I just had to email you to tell you that I was feeling a bit stressed about staying on track this evening (this week, I am trying to spread my 35 Weekly Points out throughout the week, whereas I usually plow through them pretty quickly within the first few days of my [...]]]>

Hi Roni,

I just had to email you to tell you that I was feeling a bit stressed about staying on track this evening (this week, I am trying to spread my 35 Weekly Points out throughout the week, whereas I usually plow through them pretty quickly within the first few days of my week) and I decided to read through your blog (I’ve read it for a long time now and I visit your site daily, for inspiration…or commiseration!) :)

I am so glad I read back through old blog posts! It’s funny how you might know something for a long time but then start second-guessing yourself about how to approach the plan or how to handle emotions and feelings about the "journey" and the sometimes struggle that may be involved.

I was wondering, when you came to the end of your day in terms of Points and didn’t want to use any more (for whatever reason), do you ever start getting that urge, that little "voice" saying, "Hmmm, I wonder what I can snack on?!" How do you deal with that? I know that I can almost expect that reaction every night after I scan my Points Tracker page and upload it to my blog (it’s my way of staying accountable, recently, because after I post it, I figure if I eat more than what it shows, I’m really just hurting myself and my own success) how counter-productive is THAT?! But that urge shows up like clock-work no matter how satisfying of a day I’ve had. It’s like my "inner child" wants to rebel because she’s been told "No more!" Does that sound weird?! It’s the best way I can think of to explain it! :P

I know it’s more of a psychological reaction than a physiological one, but how do you overcome this in your experience? So many times, I’ve said, "OK, well, I’ll just eat such and such." when I’ve wanted to wait until morning, and then I end up using a greater number of Points than intended, and I feel guilty and upset with myself, and I’m sure you are familiar with the cycle of "Why did I do that?! I knew I didn’t want to eat more than X amount of Points! I shouldn’t have done that!" and all the other berating that goes along with letting yourself down and not meeting your own expectations.

I want to turn a corner on the WW plan. There are certain cycles of eating, thinking, and reacting that I need to change – and my biggest obstacle is myself!

Thanks for your advice and insight!

Robyn

OMG… Robyn, this happens to me ALL THE TIME! Honestly it’s what inspires me the most to get creative in the kitchen. Like putting chocolate syrup in tea, blending banana and cocoa, making nachos out of soy crisps, filling scoops with veggies, stuffing won tons with ricotta and/or pizza toppings, coating popcorn in chocolate and honey, turning zucchini slices into mini pizzas, I could go on and on and on. I mean tonight I actually grilled a cherry and chocolate sandwich!

I tend to use that voice to my advantage and try to appease it by eating something healthy for me, that’s low in points and fun. Normally the act of making something up is more satisfying then actually eating it. Like when I made the mini apple pies. The process was fun and it slows me down from just grabbing and eating my weight in chips or chocolate (which I’ve been known to do on many occasions.)

Then again there are days I’m just lazy and yea, I initial get mad at myself as well. Those are the days I kick myself in the butt and move on. No sense in beating myself up by eating even MORE. Which is what I used to do.

I think you hit the nail on the head with "my biggest obstacle is myself!" It is for me as well. There was/is no physical reason why I couldn’t lose weight. It was just getting over the mental aspects and realizing there is no such thing as perfection. And yea, some days I’m just gonna want ice cream and that’s ok. ;)

I hope that helps!

-Roni

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I don’t know why I bother calling these wordless I can’t keep my big mouth shut. This week I’m combining Wordless Wednesday with a Question of the Week that I initially asked on FaceBook. I’m looking for some new snack ideas and I don’t want to go the way of pre-packaged stuff. SO…

I was at a Whole Foods the other day. I rarely go as it’s far and a bit too pricey for me but I love it. There’s so many fun things to look at! I could spend hours perusing up and down the aisles reading ingredient lists and nutritional information. What can I [...]]]>

I was at a Whole Foods the other day. I rarely go as it’s far and a bit too pricey for me but I love it. There’s so many fun things to look at! I could spend hours perusing up and down the aisles reading ingredient lists and nutritional information. What can I say? I’m a food geek and I actually like to grocery shop. :)

Anyway, while there I came across a small sample table with a bunch of chips laid out. They looked interesting. The packaging was simple and the chips looked colorful and tasty.

I eaves dropped while the person behind the counter (who ended up to actually be Brad) described the chips to another customer.

"Brad’s Raw Chips are dehydrated, not baked or fried, and retain healthy, active enzymes and nutrients which aid digestion.
These chips are a guilt free, nutritionally dense and healthy snack. Available in imaginative flavors – Beet, Kale, Red Bell Pepper, Sun Dried Tomato, and Indian Spice."

I had to give them a try and I was pleasantly surprised! They were crunchy with a great texture and wonderful flavor. Especially the hot variations. I immediately wanted to dip them in bean dip or salsa and they would totally be hearty enough to hold up.

The ingredient list is quite impressive too. . . (This is for the Hot Red Bell Pepper I bought)

Organic Flax Seeds, Organic Sprouted Buckwheat Groats, Carrots, Red Bell Pepper, Scallions, Garlic, Jalapeno Pepper, Himalayan Sea Salt, Extra Virgin live Oil

Nutritionally speaking they average 140 calories, 6g of fat, 6g of fiber, 17g of carbohydrates, and 5g of protein (that’s 2.5 WWP) per ounce serving and there are 3 servings in each bag.

The ONLY bad thing I can say about these chips are the price. I believe they were $6.99 a bag at Whole Foods. I’m not sure how much they would be direct from the company as their online store is currently down. :(

Has anyone else stumbled across these? According to their web site they are also available in natural food stores.

Note: I am in no way related to Brad’s Raw Chips and I was not asked or compensated for this review. Food finds are just that, finds from my local grocery stores.

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Beyond just the good old fashion internet and world wide web, social media has made online time even more fun, more interesting, and more [...]]]> I LOVE the internet. I always have, even way back when when browsers didn’t even have graphics! (Yes I really surfed the web on that and no I’m not *that* old.)

Beyond just the good old fashion internet and world wide web, social media has made online time even more fun, more interesting, and more useful (to me anyway). Just look at what happens when you post a picture of a creepy looking spider in your garage… (I blurred out names as I didn’t have anyones permission to repost)

That was only facebook. I also had a few discussion on twitter about it too. Who would have thunk such a bad picture of a spider would start so much chatter?

Yesterday I decided to use the power of social media to gather ideas about afternoon snacks. I always bring a small lunch and 3-4 healthy snacks to pick on while at work during the day. But lately I’ve been in a rut eating the same old things.

So I tweeted/posted this on…

I’m thinking it’s just about yogurt/water break time here at work. What’s you fav after lunch healthy snack?

Here’s what I got in return on twitter…

@LauraWV said: @RoniNoone An apple, eaten slowly and relished, at around 2. At around 4, either Triscuits or Nature Valley bar.

@WannaBeSkinny said: @RoniNoone I have to make it something sweet to kill sweets craving.

@IamSucceeding said: @RoniNoone I LOVE my popcorn…have it most days, usually if I am catching up on shows, drizzle it w/healthy oil a bit of seasalt mmmm

@webgals said: @RoniNoone honeycrisp apple

@MrsTLaw said: @RoniNoone I’ve been loving those Dole fruit cups…like 80 calories. I got sick of buying fruit and it going bad before I ate them!

@polestarjewelry said: @RoniNoone almonds.

And of course the smart a$$ said..

@babymakes7 said: http://twitpic.com/n613r – @RoniNoone My fav healthy (see the no cholesterol & low sodium?) snack: bacon pieces sprinkled with bacon salt.

lol Gotta love the smart a$$es. :)

And from Facebook…

So there you have it, 20 snack ideas (minus some duplicates), one bacon joke and some creepy spider chatter. :)

Gotta love the internet!

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I’m so excited about this giveaway! The Sensible Portion folks have been very generous since I posted about finding their Multi Grain Mini Crisps at my Local BJ’s. Since then they sent me a bunch of products to try and honestly, I loved each one.

Now they are donating 5 prize [...]]]>

I’m so excited about this giveaway! The Sensible Portion folks have been very generous since I posted about finding their Multi Grain Mini Crisps at my Local BJ’s. Since then they sent me a bunch of products to try and honestly, I loved each one.

Now they are donating 5 prize packs to 5 of my readers. I’m a little jealous as the prize pack is a backpack filled with their products valued at $40! I didn’t get a backpack. :( Which is probably a good thing as I am a bag whore and have too many already. ;~P

Anyway, the contest is open to anyone is North America. To enter, click here to fill out their form and enter "Roni’s Contest" in the comments section like so.

That’s it!

Next Monday I’ll pick 5 random winners using the trusty old Random.org website. :)

Good luck!

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WAY back when, I did a food find for Sensible Portions Multi Grain Mini Crisps. I found them at my local BJ’s. After writing the review the company asked if they could send me additional samples to try and I agreed. They sent a plethora of items. So many the toddler thought it [...]]]>

WAY back when, I did a food find for Sensible Portions Multi Grain Mini Crisps. I found them at my local BJ’s. After writing the review the company asked if they could send me additional samples to try and I agreed. They sent a plethora of items. So many the toddler thought it was Christmas! He kept calling them presents. :) Seriously it was almost everything in their product line.

Honestly, I liked them all. I don’t think they make a product I don’t care for! Most of their snacks are "lite" but there are only a few that I buy. Mostly because of my whole grain obsession. I really try to make most of my snacks "worth it". Does that make sense? I just don’t see the reason in snacking on empty stuff (unless it’s chocolate or swedish fish or ice cream) especially is there is a perfectly tasty whole grain alternative. For example they have pita chip, love them, they taste great but they aren’t whole grain. If I have the choice I’ll toast my whole whole grain pitas or choose one of their other whole grain products. I figure the more whole grains are in demand the more they’ll make! Hopefully. :)

So here are my favorite Sensible Portion snacks…

Sensible Portions Soy Crisps

These come in awesome 1.3 oz bags. Just the perfect size for 1 serving! I don’t know about you but if I can grab a bag of anything and not worry about portions I’m psyched. Per bag they are about 150 calories, 4.5g of fat, and 2 g of fiber. That’s 3 WWP. I love them with Salsa or bean dip.

Sea Salt Soy Crisps

LOVE these. You’d link they were too plain but they are great in salsa or dip.

Honey Barbecue Soy Crisps

My favorite straight out of the bag.

Olive Oil & Herb Soy Crisps

These are good but I choose the other two first.

Sensible Portions Multigrain Crisps

These also come in 1.3 oz bag and are just as good if not better then the soy crisps! With core ingredients like whole grain corn flour, whole grain rice flour, and whole grain oat flour I live snacking them with the toddler. Plus they have great flavors! Each flavor does have other ingredients but they are all 3 WWPs per bag!!

Tomato Basil Multigrain Crisps

LOVE these. Tons of flavor. The toddler? not so much.

Apple Cinnamon Multigrain Crisps

Awesome for a sweet snack.

Cheddar Multigrain Crisps

These are my favorite with salsa or bean dip.

Parmesan & Herb Multigrain Crisps

Not my favorite but still good!

Sea Salt Multigrain Crisps

Simple again, but I love them dipped!

Sensible Portions 8 Grain Crisps

These were completely new to me when they sent them. I brought a bag to my moms over the holidays and she loved them too. Unfortunately, I didn’t keep one so I can’t tell you what the ingredient list is. But I can tell you they aver 120 calories a serving with 4g of fat and 3g of fiber. That’s 2 WWP! Here are the only flavors I tried, although they do have more.

Slightly Seasoned 8 Grain Crisps

Again, simple but tasty!

Fiesta Chili & Lime 8 Grain Crisps

This was mom’s fav! :)

They also make lots of 100 cal packs, some whole grain, some not. They do have a chocolate and cinnamon min crisps that rival the Quaker Mini Delights. All in all, I’m a fan of their products. I just wish everything was whole grain.

Has anyone else tried or seen these in stores? Around me I think I’ve only caught them at BJ’s. If you can’t find them click here to see what they have on Amazon.

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I’m a HUGE proponent of the creative snack. I truly believe a snack (or a meal for that matter) is ultimately more satisfying when you prepare it yourself. There’s something about the process, it’s rewarding. Think about it…

You have a case of the munchies.

You want… "something", anything but your not [...]]]>

I’m a HUGE proponent of the creative snack. I truly believe a snack (or a meal for that matter) is ultimately more satisfying when you prepare it yourself. There’s something about the process, it’s rewarding. Think about it…

You have a case of the munchies.

You want… "something", anything but your not sure what.

You can either…

1. Open the pantry, grab a bag of chips, go to town and blow your points/calories for the day.
2. Get a controlled portion of your favorite snack in a 100 calorie pack and be ultimately unsatisfied because it’s so freakin’ small. OR
3. Whip up an English Muffin Tomato Pizza or Baked Zucchini Fries. Maybe a Quick Quesadilla or even a Brownie Sundae!

Choice C may take more time but it can give you a healthier, lighter, more satisfying snack. Plus it makes you slow down and appreciate the food. I don’t know about you but I can eat an AWFUL lot of chips in 10 minutes. I’d rather take that 10 minutes, prepare something fun and enjoy a mini meal instead of being pi$$ed that a chocolate chip cookies is 200 calories.

So I’m here to ask what YOUR favorite snack creations are. Whether you use a product like laughing cow cheese or keep it simple with fresh ingredients like my Simply Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms, we are ready to be inspired! :)

P.S. I post all my snack ideas here on RonisWeigh or over on GreenLieBites Snack pages.

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I have one more session from this recording I’ll get up later in the week.

Topics in this video include…

Hi Roni, I adore both of your sites. You’re a great inspiration because you not only share your successes but you share the difficulties [...]]]> Liz asked this great question and I racked my brain for easy dorm snacks that could ward off midnight pizza runs (something I was famous for in college).

Hi Roni, I adore both of your sites. You’re a great inspiration because you not only share your successes but you share the difficulties of losing and maintaining weight loss. It’s nice to see the process, not just the before and after. I am going to be a college senior this year and I live in a dorm. I don’t have much access to a kitchen, but I do have a mini fridge and microwave. I eat most of my lunch and dinners during the week in our caf, which I have figured out how to eat healthy while in there, but I struggle when I’m in my dorm and get hungry. I love to cook your recipes when I am on breaks from college, but do you have any suggestions for healthy food when I’m in my dorm? I want to avoid ordering pizza and junk food this year, so I can stay more on plan. I’m trying to make my last year of college a healthier one and any advice would be great! Sorry this is so long!

Thanks for all your hard work,
Liz

Hi Liz!

Ahhhh the good old college dorm days! Oh how I miss them! :~) Your question is a great one. This is what comes to mind for on hand dorm snacks.

1. Fresh Fruit. Fruit that doesn’t need to be refrigerated, maybe you can get a hanging fruit basket or a bowl. Fill it with apples, bananas, oranges, plums, nectarines, peaches, grapes even cherry tomatoes and peppers will be ok out of the fridge. These all all easy to eat fruits that require no cutting or mess for the dorm room besides the occasional peel. Keep it in plain site and it may be the thing you start to gravitate towards when you get a night time snack attack.
2. Light yogurts and sugar free pudding cups. Both great for the mini fridge and require nothing but a spoon!
3. A box of Thin Crisp Triscuits and some laughing cow light cheese. A great lite cheese and cracker alternative and whole grain!
4. Soy crisps and salsa. All I can say is YUM! My favorite nighttime snack.
5. Keep some thin cut lean deli ham or turkey and squeezable mustard and some lite whole grain bread on hand. You can make a quick sandwich and if you have a knife smear one of those laughing cow cheese wedges on.
6. This may not be for everyone, but when I was in the dorms I’d always keep cans of corn and green beans on hand with a can opener. I can eat both of these cold right out of the can and it’s a much better snack then ordering in.
7. Boxes of whole grain cereal you can eat out of the box, like frosted mini wheats or Cinnabon Cinnamon Crunch Cereal.
8. Microwave popcorn!!
9. Not my first choice now but when in a pinch the frozen Smart Ones or Lean Cuisines offer a nice portion controlled meal. I lived off those for lunches in the beginning of my weight loss journey.
10. Bags of Baked chips and whole grain pretzels. These are easy to overboard on so be careful but having some grab-able snacks may be what you need to ward off the midnight pizza run. If you don’t trust yourself portion them out or share with the roommate!

I hope that helps!

Thank you SO much for your question. You brought me back to my dorm days and I wish I knew then what I know now! ;~)

-Roni

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