Oh what a refreshing past two weeks it has been.

I’ve seen a night and day difference in my relationship with food.

Even with all the stresses I’ve had here at work, I feel more in control, I know my limits, and most importantly — at least right now — I’m seeing results.

And what’s great about it is that it has all been manageable.

I’ve made a few small changes to my lifestyle — like planning ahead and surrounding myself with good options — and they’ve been helpful for preventing me from caving into temptation at the last minute.

I like having structure. It keeps me aware and accountable of my choices.

I look forward to the coming weeks.

Recipe

Here’s the recipe for the chicken with broccoli and garlic sauce that I talked about in my last column. I will attribute this to Weight Watchers, as it was in their week one booklet handed out.

Chicken with broccoli and garlic sauce (Serves 1)

1 t. olive oil

1/2 t. minced garlic

4 oz. uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces

pinch dried thyme

salt and pepper

1 c. broccoli florets

1/2 c. chicken broth

1 c. cooked brown rice

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté one minute. Season chicken with thyme, salt and pepper; add to skillet. Cook, stirring frequently until browned, about three minutes. Add broccoli; cook one minute. Add broth, cover and cook five minutes. Serve over rice.

Results

Week one of Weight Watchers I lost 5.6 pounds and week two I lost 2.2! That makes a total since starting Weight Watchers 7.8 pounds!

Sarah Stultz is a reporter at the Albert Lea Tribune. It is her goal in 2010 to get back on track with a healthy fitness and eating plan to ultimately lose weight. Her column appears every other Wednesday on the “Food” page in the print edition and as a blog on AlbertLeaTribune.com.