I started my blog in May 2011 (I can’t believe it has been almost 4 years!) as a way for me to journal about my weight loss journey, my battle with the food demons and hopefully learn a little something about myself along the way. I’ve learned so much about me!
In this journey, I’ve also learned a few things about blogs and how they work. I didn’t know anything about the technical side of a blog, (okay, I still really don’t), but I was determined to figure out enough about blogging to be able to sit down and write about my day, my food choices, whether I made it out the door to exercise or not and my relationship with food.
I admit, that most of the things that I have figured out about “how to blog” have been complete trial and error, or a happy accident. Some techie type things that I have figured out have taken me forever!! A few of the things that I have on my blog, I honestly can’t remember how I got them there! True Story! There are a lot of things that I would like to change about my blog, but I haven’t figured those out yet. I’m a work in progress. My blog is a work in progress.
I have attended one blogging event about three years ago and honesty, I was completely overwhelmed with all of the blogging jargon and went home feeling super dumb….and OLD! Every blogger there was in the 20-30 something age bracket! It was all twitter this and twitter that and hashtag this and hashtag that……and I was like…..”Twitter? I wanna talk about my blog. Um, what’s SEO?”
Now I understand the importance of a hashtag and I know what SEO is, and those are kinda important if you want more readers, but I’m still learning how to utilize them properly.
Why would I like more readers?
I love the feedback I get from people. That part of the blog was an unexpected surprise. When someone tells me that they can relate to a rough spell, or they tell me I inspire them, I get a warm fuzzy feeling inside and it’s awesome! Another benefit of having more readers? You can make money blogging if you have a lot of readers and if you know what you are doing. To make money from blogging, you need readers and you need advertisements. Well, let’s just say…..easier said than done, for me anyhow. Thank’s to Instagram and Twitter, (and me learning the importance of a hashtag) I have been able to direct people to the blog, and people subscribe!
I don’t want my blog to be overwhelmed with ad’s. I want my blog to be a friendly place to come. I want it to be easy to read. I like sharing what I’m eating. I like throwing things together in the kitchen in hopes that they taste good and that they are WW Point Friendly. I like blogging about the silly things that happen to me day to day. Sometimes I just need to vent and the blog allows me that opportunity. I like to talk, and when I’m writing, it’s like I’m talking and nobody is telling me to hush.
In an effort to not make the blog filled up with ad’s, I have added (it took me forever to figure out HOW!) just a few of them on my blog on the lower right hand side. Well, guess what? Google sent me some money!! Google will simply pay you based on how many people read your blog each day! I’ve been telling Mike for awhile now that one day, I would make money on this blog and it finally happened! Okay, it’s not much, but it’s been one of my “blogging” goals and I’m just super excited that it finally happened!
So…to YOU, the reader…I say Thank You!
Thank you for reading.
Thank you for taking the time to comment.
Thank you for your emails. I feel like I have a bunch of Pen Pals!
Thank you for your support.
Thank you for not judging me.
Thank you for your advice.
And thank’s for just always being so darned nice!
Now…here are yesterday’s eats! I was really trying to focus on WW Power Foods and eating 26 Points!
If you are a WW member, then you know the importance of all of those little green triangles!
Breakfast
1 Cup (227 g) Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt
Vanilla Creme Stevia Drops
Strawberries and Banana Slices, Cinnamon
Black Coffee
3 PPV
This is 22 grams of Protein!!
Lunch
3 oz. Grilled Chicken, 1/2 C Cooked Quinoa
1/4 C Corn, 1/4 C Black Beans
30 g Smashed Avocado, 2 T. Salsa
10 PPV
I love this bowl of food!
Snack
Watermelon
0 PPV
Snack
4 Frozen Yogurt Treats
2 PPV
I mixed 1 C (227 g) of Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt, a few drops of Vanilla Creme Stevia, and 1 tsp of raw, unsweetened coconut. I divided it into 12 mini cups, topped it with a few mini chocolate chips and placed them in the freezer for 2 hours. I was expecting a creamy treat, but it had more of an Ice Milk texture to it, which I wasn’t crazy about. I mean….I did eat 4 of them, but it just wasn’t what I was expecting in texture. The flavor was good though….and they are pretty!
Dinner
Turkey Veggie Bowl
8 PPV
I sautéed Zucchini and Red Onion in a little Olive Oil. Then I added some chopped up cooked sweet potato and a chopped up left over Turkey Burger. I seasoned it with Cavender’s No Salt Greek Seasoning. I wanted something creamy for the top, so I added an egg. This was delicious!
Snack
Trader Joe’s Toast
with 2 tsp Almond Butter, Banana Slices
3 PPV
Weight Watcher’s Points Plus
I can eat 26 PPV a day.
I can earn Activity Points by doing exercise, and eat them if I choose.
I have an allowance of 49 extra points that I can dip into throughout the week if I choose.
I should drink a minimum of 6 (8 oz) glasses of water each day.
My Weight Watcher Week Begins on Friday’s
Breakfast = Yogurt, Fruit, Coffee (3)
Lunch = Quinoa Bowl (10)
Snack’s = Watermelon, Frozen Yogurt Snack’s (2)
Dinner = Turkey Veggie Bowl (8)
Snack = Toast with 2 tsp Almond Butter, Banana (3)
Total = 26
Exercise = walked 2.5 miles, PT for shoulder’s
I got a call late in the afternoon that lead to an hour and a half drive, which made my 4:30 Jazzercise Class impossible. I swear I’m not trying to make Jazzercise excuses! Geeesssshhh…..
Activity Points Earned for the Day = 3
Activity Points Earned This Week = 21
Activity Points Remaining This Week = 16
How many ounces of water I drank for the day = 70
Remaining points from my 49 Points Allowance = 46
This is What I Will Accomplish in 2015
- I will choose one occasion per month for Social Drinking (um…this is a work in progress)
- I will go no more than two days in a row without exercise. (unless I’m sick..or break a bone!!)
- I will track every single day for the entire year. No matter what. I’ll track if I eat 26 points, I’ll track if I eat 76 points.
- I will RUN in a minimum of six 5K’s
“love the life you live, live the life you love”
