If you don’t know by now…you SHOULD know that I am one of the co-founders of the Wii Mommies. A Ning community that is based on the idea of virtual fitness we are there to support everyone in their fitness and weight loss journeys. My co-founders Sarah Pinnix and Julie Maloney and I are all Mommies…thus the name. The great thing? We have a very diverse population in our community! Men, women, moms, dads, single folks… they are all there supporting each other! Check it out!

Don’t have a Nintendo Wii game system? It just might be your lucky day! Today is the last day to enter our Citizen Journalist Program. We will be choosing FIVE individuals to receive and review a Nintendo Wii and Wii Fit Plus with Balance Board! You will receive the product and be asked to post weekly at Wii Mommies for three weeks as well as do one radio interview with us on Blog Talk Radio. Sound great? Get on over and apply today!

We can exercise to our hearts content…but being healthy…being fit… takes a complete package.  You need sleep, you need to eat right, and you need to destress!  Today’s Wii Eat Healthy is Dinner…an easy, quick recipe that you can make any night of the week…you can even toss it in the freezer to have on hand when there isn’t any time to cook!

Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes

Photo Courtesy of Weight Watchers

1/2c.  fresh lemon juice

1/2c. fat-free chicken broth

2 Tbsp. olive oil

4 medium garlic cloves; minced

1 1/2 lb.  boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

Cooking Spray

1 lb. uncooked new potatoes, cut in half (about 10 potatoes)

Place lemon juice, broth, olive oil, garlic and oregano in a large resealable bag or medium glass bowl.  Add chicken, seal bag or cover bowl and marinate at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9 x 11″ pan with cooking spray.

Place chicken and marinade in pan, add potatoes  Bake 45 min (breasts) or 60 min (thighs) or longer for softer potatoes.  Yield is 1 breast or 2 thighs and appx 5 potato halves per serving.

This is  8 Weight Watchers Points Per Serving.  Pair it with some fresh, steamed green beans to round out your meal…be full, be healthy with very little mess to clean up when you are finished!

Tips:

*To make ahead and freeze: After you have added the chicken to the marinade, seal bag with as little air in the bag as possible.  Set in the freezer on a flat surface (cookie sheet or shelf) to freeze.   The night before you plan to serve, take it out of the freezer and let it thaw in the fridge.  Marinate all day the next day before baking.

* The longer you let this marinate, the better the flavor will be when you prepare it.

* This would be a great freezer meal to make for a friend with a new baby or who has been in the hospital.

Want to hear what other people have to say about their fitness journies?  Want to share your own story or get encouragement from others who are fighting the good fight?  Visit Wii Mommies and join the community!

Did you realize that the Wii Mommies are ONE YEAR OLD?  It seems unreal to me… that it was JUST one year ago that we all began this adventure together…and at the same time it seems like JEEZ…a year? Really?

We kicked off last year with the “New Year, New You Challenge”… challenging everyone to take charge of their fitness and health goals….and I was so excited.  One month later I found myself pregnant with my 3rd child and 20 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight from #2.  With the help of the Wii Fit … and the support of all of the members of the Wii Mommies… I was able to keep my pregnancy weight gain to a mere 26 pounds….not my goal…but incredible none the less considering that with my first I gained at LEAST 70 and with my second I gained a good 45 or so.  I was so proud of myself.  I really think that NOT being 9 months pregnant at the Holidays helped

So what happened? How did I get HERE?  And by HERE …I mean 60 pounds from my ideal weight and 70 pounds from my dream weight?  *sigh*  I forgot to factor in that whole “Post Partum + Holidays + No Self Control” thing.  I knew I was out of control… one of the tell tale signs that I am in a bad place is that I begin to hoard and hide food.  Not just food…but candy…chips…JUNK food.  Its a weird leftover habit from growing up with an eating disorder.  My husband recently found my stash again and the embarrassment coupled with the realization of what I’m doing to my body brought me to tears.

Then there was the point about 2 weeks ago when I looked in the mirror and I no longer recognized the woman that was looking back at me.  She was old, tired…and a COMPLETELY different shape than the Jenn I know and love.  Again, I broke down and cried.

Then I pulled myself together and called my friend Sarah, and got together a game plan.  She had such success with her sugar detox that I decided to give it a try… to kick start myself back into healthy eating.

I’m still breastfeeding….two kiddos… so anything with the word “detox” is usually off limits to me…I won’t even consider it.  This is different however…you are cutting your dependency on sugar, your cravings…and working on re-establishing a healthy metabolism for your body.  Basically…chicken and veggies… lean protein… 6 times a day for four days.  Let me just tell you that I was STARVING on Day One.  Then I realized that I forgot to account for the fact that I AM NURSING TWO KIDS… so I had to up the amount I was eating…and the frequency. I decided that eating whenever I felt hungry was appropriate…I just made sure to stick to the planned foods.  Today is Day Four:  I’m feeling fantastic.  I’m still having some cravings…but I notice the TYPE of cravings I’m having has changed.  Instead of looking wistfully around the kitchen for some chocolate… I’m thinking about oranges and bananas!  I can’t WAIT for fruit salad tomorrow morning at my in laws!  I feel less bloated, more comfortable…less ICK.  And you know what else?

This morning I was down NINE POUNDS.  That is sickening!  To me, this is a true testament to how much I desperately needed this in my life.  I am completely aware that a healthy weight loss constitutes 1.5, MAYBE 2 pounds per week…not NINE.  But I also know that your first week of any weight loss is generally higher…and a large amount of what I lost was likely water weight as carbs bring with them bloating.

I didn’t realize until I started doing this how much food I was eating on a daily basis that was CRAP … things I wasn’t counting (when I was actually counting) in Weight Watchers… half of a chicken nugget on Brendan’s plate after lunch…. a whole one on Lilli’s… a breakfast bar here and there… snacking, snacking, snacking…and not on healthy food…on JUNK…and Christmas cookies (which I can’t , in good conscious, call junk LOL).

So now what do I do?  I move onward and DOWNWARD!  My husband is on this journey with me…and our next step is to reintroduce whole grains…fruits…and more lean proteins into our diet as we follow a Weight Watchers plan.  I am working out on the Wii Fit Plus again…I want to work out every day from now until Blissdom … and then start with an EA Sports 6 week challenge when I return.

Thats my plan, and I’m sticking to it.  One day at a time and all that jazz.

Want to see what other people have in line for their Fitness Friday? Have a fitness post you want to share?  Come on over to WiiMommies and share!  Working towards a fitness or weight loss goal? Come sign up with us and let us help you along the way!!

Photo Courtesy of Recipefeast.com

1/2 bell pepper (red, yellow, green), diced

1/4 medium onion, chopped

2 tsp. olive oil

3 oz. soy/meat alternative crumbles

3/4 tsp. chili powder (or to taste)

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

1 oz. canned chopped green chilies, drained

1/4c an diced tomatoes (3.75 oz)

1/4 can black beans, drained (3.75oz)

1/4 can kidney beans, drained (3.75 oz)

1/4 can tomato sauce (3.75oz)

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add the peppers, onion and garlic to taste and heat until they soften.  Add remaining ingredients.  Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

WW Points Per Serving: 4

*I couldn’t find a pic and forgot to take one of my own   I found this lovely picture at Recipefeast.com … wanted to give credit where credit was due!

Photo Courtesy of Random Thoughts of a Disordered Mind

I’ve heard all this talk about steel cut oats…but I didn’t really know what the difference was…so I did a little research.  Steel cut oats are the inner part of the kernal grain (groats) that is coarsely chopped by a steel blade rather than rolled.  These are healthier for you, less processed and have a lower glycemic index than instant or old fashioned rolled oats (42 compared to 66 according to Wikipedia).  This means that you will get less of an insulin spike when you eat them….you will sustain your energy level longer after you have eaten.

Its no secret that although I’m sort of being drug behind the wagon…I’m a big fan of Weight Watchers.  Here are two recipes for Steel Cut Oats that I found in the Weight Watchers forums.  Both call for being cooked in your slow cooker overnight…but I would hesitate to cook them a full eight hours unless you are completely sure of the heat levels your slow cooker cooks at.  If possible…make one of these recipes the first time during the day and check for a finished product after approximately 5-6 hours of cook time.

Apple Steel Oats

1 cup steel cut oats
1 apple — coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon nutmeg
4 1/2 cups skim milk — or water

In a slow cooker, add all ingredients and set to low heat.  Let cook overnight.

Serves appx. 4 people (1c. uncooked steel cut oats generally makes 4 servings)

5 Points Per Serving made w/skim milk

3 Points Per Serving made w/water

Creamy Pumpkin Oatmeal

2 cups steel cut oats
1 12 oz. Can fat-free evaporated milk
1- 15 oz. Can pumpkin
5 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup splenda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup sugar free maple syrup

1. Just put it all in the crock pot, mix until no chucks of pumpkin left. Cook on low for 8 hours (while you sleep). Yummy breakfast for the entire week.

2. For an apple version: substitute 2 cups sugar-free applesauce for the pumpkin. Add on large chopped apple. Substitute 2 teaspoons cinnamon for the pumpkin pie spice .

Serves appx. 8 ppl

4 Points Per Serving

Here are a few more tips for cooking your steel cut oats that I found in my search:

• Spray your slow cooker with cooking spray before you start adding ingredients.  I’ve read over and over how much easier it makes cleanup in the morning…almost to the point of a MUST.
• If you want more texture to your oats…toast them first.  Lay them on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes before adding to slow cooker.
• As I mentioned earlier…know the strength of your cooker…and adjust the cooking time as such.  You can always cook them longer…you can’t unburn them.
• Cook oats with water and any variation of dried fruit…serve w/ fat free half and half and honey to sweeten for appx 5 points per serving (I’m thinking of trying craisins and apricots)
• If you are using a large slow cooker…you may be better off doubling the first recipe…2c oats and 8c water seems to cook more evenly in a large cooker.
• Steel cut oats cooked overnight freezes very well.  Making a large batch and either keeping it in the fridge for several days or freezing it will make for easier, yet still healthy breakfasts on those days you are rushed.

Looking for games for the Wii efficianado in your life?  Today you can get Active Life: Extreme Challenge Bundle with Mat for $34.98 plus free shipping.  This is a 42% savings!  A fun game for those long winter days ahead where everyone is trapped indoors!!

EA Sports Active: More Workouts is on Lightning Deal at Amazon for the next several hours (or until it sells out) for $29.99 down from $39.99 (Final discount will show up when you checkout). This new release of the game is amazing…it is harder more intense workouts.  I’m currently doing the 6 Week Challenge and rest assured…my husband is laughing as I gimp around the house with sore muscles!

One of the many, many great things about being a co-founder of the Wii Mommies is that very often I have the opportunity to review the latest and greatest in virtual workout software…for free.  Yesterday I received a copy of the newYour Shape game courtesy of Ubisoft.

I just started my post-baby workouts and journey back to fitness this past week…so you can imagine me gimping around my house with sore muscles.  Monday I broke out the Your Shape and not only did I get a great workout in….I found some motivation.

Your Shape is a game that utilizes a small web cam that interacts with your Nintendo Wii.  I clipped mine to my sensor bar on top of my television.  The camera will lead you through a body scan…then “Your Shape” is up on the screen.  Looking at myself….REALLY looking at myself…was huge motivation to get this party started!

After the scan the game walks you through your goals…you pick your target areas and address what type of goal you have…”Burn”, “Tone”, “Strengthen”.  You are led through a fitness test to asses your current level of fitness, then the game builds a customized workout for you.

You also have the ability to address “Special Challenges”…or special goals that you want to set for yourself.  I was so pleased to see that there was one for new moms!  The one missing piece to the virtual fitness software that I’ve tried is that none of them address pregnancy or post partum fitness.

What is so interesting is that you are working out while watching a split screen of you (from the camera) and the virtual trainer.  The camera “watches” you and will give you feedback on how well you are working out.  For instance…if you are doing lateral raises and you aren’t really getting your arms up there….the virtual trainer will let you know.

You are working out without the Wii Remotes and getting some real feedback at the same time!  You set your calendar of workouts and the length you want your workouts to be…and you’re off!

The thing that makes this game so much different from the others is the real time feedback.  One of the problems that MANY of us face is that we work out and we work out and we feel like we aren’t really making any progress.  The sad truth is, we might not be.  If you are working out…but doing so incorrectly…you may not be burning the calories you think you are…you certainly won’t be strengthening the muscles you think you are…and you have a lot of wasted time and energy as well as a growing level of frustration.  The camera scan and side by side visual workouts give you the opportunity to make the most out of your workout!

I am excited to see what happens with this game…and with the scan of myself at the end of 6 weeks.  I’ll be combining Your Shapeand Wii Fit Plus on my off days for the EA Sports Active: More Workouts 6 Week Challenge.

Want to read more from others working on their fitness and weight loss goals?  Have a goal of your own and want to share it with us and get some support?  Head on over to the Wii Mommies blog and check us out.  Then join us on our Ning community to meet some incredible people and hopefully find some motivation!

I have loaded the Weight Watchers app to my iPhone. I’ve updated my points intake…I’ve actually removed the soda (diet or otherwise) from my home. I made up a pitcher of Crystal Light and filled my water bottle first thing this morning.

That was the easy part.

Today is the first day of the new EA Sports Active More Workouts 6 week challenge….and I’m nervous. It turns out being pregnant and having a baby was the easy part for me. Up and down all night crazy feeding schedules chasing three kids around…and oh, Halloween…have done a number on me and now that Ryan is 2 months old…I’ve actually managed to gain weight.

I didn’t have much luck with the plain ol’ EA Sports Active…because it was difficult to do while I was pregnant….and now I’m severely out of shape and my body and mind are in desperate need of some one to one attention from me. So here we go.

I’m going to be sore. I’m going to be tired. And it is going to be more than difficult to squeeze one more activity into my day. I have been giving it some thought and I think the best thing for me to do is to bite the bullet and try to work out WITH the kids…instead of fighting the uphill battle and trying to workout around their schedules. I’ll let you know how that goes.

Wish me luck as I begin this journey….again. I’ll need my Mommies to help push me on!!

Why is it so incredibly hard to lose weight and maintain our healthy lifestyle goals?  We try and we try….and many, many of us derail ourselves time and time again.  Maybe its time we look a little deeper… our habits, our lifestyles…what pitfalls could we avoid that we don’t even see coming?

Originally I was looking for the “not so obvious” pitfalls….because we all know the major culprits, right? NO!  Silly me!  What an assumption to make.  Some people don’t know…or haven’t been exposed to the information that some of us (ahem…me) obsess over regularly.  So I’m going to lay it out here…some of the old…and a couple of new things that I hadn’t ever thought about before.

Fad Diets

Any diet that drastically restricts your caloric intake or the types of foods you are eating for a long period of time is going to ultimately derail you.  Notice I said “for a long period of time”.  Sarah did a carb/sugar purge that is actually very beneficial to break down addictions and clean out your system.  It is not a long term restriction.  Much different.  Diets that eliminate portions of the food pyramid indefinitely can leave you craving those foods…and binging on them down the road.  You can also risk damage to your organs by overloading your system with too much of one type of nutrient.  For example, a diet that focuses mainly on proteins is going to overload your kidneys and your liver.

The other problem with fad diets…or very loosely planned diets is skipping meals…ultimately back loading all of your calories into the end of the day when you just can’t take it anymore.

The solution? What some of us have been saying all along: eat in moderation.  Eat a variety of foods…cover ALL of the food group requirements and eat throughout the day.  Don’t restrict yourself from the foods that you love..just eat them in moderation.  Julie will tell you time and again: Put what you want on your plate….then put half of it away for another time.

Social Situations

Work in an office? I bet you have a “snack room” or a “lunch room” where yummy, calorie laden food magically appears.  Every day you dutifully bring your carefully planned sack lunch to work…so why are you not losing weight?  Maybe because when you are tired, or stuck on a particular work point….you need to break up your mental monotony … so you stretch your legs…and end up in the snack room…only to see that Rich down the hall brought in donuts.  Eating just half of a donut won’t hurt, right?  Well what about later when you come back and eat another half…or “just a small piece” of the birthday cake they brought in for your boss?  What if you are craving some caffeine but the only soda left in the fridge is non-diet?

Stay at home with your kids? My biggest diet fail is inconsistency.  I’m so busy taking care of the kids half of the time that I realize its 3 and I haven’t eaten yet…so I sit down for some lunch.  What I fail to take into account is that I ate the little bit of eggs that Lilli left on her plate at breakfast…and half of B’s grilled cheese from lunch…and I grabbed a muffin on our way out the door to class…and, and, and…..

The Solution? Hold yourself accountable.  Put it in writing.  Just like our bank accounts…those “little” expenses add up to be a big deficit if there are too many of them.  The most successful program I’ve followed is Weight Watchers.  Why? Because you journal each and every thing you put in your mouth and you assign it a points value.  You can eat whatever you want to…but YOU have to plan it…YOU have to write it down and YOU have to look yourself in the mirror at the end of the day.  If we become brutally aware of what we are eating…we are less likely to eat what is uneccesary.  If you have a daily caloric goal (points, whatever)…you are going to make yourself more aware of what you are eating.  I can crave a Blizzard from Dairy Queen until I look up the points value…is it worth it to put 16 of my daily 35 points into this ONE treat? Nope.

Relaxing

What?  Am I saying don’t relax? NO!!!  Actually…make SURE you relax.  Not sleeping and resting enough can cause your body to go into hibernation mode…and save every last calorie that you put into your body for a “rainy day”…or hibernation.

What I AM saying is watch how you relax.  Again…hold yourself accountable.  Families who spend a large amount of time watching television have substantially more weight and health issues than families who spend their free time in other ways.  Why?  Its not the sitting around part that is the problem, oddly enough…its the advertising and the fact that you aren’t paying attention when you do eat.  Children and adults who watch television are subjected to advertising which can subconsciously cause you to wander to the kitchen in search of a snack…even when you aren’t hungry.  Eating while you are watching television may cause you to eat without thinking….empty calories and too many of them!

The solution?

Plan activities for you and your family that don’t involve the television.  Pick a literary series and read them out loud to each other…plan one night a week for family game night.  Plan a healthy snack before you begin and prepare it so you don’t eat mindlessly.

So what can we do to help you avoid these pitfalls?  We can help you hold yourself accountable….and you can do the same for us!

Planning menus and journaling your food intake will drastically cut down on overeating, binging and general unhappiness with what you are eating.  We are opening a section of our forum where you can come and share what you ate for the day…share your goals, your outcomes…and get/receive encouragement from the rest of us!