Welcome!!

I am a wife, mother, and grandmother!  I am married to my high school sweetheart and absolute best friend, Jody.  My husband and I have been together since we were 15 years old!  We have two grown children, a son and a daughter.  We are also proud grandparents of an amazing little boy and a precious little girl!

I lost 93 pounds back in 2003 through the Weight Watchers program.  I became a lifetime member then.  However, I was just on a mission to get the weight off no matter what the means - I didn't care about nutrition and wellness back then - just give me the lowest points possible.  I just thought -  lose the weight and that was it - the finish line, the gold medal.  I ended up gaining all my weight back, plus an additional 20 pounds.   

In 2019 my husband and I started the WW Freestyle program and both lost weight.  (Want to try out the Weight Watchers Program? Click here to use my link and get free month(s) - see Weight Watchers current terms to determine how many months free they are offering at the time.  My husband lost 70 pounds and is maintaining.  I lost 50 pounds but gained back 15 in 2020 when I was hit with COVID and also went through a bad ulcerative colitis flare.  I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis back in 2004.  I go through periods of remission and periods of flares.

While I was continuing to follow the WW program, I also started counting calories to provide calories on my recipes and videos.  I had changed my app to "maintain" my weight while I worked with my doctors on my gut health.

I am now LIVING life while learning what my body wants and needs through nutrition, exercise, and overall wellness.  I continue tracking in the Weight Watchers app as that is what works for me at this time.  My goal is to find the foods that fuel my body and make me feel good both physically and mentally.  I typically follow the 80/20 rule - 80% of the foods I put in my body are whole foods - lean meats, whole grains, fruits, veggies, and healthy fats - and the other 20% I simply label as "other" foods.  

I firmly believe that each one of us is different and each one of us needs to find what works best for us as individuals.  I don't believe any way of eating is the right or wrong way - it's what works for YOU.

I'm not a chef, by any means, but I do love cooking.  I love taking recipes and making them my own.  I love to meal plan and prep!  I work outside the home full time, but my passion is doing all I can to be Planning Us Healthy!

DISCLAIMER: I am a Certified Weight Loss Specialist and Nutrition Coach and with a specialization in Behavior Change.  Howver, I am not a doctor, nurse, nutritionist, registered dietician, or any type of health-related professional.  Views and ideas about weight loss and diet are completely my own personal beliefs from experience and life skills.  I do not claim to be any type of expert or professional.  Please be sure to consult your doctor before starting any weight loss or exercise program.  My meal plans and recipes are not a guarantee of weight loss.  Each person is different and what works for me may not work for you.  Each person needs to figure out what works best for them. While I do my best to ensure the accuracy of the nutrition facts and points on my recipes, errors can happen and points may change.  Please always rely on your own calculations and use my nutritional facts as a guide.