But it was fun...

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Krissy and me at Goose Island sharing a bottle of Juliet

This weekend was spent with some of our best friends in the whole world.  Krissy, Jeremy and Jason came down and we spent Saturday afternoon/evening/night visiting Chicago's microbreweries.  I'd heard so many great things from a bunch of people about the places we were planning on going that I couldn't help but be excited.  I tried to make relatively healthy choices and drink A LOT of iced tea or water but in the end I gained 3 pounds.  Still, I had a great time and I think it was worth it.  'Nuff said.

This week my leader, Karen, was talking about the volume of food we eat.  In order to increase the volume of food we can eat we (should be) supplementing our meals with fruits and vegetables.  That way you'll feel like you're getting a lot of food but for fewer PointsPlus values. 

Karen also gave us a little challenge (and let's face it who doesn't live for a challenge) so I'm redirecting it out to each of you!  Her challenge was to visit the fruit and vegetable section of the grocery store and pick out something that you wouldn't normally choose so you can try something new!  Think you can?  Want to know what I'm going to try?  Our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) posted a blog entry about our fruit delivery this week and included in our box is a coconut.  A real whole coconut!  (SQUEE!!!)  I'm excited beyond belief and I can't wait to try it!!  I'm planning on adding it to smoothies or maybe oatmeal or maybe a little on peanut butter toast.  Oh the possibilities!?!

What are you going to try this week?

Parties and food and beers! Oh My!

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This weekend we celebrated America's Independence Day the best way we know how.  At a party!  My cousin and his wife host a party every July 4th with a raffle, food and a lot of family and friends.  The party is to raise money for a local animal rescue group where we volunteer.  In fact our yellow lab mix, Tucker, is a foster failure from Placing Paws (originally we were scheduled to foster Tucker (pictured at left) but we fell in love with him and decided to adopt him instead). 

I know that it's hard to stay on plan when going to parties so I feel really fortunate that at this party there was plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables so I could load up my plate with those things and only take small amounts of other things that I knew would be higher in points values.  I also took a shrimp pasta salad that was 2 PP for 1/2 cup serving so I knew I could eat that without blowing all of my points.

The hardest challenge I had was avoiding the desserts.  I really, really, really wanted them but I had done some tracking after dinner so I knew I didn't have any points left for desserts.  The other concern I had was that I knew they were very likely full fat/sugar desserts so the points plus values of them would be really high.  I was so proud of myself for walking right by them all and even refusing to take any home with us, which I normally would have done.

I was totally rewarded with a 1.8 pound loss this week.  I was relieved because the rest of the weekend went pretty well although one day I went over my daily points target by nearly 10 points.  It wasn't the end of the world by any means, just a little too much splurging! 

How did you celebrate the weekend?  Did you indulge in anything?

PS - Have you tried the new Toasted Coconut Dream bars from Weight Watchers?  They are, as my cousin Kristyn says, nummy nummy.