This is a sponsored post for Always Eat After 7 PM: The Revolutionary Rule-Breaking Diet That Lets You Enjoy Huge Dinners, Desserts, and Indulgent Snacks—While Burning Fat Overnight written by me; all opinions are my own.

It’s time for me to get really raw and honest with you guys: as you may have seen on Instagram, I gained 10 pounds last year. Oh, and I put on five after my wedding in water weight (or, as I like to call it, “wedding cake weight”), so I guess we should call it an even 15, yeah? Oops! 

I first struggled with a plateau, and then my weight loss goals went on the back burner for maintenance - which was an epic fail seeing as I gained weight - while I was planning my wedding. And I think after doing the same diet for so many years, my body - more specifically, my poor metabolism - needed a shake up.

Enter Always Eat After 7 PM: The Revolutionary Rule-Breaking Diet That Lets You Enjoy Huge Dinners, Desserts, and Indulgent Snacks—While Burning Fat Overnight by Joel Marion, a new book (available now!) that debunks popular diet myths and offers an easy-to-follow diet that accelerates fat-burning and allows you to indulge in your most intense food cravings, split up into three phases:

1. A two-week long Acceleration Phase meant to help you kick-start the program on a high note.
2. The Main Phase where you take all the fundamentals from the book and really build upon them until you hit your goal weight.
3. The Lifestyle Phase to help you maintain your goal once you get there. 

I’ve tried transformation challenges this year… and while I toned up a little bit from hitting the gym (and, while gyms are shut down, at-home workouts), I still am struggling to see the scale move and to drop fat. The diet plans on those weren’t all that different than what I ate before, so I think ultimately, I really need to change up how I’m eating. I want to finally get to my goal weight, so I figured I’d take on the challenge of an entirely new plan.

​Whether you’re looking for a new diet plan or just want some new recipes to try - I’ve read through the whole book and they look delicious (and include desserts - y’all know I have a huge sweet tooth) - I recommend giving this a whirl, too, and we can do this together!

Joel’s story resonated deeply with me because it was so relatable. It’s refreshing to see something from an expert who understands what it’s like to be on a weight loss journey, and to try everything that we’ve been taught works only to find that it doesn’t always work as easily as it sounds.

​Joel himself lost 50 pounds and developed this after, like so many of us, he got tired of turning to plain grilled chicken and vegetables to lose weight. When I read Joel's story, I felt like he was speaking personally to me. I’ve been slaving away in the gym, making sure my food log is perfect… and after dropping five pounds of that wedding cake weight, nothing has really changed since the end of January. To say I’m frustrated is an understatement. 

​As Joel says in the book, “People everywhere subject themselves to lives of starvation dieting and exercising hell, and none of it is working. They crave food, walk around hungry all day, and miss out on one of life’s great pleasures—eating good food. And when they fail, as most dieters will, they feel guilty and full of self-hatred. But they haven’t failed. Those diets have failed them.”​

So, before I dive super deep, let’s bust a diet myth real quick. How many times have we been told that eating at night, especially carbs, will put your metabolism to a halt? I know I’ve heard that one many times before! But there’s some research out there that Always Eat After 7 PM dives into. I’ll let Joel explain that one (without giving away too many spoilers) - he’s the expert, after all!

I’m so excited to be implementing these lifestyle changes and seeing how they work for me. This is so different from anything I’ve done before, but I am so excited - especially after past diet plans I’ve followed (and even succeed on) have me feeling burned out. Shaking off these last 10 pounds for good and finally hitting my goal, here I come!

Who's in with me?  Let me know if you're following along!

This is a sponsored post for Always Eat After 7 PM: The Revolutionary Rule-Breaking Diet That Lets You Enjoy Huge Dinners, Desserts, and Indulgent Snacks—While Burning Fat Overnight written by me; all opinions are my own.

There are affiliate links throughout this blog post for your convenience, where I can earn a small commission. I never support a product or brand I don't personally use and enjoy, but if you'd like to learn more, you can head to this page on my blog!
​
Taking a break from the #DisneyMagicMoments recipes here! My husband wanted cinnamon rolls, I had the stuff for two ingredient dough in the house... you can see where this is going!

These mini cinnamon rolls use the two ingredient dough as a base and are super simple to make. They’re only 3 SmartPoints for one on all myWW plans, 75 calories a pop, and fat free. So you can enjoy these tasty treats as a snack or for breakfast with no guilt and a cup of coffee. Say no to deprivation, friends, and I hope you enjoy this recipe!

The key to sweetening up the dough? I added a little Jordan's Skinny Syrups to it. Similarly to the Mickey beignets I made, it really helps mellow out some of the tangy notes you might get from the Greek yogurt. For this recipe I used a caramel waffle cone flavor, but anything similar or with vanilla would also do the trick.

Also, for the powdered sugar — a little goes a long way with the glaze! Remember, these are minis so you don’t need a ton of glaze to go between all eight rolls. Or, if you opt to make 4 larger rolls from this mix (which you could, but then the points values would be different), the same amount of glaze should suffice if you wanted more per roll.

Serves 8

• 1 cup self rising flour
• 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt (I’ve found that Fage works best)
• 1 tbsp Jordan’s Skinny Syrups (I used caramel waffle cone, but any caramel or vanilla like flavor works!), or vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp of cinnamon + two extra dashes
• 2 tbsp of powdered sugar
• ~1 tsp water

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a baking pan with some nonstick spray. I used a 9 x 13 pan, but you should still have plenty of room in something like an 8 x 8.
2. In a mixer or a larger bowl, combine the yogurt, flour, syrup (or vanilla extract) and a dash of cinnamon.
3. Roll out the dough so it’s thin and then cut into eight strips.
4. Divide 1 tbsp of cinnamon across all 8 strips.
5. Roll up your strips like you would a yoga mat. If they’re tall, you can gently flatten them with your palm or fist so it has more of the typical cinnamon roll shape and swirl.
6. Spray with buttery spray and sprinkle with a last dash of cinnamon, then bake for 20 minutes.
7. In a small bowl, combine 2 tbsp of powdered sugar and a drop of water. Start small with the water - we barely even used a teaspoon’s worth, so play it by ear so your glaze has a nice, thick texture but still runny enough to drizzle onto the rolls. Store in refrigerator until serving.
8. When cinnamon buns are done and cooled, drizzle the glaze onto the cinnamon buns and then serve.

3 SmartPoints for 1 roll and 6 SP for 2 on myWW Green
3 SmartPoints for 1 roll and 5 SP for 2 on myWW Purple and Blue

Calories: 75
Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 1.7 mg
Sodium: 210.9 mg
Carbohydrates: 15.1 g
Fiber: 1 g
Sugar: 2.9 g
Protein: 4.5 g

There are affiliate links throughout this blog post for your convenience, where I can earn a small commission. I never support a product or brand I don't personally use and enjoy, but if you'd like to learn more, you can head to this page on my blog!

When I saw this French toast recipe from the PCH Grill in Disneyland as part of the #DisneyMagicMoments series, I knew I had to try to recreate it but in a WW-friendly way for a decadent weekend breakfast. Looking at the ingredients, it may seem hard to do since it's very sugary, but I have my secrets that I'm going to share! The original recipe was 24 SmartPoints for a serving, but I got it down to just 8 SmartPoints per serving. Win!

Beyond the lower sugar swaps and omitting the powdered sugar and chocolate drizzle that it called for (which, honestly, it didn't need since it has so much flavor!), the biggest trick to lowering the SmartPoints count here is increasing the serving size. The original recipe said it made 4 servings in a 9x13 pan... which is huge! Especially when you consider this recipe uses Challah specifically. For those of you unfamiliar, Challah is a Jewish bread that is baked with honey and yeast, and typically braided... and thus is super thick. I split mine into 8 servings and an eighth of the pan was more than plenty for breakfast, especially with some fruit on the side!

If you do decide you want to top with some powdered sugar, to keep things low in SmartPoints, remember that a little goes a long way - start with a measured out teaspoon per serving. Also, with chocolate syrup, Hershey's makes lite and sugar-free versions that you can try out.

You'll notice in my photos that this doesn't have any banana - that's because, like I mentioned in my Dole Whip article, my husband and I aren't really into bananas. It's fine when blended with other fruits to make sorbets and Dole Whip since you can't even taste it, but we definitely didn't want it on our French toast. I'll include the bananas in the nutritional information and ingredients list, however, and keep their place in Disney's instructions.

Challah can be tricky to make if you've never made it or another kind of bread from scratch before. Take it from me - I've been playing with Jewish recipes since discovering my Ashkenazi ancestry in 2018, and the first time I tried to make Challah, it was an epic fail. But luckily, you can order it on Amazon! Different bakeries have it available there, and you can also get it from Whole Foods delivered to you via Amazon Prime (click here for a 30-day free trial!). This saved me a ton of time and helped keep it tasting delicious. If your Challah that you order online doesn't have nutritional information, check Publix's website - sometimes, their bakery offers it so the nutritional values are all there.

The key to the healthy swaps here is actually three things: Lily's baking chips over regular chocolate chips, whipped creamy peanut butter instead of regular or reduced fat (fun fact: normal and reduced fat peanut butters are the same points! Whipped is less points, however.), and using almond milk with unsweetened cocoa instead of chocolate milk. I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk and put it in the blender with a little Stevia and 2 tsp of unsweetened cocoa powder. I blended that first, and then added the rest to the blender per the recipe, and it worked out perfectly. Also, if you're watching your calories or on myWW Green, I recommend using 1.5 cup of liquid egg substitute instead of real eggs. My nutritional info will base it off of the substitute, but as eggs aren't any points on myWW Purple and Blue, that won't really affect the points value either way.

• 16 oz Challah bread, cut into thick slices then cubed
• 2 bananas
• 1/4 cupLily's baking chips
• 1/2 cup whipped creamy peanut butter
• 1 1/2 cup liquid egg substitute 
• 3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 2 packets Stevia
• 2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt 
• Optional (not included in nutritional info or SP): powdered sugar to top
• Optional (not included in nutritional info or SP): Light or sugar-free chocolate syrup

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
2. Take the cubed Challah and place into a large bowl. Slice bananas into 1/2 inch slices and add to bowl. Stir in chocolate chips.
3. In a blender, combine the almond milk, Stevia, and cocoa powder. Blend until it makes chocolate milk, then add the peanut butter, egg substitute, cinnamon, and salt and process until smooth.
4. Pour the egg mixture over the bread mixture and stir gently until the bread cubes have absorbed the egg mixture.
5. Add mixture to the baking pan, and bake for 40 minutes or until top is golden brown.
6. Optional: before serving, drizzle with chocolate syrup and dust with powdered sugar.

8 SP on all myWW plans
Calories: 329
Fat: 14.6 g
Saturated fat: 3 g
Trans fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 49.7 mg
Sodium: 409.4 ,g
Carbohydrates: 38.2 g
Fiber: 3.7 g
Sugar: 14.1 g
Protein: 11.7 g

Have you tried this recipe? Let me know on social media or comment below!

There are affiliate links throughout this blog post for your convenience, where I can earn a small commission. I never support a product or brand I don't personally use and enjoy, but if you'd like to learn more, you can head to this page on my blog!

When Disney shared their Grey Stuff recipe as part of the #DisneyMagicMoments series on Saturday, my mom told me it would be awesome if she could have it for Mother's Day. The catch: both my parents and myself are all on Weight Watchers. I took a quick peek at the recipe and sighed in relief when I saw how easy this one would be to modify. So I added the ingredients to Instacart and got ready for curbside pickup Mother's Day morning.

The beauty (pun not intended... get it? Beauty and the Beast?) of this healthy swap is that it's just fat free or lighter versions of the same ingredients that Disney provided. So the flavor is really identical, and the Grey Stuff still maintains its creaminess. Their recipe called for a cookie and has you serve it like they do at Disneyland, but being a Walt Disney World local with a mother who loves cupcakes, I figured I'd make this like how we enjoy it at Be Our Guest: on top of a chocolate cupcake.

This Disney-inspired recipe is only a grand total of 5 SmartPoints: 2 for the Grey Stuff and 3 for the cupcakes (this holds true for all myWW plans). After delivering the cupcakes to my mom for Mother's Day, she and my dad both agreed that the Grey Stuff tasted identical to what we were served at Be Our Guest. The beauty of it, too, is that this recipe makes a lot of Grey Stuff, so you can be pretty liberal in applying the frosting to your cupcakes. I didn't have a piping bag, but I bet you could really make a mountain with it if you did!

To make the cupcakes, the secret here isn't the Weight Watchers soda cake recipe that's been passed around for years - nope, the key to making your cake moist is actually Greek yogurt! I like to use Dannon Light & Fit Greek yogurt for this one, and pair the flavor accordingly. Since the Grey Stuff is essentially a cookies-and-cream pudding, I used a vanilla yogurt in a chocolate cake mix. The chocolate overpowered, and Boston Cream Pie flavor also pairs really well with chocolate cake mixes. If you're using a white or yellow cake mix, try the Strawberry Cheesecake flavor for a mild strawberry cake flavor. Since I only had the single serve cups, I measured out exactly how much was in it and then added some plain nonfat Greek yogurt as well to round it out to the 8 ounces needed for the recipe. I originally saw this making the rounds on WW Connect, and have been hooked to it ever since.

Similarly to the soda cake recipe, you bake this cake per the directions on the box. Super simple! I prefer the yogurt swap over the soda because it gives the cake a little protein and is a little more moist, and thus more filling. I can fly through a bunch of those soda cupcakes, but after just one or two of these, I'm perfectly satisfied. This recipe calls for 24 cupcakes, which works out perfectly because that lowers the SmartPoints of the original Grey Stuff recipe even more (it called for 12 servings).

If you're worried about having Oreo Thins in the house, instead of getting the traditional sleeve, you can get single-serving packs on Amazon. You get 12 packs of 4, so you'll have plenty for the recipe and then if you do reach for Oreos, it's at least pre-portioned for you.

You'll see that the recipe is almost identical to Disney's, just with some fat-free swaps here and there. The instructions remain the same, so those are courtesy of the #DisneyMagicMoments recipe as well. I'll separate their ingredients, but since I made one while waiting on the other and recommend you do the same, I'll list the instructions together.

• 1 1/2 cups cold fat free milk 
• 1 (3.4 ounce) package sugar-free fat-free instant vanilla pudding mix 
• 15 Oreo Thins
• 1 (8 ounce) container fat-free whipped topping, thawed 
• 3 tablespoons sugar-free fat-free instant chocolate pudding mix  

• 8 ounces nonfat Greek yogurt
• ​8 ounces water
• 1 box cake mix (I use Betty Crocker's super moist chocolate fudge; you could lighten this recipe up even further with one of the Pillsbury Sugar Free mixes, but my mom can't have sugar alcohols so I passed on those!).
• Pam spray for your cupcake pans (I use the baking one, but a buttery one would work too)

1. In a large mixing bowl, add milk and vanilla pudding mix. Whisk until smooth and slightly thickened, then place in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours (I let mine set for 1 hour and it was perfect, but each fridge may vary)
2. Heat your oven to the temperature indicated on the cupcake mix. In a mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, water, and Greek yogurt. Mix until thick and a little fluffy.
3. Use Pam spray for your cupcake tins and use a spoon to scoop cupcake batter across 24 tins (if you only have one cupcake tin, save half the batter for a second batch). Bake per the time listed on the cupcake box.
4. While your cupcakes cool, puree 15 Oreo Thins with a food processor. Set aside until the hour is up for the pudding mix.
5. Add the pureed Oreos into the pudding mix and mix thoroughly until well combined. Then, add the container of fat-free whipped topping and 3 tbsp of chocolate pudding mix, and mix again until everything is well combined. If your Grey Stuff has a brownish undertone, that's okay - it's from the chocolate pudding mix! 
6. Let the Grey Stuff mix cool in the fridge for another hour.
7. When Grey Stuff is complete, use a piping bag (or, if you're scrappy like me, a spoon) to evenly distribute Grey Stuff to tops of 24 cupcakes.

Serves 24
3 SP on all myWW plans
Calories: 85
Fat: 1.5 g
Cholesterol: 0.6 mg 
Sodium: 123.5 mg
Carbohydrates: 16.1 g
Fiber: 0 g
Sugar: 8.9 g
Protein: 1.3 g

Serves 24
2 SP on all myWW plans
Calories: 49
Fat: 0.8 g
Cholesterol: 0.3 mg 
Sodium: 146.5 mg
Carbohydrates: 8.8 g
Fiber: 0.2 g
Sugar: 3.2 g
Protein: 0.7 g

Try this recipe? Let me know in the comments or tag me on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter @magicallyfit! Or, you can save this recipe on Pinterest for later.

There are Amazon affiliate links throughout this blog post for your convenience. When you purchase through these, I can earn a small commission. I never support a product or brand I don't personally use and enjoy, but if you'd like to learn more, you can head to this page on my blog!

In my determination to keep trying these #DisneyMagicMoments desserts (ICYMI, I started off by making my own Zero SmartPoint Dole Whip), I decided that next up should be something I wasn't sure was possible - but with a little air-fryer magic, it certainly was! 

When Disney posted their recipe for Mickey Mouse beignets, I couldn't help but wonder - can I do this with the famous WW two-ingredient dough recipe to lighten these up and eliminate the need for frying and for yeast? I had everything in the house to make these, and I've never worked with yeast before, and wanted to see if it would work. The short answer: yes! They didn't rise as much as a typical beignet, but I also could have probably rolled my dough a bit thinner to help achieve that effect. It worked out though, since my husband prefers denser desserts over something more airy.

Here's how I did it, plus an optional and easy way to make your own lightened chocolate sauce for these. These are (without the chocolate sauce) only 4 SmartPoints for a quarter of the batch on all myWW plans!

Pro tip: if you're on the Purple or Blue myWW plan, Jordan's Skinny Syrups are great to give your plain, nonfat Greek yogurt some flavor while keeping it Zero Points. Snack win!

After rolling the dough as thin as you possibly can (I recommend using a rolling pin that you've dusted with a little flour), use a Mickey Mouse cookie cutter to cut out the shakes of your Mickey Mouse beignets. To make as many as you possibly can, take the excess dough and roll it out and keep repeating until you have no choice but to make a few small squares. If you don't want to make your beignets Mickey Mouse shaped, you could just cut your dough into squares and make them that way. I got my Mickey Mouse cookie cutter on Amazon in a 2 pack, but they have a variety of types that you can choose from to bring some magic into your kitchen.

I then air fried them, taking it only five minutes at a time. It may vary from air fryer to air fryer, but these didn't take long at all. I waited until the edges began to look a little golden, but not too golden as to not have them be overdone. I'd also recommend flipping them at least once so the bottoms can rise as much as the tops.

No air fryer? No problem! Try baking them at 350, again just taking it only a few minutes at a time. When making bagels with the dough, it typically takes 25 minutes for them to bake - but these are much smaller. It'll depend on the size of your beignets, too. If baking, spritz with a little buttery spray.

I then took all of the beignets - this batch made about 30 - and put them in a plastic container. Since I didn't use any oil, the powdered sugar didn't stick super well, but was good to take from the bottom of the container and sprinkle on top as needed before serving, so that way none of it went to waste and I didn't need to spend extra SmartPoints.

In case you wanted a little extra sweetness (or have a chocoholic like my husband in your family), you can easily whip up some chocolate sauce by melting chocolate chips. I like to use Lily's brand since they're sweetened with stevia instead of sugar (but do have sugar alcohol in them, so go easy on it if you're sensitive to that!) and that makes them lower in SmartPoints. I used 1 SmartPoints worth of chips for my beignets, which went a very long way, so that brought my total up to 5 SmartPoints - given I used to spend that on one Fiber One cookie when they used to make those, I'll take it given my batch of 30 meant I got about 7 mini beignets! Just heat the desired amount of chips in the microwave 15 seconds at a time, stirring between rounds to make sure it melts without burning.

We brought the other two servings to my parents, who agreed that while it may not have been as fluffy and airy as a traditional beignet, it's definitely a fantastic Weight Watchers-friendly alternative that curbs the craving due to it's very similar flavors and close-enough textures (especially if you roll your dough thinner, ha!). My husband (who is not on WW) said he couldn't tell the difference between this and a typical beignet, and prefers the density that these had since, as aforementioned, that's how he likes his pastries. So I'll call it a success!

Serves 4

Instructions

• Mix together Greek yogurt, 1 cup flour, and syrup/extract until well combined. Dough's texture will likely be a little sticky!
• On a pastry board or similar surface, sprinkle your extra flour so the dough doesn't stick. Use a rolling pin to get your dough as thin as you possibly can.
• Cut out your beignets with a knife into squares, or using a Mickey Mouse cookie cutter​
• Repeat steps 2-3 as necessary with excess dough.
• Optional: spray a bit of buttery spray to your beignets.
• Air fry or bake your beignets at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Every air fryer may be a bit different, so whether air frying or baking, take it 5 minutes at a time to make sure they don't burn since they're so small. Flip at least once during this process.
  • They'll be done when the edges are starting to look a bit golden.
• Put beignets in a container with 2 tbsp powdered sugar. Shake until beignets are coated.
  • If powdered sugar goes to the bottom of the container, use excess to sprinkle on top before serving your beignets.
• To make the sauce: microwave chocolate chips in 15 second increments, stirring each time to make sure they melt evenly without burning.
• Divide amount of beignets into quarters. Each quarter is one serving.

4 SmartPoints on all myWW plans
Calories: 145
Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 3.3 mg
Sodium: 423.5 mg
Carbohydrates: 28.7 mg
Fiber: 1 g
Sugar: 5.7 g
Protein: 9 g

There are affiliate links throughout this blog post for your convenience, where I can earn a small commission. I never support a product or brand I don't personally use and enjoy, but if you'd like to learn more, you can head to this page on my blog!

With Walt Disney World closed due to COVID-19, I've been missing the parks like crazy. I'm looking forward to the day the parks are able to safely reopen (but I'll still tread with caution!), but in the meantime, I wanted to be able to bring some of the magic into my home - more specifically, my kitchen.

I saw Disney Parks Blog sharing their #DisneyMagicMoments, which have been amazing and includes a "Cooking Up the Magic At Home" selection of Disney recipes. I've been drooling over a lot of them, but upon seeing the points values in the Weight Watchers app, I was shocked and knew there had to be a way to take these recipes and modify them so I could still enjoy the flavors of my favorite place without giving my food tracker the kiss of death.

And by all means - if you want to follow Disney's recipes to the T because the last thing you're worried about is food right now, then go for it! But for me, one of the things I can control is my eating. I hope you can enjoy my lightened up versions of these Disney recipes, too!

While I work on modifying some of the other recipes, I figured I'd start with something simple and tried-and-true: Dole Whip! My husband and I love to make this two-ingredient knock off of Dole Whip at home every summer, and it was perfect after a long bike ride this weekend. This Dole Whip is Zero SmartPoints on all myWW programs and contains just two things: frozen pineapple and frozen banana.

Now, Weight Watchers friends, I know what you're about to say: Jess, isn't blended fruit points because of how we eat it? Yes! However, things get a little different when making "nice cream" with bananas. When you look up different Weight Watchers ice cream recipes with banana, they all come to Zero Points (unless there's other stuff with points values added). Weight Watchers Canada explains it even further: research shows that when you have something in a smoothie that requires a straw, you're not chewing. The lack of chewing may impact the signals that go off between your stomach and the brain. When you're using a spoon, however, that means you're experiencing eating rather than drinking, so you're less likely to overindulge. 

The secret to how I get my homemade Dole Whip to have the perfect texture is a Yonanas machine. I love making "nice cream" with it! I received it as a wedding shower gift and my husband and I love experimenting with different fruit combinations to make, and Dole Whip remains our favorite. You use the nozzle to push the frozen fruit into, using a slightly overripe banana that's been frozen and slightly thawed (it comes with a book that gives you some pro tips and some recipes) and whatever other fruit you want to use.

Here's the beauty of this recipe, too: I absolutely hate bananas. Like, with a burning passion. But when you blend it with other fruit to make nice cream, I barely even taste it! With the Yonanas, I like to alternate the order in which the fruit goes in - a little banana, then a little pineapple, then a little banana, so on and so fort - so that way it blends nice and evenly. I can barely tell that it's in there - it's present, but the pineapple really overpowers it.

If you don't have a Yonanas machine but you do have a food processor or a blender, I imagine either of those options would do the trick. However, if you're using a blender, you may want to experiment with adding ice to see how the consistency comes out - it may take some trial and error, but would work nonetheless!
​

So, with all that being said, now you're ready to make your own Polynesian Resort or Aloha Isle inspired dessert at home! This treat is low calorie, no SmartPoints on all myWW plans, and super refreshing as the weather gets hot - especially as we all miss Disney right now.

Serves: 4

Nutritional info per serving (per MyFitnessPal):
Calories: 113 
Fat: 0.2 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 0.6 mg
Carbohydrates: 29.8 g
Fiber: 3.3 g
Sugar: 19 g
Added Sugar: 0 g
Protein: 1.5 g

0 SP on all myWW plans

P.S. If you really don't want to blend some fruit up for a pretty close copycat... you can buy a 4.4 pound bag of the dry Dole mix on Amazon in any flavor (depending on what's in stock). It makes 89 half cup servings, so I imagine it would last you a really long time or be best off in a commercial freezer, but these are weird times. Do what makes you happy. ? ​

I'd love to hear from you if you have! Leave a comment and let me know how it came out, or post a photo and tag me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram: @magicallyfit! 

I was almost selected to be in a WW commercial, so I’m here to tell you what that all entailed in case you're curious! I’ve been a member of Weight Watchers since December 2015, when  they just launched the Beyond the Scale program, and have been a Lifetime member for a few years now. I've lost a grand total of 73 lbs.

I really want to share this process with you guys about how this all worked so you can get a little sneak peek behind the scenes and, in case you’re ever in this position, know what to expect. I ultimately wasn’t selected - and I’m not bitter or anything, so this isn’t being written out of animosity! - but still wanted to let you all get a chance to know what’s behind the curtain.

There are affiliate links throughout this blog post where I can earn a small commission. I never support a product or brand I don't personally use and enjoy, but if you'd like to learn more, you can head to this page on my blog!

It all started with an Instagram Story. I check Stories every so often on Instagram, and as I scrolled through the one for WW, I saw them call out for people to submit their stories online for a chance to be a part of their Spring 2020 marketing materials. I wrote up my success story and sent it along with a before and after of myself, as requested. I explained in depth how I started Weight Watchers in December 2015 after I graduated college and didn’t want to share any of my graduation photos with anyone, and how my mom and I were actually returning to Weight Watchers after we lost weight on it when I was in high school a few years prior. We knew it was a plan that worked for us, so we figured it would work again so long as we worked it.

I was then sent an email from the Weight Watchers team asking for a video of me answering some of their questions a few days later. They asked me a lot of the same questions that were covered in the initial submission, but I had no problem re-answering them so they could have everything handy or however they needed it for the process. I was told that if I was selected to interview, I would be compensated for my time at that second stage. 

Every time they’d tell me I’d hear back from them by a certain day, they’d be very late in this process. I think this was partly because the selection phase was really close to the day they wanted to film - I was interviewing for a commercial that would air in about two weeks. Honestly, I’m not sure if the commercial’s filming ever happened or not due to COVID-19 since this was all happening in early March, but I guess time will tell if we see some spring marketing materials pop up!

Anyways, after a few days where I’d anxiously await a promised email, I finally was told I was moving forward to the interview stage. A Zoom conference call was set up with me and a few of the people with the production company, since WW uses an agency rather than an in-house team, and no one from WW was on the call. The questions they asked me were really redundant in the sense that I had answered these twice now. So if you ever apply, just be prepared to share your story a lot and to repeat yourself.

​No one brought up anything about the aforementioned payment. I didn’t bother to ask in the interview to not seem rude, and the interview only lasted about 10 minutes. They told me they loved my story and were pretty into it, but after a few days (again, much longer of a wait time than promised), I was told by the WW employees who initially reached out that they were going in a different direction so I was not selected. My guess is that it’s because I’m a Lifetime member who is not trying to lose a ton of weight and already has - they were really focused on how much weight people lost on myWW since it rolled out in November, and I’ve been maintaining. 

I politely asked WW about the payment I was promised, and had to follow up with them after a week of no responses. It was then they then told me that it was only for those who were selected for the commercial (as you can see in the provided screenshot, that wasn’t what they told me). After replying with their previous emails to me copied and pasted, they eventually agreed to give me the promised compensation… and that was a process, too. Whoever was in charge of this shoot didn’t seem to really have their ducks in a row. They sent me all these tax forms with things that didn’t apply, directed me to the wrong people to ask for help (and they got seemingly frustrated when I’d reach out to the people they directed me to with questions), and then eventually just gave up and verified my address to send me a check. I got $50, which I didn’t necessarily care about but felt like on principle they should honor what they originally told me. 

All in all, the experience felt pretty disjointed and unorganized. It was stressful not because I was anxious about being selected or not, but because everything was really rushed and all over the place, and communication on their end could have (and should have) been handled way better. I wish I had someone to tell me what I could expect before this process, so I hope now that you can be prepared in case you see a similar Instagram story to the one I did!

My favorite EPCOT festival is upon us! The EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival is here March 4 - June 1, 2020, and I'm looking forward to all the topiaries and Garden Rocks series. But if you're no stranger to my blog, you know I come out with a Weight Watchers version of the Foodie Guides that Disney Parks Blog comes out with every year - that is, I take a look at the full menu of all the festival food offerings and break down what I think the best options are for people following plans like WW, My Fitness Pal calorie counting, South Beach, etc. That's not changing any time soon, so let's grab our flowers and take a look at the menu!

GF = Gluten Free; PB = Plant Based

There are affiliate links throughout this blog post where I can earn a small commission. I never support a product or brand I don't personally use and enjoy, but if you'd like to learn more, you can head to this page on my blog!

Let's talk first though about two things: dessert options and beverages. 

When it comes to desserts, I know that you're probably expecting me to say "avoid them entirely" since this is just as much a WW blog as it is a Disney one. But here's the thing: living your life avoiding a type of food is not realistic, and it's important to have a healthy relationship with food! Getting rid of language like "cheat," "bad," "naughty," etc. is important, and depriving yourself isn't healthy either! What I like to do when it comes to desserts, since I have a sweet tooth, is try something different that I can't just go home and easily make myself or pick up at the grocery store. This way, I'm not deprived but I also know I'm not going to set off a food craving. If you decide to try this, let me know how it works for you!

For beverages... I don't drink, so I can't speak to which alcohols are going to be lower in SmartPoints. And honestly, it could depend on exactly how much they pour in that day - every ounce counts! However, if you are aiming for whatever the lowest SmartPoints options or lowest calories are, then I am always going to recommend non-alcoholic in the event that the options are different mixed drinks (which a lot of these are). However, I'm still going to include the full list here, including beverages, just so you can make the most informed decision you possibly can leading up to your trip to EPCOT's International Flower and Garden Festival!

• Grilled Baby Vegetables with Hummus Cream and Red Pepper Coulis (PB)
• Seared Verlasso Salmon with Farro Risotto and Micro-herbs
• Strawberry Mousse with Chocolate Crisp Pearls 

  Beverage:

• Blood Orange Agua Fresca (non alcoholic)
• Cookie Butter Worms and Dirt (non alcoholic)

Magically Fit's recommendations: I think the grilled vegetables or seared salmon are good choices here - you've got some good protein options with lighter sides, and besides, they're sample-sized rather than a full meal! 

Food:

• Roasted Cauliflower with Buckwheat Honey Carrot Puree, Wild Rice Pilaf, Asparagus, Honey-blistered Grapes, Sunflower Brittle, and Coriander Flowers  (GF)
• Honey Tandoori Chicken Flatbread with White Cheddar Cheese, Charred Vegetables, Clover Honey Sour Cream, and Micro Citrus Greens 
• Local Wildflower Honey-Mascarpone Cheesecake with Orange Blossom Honey Ice Cream garnished with Fennel Pollen Meringue Kisses

Beverage:

• Honey-Peach Freeze in a Souvenir Spike the Bee Sipper Cup (non-alcoholic)
  
  • Novelty Sipper Only Available While Supplies Last
• B. Nektar New Wave Lemonade Mead, Ferndale MI
• Florida Orange Groves Winery Orange Blossom Honey Wine, St. Petersburg, FL 
• Honey-Peach Freeze with Blueberry Vodka

​Magically Fit's recommendations: I'd go for the cauliflower option - I see a lot of zero to low SmartPoints options, and is a little lighter on the fats than the chicken flatbread.

Food:

• Spicy Hot Dog with Pineapple Chutney and Plantain Chips
• Mixed Berry Buttermilk Cake
• DOLE Whip (PB)

Beverage:

• Frozen Desert Violet Lemonade (Non-Alcoholic) 
• DOLE Whip with Fanta (Non-Alcoholic)
• Collective Arts Brewing Piña Colada Sour, Hamilton, Ontario
• Maui Brewing Co. Pineapple Mana Wheat, Kihei, HI
• SweetWater Brewing Company Goin’ Coastal IPA with Pineapple, Atlanta, GA 
• Playalinda Brewing Company Violet Lemonade Ale, Titusville, FL 
• Florida Orange Groves Winery Sparkling Pineapple Wine, St. Petersburg, FL 
• DOLE Whip  with Parrot Bay Coconut Rum 
• Pineapple Beer Flight 

Food:

• Lobster Tail with Meyer Lemon Emulsion and Grilled Lemon (GF)
• Tuna Tataki Bowl with Spicy Yuzu Glaze, Mango, Avocado, and Pappadam Crisp 
• Crispy Citrus Chicken with Orange Aioli and Baby Greens (GF)
• Citrus Shortcake: Orange Chiffon Cake, Lemon Curd, Mandarins, Whipped Cream, and Citrus Crumble

Beverage:

• Orange Cream Shake in a Souvenir Orange Bird Sipper Cup (Non-Alcoholic)
  • Novelty Sipper Only Available While Supplies Last
• Islamorada Beer Company Coconut Key Lime Ale, Fort Pierce, FL 
• First Magnitude Brewing Lemon Hefeweizen, Gainesville, FL 
• Heavy Seas Brewery TropiCannon Citrus IPA, Halethorpe, MD
• Orange Sunshine Wine Slushy 
• Beer Flight

Magically Fit's recommendations: For those of you unfamiliar with some of these flavors: tuna tataki is a Japanese style seared, raw tuna, and yuzu is a Japanese citrus fruit. Pappadam is a thin, crisp, Indian style wafer and are kind of nutty flavored. If you want something filled with healthy fats and unique flavor, the tuna tataki bowl sounds delicious - so long as you're comfortable with raw fish (insert disclaimer here about risks of consuming raw seafood and increasing your risk of illness). If not, the lobster tail wins out over the crispy chicken - anything crispy gets a no from me if you're keeping WW or any diet plan in mind. 

Food Items: 

• Fried Green Tomatoes with Blue Crab-Fennel Salad, Remoulade, and Smoked Paprika Oil 
• Popsicle Trio: Honeydew, Raspberry-Mint, and Coconut-Lime (KA)

Beverage Items: 

• Short’s Brewing Company Starcut Ciders Squishy Hard Cider, Bellaire, MI

Magically Fit's recommendations: Neither of these options thrill me as far as being healthy-ish goes, but the popsicle trio sounds like an adorable way to share a dessert and sample different flavors. This is a perfect example of my dessert note from about about trying something different and unique that you can't just go pick up at the grocery store!

Food

• Seared Scallops with French Green Beans, Butter Potatoes, Brown Butter Vinaigrette and Apple-wood Smoked Bacon (GF) 
• Beef Tenderloin Tips, Mushroom Bordelaise Sauce, Whipped Potatoes with Garden Vegetables (KA)
• Griddled Maple Pound Cake with Warm Peach Compote and Sweet Corn Gelato (KA)

Beverage

• Maple Popcorn Shake (Non-Alcoholic, KA)
• Unibroue Éphémère Apple Wheat Ale, Chambly, Québec 
• 81Bay Brewing Apricot with Maple Syrup, Tampa, FL
• Collective Arts Brewing Blackberry Fruit Beer, Hamilton, Ontario
• Maple Popcorn Shake with Tap 357 Maple Rye Whisky 
• Beer Flight

Magically Fit: Everything on this menu is likely loaded with sugar, even the protein options. But, my guess would be that the scallops and beef are on equal footing here: the beef is likely going to be a bit fattier than the scallops, but the scallops have the bacon on the side and that brown butter vinaigrette. Since they're both sample sized, I think it's a wash either way you go.

Food:

• Tarte aux Oignons Caramélisés et Chèvre: Goat Cheese Tart with Caramelized Onions on a flaky Pastry Crust
• Canard Confit à l’Orange: Braised Duck Confit à l’Orange with Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• Tarte Tropézienne, Coulis Framboise: Brioche Cake filled with Light Pastry Cream and served with Raspberry Coulis
• Éclair Chocolat Framboise: Éclair filled with Raspberry and Chocolate Mousse

Beverage:

• Kronenbourg Blanc 1664 Draft Beer
• VeRy Raspberry: Rosé Wine with Natural Raspberry Flavor
• Bordeaux, Merlot and Cabernet Blend, Château Tarin
• La Vie en Rose Frozen Slushy: Vodka, Grey Goose l’Orange, St. Germain Liqueur, White and Red Cranberry Juice 

Food:

• Carne Guisada with Black Bean Cake and Cilantro-Lime Sour Cream
• Spicy Blackened Shrimp and Cheddar Cheese Grits with Brown Gravy and Local Sweet Corn Relish 
• Key Lime Tart with Toasted Meringue (KA)

Beverage:

• Watermelon Cucumber Slushy (Non-Alcoholic, PB, KA)
• Tampa Bay Brewing Company Twisted Strawberry Fest Fruit Ale, Tampa, FL 
• Big Top Brewing Company Conch Republic Key Lime Wheat, Sarasota, FL 
• First Magnitude Brewing Monarch Milk Stout, Gainesville, FL 
• Florida Orange Groves Winery Sparkling Key Lime Wine, St Petersburg, FL
• Watermelon Cucumber Slushy with Gin
• Beer Flight

Magically Fit's Recommendations: I'd go for the shrimp - sounds like a lot of great flavors are in there, so you aren't sacrificing that while still keeping things lower in SmartPoints.

Food:

• Harissa Chicken Kebab with Dried Fruit Couscous Salad and Cilantro Oil
• Fried Cauliflower with Capers, Garlic Parsley and Chili-Ranch Sauce 
• Walnut Honey Baklava

Beverage:

• Casa Beer
• Larroque Chardonnay, Meknes
• White Sangria
• Desert Rose: Sparkling Wine topped with Pomegranate Liqueur

Magically Fit's recommendations: Because it's not fried or sugary, and because it sounds delicious, I'd pick the harissa (a spice!) chicken kebab. Morocco Pavilion makes amazing couscous salad, and the cilantro oil is probably minimal due to it being more of a sample sized dish.

Food:

• Frushi: Strawberry, Pineapple, and Cantaloupe wrapped in Sweet Rice and Pink Soy Wrap served with Whipped Cream, Drizzled Berry Sauce and Toasted Coconut 
• Menchi Katsu Slider: Japanese-style Panko-breaded Beef Patty topped with Tonkatsu Sauce, Mayonnaise, Cucumber, and Pickled Lotus Root
• Salmon Flower Ikura: Fresh-cut Salmon, Salmon Roe, Spinach, Watermelon Radish, and Chilled Ramen tossed with Poke Sauce

Beverage:

• Kirin Draft Beer
• Strawberry Nigori Sake
• Furano Martini: Vodka, Lavender Syrup, and Yuzu Juice

Magically Fit recommendations: The Salmon Flower Ikura sounds like a great, refreshing option with a nice balance of protein, healthy fats, some carbs and vegetables. Also, if you're looking for another good example of something to curb a sweet tooth without disrespecting food triggers, I love the frushi!

• Mini Funnel Cake topped with Lemon Cheesecake Ice Cream, Blueberries, and Powdered Sugar 

Magically Fit recommendations: If you absolutely have to have a funnel cake while you are here, the mini one is the way to go unless you're sharing one with family! But this will help with portion control. Remember - to say you're never gonna have a dessert again is not realistic, so don't beat yourself up if you do have something while you are at Disney.

Food:

• Southern Seafood Boil: Shrimp, Mussels, Crawfish, Potatoes, Corn and Andouille Sausage
• Grilled Oysters with Cajun Butter
• House-made Boudin Two Ways with Spicy Mustard
• Pecan Cake with Maple Whipped Cream
• Pecan Praline

Beverage:

• Wild Heaven Beer Session Citrus Lager, Avondale Estates, GA
• The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery Amber Ale, Farmville, NC
• Parish Brewing Co. Ghost in the Machine Double IPA, Broussard,  LA
• Beer Flight

Magically Fit: For those unfamiliar, boudin is a bloodless sausage. However, my recommendation would be the seafood boil for something more hearty, or the grilled oysters if you want something less heavy.

Beverage:

• Arendelle Aqua Lemonade: Frozen Lemonade with Monin Cotton Candy (Non-Alcoholic)
• Redstone Meadery Black Raspberry Nectar, Boulder, CO
• Arendelle Aqua Lemonade: Frozen Lemonade served with Monin Cotton Candy and Ole Smoky Blackberry Moonshine

​
Magically Fit's recommendations: No food to note on; see above beverages comment! 

Food:

• La Regina “Margherita”: Rustic Italian Flatbread, Vine-ripened Tomatoes, Whole-Milk Mozzarella, Parmesan, and Basil 
• Ravioli: Grilled Chicken Ravioli with Spring Vegetables and creamy Pesto Sauce
• Zeppole: Ricotta Cheese Fritters, Powdered Sugar, Raspberry Sauce and Chocolate-hazelnut Drizzle 

Beverage:

• Peroni Nastro Azzurro Pilsner   
• Pinot Grigio, Santa Marina 
• Chianti, Gabbiano
• Prosecco, Villa Sandi
• Corbinello, Montegrande
• Moscato, Fior d’Arancio Montegrande
• Bellini
• Frozen Italian Margarita with Limoncello and Tequila

Magically Fit's recommendation: Thanks to both using cheesy sauces (or just straight up cheese, haha), I think either the flatbread or ravioli will be equivalent to one another as far as tracking it goes. Depends on if you want more protein or more fats!

Food:

• Potato Pancakes with House-made Apple Sauce (PB)
• Potato Pancake with Caramelized Ham, Onions, and Herb Sour Cream 
• Toasted Pretzel Bread topped with Black Forest Ham and Melted Gruyere Cheese  
• Warm Cheese Strudel with Mixed Berries 

Beverage:

• M.I.A. Brewing Hugo, Doral, FL
• Bitburger Premium Pils, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
• Stiegl Brewery Radler Zitrone, Salzburg, Austria 
• Apfelschaumwein: Sparkling Wine and Apple Liqueur
• Beer Flight

Magically Fit's recommendation: I'd recommend the potato pancakes paired with apple sauce - while it does usually have sugar added, the caramelized ham likely also does and then that's not also fighting with the sour cream for room in your food diary.

Refreshment Outpost
Food Items:

• Pineapple Skewer with Tajin Seasoning (PB)

Beverage Items:

• 3 Daughters Raspberry Lemonade Dry Hard Cider, St. Petersburg, FL
• Short’s Brewing Company Starcut Ciders Mosa Hard Cider, Bellaire, MI
• Ciderboys Banana Bliss Hard Cider, Stevens Point, WI
• Cider Flight

Magically Fit's recommendation: There's only one option here, but that sounds like a really refreshing choice if you want some fruit with a twist! 

Food:

• Szechuan Spicy Red-braised Beef Shank over Rice
• Bon Bon Chicken Skewer with Sesame and Peanut Sauce
• House-made Crab and Cheese Wontons

Beverage:

• “Panda” Bubble Tea: Classic Milk Tea with Black and White Boba Pearls (Non-Alcoholic)
• Jasmine Draft Beer
• Marco Boba: Amaretto, Iced Coffee, Milk, and Boba
• Kung Fu Punch: Vodka, Triple Sec, Mango Syrup and Orange Juice
• Time Out: Bacardi Rum, Peach Liqueur, Peach Syrup, Pina Colada, Sprite, Soda Water, and Magic Boba

While peanut sauce can have a lot of sugar in it, I'm opting for the Bon Bon chicken skewer since it's not fried and it's a leaner protein. Bon Bon is another way of saying "bang bang chicken" like some restaurants in the States call it, so this likely also has some heat to it like the beef shank does.

Food:

• Chilaquiles con Pollo: Chipotle-braised Chicken and Tortillas served with Salsa Ranchera, Monterey Jack Cheese, Crema Mexicana, and Guajillo Cheese
• Quesadilla al Pastor: Flour Tortilla filled with Monterey Jack Cheese and Pork Pastor topped with Grilled Pineapple, Salsa Verde, Red Onion, and Cilantro
• Choriqueso Torta: Bolillo Roll filled with Chorizo and Monterey Jack Cheese, Avocado Mousse, and Jalapeños

Beverage:

• Cruz Blanca Rosé Spritz: Effervescent Rosé Wheat Ale with Elderflower Liqueur
• Mango Mexican Lucky Margarita: Spicy Ancho Verde Liqueur, 100% Agave Tequila Blanco, Mango-Passion Fruit Purée, Lime Juice, Applejack, and Ginger Cordial served with a Tajin Chili-Lime Salt Rim
• Rosita Margarita: Rose Petal Liqueur, 100% Agave Tequila Blanco, Lemon and Cranberry Juices served with a Rose Petal Salt Rim

Magically Fit's recommendations: The chicken is likely less points than the pork; both feature cheese, but the chicken has a cream based sauce, so it's likely comparable. I'd go for either of those options.

Food:

• Grilled Street Corn on the Cob with Savory Garlic Spread (GF, PB)  
• Impossible Farmhouse Meatball with Lentil Bread, Spinach, Marinated Vegetables, and Creamy Herb Dressing (PB)
• Chocolate Pudding Terrarium with Avocado Cream, Matcha Crumble, and Baby Herbs (GF, PB)

Beverage:

• Bloomin’ Blueberry Lemon and Ginger Tea featuring Twinings of London (Non-Alcoholic) 
• Playalinda Brewing Company Tropical Wonderland Wheat Ale, Titusville, FL 
• Bloomin’ Blueberry Lemon and Ginger Tea featuring Twinings of London with Tito's Handmade Vodka served in a Mason Jar 

Magically Fit's recommendation: I love the amount of vegetables that the meatball comes with, and it's likely a lower in SmartPoints amount of Impossible "meat" since it's going to be more of a sample option than a full blown dish. If you go for the grilled street corn, just be cautious of how much garlic spread is on there!

Also, this is the one time I'll make an additional comment on a beverage option: I'd definitely go for the blueberry lemon and ginger tea (non alcoholic) as ginger tea is great for you and your digestive system. 

Food:

• Lamb Curry with Sweet Plantains and Rice
• Sugar Cane Shrimp Skewer with Steamed Rice and Coconut-Lime Sauce 
• Tropical Mousse Cup: Layers of Passion Fruit Cake, Coconut Mousse, and a Tropical Fruit Glaze with Fresh Pineapple

Beverage:

• Tropical Freeze (Non-Alcoholic)
• Golden Road Brewing Tart Mango Cart Wheat Ale, Los Angeles, CA 
• Tropical Freeze with Parrot Bay Mango Rum 

Magically Fit's recommendation: Don't be fooled - while the sugar is more obviously there in the sugar cane shrimp skewer, it's also probably present in the sweet plantains. Either option is probably a wash no matter which way you go!

Then there are options! You can pack your own food, so long as you're not bringing a massive cooler in there with you. You can get some ideas from what I like to bring with me when I go to Disney World and know I'll be there for lunch at this article right here. 

One of the things I love to bring with me if I'm just trying to avoid Disney sweets? Built Bars! They range from 3-5 SmartPoints (only 1 limited flavor has been 5 points; the bulk are 3 SmartPoints, with nutty flavors being 4 SmartPoints) and hold up pretty well all day in the parks if you pop them in the fridge or freezer the night before (they're made with real chocolate). Get 10% off your order of Built Bars when you use the coupon MAGICALLYFIT at checkout (if you order through this link, your discount will be automatically applied)! 

What are you most looking forward to trying? Let me know in the comments which of these options is your favorite!

My husband and I have been wanting to try Teppan Edo at Epcot for years, and finally we did for a nice Valentine's Day evening! This Walt Disney World restaurant is one of my new favorites and I had to review it for you all to see why - plus, a few tips for not going overboard at a hibachi are at the end if you're on Weight Watchers like I am!

There are affiliate links throughout this blog post where I can earn a small commission. I never support a product or brand I don't personally use and enjoy, but if you'd like to learn more, you can head to this page on my blog!

Teppan Edo is a Japanese hibachi grill in the Japan Pavilion at Epcot, located in the World Showcase. Teppan Edo and Tokyo Dining are both located on the second floor of Mitsukoshi, the gift shop of the Japan Pavilion. There are some gorgeous views of the Japan Pavilion here (and when you get your pager after checking in, you can roam the entire Japan Pavilion with it - you are not restricted to just the lobby!). 

You will likely need a dining reservation, which you can book on the Disney website or the My Disney Experience app. To check in, head up the stairs (or elevator) and you will find yourself in the lobby. A cast member helped us check in, and as the restaurants share a lobby, it was helpful - but note that Teppan Edo is on the left side when you enter.

Like most hibachi restaurants, your table is communal style. Your server sets you up with your drinks and your order, and will ask if anyone would like - as our server Ryo called them - “cheater chopsticks” which a few people at our table accepted. Ryo took the paper sheath the chopsticks came in, turned them into origami cranes like it was as simple as folding the paper in half once, and then used the crane to attach the chopsticks, held together by a rubber band. Color me impressed! 

Our chef was Yasuka, and let me just start off by saying if I could hire her to cook for me every night, I would. The atmosphere was very fun, and because you are at Disney, as Yasuka said, “Mickey is everywhere!” This started with her putting the soybean oil on the grill in the shape of Mickey Mouse ears (plus added a bow to make it Minnie Mouse), and continued with the onion volcano being transformed into Mickey with the help of other vegetables. Even when she put the butter on our vegetables, she put the little scoops on there to resemble Mickey ears! This is such a cute touch, even for adults.

My husband and I both ordered the chicken and shrimp. When you get an entree here, you get a ton of food - ours came with a salad (with a delicious ginger-based dressing), then udon and vegetables, then white rice, and whatever your protein options are. 

So it goes without saying that hibachis can strike fear in the hearts of Weight Watchers - after all, as you can see, we got a ton of food with our meal, and it can be scary to tackle when you are out and far from home. But have no fear! Here are some tips for managing if you're worried about going overboard.

1. Don't be afraid to ask for a to go box. This is a great tactic at any restaurant, especially when you ask for one right off the bat. Then, you can practice some portion control while you're there so you don't feel bloated beyond belief if you, like me, don't trust yourself to not eat everything put on your plate.
2. Pace yourself. The beauty of hibachi grills is that you don't usually get all your food served at the same time. You're watching them cook it up and it is being served to you piece by piece - this was the case at Teppan Edo, at least, and has been at other hibachis I've been to. If you find them serving it to you piece by piece, take it slow and give yourself time to digest and ask yourself how full you're feeling. You can even try a few bites of everything, but save some for later so you can sample everything and then do your fullness check - and then if you are full, your to go box will come in handy!  
3. Pre-track your meal to the best of your ability. Do this before you track any of your other food for the day. This way, you know what you are working with in two regards: you can plan for lower SmartPoints (but still healthy and nutritious - don't starve yourself!) for your other meals, but also you can go into the restaurant with a game plan, especially if you checked the menu beforehand. Unfortunately, Disney does not include the nutritional info for any of their restaurants, so the best I can do for tracking is generic options in My Fitness Pal and the WW app. That being said, I'm also sure to track a little butter and soybean oil since I know they typically cook with it. I also like to plan to go on the higher side to play it safe. 
4. To avoid deprivation, try something you wouldn't normally have. This is something I like to do with desserts because I have a sweet tooth. To avoid eating my trigger foods, I stick to a rule with desserts that always works for me: try something I can't just get at the grocery store, and if I'm to have anything, have it while I'm out. I tried the Green Tea Mousse Cake at Teppan Edo and it was delicious, worth however many Weekly SmartPoints I spent on it, but because it's not like I can just go buy that at Publix, I didn't feel the need to go on a sweets binge the next day. If savory foods are more your thing, you could apply this method to that as well. It allows me to not feel deprived while also not setting me back into a cycle of bad habits.
5. Enjoy yourself and use your Weekly SmartPoints! Sometimes, special occasions come up and you're going to want to enjoy your evening without obsessing over calories. If we were not allowed to use our Weekly SmartPoints on WW, we would never have been given them in the first place, so don't be afraid to dip into that budget and be kind to yourself. Remember, no one lost weight from eating one salad, so you won't gain a ton from one meal either. 

What is your favorite spot around the World Showcase? Japan is my favorite by far! Let me know in the comments where you tend to hang out the most at Epcot. 

Whether you're on vacation, a business trip, or out of town for a special event like a wedding, it can be nerve-wracking getting out of your routine when you're chugging along on your weight loss journey. Trust me, this is something I struggled with (and how this blog was born!) - when you're making good progress, you don't want to find yourself feeling defeated because the number on the scale went up after your vacation time. 

While it's sometimes near impossible to be 100% in control, there are a few steps you can take to help you get pretty close. I've gathered the steps I take - and have helped me lose weight when spending long weekends at Disney or work trips - so that way, you have a guide to help you if you're feeling overwhelmed. Specifically, here are five tips for how you can eat healthy in your hotel room.

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​Read more here!

Even if it’s a business trip where your boss books the room for you, you’ll still likely know where you’re going before you pack your bags. So if you have the ability, be sure to look up where you’re staying and the in-room amenities before traveling. If you’re the one booking the room, try to see if you can book a place where there’s more you can use. For example, a place like Candlewood Suites has a mini-kitchen in it with more appliances (including a refrigerator) than a standard hotel room, and most places - even the most basic of them all - have a microwave and, sometimes, a mini-fridge. These things should be listed on their website, and if not, available in photographs of the room or something you could call the front desk about.  ​If you know you have a refrigerator in your hotel room, then that makes it all the easier to meal prep.

Nonperishables are your friend! You can keep it pretty basic and still stay healthy. Just be on the lookout for high sodium counts with nonperishable food items, but there are plenty of ways you can keep the SmartPoints or calories to a minimum. Look for things like 100 calorie packs of nuts, canned (or pouched) chicken and tuna, fruit (especially apples, clementines, and other fruits that don’t need refrigeration), low-calorie breads with PB2 (and, if you have a refrigerator, sugar-free or reduced-sugar jelly), cold cuts if you have a fridge, and your favorite healthy snacks. ​

Whether you’re on vacation or a business trip, chances are there are going to be a few mornings where you have breakfast in the room or on the go. If you can pre-plan with healthy breakfasts or even a protein bar - Built Bars are my favorite at only 3 SmartPoints, and make for a great snack if you have breakfast reservations - then that’s one way to not worry about at least one of your meals. When I went on a business trip to Virginia, I bought a box of protein bars before I left to have for breakfast since I knew that lunch and dinner would be eaten at restaurants every day, and I still managed to lose weight when I stepped on the scale upon my return home!

​With Built Bars, you can get 10% off if you use the coupon code magicallyfit at checkout!

This is helpful to know if you’re on the go so you don’t have to succumb to what you feel is the only option if you’re on the go. This way, you know exactly what your options are and what the healthier ones are. This way, you can confidently say you’re trying your best, which goes a long way when you’re stuck eating out.

You can base what tools you pack based on what is available in your hotel room (especially after you researched like point 1!). Get some tools that you can have in your hotel room or your purse so that way you can be prepared, even on the go. Some of my favorite tools for this are…

1. Collapsible measuring cups that can stack flushly for you to toss in your purse. This means they’re great for both hotels and going out to eat!
2. To go containers for dressing. This way, if you picked up some (like Skinnygirl brand or another low calorie favorite) at the grocery store or ordered some online, you can put it in a convenient carrier.
3. Sandwich containers are great so you can make something with a low calorie bread or wrap and pack it with protein and leafy greens. These are slim enough to fit in your bag and also reusable so it’s good for your wallet in the long-run and your environment. 
4. Small pre-portioned containers (kind of like the ones you get for 21 Day Fix!) are also great if you buy a bulk bag of nuts, for instance, and want to pre-pack out a serving. These can also be used for other snacks like veggies, crackers, or anything good to munch on!

With these tips, you can feel less overwhelmed and nervous about your upcoming trip and feel more in control. People will often ask me, "Jess, why even bother? Calories don't count at Disney!" or, "Why don't you just relax on vacation?" Well, for me - and I know for many others - it just takes one moment of discouragement to throw your groove out of whack, and the last thing you want to do is feel like you are out of control when it comes to that happening.

Just remember that, no matter what happens on your vacation or when you step on your scale, to be kind to yourself. My Weight Watchers leader once said that in every set back, there's a learning opportunity, and you wouldn't slash the remaining three tires on your car if one of them went flat.  

Have any questions? No matter how specific, feel free to email me, DM me on social media, or leave them in the comments!