weighing in.

Today, in my Weight Watchers world, is weigh-in day. And more importantly, it's the start of a new week - a fresh set of points to track, and a blank slate to mentally refresh from the past week's successes and slip-ups. Despite my poor history of tracking points, this is the one thing I do really love about Weight Watchers. It's like a weekly chance to start over - no judgment or baggage follows you into your new week. It's a brand new 7 days, and it's waiting for you to mold it into whatever you want. Weekly weigh-ins and seeing that fresh start? It's half the reason I've stuck around this program for so long.

That being said, I've learned that I have the best chance at success when I really sit down and evaluate the last week's eating choices before diving head first into that shiny new set of points. It's tempting to want to box up a bad week, and put it in the back of your mind where you store things like cleaning your baseboards and your credit card debt - things you know you need to evaluate, but don't want to deal with. But fessing up to yourself is the hardest, and most important, part of your journey towards being healthy. The food still goes into your body, regardless of whether you mentally acknowledge it - and the calories remain in there even though your mind knows you had a busy schedule and couldn't squeeze in those workouts.

So today, and probably on future Thursdays, I'm going to weigh in on my weigh-in. I lost .1 today. Point. One. I am less than 1 pound from being in a new "decade" - a decade that I've subconsciously deemed my "goal decade," and for the love of God, I just can't break through it. I've maintained, despite bachelorette parties and other indulgences, for over a month - that tells me that once I hit goal, I'll be the poster child for maintenance, but it doesn't do me a lot of good in the meantime. I shouldn't be surprised, because let's look at this past week:

• I only got in four days of activity, plus one 3 mile walk on my rest day. I know I shouldn't be complaining about that, but my body needs more. I logged 16 miles running, 3 miles walking and 1 bootcamp workout, but only got exercise in on Saturday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. I need to work on spreading out my runs so I don't get the inevitable runner's burnout midweek. 

• This week's indulgences? Orange Leaf, Dairy Queen, a piece of chocolate silk pie, Chipotle, BBQ kettle chips at German Fest, a Subway breakfast sandwich and a delicious serving of sundried tomato tortellini salad with lunch yesterday. All that - and I still maintained. I guess I should be celebrating, because that has to be some kind of miracle.

• I've been a bad snacker lately. I've been hungrier than normal - probably because of the mileage I'm putting in, but I haven't been prepared with the right kind of snacks. I've munched on peanut butter and saltine crackers instead of almonds, string cheese and fruit. Prepare for hunger, Lauren. In the words of Scar, Mufasa's horrible brother, "Be prepaaaarreeeddd!" (extra points to you if were singing that in your head)

• I make a lot of excuses for myself. It's been a mentally tiring few weeks. They say that when it rains, it pours. Between wedding planning, unexpected and expensive home repairs, and feeling out of control of life's unexpected twists, I'd be lying if I said I didn't eat my feelings a little. I need to start asking myself again, like I was a few months ago, if each choice I make is bettering my life or hindering it - when I actively engage in my choices, I usually make better ones. 

• I didn't track. Once again, after an over-indulgent weekend, I decided it would be too much of a hassle to track so I decided to forego it completely and decided to just eat "mindfully" for the remainder of the week. This is a shitty sort of logic, incase you were wondering. 

Reading, and forcing myself to see the ways I can improve, helps me solidify goals for this upcoming week. Here are a few I'm gong to focus on - and keep in mind that my goals may be simple and obvious, but small changes often lead to big results.

• Track. Everything. No excuses. Starting today.
• Vary my runs. Focus on two short runs (3-4 miles) and one long run this upcoming week. My workouts tend to run Sunday - Saturday, while my WW week runs Thursday - Thursday, but I am planning a 9 mile run within the next week or so. 
• Go back to Zumba. Running, as of right now, is my only cardio and thus becomes a source of burnout for me. Switching it up with Zumba, a good hour of cardio that I love, will help me vary my workouts and look forward to my runs.
• Don't binge eat this weekend. Weekends, like most of us, are my downfall. I'm planning NOW, so I can stay on track and stay focused. 
• Get good walks in on my rest days. Walking the dogs, even if it's just a couple miles, gets me moving and helps me make better choices the rest of the day. 

There you have it, folks. Here's to a new week, and hopefully a better loss next week. I'm so close to that new decade I can taste it (it tastes like cheesecake). Hopefully being honest about it here, in public, will help me stay accountable through the upcoming week. Happy [almost] Friday!

What are you going to do to stay on track this upcoming week? How will you battle the inevitable temptations of the weekend?

Transformation Tuesday - who inspires ME to transform?

Over on Instagram, Tuesday is known as Transformation Tuesday. Often times, people post pictures of themselves with friends as kids, and then as adults - it's cute, really. But more often than not, the hashtag is littered with people who have before and after pictures of their weight loss. It's ridiculously inspiring to see, really. I am such a visual person, and I've always searched for before and after pictures when I'm looking for some motivation. People change their lives. I mean, you hear about it all the time but seeing it never gets old. These people - everyday people with busier schedules than you, three kids, newborns, six dogs, sick relatives and medical problems, full time students, women over 40 - I mean, these people are literally transforming. If they don't make you believe it's possible, nothing will.

I owe so much of my success to those people. Reading all the articles, all the meal plans and all the exercise plans in the world won't give you the kind of inspiration that a real life person will. As of late, I have desperately needed the inspiration - and I continue to find it in the girls whose picture I'm going to share with you. These girls are me. They are you. They are anyone in their 20s faced with challenges like happy hours, bar nights, weddings full of delicious tempting food and open bars, boyfriends and husbands who eat like the manliest of men, and the overwhelming desire to watch hours of ABC Family instead of go workout. They have full time schedules, full time lives and zero time for bullshit. They juggle in-laws, multiple pets, social circles, volunteer and personal obligations, and can often feel the sometimes impossible-to-combat laziness of their pre-healthy lifestyle creep back in all too often. They are you. They are me.

But each of them, in their own way, made a change in their lifestyles. It starts with a decision, it continues with a choice to sign up for things like Weight Watchers, try a new bootcamp, step outside their comfort zones in a city where they either know nobody or they know too many people to feel comfortable trying something new. They spoke up - they admitted they were unhappy with their health, their bodies, their frame of mind. They wake up at 4:45, 5:30, 6:00 - any time before some people normally roll out of bed, and they take one small step towards their goals. They run, workout, pack their snacks for work, lay out workout clothes and set meat out for tonight's planned dinner.

They also ditch workouts, struggle with small gains, falling off the wagon and indulging in too much happy hour. They eat pizza, don't regret it, and often times regret it so much that they run crazy miles to mentally make up for it. They are real, and they are constantly battling the odds. They prove to me daily that if they can do it, I can do it. And so can you.

Today, I share with you two "Transformation Tuesday" photos that will make you jump off your ass and put your dusty old running shoes on. They will make you put down the bag of chips.

Kelly has lost 80 pounds, and is still going strong. EIGHTY. EIGHT-ZERO. Do you know how much that is? She consistently proves that, even as a busy career woman constantly on the go, you can still succeed at eating healthy. This girl pre-plans snacks for meetings and overnight travel, gets her exercise in even when she's away from home and even roped her boyfriend into having weekly weigh-ins with her. And guess what else? She is still a fan of happy hours, delicious food and all the things you'd never expect from someone who makes those kinds of changes. 

Kim has detailed her weight loss and fitness journeys on her blog, Fabulous Fit Foodie. This girl, despite only recently getting back to Weight Watchers, has already lost over 13 pounds - but it looks like she's lost way more. She strength trains using online bootcamps you can do in your home or at the gym, she runs, and she's a recent triathlete. TRIATHLETE. Seriously. She indulges in all life's goodness, including pizza, her favorite beers and wine flights at happy hour, but she still makes fitness and eating right seem so incredibly approachable. Her motivation and inspiration is endless, and her perspective on maintaining a healthy lifestyle is always what I need to hear.

I can't tell you enough how inspired I am by these women. They are proof that reaching your goals seems so much more attainable when you're surrounded by like-minded individuals who care and support you. They provide constant words of encouragement, and them, along with every other girl as part of our Healthy Habits group here in Dayton, have provided me with infinite inspiration.

My advice? Find your own inspiration and let it guide you through your journey. Find people who want you to be a better person, strive to help you reach your goals and don't let you settle for anything less than your absolute best. Use their before and afters (or before and "during" as these girls tell me) to help fuel you when you need the extra push, and chances are, they'll be using you for the same inspiration.

Happy Transformation Tuesday, friends - may you all find the inner strength and motivation needed to make the transformation (or continue with it) that you know deep down will make you the best person you can be!

Cheesy Turkey and Zucchini Lasagna

Adapted from: Skinnytaste's Zucchini Lasagna
Servings: 9 (you'll get more depending on the pan size you use)

One of the hardest parts about going low carb for me has always been giving up pasta. Things like macaroni and cheese, a giant bowl of spaghetti and my absolute favorite - lasagna - were staples in my home growing up, and the idea of living without them hurts my hungry little heart. I've also been making a valid attempt at limiting my red meat consumption. Since I don't like fish, sometimes I feel like all I cook are chicken and beef. I decided to switch it up and try my hand at zucchini lasagna with ground turkey and oh-so-much cheese. If you love lots of cheese and are willing to give zucchini a shot in place of traditional lasagna noodles, you will most likely fall in love with this. Even my "meat and potatoes" fiancé ate two big servings of it.

I will tell you up front that I ignored the original recipe's advice of grilling the zucchini for a few minutes before assembling the lasagna to help soak up some excess moisture. I did my best to soak it up with a paper towel, but both Rob and I agreed we'll grill the zucchini next time.

1 pound lean ground turkey

1 Tbsp olive oil

Sausage seasoning

1 monster sized zucchini (or 4-5 smaller ones), sliced thin

*if you use smaller ones, I suggest slicing them lengthwise - I got big guys, so I cut them into rounds*

2 cloves garlic, crushed

22 ounces low fat ricotta

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 egg

1 tsp italian seasoning

116 oz can crushed tomatoes

1 cup marinara sauce (I used Ragu, because I am cheap)

1 1/2 cups part skin shredded mozzarella

I told you this guy was going to be cheesy.

Preheat oven to 350.

Drizzle 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a pan, and mix together your ground turkey and sausage seasoning. I buy the 99% fat free turkey and it tends to stick to the pan without some oil. Cook turkey until brown. If you love ground turkey on its own, you don't have to add the sausage seasoning, but I have a man in the house who could detect my "healthy" attempts from a mile away, and the seasoning was delicious.

Add 2 cloves of crushed garlic and your can of crushed tomatoes to your browned turkey, and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.

Slice your zucchini thin (about 1/8 inch thick) and throw those babies on the grill on low for about a minute on each side. This is the step I totally bypassed, but won't make that mistake again. Listen to Gina at Skinnytaste - girl knows what she's talking about. When they're done, soak up any excess moisture with a paper towel.

In a bowl, mix together the ricotta, 1 egg, parmesan cheese and italian seasoning.

As you prepare to assemble, divide your mixtures up based on the number of layers you want to do. I got 3 layers out of my ingredients, with the final layer being zucchini, marinara and a topping of mozzarella. In a casserole dish, layer marinara sauce, zucchini, turkey mixture, ricotta mixture and mozzarella cheese. Top your final layer with remaining mozzarella cheese, and bake for 30 minutes, or until cheese is bubbling and starting to brown. If you like your top layer nice and browned, turn the broiler on for a minute or so at the very end.

Let it cool a few minutes before serving - I used a 9x9 pan and got 9 servings out of it, but definitely stacked it so high that it started overflowing so I'd recommend a 9x13.

Enjoy!