Routine vs YOLO

Finding a Balance between the Mundane and the Exciting

Each and every morning the first thing I do when I get out of bed are stretching exercises for my lower back. There are definitely mornings I don’t feel like it, but I do them anyway. The benefit outweighs the alternative, which for me is stiffness and ultimately pain. And I’ve made it a habit. I look at eating the same way. Not every meal or snack has to be sexy. Sometimes food is just fuel. Developing any new habit takes work, especially eating habits. Food is so connected to our emotions, our families, our cultures, but sometimes it is necessary to take a step back and examine what we are actually ingesting, and what the effects are on our bodies, our overall health.

Making small changes in our eating habits will improve our health, impact our relationships with our families and friends, and ultimately help us to learn to love and care for ourselves. Start with baby steps. Maybe just set a goal to drink more water today. Another small goal may be to plan and prepare a breakfast or lunch meal that will keep you away from that fast food restaurant you always go to. As we find ourselves successful with these new behaviors, we can slowly develop them into habits and expand on them from there.

I found this article that explains habit development better than I can. You can also check out “The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg for a better understanding.

https://www.lifehack.org/810887/how-to-break-a-habit

There is no meal prep today, as I am still working from home this week. What I am going to do for you is to provide a list of my favorite go-to snack items to help me stay successful on my maintenance journey. Mine might vary from yours, as it’s important for me and my success that my “trigger foods” are not on this list.

Crackers/ Chips

**Good Thins come in many flavors. The Corn One (shown) is 3 points for 41 pieces.**

Ak-Mak Sesame Crackers. 2 points for 3 crackers.
My personal favorite. I grew up with this. My dad always bought it.

**Pop Chips. Many flavors. The Sour Cream & Onion flavor is 4 points for 22 chips.**

Dips/ Spreads

**Trader Joe’s Reduced Guilt Spinach & Kale Yogurt Dip**
**I use this as a dip and as a spread. 2 points for 2 tablespoons**

Hummus. 2 points for 2 tablespoons.
Can be found in any grocery store. Scan the package for points. Not all Hummus is created equal.
Here is the recipe for this one: https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/hummus/

Laughing Cow Light Spreadable Cheese Wedges.
1 point for 1 wedge. Very versatile.
Hungry Girl has several recipes using this as an ingredient:
https://www.hungry-girl.com

On the Go

**New Favorite – WW Turkey Sticks, 1 point for 1 stick**
(There are 2 additional flavors of meat sticks available)
https://www.weightwatchers.com/us/shop/turkey-pepperoni-snack-sticks

Light String Cheese & Fruit. Apples are easiest for “on the go”, as they don’t require refrigeration
1 point

Sweet Treats

**Unsweetened Apple Sauce Cups. 0 points**

2 point sweet yogurt & berries
(also makes a good light lunch)

WW Chocolate Mini Bars. Points vary
https://www.weightwatchers.com/us/shop/foodanddrink/food/chocolate

These are just a few ideas for you. Take the time to walk the aisles of your grocery stores. Read the labels to help you make the best choices for yourself. If you are a WW member, use your scanner in the app as well.

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