Last January I wrote this post about why I quit WW (weight watchers) after 4 years. After a few months of tracking calories, seeing a nutritionist, and trying to do things on my own, I decided to go back to WW. Maybe all I needed was a little break to see that WW is really helpful to me, even if I'm not consistently losing weight. WW keeps me on track, my portions small and it helps me feel a little more in control.

That being said, I haven't lost weight in a while and it was really frustrating. WW switched their plans a few months ago to something called Personal Points where everyone's plans are different. There are more zero-point foods, you gain points for eating vegetables, exercising, and drinking 60oz of water. I thought the new plan was going to help me lose weight but I didn't see much change in a few weeks before the holidays came sneaking upon us. 

I've talked a lot about WW (Weight Watchers) over the past three years and how I had such a positive experience with it... I mean, I lost almost 30 pounds! Well, I think it's only fair that I come back and discuss why I've quit WW.

I've been officially off WW for about a month and a half but I really started to ween myself off of the program right after New Years. I've been struggling with the program(s) for a while... I don't think I really ever lost a significant amount of weight after they changed to Freestyle in 2018/2019 and even when they officially changed to Blue, Purple, and Green plans, I still wasn't able to lose the weight.

During the pandemic/quarantine, I didn't really gain that much weight but I did put on a few pounds after changing my anxiety medication in August 2020. I also felt like that medication was preventing me from losing weight. I was really frustrated with WW, I was starving, and felt like I wasn't eating great. I was beside myself, I was binging, I just wasn't happy at all.

I've played around over the years with counting calories and even did it in conjunction with WW from time to time. It was very obvious that my points value didn't match up to how many calories I should've been eating. I mean, there were days when I was eating 800 calories but over my points value. 

I made the decision, the very scary decision, to go off of WW and just use the Lose It app (more on that later). I felt that WW was too toxic for me; I needed a break, I couldn't stand counting points anymore. It was destroying my mental health and it was making me anxious when I was starving but over my points value for the day. 

I also started to take issue with the fact that mostly healthy things, like nuts and certain proteins, were so high in points yet a slice of Velveta was 1 point. I started to feel like WW's dependency on processed foods was not healthy; it really bothered me and was kind of the catalyst for me making the switch.

I've been using the Lose It App, which I used way back in the day and have been loving it. I'm eating a low amount of calories but feel a little more freedom. I enjoy being able to look at the calorie of a food, the carbs and proteins, etc and getting that full picture of what I'm putting into my body really helps me. 

On WW, I was gaining weight every week and now, I haven't gained a pound in almost two months. I'm not losing weight, which is something I am mentally struggling with but I feel good. I feel like I'm not as restricted and that I'm able to eat better without worrying about points value. 

I realize that counting calories vs counting points is pretty similar but it's the ability to focus on the entire nutritional value of food that is helping me. I also can eat things like nuts and regular peanut butter without feeling super guilty... it's a mental game for me as much as anything.

Eventually I will do a huge post on Lose It but I wanted to come on here and talk about why I made the switch and why I felt like I was ready. I am not saying that I will never go back to WW, I've actually been thinking about it, maybe to just jumpstart some sort of weight loss but I will keep you updated.

There is also another part of my weight loss journey that I need to address and that's working out; I talked about my Amazon bike in my monthly favorites post and I definitely need to be better about working out daily, and for longer than 30 minutes. I should probably also get back into Yoga and I think those goals combined with Lose It will help me lose weight instead of just standing still.

If you have any questions about WW or Lose It, please let me know! 

xoxo
B

This is the first Weight Watchers Wednesday of 2019 and it's already the end of March! I decided that I wasn't going to make this a monthly series anymore because truthfully, there isn't that much to update on. I have been yoyoing with my weight and I'm not proud of it.

I decided that I was going to just share a Weight Watchers Wednesday post when I had something to share, and here we are!

In the past, I've shared low point recipes and my favorite Trader Joe finds but I don't think I ever touched on my go-to's in a normal grocery store.

My mom does a full grocery shop for the house every week but then I usually go at least once on the weekend to pick up a few things or see what is new and low in points. It's easier if I go because I can scan the food I'm curious about...

These are items that have become staples for me and are constantly on the weekly food shopping list.

Steamfresh Veggie Pasta

Mini Synders Pretzels

Light Whole Grain Bread

Babybel Lite Cheese

Honorable mentions include veggie sticks, Thomas Lite Multigrain English Muffins, Sargento Low Fat Shredded Cheese, Skinnypop Popcorn, Oscar Mayer Ready to Eat Bacon, Sugar-Free Chocolate Pudding.

Let me know what your favorite WW products are at the grocery store!
xoxo
B

For the past month or so I've been going to Trader Joe's at least once a week to pick up some Weight Watchers approved foods. After feeling very discouraged because I wasn't losing weight I did some research and discovered the world of Weight Watchers Instagrams. I don't know why I didn't think of that before because well, there's Instagram accounts for everything and everyone under the sun. 

Another month on Weight Watchers has come to a close ... and next month it's my 1 year anniversary. That is super crazy to think about because it feels like I just started this journey a little while ago.

My progress this month was better than previous; I lost a few pounds and gained one back. I don't stress out anymore when I gain a pound because I know I have a plan in place to lose it. As long as I'm maintaining the majority of the weight I did lose, I'm good.

However, I did figure out what works for me: meal prepping.

Before my new found discovery I was eating the same things for breakfast and lunch every day, and wasn't satisfied so I was snacking (and non-weight watchers snacks too). I changed it up and started to meal prep instead of grabbing oatmeal & a Lean Cusine frozen lunch.

I usually make breakfast muffins on a Sunday for the entire week, and then make some cauliflower rice and spring rolls for lunch. I'm really full and don't feel the need to snack so much.



Just last night I made myself Trader Joe's Cauliflower Gnocchi with a touch of Lite Alfredo Sauce for lunch today and it's low points, super filling, and satisfying.

Meal prepping has really worked for me and I advise everyone trying to lose weight to at least try it. Knowing what you are going to eat and actually eating what you want (in moderation, in line with your diet) is key.

If I can keep up the meal prepping and some pilates during the week I'm hopeful I can get down to more of a goal weight.

I really want to lose another 30 pounds, making the total close to 60 but I have a feeling it's going to take me a lot longer than I think. It's taken me almost a year to lose 26-30 pounds and while that is frustrating I know it's because I haven't been as regimented as I was in the beginning.

I need to get back into the proper mindset, keep meal prepping and keep exercising during the week as well as the gym on the weekends.

Next month is the big 1-year update so stay tuned for that!

xoxo
B

Trader Joes Hashbrowns; 2 egg muffins

It's been 6 months since I started Weight Watchers and the most I've lost is 23 pounds. This was before Christmas... during my little Christmas vacation, I definitely indulged and gained a few back.

However, I'm on the right track and am on my way to losing more and getting back to the pre-Christmas weight. Hopefully, within the next 2-3 weeks, I can lose even more weight.

Weight Watchers has been going really well and it has allowed me to change my lifestyle without really restricting myself. I mean, I ate a lot over Christmas but because I've learned the 'right' way to eat I didn't gain a ridiculous amount of weight. I'm also able to drop it quickly because of what Weight Watchers has taught me.

Weight Watchers allows me to eat what I want (I know I sound like Oprah) and not over indulge. It's all portion control and that was really what was my vice. I overate everything from carbs to sweets to chicken. I don't eat fruits or vegetables (I know, very bad) and work out 1-2 times a week (nothing great) but I've been able to lose weight I never thought possible.

I covered most of this in the Popsugar article a few months back and it really has continued to show me results.

But now I'll get to the real update...

The first week of December, Weight Watchers changed their program. I thought this was going to be a good thing... Freestyle made a lot of foods 0 points (and some foods were lowered in points because of the change). The foods included in this change were eggs, egg whites, chicken, and turkey.

I was thrilled, over the moon, because this meant I'd be able to eat more without using my points and honestly, I felt that certain foods were too much in points value.

Also, the Freestyle program allowed you to roll over up to 4 daily points that weren't used. For example, I have 41 Weekly Points to use throughout the week and on Friday I ended the day with 2 points... those got added to the weekly points bank.

This was a good adjustment mostly because of what happened next...



When the change came into my account, I was shocked that I lost 7 daily points. I went from 30 to 23 and that has been a real struggle.

Yes, now I can eat as much chicken, turkey, and eggs that I want but sometimes that is always not doable. I got into a routine with how I ate and what I ate and now that was just taken away from me.

I reached out to Weight Watchers to see if there was a way I could opt out of Freestyle and keep my 30 daily points but they said no (in a nicer way of course).

I think it's really hard to switch up a program like Weight Watchers out of nowhere and not give people the option to stay with the old program because people who have been on Weight Watchers for years are going to have a really hard time with the change and may even opt out (I definitely considered it).

If you were just starting Weight Watchers or joined after the change, then I don't think you'd have a hard time with the adjustment.

I can't say whether or not the Freestyle program has been affecting how I gain or lose weight because I haven't had a true week on it yet. The week before I get my period, I PMS super hard and don't lose any weight, and then Christmas came along and it screwed me up. January will be the first month I really use Freestyle the proper way.

However, I have figured out a way to make it work for me -- I just use my weekly points more. They are there to be used and before Freestyle, I never felt the need to use them and deplete the bank. Now, I use them because I need to but like I said, some days I do have points leftover.

So in conclusion, I'm still enjoying Weight Watchers, it helped me not gain a ton of weight over the holidays, and I'm struggling with the new Freestyle program.

Stay tuned for more updates in the future! I have a feeling I'll be posting them at least once a month!

xoxo
B

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Beauty and books are the two things I religiously review here so it was easy to put them in their own category for 'best of 2017'.

This post is all about my ultimate favorites of the year... the items I couldn't live without and just loved to the moon and back.



These are the items that made 2017 a standout year, the items that I used the most, the items I talked about the most and the ones I just couldn't get enough of!



1. Kate Spade Olive Drive Bridgette: When I saw this item in late summer, I knew it was a bag that had to be mine. I can say that this was my favorite purchase of the year, my favorite handbag of the year for sure. I bought it off Ebay because $400 was just a little too much for me and the leather on the 'older' version is pebbled but I love it all the same. It's a bag that can be an everyday bag or a work bag; it's chic, roomy, and very comfortable. It's the ultimate bag for any gal!



2. Evil Queen Candles: These candles (and essential oils) took over my life in 2017. I loved them at the end of 2016 but this was the year I had them for every season. These are the candles that I burned in the Spring & Summer and really made me a 'candle' person all year round. I love that they're a small company, that they're handmade candles, and how sassy the brand is. Also, Ida Sofia (the owner) is the sweetest person ever. She really cares about her customers and even sent me my favorite essential oil (free of charge) after my bag got stolen.



3. Louis Vuitton Cosmetics Pouch: This was the year of the pre-loved items and my favorite was by far my Louis Vuitton Cosmetics Pouch in the multi-color noir. The exact color is no longer available from LV but you can find it on the pre-loved market. However, I really loved this pouch. It's high quality (obvi) and held everything I could ever need. It made me so happy to use it and have it displayed in my room, it was just such a good purchase!

4. Weight Watchers: This isn't a tangible object but this was the highlight of the 2nd half of the year for me. I've lost 23 pounds (the holidays are kicking my butt) on Weight Watchers and I truly never thought that was possible. It has changed my life and really made me happier than I ever have been. I am so proud of myself that 2017 was the year I finally decided to take control of my body and Weight Watchers helped me do that.

What were your favorite products of 2017?
xoxo
B

I used to have something on the blog a few years ago called Recipe Wednesday where I shared the latest recipes I was trying out.

Also, have you noticed how much I love having a series on Wednesdays? i.e Wishlist Wednesdays, Book Review Wednesday... I guess I just love Wednesdays!

Well, now I changed the series because well, I love alterations and want to branch out from Wednesdays.

If you missed my post from a few weeks ago, you missed the fact that I was published on POPSUGAR. I submitted my weight loss story to them and they decided to publish it! It was honestly a dream come true because POPSUGAR has always been one of my favorite websites and it's been a dream to see a byline on there.

I have mentioned it in passing multiple times here but I started Weight Watchers in July and I've lost 20 pounds. I'll let you read the article (shameless plug) but basically, I've never lost weight in my life and it's a huge accomplishment for me to say I lost 20 pounds.

That being said, it has been difficult because I hate feeling restricted in what I eat. I can, however, eat whatever I want on Weight Watchers and the internet has helped immensely because there are so many recipes out there.

And that brings me to this post... I'm going to be sharing these healthy recipes that are Weight Watchers approved.

My first post is my FAVORITE recipe to date, and that might be because it revolves around sweets and sometimes I really just need that sweet fix.

I found multiple recipes for different, low point cupcakes but these are the easiest to make as well as the lowest point intake.

This recipe calls for two ingredients: 12oz of soda and a box of cake mix.

Now, I know this isn't the healthiest recipe because soda=bad but they're still only 1 Weight Watcher point so they're ok for me right now!

You may also be saying: soda? and cake mix? GROSS and that's what I thought at first but my goodness I was wrong!



Here are the very simple steps:

1. Combine 12oz of diet soda and the box of cake mix
2. Spoon the mix into the cupcake tins (make sure you make 20 cupcakes because then they'll be more than 1 point)
3. Bake for 10-15 minutes (I usually don't time my baking and just stick a fork in the middle to see if any cake mix is still wet)
4. Viola! You are DONE and you have 20 delicious 1 point cupcakes to eat!




Now, there is a bit of rhyme and reason to baking these; basically, you combine a dark soda with a dark cake mix and a light soda with a light cake mix.

I've baked a few different versions of these cupcakes: vanilla cake mix and diet Sprite; chocolate cake mix and diet coke; and the ones pictured here, red velvet with diet coke.

Pro tip: let them cool completely before eating because since there is no egg or oil, they fall apart easily so being as firm as possible after baking is key.

They taste delicious and aren't too sweet, but also aren't bland. You can't taste the soda and you'll wonder why you haven't tried these sooner!

Happy tasting :) 
xoxo
B

I first want to start out this post with something completely unrelated to the Fashion Files. Over the weekend, I was published on PopSugar.

PopSugar is truly my favorite website and really a one-stop shop for whatever you want to read about. It has been my dream for so long to have a byline on there, and this is extra special because it's all about how I've lost 20 pounds since July.

I've mentioned it multiple times on here that I started Weight Watchers in July and it has been quite the life-changing journey. I don't want to be one of those preachy people but if you read the article, you'll see what I mean.

Now that this article is published and I've hit the 20-pound mark, I'll start sharing more about WW on Royally Pink, including lots of recipes that I've found to be a hit. Stay tuned for that!

Let's move onto the purpose of this post... leggings!

I wear leggings every single day. That is not an exaggeration. I wear leggings every day to work and on the weekends. I wear them to the gym and to lounge around my house. The last time I wore jeans was probably 2-3 months ago and that was the first time I wore jeans in MONTHS.

It's not that jeans don't fit me because they do. Even before the 20-pound weight loss I had jeans that fit and looked good and were comfortable. It's just that, leggings are more comfortable.

It's becoming a problem and I guess a little bit of a security blanket; my mom has told me multiple times to wear something besides leggings but I just can't stop.

They are too comfortable and go with everything. They're so versatile so you could dress them up and down. I wear leather leggings and soft leggings and gym leggings -- I just can't get enough.

My love affair with a good pair of leggings is truly taking over my life.

Because of this, I've worn a lot of different pairs and types of leggings, so I definitely have my favorites.



I've talked about my ultimate favorite before and that is definitely the Kate Spade x Beyond Yoga Legging. I have about 4 pairs of them and every time they go on sale, I buy a new pair to stock up on.  They are my go-to for work and play and my most worn by far.



Another pair that I love and have recently rediscovered in my drawer of black leggings is Zella. I only have one pair but they are by far the most comfortable in my collection. They suck you in, make you look thin (almost like comfy Spanx) and don't get too stretchy as the day wears on. I definitely need another pair but I highly recommend looking into Zella. I bought mine at Nordstrom and I think they have the best selection.





Finally, my other favorite brand for leggings is American Eagle. These are my OG leggings and the brand I have/had the most of. They are pretty inexpensive compared to Kate Spade and Zella but the quality is also a little less. These are the leggings that rip on me the most and I've had to throw quite a few pairs out but I also am wearing them every day so wear is a lot more than the usual person.

However, the price outweighs that in my opinion and sometimes you'd rather spend $30 on a pair of leggings you'll wear for a year instead of spending $100, ya know? AEO has so many different types of leggings and you're bound to find something that suits your style.

*My one pair of faux leather leggings are also from AEO and they're so comfy and I need to wear them so much more this winter season.

What are your favorite brands for leggings?
xoxo
B
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