Shopping for the week and Weight Watchers progress

Though I am still clipping coupons and bargain shopping, grocery shopping while on a diet is a whole different animal. My diet is heavy on produce and lean protein, and while bargains are out there, they are much harder to come by than those on snack foods, pasta, juice, cereal and the like. Cooking for the 6 of us (my family minus Louis plus my parents) is a challenge these days!

The list of things that will please all of us at the same time is short. Even breakfast which should be easy is a challenge when all of a sudden the toddlers are not satisfied with their favorite oatmeal or cereal and want what mommy is having (whole wheat toast with two eggs)! If I wasn't nursing I could just add some extra produce and eat smaller portions of what everyone else is eating, but nursing makes my appetite like a lumberjack's:). I have to be careful to eat things that are the biggest bang for my buck nutritionally and filling-wise while still being lower calorie (hence the produce, lean proteins and a small amount of whole grain). I try to budget points for some dark chocolate and a low sugar iced latte every day so I don't feel deprived. Its working pretty well overall. Its the cooking for everyone else that is tough! But I love to grocery shop and cook so it is worth the effort. At last weigh-in I was down 5 lbs total (22 more to go until my personal goal) which is fairly encouraging. I finally had to admit it was just going to be harder to lose weight with baby #3 than with #1. I saw a quote on the WW boards this week that I loved: "losing weight is hard. Being fat is hard. Pick your hard". So true! Having less energy, clothes that don't fit right, etc. are all hard. And losing weight is hard too, but worth it if for the right reason.

Anyway...here's what I bought last week: Walgreens-highlights: Fusion Proglide razor for $0.89, Colgate toothbrush $0.25, Garnier Herbashine haircolor $1.99, Crunch bars about $0.15 each after coupons!

Albertson's: $10.11 after coupons (used $20 from buying $100 in giftcards we'd use anyway!) plus $5 off coupon from signing up for Albies' mailing list. I bought two $11 packages of meat (skinless boneless chicken and hamburger) that were on sale since I am using more of it with WW. Canned veggies for $0.50, pineapple $1.23 after coupons, Gulden mustard $0.65, Claussen pickles (love!) for $0.99 each after promo and $2 facebook coupon, turkey bacon $0.74, Coke Zero $0.50 each, candy bars free, La Victoria chilis (for White chicken chili) $0.69 after $2 coupon. Sadly, the double coupons were GONE when I got there. I found the last Seattle Times though so I had 3 whole double coupons so I bought a lot less than I planned. But it worked out okay, I was pretty tired and so was my shopping buddy, Louis by that time!