Fudgy Friends

My goal is to lose 15 pounds by July 12th. This means that I will have lost all of my baby weight by the time Brooklyn is 9 months old. (I figure it took me 9 months to gain it, so I've given myself 9 months to lose it too!) Since it is still 19 weeks away, I have to lose just under a pound a week to reach my goal. I feel like this is totally doable, but it won't happen on its own. I've only lost about 7 pounds total since the day she was born. So, to kick it up a notch, I have recently joined Weight Watchers' online program. I have used Weight Watchers before and really liked it. Plus, my job reimburses up to $150 of Weight Watchers' fees a year, so why not take advantage?

Why am I sharing such a private goal in such a public forum, you ask? Simple. When I try to lose weight but don't tell anyone, there are no repercussions when I fail. This is a matter of accountability. When I know that other people will be aware of my possible failure, I am much more likely to stick to my plan. So anyway, feel free to ask me how I'm doing at any point over the next 19 weeks. It'll keep me on my toes and on my diet. =)

One of the downfalls of all dieting women everywhere (I'm sure) is that life lacks a certain "fudginess" when you're on a diet. There is no good substitution for quality chocolate. So I've decided to share a few of my Weight Watchers-friendly solutions for that fudgy fix. I will start with the most unusual that we just discovered last night:

1) The Diet Soda Cake. Apparently you can take a 12 oz. can of diet soda (any flavor) and add it to any cake mix instead of oil and eggs, thus eliminating tons of fat. I have tried substituting applesauce for oil before, but this not only adds calories and still requires the use of eggs, it is too spongy and not very chocolatey. Last night I made a Devil's Food Cake with a can of diet Cherry Coke. I chopped up about 2 Tbsp. of chocolate chips and added those too for good measure. The result was a big slice (1/12 of a 9x13 pan) of warm, decadent, chocolatey heaven with a slight tinge of cherry. It seriously was very yummy and only 3 points! We had it with fat free Cool Whip on top, but I think I decided I'm a purist and won't do that next time. Next time I'm also going to try a can of diet Orange Sunkist instead of the Cherry Coke.

2) Betty Crocker Warm Delights Minis. These are seriously SO yummy and SO fudgy. And all you have to do is add a little water and stick them in the microwave. They're ready in about 2 minutes flat. They are also only 3 points and come in 3 flavors. The problem is that they are about $2.50 for a package of 2 so they're quite pricey but possibly worth it in a moment of need. My diet soda cake cost a total of 80 cents for the whole thing. (I will have to share my grocery tricks with you sometime, I've gotten some really good deals.)

3) Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwiches. At only 2 points each, these babies taste like the real thing to me. There is also a nice-sized Healthy Choice fudge bar out there for 1 point, but I find that the Skinny Cow chocolate is more intense and, therefore, more satisfying. You can get them both at Costco, making them about 50 cents each.

4) Hershey's Kisses. Nutritional information on these varies because there are so many different flavors, but that's also what makes them fun! My favorites are the Mint Truffle and Cherry Cordial varieties. Delicious! 2 of these = 1 point. That might seem a little high, but they certainly pack a chocolate punch!

5) Cadbury Orange Creme Eggs. This is a recent discovery that the Weight Watchers website actually condemns. I, however, am in love. I've always been a fan of the original Creme eggs and look forward to them every Easter. This year, with the addition of the orange variety, I have become a lifetime convert. These little guys are 3 points each and may appear too small to be worth it. For me, there is nothing like straight chocolate sometimes and Cadbury has figured out the formula. The trick is to savor them. One egg usually lasts me about 15 minutes. I lick the top of it until I get down to the creamy center. Then, I break off small pieces of the shell and dip them into the cream, letting each little morsel melt in my mouth. I feel so indulgent and satisfied after eating one of these... and lately I've had one almost every day! Being seasonal, these are also quite pricey. (about 65 cents each) My plan is to go to the store first thing Monday morning (day after Easter) and buy ALL of the rest of their stock at 50% off. That way, I'll have a stash! (PLEASE don't get there before me!)

6) Three Musketeers Minis. I like the mini ones better than the fun size because there is more chocolate on the outside! 2 of these = 1 point. I also really like the mint ones, but those aren't as chocolatey because the mint flavor is so strong.

7) Chocolate Twizzlers. I have to admit I was suspicious of these at first. Chocolate licorice? Ew! But they are surprisingly good and surprisingly chocolately. And they have that classic Twizzlers texture we all know and love. You can have 5 for 3 points. This one is good if you're looking for quantity over quality.

8) Diet Cherry Chocolate Dr. Pepper. This one is strangely chocolatey. Seriously, it tastes like a Tootsie Roll in a can. (Ooh... Tootsie Rolls might also be a good fix, I'll have to look into that one.) Best of all, it's 0 points!

Well, I hope you don't all think I'm insane now. Or addicted. I just like reading other people's ideas/solutions to things so I thought I'd share! One suggestion I have is that if you get something like a bag of kisses, take it home and IMMEDIATELY divide it out into single portions in ziploc snack bags. If I don't do this, I'll sneak them throughout the whole day and end up eating a lot more of them. Oh, and if you noticed that this blog was posted at 4:45 AM, that's because I've got a horrible sore throat and can't sleep. YUCK!!