Happy Friday! To celebrate the first weekend of June we are sharing our love of essential oils by giving away a package of Martha's Favorite Essential Oils! (You'll find all the details at the end of the post.)
But first, we've got some slimming bites for you…
Slimming Bites: Inspiration & Recipes for Weight Watchers
Encouragement and inspiration are critical whenever you're trying to change your habits. This is especially true when the habits involve eating better, losing weight and creating a healthy balanced lifestyle.
Sticking with the slow and steady sensible balanced approach to lasting change can seem dull and out of step when compared with our society's obsession with the opposing messages of overindulgent excess on one hand, and extreme fad diets on the other.
My mission is to provide you with a constant supply of motivating articles and enticing Weight Watchers friendly recipes to encourage your pursuit of a happy, healthy, balanced life. Here are this week's hand-picked selections. I hope you find the time and space to sit down, perhaps with a cup of coffee or tea, or glass of wine or bubbly water, and savor them!
Healthy Weight Loss Inspiration
BJ Fogg's Advice for People Doing Weight Watchers | BJ Fogg, PhD by BJ Fogg. A behavior scientist and Weight Watchers lifetime member says that, "The Weight Watchers program clearly works. There's nothing gimmicky about it." And provides specific advice for success with the program.
How Can "Eating Healthy" Get In The Way of Healthy Weight Loss? | Bangor Daily News - by Jackie Conn, A Weight Watchers Manager in Maine. Too much emphasis on healthy eating as a weight loss method can derail successful weight loss progress. It can make a tough job much harder.
Do You Compare Yourself to Others | Roni's Weigh by Roni Noone. I remember being at the beach asking the husband to size me up (literally) to other women at the bar. Was I thinner? fatter? uglier? prettier...
A Day in the Life of Heather | Trading Cardio for Cosmo by Alexis Eagleton. A great series which showcases a day in the life of a real person on their weight loss journey!
How to Start A Habit You Don't Enjoy | Summer Tomato - by Darya Rose. Steps for forming a habit that isn't rewarding from flossing to fitness.
Favorite Weight Watchers Friendly Recipes
The Ultimate Mason Jar Salad Guide and Recipe Roundup | Organize Yourself Skinny - Tami provides a detailed step-by-step tutorial for making mason jar salads as well as a roundup of easy healthy Weight Watchers friendly recipes.
Mediterranean Topped Grilled Chicken (7SP, 8PP) | Emily Bites - The combination of the warm marinated grilled chicken topped with a cool a Greek-inspired "salad" of chopped crunchy cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, salty olives and creamy feta cheese is one I can't wait to try.
One Pan Spicy Peanut Chicken and Broccoli (8SP, 9PP) | Slender Kitchen - I'm a huge fan of one pot/pan meals, so this recipe, which reminded me of my favorite Roasted Shrimp and Broccoli, is right up my alley.
Creamy Slow Cooker Enchilada Soup (3SP) | Meal Planning Mommies - All you need is a can opener and a slow cooker to make this tasty Weight Watchers friendly soup, which can be stirred together in less than 10 minutes. Perfect for busy days. A simple and delicious way to satisfy your cravings for the flavors of the southwest for minimal calories/points.
Kale Caesar Salad (3SP) | Snack Girl - As a long time Caesar salad lover, this recipe using kale and a lighter healthier homemade Caesar dressing is one I can't wait to try.
And here's a fun video from Snack-Girl demonstrating how to make "massaged" kale salad…
6/7/16 GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED!
The winner of the Essential Oils Package is: Maggie, who said, "The easiest thing for me is all of the websites and blogs available for me to use to keep me on track and to give me inspiration for recipes and meal planning. The hardest part for me is when we are on vacation and friends don't eat as healthy as we do. Always try to do my best but it is challenging when fatty meats and lots of carbs are served at every meal."
Congratulations Maggie! Please send an email to support@simple-nourished-living.com to claim your prize. And thanks to all of you who stopped by and participated. I'm so grateful for each and every one of you being part of this community.
FAVORITE ESSENTIAL OILS PACKAGE GIVEAWAY DETAILS…
Now onto the Giveaway… to celebrate the first weekend of June we are sharing our love of essential oils by giving away a package of Martha's Favorite Essential Oils!
This Favorite Essential Oils Package, with a retail value of more than $160 includes:
- PureSpa Deluxe Ultrasonic Aromatherapy Oil Diffuser (Retail Value: $39.99)
- Mini Modern Essentials Usage Guide (Retail Value: $15)
- Balance Grounding Blend (affiliate link) (Retail Value: $26)
- Lavender Essential Oil (affiliate link) (Retail Value: $28)
- Lemon Essential Oil (affiliate link) (Retail Value: $13)
- Peppermint Essential Oil (affiliate link) (Retail Value $27)
- Wild Orange (affiliate link) Essential Oil (Retail Value $14)
TO ENTER
To enter the giveaway, just answer the following question in the Comments section of this post:
This is a two part question. 1) What do you find easiest about living a healthy balanced lifestyle? 2) What do you find most challenging?
Just let me know what you find 1) easiest and 2) most challenging about living a healthy balanced lifestyle and you'll be entered to win the Favorite Essential Oils Package.
THE RULES
One entry per person, please.
Winners will be announced Monday morning. Be sure to check back to see if you won.
Have a Wonderful Weekend and Good Luck!
This giveaway is sponsored by Simple Nourished Living. Awarded prize may differ slightly (color, design, etc.) from images that appear here - based on availability. Giveaway prizes may be forfeited if not claimed within 90 days.
Related:
- Daily Motivational Quotes for Weight Loss
- Is Calorie Denialism Hurting Your Weight Loss Efforts Like It Did Mine?
- The Power of Positive Thinking for Weight Loss Success
Martha is the founder and main content writer for Simple-Nourished-Living.
A longtime lifetime WW at goal, she is committed to balancing her love of food and desire to stay slim while savoring life and helping others do the same.
She is the author of the Smart Start 28-Day Weight Loss Challenge.
A huge fan of the slow cooker and confessed cookbook addict, when she's not experimenting in the kitchen, you're likely to find Martha on her yoga mat.
This post contains affiliate links to products I like. When you buy something through one of my Amazon links or other (affiliate links), I receive a small commission that helps support this site. Thank you for your purchase!
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Wendy Elliott
1. Easiest is this time of year, so many healthy options with all the fresh fruits and veggies and grilling, a very healthly way of cooking. 2. My husband, not always the most supportive when it comes to me trying newer, healthier options to his favorites.
Sally Vickers
Finding healthy ingredients has become easier, but the food suppliers still lye to us in packages and marketing. My husband loves to cook, and that's wonderful, but he doesn't always want to cook healthy.
Diane
I like Weight Watchers. It works if I work it. I don't. I slip and slide all over. I really have working toward a better lifestyle of healthy eating. I work at a place that is always buying free lunches and bringing in fattening foods and desserts. I don't even know how most of the people can work after eating that stuff. It's tempting sometimes. I am getting better. I like this website. I like the tips. I like reading other people's thoughts and ups and downs. It's inspiring.
Tracy H
The easiest part for me is implementing the fruits and vegetables that I need to eat. I never used to eat many of the ones that I now love. It makes a huge difference in eating healthier for me.
The hardest part for me is simply breaking bad habits. I will be on a smooth roll for a while and then for no reason revert back to old patterns - it is disappointing.
I have, however, been able to shorten the period of straying and have been able to let myself off the hook. I am after all human and these habits have been my lifestyle for 45 years. I feel I am making leaps and bounds with my lifestyle improvements and they are pushing out the old. That after all is my goal and plan.
Kandy
I just started getting interested in the oils and I'm loving them. I want to learn more and more about them. And I'm using some of them and lvoe them. Would love to have the book that you show as it has wonderful info in it. I had looked at an older one.
Kathryn Smith
I found making green smoothies extremely helpful in staying on a healthy diet. I've never been much of a regular sit down and eat meal person. I found eating every three hours, healthy choices of course, works best for me. My biggest problem is trying to get enough protein. I make my smoothies with protein shake powder, but I've also started drinking a protein shake as my late dinner to satisfy my chocolate cravings and am able to sleep better. Even though what we eat is important, I've started working out at Curves and attending water aerobics throughout the week. It's hard, but once I get going I find I have a lot more energy and am able to stick to it.
Karen Feldstein
1. The availability of all the great fruit and vegetables I can get at my local farmer's market.
2. The biggest challenge is the carb cravings that arrive around 4 p.m. when I want to have a big handful of salty pretzels.
Karen Z
The easiest is all the abundant fruits and veggies we have all year long.
The hardest is trying to remember that I can satisfy my sweet tooth with fruit instead of sugary treats.
Rosa DeSensi
The easiest thing is that through eating healthy i have found some awesome recipes on the internet and you can indeed make awesome and healthy food. I enjoy finding posts such as yours and through trying to adopt a healthy lifestyle, I have been introduced to essential oils and I just love them!
The hardest thing is that just because I am eating very healthy foods, in my mind I forget about portion control because I forget that healthy eating can cause weight gain too.
Emma Isleib
Easiest is working out every day.
Hardest is tracking everything you put in my mouth.
Terry Peterson
1. Easiest...cannot eat the fried, extremely rich foods without getting sick. Really love the lean meats, vegetables, fruits.
2. Hardest... Visiting my daughters. Most of the foods are processed or fast. We normally spend a weekend since they live over 350 miles away and only time to see grand daughters. Also chocolates! Try to only eat dark, but really a weakness!
Rhonda Wold
The easiest the fruits and vegetable that are available. The hard part is I still want treats!
Jeanette Geiszler
The easiest part of healthy living is the variety of fresh fruits & vegetables & the warm weather here in the Midwest, so we can be outdoors more. A struggle for me is to limit my sugar intake - like ice cream!!
Heather Knight
The easiest thing is complaining and finding excuses to not follow through.
The hardest thing is finding my willpower to budget in all areas-budget money for healthy foods, time for exercise, time for healthy meals with my girls, time to meal plan and research healthy options.
Carrol Parker
The easiest part of the journey is rnjoying a "new" variety of healthy foods. The hardest part is planning, peeping and preparing these delicious foods!!
Jodi
Hmmmm never heard of that brand but I would live to try it. Thanks for the chance!!!
Tracy Robbins
The easiest is there is more healthy options at the supermarket. The hardest is getting my family on board.
Stephanie
Good morning,
The easiest thing about healthy lifestyle is the great choices that include "everything". The most difficult is getting the fresh ingredients (fish) that aren't farmed or full of pesticides.
Thanks for the chance to win.
Teri Schuller
Easiest is finding great healthy recipes which taste great. Love the Weight watchers recipe's on line.
Hardest is not eating the chips and appetizers on the weekend gatherings.
Even if I eat before I go, I still find myself snacking. Gravitating to the salty chips :(.
Janice Smith1
I find preparing and eating the balanced meals with the vegetables and fruits the easiest part of living a healthy balanced lifestyle?
The most challenging part is the night time snacking. Some of the snacks are not so unhealthy, but I just eat too much and then just give in to eating what I want.