Sunshine and Sippy Cups

I was given a free one month subscription to Weight Watchers to try their new Simple Start plan and write about my experience. Though I was compensated for my time and commitment, all views, positive and negative, are my own.

“I may not be there yet, but I’m closer than I was yesterday.” – from Weight Watchers free #SimpleStart app… Ok ladies. Last week I told you guys about a super awesome way to kick start your weight loss – a totally free app from Weight Watchers called Simple Start. It’s pretty much what you’d expect from the name – a simple way to just jump in and get started, not just with losing weight, but with getting healthy. For two weeks you focus on WHAT you’re eating, not how much. No points to add up, no portions to measure. Just a big ol’ list of good-for-you foods, and some rockin’ recipes that make those foods totally shine. And – they don’t believe in “guilty” pleasures. They believe that every day needs a small indulgence, so they guide you to adding those daily, in a smart way. Skeptical? Well – take a look at what I’ve been eating this week:

Super healthy, super loaded, stuffed baked potato recipe from weight watchers

I showed you guys some examples of the recipes you’ll find on the Simple Start app last week. And this one is kind of adapted from one of their amazing lunch recipes – to fit what I had on hand, and the mood I was in. The lunch recipe on the app includes a loaded baked potato, a bowl of vegetable soup, a side of salsa. Well, I skipped the sour cream on the potato, and nixed the soup. Instead, I added just a bit of grilled chicken breast to my potato, and a side salad to get more veggies in. And I have to tell ya – I’m not usually much of a veggie eater. But the creative recipes on the app truly inspired me, and have had me eating things I usually don’t. Broccoli? Crazy. But this was the second time in a week I ate a potato stuffed with piles of broccoli! Yum. And me suddenly loving broccoli is kind of a big deal.

Low fat super loaded stuffed baked potato recipe

I mean – look closer at this bad boy? Does that look like a “diet” food to you? No way. Didn’t taste that way either. But I’m learning that making simple swaps is easier and tastier than I thought… I didn’t put any butter on this tater. I used reduced-fat Weight Watchers cheese. {Who knew there were so many Weight Watchers branded foods in the grocery store? Makes it even easier to follow this plan. And easy is what I’m all about.} But – I ramped up the flavor with things like some freshly ground black pepper, a bunch of red pepper flakes, and a little bit of southwestern seasoning on the chicken. OhmyYUM.

How to Make Weight Watchers Veggie Soup

Another amazing recipe I’m loving right now is the Simple Start Vegetable Soup. It’s just about the easiest thing ever, but I’m addicted. The basics are that you add some healthy oil – {it suggests Olive Oil, but I use my new fave, LifeOiL that I use in everything lately} – heat it up in a pan. Chop up some veggies, and throw ’em into the oil. Add some chicken broth and canned diced tomatoes, cook it all up with some seasonings, and ohmyheck – enjoy. {See a bowl of the Weight Watchers Simple Start Veggie Soup here.}

Weight Watchers Breakfast – Fat Free Yogurt with berries

I didn’t get a pic of it, but one of my fave breakfast ideas from the Simple Start app so far has been the “Toast with Cheese and Fruit.” And, before I get to that one, or the one above, let’s chat: I was super skeptical of these recipes at first. Like I said last week – I’m an extremely picky eater. And by that, I mean plain as heck. Boring.  I was a vegetarian for 6 years in my early 20’s. I still can’t really cook meat – do not even ASK me to cut a chicken breast into slices, ohmyheckohmy. I also don’t like many veggies. {Weird for a vegetarian. Heard it before. I know.} There’s no kind of fruit I’m not in love with though… Or carb. Oh baby baby, I love me some bread. Potatoes? The only way the world can make me not love them is making them au gratin. {You mean, “au grossness?”} So, it’s always a challenge for me to find a healthy eating plan that works for me and my quirky preferences.

Woah – Surprised face!

But almost every recipe on the Simple Start app works for me – even when I didn’t believe it would. So, like I mentioned above – Toast with cheese and fruit. One of the breakfast options is a couple of slices of reduced calorie whole wheat bread, topped with some fat-free ricotta cheese, and fresh blueberries. {Disclaimer: They also add some sugar substitute, which I don’t do.} You put it all on your toast, put it under the broiler with a couple other ingredients, just until the blueberries burst, and then totally devour with a surprised look on your face as you realize you like ricotta cheese in something other than a fat-loaded pasta. Oh – the possibilities! :) Which is why I’ve now been using blueberries on everything – like topping my fat free Greek yogurt with berries for breakfast! Again – yum. This is not a weight loss plan that makes you feel deprived. For reals.

If you’re ready to have a super simple start to getting healthy, fit, and fabulous this year, I can NOT recommend the Simple Start app enough. {Seriously, my friends are sick of me talking about it and showing it to them.} Get more info here: Weight Watchers Simple Start App.

And let’s chat ladies: Do you have weight loss goals? Plans? What are you doing – what are your goals? Leave some comments here, tweet me your goals at @sunandsipcups with the #SimpleStart hashtag, or post to my Facebook wall – photos, questions, motivational quotes, anything. Let’s help keep each other on track!