every day.

4. My family. Plain and simple, they are the best. My parents. My siblings. My nieces and nephews. My cousins. My aunts and uncles. Everyone single person in my family – whether related by blood or not, I love them all.

5. My job. Not much else to say about it. I am doing something I am passionate about and that I truly love. Sometimes, I wish I could do more. I wish I could make the healthy living journey easier for my Weight Watcher members; sometimes, I wish I could do the work for them. But I love at least trying to make their lives a little better. And, I love the people I work with…my team members that make my job oh-so-much better. I couldn’t do it without them.

6. My members. They are my inspiration. They are what I get up in the morning for. They are the ones that keep me going on my own healthy living journey. They not only inspire me, but they give me hope. I am thankful for each and every one of them. And I am thankful that I can call many of them my friends.

7. My health. Period. Nothing more to say about it.

8. Even though I may not like it sometimes and there are times I want to give up because I don’t feel like I am any good at, I AM THANKFUL that I am now a runner. Yes, I am a runner. There, I said it. I am very thankful that I have two legs that keep me moving – no matter how fast or how slow.

9. My friends. Even though there are some I don’t get to see very often, I know they are there for me and I hope they know I am there for them. I love my friends – the ones I have know for years and the ones I am just getting to know. They are all important to me and have a very special place in my heart.

10. Facebook. Yep, I said it. I am thankful for Facebook. It is such an awesome way to stay connected and in touch with each other when our lives are ever-so-busy.

So, there you have it. That is my Top Ten list of what I am thankful for this Thanksgiving Day. Oh, I did forget one…YOU, my readers. Thanks for taking this journey with me. Without you, I would be nothing more than words on a computer screen!!!!

Hope you all had a wonderful and happy Thanksgiving. And remember, you can always find Confessions of a [former] Fat Girl on Facebook. Click here!

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A couple of recipes for you to enjoy!

Posted on November 21, 2011 by Celeste

Hello everyone. I guess last week kind of got away from me. I had promised to post the recipe for Kale Chips and never did. Sorry about that. Well, I am posting it now, along with a  recipe for Cranberry-Orange Relish that is excellent and would make a great side dish to Thursday’s Thanksgiving meal.

Enjoy the recipes!

KALE CHIPS

2 cups fresh kale leaves

Non-stick cooking spray, preferably butter flavor

Salt, to taste

1. Preheat over to 425º.

2. Place kale leaves on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick spray. Spritz leaves with the cooking spray and sprinkle with salt.

3. Bake in the oven until crispy, about 5-8 minutes.

Makes: 1 serving.

PointsPlus values per serving: 0

This is what the kale looks like before you bake it.

This is what the kale looks like after you bake it. So delicious!

CRANBERRY-ORANGE RELISH

12 oz fresh cranberries

1 medium orange, cut into chunks (save half of the peeling)

1 cup Splenda

1 piece fresh ginger root (about 1 inch)

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1. Put cranberries, orange, orange peel, Splenda, ginger and cinnamon in a food processor; pulse until finely chopped.

2. Scrape into a serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

3. You can make this relish up to 5 days ahead of time.

Makes: About 3-4 cups

Serving size: 1/4 cup

PointsPlus values per serving: 1

Cranberry-Orange Relish (photo courtesy of realmomkitchen.com)

 

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Have to share…sorry!

Posted on November 4, 2011 by Celeste

Okay, so awhile back I posted about an award I received. Well, even though I used to work at the newspaper, I didn’t even think about putting something in about it. However, because my husband still works there – he’s the editor of the Echo Press in case you didn’t know – he thought we should put something in the business section.

Well, duh, of course! So, I just have to share me in the newspaper…here is the article:

Yep, here I am, in my local newspaper, the Echo Press...www.echopress.com!

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Weekly recipe and MORE!

Posted on November 2, 2011 by Celeste

Before I get to the recipe this week, I thought I would share how things have been going.

Well, good and not so good. As most of you know, I have lost 50 pounds. When I was in the losing mode, everything seemed easier. Weird, isn’t it. This whole “maintaining” thing is harder than I thought. Yes, I have been maintaining my weight now for nearly two years, but I liked when I was in the losing mode a lot better.

So why is that, you ask? Not entirely sure, but my guess is because I actually had a goal, something to strive for. I know what you’re thinking, I do have a goal now…to maintain and keep it up, but it’s just not the same. It’s hard to explain. For the most part, I am maintaining…I am keeping my weight between 140 and 142 pounds, although sometimes, it creeps up to that 144-145 mark. I have tried to keep it between 136-138 pounds, but for some reason, that is just too difficult. So, I have relaxed a little and am okay with keeping it between 140-142.

I know I should be happy with that considering my actual goal weight is 155! And I am happy, don’t get me wrong. It’s just sometimes, I really wish it was easier. For the most part, I have wonderful, GREAT days, but there are times, like in the past couple of days, where things have gotten a little out of control; a little ugly, if you will.

Here’s a little example of some items I have consumed in the last couple of days…a medium-sized peanut cup blizzard from the Dairy Queen, a rather large rice crispy bar, several piece of candy, a small-ish bag of cheddar cheese puffcorn, a small-ish bag of Fliptz pretzels (white chocolate covered pretzels!) AND…a four-piece chicken strip basket from Dairy Queen. Yes, there was more, but I didn’t track (yes, shame on me) so I really don’t even know what else there was.

See, that’s the thing, this happens every so often. I have this kind of “binge” eating and then I stop and everything goes back to normal and I am “good” again. That’s the part that frustrates me and I wish I could explain WHY it happens. I guess I should just be happy that it doesn’t spiral downward into something more and that it DOES only last a couple of days.

Well, anyway, those were my thoughts this morning so I thought I would share. I am back on track again starting today and so far it feels pretty darn good – oh wait, I guess it is only 5:30 in the morning!!!!

Here is my recipe this week…homemade hummus. Yes, I made this myself, without a recipe. Yep, I just threw this stuff together and I have to say it turned out pretty darn good. You can eat the hummus with pita chips or some other cracker-type item, but I find it is best with crudités – or even simpler terms, cut up raw veggies! My favorites are fresh zucchini and celery, although bell peppers are also very good with the hummus dip.

Hope you enjoy as much as we did!

HOMEMADE HUMMUS

15 oz can of garbanzo beans (chick peas)

1 bell pepper, red or green, chopped

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3 tbsp water

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp cumin

1 tsp salt

1. Put all ingredients into a food processor and blend until desired consistency.

2. Use spatula to scrap down sides to make sure all ingredients are well-blended.

3. Serve with crudités (raw veggies), such as zucchini, summer squash, celery, cucumbers, bell peppers, etc.

Total servings: about 8

Serving size: about 1/4 cup

PointsPlus value per serving: 2

Homemade hummus

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Check out this week’s recipe!

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Celeste

Hello all! I am actually remembering to post my recipe this week.

My husband and I are in love with couscous. It is such a versatile grain and can have just about anything added to it. We think it is more versatile than brown rice or even quinoa. At any rate, we found a new couscous – Israeli couscous, which is bigger than normal couscous and has a slightly different taste.

We found ours at Trader Joe’s in Maple Grove, but I am pretty sure you can find it in other stores as well. Although, it maybe harder to find in smaller towns. The first time we made it, we followed the recipe that was on the back of the box. The next time, we changed it up a bit and added our own twist on it. The recipe I am including is the one from the box with bell peppers added to it. I am including two pictures – one from the first time we made it and one from the second time.

Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Here’s the recipe:

3 tbs margarine

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup shallots, diced

1 1/2 cups Israeli couscous

1/2 cinnamon stick

1 3/4 cup fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

Zest from half a lemon

1 bay leaf

1. Melt 1 tbs of margarine in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add pine nuts and stir until golden brown. Transfer to small bowl.

2. Melt remaining 2 tbs of margarine in the same pan over medium heat. Add shallots and bell peppers and sauté until softened or shallots are golden in color. Add dry couscous, cinnamon stick and bay leaf; stirring often until couscous slightly browns.

3. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed and couscous is tender. Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest and pine nuts. Remove bay leaf and cinnamon stick before serving.

Serves: 6

PointsPlus value per serving: 6

Here are the pictures:

The first couscous

The second couscous

 

 

 

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Counterintuitive?

Posted on October 15, 2011 by Celeste

Hello everyone! Yes, I know, I have been absent again. I apologize. I really do. I am sorry I haven’t updated my blog for quite some time, but seriously, I have been kind of busy. Okay, maybe not THAT busy, but maybe lazy?

Well, I have some EXCITING news to share. At least for me it was exciting. And I hope I don’t come across as bragging, because that is SO not what I am doing. I am just excited.

Today, Saturday, October 15, was our annual meeting for Weight Watchers. The meeting, which was held in Pequot Lakes, was where we got to learn about upcoming changes and everything else for the next year. Kind of exciting, if you ask me. Really, exciting, actually.

AND……besides learning about new and upcoming changes, we also celebrate. Celebrate the past year. Attendance, weight loss, etc.

Well………I was honored today and it made me SOOOOOOOO excited. I never saw it coming, that’s for sure. My territory manager, Jill, who led today’s meeting, presented me with the Jean Nidetch Leader of the Year Service Vision Award! Basically, I was named Leader of the Year!!!! And that brought a tear – or two – to my eye!

If you don’t know who Jean Nidetch is, she founded Weight Watchers nearly 50 years ago!

Below, is a picture of my award and a picture of me with my territory manager. It was hard to take a picture of the award – it is a glass plate, that sits on a stand. I took a picture of it without the stand.

 

 

When I got home from the meeting, my awesome husband thought we should go out to eat and celebrate. I couldn’t agree more. I was on cloud nine. So, we decided to go to Bella’s on Broadway, an awesome pasta restaurant in downtown Alexandria. After we ordered our wine (yes, a whole bottle!) and dinner (yes, I chose a rich pasta dish!), my husband said, “Isn’t this kind of counterintuitive?” Well, maybe.

But for tonight, it doesn’t matter. I am celebrating. I am happy. I love my job. I love my members AND, it just doesn’t get any better.

Or does it? (See below!)

Yes. I. Did.

Well, at least I shared it with my hubby!

3 Comments

This week’s recipe: Al’s chicken tortellini soup

Posted on September 28, 2011 by Celeste

I almost forgot to post my recipe this week. Shame on me!

As many of you know, my husband, Al, loves to cook. This soup is one of his favorites to make this time of year. And let me tell you, it was DELICIOUS! And for me to say this, it means it was pretty darn good. I am not the biggest soup lover, but this one ranked pretty high in my list of Top Ten favorite soups.

Yep, it was that good. Here is the recipe for you to try and hopefully enjoy as much as I did:

Al's chicken tortellini soup

tortellini soup

Click on the above link to see the recipe. If it doesn’t work, send me an email and I can send you the recipe. My email is celbeam@gmail.com.

Enjoy!

And always, remember you can find my blog on Facebook, too. Click here to become a fan of my Confessions of a [former] Fat Girl Facebook page!

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A little apprehensive

Posted on September 15, 2011 by Celeste

This coming weekend, my hubby and I have a 10K race. I am feeling a little – okay, maybe a lot – anxious about it and for a few different reasons. Reasons, to some, that may sound weird or maybe even, do I dare say, childish?

First off, it is a race we have done before – it is for the Lakes Area Humane Society in Alexandria. However, the last couple of years, we have only done the 5K. For some reason, which now escapes me, we decided to sign up for the 10K. Why, oh why, did we do this?

Yes, I know, I have already completed a 10K so it’s not the distance that is necessarily scaring me. It’s the thought that there won’t be very many people participating in the 10K, which may mean I could come in last. Yep, that’s where the childish-ness may come in. I know that I am not the fastest runner and I am okay with that. I am just darn happy I can finish. However, finishing last in the town where I live when so many people might be watching, that’s another whole thing. I wouldn’t care if I came in last in our upcoming race in Fargo on October 8. It’s in Fargo. Nobody knows me. AND…..there are thousands of participants.

This is in Alexandria. People know me. There may be a hundred people running. UGH! That’s what’s freaking me out. I am almost regretting signing up for the 10K. I wish I would have just signed up for the 5K.

I know what you are probably thinking. “WHO CARES?” I know, right? But I can’t help it. It’s who I am. I don’t want to disappoint anyone. I have been trying to talk myself out of feeling this way for the last two weeks, but as the race gets closer and closer, it’s just not helping.

I know, I am going to be just fine. And who really gives two hoots if I come in last. I am going to be okay. I CAN DO THIS. I know I can.  Right? My goal is to run the whole thing. And as far as my time, I just want to finish in less than one hour and 12 minutes. That is my goal. I CAN DO THIS!

I’ll let you all know what happens after the race on Saturday! Until then, send me some good vibes that the race will go just fine. I would surely appreciate it!

Remember, you can always feel free to email me at celbeam@gmail.com and don’t forget, you can always check on my Facebook page. You can do so by clicking here.

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