My recipe makover is actually from ww:
Chocolate Bran muffins: 1 pt each
3 cups kellogs all bran (not buds kind)
2 1/4 cups water
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 box Betty Crocker lowfat Brownie Mix
Soak waster and all bran for 7 min. Than add the 1/2 box of Brownie mix and baking powder. Spray muffin pan with Pam. Makes about 20. Bake at 350 for 15-17 min. They are good but I dont double this recipe because they go bad fast in about 3 days so freeze or eat them fast. There are only 2 of us so I have to freeze some of them.
I made these last week, but my recipe was a bit different. My recipe called for the entire box of brownie mix. But I had to add a full cup of water to make the dough mixable. They were very tasty. The recipe I read said that it made 12 muffins at 1 pt each. But I made about 14 muffin the first time and 16 this time (I just made them again last night). I still counted them for 1 pt each. I ate almost an entire batch last week and I still lost a good amount of weight so I am figuring that the 1 pt each is good. I added a bit of cocoa powder to this most recent batch to try to "up" the chocolately-ness. It helped a little bit.
Happy Friday everyone!
I'm happy to report a loss of 1lb! Since I've been the Queen of lose a little, gain a little for months, I happy to see 2 weeks of losses! I will stay focussed and lose again next week to break into new territory on the scale

I am committing to follow through with it!
WOOHOO! Two weeks of weight loss! I am happy for you.
Good Morning Everyone! I think it was good yesterday to think about all the challenges we are still facing and also to think again of all we can do to make improvements that will help us on our path to becoming healthier individuals. Today I want to focus on all the positive things so here is your QOTD!
Today's QOTD: What are some successes you have had that do not include the number on the scale?
For me, I thought I would share the two that I feel the best about...
1. When I started this, walking for 30 minutes was something that left me totally winded and I didn't even get 1 miles. Tomorrow, I am going to do a 5K and I am going to RUN the whole thing!
2. When I started, my belt still had 3 "tighter spots" and I hated how it cut into my belly. Now, I am using that very last hole on the belt and am thinking I might need to get a smaller belt!
Alright, it is time to get moving around here. My plans for the day include: throwing away the chocolate

, loads of laundry (a great workout since the bedrooms are on the 2nd floor and the laundry room is in the basement), a nice long run outside (hate my TM and it is above 10° today), a bit of cross-training, cleaning the house and then a nap before DH and I go out for dinner together! Plus, I will be checking in here throughout the day! Have a good one!
I guess my answer to the QOTD would be finally getting my wedding ring resized BACK to its original wedding day size.
Happy Saturday! The sun is shining in Illinois! Whoo Hoo!
I am picking up my hubby from the airport in a few hours. I am so excited to see him. We are going to his dads after the airport and then we're going out to dinner. I have no clue where we are going to eat and that scares me. Everything is going to be packed because tomorrow is Valentines Day so we'll probably end up at DH's favorite hot dog stand. Maybe I will pack a few fiber bars and eat something substantial when we get home from dinner. Oh well, another day, another challenge.
Today's QOTD: What are some successes you have had that do not include the number on the scale?
Giving up sugar was a huge success for me. I was a sugar-a-holic. I used to buy a 5 lb bag of sugar once a week.... since giving it up, I haven't bought a bag since Christmas.
I've also gone down a size or two in my clothes and I am now wearing clothes I wore before I got pregnant with my 5 year old.
OKay...... I have to ask... WHAT were you doing with 5 lb of sugar EVERY WEEK?? Were you baking or using it in coffee or what?? We probably buy 5lb of sugar every few months (of course, I don't bake). Whatever the case, good job giving it up. That is a huge addiction to overcome.
Today's QOTD: What are some successes you have had that do not include the number on the scale?
I had a big one today at the TC Valentine's Day 5K:
This is the fastest I have ever run a 5K and greatly surpassed my expectations for myself today. I had been hoping to run a 5K under 28 minutes later this spring. This is faster than I could have hoped to run one year ago, and more than 10 minutes faster than my first 5K in 2007. Ultimately, speed is not that important in life, but it does feel good to have a little, I must confess!
Nice job on the run! I'm super impressed. I can only hope to achieve a time like that some day.
Hi everyone
Jumping on in here to sign on up. I had spine surgery last year and in the past few weeks have been given permission by the Doc to start exercise again, so I'm looking for support and looking forward to supporting everyone here as I start out again on the long path. A long path leading right to a Disney Panama Canal cruise next January, so I really need to keep that motivation going!
Glad to have you aboard here! Things move along quickly, but don't worry about always needing to "keep up" with us. Just come chat and share whenever you can.
QOTD: Share a quote, saying or idea that that keeps you motivated.
All right - I've got it. This is one that came from a comment on a Weight Watchers Online journal called "
Shani Weighs In." Linked for your convenience. It's a comment from a member who found it on one of the message boards, so I don't know who to attribute it to, really, but it has stuck with me:
Losing weight is Hard. Maintaining weight is hard. Being overweight is hard. Choose your hard.
When it seems like it would be easier to give up or not to track my food or not to workout or do a run, It helps to remember that the I used to live was actually even harder than whatever it is I'm not feeling like doing on a particular day.
One of my previous (and favorite) WW lecturers used to tell us that quote. And it is so true...... just ask any overweight person and they will tell you that life can be HARD as a person of "size". Airplane seats don't fit, theme park rides don't fit, clothes don't fit, you are discriminated against. So you DO need to "choose your hard" in life.
Happy Tuesday Everyone! Today will be a busy one for me as it is back to school, I have WW after school and tonight is a running night for me. I will try to check in here as much as possible but it won't be as easy as it was for me on the weekend.
QOTD: Breakfast is such an important way to start the day but many of us struggle with this first step of the day. What is your favorite healthy breakfast?
Breakfast is probably one of my biggest struggles. I am often trying to fit too much into my morning and suddenly I have 10 minutes until I have to be out the door and I have not had a breakfast. I would love to hear ideas for "on the run" types of breakfasts. So far, I really like egg beaters but make it better by adding frozen veggies.
Have a great day!
Jen
Another QOTD to answer.... my favorite healthy breakfast is to sautee some veggies.. usually tomatoes, baby spinach, peppers, onions (any combination of those) and scramble with 3 egg whites. Sometimes I will have just that plus my hot beverage. Sometimes I add a side of fresh fruit and/or a piece of toasted Ezekial bread. This isn't what I eat every day, but I do have it probably 2-3 days a week.
Sarah - congratulations on the BL #1 and on the 81. It makes me smile. Because I remember at one point - last BL - where you were very frustrated. And now look at you! Fantastic.

So anyone who is just starting out just remember that this is what happens when you accept the highs and lows and keep pushing. This great success. Forget newbies - good reminder for me! Kidding on forget the newbies and laughing.
And Pamela! Look at your week.
I won't say for the hundredth time I can't keep up with this and my other WISH thread. But I just did.
Am reading and wishing I had more to give/share.

to all.
Thanks for the thumbs up.... I needed it today!!
Morning Everyone! Happy Wednesday!
Mini Challenge for You if you are Interested: Add some variety to your life!!!! Today, try to spend at least 10 minutes doing a new exercise. It could be something you have wanted to try but just haven't. It could be something you find in a book or on the Internet. Maybe you have a DVD you haven't tried or a new Wii game. Give it a try!
Be prepared to share about what you tried in tomorrow's QOTD!
Today's QOTD: Let's talk about scales! Do you weigh yourself everyday? Do you only weigh once or twice a week? What time of the day do you weigh yourself? Do you feel your scale is really accurate and want to recommend it to others? Share your advice when it comes to the scale.
My scale is horrible so I certainly hope someone here recommends a good one!
I used to weigh myself everyday and sometimes even more than once a day. It would drive me kind of nuts to see all the different weights I would get in a day or even from day to day. I have now changed to weighing myself about every other day. I am beginning to recognize how my body is up at some times and down others and not let that number on the scale totally freak me out. My favorite time to weigh myself is right before I jump in the shower as my morning weight is the best. The funniest time to weigh myself is after a long run - it is always a couple of pounds lighter then before I ran! That alone is enough to inspire me to keep on running!
Jen
QOTD: I tend to weigh myself just once a week. Occasionally I get a crazy week where I feel the need to weigh myself several times, but it tends to just make me crazy, so I try to skip it. Friday morning.... usually within the first few hours of rising. Sometimes after exercise, but usually before. Naked and before I eat, but after I use the bathroom. I try to just hop on once and go with that number. Otherwise I can start playing "games" with myself.
My scale is a "THINner" brand and I find it to be very accurate. It was about $75 at BBAB about 18 months ago. It has lots of features I don't use, like a memory and a BMI feature. Plus it can switch from metric to american, which could help some of our Canadian friends here. I would give you the model number but DH is in the bathroom right now.
MORNING ALL!! Sorry it has been SO many days since I have been here! The weekend, as predicted, was crazy. I drove 509 miles between Friday evening, when we left for VT and Sunday evening, when we returned home. DD had some good swims. She ended up 17th overall in NH Division II for her 200 IM. Not bad for a freshman. And she had some good swims for her club team Regionals... not sure about any standings there.
I managed to get up early on Saturday and get in a 45 minute workout before the day began. Plus I did a 15 minute walk/stairs run between events at the swim venue.... I was sweating by the time I was done, so I KNOW I was moving. It felt good. And I felt no guilt over my rest day on Sunday.
I managed to keep most of the eating under control. I ate the healthy foods I brought along. I did splurge with a second piece of pizza on Saturday... but it only put me 3 points over my plan for the day. Sunday went well, but again, I ended up a few points over at the end of the day due to some "tired" snacking late in the day. But overall the weekend was a success, health-wise, compared to the DISASTER it might have been.
The crazy weekend did NOT, however, help the cold I had coming on and I was a bit under the weather the past few days. I begged off work on Monday and barely moved the entire day. But I did make myself hit the TM for 45 minutes... but no running. And yesterday was a snow day, so we didn't go anywhere, but I did 30 minutes of WATP... not enough, but better than nothing. I think that my cold has become my "annual" sinus infection, so I may end up calling the MD by the end of the week for an antibiotic.
I intended to have my workout finished by now, but it took me over an hour to catch up here!
I'd love to take today's challenge, but I have NO idea what I could do for a new exercise. I'll think about it a bit. I've got to go iron a shirt for DH, then think I'll have breakfast before my exercise, since the morning has gotten away from me! TTYL...............P