I did it. Re-joined Weight Watchers. It is slightly embarrassing when I walk in to the meeting room and the receptionist and the leader recognize me and in my head I'm thinking "Yep....failed again, back again." But I try to think of it not as a past failure, but as a continuing journey. I stepped off the road for a little while, stopped to smell the flowers (or eat the ice cream and french fries etc.), and now I'm back on my bicycle. I know my WW leaders see it the same way. They are always welcoming and really, I should be pleased they recognize me. I like to think I make a positive impact when I go places and give people a reason to remember me. So that's that.

Here is a new recipe I tried out for lunch today. I edited it from Laa Loosh. Here be my Two Pepper Alfredo (for 1).

"What do I need?"
Non-stick cooking spray
2 oz uncooked whole wheat spaghetti
1/4 c. Ragu Light Alfredo Sauce
2 peppers, 1 red and 1 green
Salt, pepper & garlic to taste

"How do I do this?"
1. Preheat the oven to 425*.
2. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray (I used canola oil spray) and place pepper strips on it. (I used about 1/2 of the red pepper and 1/2 of the green pepper, putting the rest aside for a snack later). Allow to cook for about 20 minutes.
3. Turn peppers and add any desired garlic. Return to the oven until peppers begin to blacken (took mine about 10 minutes). Remove from oven and allow to cool. Once cooled, peel off skins if desired.
4. Prepare pasta according to package instructions. Drain and put back in pot.
5. Heat jarred Alfredo sauce in a sauce pan until thoroughly warm (about 7 minutes).
6. Combine all indredients in pasta pot and stir together. Add salt and pepper as desired. Mix well to combine. Serve immediately.

((Yields 1 serving - though obviously easy to double, triple, etc. 8P+))

Long time, no write. Life has gone on, as has my struggle with my own self-image and body weight. In the months since my past blogging, I have tried a couple different things:

• Over the summer, I basically just lived life and without thinking much about my weight. I worked at a camp which served not-always-low-fat-or-healthy meals and was conscious about portions for the most part (YAY for me!) but then any ground I may have gained during the week I probably drank away during the weekends. Whoops!
• Then, starting in late August, I tried these little shakers from a company called "Sensa." Theoretically, one is supposed to "sprinkle" all of one's food at each meal and the little salt/sugar crystals theoretically activate your sense of smell to tell your brain that its full faster than normal. Yeah, I liked the concept but I am too self-conscious to ever "sprinkle" in public so half the time I didn't use the things, and when I did I was just bad about obeying my body's signals. So another plan in the can.
• Most recently I started counting calories and using a couple free websites (Sparkpeople and Shape) but these didn't do it for me either. I did discover, however, that I did find these very motivational and I love them for their articles and fresh, exciting ideas. I am just not a calorie-counter apparently, because this did nothing for me in the way of tracking. I even food journalled! But alas, back to the drawing board.

So here I am. Mid-October a month and a half after my birthday (my original goal deadline). I was discouraged, maybe a bit disappointed, and rather disoriented from having tried things that failed me....but I am still not giving up. I know what has worked for me in the past and it is not out of my reach. Weight Watchers is running a promotional deal right now, as is the YMCA. I can pick back up where I left off and be successful like I have been in the past. And why shouldn't I be? Here is to living another year of my life working to be fit, healthy and happy. Join me as I move forward, trying to reach my new goal of losing 26 lbs by my 26th birthday: August 31, 2013.