I've Missed My Kitchen

Ever since Hurricane Sandy hit over a week ago, I've been on a comfort food kick. It all started once we became a make-shift shelter for friends displaced by the natural disaster. I wanted to make them feel a sense of home so I headed to the kitchen to show them my idea of comfort. I made chewy snickerdoodle cookies, homemade strawberry jelly sandwich cookies, a roasted chicken, and chicken pot pie soup with homemade biscuits. Once the guests were gone, I was still craving comfort foods. This week, I've made beef stew, baked ziti, and homemade Wendy's spicy chicken sandwiches. I've been cooking so much that the hubby has been complaining about the quantity of dirty dishes as he gorges himself on all the delicious leftovers.  

What's different? Why have I been in such a mood to cook? I'm sure it is partially emotional. The Jersey Shore area has been devastated by the recent storm. We know so many people who have lost so much in the past few weeks. Plus, the weather got cold suddenly, making it the perfect time for a simmering pot of stew or a bowl of soup. It's also due to that fact that most restaurants are closed due to the mass power outages, so we couldn't dine out. But I'm pretty sure that my sudden increase in cooking is due to my extra time home. The storm left my office without power for the last 10 days. Without my long hours and work commute, I have the time to plan meals, cook, and even track my points.

Let's talk about my weekly WW points allowance for a moment. I get 27 WW Points+ each day ...WAIT! WHAT?! 27 Points?! I've been giving myself 28. Oh, that's depressing. Well, this just emphasizes what I was about to say. I went back to counting points on Monday, and I have been drastically over my daily allowance each day... and that is while trying to make healthy decisions. At first, my daily overages were caused by not having a  kitchen stocked with WW-friendly foods. Other days, it was just a matter of deceivingly points-heavy dinner recipes. Oops! I can completely see where I was going wrong before and thus causing my drastic weight gain. 

Stay tuned, folks! This girl is on a mission. Now, forgive me while I go pout about the fact that my confusion about my daily point allowance now means I can't have that hot cocoa I was looking forward to before bed. Boo.

Have you seen this: Weight Watchers Barcode Scanner?

Did you hear that Weight Watchers recently released a barcode scanner? The mobile app allows Weight Watcher subscribers to use their phone's camera to scan the barcode (or enter the barcode number) on popular food labels. If the product is in their database, you will find an informational screen on the product like the image below. Then, you have the option to track the item. If you don't wish to track the item, the information is saved in your database for later.

Keep in mind, the app is still new so the database is still growing. I've noticed that the more popular diet foods are in the system. This morning, each of my breakfast items scanned in, making tracking so easy (and fun!). I scanned each item, then clicked "Track this item." It was AWESOME! As the Weight Watchers database continues to grow, this is going to make grocery shopping a breeze. No more sitting in the aisle calculating which cookies have lower points. 

It's been forever

I promised that I would keep this brief.

I miss my blog and my pants do too. I've gained 18 pounds since I started full-time at a law firm. That's right, I finally landed a full-time attorney position! With that good news came celebratory meals, lunch meetings, long hours, no time to grocery shop or workout, and no motivation to cook. I eat all the time, and I eat garbage. I cannot lie to myself and pretend I don't know what happened. Now, I want to get back on track. I want to lose these 18 pounds before we go on vacation in February. Hell, I want to lose them sooner, but I want to be practical.

I could really use some advice on living a "convenient" but healthy lifestyle. It needs to be quick and easy. Any tips?