Colette's Food Resolutions

Hey Everyone! Colette here. I can't believe we're already 15 days into 2013...I fear this year is going to go by just as quickly as 2012 did.

We asked you about your food resolutions last week, and today I'm going to talk a little bit about mine, as well as share what I've been doing to get moving on them.

1) Eat breakfast everyday.

I'm really terrible about breakfast, especially during the week. I usually make myself grab a banana or apple, but then I'm hungry again within an hour or so.  And I'm really terrible about budgeting time in the morning, because I usually have a zillion other things to do before I head out the door, so blending up a smoothie or cooking an omelet just isn't going to happen. Oh, and I hate oatmeal and am not too fond of yogurt, which seem to be everyone else's go-to easy breakfasts. So, in the past my solution was "eh, just skip it." Not this year.

I recently discovered VitaTops (shown above in Banana ChocoChip). These are small, microwavable pastries that ring it at only 100 calories. So far I've tried four flavors: the above Banana ChocoChip, the CranBran, the Double ChocoChip, and the Apple Crumb. I also tried the Special K Flatbread Sandwiches (I get the Egg with Vegetables and Pepper Jack Cheese) -- another light, easy, microwavable product. They might not be the all-time best solutions, but for now, they're getting me eating breakfast regularly. I'll expand my repertoire later. (Oh, and I also still have my apple or banana).

2) Drink less coffee and Diet Coke and more good stuff (like WATER!)

As you can see in the picture of my breakfast, I start every morning with a cup of coffee. Only it's usually not just one cup...it's usually 2-3. And then another (or two more) in the afternoon. And then usually 2-4 Diet Cokes. And that's it. It's not good.

When I started back at work in January, I brought my favorite tumbler with me. It's 24 oz. I've made sure that I drink 3 of those tumblers full of water every day. I've also replaced anything beyond my second cup of coffee with green and/or herbal tea. Doing all that has actually made me not want Diet Coke as often, so I'm down to only two per day (and that's not even every day). 

3) Bring lots of little things in my lunch bag so I can eat throughout the day.

On a normal workday, I eat lunch around 12:00 pm...but work doesn't end until 6:30 pm. That's a long stretch to go without snacks! I used to eat everything in my lunch bag at 12:00; by 3:30 or 4:00, I was hitting our break room in search of chips, cookies, leftover pizza...whatever I could get my hands on. Now I make sure to pack smaller snack items, like Laughing Cow Cheese Wedges and an apple, to keep at my desk for my mid-afternoon hunger attack.

4) Stick to my plan!

If you've ever been to my other blog, Caffeinated Conversations, you know that I'm a member of Weight Watchers. I joined in August of 2012, but I yo-yo'd with the program for, well, all of 2012. I've recommitted to the program, and one way I'm doing that is being very vocal about the fact that I'm part of it. The more people know, the more I feel accountable...and it helps me figure out who is a supporter versus who is a saboteur so I can prepare myself better for if/when I have meals with them. I also made myself this little visual motivator that I found on Pinterest:

So those are my food resolutions for 2013! My blogging resolution to to make sure we're over here at least once per week, sharing food and drink ideas and stories with all of you, of course!

*Disclaimer: I was not compensated in any way for mentioning these products or writing this post. These are actual items I purchase and use on a regular basis. Also, I am a paying Monthly Pass member of Weight Watchers. All opinions in this are mine and do not reflect these retailers.