I generally not only try to follow WeightWatchers, but I also try to eat “low glycemic”, thus heading off Type ll Diabetes that can come with obesity. I read the labels most of the time and try to be discerning about certain things I eat, one being 100% Whole Wheat Bread. While I enjoy that, and if it’s good, stone ground or crushed wheat is even better, I do like the really soft white bread.

I don’t know how new this is, or if everyone knew but me, but my old friend Sara Lee has come out with a white bread that is only 45 calories, 4 grams of fiber, and 1 gram of sugar. It is still only 1 point for 2 pieces, just like the Oroweat, but it is really good. I still plan to eat my sandwiches on wheat, but it is so nice sometimes just to have that good old soft white bread for toast or with jam. Enjoy.

Watched Oprah today for the first time in a long time because today was the day she did the whole show on quitting smoking. As her guests, she had 3 gentlemen that are supposed to be SuperMen in this field, one being the nation’s leading expert on quitting. I smoked thru the entire show waiting for him to have some magic that I hadn’t heard of before. (I am a diehard smoker, and worse since working from home).

I smoke more in rebellion also, than I ever did. While I know I should quit, and I actually sort of want to quit, I am pissed that the laws are getting so rediculous in telling me where I’m allowed to smoke. While I understood when they stopped allowing smoking in restaurants, (children, people trying to eat, etc.) I was furious when they outlawed it in bars, supposedly to protect the employees. All my employees smoked. What do they think they accomplished? Now I can’t believe they have gotten away with outlawing it in whole towns, in your car and in your apartment or home. I know it’s bad for me, but let me decide to quit, not the government watching my car and my house.

I’ve always tried to be a considerate smoker and yes, I realize not everyone is, but this is just one more case where we go from one extreme to the other. The non-smokers had to put up with smoking for a long time, but instead of coming back and doing something that is fair for everyone, it’s the other extreme, where they’re trying to make it where you can’t smoke anywhere.

Enough of my little rant, thank you. What I had started out to say is that this guy on Oprah didn’t have any magic at all. They do have a new drug to add to the mix now, Chantrix, which I hear they have had great success with (altho after I first heard of this, there’s something in the warnings that scared the hell out of me. I just can’t remember what it is right now). Wellbutrin is supposed to be quite good also, but the plan for quitting smoking is still the same plan. One new twist they have, and this is the second time I’ve heard it, is figuring out what kind of smoker you are. After I finish here, I am going over to Oprah.com to see just what that is, besides being heavily addicted.

They say trying to change your eating habits and quit smoking at the same time is just setting yourself up to fail, but I figure “what the hell. I’m into self abuse”. LOL. My quitting smoking would definately make everyone around here rethink moving out.

It is “Ditch Your New Year’s Resolutions” Day! Always on Jan. 17th.  Supposedly, this is the day where if you have any broken resolutions, feel guilty about any you made, or have resolutions your having a hard time keeping, (maybe made after too much champagne), today’s the day you have permission to “ditch” them. You don’t have to feel guilty any more!

While losing weight is in the top 10 resolutions made every year, I prefer to think of it as a goal. We all need goals, right? And so go my resolutions. Just like my goals, I may not always hit them, but I don’t ever want to quit trying.

In keeping with the fact that this is basically a blog about food and living a leaner lifestyle, I thought I would share a little insight as to some of the “food customs” of New Year’s Day. If you would like to read more about “Ditch Your Resolutions” Day - Pt 1″, visit my blog at http://www.lauriannsnewlife.blogspot.com 

I’ve been doing some strategic planning and research. Still working on my New Year’s Resolutions (New goals for 200 and a schedule to get them done.

I was so mad. I came across an exercise video that I was going to savor over and over, and now I can’t find it. It was a humorous musical on the net entitled “Get Off My Ass”, at least I think that was the name of it. Very motivational. LOL.

So I am still here and will be back to posting more regularly as my schedule starts to get written in cement.

Hope you all are having good luck in the New Year.

aren’t exactly starting out as “buddies”. So far, my dog died early morning day after New Year’s (or late New Year’s nite). Then come the storms for Northern California. Wind gusts upto about 92 mph they said on the news and enough rain that my ceiling is like being underneath a collander and looking up. (I desparately need a new roof). We were without power all day and a good portion of the evening.  The power came on briefly, but not long enough for me to cook, so I ended up ordering pizza. We didn’t have power to cook with, but other parts of town did.  Not exactly ‘diet’ friendly, but I had the points since all I did was nibble raw veggies most of the day.

I actually enjoyed not having power, a little bit. It was sort of romantic with all the candles and it was the first time the BF and I have talk-talked in quite awhile. I was just getting ready to hit him with the “deep” stuff, when the lights came back on and of course, so did the TV. 

My oldest daughter came up from Paso the other day to help open a new restaurant in a town about 30 minutes south of us. On her way she almost hit this little dog out on the freeway. She pulled over and said it came right to her. She said it had no ‘car sense’ and she was afraid it was going to get hit if she left him there, so she brought him here. Thanks. She obviously didn’t read my blog where I said I was too old anymore for the “puppy” stage. LOL

He’s actually very cute and was pretty friendly. He’s a brown chihuahuah (sp) and we’ve named him “Chewey”. In the meantime I’m checking ads to see if anyone lost a dog in the area she found him. My cats aren’t quite sure what to do with him yet. One thing they did decide is he wasn’t going to get away with barking and chasing them. He’s little enough, they taught him the pecking order around here pretty quickly.

Actually, better than back to normal. I love the start of a New Year.  I started many years ago feeling like New Year’s Day was the day to put all the bad stuff from the year before behind me, and looking forward to a whole new beginning. It’s sort of like starting on day 1 with a brand new slate to draw anything you want however you want.

We had a very nice and quiet New Year’s Eve with low fat and fatfree cheese and crackers, ham and salami. A little champagne and to sleep I’m afraid, long before midnite. It was the first year in many I have been home instead of throwing a huge party. I enjoyed it immensely.

New Year’s day I baked a Honeybaked ham the BF got from his company for Christmas. I don’t know how Honeybaked does it, but I would pay for one, which I consider to be very expensive, because they are so worth it. I have tried spiral sliced hams from the grocery store, but they always come out so dry, etc.

I made blackeyed peas for goodluck with the hambone from XMAS and tried my substitute for cheesecake, for dessert. (I wrote about the ‘cheesecake’ flavored pudding in a post around Thanksgiving). While it was ok (rather rich), it definately did not taste anything like cheesecake to me. I am back to trying to find a cheesecake that will not take my whole day of points for 1 slice.

I got up this morning and my little American Eskimo dog named Baby, had passed on. Over the last few months she has been going down hill rapidly. First was her eyesite, then hearing, and then a few days ago she just started to die. I was going to put her down this morning if she hadn’t gone on her own. She’s just been so miserable the last few days, even tho she didn’t seem to be in pain. I just couldn’t let her suffer anymore. Thankfully, it didn’t come to that. We’ve had her for about 14 yrs. and it was hard enough just coming to that decision, let alone if I would have actually had to do it. I don’t know if I can handle anymore dogs. The last one we had grew to old age, and I had to put her down after having her for years. It’s so like losing one of the family. I still have about 5 cats. Maybe that’s enough. I think I’m too old to go thru anymore “puppy” stages anyhow. As long as I stay away from the pound, I should be fine. LOL.

Hope all of you had a wonderful New Year’s holiday and may 2007 be the worst of all your years to come. God Bless